Here is a link to my original attempt at doing my own version of this old Charles S. Grant scenario.
Here are the bones of version 2:
French Orders
14th July, 1812: Orders for the Commander of the advance guard: You are to clear the route to the town of Poca Estevan and secure the town for our main forces. This must be accomplished by last light on 15th July, year of Our Lord 1812. This town will form the concentration area prior to an assault on the bridge over the Tormes on 16th July. We believe the enemy already hold the bridge in strength. The bridge will be a costly objective, but one we must take in order to press into the heart of enemy country. It is regrettable that the enemy already has the bridge for surely we will lose many good men in taking it. Nevertheless, to take the town will benefit our preparations for the attack. I will send you what re-enforcements I can spare which should arrive in the area of the town at mid-day on 15th July. I leave the advance guard in your care, confident that you will command it with good sense and imagination.
C-in-C: Officer commanding the advance guard (skilled): 9 Army Morale Points (AMP); 6 Personal / Divisional Morale Points (P/DMP).
Field officer 1 (skilled): 14 DMP.
1st / 2nd 25th Light: Ready, steadfast, light troops, SK3. (Roll D6 per unit: Add 1 DMP per 5 - 6).
Regiment Irlandaise Light: Ready, light troops, SK3. (Roll D6 per unit: Add 1 DMP per 5 - 6).
1st / 2nd 36th Line: Ready, SK2. (Roll D6 per unit: Add 1 DMP per 5 - 6).
1st 39th Line: Ready, SK2. (Roll D6 per unit: Add 1 DMP per 5 - 6).
Battery of Foot Artillery (8pdrs): Ready. (Roll D6 per unit: Add 1 DMP per 5 - 6).
Field officer 2 (average): 6 DMP.
15th Dragoons: Ready. (Roll D6 per unit: Add 1 DMP per 5 - 6).
7th Chasseurs a Cheval: Ready. (Roll D6 per unit: Add 1 DMP per 5 - 6).
Battery of Horse artillery (6pdrs). Eager. (Roll D6: Add DMP per 5 - 6).
Field officer 3 (average): 8 DMP.
Vistula Lancers: Eager. (Roll D6: Add DMP per 4 - 6).
1st Hussars: Eager. (Roll D6: Add DMP per 4 - 6).
22nd Chasseurs a Cheval: Ready. (Roll D6: Add DMP per 5 - 6).
Field officer 4 (skilled): 6 DMP.
1st / 2nd Paris Municipal Guard: Eager, SK2. (Roll D6: Add 1DMP per 4 - 6).
1st / 2nd 50th Line: Ready, SK2. (Roll D6 per unit: Add 1 DMP per 5 - 6).
Battery of Foot Artillery (12pdrs). Ready, heavy. (Roll D6 per unit: Add 1 DMP per 5 - 6).
British Orders
14th July, 1812: Orders for the Commander of the advance guard: You are to clear the route to the bridge over the river Tormes and secure it for our main forces. This must be accomplished by last light on 15th July, year of Our Lord 1812. The bridge will form the concentration area prior to an assault on the town of Poca Estervan on 16th July. We believe the enemy already hold the town in strength. The town will be a costly objective, but one we must take in order to press into the heart of enemy country. It is regrettable that the enemy already has the town for surely we will lose many good men in taking it. Nevertheless, to take the bridge will benefit our preparations for the attack. I will send you what re-enforcements I can spare which should arrive in the area of the bridge at mid-day on 15th July. I leave the advance guard in your care, confident that you will command it with good sense and imagination.
C-in-C: Officer commanding the advance guard (skilled): 9 Army Morale Points (AMP); 6 Personal / Divisional Morale Points (P/DMP).
Field officer 1 (skilled): 12 DMP.
51st Light Infantry: Eager, light troops, SK4. (Roll D6: Add 1 DMP per 4 - 6).
Chasseurs Britanniques: Ready, SK2. (Roll D6: Add 1 DMP per 5 - 6).
Brunswick Oels: Ready, light troops, SK3. (Roll D6: Add 1 DMP per 5 - 6).
12th Portuguese Line; Ready, SK2. (Roll D6: Add 1 DMP per 5 - 6).
21st Portuguese Line: Ready, SK2. (Roll D6: Add 1 DMP per 5 - 6).
Battery of Foot Artillery (9pdrs): Ready. (Roll D6: Add 1 DMP per 5 - 6).
