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| Zoot Alors! We are out of the shoe box of ignomy and on the battlemat of glory! |
Sharp
Practice Campaign
The “retreat from Corona” has provided me with an
unprecedented amount of hobby time and has been very productive. I have created
various bits of terrain and painted many figures and I have had a thorough look
through all my many collections. I found one of my very first metal armies, a 15mm
“waterloo starter set” that my sister bought me as a birthday present back in
the early eighties. I think it may be from Hinchcliffe but I am not sure.
I have had the Too Fat Lardies Sharp Practice set of rules for
some time now and so I combined the two, played a game, liked it, and decided
to run a solo campaign using the Sharp Practice supplement Dawns and
Departures.
D and D has three campaign systems. I settled on the
programmed campaign as being more interesting than the ladder campaign and more
doable then the full-blown narrative campaign which requires an umpire.
I have no 15mm terrain, hills and trees are perfectly interchangeable,
indeed 28mm scale trees look great at 15mm and hills actually look like hills! So,
I needed buildings. I immersed myself into my hobby! I constructed 5 small houses
from foam card and a walled hacienda, with stables and barn and at the same
time drew up the map and program required for the campaign.
The Lardies use fairly simple rules systems with the
emphasis on fun and creating narrative. Sharp Practice does not claim to be
historically accurate but aims to reproduce the stuff of historical novels. Think
Cornwell or O’Brien.
Spain 1809
A programmed campaign fought in the area around Talavera
1809.
The British are on
the march! An advance column under the command of Captain Peregrin Prendergast
of the 1/61st foot, the South Gloucesters, the “silver tailed
dandies”, is pushing South in company with Lieutenant Erskine McPherson of the
1/71st Highland Regiment of Foot , the Glasgows, and a small
detachment of chosen men of the 1/95th rifles under Corporal Nobby
Nobbs in pursuit of a similarly sized force under the command of Captain
Bertrand Couchet.
Prendergast and
Couchet had met in a bruising encounter a few days previously when Couchet had
managed to inflict a bloody nose on Prendergast and his dandies requiring the
British to withdraw under cover of darkness. Prendergast had received a rebuke from
Brigadier Major General Hulse as well as reinforcements in the form of Ensign
Lancelot Heaving-Pyle and his detachment of light dragoons. Now, thoroughly
chastised, with his career on the line, Prendergast is in hot pursuit of
Couchet, determined to catch this Frenchie and make him pay.
I am using the Dawn and Departures set of rules for the game
Sharp Practice and I am playing a programmed campaign of up to 8 campaign
turns. I am using as many of the rules as I think appropriate including rolling
for the character of the participants. I will as far as I possibly can, use the
characters to inform decisions, the priority being to introduce a narrative
feel to the game and create a story.
Characters have 6 attributes-breeding, personality, skills,
physique, looks and charisma
The
Characters
The Jolly Old Brits
Peregrin Prendergast-An honourable, pleasant, good-looking
sort of a chap, a giant of a man, a fine horseman (view halloo skill)
William McPherson- risen from the ranks, a vile individual
and something of a rake, of average stamp and somewhat plain of face, he is,
however, a stunning linguist
Corporal Nobby Nobbs- comes from a military family with no
wealth, affable, honourable, face like a pig’s backside, a flashing blade but a
sickly cove
Bombardier Shadrach Codpiddle-a prig and a vile individual
from a noble lineage but with no money, of average stamp, with a hideously
scarred face
The Scheming Dastardly French
Bertrand Couchet- a fallen gentleman, a rotter a giant of a man,
fair of face, known as a dullard, he carries an impressive weapon, an old-fashioned
hanger
Rene la Boit-the bastard son of the Vicomte de Mortelle,
honourable, charming, fair of face and of average stamp, athletic, he is known
to enjoy the sporting life
Michel la Roux-a former gentleman, dispossessed by the
revolution, a strapping fellow with a face like a pig’s back side, honourable
though thoroughly disliked, he carries an impressive weapon, a ships cutlass
Estevan Noir-comes from a military family, honourable, a
charming man, fair of face and though of diminutive build he is an adept
swordsman, a real flashing blade
Toussaint Canard-another bastard of the Vicomte de Mortelle,
a strapping fellow and a handsome devil, pleasant disposition, an honourable
man and master of disguise
Neither Canard nor la Boit are aware of their shared
ancestry
The
Forces
The British
Captain Peregrin Prendergast 1/61st
4 groups of 8 men British line infantry=32 figs
Lieutenant Erskine McPherson 1/71st Highland
3 groups of men Highland line infantry = 24 figs
Corporal Nobby Nobbs 2 /95th rifles
1 group of 6 men light infantry skirmishers= 6 figs
Bombardier Shadrach Codpiddle 5th RHA
1 x 8pdr +crew + limber+ team
The French
Capitaine Bertrand Couchet 17th leger
3 groups of 8 men light infantry=24 figs
Lieutenant Rene la Boit 104th de ligne
3 groups of 8 men line infantry=24 figs
Sergent Michel le Roux 104th de Ligne
2 groups of 8 men grenadiers =16 figs
Sergent Estevan Noir 17th leger
2 groups of 6 skirmisher Voltigeur=12 figs
The Campaign
Following the earlier engagement both sides have been
reinforced from the campaign support list. The British have a detachment of 8
light hussars and the French have a 12 pdr heavy artillery piece each with a
level one leader.
