Scenario - Action on the Coa, July 1810

This is a scenario I wrote some years ago and thought I'd share.  It's a Peninsular War skirmish but I ran it with the twentieth century rules Arc of Fire using the Colonial period amendments on the AoF site.  The game worked OK except for the failure of a French dragoon charge against disordered infantry which I adjudicated wrongly.  I were to do it again I think I'd use Sharp Practice but presented here are the AoF stats and player briefings.


The player briefings divide the forces up into differently sized chunks to allow for players with different arrival times and departure times.  If you reuse the scenario you should feel free to change the balance of these.


British Player 1 Briefing

Near the River Coa, Portugal, early morning 25th July 1810

Yesterday the French attacked General Crauford’s army near the fortified town of Almeida.  Crauford withdrew the Light Division across the steeply-banked and fast-flowing River Coa but not before a brief, fierce action that left hundreds dead on both sides.

Most of the British and Portuguese troops retreated across the only bridge for miles around but your force was cut off by the rapid French advance.  From a hidden vantage point among the rough surrounding hills you were able to see Crauford’s men give the French a bloody nose when they tried to pursue across the bridge.

Your force consists of a dozen men of the South Essex Regiment and a few Brunswicker stragglers you picked up during the night.  The South Essex are stout-hearted lads but you have doubts about the reliability of the Germans.

South Essex Regiment patrol, TAC 5

Sergeant Darwin	Musket	5L
11 Privates	Muskets	6

Black Brunswickers,  TAC 7

Sergeant Haeckel	Musket	5L
5 Privates	Muskets	7

British Player 2 Briefing

Near the River Coa, Portugal, early morning 25th July 1810

Yesterday the French attacked General Crauford’s army near the fortified town of Almeida.  Crauford withdrew the Light Division across the steeply-banked and fast-flowing River Coa but not before a brief, fierce action that left hundreds dead on both sides.

The army is now withdrawing further into Portugal.  Your four-man patrol of Riflemen is one of those detailed to patrol the riverbank as part of the rearguard.  The patrol is ordered not to attempt a crossing of the River Coa. They may engage enemy forces across the river at their discretion.

95th Rifles patrol, TAC 4 (self-activating unit)

4 Riflemen

Rifles

5

The 95th were trained to operate independently so this unit may change mode even though it has no leader.

French Player 1 Briefing

Near the River Coa, Portugal, early morning 25th July 1810

Yesterday, Marshall Ney’s army attacked a small British-Portuguese force near the enemy-fortified town of Almeida.  The enemy were swiftly pushed back across the steeply banked and swift-flowing river Coa but Ney’s forces took heavy casualties when they tried to carry the pursuit across the only nearby river bridge.

The army is now preparing to invest Almeida but must first clear the surrounding hills of enemy stragglers.  A Voltigeur company sends patrols into the rough hilly terrain.  

Voltigeurs,  TAC 6

Lieutenant Lamarck	Sword	5L
Drummer	Sword	6
Hornist	Musket	6L
7 Voltigeurs	Muskets	6

The patrol’s hornist is a natural leader; he will take over if Lt Lamarck is killed.

At the same time a patrol of Grenadiers sets out to forage for food for their unit.

Grenadiers,  TAC 7

Sergeant Pasteur	Sword	5L
9 Grenadiers	Muskets	6

French Player 2 Briefing

Near the River Coa, Portugal, early morning 25th July 1810

Yesterday, Marshall Ney’s army attacked a small British-Portuguese force near the enemy-fortified town of Almeida.  The enemy were swiftly pushed back across the steeply banked and swift-flowing river Coa but Ney’s forces took heavy casualties when they tried to carry the pursuit across the only nearby river bridge.

The army is now preparing to invest Almeida but must first clear the surrounding hills of enemy stragglers.  Among the French army are troops of the small Duchy of Nassau.  Some of your men were badly wounded in yesterday’s fighting.  A French ambulance is available to return them to the camp.  Sergeant de Vries knows where the wounded can be found and will direct the ambulance to the nearest point from which the wounded can be recovered. 

Nassauers,  TAC 7

Sergeant De Vries	Musket	6L
5 Grenadiers	Muskets	6
3 Fusiliers	Muskets	7

Nassauer Wounded,  TAC 8

2 Casualties

8

The casualties are immobile without assistance.  Accompanied by an unwounded figure they move on their first card of the turn only.

The Nassauer force may be split any way the player wishes between troops guarding the wounded and troops leading the rescue party.  Sergeant De Vries must accompany the rescue party.  

Any troops left with the wounded have no leader and cannot change mode unless forced to do so by a Morale result.  The may not start in Advance Mode.

French Light Ambulance, TAC 8

Driver

Sword

8

French Player 3 Briefing

Near the River Coa, Portugal, early morning 25th July 1810

Yesterday, Marshall Ney’s army attacked a small British-Portuguese force near the enemy-fortified town of Almeida.  The enemy were swiftly pushed back across the steeply banked and swift-flowing river Coa but Ney’s forces took heavy casualties when they tried to carry the pursuit across the only nearby river bridge.

The army is now preparing to invest Almeida but must first clear the surrounding hills of enemy stragglers.  Various units send patrols into the rough hilly terrain.  

15eme Dragons de Ligne patrol,  TAC 6

Lieutenant	Sword	5L
Dragoons	Swords	6
Dragoons	Carbines, swords	6

Note:  French light cavalry units were often short of firearms - only the figures actually shown carrying carbines are so armed in this game.

Terrain

I ran the game on a 6'x4' (180cm x 120cm) table.  The terrain should feature the river along one side (I had it along part of one of the long edges), a bridge and a road crossing it, and lots of hills which should be bad going for infantry and impassible to cavalry.  I also added cluster of houses to give the Grenadiers something to loot.

Fighting the Action

I didn't set a duration for the game; we just played on until we reached an obvious conclusion.  The briefings are such that all players should be able to work out if they have "won" at the and of the game. 

I used all plastic models - Zvezda Voltigeurs, Italieri Dragoons, a HaT light ambulance and various Airfix and Airfix conversions for the rest.  Obviously you should tweak to fit what you have available.