The Action at Hacienda Deroada
A Mexican Adventure Scenario for 'Principles of War'

Introduction

This scenario covers a Republican attack on an Imperial supply column. A mixed force of Republican regulars and guerillas has outmanuevered a column guarded by Mexican and Austrian troops. Can the various Republican commands coordinate their attack and take the supplies, or will the column fight its way through?

Forces Involved

Imperial

C in C - Average

Officer 1 - Average

Officer 2 - Poor

1

Austrian Legion

MLR

1

2

3

4

5

6*

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

2

Austrian Legion

MLR

1

2

3

4

5

6*

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

3

Austrian Legion

MLR

1

2

3

4

5

6*

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

4

Mexican Line

MLR

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

5

Mexican Line

MLR

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

6

Mexican Line

SB

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

7

Mexican Line

SB

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

8

Medium Battery

BRO

1

2

3

4

5

6*

7

8

9

10

11

12

9

Austrian Hussars

MW

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8*

9

10

11

12

13

14

10

Mexican Lancers

La/MW

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

Austrian Legion are Steadfast

Republican

C in C - Average

Officer 1 - Average

Officer 2 - Average

Officer 3 - Average

1

Regulars

MLR

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

2

Regulars

MLR

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

3

Regulars

MLR

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

4

Regulars

MLR

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

5

National Guard

MLR

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

6

National Guard

MLR

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

7

National Guard

SB

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

8

National Guard

SB

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

9

National Guard

SB

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

10

National Guard

SB

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

11

National Guard

SB

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

12

National Guard

SB

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

13

National Guard

SB

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

14

National Guard

SB

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

National Guard

SB

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

16

National Guard

SB

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

17

Lancers

La/MW

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

18

Lancers

La/MW

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

19

Line Cavalry

BLC

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

20

Medium Battery

SB

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

21

Medium Battery

SB

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

Leader 1 - Poor

22

Guerilla Foot

IML

1

2*

3

4

5

6

7

8

23

Guerilla Foot

IML

1

2*

3

4

5

6

7

8

24

Guerilla Foot

IML

1

2*

3

4

5

6

7

8

25

Guerilla Horse

La*

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

26

Guerilla Horse

La*

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

27

Guerilla Horse

La*

1

2

3

4*

5

6

7

8

9

10

Regular Infantry are Steadfast

All Guerillas are Irregular

Guerilla Foot count Rocky Hills and Broken Ground as home terrain

Guerilla Horse get column shifts for Lance, but otherwise count as Irregular Horse with MW

Both sides may divide up their troops between officers as they see fit, with the exception that Guerillas can only be commanded by their own leader, and he cannot command other troops.

The Imperial forces have three supply wagons

The Imperial force has no movement bases. The Republicans dice for movement bases as normal.

Terrain

The basic terrain is shown on the attached map. The field is divided into four quarters by the road and the gully. A number of hills should be scattered in the marked zones. Each player may then place an area of broken ground in each quarter, giving eight in total. Each player may then also place an additional area anywhere on the table, although it must be entirely within a single quarter. Broken ground may be combined with hills to give rocky hills.

Broken ground represents areas of rocks or chapparal.

Hills do not affect movement unless combined with other terrain.

Broken ground is diced for as in the rules. For simplicity treat all areas of broken ground in any quarter as being the same. The gully should be diced for in two halves, one each side of the bridge. The field is diced for as cultivated land and the farm as single buildings. Each building can be occupied by one unit, which may fire out of up to two faces of the building at half strength.

Deployment

The Imperial troops set up in a single column with the head 24" from the western edge of the table. All units must be formed and in the column with the exception of any two, which may be placed anywhere within 8" of the column in any formation.

The Imperial forces have no orders and will move 4" east along the road each initiative phase paying initiative points to do so. The units that start separated from the column will advance at no more than 4" per movement, paying initiative points to do so, and may not move more than 8" from the column. When any unit in the column spots enemy troops, is fired on or charged, or if there are more than three Republican movement bases on the table, all Imperial commands acquire Hold orders based on their current position, but the Imperial C-in-C may begin to issue orders to himself and his subordinates.

Republican troops and dummy bases start off-table. At the start of the game, the Republican commander must select the edge from which each base will enter, and issue orders to all officers and leaders. On each Republican initiative phase roll for each base to see if it enters. It must roll equal to, or less than, the number shown on the map against each edge to enter, with a modifier of -1 if the base consists of Guerillas or entirely of horse. Once a base enters it must follow its orders until they are changed by the CinC. The CinC may only influence troops once he is on the table.

Wagons

Each wagon can only be controlled by one side or the other at any given time, but may be moved by any officer on that side. A unit may capture a wagon during the initiative phase by being adjacent to it with no enemy unit adjacent to it, and expending a strength point to provide drivers. A wagon cannot have more than one strength point, and may not be moved by either side unless it has a strength point assigned to it. The side that provided the strength point is assumed to control it.

Victory

The game ends after 15 turns or if the Imperial column is wiped out, at which point all wagons are assumed to be Republican controlled.

The Republicans must capture as many wagons as they can with as little loss as possible. They score points as follows:

Each wagon captured and secured (preferably moved off-table) 8 pts

Each Republican unit lost -2 pt

Each Imperial unit lost 1 pt

If they have scored more than 10 points then they can be considered to have won, more than 20 points is a major success. If they score 10 or less points then the action is a draw and if their score is negative then thay have suffered a defeat. A score of -10 or less can be considered an embarrassing defeat.

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