Both sides have selected an Exploring Officer, transport
cart, mule train, caisson and musician. Many of the support options are for
things that can only really have an effect in the full narrative campaign
version and this limits the useful options for this mode of game, although,
retrospectively, a physic may have been the sensible option
Using the system in the rules I generated a campaign map. This is used to provide an overall picture of the campaign and also to generate the battle fields to be fought over.I selected 6 map squares to create my program.
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| The Campaign map |
I rolled up the map and selected six map squares for battle
fields, I decided to keep things simple and so used the programmed process from
D and D. I then “process mapped” the campaign using my chosen map locations.
The campaign program!
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| Process Map-low tech! |
Based on the same rationale as in D and D. The book suggests
one campaign turn for each stage plus two, this gives me up to eight campaign
turns.
I rolled up the table for the first battle, mostly hills
with a farm and some large fields. I diced for the “orientation” of each
terrain piece as I placed it.
I rolled to see who had the initiative, the British. I rolled the scenario “all-out attack”
Both sides have exploratory officers which increases the
range at which you can deploy from the DP and gives an extra DP. The French are
the defender so they get an additional 6”.
The First Battle, the battle of Mortello’s Farm
First out of the bag French 4! The Voltigeur skirmishers of Estevan
Noir are able to deploy at the halfway point of the table, dominating the large
hill to the North.
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| the battlefield-Mortello's farm |
Deployment
The Voltigeur skirmishers sat on the hill and opened a sustained,
uncontrolled fire that they maintained throughout the whole encounter.One aspect of Sharp Practice that makes it excelent for solo play is the order of play is determined by pulling chits from a bag ( or using cards)
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| Estevan Noirs skirmish voltigeurs |
The
British light dragoons deployed at the foot of the hill and came under fire
sustaining the first casualty of the day and their unfortunate ensign knocked
out cold by the first volley stayed unconscious throughout the battle.
Three flags drawn triggers Random Event F7. A huge roiling cloud of smoke forms in front of the Voltigeurs -1 to all shooting through it.
McPherson arrives with the Glasgows. The British are in high spirits
rolling a Force Morale of 11, the French rolled 9. McPherson is certainly in
spirits having had a large dram or two with his breakfast
The rest of the French infantry deploy on the plain, in the valley
And
so, ends turn one
Each flag is a command activation for either side. The numbers represent each leader, red 1 is Prendergast and the Tiffin chit ends the turn.
Turn 2 All are now deployed. Canards 12 pdr is in a dominant
though exposed position on the small hill to the South. Nobby’s riflemen are
behind the hedge of the large field, Prendergast’s silver-tailed dandies have
taken a very central position, the RHA gun is last to deploy.
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| Nobby Nobbs somewhat obscured by the smoke , directs the fire of the famous 95th |
Canard opens a devastating fire of cannister on the 61st.
3 kills 13 shock.
3 flags drawn! Whenever 3 flags are consecutively drawn it triggers a random event. This one being Random Event F7! Again! Another dense. Rolling cloud of thick acrid
smoke forms before the 12 pdr!
