The player: United Equestrian Empire

Units:

Earth ponies: 20
Unicorns: 10
Pegasi: 20

Heroes: N/A

The Enemy:

Greater Human Empire

Units

Imperial Riflemen: 25
Sword and Buckler: 30

Heroes: N/A

The Battlefield:

The particular patrol route that your unit is taking today brings you along a open, flat plain on one side of a river and a wooded area on the other side of the river. The road that you are on leads to a bridge to cross the river into the wooded area.

The ground on the plain side is flat and looks to be getting made ready for crops to be grown slowing any troop movement (slightly) if they were to get off the road. There are a few feet between the road and the plowed fields awaiting crops though.

The road is one lane wide, as you are out on the borders of the UEE and little traffic is seen in this area. The few feet of land on either side of the road allows for quick deployment to made if necessary (essentially giving you a "two-lane" deployment area without the ground hampering you).

The bridge is also one lane wide and stretches across the 30ft wide river. The bridge is made of stone, with stone guardrails on either side, making it extremely hard to collapse with out artillery or some form of explosive.

The river, at it's narrowest point, is 30ft long and is 40ft deep with a swift moving current making any trek across perilous at best if one were to skip the bridge.

The wooded area on the other side of the river is a good 20ft away from the river and is split down the middle with the road. It is not particularly thick but any charge made into or out of the area will be in a disorderly mess.

When you are within 20ft of the bridge a few shots ring out but none of them find marks. You also note that across the bridge there are enemy troops deploying just inside the treeline.

Objective: Force the enemy forces to fall back or wipe out all units.

Victory is not guaranteed in this. So play honestly

B:E Sim #2
"Patrol Gone Wrong"

I use my General status and call down an Orbital Friendship Cannon strike on the forest.

...Nah, just kidding.

Command given: Entrench, Maneuver and Flank, Surround, Eliminate

All earth ponies and unicorns just dig in before the bridge. Unicorns shoot some suppressive fire of sorts into the forest.

Meanwhile, pegasi will dash across, up and over, preferable at a high altitude for less detection. They will get behind enemy lines.

Pegasi will proceed to assault the GHE forces. Unicorns will continue magic support, while earth ponies will cross the bridge and engage in combat.

With focus scattered and split among the GHE, unicorns will be able to cross as well. They will add in with the surrounding tactic and give more support with their magic.

During the confusion, pegasi will have the tactic of flying a short distance up and attacking from the vulnerable topside in the midst of the fighting.

Expected result is elimination of GHE forces, though with unspecified losses to pegasi and earth pony numbers.

Firstly, I have my troops dig in on my side of the river, and find whatever cover they can. I have three of my unicorn units throw up shields around themselves and nearby allies to provide protection from incoming fire. With any luck, they will be close enough together to have the shields overlap.

The rest of my unicorns lay down suppressing fire on the tree line and bridge, and with a few well-placed spells, I would have them attempt to set some of the trees alight if they can. I keep my Pegasi on the ground, as they are more exposed in the air, although I send one unit to fly back to my camp to request reinforcements.

I have my earth ponies and my remaining pegasi stay within the sheilded areas, but close enough to the bridge that I can have them engage anyone who manages to get across.

In my entrenched position, I wait for my reinforcements to arrive, or for the GHE troops to withdraw.

First I would seperate my unicorns into two groups of five and order them to lay down supressive fire. Those two groups would proceed to advance towards the bridge by taking turns laying down fire and sort of 'leap-frogging' each other as it were. My earth ponies would advance behind right behind them as they marched and as soon they reached the bridge the unicorns would position themselves on either side of the bridge, continuing to lay down fire at the enemy while my earth ponies advanced across the bridge. When they finally got close enough to the enenmy to engage, the unicorns would cease fire and advance across the bridge themselves to aid in the combat. My pegasi, meanwhile, would have been split into two groups of ten and I would have each group go across the river and harass the enemy from either side. Their orders would be not to engage but rather to distract while the earth ponies and unicorns advanced. They would stay close enough to the enemy to hold their attention but far enough away that they could possibly avoid their rifle fire. When the earth ponies and unicorns had finally engaged the enemy on the ground then the pegasi would be clear to engage in combat.

495489 So what do you think?

511561
if I hadn't already set up an ambush scenario deeper into the forest (which it seems you would have fallen for), your pegasi would have been torn to shreds by the enemy, your unicorns would have been utterly fucked (standard tactic around here is shield spell with some behind that volleying spells so troops could move and supressive fire could be achieved; range fights tend to fuck up a lot of units around here) and your earth ponies would have been left alone in a death trap of a bridge with no cover since the unicorns would most likely have been dead.

Bloodpool was the only one here that actually done the SMARTEST thing possible which was hunker down and send for more backup. The grey pegasus was extremely close in smart moves, but his plan for his pegasi would spring the ambush (just to preserve the forward units) and a whole lot of fuckery would have happened.

this is the offical plan I wrote up (while writing up the scenario of course):

Commands given: Draw in, fall back, ambush

The GHE has deployed 5 Imperial Riflemen and 10 Sword and Buckler as the "engagement" force. The only duty that the 10 Sword and Buckler have is to be a protevtive shield for the 5 Imperial Riflemen whil they pick off units attempting to cross the bridge. The Rifleman tactics of fireing is "down the line" (bang, wait one sec, bang down the line of riflemen) so that there is a constant spray of fire.

All of these troops are deployed near to the road and have been ordered to fall back, while still pulling the enemy in, once the enemy has made it past the "marker" (placed 10 ft out). the marker is a pile of three stones set up and painted white facing the GHE force.

Farther in the forest the remaining refilemen and S&B are set up as follows: 10 riflemen and 10 S&B are set up on either side of the road a good 40 ft to either side and 60+ ft back from the inital engagement area. the S&B are set up in a "L" fashion to protect the riflemen on two fronts (dead ahead and towards the side of the engagement. The orders of this group are not to engage, if possible, until the enemy has entered the "kill box" area that the remaining 15 troops are "routing" through. If pegasi are to turn up behind the retreating line, the order is to terminate ASAP and to have the bodies dragged off and hidden so as not to raise suspicion.

When the enemy moves into the kill box, the Riflemen will open fire upon the chasers of the "routers" while the "routers" take the opportunity of the confusion and turn on the enemy and attack, forcing the enemy to fight on three fronts. the remaing S&Bs who are in the "L" formation are to hold position to cover the riflemen while they pick off the enemy.

Expected troop casualties:
Most of the original "engagement" squad,
A few other S&Bs
Maybe one or two riflemen if close quarters is not achieved

80%+ of enemy comat force

511757 Well I guess I done goofed this one

511963
only a little

512011 Ah well. Can't win them all

512021
especially battle 7