When a group of evil Austrian Archdukes overthrew the benevolent Portuguese rule of King Joao I in 1187 A.D., he realized that it was time to do something. Accordingly, he began amassing "The Great Armament" to put down the rebellion. Six hundred twenty- four years later, in 1811 A.D., King Joao VI watched with pride as the mighty Portuguese invasion fleet sailed into the sunset to recover the lost Austrian provinces.

Realizing that the balance of power was in jeopardy, the English allied themselves with the Austrians. While returning to Portugal for more troops the Portuguese fleet was ambushed by the British Mediterranean Fleet. After a weeklong struggle the English managed to escape from the slower moving Protuguese vessels; nevertheless, they lost 6 ships of the line, 4 frigates, and 9 brigs in one of the worst naval disasters in English history, but the price had been high for the Portuguese. Two of their three rowboats were damaged and had to be scuttled by their crews, while the third had to limp slowly back to port.

Meanwhile, the Portuguese Expeditionary Force, which had mistakenly landed in the southern part of Italy, proceeded northward undaunted. Near the little known town of Marengo the Portuguese advance guard drunkenly blundered into an Austrian militia-police detachment. The Battle of Piney Pond which was fought there, forever immortalized the name of Marengo in the annal; of military history.

The Portuguese advance guard, commanded by the Spanish attache to the PEF Generalissimo John T. Saunders, consisted of:

1 Old Guard battalion 5 pts.
1 Young Guard battalion 5
1 Grenadier battalion 5
1 Voltigeur battalion 5
2 Line battalions 10
3 Light battalions 15
2 Dragoon squadrons 10
2 French Cuirassier squadrons 10
1 French Lancer squadron 5
1 French Hussar squadron 4
2 Horse Guns 6
2 Howitzers 6

(The French cavalry were mercenaries hired to supplement the Portuguese cavalry contingent.)

The Austrian militia-police detachment, which was commanded by Marshal Frank Greiner, who was on loan from the Russian Army, consisted of:

1 Old Guard battalion 5 pts.
1 Young Guard battalion 5
1 Grenadier battalion 5
1 Voltigeur battalion 5
2 Line battalions 10
3 Light battalions 15
2 Dragoon squadrons 10
2 French Cuirassier squadrons 10
1 French Lancer squadron 5
1 French Hussar squadron 4
2 Horse Guns 6
2 Howitzers 6
Total 86

On seven (not necessarily consecutive) of the first nine turns from ten to sixteen points of each army came on the board on one of the various roads in a totally random manner. Thus each commander was faced with a Situation where his troops would be committed haphazardly to a fluid situation.

Most of the Austrian heavy infantry and artillery came on the eastern side of the board and were effectively out of the main action on the slopes of the western hill, whereas only a portion of the Portuguese light troops came on the board on the eastern side of the board. Most of these were quickly transferred to the decisive sector.

The western hill became the decisive sector mainly because it commanded the area of the board where the majority of the troops arrived. The Austrians were able to gain effective control of the hill early in the game as a result of the early arrival of their troops in that sector. Nevertheless, the later arrival of their heavy infantry and guns relatively far to the east eventually cost them both the hill and the game.

As the Portuguese gradually arrived, they were able to advance and threaten the Austrian control of the hill. The Austrians, however, were able to use their better position to force the Portuguese to fall back from their advanced positions with a superior concentration on the hill.

After regrouping, the Portuguese were able, with the arrival of more men, to leap upon the unsuspecting Austrians like angry rabbits. Attacking an Austrian light battalion, which was in square at the "hinge" in the Austrain line, with a line battalion, a lancer squadron, and a hussar squadron the Generalissimo attempted to crack the Austrian line wide open. The Austrian square fell back in order and was re-engaged by the victorious line battalion and lancer squadron, who also took the Austrian grenadier battalion in flank and engaged the young guard, who, as skirmishers, were automatically defeated. Fresh Portuguese (i.e. not drunk) also attacked the grenadier frontally and the light battalion to the east of the square in front and flank, while the line battalion to the west of the grenadier was pinned by a light detachment. The Austrian cavalry was prevented from taking any positive action by its poor positioning.

Hoping to be saved by good luck (the Portuguese had about 90 melee points to 60 Austrian points in the, center of the Austrian position), Marshal Greiner forced the Generalissimo to roll but lost anyway taking fifty percent more casualties in the process and leaving a gaping hole in the center of his position.

In addition to the debacle on the eastern slope of the hill, an Austrian dragoon squadron on the eastern slope received five hits from 4-5,6 shots and 2-6 only shots,in one turn and had to retire. Realizing that all was lost, Marshal Greiner surrendered his command rather than undergo further bloodshed (a pursuing lancer was ready to impale him).

Upon hearing of the disaster, the Archduke ordered an evacuation of Alessandria. Three weeks later, after a series of forced marches, the Portuguese covered the four mile distance from the battlefield to the city and, after a six hour struggle, subdued the irate drunk who was defending the city. The Portuguese thereupon looted the city in preparation for the next battle.

The Battle of Piney Ridge

After several weeks of regrouping, the commandante of the Portuguese Expeditionary Force received word of an Austrian army heading off his camp at Alessandria. Accordingly, he issued orders for an advance towards the Alpine passes. The PEF marched forth and immediately lost itself in the nearest swamp. Upon emerging three weeks later, El Commandante learned that tne Austrians were two days' march distant. Realizing that losing only % of his army would be better than losing it all, the Portuguese marshal divided the PEF into four divisions. Fortunately for El Commandante's military record, the Austrian Archduke thought that this was a good plan, too, and did likewise.

