The penultimate battle of our In Her Majesty's Name
campaign.
Brace yourself, this is going to be long and messy!
It's a hot day in the park in the small town of Sintra, nestled in the foothills of Portugal’s Sintra Mountains, near the capital of Lisbon. Many of the locals are enjoying the cool ornamental fountains
and the shade of the tall trees. Others are enjoying the entertainers or taking a
stroll amongst the delightfully maintained formal gardens. Overlooking the park
is the walled Casa Ciência belonging to the inventor and business consultant, Duarte
Cavaco, a specialist in chemical propulsion technology.
It was at a fundraising Grand Ball in Geneva a month earlier,
hosted by the banker Lambert Trémaux, that Lady Felicity and the Afrikaans Incorrigible, Luuk Hoetjer, were tipped
off that Cavaco may be a useful contractor for The Company's plans to progress
the development of the Super Weapon. It
was also at the ball that the British double agent, Elvira Syng, was shockingly
discovered on the arm of Lord Curr's erstwhile friend and ally, Csong Bolayi.
Lord Curr decided to follow up on the tip-off but he is
convinced that the main entrance to Casa Ciência is been watched -
either by agents of the British Royalists or the Hungarian polymath, Csongor
Bolyai. He is suspecting spies everywhere. Paranoia is stalking Lord Curr's
Company.
For the complete campaign back story and to find out the
story between battles I recommend you visit my campaign page before continuing.
But if you wish to just get straight to the battle report
then read on...
Landscape: The
City Park
Scenario: King of the Hill (Casa Ciência). Both
companies deploy on opposite sides of the battlefield, closest to the furthest
edge from Casa Ciência.
Lord Curr's Company objective is to traverse the city
park and reach the inventor's house. Once there, at least one character must spend a single, complete turn B2B with the house to contract with Duarte
Cavaco, and at least one member then must return to the deployment area to be successful.
The Victoria Palace Company's objective is to stop Lord
Curr's company at any cost!
 | |||
| Casa Ciência, Portuguese home of the inventor and business consultant, Duarte Cavaco. |
Scenario Complication 1: Collateral Damage [modified]
There will be many civilians enjoying the pleasures of
the city park. If any shooting trajectory passes within 1" of a civilian,
they will scatter 6" in a random direction. If a company accidentally kills
3 or more, they will have lost the game regardless of any VPs acquired.ally
Scenario Complication 2: The Authorities. [modified]
By the end of turn 4, the local Guarda Nacional Republicana (the rozzers!) has arrived after
reports of criminal behaviour in the local park. They will arrive at random table edge and,
moving towards the centre of town, will attempt to arrest the nearest figures.
They will continue until the game ends or no figures remain. They have the Tough talent. Any figures they take down will be considered
to be unconscious, not dead, and handcuffed.
Victory Points & Funds:
2 VPs for each enemy figure taken out of the game
5 VPs per enemy Leader taken out of the game
20 VPs for any recovered documents that prove to be
useful (5-6 on a D6)
Company win, D3x10 £s
Company lose, D3x5 £s
Turn one - Lord Curr's Company (LCC) has the Initiative
LCC: Lord Curr's small group enter the park using a side entrance
at the opposite end from Casa Ciência. He plans to split
the group and mingle casually with the locals as they make their way towards
the objective.
Lord Curr, with Dakota tight on the leash, leads Mohan Singh, Dr. Newell and the young Incorrigible Murray Straw in the general direction of the ornamental garden
dominating the centre of the park.
Lady Felicity, limping slightly from her
exploits at the Grand Ball and with a small scar visible on her cheek, despite heavy
application of mascara, leads the Incorrigibles Burton Cartwright and Captain
Smyth in a more direct route, although using the cover of the buildings
lining the park.
VPC: At the opposite side entrance, Victoria's Palace Company
also deploy into the park after Elvira Syng has revealed Lord Curr's intentions. Queen Victoria wisely decided it would be rather pointless to attempt
to appear inconspicuous with a party
consisting of Household Staff, a contingent of Grenadier Guards and a mounted tricycle team with a hidden Gatling gun!
 |
| The British Mounted Tricycle Gun Team! |
LCC: It is not long before Lord Curr detects the
red-jacketed tricycle team quickly pedalling into the park, to the delight of
the local onlookers. After a quick scan through his Monocular Targeting Array, he
also spots the rest of the British company deploying.
'Damn and blast! This going to get ugly,
fast! Murray, use your rifle. Scatter some of those locals!'
