"The Smasher" Being a wargame of the attack by sous-lieutenant Legros of the 1st Leger during the French assault on the Chateau of Hougomont, an episode during the Battle of Waterloo. During the French assaults on the defenders of the Chateau of Hougomont, a body of French Light infantry managed to penetrate the defenses via the North gate, led by a giant officer wielding a sapper's axe. This man, nicknamed "I'Enfonceur" or "the Smasher' was sous-lietenant Legros who led his men into the courtyard where they were all eventually cut down after a vicious struggle. Apparently all, except for a lone drummer boy who was spared by the British guardsmen This episode therefore provides the inspiration upon which this game is (very) loosely based . . . . Set Up The playing area is approximately 2 feet square, one edge to represent the North wall of the chateau and including the gate somewhere around one comer. The rules presume that a hex grid is marked on the table, however the ingenious should be able to adapt them if it is not. Place several items of "terrain" at random around the playing area. These should be piles of boxes, a well, a cart or similar objects which will provide cover or obstructions for the figures. For the purposes of this encounter these are all considered uncrossable by figures. Objectives and Forces The French have 12 figures, including Legros and a serjeant, the British have 10 figures which includes an officer and a sergeant, plus 4 additional figures at the North gate. The game depicts the fighting straight after the French have broken into the courtyard, the gate has been shut thus isolating Legros and his men. The objective for the French is to clear the gate and to open it for their comrades outside. For the British they must eliminate the French in the courtyard and prevent any more enemy accessing the courtyard via the gate. To do this they must maintain a defence of the gate or risk the main body of the 1 st Leger breaking through. Deployment Initially 4 British are at the gate (who can do nothing else but lean on it, if attacked or if they fight they are not considered to be defending the gate) and the rest equally spaced around the three other edges of the playing area. The French are in a rough group in the middle of the playing area and are placed in and facing in a random manner. Roll for each figure of both sides and on a roll of six they are considered to have a loaded weapon. Legros carries a sapper's axe, apart from him all other figures are assumed to carry a musket, or if an officer a pistol and sword. Attributes Throw 1d6 per figure once deployed and apply the following. 1,2,3,4 - No specific attribute. 5,6 - Roll again, this time rolling 2d6: 2= Unlucky. 3= Weak. 4= Slow. 5= Poor shot. 6= Clumsy 7= Lucky. 8= Strong. 9= Fast. 10= Good shot. 11,12= Roll again for two attributes. (ignore any conflicts that occur i. e. a figure cannot be both a poor shot and a good shot.) The Playing Rules Game Sequence There are two separate decks of cards in this game, an "activation" deck which gives the order of play for each figure and a separate "Random event" deck. Every figure in the game has a card in the activation deck, however two cards are needed for each of the officers and NCO's of both sides, this represents their greater willingness to get involved, over the run of the mill soldiers. Several additional figures may become involved on the British side, therefore additional cards may be needed for these. The cards in this "activation deck" merely need to have the figure's name or identification number on them. To start the game a card is turned over and the owner of this figure then carries out the figures movement or actions for that phase. Also in the activation deck there are two cards marked as "random event". If a "random event" card is pulled, draw a card from the "random event" deck and apply the result immediately or to the next active figure as appropriate. If the "French at the Gate" card is drawn then resolve this attempt to break into the Chateau. (See below) Cards are placed in the bottom of their pack once acted upon. Reshuffle the activation deck when the "Reshuffle" card is drawn. Note, as play is on a hex grid figures must always face a flat edge of their hex. Front and each adjacent hex sides are considered to be frontal hexes, one hex side opposite is the rear. The remaining two are side hexes. Vision is considered to be all round, except to the rear. Movement 3 hexes per figure. -1 hex per wound to the legs. +/- 1 if fig. attribute is either fast or slow. -1 hex if the figure is getting up after a slip. Turns of one face per hex are free, any more costs one hex per face turned. No movement if the figure is either loading any weapon or if firing a musket in that phase. Shooting Ranges are unlimited for a musket. Roll 1d6, hit on a roll of 5 or 6. +/- 1 if good/poor shot. -1 if the figure can be considered to be behind cover. Pistols range is up to 8 hexes. To hit, score the same as a musket, however if range is 3 or less then +1 to the dice. Each hit causes one wound. The victim rolls 1D6, 1,2 = 2 wounds. +/-1 if considered lucky or unlucky. Loading weapons takes two phases and can shoot in the third. +1 phase if the figure is considered "clumsy". Hand to Hand Fighting This occurs when figures are placed in adjacent hexes, when contacted a figure may turn one face free. (except if contacted from rear). Each figure rolls 1D6 with the following modifiers: +/-1 if a strong or weak figure. -1 if facing two men -1 per wound. -1 Contacted to rear or side or is prone and on the ground. Compare