The Wars of Wine and Cheese

Private Boursin mans the defences

Assault on San Antonio

Song of Drums and Shakos

January 1812 - the British march back into Spain and find themselves having to besiege a number of fortified towns and villages on their way. They have the manpower and siege train to do this but Marmont is moving westwards to meet them.

Much to the chagrin of Major Bull, having spent a day digging in a number of his artillery pieces behind some nicely improvised redoubts, the Duke sent new orders for him to rejoin the main force immediately to meet Marmont a few miles away. Only a couple of score shells had been lobbed onto San Antonio destroying half a dozen houses and knocking a few holes in the already ramshackle outer wall.

The Duke had quickly seen that little threat lay within San Antonio and no strategic import. A couple of companies of foot have been left behind under the command of Major Gray (bart) to keep an eye on the few remaining froggies. “May as well just leave ‘em to rot,” the Duke had said. “But don’t let ‘em out.”

However a prisoner, caught trying to escape the town, insists that the regiments pay chest is sitting under the altar of the church in the centre of the village. He also maintains that a number of partisans are roaming the streets cutting the throats of any bluecoats they find and searching for aforementioned strongbox.

Not only having lost his last decent mount to a broken leg but also a large amount of sovereigns to poor luck in whist game French gold does seem quite attractive to Major Gray. Obviously he couldn’t mount a major assault with both companies but a small party could break in and pinch a franc or two whilst the frogs are hiding under their beds from the partisans … and of course Bull had made a few holes in the wall already.

Scenario one: Once more into the breach...

With a hand picked bunch of the stony broke and desperate, Major Gray must lead his troops past the motley French guard and into the town.

The British win if they have more men on the town side of the wall than the French

Bases on the forlorn hope scenario in the rules.

In the rules figures are lost when they are killed, wounded or run away. Over the course of the scenarios the idea was that dead soldiers are lost forever, wounded may recover fully or recover with less ability or may die of wounds. The cowards would return sheepishly.

(more to follow).