We’re starting a series of Texas Revolution 1836 games set between March 12 and March 18. They’ll be fictional skirmishes centred around the Goliad Campaign where Mexican General José de Urrea advanced into ‘Provence' of Texas. We’ll be using the Song of Drums and Shakos rules as written and 28mm sized figures from the Boothill range. The scenario for the initial game is a foraging one I found on the net and VPs are earned by both sides by recovering supplies from broken down wagon train along a road and causing casualties.
Cazadore Private José from the San Luis Battalion leaps across the broken down wagon to get to grips with the Texians!
The Sides…
Texians
New Orleans Greys
Nathaniel R. Brister Regimental Adjutant; Q 4 C2 Sword & Pistol Leader
Nathaniel R. Brister Regimental Adjutant; Q 4 C2 Sword & Pistol Leader
Pvt David N. Burke; Q 4 C2 Musket Steadfast
Pvt Herman Ehrenberg; Q 4 C2 Musket Steadfast
Pvt Joseph H. Spohn; Q 4 C2 Musket Steadfast
Pvt John Rees; Q 4 C2 Musket Steadfast
Pvt Horatio Cunningham; Q 4 C2 Musket Steadfast
Pvt Abney Holmes; Q 4 C2 Musket Steadfast
Alabama Red Rovers
2nd Corporal David Moore; Q 4 C3 Musket NCO
2nd Corporal David Moore; Q 4 C3 Musket NCO
Pvt Benjamin Franklin Burt; Q 4 C3 Musket
Pvt James W Duncan; Q 4 C3 Musket
Pvt James E. Ellis; Q 4 C3 Musket
Pvt Samuel Farney; Q 4 C3 Musket
Pvt Simpson Tennant; Q 4 C3 Musket
Mexicans
Soldados and Cazadores from the San Luis Battalion
Captain Del Toro; Q 4 C2 Sword & Pistol Leader
7 x Infantry Privates; Q 4 C2 Muskets Wavering
Sergeant Banderas Q 4 C2 Light with Rifle NCO
6 x Privates; Q 4 C2 Light with Muskets
Special Rules
-No Group actions are allowed by either side.
-it takes one action to gather supplies from the broken down wagon train once adjacent to it.
-A maximum of two 'loads' of supplies can be carried per figure.
-Bearing supplies does not effect movement.
-Bearing two loads of supplies means a figure can not load/fire, said figure can for free drop one load and fire/reload when they are activated.
The Situation...
Late February 1836; the Mexican Army led by Santa Anna had had crossed the Provence of Texas' border intent on putting down the insurrection that had gripped the state. The Texians were unprepared to face this foray and disorganised they hurriedly organised forces to resist the mighty Mexican Army, their chances were negligible but they would try their damnedest to succeed!
The AAR...
February 1836 under orders from President Santa Anna Mexican General Urrea's column crossed the Rio Grand at Metamoros entering the Provence of Texas. His orders were to secure the whole of its coastline which would isolate the Texian Revolutionaries ensuring their defeat! After a rapid advance and a series of victories beginning at San Patricio and with the latest being the Battle of Refugio Urrea sent out foraging parties before pressing onto Goliad, supplies were crucial to continue the advance!
Captain Del Toro and his Soldados from the San Luis Battalion were told by locals of a broken down wagon train filled with supplies nearby and he quickly followed up their information.
Short on 'everything' as he amassed his forces at Goliad, Texian Colonel James Fannin who had been tasked by Sam Houston with halting or at least delaying the Mexican advance there decided to send out parties to scourge the surrounds and gather all the supplies that could be located. He asked for volunteers to carry out this detail and was swamped by enthusiastic and eager men! One foraging party led by Nathaniel R. Brister of the New Orleans Greys was led to believe there was an abundance of supplies along a remote road to the north west of Refugio, he ordered his men to find it unaware that Soldados from General Urrea’s San Luis Battalion were in the area…
It was early in the day and the sun was rising into clear skies when Del Toros and Bristers forces stumbled across each other in their search for supplies. The Mexicans got the hop on their foes and Banderas Cazadores quickly got to the broken down wagon train and started to gather its vital contents. They then opened up an accurate fire on the approaching Texians!
The Texians were poorly co-ordinated and reached the road in dribs and drabs putting them at a disadvantage and their fire was poorly directed. As they approached the Cazadores the men of the New Orleans Greys were surprised when the Mexicans ceased fire and leapt into close combat with them. In the short sharp melee the Mexicans gained the advantage and pushed the Greys back with Privates Burke and Holmes being wounded, these casualties along with several taken by the Alabama boys led by Corporal Moore led to a general withdrawal by the Texians (read here that they failed many of their Force Morale checks)!
A Mexican Victory ensued as the Texian Leader Brister decided not to try and reengage with Del Toros Soldados and continued to retire northward taking their wounded with them!
Some Pictures...
The Mexicans advance with Captain Del Toro bringing up the rear (he failed all his activations!).
Brister and his Alabama Boys reach the road...
Overview of our battlefield the Mexicans below the road with thew Texians advancing from the north above it!
Two of Del Toro's Soldados hit the ground under Texian fire while others recover supplies from a broken down wagon...
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Sergeant Banderas (at left) orders his men to gather supplies...
Corporal Moore of the Red Rovers directs his men's fire but Privates Ellis, Farney and Tennant were quickly put out of action by accurate Mexican shooting halving his command!
Brister's New Orleans Greys fan out (read bad activation rolls) and in dribs and drabs engaged Sergeant Banderas' Cazadores.
Close combat breaks out...
...and the Mexicans prove their metal with the bayonet!
Captain Del Toro regroups his men as the Texians can be seen retiring in the background...
...the great Texian skedaddle begins...
...and continues!
The Mexicans prevail gathering ample supplies for General Urrea's column!
Summary...
We have not played SDS for quite a while because of a rule misunderstanding and a bad experience with an elite force fighting against a green force with the generally accepted turn sequence well we’re back again as the rules work really well with 'balanced' (ie no elites) forces. Tonight’s game was good and played out in pretty quick time. The Mexicans got a head start on the Texians with some good activations by the Cazadores this gave them a head start on the foraging which they did not surrender. We will revisit the Texas Revolution of 1836 again soon!
