To anyone seeing this madness for the first time please note that campaign game one was recorded on the Cyprus Wargamers Blog. The Heroes of these games are Captain Quilp the Officer commanding the Light Company 4th Foot (Red Force), and Captain Quitte von Wießmehr of the 60th rifles (Green Force). The game thus focuses on two separate forces, who to some extent complete, but may also have to co-operate to win the campaign.
Movement is assumed to be simultaneous.
The Briefing
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| Captains von Wießmehr and Quilp, with Major Finguin |
On the evening of 17th
August following the events of the battle of Roliça Sir Arthur Wellesely calls two of his Officers to his
rooms in a commandeered house in Quinta Gruga. These are Captain Quilp the Officer commanding the Light Company 4th Foot, and Captain Quitte von Wießmehr of the 60th rifles. He briefs them on the mission he
requires.
"Ah, Qwinthy and
Qwilup, take a theat gentlemen.
(Colonel Courtleigh Manners
of the 4th Foot indicates that Sir Arthur is offering you a chair)
We have no cavalwry, that's
the twicket gentlemen, only a couple of hundwed Twentieth Light Dwagoons. These will be thcouting down the coast fwor
me you thee, what what??
You two will lead youwr
companies down the two woads further inland.
Qwinthy, push your wiflemen down the woad to Vimewio. Quilup, take the woad to Towwes Vedwas.
(Colonel Manners helpfully
points to Vimeiro and Torres Vedras)
Generwal Delabowrde is
weatweating his diwision south towards his Mastwer General Junot. Push him along gentlemen. Hawwry him.
I will be a day behind you with the main armwy. Find me the main enemy body.
Qwesthions?
Colonel Manners coughs
politely (of course) and hands you copies of his map. He adds, "we have a shortage of carts
and baggage transport, use two pack mules for your companies. You will draw eight sacks of supplies
each. Sir Arthur wishes to battle the
French some time over the next four days.
The fact that General Burrard is expected soon to take over this command
is purely coincidental, but if we could beat General Junot quickly it would be remembered that you two were
instrumental in this. Find the French
for us gentlemen."
"Ah... the dwammed
Fwench," mutters Sir Arthur.
You both add the name
"Colonel Courtleigh Manners" to your pocket books.
Both players will receive an independent briefing from separate senior Officers. Since Colonel Manners is
Captain Quilp's Commanding Officer in the 4th Foot he will receive a personal
briefing before the mission commences. Captain von Wießmehr will be briefed independently by Colonel Trant of the
Portuguese Legion.
The Dawns and departures scenario is Rear-guard. Our heroes will face the incompetent Major Finguin of the rather disgraceful 27th du Ligne
Blue
After a hard-fought campaign at Rolica our main
forces are retiring on Lisbon to rejoin the rest of General Junot's army. The enemy has been badly handled, but a small
force is in pursuit and intends to snap at the Army’s heels all the way home. At least that’s their plan; you intend to stop them. Deployed as a rear-guard
you must protect the main Army of General Delaborde from these hyenas.
Red and Green
The enemy has been repulsed
and their forces are withdrawing from Rolica in disorder. They are starving and
said to be eating their own belts and boot leather. General Delaborde is leading his division
away in two columns, heading south to join General Junot.
You must break through
their rear-guard and identify the position of the enemy main columns.
Red player commands the Light company of the 4th foot.
Green player commands a
company of the 60th Rifles.
Blue player commands
elements of the 27 du Ligne.
VICTORY CONDITIONS
The Blue must
protect the main column; delaying the red and Green Players, who must do all they can to locate it. Each Campaign Turn the Red or Green make contact with the enemy main column he will inflict losses of one hundred
men on the main column.
If however the Red or Green makes contact with the enemy main column of General Junot which is
marching north from Lisbon to Vimeiro it will be forced to halt and deploy, since it will be in the middle of the battle of Vimeiro at that point, and needs to give Sir Arthur and the main red forces a chance to catch up.
Pursue the defeated Delaborde, halt the advance of Junot.
Blue must protect the main
columns; the Red and Green Players must do all they can to contact them. Each
Campaign Turn a Player makes contact with the enemy main column
does so he will inflict losses of one hundred men on the main column. The more
he kills the better his result.One hundred men is a 25% victory, 400 men a 100%
victory.
SPECIFIC TERRAIN REQUIREMENTS
None
FORCES
Red and
Green begin the game in Area 3.
Blue may deploy on the map
at any point between areas 6-10.
Red has the initiative.The
Columns of General Delaborde's Division are withdrawing south at half
speed. They will start in areas 12 and
14. They have no supplies and are moving at half-speed due to the need to
forage. Thus far they have not abandoned their wagons.
A complete breakdown of the forces and characters available to red and Green is available below.
SUPPLIES
Blue begins
the campaign with 12 sacks of supplies. (In game 1 the French Quartermaster escaped Rolica with his loot, his supplies and a kidnapped 86 year old Nun
The Red and Green have
16 sacks of supplies for this campaign.
8 each.
The population is
considered very hostile to Blue.
INITIATIVE
The red and Green always hold the Initiative
unless it is seized temporarily by the Blue as a result of a battle.
In such a situation, the Leading Player holds the initiative only for the
next Campaign Turn, after which the initiative reverts to the the Red and Green players.
The Forces
4th Foot
Light Company, The Duke of
Lancaster’s Own 4th Foot
Four groups (4 x 8) of Line, two (2 x 6) of Skirmishers plus two men acting as mule
wranglers for Sgt Jaggers with eight sacks of supplies.
