PRINCIPLES OF WAR THE MAGAZINE

JOHN HOLLYOAK COMPLIMENTARY ISSUE

1 OCTOBER 1995 Editorial

Welcome to issue zero of Principles of War. I believe this is a we would hope to include some sort of league table of games new concept for wargames rules and I am sure you will agree played in competitions or under competition circumstances that it is an excellent one. Tom and I have come into contact (more on this later). We would also include details of new with many sets of rules over the years and with the best will in army lists or other publications. the world there are always queries. Principles of War has been The overall mix depends on you the players. I would welcome playtested for nearly two years and we estimate that nearly 200 any suggestions or articles for publication. The easiest way for games have been played, including some under competition me to process articles is if they are sent on disk, produced in conditions. We would like to think that every eventuality has Word 6 for Windows. These can be poured into my desktop been covered but it is inevitable that someone will find publisher in seconds. Disks will be returned promptly. something that is not covered. Normally if a problem occurs However, do not be put off if you do not have access to a you would come to an agreement at the table and treat it as an computer. I will take them in any form as long as I can read in house rule for the future. But what happens if you go to your writing. In order to keep the cost down I do not intend to another club or play in a competition ? Do these players have go much over 12 sides so I cannot guarantee that an article will the same in house rule ? Have they ever come across the go in the next issue. I will however, endeavour to get them in problem and if not do they agree with your interpretation ? as quickly as possible, especially if I feel they are of This magazine will give you the chance to ask for immediate use to all players. clarifications from the author of the rules. At the same time I anticipate the first issue proper to be available at the end of you also have a forum to voice your opinions or ask for ideas January and thereafter on a quarterly basis. There will have to as to how to represent certain troop types, terrain features etc. be a nominal charge to cover the cost of printing and postage under the rules. and the figure we have settled on is £2.00. As an incentive, the I would foresee each issue containing a mixture of rule first issue will contain a free laminated playsheet, which at queries/clarifications, army lists, reports/reviews on new current prices, means you are paying next to nothing for the figures and probably a battle report. This may be a complete first year’s magazine. report of the battle plus army lists for you to photocopy and a refight, as in this issue, or it may be army lists for a battle which has appeared in another wargames magazine. Finally

CONTENTS: Page 3 Principles of War - Future publications 3 Unit Identification 3 Rule Queries 4 - 8 The 1880

All articles in this issue are by John Hollyoak. All illustrations are taken from the Illustrated News or Battles of the Nineteenth Century, and relate to various aspects of the Second Afghan War.

Please contact us on the addresses shown below. Both are in fact interchangeable so there is no need to send separate letters or make cheques payable to separate people.

Articles for future magazines and Orders for rules, army lists etc. (cheques subscriptions (cheques payable to John payable to Tom Penn) should be sent to: Hollyoak) should be sent to:

John Hollyoak Tom Penn The Farrows, Talavera House, Offmore Court, 138 Godiva Road, Offmore Farm Close Leominster, Kidderminster Herefordshire, DY10 3XJ HR6 8TA

2 Principles of War - Future Productions

We see Principles of War as the top of a pyramid from which theatres you are interested in (or other ones if they do not the follow-up publications flow. It will not be necessary to appear to be covered). buy these further books, all the information required to play Finally there will be a series of smaller books on particular the game is contained in the main rules. However, to make campaigns, giving more detailed information, and army lists things simple for the wargamer we intend to produce a set of for some or all of the battles not covered in the previous books covering the major theatres of war during the period. series. The planned items are as follows (in no particular order): There has already been some interest in a set of competition style army lists, indeed the initial response to the rules seems 1) The Americas to suggest that it is this which interests most players. These 2) Europe would be similar to the colonial armies on pages 65 to 76 but 3) Eastern Europe & the Far East would cover the whole of the period. We prefer to play 4) Africa (probably split into north and south) within a narrow timespan rather than pit 1846 Sikhs against 5) India/ 1914 Germans and there is a problem in that regular colonial 6) First World War armies have to be smaller than their European counterparts because the irregular army would become too large. Each book will cover the major campaigns during the period Therefore there would be 5 or 6 groups of lists which the and give details of the uniforms and organisation of the players may choose from, but they would not be able to play participants plus army lists for one or two battles from each armies from another group. Although there is a lot of work campaign. for this it is probably the easiest of the books to produce. We We already have much of the information available for the look forward to hearing from you. above but there is a lot of work to convert it into book form. We would appreciate your help in planning which one should come first. Please let us know which of the above

