Friday 15 May 2009

The Trouble with Truffles - or how not to get captured

A game based on the 'The Hunt is On' tabletop teaser as given in the Wargame Companion ...

Scenario:
The forces of Wittenberg have crossed the border into Saxe-Jarlsberg (an ally of Monrovia) in reprisal for the raid on Oberstein. Acting on intelligence, the uhlans and jagers were despatched further into Saxe-Jarslberg - their mission to capture Marquise of Finkelstadt the daughter of the Herzog who was on that day enjoying a ride in the country hunting for truffles.

The Marquise being the daughter of the Herzog of Saxe-Jarslberg, was under close escort with guard troops nearby in case of trouble.
The escort:
- General Hoffmeyer, commander of the Herzog's guard.
- The Count de Monet, chancellor of Saxe-Jarlsberg
- A small detachment of the Finkelstadt Hussars
- Herr Odermayer swineherd to the Herzog, with Odette the Maquise's truffle hunting pet pig.
Nearby troops:
- Guard Reiter Regiment
- Guard Hussars (half regiment)
- Guard Grenadiers (3 companies)
- Infantry Regiment Finkelstadt (2 companies)

-----oXo-----

The Marquise is in hot pursuit of Odette who is heading towards a little coppice; General Hoffmeyer shouts after her - don't get too far away form the escort !

The Grenadier Guards and Guard Hussars are settling in to Mittelsdorf and hope they will be told to stand easy - they are eager to get to the tavern and unwind.

A regiment of Uhlans appears over the nearby hill, they ride straight for the hunting parting ...

General Hoffmeyer manages to get the escort in the way as the Marquise turns and makes a run to safety; part of the Guard Reiter escort moves up ...

As the escort and reiters fight hard to hold of the uhlans, the Wittenberg jagers approach the bridge. The Marquise crosses the bridge riding towards Mittelsdorf.

The Marquise reaches the Guard Hussars who have come to find her and escort her to safety ..

The escort and the reiters have been pushed back and rally with their backs to the river. A second Uhlan regiment is just arriving..

The uhlans charge again, killing the escort and routing the reiters; they then pursue them into the river and get stuck-in with their lances ...

The other regiment of uhlans crosses the river and prepares to move on towards Mittelsdorf

The Marquise has arrived safely in Mittelsdorf and riders have been sent to bring re-inforcements ..

The commander of the Wittenberg forces abandons his pursuit of the Marquise and sees who he has managed to capture ... Looks like pig for supper, shout the Uhlans ..


The Count de Monet has been captured, they thought he was dead - he was found stuck under his horse; slightly wounded he is taken away; he is the only survivor from the escort. The commander is satisfied he has someone to ransom.


----oXo----
End notes:
My opponent for the evening, playing the Saxe-Jarlsberg'ers, was Douglas (the man form Noverre); he was jinxed by the card deck we used for unit movement. In the rules, a card is drawn for a unit to move, so if you draw your colour then you move a unit of your choice and continue till all units have moved. I was black, he was red - for some reason lots of black cards came up before the red ones; even though he shuffled and cut the deck between each move. It is a proper deck - honest !

6 comments:

abdul666 said...

Refreshing: a brisk, very unusual Petite Guerre action -as always, so pleasantly illustrated- with a lovely heroine!
One should have dreamed the presence of the Marquise would bring men to a less brutal behavior, but war is the harsh mistress.

A note of hope: the Count de Monet could explain that Odette *also* could be ransomed (was not it a 'war' between Canada and the USA with a poor pig as the single casualty? In our 'more civilized' Old Europe, Odette may be spared).

Compliments,
Jean-Louis

Capt Bill said...

What a great little scenario with wonderful pictures. Thanks!!!

littlejohn said...

A great small battle. BTW what are the primary figures?

--Dave

Fitz-Badger said...

Very enjoyable report and pictures!
(I can't help but think of the Empress of Blandings - famous pig in P.G. Wodehouse stories). Maybe, as Jean-Louis suggests ransom can be worked out for the little truffle-hunting pig. Could be worth a lot more than a ham dinner! :-)

old-tidders said...

Figures used for the Marquise and her escort:

Marquise of Finkelstadt - converted Blue Moon civilian on an Old Glory Horse
General Hoffmeyer (blue coat) - Old Glory [can't remember which pack]
The Count de Monet (green coat) - Elite Minitures (french SYW offcier)
Finkelstadt Hussars - 1 Hincliffe, 1 Sash & Sabre
Herr Odermayer (swineherd) - Blue Moon
Odette the pig - Merit OO/HO

Bluebear Jeff said...

If I might suggest . . . the latest Battlegames Magazine (#17) has a new "Table Top Teaser" that would make an excellent follow-up to this one. It is another "rescue the lady" type scenario . . . so the Marquise could have another adventure.


-- Jeff