The Flying Column

The Flying Column
A Mexican Adventure Scenario for 'Principles of War'

Introduction

This scenario has a Conservative Mexican force trapped in a town by Republicans, and under attack. A French flying column has been sent to rescue them; will it break through the Republican lines in time, or can the Republicans fight on two fronts and defeat their enemies.

Forces Involved

Franco-Mexican

	French C-in-C	Good
	French Officer	Average
1	Chasseurs D'Afrique	MW	8
2	Medium Battery	BRO	4
3	Medium Battery	BRO	4
4	Line Infantry	MLR	6
5	Line Infantry	MLR	6
6	Line Infantry	MLR	6
7	Line Infantry	MLR	6
8	Line Infantry	MLR	6
9	Chasseurs a Pied	MLR	8


	Mexican C-inC	Poor
10	Line Infantry	MLR	6
11	Line Infantry	SB	4
12	Line Infantry	SB	4
13	Line Infantry	SB	4
14	Line Infantry	SB	4
15	Medium Battery	SB	2

All French Infantry are Steadfast

Chasseurs a Pied are Light Infantry Marksmen.

Republican

	C-in-C	Average
1	Cavalry	MW	4
2	Lancers	La	4
3	Medium Battery	SB	4
4	Medium Battery	SB	4


	Officer 1	Average
5	Regulars	MLR	4
6	Regulars	MLR	4
7	Regulars	MLR	4
8	Regulars	MLR	4
9	Regulars	MLR	4


	Officer 2	Poor
10	National Guard	SB	4
11	National Guard	SB	4
12	National Guard	SB	4
13	National Guard	SB	4
14	National Guard	SB	4
15	National Guard	SB	4


	Officer 3	Average
16	National Guard	SB	4
17	National Guard	SB	4
18	National Guard	SB	4
19	National Guard	SB	4
20	National Guard	SB	4
21	National Guard	SB	4


	Leader 1	Good
22	Guerilla Foot	IML	2
23	Guerilla Foot	IML	2
24	Guerilla Horse	La*	2
25	Guerilla Horse	La*	2

Regular Infantry are Steadfast

All Guerillas are Irregular

Guerilla Foot count Rocky Hills as home terrain

Guerilla Horse get column shifts for being lance armed, but otherwise count as Irregular Horse with MW.

Movement Bases

The French have one movement base per officer and two dummies.

The Republicans have one movement base per officer and one dummy.

The Consrvatives must set up without the benefit of movement bases.

Set Up

The French must set up their movement bases in the south west corner.

The Conservatives must set up in the town.

The Republicans may set up anywhere except within 24" of the western edge and within 6" of the town. Note that the Guerilla leader is restricted to a deployed movement base, as he is irregular.

The French/Conservative move first.

Command Structure

The French and Conservatives are separate forces, each with their own C in C. Neither may use their PIPs to influence the other.

The Republicans are a single force, but it costs an extra PIP for the Republican C in C to change the orders of the Guerilla leader, or to command any Guerilla troops directly.

Terrain

This scenario uses a 6' x 4' table; click here for the map.

The town and the farm are passable by all troops at Speed 2 and offer 1 point of cover.

The church is passable to foot only at Speed 2, and offers 2 points of cover.

Hills are passable by all troops, but only at Speed 2

Other terrain should be diced for. Areas of rocks or brush are treated as 'Broken Ground'. Rocks or brush combined with hills are treated as 'Broken Ground', but movement penalties cannot be ignored by light infantry. Fields and the orchard are treated as 'Cultivated Land'.

Victory

Victory is assessed at the end of 15 turns.

The French win if they inflict 80 strength points of damage on the Republican troops (excluding the Guerillas)

The Republicans win if they inflict 50 points of damage on the French forces. Damage inflicted on the Mexican Conservatives does not count.

Being in undisputed control of the town at the end of the game counts as having inflicted 15 points of damage on the opposition.

If both neither side achieves their victory condition, then the battle is a draw. If both sides achieve their victory conditions, then the battle is a bloody draw.

Note: a unit that routs concedes its entire strmngth point total to the enemy.

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The Flying Column A Mexican Adventure Scenario for 'Principles of War'

The Flying Column
A Mexican Adventure Scenario for 'Principles of War'