Murray uses his Military Rifle to fire over the head of
the nearest civilian, panicking the unfortunate individual.
Turn two - Victoria's Palace Company (VPC) has the
Initiative
VPC: The Royalist
forces continue to deploy with a contingent of Guardsmen heading straight for
the large ornamental fountain in the centre of the park, others are sent to intercept
Lord Curr.
Queen Victoria, Mr. Bridges and
Sir James Reid head towards Casa
Ciência whilst Groundskeeper William
looks for a suitable sniping position from one of the nearby buildings.
The Tricycle
Mounted Gun Team, with its elevated line of sight, frantically pedal to take up
a commanding position covering both Casa Ciência and the general park environs.
 |
| Victoria's Palace Company deploy |
LCC: Lord Curr spots Captain Paton and a British Rifleman assembling near a park
bench and tries to find a clear line of fire between a nearby copse and the low
hedgerows. Mohan Singh flanks around
a building to find a line of fire onto the duo but the damn civilians are
running all over the place! Murray Straw
joins a small group of civilians nearby hoping to use them a tactical advantage
to get closer to the Guardsmen.
Lady Felicity and Burton Cartwright dash between two
large buildings on the park's periphery, whilst Captain Smyth uses the cover of
another bench to cover the centre of the park.
 |
| [Top, in distance] Lady Felicity and Burton Cartwright dash between buildings |
VPC: The Guardsmen near Lord Curr don't have a clear
line of sight so one of the soldiers uses his Military rifle to shoot in Lord Curr's general direction,
scattering yet more civilians. It appears both sides are using civilians for tactical
advantage!
LCC: Lord Curr fires his Hunting Rifle at the Guardsmen
crouching behind the park bench but the shot only manages to splinter the
woodwork.
VPC: The Guardsman atop the tricycle has a good view
across the low shrubbery and hedgerows of the ornamental gardens and soon spots
the red jacket of Captain Smyth.
He quickly unties the canvas sheet covering
the Gatling gun and sights across the park. The multiple barrels spin and the
Gatling gun opens up, clumps of lawn and shredded shrubbery sent flying as the
rounds smash into the area around Captain Smyth. The wooden bench he's using as
cover is badly splintered but, miraculously, he isn't hit!
Turn three - Victoria's Palace Company (VPC) has the
Initiative
VPC: A couple of Guardsmen led by Sergeant Blake are now ensconced
behind the relatively good cover of the large fountain in the centre of the
park, dubbed the 'Citadel' by Lord
Curr's Company. They have a commanding position, now able to support their colleagues
on all flanks.
 |
| The 'Citadel' |
LCC: Lord Curr knows he has to clear out Captain Paton
and the Rifleman before their colleagues can support. Time is short. Pointing
at the Rifleman, he unleashes Dakota. The snarling wolf-dog eagerly bounds over
the gardens, leaps over the bench and lands between the two startled British
soldiers. Dakota charges the Rifleman.
Mohan Singh is still desperately trying to support Lord
Curr and recklessly decides to leave the cover of a building to re-position, unaware
of the Guardsmen now in the Citadel!
Dr. Newel is close on the heels of Murray Straw, both
attempting to come to the aid of Dakota. From past experience, they are anxiously
aware what Captain Paton can do with his sabre. As does Lord Curr, who kneels
down, taking aim.
VPC: The hulking form of the strongman, Mohan Singh, in
his bright native clothing and hefting a large machine gun provides an easy
target for a Grenadier Guardsman in the Citadel. Using the cool stone of the
fountain to support his Military rifle, he takes careful aim and squeezes the
trigger.
The rifle kicks and almost instantaneously there is a
loud crack. Mohan Singh continues to break cover for a couple of seconds, then
stumbles. He pauses and with a look of complete surprise, he slowly crumples to
the floor with a sickening thud, the machine gun clattering on the stone
pavement. A bright pool blood slowly congeals around his twitching body.
 |
| Mohan Singh, gunned down! |
LCC: Lord Curr aims for Captain Paton, who is drawing his
sabre to aid the Rifleman, He squeezes the trigger of his Hunting rifle. The
shot grazes Captain Paton's cheek but goes wide, smashing into a hedgerow. He's
missed! Dakota is in imminent danger unless Murray or Newell can arrive in
time!