You may re-arrange these groups as desired,
all of your men are trained Light Infantry.
3 Big Men. Colonel Manners mayl send you another Officer
as the campaign develops.
Captain Quilp Big Man III
A Parson's Son from
Northumbria.
Notorious as the most short
sighted man ever to serve in the British Army.
Sir Arthur Wellesley presented Quilp with a telescope after the battle
of Copenhagen inscribed "Take a look through one of these next time
Quilp!" Commands the light Company of the 4th Foot.
Ensign Richard
Wellhard. Big Man II
Formerly the Sergeant of
the Light Company. Born in the slums of
Gilesgate in the County of Durham. His
parentage is obscure and he was first recorded as stealing apples from the
orchard of Hieronymous Quilp the village parson. Young Richard constantly found himself in
trouble and eventually was compelled to join the army, being recruited into the
4th Foot by the Parson's son, an Officer in the regiment. Wellard was promoted to Ensign by Sir Arthur,
after a heroic incident at Rolica.(Yesterday)
He still wears his Sergeants uniform.
Lt Sheriden Bucket (Wounded
in action at Rolica, unavailable)
Sgt Postlethwaite "Mother"
Jaggers Big Man I
Captain Quilp's Pocket
book:
David Ld. Farthingdale,
Lieutenant Royal Dragoons. Drunk.
Colonel Courtleigh Manners
of the 4th Foot
Dr Samuel Johnson Physic
and lexicographer.
The Rifles
All trained Light Infantry
Three groups of eight in
Line and three groups of six skirmishers, plus two riflemen acting as mule
wranglers for Sgt Lime's aquisitions, and the eight sacks of supplies.. This can be re-arranged as desired.
Hauptmann Quitte Von Wießmehr. Lvl III Big Man
Captain Quitte von Wießmehr is a native of Duisburg in the old Duchy of Cleves. Once
Baron of the Schloss Wießmehr, before the unfortunate affair at Austerlitz. He is now exiled to serve in the Britsh
Army. The Captain is a friend of the
inventor Bartholomäus Girardoni, and has a
custom made Girardoni Air Rifle, which he used at Austerlitz, just before
everyone else ran away. This remarkable
weapon fires 12 shots in rapid succession, and is reloaded with a magazine tube
of 20 bullets. It accounts for the
Captains nickname in the rifles “Old Windy.”
Famous for his service with
The Oels Jager during the later part of the Peninsular war, few realise that
the Captain actually served in the 5/60th Rifles before his transfer to the
Portuguese Cacadores after Corunna. With
the arrival of the Duke of Brunswick in the Peninsular von Wießmehr was quickly offered a post in the Black Band, where he served
famously until his death defending the Duke at Quatre Bras.
Captain Quitte Von Wießmehr `s Pocket book:
Physic Dr Gordon Ottershaw,
dentist, freemason and ferret wrangler
Colonel Courtleigh Manners
of the 4th Foot
Leutnant Christoph von
Wankendorf a Hannovarian, serving in the Rifles.
Bartholomäus Girardoni, Austrian
Inventor.
Lieutenant Charles
"Binky" Snetterton-Lewis.
Level I
Commission purchased by
pater and in bright new boots and uniform.
Binky is a little dim, but keen sir... very keen.
Sergeant Otto
"Wachtmeister" Feuct Level I
The captain's butler since
their youthful days at Schloss Wießmehr. He is prim and
proper, and the ladies swoon for his bristling moustaches.
Sergeant Harold Lime. Level
I
"Procurer"
Additions for Rolica
Physic – 1pt aka Dr Gordon
Ottershaw, dentist, freemason and ferret wrangler
Musician – 1pt aka young William
Elliot, bugler and company dancer
Level 1 officer – 3pts aka Sergeant
Harold Lime, procurer of sundries and rarities.
Scout – 3pts aka The Masked
Shadow
What to expect
Turn Report & Order
Request
At the Start of each turn,
the umpire will provide both players with a report covering the following:
•Where their Main Force and any Detachments under their control are
located
•What their Patrols and Scouts identified in the last Turn
•Any events which affect them. Usually Random Events
•How many sacks of supplies they have left.
Finally, a request for the players instruction
for that afternoon or tomorrow morning.
Forces typically march/move two areas per day when not foraging. I can accept a daily or covering orders.
27th Du Ligne
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The exact nature of the French forces is unclear at this time.
But they look angry about Rolica
|
Major Finguin Big Man Lvl III
The long suffering Major acting as Chef du battalion of the 27th du line. His family motto is "Run away, run away!"
Pocket Book of Major
Finguin:
Colonel Alonzo Fonde De
Lapatrie, the former rabid Republican, now Imperialist Staff Officer
Captaine Claude Douche of
The Imperial Intelligence Service
Capitaine Bunsen Bernier
Level II
Capitane Pease Sanbeans, a
young thruster who wished only to impress.
Shot through the plumes and
killed by Captain von Wiessmehr at Rolica.
Sous Lieuteant Casse-Toi Bâtard Level II
A psychotic killer of chickens. Customised dueling pistols.
Sergeant Gui D`Rope 27th
Flank, Voltiguers. Level I
A man with long Moustaches
and clean underwear. A fervent
Boneapartist.
Lieutenant Alphonse Capone,
Quartermaster, Lvl I
with six men and a mule
train. He is a despicable cad, even the mules are not safe. He cannot command anything but his own
foraging party, being an Italian, and an outsider to the 27th who detest him.
Alex Craimant Dragoon
Captain
Sergeant Grande Jambe of
the Dragoons