Ends turn 2
Turn 3
The 61st are taking a pounding in the centre of
the field and with Prendergast constantly dressing the line, are yet to return
fire
The battle very quickly became a static affair with most
units not moving from their deployment position
Couchet opens fire on the light dragoons, 4 kills 10 shock, the British cavalry rout leaving their ensign unconscious on the ground
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| Corporal Tousaint Canard and his 12 pdr |
Ends Turn 3 Turn 4
La Roux and Canard fire onto Prendergast, he is losing a lot
of men and building shock to a crippling degree. With 6 dead and 22 shock he is
forced to withdraw, twice, he maintains formation and the 61st begin
to back up.
Turn 5The tale of the dead!
British casualties at start of turn 5, no French casualties
at this point
McPherson and Codpiddle fire on the 17th leger, despite the thick smoke, Couchet’s men begin to take casualties.The green dice indicate the amount of shock, the red dice the number of casualties.Shock reduces the units ability to fire and move
Some units have the ability to use controlled fire which gives them a bonus.The unit has to present arms and then fire, each a seperate action. Due to the vagaries of the chit system the Glasgows were at the present for the best part of 5 turns.
The unfortunate dandies!
When a unit has more shock than figures it is forced to withdraw. Forced withdrawal amongst other factors can have a detrimental effect on Force Morale. When Force Morale reaches zero, the army routs
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| Turn 5 |
Turn 6
Couchet dresses the ranks
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| Turn 6 |
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| Turn 7 |
A lull in the action. Everyone takes a breather. All leaders are busy removing shock and restoring order, both guns are unloaded
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| Turn 8- the shattered Dandies |
Turn 8
The grenadiers and the 12 pdr fire into the reeling 61st,
it’s too much for them, they break and rout. The unfortunate Prendergast is
swept from the field by his panic-stricken men. The British Force Morale
plunges to zero and the whole force quits the field leaving a peacefully
snoring light dragoon leader to be taken by the enemy.
Post battle sequence
Casualties.The "kills" that were inflicted in the battle may not all result in death.Some have sustained wounds , others merely went "missing" The British roll for their 22 dead. Two line
infantry and one light dragoon are actually dead. Two light dragoons and five
line infantry return to the ranks, 8 line infantry 2 highlanders and 2 light
hussars are wounded and are removed from the field in the transport cart. They
will not be fit to take part in the next battle.
Ensign Heaving -Pyle is taken prisoner.
Points to consider
What happens when a leader is KO’d? Can he be hit again?
The capriciousness of the system. The High landers levelled
on turn one and didn’t fire until turn 5. The light dragoons deployed and did
nothing but get shot up and rout. Got to live with it I guess, or find another
game!
The 12 pdr dominated the game. Once the shock began to pile
up on the British line, they were unable to return fire and involuntary
withdrawals became inevitable. The 51st has grown to a 4-unit
formation, maybe larger units require subordinate commanders to help reduce
shock.
The scenario “all-out attack” became more of a forward
defence in depth. The scenario, combined with the terrain gave the French a
massive advantage from the outset. The exploring officer gives a marvellous
(possibly overpowered?) return for his cost.
The Campaign.
The French retain initiative. Prendergast plays the Cavalry
Screen Card to buy time, one static campaign turn. Couchet being a rotter
forgoes the chance to follow upon his victory because he chooses to loot the
farm house.
Support options
By the rules, the campaign continues with unchanging support
until the end. I feel while that might be right, it will make for a short, very
one-sided campaign. Therefore, the light dragoons are dismissed back to
Brigade. They are replaced by an engineer group with cart. The Major General
sends corporal Nathaniel Scrote, level one leader, with a strongly worded
missive concerning Prendergast’s future if he does not turn things around. Hulse
also sends a physic, Dr Mordecai Peeps, and recalls the unfortunate exploring
officer.
The French opt to change nothing, except maybe the execrable
wine discovered in the farm house, reserving the option to do so if they are
required to play the cavalry screening option in future turns.
The British recovery turn
Dr Peeps gets to work, of the 8 injured British line troops,
3 make a full recovery, 4 remain injured and one dies. Of the highlanders one
recovers and one remains wounded. The French wounded fails to recover.
The British line will be missing one group, killed and
wounded for the next encounter, the highlanders one wounded and the French
leger also one wounded.
The engineers will have time to construct defences.
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| my Spanish Village |
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