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| Nice day for it |
Introduction:
During the Seven Years war, in an effort to reduce the pressure on British protectorates in Germany the British are launching large scale raids on the French coast to force them to expend resources protecting its coast. The raid on St Malo has overstayed its welcome. The raiders have withdrawn to Sant Cas (Saint Cast depending on which book you read). They must withdraw with with the enemy closing in. To complicate the matter the French Vangaurd has arrived and repaired a disabled mortar battery and are now firing on the beach endangering the jolly Boats needed transport the raiders to safety.
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| French on the march |
The Battlefield:
The battle takes place on a 6’x6’table. The first 12’’ of the western table edge is sea. The second 12” is a beach and the rest is normal ground with some tilled feilds. The sea is impassable, the rest is normal going. There are some small hills which block line of sight and some buildings which count as impassable terrain and block line of sight. There are two small redoubts each of which can provide hard cover for one brigade.
Deployment:
The French deploy the vanguard at mortar redoubt (X) and the main column marching from the North East (anywhere within 18’’ of Y). British then deployed their units on the beach within 18” of the centre of the beach. A single brigade and be deployed in the redoubt. The two French flank columns are from reserves out lined in the special rules.
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| Brtish beachhead defense. |
Forces:
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| More French moves |
Special Rules:
French reserves
Before the british deploy the French player must secretly record where he wants the flank columns to arrive and what is their first and second choice to arrive. They can enter at point A or point B and may use the same point if desired. Starting on the second French movement card on a roll of a 6 on a D6 the first choice column arrives. On the third French movement card the column arrives on a 5+ on a D6 and so on.Starting on the Third french card the second choice column arrives on a a 6 on a D6 the first choice column arrives. On the fourth French movement card the column arrives on a 5+ on a D6 and so on. If both columns arrive at the same point at the same time one randomly determined column is delayed until the next movement card
The Jolly Boats
There is enough jolly boat to remove a six bases (one and a half battalions) per British movement step. Any battalion not in combat and touching the sea can be removed. Commanders and cavalry count as two bases on the boats.
HMS Suprise
The royal Navy is providing close support for the withdrawal. HMS Success counts as a heavy Artillery battery and can target and enemy unit that can be seen from the British table edge up to a maximum range of 48”
French Heavy mortars.
During the withdrawal a French Mortar battery was overlooked and is now in a position to bombard the beach. The battery has three fire modes
Fire on the land forces
Fire as a normal Heavy artillery battery (D12 range 12’_48”)
Fire on the Jolly Boats
Roll a D6 on a 5+ and jolly boat is eliminated. Each boat destroyed reduced the number of bases that can be evacuated.
Fire on the Success
Roll a D6 on a 5+ the Success takes a disruption token. If it takes four tokens it will withdraw out of range and not be able to provide any more support.
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| French over run the Beach |
Victory conditions:
Each British regular infantry evacuated by sea score the British one victory point. Each British guard unit or cavalry unit evacuated scores two victory points. Each general evacuated scores the British one additional victory. Each British regular infantry destroyed or not evacuated by sea score the French one victory point. Each British guard or cavalry unit destroyed or not evacuated by sea scores two victory points. Each general destroyed or not evacuated by sea scores the French one additional victory.
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| Elliots brigade captures the mortar battery |
The conclusion:
Vincent and myself played this scenario once during lock down. Vincent assumed command of the French while I got the British.
The opening moves saw Balleroy take five battalions and march on the beach while Duc d’Aiguillon took the remaining three battalions and marched to reinforce the Mortar battery. On the British side the British guards started to withdraw by jolly boat. With the exception of general Drury and the 3rd Guards which marched out to silence the Mortar battery. They were supported by the light dragons and major general Elliot and the 30th and 36th.
Events quickly heated up with Balleroy pressing Mostyn’s brigade pretty hard despite fire from HMS Surprise. Mostyn’s brigade was obliged to withdraw after the guards were finished evacuating. The Mortar battery quickly found its range and sank a third of the jolly boats in short order. The light dragoons tried to stop Duc d’Aiguillon reinforcements for the battery but were repulsed. The 30th and 36th reached the mortar battery before the guards they assaulted the battery as Duc d’Aiguillon force arrived from the north. Adding to the pain Marquis de Saint-Pern brigade made an appearance from the South. Pinned between the newly arrived forces Elliot's brigade assaulted the battery and over ran it. In the process they were surround and destroyed.
The Guards choosing discretion over valour fell back to the beach. With the number of jolly boats reduced Boscawen's brigade fell back to the beach and began withdrawing. The guards arrived at the beach to see the two of Boscawen's withdraw and Balleroy over run the British redoubt and started to shut down the beach. At which point we deicide the call the game. Seven British battalions made it of the beach including two guards battalions as well as general Mostyn. Two battalions, one of which was guards, and three generals were waiting to be evacuated. Elliot, 30th, 36th and the light dragoons were still inland and were effectivity cut off from the beach.
Over all it was a great game, the random mortar fire and unreliable arrival of French reinforcements makes for a good scenario. A couple of earlier hits from the mortar really could have messed up the British plans. Plus HMS Surprise gets to make her debut on the games table.
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| But are surrounded in the act. |
The main reason for trying out the scenario was an excuse to final get round to painting up a brigantine. below are some work in progress shots. For extra chrome I 3D printed the railing in the second photo. The metal one supplied was just a little chunky for my taste.
That is all for now thanks for stopping by
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