Unit Identification

One of the problems with wargames involving large numbers Boyles for an idea which I have taken on board and seems to of troops is identification. There are many ways in which a work well. When basing a unit always include a small pebble player can identify individual units, by the use of flags or to the rear of the base which has a flat side which points standards or by identifying individual figures within a unit. backwards. On this can be painted an identification number Principles of War encourages large amounts of units and which is relatively easy to see. I painted mine in a dark wide flanking manoeuvres which can make things difficult brown paint but this can be difficult to see in the dim light of for the owner to identify which unit is firing or being shot at. the wargames club. I would suggest black paint is a better I have seen various attempts at unit recognition, usually alternative. For irregulars the marker can be anywhere on the based on a small number which is carried around with the base as long as it is visible to the player. For regulars I would unit, either next to it, on it or attached to it. The other suggest putting the marker on the officer’s base and always common method is to write an identification number on the having that base in the middle of the unit. That way all the underneath of the base. None of these methods is ideal. other infantry can be used for any unit (unless you have Separate numbers seem to always detach themselves at the facing colours etc.). vital moment and it is not always ideal to be continually picking up units to look at a number. I am indebted to Ray Rule Queries

Clive McLeod writes: Clive also asked which movement base a brigade should use ‘On page 31, Hand to Hand Combat the multiplier for if it includes regulars and irregulars. Regular cavalry is shown as ‘2’. As Regular cavalry is a Tom suggests that it depends whether the brigadier is regular troop type (which covers dragoons, hussars, chasseurs etc. - or irregular. However, the only examples we can think of at Ed) there is technically no multiplier for Cuirassiers.’ the moment relate to regular brigades including an irregular Unfortunately it would appear that Clive is right. The unit. In this case the player should use regular movement playsheet is correct in that it shows Regular cavalry/ bases. If the base is spotted before having fully deployed, the cuirassiers as a category and ‘cuirassiers’ should be added irregulars are placed on the table as fully deployed (the only after Regular cavalry on Page 31. formation they can use).

3 Maiwand 1880

Over the past few years the Wargames Study Group of the encamped at Khusk-i-Nakhud, I received information that 2000 of Victorian Military Society have put on demonstration games at the enemy's cavalry and a large number of ghazis had arrived at various venues to try to raise the profile of 19th Century Garmao and Maiwand, and that it was Ayub Khan’s intention to Wargaming in general and the Victorian Military Society in follow with the main body of his army immediately. particular. The choice of game has not been easy in that we have to A sketch is attached to this report, showing the positions of choose a battle in which the natives have a reasonable chance of Maiwand and Kushk-i-Nakhud, from which it will be seen that to victory. We could just run a choreographed game but we prefer to carry into effect the instructions I had received, viz., to prevent actually run things on the day as long as there are enough people Ayub Khan from passing on to Ghazni, it was incumbent on me to available. This year’s game is Maiwand 1880 and this seemed an intercept him either at Maiwand or Kushk-i-Nakhud. excellent choice for this issue as the army lists have been drawn up Hitherto I had found it impossible to obtain any reliable information and the game has already been played using Principles of War. My regarding Ayub Khan’s intended movements, for, although when thanks to John French for his research and permission to use the the expedition set out, it was understood that we were to operate in same. a friendly country, and in concert with a loyal army, the actual circumstances were the reverse of this. The Wali’s army had gone BACKGROUND over to the enemy; the Wali himself was a refugee in my camp. Britain was worried about the possibility of Russian influence in Whatever little political influence there may previously have been Afghanistan posing a threat to the North-West Frontier and hence in the country, was at an end, and every man’s hand was against us. India itself. When British envoys were refused admission to Kabul In the absence of intelligence beyond such as my cavalry patrols it resulted in two British Divisions being sent to Afghanistan in late brought in, and from which I knew that the enemy’s advanced post 1878. Victories over the regular Afghan army followed. was at Sungboor, twelve miles in my front, on the Kushk- i- In February 1880 the 66th (Royal Berkshire) Regt. was sent to Nakhud road, I considered it advisable to await events in the Kandahar, an important trading centre some 300 miles south-west position I had taken up at the latter place. of Kabul. By July it was reported that a large Afghan army was On learning, however, that the enemy was making for Maiwand, I marching from Herat district towards Kandahar. determined to move on that place at once. The 26th July saw an Afghan force in the vicinity of Maiwand, The force marched at 6.30 a.m. on the 27th July, encumbered by an about 40 miles from Kandahar. Burrows thought it was an advance enormous quantity of ordnance and commissariat stores and party and did not know it was the entire Afghan army. This left baggage. This was unavoidable, as the hostile state of the country Burrows with approximately 2,500 men, including one regiment of rendered it impossible to leave anything behind in safety, and I mainly new recruits, facing an army variously estimated at between could not divide my already too weak force. 15 and 25,000. For the course of the resulting battle I refer to the After proceeding about eight miles, large masses of troops were reports of Brigadier General Burrows as appeared in The London discovered, about four miles distant, moving in a diagonal direction Gazette of November 19th, 1880. across our right front, and it was evident that a collision with Ayub From Brigadier-General G.R.S. Burrows, to the Assistant Adjutant- Khan’s army must take place before we reached our destination. General, Kandahar Force, - (Kandahar, 30th August, 1880). Advancing on a village which lay about a mile in my front, I placed I have the honour to report, that, on the 26th ultimo, whilst my baggage there, and on the higher ground beyond I deployed my

