After having deluged you in May and June last year with loads of posts on my Mexican Adventure figure collection, I entirely failed to add a post on their first appearance in an actual game! So apologies for the delay but here it is.
For this first outing I decided to use the Zouave II rules by Bob Jones (the original author of Piquet) which incorporate a rondel mechanism (which is something I have seen in boardgames before but not in miniatures wargame rules).
Having carted almost everything up to the club I realised I had managed to leave my hills at home - and given they are are crucial element of the game some improvisation was needed (hence the slightly unusual shapes!).
Here are the briefs:
French Briefing
Your main forces are currently besieging Puebla but the Juaristas seem determined to relieve the garrison. General l’Hériller saw off the first attempt at San Pablo del Monte on the 6th and the Juaristas have fallen back. General Forey has decided to take the initiative and strike the enemy before they can mount a second attempt at lifting the siege. At one o’clock this morning General Bazaine led a column northwest up the road to Cuatlincingo before striking out across country towards San Lorenzo. He bluffed his way past a Republican outpost but encountering a second decided to neutralise it and then push rapidly across the remaining 2 kilometres to San Lorenzo and the enemy.
Force the Republican forces to withdraw.
French Order of Battle
General de Division Achilles Bazaine (CinC)
1-2/1st Guard Horse Artillery
General de Brigade Louis de Bertier
3rd Zouaves
51st Regiment de Ligne
81st Regiment de Ligne
Tirailleurs Algeriens
Colonel François Charles du Barail
1st & 2nd Chasseurs d’Afrique
12th Chasseurs à Cheval
Mexican Dragoons
Your main forces are currently attempting to lift the siege of Puebla. French General l’Hériller saw off the first attempt at San Pablo del Monte on the 6th and your forces have fallen back. General Comonfort has decided to split his force into three Divisions before regrouping in order to mount a second attempt at lifting the siege. Your’s is the first Division under General Echeagaray encamped in and around San Lorenzo. At five o’clock this morning your men report the approach of a French column.
Force the French forces to withdraw.
Republican Order of Battle
General of Division Don Ignacio Echeagaray (San Lorenzo)
1-3/1 div. Line
1st & 2nd Artillery
General of Brigade Frias (Panzacola)
1-2/2 div. Infantry
General of Brigade Basilio Garza (Ocotlàn)
1-3/3 div. Militia
Colonel Quiroga
3 x Squadron Lancers
2nd Squadron Lancers
3rd Squadron Lancers
And some photos from the game:
Whilst the Mexicans defended valiantly the French assaulted up the hill and took San Lorenzo itself.
The rules were both interesting and fun and will be coming back to the table again.