Monday 14 June 2021

Sharp Practice. SP2 - Adventures in the Peekaboo Valley - Tavern Tussles!

 


'DaDa Dah, diddler, DaDa Dah, diddler, DaDa Dah.....'

Episode Two in our Mighty War of 1812 Sharp Practice Saga!  

"The Heroic British forces led by 'The Lord Horris Johnson' have pushed the US Invaders back along the Peekaboo Valley.  The US Invaders under Captain Donald Thump have set-up a small camp & plan their next moves.  Unbeknown to the Americans, British Spy 'Nancy Promiscue', Leader of the Tavern, has worked her 'charms' & purloined the American plans from the hapless Thump.   Nancy dispatches the brave Carrier Pigeon 'Speckled Jim'  with the news to the British.  Hurriedly, a British strike force is sent forward to rescue Nancy & destroy the American Camp"


STARRING

The Bad Guys

Colonel Davy Sprockett - Level III Leader
Commanding 2 units of US Regulars

Captain Donald Thump - Level II Leader
Commanding 2 units of US Militia

Lt George Rush- Level I Leader
Commanding a unit of US Militia Cavalry

Lt Gerald Bored - Level I Leader
Commanding a unit of US Regulars

Lt Ronny Pagan - Level I Leader
Commanding a US 6 Pdr Gun

Sgt Richard Vixon - Level I Leader
Commanding a unit of US Light Infantry

STARRING

The Good Guys

Major The Lord Horris JOHNSON - Level III Leader
Commanding 2 units of British Regular of XIX 'Green Howard's'

 
Sgt Tony Flair - Level I Leader
Commanding a unit of British Light Company


Lt John Rajor - Level I Leader
Commanding a unit of British Regulars


Lt David Cockerman - Level I Leader
Commanding a unit of British Light Company


Chief Little Bear - Level II Leader
Commanding a unit of Indian Warriors


Chief Big Snake - Level I Leader
Commanding a unit of Indian Warriors


SPECIAL GUEST STARRING

Nancy Promiscue - British Spy

Cpl Bob - Taxi

The Battlefield
Looking South from the British Lines
Deployment point

Looking South West from the British lines
Deployment point

Looking East

Looking North from the US Camp
Deployment Point

Looking West
Deployment Point

Nancy at the Tavern
Smack in the middle of the Battlefield.

The game would start just before dawn, visibility would be reduced to 6 inches due to darkness.   The US Militia, Artillery, one Regular unit & Light Troops would begin on the table. With the CARDS of US Regulars & the US Cavalry held out of the CARD DECK until dawn arrives.  The US Light Troops would be on 'Guard Duty', randomly moving a D6 when their CARD is drawn. 

The British Light Troops, Indian Warriors & the Taxi, would start the game in the CARD DECK.   The Regulars CARD would be placed in the CARD DECK when dawn arrives.   The Pre-Dawn activity would go on for 4 turns OR if the British forces are spotted.   A British Unit will just have to touch base with Nancy, then she is part of that unit for movement purposes.  The Indian Warriors cannot rescue Nancy...

I had a 'Blue Peter' moment & created a super Morale Counter.  We now use D12's to mark the SHOCK values for each unit.  SPAV took the Yanks again, yours truly the Brits. 

THE STORY
Pre-Dawn

Lt David Cockerman arrives

Little Bear & his Indian Warriors arrive.
They move a spiffing 12" & take out 2 US Sentries.
However the Yanks go down fighting & kill 2 Indians in the process..


Lt John Rajor & the 'Taxi' arrive.

Another turn
Little Bears Indians stalk past a bemused Nancy Promiscue...

'Little Bear has communed with the Spirits'
 & vowed to take the scalp of Sgt Jimmy Farter....
(who is on another mission today)



"Ere Jethro... Can you here that?"

The Yank Sentries are on the move....

"GET ON PARADE!"
The card of the US Gun is drawn.
It's rise & shine for this poor lot, tough officer...

It's going well for the Brits....
BIG SNAKE is on the move....

Another turn
With almost comedy movement.. DUH DUH DUHDUH!
The US Sentries move again.




Lt John Rajor heads forward

Spots 2 Sentries, they are outside of Charge range.
The Regulars fire a volley killing both men.

Little Bear is drawn, he charges forward but cannot reach the camp.