4 infantry into line with guns in the centre, and the cavalry on the left, Brooke, which cleared the way for us into Kandahar. covering the movement with two horse artillery guns and a troop of Of the four horse artillery 9-pounder guns and six smooth bore guns cavalry. with which we left the field, the whole of the former and one of the It was difficult, on account of the haze and dust, to estimate the latter were brought safely into Kandahar; the five other smooth-bore number of the enemy, but judging by the extent of country covered, guns had, one by one, to be abandoned during the retreat, the horses I believe I am within the mark when I set down his strength at being unable to bring them on. 25,000 men. Of the conduct of the troops, generally, I have already spoken, but I At 11.45 a.m. the fight commenced by the advanced guns under wish to bring the artillery to special notice; their behaviour was Lieutenant H Maclaine coming into action on our left, followed admirable; exposed to a heavy fire they served their guns coolly and shortly by two horse artillery guns and the smooth-bore battery in steadily as on parade, and when the guns were rushed, they fought our centre. The remaining two 9-ponders were also brought up from the ghazis with handspikes, sponge-rods etc.. the rearguard. In explanation of the unfortunate loss of the two horse artillery In about half an hour the enemy began to reply from their right, guns, the officer commanding the battery has reported that gradually extending along their front, and concentrating their fire of Lieutenant Maclaine, who was in charge of them, waited to fire thirty guns on our position. another round of case after the order to limber up and retire had The infantry were ordered to lie down, and the wing of Jacob’s been given, and the delay was fatal. Rifles, which had been in reserve, was brought up on the flanks, which were threatened on the right by ghazis, and on the left by the AFTERMATH enemy’s regular cavalry. From a fighting force of approximately 2500, casualties were 962 In this position we remained for nearly three hours, our artillery killed and 161 wounded. There were also 354 killed, 4 wounded making excellent practice, the cavalry holding the enemy’s cavalry and 250-300 deserters amongst the servants, followers and non- in check, and the infantry keeping up a steady fire on the ghazis on combatants. our right. Two Victoria crosses were awarded to Gunner James Collis and A large body of the enemy’s regular infantry were on our left front, Sergeant Patrick Mullane, both of the Royal Horse Artillery. and about the middle of the day they advanced in line, but well- delivered volleys checked them, and they did not come on again. THE REFIGHT Between 2 and 3 o’clock, the fire of the enemy’s guns slackened, The first time the battle was fought as a demonstration game was at and swarms of ghazis advanced rapidly towards our centre. the Midland Militaire. The game went much as the original battle. Up to this time the casualties amongst the infantry had not been The Afghans made a very slow start, choosing to fire the artillery at heavy, and as the men were firing steadily and the guns were long range while the ghazis moved south to use the Mundabad sweeping the ground with case-shot, I felt confident as to the result. Ravine as cover to outflank the British right. Both they and the But our fire failed to check the ghazis; they came on in Regulars were slowed by the ravine and the nullahs as these were overwhelming numbers, and making good their rush, they seized not counted as home terrain. The British had some success in the the