5 Cacadores SK stands.
Field officer 2 (average): 6 DMP.
14th Light Dragoons: Ready, fierce, unreliable. (Roll D6: Add 1 DMP per 5 - 6).
10th Hussars: Eager, unreliable: (Roll D6: Add 1 DMP per 4 - 6).
10th Portuguese cavalry: (Roll D6: Add 1 DMP per 5 - 6).
Field officer 3 (average): 6 DMP.
3rd Dragoons: Ready, fierce, unreliable. (Roll D6: Add 1 DMP per 5 - 6).
1st Dragoons KGL: Ready, fierce. (Roll D6: Add 1 DMP per 5 - 6).
Battery of Horse Artillery (6pdrs): Eager. (Roll D6: Add 1 DMP per 4 - 6).
Field Officer 4 (average): 12 DMP.
5th Foot: Eager, SK2. (Roll D6: Add 1 DMP per 5 - 6).
11th Foot: Ready, steadfast, SK2. (Roll D6: Add 1 DMP per 5 - 6).
27th Foot: Ready, steadfast, SK2. (Roll D6: Add 1 DMP per 5 - 6).
8th Portuguese Line: Ready, SK2. (Roll D6: Add 1 DMP per 5 - 6).
16th Poruguese Line: Ready, SK2. (Roll D6: Add 1 DMP per 5 - 6).
Battery of Foot Artillery (9pdrs): Ready. (Roll D6: Add 1 DMP per 5 - 6).
2 SK Rifle stand.
Situation at dawn 15th July 1812
At first light on the 15th July, both advance guards arrive in the area and discover, to their mutual surprise, that the enemy is not present. The commanders are not slow to grasp the significance of the situation. Each player finds himself presented with an opportunity to forward the ambitions of his army, possibly winning glory for himself, by taking the initiative and overreaching the specifics of his orders and attempting to take the main prize by coup de main. However, such a course of action might overextend his forces and bring about a major reverse. In essence this is the dilemma, the balancing act, call it what you will, posed by this particular table-top teaser.
The table is roughly 10' x 6'. The walls and trees are by Last Valley. The buildings (town sections) are a mix of 'modular' by Warbases and scratch built ones - all use Warbases windows and doors; all have Will's plastic HO pantile roofing. The river and rocky bits are all home made. Cornfields are doormat dry brushed with household paint. The latex rubber road sections are by Early War Miniatures but, I don't think you can buy this design anymore.
The Tormes river lies at the bottom of a steep ravine. It is extremely difficult terrain: It requires a test to cross; it counts both the 'cliffs' and 'water' modifiers. All hills have gentle slopes; crests stem from the centre of high points and block LOS. 'Woods' represent hillside strewn with boulders, small trees and heavy undergrowth and are rough terrain to infantry, very rough terrain to cavalry and artillery, and light cover to all; they block LOS. Buildings are 'town sections', heavy cover; they block LOS to areas beyond. Corn fields represent enclosed areas of mixed agriculture such as orchards, vineyards and gardens, counting as very rough terrain and light cover to all; they do not block LOS. Deployment areas are 48" x 12". A-B-C mark the possible road entry points of each side's reserves.
There should be six envelopes. At the start of play both sides dice off to see who picks first; the player going second chooses one of the five remaining envelopes. At the end of turn one (a dispatch arrives) the players may open their envelopes. When the Stratagem card is turned, on the reinforcement's turn of arrival, the player must disclose dust rising above the relevant entry points. Reserves actually start to arrive on the first relevant move card (Infantry Division March / Cavalry Division March) after the Stratagem card is turned.
Reinforcement Envelopes:
- Command 3 at A on turn 2; Command 4 at A on turn 3.
- Command 3 at B on turn 2; Command 4 at A on turn 3.
- Command 3 at A on turn 2; Command 4 at B on turn 3.
- Command 3 at B on turn 3; Command 4 at C on turn 3.
- Command 3 at C on turn 3; Command 4 at A on turn 3.
- Command 3 at C on turn 3; Command 4 at C on turn 4. Plus hidden path stratagem: A local guide is willing to show you a way across the Tormes and its associated ravine. It is situated (specific location at players choice) on your side of the table up to the bridge. It is one unit wide. It does not negate the fact that the ravine is extremely difficult terrain; it does negate both the cliff and water difficulty check modifiers.
1 comment:
Once again, I am in awe of all your pretties ;) Looking forward to it.
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