A North African Scenario for Soldier's Companion based upon the Battle at Moualok: 19 May, 1881

Introduction:

After the French withdrawal from Tunisia in 1881, the southwestern desert tribes rose in rebellion under their competent leader Bou-Amama. In the previous month, Bou-Amama had savaged a company of Legion Mounted Infantry, leaving two officers and forty-nine other ranks dead, many by torture.

A solitary French supply column out of Geryville makes its way through the desert wastes. The wagons are full of food and ammunition for the outpost at Chellala. Beyond the dunes lurk the Bedouin rebels under their leader Bou-Amama.

The Antagonists:

Army d'Algerien:

Col. Innocenti, LV:1
1 demi bat 1st Regement Etranger E2 Breechloaders x 40
1 demi bat Infantry du Marine V1 Breechloaders x 40
3 troops Chasseur d'Afriquye V2 Breechloader Carbine x 30
3 wagons with mule teams X0

The French enter between points A and B. They get victory points for causing enemy casualties and for successfully exiting the wagons off the board edge between points C and D to claim victory.

Bedouin Rebels:

Bou-Amama LV:2
4 Warbands dismounted camelry
6 Warbands mounted cavalry

The Arabs get victory points for destroyed or captured wagons and casualties inflicted on the Chasseurs D' Afrique. Arab player may hide dismounted units behind and on rocky hills. Arab cavalry may conduct prearranged movement off-board that counts as hidden movement.

Large Map (54K)

Historical Battle:

The French bataillons de marche, spying the tribesmen in the rocks, launched an impetuous charge. The column, having lost contact with the infantry, was attacked by swarms of mounted tribesmen, who overwhelmed the cavalry screen and crushed the French right flank. The rearguard and baggage convoy were massacred, and only a handful of Chaussers d'Afrique were able to survive.

Scenario Variant:

For this different sort of game, you will need a referee. Give the French player what seems to be an extremely generous time limit, at least twice as many turns as it would normally take to reach his objective. The ref draws up a map in which there are two boards, placed short end to short end.

The French player, who should be a good sport, is kept unaware of the second board, where his actual objective is located. The Bedouin player has the option of deploying one (or two?) warbands on board "A", with the rest hidden on board "B".

Once the French player has units reach the hills at the far end of board "A", simply inform him that the distance was misjudged, and that they must travel across one, possible two additional board-lengths. Avoid smirking.

This scenario represents a common problem in 19th century warfare, and especially troublesome in the desert: difficulty in judging distances, coupled with the sketchy knowledge of the terrain. Remember, at the battle of Adowa the Italian army mistook one mountain for another, and thought their objective was five miles closer than it actually was.

Clever (or sadistic) referees could prepare a third board, with the outpost at Chellala represented by a desert fort. A small garrison could then sally forth to assist the battered convoy. Simply recycle the dead from previous turns unit a full unit is represented.

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