two most advanced horse artillery guns. artillery duel, forcing some of the Afghan batteries to retire but With the exception of two companies of Jacob’s Rifles, which had overall the small casualties inflicted by the artillery on both sides caused me great anxiety by their unsteadiness early in the day, the were more galling to the British. In particular the Bombay conduct of the troops had been splendid up to this point; but now at Grenadiers were suffering but still managed to withstand two a critical moment, when a firm resistance might have achieved a charges. On the left flank the cavalry withstood the repeated attacks victory, the infantry gave way, and commencing from the left, of the Afghan horse but eventually numbers told and they were rolled up like a wave to the right. After vainly endeavouring to rally forced to flee. This left the Bombay Grenadiers exposed and despite them, I went for the cavalry. (I was obliged to go myself, having no valiant efforts, a three pronged attack was too much for them. The staff officer left.) attack by the Regular Afghans faltered but just managed to make The 3rd Light Cavalry and 3rd Sind Horse were retiring slowly on the British lines. The final nail in the coffin occurred when the our left, and I called upon them to charge across the front and to ghazis left the ravine and crashed into the right flank. At that point give the infantry an opportunity of reforming; but the terrible the British conceded. artillery fire to which they had been exposed, and from which they Overall we were pleased with the course of the game. Several new had suffered so severely, had so shaken them that General Nuttall players found the rules simple to pick up (and even pointed out was unable to give effect to my order. factors that I forgot later !). We were also very pleased to be All was now over, and I returned to the infantry to do what might be awarded the trophy for best demonstration game. done to save them from complete annihilation. FIGURE AVAILABILITY After retreating across the nullah,and through the gardens near the In 25mm the British and Indian Infantry and cavalry are available village, a small walled enclosure was reached, and in this about 150 from Redoubt, Wargames Foundry and Hinchliffe. Whilst the men of different corps, with several officers, made a stand and infantry are not exactly correct they are very close. The horse checked the enemy for a time; but seeing that we were rapidly being artillery, which inspired many an illustration, are available from outflanked, and that our line of retreat would presently be cut off, I Wargames Foundry. gave the order to retire. The Afghans are also available from Wargames Foundry, although A wide open plain lay before us, and with discipline utterly gone irregular figures from various manufacturers were included to add and the men all scattered the prospect was discouraging; but we variety. succeeded in making our way without much loss for a distance of In 15mm there are several ranges available from Minifigs, Essex, three miles, when we joined the guns and cavalry in rear of the Irregular and I am sure there are others. Irregular are the only firm baggage, which was by this time stretching for miles over the who make the Afghan regulars. country towards Kandahar. Small parties of the enemy continued to hover in our rear, but no SOURCES vigorous pursuit was made. London Gazette November 1880. After daylight we were fired on from every village we passed, until Afghan Campaigns of 1878-80, S.H.Shadbolt. we reached Kokeran, when we met a small force under General My God - Maiwand, Leigh Maxwell.

