Rescue the Intelligence Officer - Sharp Practice 2

 

Major Holdon has been injured, while reconnoitring French positions. With the help of his aide and daughter, he has made it back to the church at Sante Marina. Captain Blunt, with a party of 12 Riflemen, has managed to link-up with Holdon, taking up a defensive position around the church (from Deployment Point 2), while they await the British relief column (deploying from DP1, when the British commander rolls less than or equal to the current turn number).

A local informant has told the French where Major Holdon is hiding and they have sent a force to capture or kill him (2 groups of Voltigeur skirmishers, 4 groups of line infantry + one medium gun – all deploying from the French DP1).

Captain Blunt and 6 riflemen started to edge Westward from the church, covered by Sgt Scarper & 6 riflemen, sheltering behind the wall surrounding the church. Protected by this screen, Major Holdon started to edge slowly Westward, toward the British deployment point.

The French responded by deploying their Voltigeur screen against the Riflemen, while the main infantry column marched on, aiming to deploy behind the voltigeur screen, with the gun prolonging to the East of the main infantry column.

The riflemen had just started to pick off the voltigeur screen, when suddenly the British relief column arrived (rolling a 2 on turn 3!). Not only did they arrive early, but in their next move, they moved 17” down the road! This rapid move appeared to wrong-foot the French. Their infantry column had been wheeling right, toward the church, when suddenly they were forced to redeploy against the British column emerging to their right flank. Their gun also now found itself of the wrong side of the infantry column!

However, Colonel Dubbious rose to the challenge. He managed to get three infantry units into line, on the difficult terrain on the hill. He also manged to get the gun, with a viable field of fire, from the right of his line. Capt Biddet then brought up the forth infantry unit, on the far left of the line. This gave the French a very formidable firing line!

The British infantry column responded too slowly, only managing to get two units into line, before the hail of French musket balls and cannister hit them. The British ranks started to thin rapidly, so Capt Scarlet formed up the next two infantry units behind the first line. However, the cannister from the French gun was cutting swathes through not only the first line, but also through the second.

The right of the British first line broke under the hail of 32 muskets and cannister from the gun. These men streamed back through the second line, causing them to withdraw. But in the midst of this maelstrom, Major Shortfawl managed to detach himself from the broken first line, just in time to steady the faltering second line. By good fortune, the British also found themselves out of musket range of the French, so the men steadied and Major Shortfawl started to remove shock.

While this mammoth firefight was going on to the West, Capt Blunt’s riflemen had driven off the voltigeurs and had also managed to take pressure off the British line, by causing the gun to withdraw. But in doing so, Blunt had taken his eye off Major Holdon and his party.

Capitanne Opeless had managed to get the surviving voltigeurs back through the stable and into the central orchard and was now stalking Major Holdon and his party.

Almost too late (lucky chit pull), Capt Blunt realised the danger and led his men, in a mad charge into the orchard. A vicious melee ensued and after 3 rounds, both sides were down to one man and a wounded officer, but the French had enough shock to break them. Opeless strikes again!

The wounded Blunt then struggled out of the orchard and into the arms of Major Holon’s daughter!

The British now had a race to finish. Could they get Holdon off the table, before the huge French infantry line advanced into range again? Major Shortfawl steeled himself to withstand another French musketry onslaught. But, it never came! For some unaccountable reason the French simply continued to blaze away into empty space! Between the volleys, all that could be heard was the plaintive voice of Col Dubbious yelling, “Stop firing you bl**y idiots” (in French of course!).

Behind this rolling wall of powder smoke, Major Holdon, Capt Blunt and the remaining riflemen, snuck away, off the table, via DP1. An unexpected British win!