Friday 14 September 2018

Napoleonic Liberdy: The raid on Rider au bord de la mer

Owain put on an excellent 28mm Napoleonic skirmish game set in south-western France in 1814. We used Liberdy , our home-grown skirmish rules.
Capt Pickleton and his troops engage the troops of Capt Escargot and Lt Picard

British forces

Captain Pickleton, a Sergeant and 4 Line Privates
Ensign Fotheringay and 5 Line Privates
Sgt Smollett and 5 Line Privates
Sgt Obediah and 4 Riflemen

Objectives
1. Capture the docks intact
2. Capture the town magistrate and the port official
3. Stop any French troops escaping via the docks

Just another day in the sleep port of Rider au bord de la mer

French forces

Capitaine Escargot and 5 Légère
Sgt Chef  Grenouille and 5 Légère
Lieutenant Picard and 5 Ligne
Lieutenant Roquefort and 5 dismounted Dragoons
2 Supply wagons

Objectives
1.Get the supplies to the docks
2. Hold up the British as long as possible
3.Take as many boats as possible to hinder the British
 French troops under Lt Picard await the arrival of the supply wagons
and the same from a different angle
Capt Escargot sprints his troops into the town
Capt Pickleton and Ens Fotheringay rush to the docks
Capt Pickleton engages Lt Picard in a scrimmage
Capt Escargot takes up a position to aid Lt Picard
The supply wagons arrive escorted by Lt Roquefort's Dragoons
and the same from a different angle
British riflemen take up positions in the churchyard whilst Sgt Smollett's troops engage Sgt Chef  Grenouille's Legere in the middle distance.
Ens Fotheringay sees his men fall in a withering hail of bullets from Capt. Escargot's troops
Sgt Obediah's Riflemen advance to help Ens Fotheringay
Sgt Smollett's depleted troops follow up the Riflemen but Lt Roquefort's Dragoons can be seen across the town square
Capt. Pickleton's troops start to lose the firefight
The good townsfolk of Rider are not overly concerned by the action developing
With the help of the Riflemen, Capt Pickleton charges the boat whilst the Dragoons try to intervene
Sgt Smollett and Sgt Obediah push their troops towards the boat
As his men are shot down Capt Pickleton attempts to avenge Ens Fotheringay's death
Capt Escargot backed up by Sgt Grenouille engage the surviving Riflemen
Capt Pickleton forces his way onto the boat closely followed by Sgt Smollett
"The blood fell from the decks, like a river it did run"
Lt Picard deals a mortal wound to Capt Pickleton who falls next to Ens Fotheringay
Sgt Grenouille arrives to seal the fate of the British forces

A cracking game that was in the balance to the last. As with every game of Liberdy there is barely a man standing and bodies litter the streets. Objectives be damned, kill the opposition then sort it out.

And for those thinking of paying Rider au bord de la mer a visit - it is quite a pleasant place
The town square
The Port master
The smithy
Supplies for the Inn
All good Bonapartists
But every town has it's dodgy characters

Thanks to Owain for putting on the game and to Cameron, Dave Mike,Paul, Rodge and Shaun for playing.

A special mention must go to Paul for his outstanding shooting skills

The rules can be found here