Escape; A Sharp Practice Scenario

One of my favourite characters in the Sharpe compendium is Colonel Simmerson, he is really an absolutely despicable character and a perfect foil for Sharpe.

Digging through the TFL magazines for another scenario to play, I found Escape. This was written by Kevin Major, and I suppose for copyright reasons he uses the name Major Silverside to represent the leader of the British force. Here we have a British Light Column trying to evade a French force. A British force running, a perfect opportunity I thought to bring Simmerson into a game. The forces used are listed below, I felt a little bad substituting Sgt Harper for Sgt Brisket but fiction is fiction.

The scenario writer suggests that you use a French Light Column for the British opponents abut I only have unmounted dragoons so I substituted the standard 1809 force. I have really enjoyed playing 28mm Napoleonics again and although I will paint some character figures for the games, I have no plans ever to paint cavalry again.

We played our game this past Thursday, as you can see the French force is a few less points than the Brits, we tossed some dice P-Y ended up playing the French and picked an extra Deployment Point as well as a Marksmen too make up his force. The French started with a FM of 11 while the Brits had 10.

Maybe I should be a little more thoughtful in setting up the terrain, a town was called for at the British entry point but putting up so many walls really makes it tough to move formed infantry about as you will see from below.

Terrain, the British enter from the left.

It was a little unclear where to place the deployment points so we place the British one on the road to the left and the French one on road in the foreground.

The game was characterised by an early appearance of the Tiffin chip almost every turn. There were no French chits in the first turn but they were placed in the bag in the second turn. Because of this the French got all their forces on the table before the British had half of their forces down. As you can see the 3 French forces are all in good position with the large British formation just entering the road. The British Rifles are advancing on their left flank with Harper leading the advance.

Simmerson manages to get 3 of his groups in one formation in line but you note he hangs back in a cowardly way with his 4th group to protect him. Unfortunately Lt Sharpe takes a wound early on and is reduced to Level I and loses 2 of his men. He realises that he needs to join up with Harper so makes his way around the house. Colonel Ducos is advancing toward their position with his evil lackey Sgt Challon. The honourable and brave Major Dubronet advances with 2 groups of formed infantry towards the British line. He appears to be undaunted by the fact that he is outnumbered 3:2 but he calls Pas de Charge!

He slams into the Brits, but the Brits are unloaded so 

in Fisticuffs, the Brits end up with no dice to the French 6d6.

The Brits are driven back, as they lose by 2. Their formation is broken and they have to take a lot of FM tests, they are still not broken though and if only Simmerson would move into contact they might yet be saved. But Simmerson being Simmerson hides behind the wall as you can see. He does manage to send his 4th group to support the Rifles on the wall.

The French Skirmishers move into position and rain fire on the Brits, one unit breaks and although the French formation is being pounded by the Rifles behind the wall, Ducos fails to fall. The British FM drops to 2 while the French still have a FM of 10. Game over.

Well another fun game, hopefully I will win one soon.

I will be off line for the next three weeks as I am working every day this week aside from Tuesday until we go on a 2 week vacation the week following. This Tuesday, however, we start playing the Fangs of The Wolf sub campaign in Eero's Winter of No Surrender magnificent Winter War opus. I can not even start to describe the complexity of this campaign. I am playing Colonel Sharov, the Soviet SL of a large force trapped on the road north of Suomussalmi in mid December of 1939.  Suffice to say I have a massive force of Soviets who are cold, hungry, poorly supplied and out of gas surrounded by the White Devils.