Sunday 11 February 2018

French Revolutionary War Campaign Turn 6 (Day 3 - pm to Day 4 - pm)

While the French attack on Pornichet was being dealt with, a small ‘Allied’ force had reached the town of Le Croisac, a miserable place surrounded by the sea on two sides and stinking tidal marshland on another. The only way to reach the town was along the narrow peninsular from Batz or from the bay onto a small beach a mile or so to the east.


The Comte D’Hervilly doesn’t want to allow the Republican garrison of Le Croisac to be in a position to attack his rear, or be reinforced from across the bay to the North. The Royal Navy were also keen to capture the town as it would provide them with a more sheltered anchorage. First however, and before the town could be safely occupied, the coastal fort, a more substantial construction than that encountered at Pornichet guarding the approaches to the anchorage, and its garrison, would have to be captured. A brigade of English troops had been sent towards Le Croisac on Day 2 and, after spending the night in the village of Batz on the evening of Day 3 advanced on Le Croisac the following morning. The attack would be supported by sailors and marines from the fleet and a pair of gunboats. Weather permitting.
Sketch of the fort at Le Croisac, drawn by a Royal Navy Lieutenant under the most hazardous circumstances.
Contemporary drawing of the fort. Artist unknown.

The attacking forces were under the command of Major General Sir George Assheton, and was composed of the following:

Colonel Fox
19th Light Dragoons, 2 squadrons
1/4th, 2/4th*, 3/4th* and 1/5th Foot and 2/1st from Moore's brigade
Royal Artillery, 2 x 3pdr, 2 x 6pdr
Lowenstein's Chasseurs

* these battalions had been made up to strength (indeed the 3/4th had been raised from scratch) by a massive influx of volunteers from the Militia so are thought by the more experienced English commanders to be barely fit for active service. However, needs must.....and we shall see.

Offshore is a cutter and a gunboat of the Royal Navy to add some fire support and a small 'battalion' of seamen and marines that could be landed to add to the numbers of the attackers.

The composition of the Republican garrison is a bit of a mystery to the English but 'reliable' pro-Royalist sources suggest that the demi-brigade under Brigadier Adhemer Patacaisse that had been bloodied in the first battle outside Pornichet three days earlier, may well have withdrawn to Le Croisac after the battle as it was on its way there to take up normal garrison duties. A regiment of cavalry is also understood to be with them. The only artillery apart from any battalion pieces is in the form of half a dozen heavy fortress cannon crewed by men of the Coastal Artillery and sailors.

This is only a small battle so am playing it solo, which given that one side (the Republicans) is ensconced in a coastal fort and town shouldn't be too difficult.


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7 comments:

  1. Sounds like an excellent scenario and look forward to reading how the action unfolds. Keep up the sterling work.

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  2. This looks like great fun and the drawings really do set the stage. Watch out for the excessively tasty bakeries in Nantes...

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  3. Interesting to watch this develop Colin, thanks.

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  4. Bloody hell Colin. I've been travelling for a few days and now I have this wonderful catch-up to ...um...catch up on. Keep this wargaming gold coming mate as it is right up my alley as you well know. Sensational stuff.

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  5. Thank you chaps. I shall be playing it out tomorrow with a bit of luck and a fair wind. Failing that it'll be Friday evening.

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  6. Great stuff Colin, can I ask what mechanics you are using for the campaign, I have always found them difficult to keep going and all the players interested?
    Cheers
    Stu

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    1. Thanks Stu. It’s easy as I’m playing the campaign solo with random or programmed events thrown in each turn to spice things up a bit, like wandering monsters in D and D or was it T and T. The campaign objectives are pretty clear for each ‘side’ and the developing narrative then creates the scenarios for the battles, which unless very small are played out between me and whichever of my gaming friends are available at the time. It’s working so far.

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