The Portuguese division commanded by the Spanish attache to the PEF, Generalissimo John Saunders, swung south to attack the Austrian rearguard, which was commanded by the Russian Marshal Frank Greiner, who was on loan from the Czar with compliments (from Russia with love). After the Battle of Piney Pond, the Portuguese had tried to ransom the Marshal back to the Austrians, but they had refused to pay anything; whereupon the Portuguese tried to extort mo6y from the Austrians by threatening to release Marshal Greiner anyway. Nevertheless, the cheapskate Archduke still refused. The Portuguese then decided that he would be more help on the battlefield than in captivity and released him to the hapless Austrians. Not knowing what to do with the Marshal, the Archduke gave him command of the rearguard, hoping that no enemy troops would show up there. Needless to say, his hopes were shattered the next day.

The Portuguese division consisted of:

2 Old Guard battalions 10 points
1 Grenadier battalion 5
1 Voltigeur battalion 5
3 Line battalions 15
3 Light battalions 15
1 Cuirassier squadron 5
2 Dragoon squadrons 10
2 Lancer squadrons 10
1 Hussar squadron 4
2 Howitzers 6
Total 85 points

The Austrian rearguard consisted of:

2 Old Guard battalions 10 points
1 Grenadier battalion 5
1 Voltigeur battalion 5
2 Line battalions 10
2 Light battalions 10
1 Cuirassier squadron 5
1 Dragoon squadron 5
1 Lancer squadron 5
3 Hussar squadrons 12
4 Horse guns 12
2 Howitzers 6
Total 85 points

The battle opened with a fierce advance by the Portuguese. Each side sent forward hussars and light infantry to seize and burn buildings; however, the Portuguese were able to gain three buildings with their line infantry and force the Austrian battalions in the east to retreat across the stream.

Safely across the stream, 2 of the Austrian horse guns, and their 2 howitzers deployed to shoot at the advacning Portuguese. The Portuguese countered with skirmishers who, with characteristic inaccuracy, got 2 hits out of 20 shots. Nevertheless, after many turns, the fire began to tell, and first one horse gun, then the other, and then one of the howitzers were pulled out and sent to the rear because of a lack of gunners.

In the meantime, Marshal Greiner mounted his own push against the Portuguese left (west on the map). But, instead of fleeing like frightened Portuguese, a Portuguese dragoon squadron and a French hussar squadron in Portuguese pay attacked the leading Austrian cuirassier squadron. Combined with infantry fire the cuirassier squadron was broken in one turn. This was only a temporary setback for Marshal Greiner, as the Portuguese were forced to retreat move to evade the overwhelming Austrian numbers. The Austrian advance continued, pushing back the Portuguese with seeming ease. The remaining two Austrian horse guns were deployed; more Austrian gunners bit the dust.

To the north the Portuguese attempted to force the Austrian left. The Austrians attacked the leading light battalion and voltigeur battalion with a grenadier battalion and a line battalion. The Portuguese threw in a cuirassier squadron. The Austrians, outpointed, opted to fight the melee and rolled three dice for each unit - a 15 for the grenadier and a 14 for the line! Luck wins again and the Portuguese fled; fortunately, there was more Portuguese cavalry lurking in the vicinity and it prevented the Austrians from pursuing. Consequently, the infantry was able to reform and return to the fray shortly thereafter; however, the cuirassiers had taken 50% casualties and had to continue off the field to the rear.

Back on the Portuguese left, the Austrians were continuing their advance. The Portuguese fell back into the buildings in front of the Austrians. The Austrians took up position on the western side of the bridge over the stream branch and to the west of the 6-point building by the stream and the woods at the head of the stream in preparation to storming the building and clearing the woods.

Now, the Portuguese lash back at the Transylvanian dogs who have been hounding them all day. They attack the Austrian light battalion at the bridge with an old guard, a hussar, a line, and a dragoon. The Austrians throw in two hussars and a dragoon in a desperate attempt to save the light battalion. But the Portuguese outpoint the Austrians by 40 points. Neither hell nor high water nor hot dice save the Austrians this time, however. The light battalion and the three cavalry squadrons flee in disorder.

After mopping up the remaining Austrian voltigeur battalion and lancer squadron to the south, the Portuguese shifted their axis of advance to the north and began attacking the Austrian heavy infantry. A lancer squadron, a line, a grenadier, and two old guard battalions attacked an Austrian line and the two Austrian old guard battalions. For four turns the Portuguese attacked, beat, and re-engaged the Austrian guards, finally wiping them out to the last man. The only formed Austrian cavalry, a hussar squadron in the far north of the board, was attacked and defeated by a Portuguese dragoon squadron. The rest of the Portuguese infantry and cavalry closed with the remnants of the Austrian infantry force and defeated them.

At this point, with Marshal Greiner captured (a hussar scout had lassoed him early in the battle) and most of the army in flight, the remaining Austrians decided to surrender.

Immediately after the battle the Portuguese made a mind boggling 3 mind march in less than 15 minutes, but, upon finding no alcohol in the Austrian baggage train, they dispersed to pillage the surrounding countryside.

After collecting his men several days later, the Generalissimo marched off to find more Austrians and even greater glory.