5 The Road to Kabul, Brian Robson. ARMY LISTS On the following pages are the suggested army lists for a refight MAGAZINE ARTICLES under Principles of War. Permission is given to photocopy for your Soldiers of the Queen May 80. own use. These lists are also available laminated direct from Tom Miniature Wargames 5 ‘The Battle of Maiwand’, Ian Westwell. Penn. Wargames Illustrated 60 ‘Wargaming the Battle of Maiwand’, Paul Stevenson. Wargames Illustrated 93 - 96 ‘A most villainous looking cavalcade’, Ian Heath. Military Illustrated 17 ‘Some aspects of Maiwand’, Michael Barthorp. Military History June 94 ‘Ordeal on a barren plain’.

BRITISH ARMY AT MAIWAND

Brig.-General G. Burrows Poor

H.M. 66th Foot 1 1st Company BLR 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 2 2nd Company BLR 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 3 3rd Company BLR 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 4 4th Company BLR 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 5 5th Company BLR 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

1st Bombay (Rifles) Grenadiers Average 6 1st Company BLR 1 2 3 *4 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 7 2nd Company BLR 1 2 3 *4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 8 3rd Company BLR 1 2 3 *4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 9 4th Company BLR 1 2 3 *4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 10 5th Company BLR 1 2 3 *4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 11 6th Company BLR 1 2 3 *4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

30th Bombay (Jacob's Rifles)Average 12 1st Company BLR 1 2 3 *4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 13 2nd Company BLR 1 2 3 *4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 14 3rd Company BLR 1 2 3 *4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 4th Company BLR 1 2 3 *4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 16 5th Company BLR 1 2 3 *4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 17 6th Company BLR 1 2 3 *4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

E/B Royal Horse Artillery Average 18 1st Section STE 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 10 11 12 19 2nd Section STE 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 10 11 12 20 3rd Section STE 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 10 11 12 21 Ex-Wali Artillery SB 1 2 3 *4 5 6 7 8 9 10 22 No.2 Coy Sappers BLR 1 2 3 *4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Cavalry Average 23 3rd Reg. 1st Sdn. MW 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 101112 24 3rd Reg. 2nd Sdn. MW 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 101112 25 1st Sdn Cav Reg. MW 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 101112 26 2nd Sdn Cav Reg. MW 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 101112

All British Foot are Steadfast.

6 AFGHAN ARMY AT MAIWAND

Regular C in C Average

1st Brigade Poor 1 1st Kabuli Regiment MLR 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 2 2nd Kabuli Regiment MLR 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 3 3rd Kabuli Regiment MLR 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 4 4th Kabuli Regiment MLR 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 5 5th Kabuli Regiment MLR 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

2nd Brigade Poor 6 Kandahari Regiment MLR 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 7 1st Herati Regiment MLR 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 8 2nd Herati Regiment MLR 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 9 3rd Herati Regiment MLR 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 10 Wali's Deserters MLR 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Regular Cavalry Poor 11 1st Kabuli Regiment MW 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 101112 12 2nd Kabuli Regiment MW 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 101112 13 3rd Kabuli Regiment MW 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 101112

Artillery Poor 14 1st Heavy Battery STE 1 2 3 *4 5 6 7 8 9 10 15 2nd Medium Battery BRO 1 2 3 *4 5 6 7 8 9 10 16 3rd Medium Battery SB 1 2 3 *4 5 6 7 8 9 10 17 4th Light Battery SB 1 2 3 *4 5 6 7 8 9 10 18 5th Light Battery SB 1 2 3 *4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Irregular C in C Poor

1st Irreg. Brigade Average 19 Ghazi Foot MW 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 *8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 Ghazi Foot MW 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 *8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 21 Ghazi Foot MW 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 *8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 22 Skirmish Foot NBL 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 10 11 12 23 Skirmish Foot NML 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 10 11 12

2nd Irreg. Brigade Poor 24 Ghazi Foot MW 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 *8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 25 Ghazi Foot MW 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 *8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 26 Skirmish Foot NBL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 *8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 27 Skirmish Foot NBL 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 10 11 12 28 Skirmish Foot NML 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 10 11 12

7 4th Irreg. Brigade Average 34 Ghazi Foot MW 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 *8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 35 Ghazi Foot MW 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 *8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 36 Skirmish Foot NBL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 *8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 37 Skirmish Foot NBL 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 10 11 12 38 Skirmish Foot NML 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Irregular Cavalry Average 39 1st Irregular Cavalry MW 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 101112 40 2nd Irregular Cavalry MW 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 101112 41 3rd Irregular Cavalry MW 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 101112 42 4th Irregular Cavalry MW 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 101112 43 5th Irregular Cavalry MW 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 101112 44 6th Irregular Cavalry MW 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 101112

Irregular Cavalry Poor 45 1st Irregular Cavalry MW 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 101112 46 2nd Irregular Cavalry MW 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 101112 47 3rd Irregular Cavalry MW 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 101112 48 4th Irregular Cavalry MW 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 101112 49 5th Irregular Cavalry MW 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 101112 50 6th Irregular Cavalry MW 1 2 3 4 5 *6 7 8 9 101112

All the Ghazi are Irregular Massed Foot. The Irregular foot all count Broken Ground and Steep slopes as home terrain. All the troops under the command of the Regular C in C are also regular, all other troops are irregular.

‘It was carried at the bayonet-point after a very stubborn resistance’

8