Something Revolutionary...

... Or, if you prefer, 'revolting'.  Somewhat inspired - if that is the word I'm groping for, by a range of ideas concerning revolts, rebellion and insurrection  that have appeared in several blogs, I thought I might essay something of the same.  Not wanting to develop whole new armies I can not possibly accommodate, I was going to use my Napoleonics, when it struck me that I had two 'imaginations' Napoleonic-style armies that had been under-employed.

At first I was thinking of Bob Cordery's campaign idea from his Developing the Portable Wargame book.  I might still do that, but another idea presented itself.  A recent blog article referred to a Battlecry scenario based on the ACW Chancellorsville operation of May, 1863.  So, there you have it.

The action comes from the early days of the Gatonegro War of Independence for the Latin American Empire of the Reina de Oro.  The early revolt had not gone well, the Patriot Army of Gatonegro being brought to book holed up behind the Rio Blanco.  Strong as the position was, the Royalist commander, General Orispo, betook himself with half his army in a species of manoeuvre sur les derrieres around the rebel right flank and into their rear.  Had he at once attacked with the enemy so sandwiched, the revolt might well have ended then and there.  Instead, he hesitated, and began rather to hope that the rebel commander, Genl Jamon y Huevos would simply up stakes and retreat.  The Royalists might even catch them on the march.

The Patriot commander had no such idea in mind.  Figuring that 'two can play that game, he left a  single battalion of 3rd Brigade (5th) together with the bulk of his artillery to face the Royalist flanking force, then concentrated about the small town Ciudad Ministerio de Hacienda (which name, by the way, translates, more or less, as Chancellorsville).  Leaving General Don Luis Lolobargia Lopez with the two battalions of 3rd Brigade, Huevos made a flank march of his own, cut the South road and advanced upon the Royalists.  

Made somewhat aware of movement to the south, the Royalists turned to face the threat, unaware that a significant force lay in the brushwood country to the northeast.  As dawn broke over the dusty landscape on 1 May, 1818. The woods around Ciudad de Hacieda woke to the shrieked Rebel battlecries, the rattle of musketry and boom of cannon...

This game is to be played on a free board using my own Corsican Ogre rule set, but with some tweaks for solo play.  The forces are:

 Royalist Army:

General Orlando Orispo (1 figure)
1st (Avocado) Battalion (28 figures)
2nd (Ballesteros) Battalion (28 figures)
4th (del Gardo) Battalion (28 figures - 6 grenadiers plus subaltern detached to garrison the town)
Squadron Lancia d'Esci (7 figures)
2 sections 6pr artillery (2 guns, 8 figures).

Total: 100 figures: 1 General/staff, 84 infantry, 7 cavalry, 8 gunners. 

 Patriot Army:

General Marco Jamon y Huevos (1 figure)
2nd Brigade:
     3rd, 4th Infanteria, 9th Cazadores (each 19 figures)
     section 6pr artillery ( 4 figures and 1 gun)
3rd Brigade: General Don Luis Lolobargia Lopez  (1 figure)
     6th Infanteria, 10th Cazadores (each 19 figures)

Total: 101 figures: 2 Generals/staffs, 95 infantry, 4 gunners.

Though the numbers are equal, the forces are qualitatively very different.  The better trained Royalist regular infantry, though fewer in number, have the greater firepower.  The Patriots, however, get to move first. The move generation system in which the number of units allowed to move is half plus or minus one for each army, will apply separately to the separate Patriot commands.  The Royalist Army counts 3 infantry, the cavalry, the 2 guns and the commander as 7 units, so will move 3,4 or 5 units per turn.  Of the Patriot Army, Huevos will move 2,3 or 4 units, Arieaga will move 1, 2 or 3 units.  This does not apply to shooting, which is automatic for any units with targets in range.

The cannon, gunners and Royalist Infantry are Airfix French all from the artillery set, except the grenadiers which are AWI British Grenadiers.  The Lancers are ESCI (you guessed that, didn't you?), and the Patriot foot are I think Revell.