results. The losing figure must retreat 1 hex directly away from his assailant and is wounded. A difference of three will cause a second wound. A difference of five causes three wounds and is a straight kill for all except "strong" figures. Any figure which is unable to retreat (for example pinned against an obstruction) receives an additional wound. Figures are killed after the following number of wounds; Figure's attribute is weak = 2, strong = 4, All others = 3. The Cards "French at the Gate" If this card is drawn then test as follows: The French roll 1xD6, if they can roll above the number of figures currently actually defending the gate they make some progress in opening the gate. If they lose then the British gain an edge and the criticality of the situation moves one stage less serious. The sequence is as follows; (note the gate is at Stage 1 at the start of the game.) Stage 1. Gate is shut and barred, irate Gallic voices can be heard from the outside. Stage 2. The gate is cracking open, there is a suspicious aroma of garlic entering the nostrils of the guardsmen defending the courtyard. Stage 3. It is perilously open, excitable voices can be heard to shout "vive I'Empereur" outside. Stage 4. "Finis", the gate bursts open, the game is over and the last thing that Nosey's men see is a French Voltigeur rummaging around in his knapsack for that promised Marshall's baton.... "Reshuffle." As it says, reshuffle the sequence deck. Random Events Cards "British Reinforcement." Another figure joins in the fray, randomly allocate which table edge he appears from. This arrival card is also considered to activate him. Put his card to the bottom of the activation deck once this phase is over. "Random musket fire." This hits the figure of appropriate nationality, roll to see which figure is liable to be hit. Roll 1xD6 and the first figure to roll a 1 is the target. (-1 if any figure's attribute is "unlucky") For the British, test those nearest the gate first then away from it. French test in the opposite direction. Note that this represents odd shooting from occasionally unengaged defenders at the other walls or in the case of the French the less frequent shots that come via loopholes or from the top of scaling ladders. (or perhaps some particularly inaccurate friendly fire.) "A Find." The next active figure spots something on the ground amongst the debris of battle. He can elect to pick it up which costs his movement allowance. If he does so, roll ID6, 1-3 Nothing of any use. 4,5 a loaded musket, 6=a loaded pistol. (If the figure is "lucky" add I to his dice. If "unlucky" any weapon found will be unloaded if he rolls 1 or 2 on a further roll of ID6) loops, "A Slip." The next activated figure falls over due to tripping on something or slipping in some farmyard mess. The next figure whose card is drawn is ignored and the card is placed at the bottom of the deck. The figure is considered to be immobile on the floor until he gets up on his next activation phase. Getting up takes one hex of his movement allowance that phase. Notes The activation deck is made up of the following cards:- One named card for each figure, two named cards for each of the officers and N.C.O.'s. Two "Random event ' cards and one each of "French at the Gate" and "Reshuffle the deck" cards. It is suggested that the random event deck is composed of the following: Slip x 2, A Find x 2, Random Musket fire x 4 (Three marked "hits a French figure" and one market "hits a British Figure", British reinforcement x 2. (but vary this depending on how difficult you want the attackers task to be. Add six blanks or bogus event cards as well. For colour several other event cards could be added to the deck. For example we have used "An officers horse bolts and knocks over the next activated figure." or "Cannon fire is heard to be getting more frequent." In fact this one means nothing but the "officers horse" obviously has an effect. Finally Whilst not designed as a general purpose set of rules for general skirmish scenarios, these rules are capable of being developed further if desired. The number of cards per figure allows for better quality troops to have their advantages "built in" without needing lists of additional factors to be added or subtracted from combat or morale tests for example. This is an easy way of representing the variable motivation levels of different troops without too much paperwork or complication within the rules. This leaves more room and scope for the characterization of each figure, by the use of "attributes" and this I feel is an important part of any skirmish level game. The reshuffling of the activation deck means that braver types (getting more than one card in the activation deck) become very important fellows indeed and get a greater chance to be heroes when compared to their less illustrious comrades. And to conclude, whilst it isn't important that your own Legros figure is depicted as being armed with an axe, there are rumours around my neck of the woods that a 20mm conversion has taken place and a new, shiny axe wielding French officer model now exists and he is eagerly awaiting a replay of this game where he can get the opportunity to live up to his moniker ....... "En Avant! l'Enforceur" See Military Modelling, September 1980, Hougomont by Don Fosten Military Modelling, December 1983, The Chateau Hougomont by Ian Weekly Back to The Gauntlet No. 18 Table of Contents Back to The Gauntlet List of Issues Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 2000 by Craig Martelle Publications This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com