Here’s a look at the first, of two campaign games we played at club. This scenario was played on a 3 x 3 foot table, using Grand Manner buildings and home-made terrain boards. The British player’s objective was to capture the walls, while the French (to win) needed to stop him from doing so. Basically the same victory conditions as the Forlorn Hope scenario in the main SDS rule book.

Although both players were a bit shady on the rules, we had a decisive result in under two hours. This left enough time to squeeze in a second game (Take the outer streets), which I will cover in another update.

British 500pt force

• 1x Officer
• 1x NCO
• 7x Centre company line
• 3x Veterans
• 1x Grenadier
• 1x Drummer
• 1x Standard bearer

French 300pt force

• 1x Officer
• 1x NCO
• 2x Veterans
• 4x Centre company line

The British form up behind the Gabions, at their officer’s command the rank and file deliver two devastating volleys. Targeting the guards stationed on the walls, this barrage of musket balls kills one man and wounds a second. While the stunned French struggle to regain their composure the British main body starts to advance toward the right hand breach.

With a third man falling to English musketry the French abandon the wall to concentrate their defence around the breach entrance. A parting shot from the NCO (as he heads for the stairs) dispatches one of the advancing Englishmen.

At the breach entrance a valiant last ditch defence quickly succumbs to the English onslaught. Two more Frenchmen lose their lives here as the British bludgeon their way into the city. Outnumbered, out gunned and out of luck, all remaining resistance completely collapses when the French NCO is killed in a final fire fight outside the guardhouse. Victory goes to the English

Debriefing

What a disaster for the French who were continuously out diced for most of the game. Although repeatedly managing to score hits on the British, they just failed to roll high enough to inflict wounds of any kind. The British players masterful use of volley fire on the other hand  proved to be devastatingly successful with Frenchmen dropping like flies.

The British victory, here in game one of the campaign means we skip scenario two (“Silence the gun”) and move straight to scenario three “Take the outer streets”.

 For Main Napoleonic page

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For Badajoz campaign page

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