Sgt Richard Vixon EVADES & pegs it into the US camp to raise the alarm.

Sgt Tony Flair races onto the field.

Some US Regulars are awoken...

Spot the Indians & release a volley...

The US Gun crew race to the cannon.
But take two Actions to load it.

Big Snake orders the Indians to attack.

Their Tomahawks only inflict one point of Shock.





The Yanks lose the Fisticuffs & are sent packing.

Snazzy home made Morale Counter....
The US morale has dropped.

Captain Donald Thump orders the 'Stand To'

DAWN
Tony Flair races for the Tavern

The view from the West side of the Battlefield

Who would draw their card first?

The Militia mobilizes..

Farmer John looks on....

Lt David Cockerman heads for the Beer Garden.

Tough Talking Lt George Rush leads the Militia Cavalry onto the field.

Gets straight into the action...

SPAV is banking on this Fisticuffs....

It's not good the Indians have more dice,
 the Indians win 4 Kills to 2.
the Cavalry fall back... 

Do Do, doodo DO do DOOO...

The Morale rolls are bad as well...

SPROCKETT!!!!!!!!


Davy's Top Lads unleash a volley on the Indians...
They fall back...


Little Bears card is drawn..
CCCHHHAAAARRRGGEEEEEEEE!!!

Flashing their Tomahawks doesn't inflict that much Shock on the Yanks. 


The Indians lose this Fisticuffs with a massive 5 dead...
The US Gun crew are a tough bunch.

However, Lt Ronny Pagan is wounded. 
Amazingly Little Bear is untouched...

Nothing like Yanks celebrating....

Strangely, the US side came off worse with the morale rolls.

Another round,
Sgt Tony Flair reaches Nancy.

Lt David Cockerman guards the road behind the Tavern.

Long Range Sniping & Davy Sprockett takes a hit...

It's a big loss on the Morale...

However Lt Ronny Pagan is back in the fight...
Load cannister!

The Lord Horris Johnson & his retinue arrive....

Holy Man Hugh Jass & Physic Dr. Zhivago...



With the trusty Hunting Hounds!

Captain Donald Thump leads the Militia forward....

WTF moment....
Nancy is being kidnapped by the despicable Brits!!!!



Overhead view of the centre of the Battlefield...

View from the eastern edge.

Little Bear senses impending DOOM!

HA! SPAV's roll is PANTS!
3 Shock - but Cannister is doubled!

Another Little Bear withdrawal but no loss of Morale.

Rock Hard.

Taxi for Promiscue!

Another round
The Brit Regulars close in.

Captain Donald Thump lines up the Militia.

But he could kill the abducted Nancy...

Sgt Tony Flair gets Nancy to the cart.


Colonel Davy Sprocketts Healer does the job.
With a stern Father Yul Grynner inspiring the Lads!

They still have to get past the British Light Troops.

It's too far the Militia Cavalry to go to rescue Nancy.

Sgt Richard Vixon & what is left of his Light troops try to cut off the cart. 

They are checked by the other British Light Troops.

Nancy Promiscue escapes with the secret papers!

With (real) time getting on, we call it a day!
The Brits win this encounter with a partial victory.
The Yank camp hasn't been touched.

A CEASEFIRE for a few hours is called by both Leaders.  The dead & wounded are recovered.  Both sides draw back, while secretly riders are sent out to call other local troops to the field.

We'll be back with Episode Three - Clash at the X-Roads soon!

2 comments:

James Fisher said...

That is absolutely superb. Just when I thought that your reports could not get any better, you deliver this wonderfully entertaining read and visual feast (not to mention guffaws a-plenty!). Top stuff. Looking forward to part three, in due course.
Regards, James

MrF said...

Hello James

Thank you for the nice comments. It was a great game, the 'BIG' units were hardly involved. the vast majority of the fighting belonged to the Skirmish type troops.

We are both loving Sharp Practice. Time never seems to drag when playing the games. Most of our games are played over a few sessions. With some of the bigger games using other rules, it becomes a chore, returning to finish off the game. We had a large Normandy scrap using Flames of War, a few months ago & it was a major pain finishing it off.

I know your a Napoleonic Nut (as am I!), I am still painting up the Peninsular 28mmm figures. I am on with the French Line at the moment.

All the Best
MrF & SPAV