VPC: Captain Paton quickly recovers from the near miss
from Lord Curr's shot. He turns towards Dakota who is baying and snarling at
the Rifleman, desperately trying to fend off the vicious beast by using his
rifle as an improvised club. With a cry
of 'For the Queen and Country!' he
slashes the razor sharp blade at Dakota, cutting a vivid red wound across the
animal's thigh and hind legs.
Dakota howls in pain and turns towards this new
threat and lunges in rage. Right onto the Captain's outstretched sword.
Dakota's howl is suddenly cut off as they both fall to the floor. Captain Paton
hastily scrambles from underneath the heavy, twitching beast, covered in blood
and mucus. The sabre has pierced Dakota's heart.
 |
| The wolf-dog, Dakota. |
Turn four - Lord Curr's Company (LCC) has the Initiative
With all the shouts, screams and gunfire echoing amongst
Sintra's buildings, it's not long before the Guarda Nacional Republicana arrive
on the scene. They enter from a side road flanked by the walls of Casa Ciência
and a residential building - right behind the British tricycle mounted gun
team.
 |
| [Top, left] The Portuguese rozzers arrive, the Guarda Nacional Republicana |
LCC: Lady Felicity and Burton Cartwright have reached an
alleyway between the tall brick wall of Casa Ciência and a local residence. They
can see Casa Ciência 's main gate; and casually leaning within the shelter of its
stone arch is Elvira Syng!
In rage, Lady Felicity unholsters her pistols and
starts to run at her nemesis. Burton Cartwright realises the danger of Lady Felicity
being enfiladed by both the advancing Queen Victoria and her retinue and the
tricycle team. He grabs her arm and roughly pulls her back into the alley just
in time.
Captain Smyth has gained entry to the residence (he
kicked in the back door) and has taken up a position at a window overlooking
the park and the advancing Royalist forces.
VPC: Captain Paton,
his blood up having skewered poor Dakota, raises is blood-dripping sabre and charges
Lord Curr.
Sergeant Blake leads his Guardsmen at a run from the
Citadel and intercepts Dr. Newell as the medic starts to aim his Lancaster
patent machine pistol at the Rifleman. The Doctor, enraged by the vicious
slaying of Dakota doesn't see that danger and finds himself surrounded by the Guardsmen's
long, bayoneted rifles.
 |
| Dr. Angus Remington-Newell in a tight spot! |
LCC: Desperately trying to hold back Lady Felicity,
Burton Cartwright strains to raise his rifle with one arm and aim across the
gardens to the British tricycle team. He chances a shot, the bullet ricocheting
off a front wheel and hitting the driver, who slumps unconscious in his seat.
But the gunner is unharmed.
VPC: The tricycle gunner mistakes Cartwright's shot as
coming from Captain Smyth, partially obscured behind the wide window of a building
across the park. He again opens up with the Gatling gun, rounds smashing into
the window, sending up a crescendo of brick, woodwork and flying shards of glass.
Captain Smyth is blasted backwards across the room; his uniform riddled with
multiple, smoking entry wounds.
 |
| Captain Smyth at the wrong end of a Gatling gun |
Groundskeeper William, who's proved to be handy with a
Military rifle, tales a long range bead on the unmistakable figure of Lady
Felicity in some sort of argument with her comrade at the head of an alley. From
his position high in a building opposite he aims, grins and then takes the
shot. It misses. The bullet thunking into Casa Ciência's wall just behind Lady Felicity.
One of the British Guardsman lunges at Dr. Newell with
his bayoneted rife. The forlorn doctor manages to lurch out of the way of the
vicious blade, only to be remorselessly bayoneted by the second Guardsman. The
doctor is dead. Sergeant Blake stands over the unmoving body and recovers the
Doctor's Lancaster patent machine pistol. He turns it over admiringly a couple
of times and the casually pockets the weapon.
Turn five - Victoria's Palace Company (VPC) has the
Initiative
VPC: The Portuguese rozzers make their move! They swiftly
advance, mob handed and surround the British mounted tricycle team and make the
arrest, reading their rights to both the the gunner and the unconscious driver.
LCC: Just as the sabre wielding Captain Paton makes his
move, Lord Curr cunningly throws a handful of soil into the Captain's face.
Momentarily distracted, Lord Curr makes a break for it and runs as fast as he
can, crashing through a large hedgerow and out of sight.
Burton Cartwright forcibly cajoles Lady Felicity to make
a run for it, after he's discovered the fate of Captain Smyth. Lady Felicity is delirious with rage and remorse but the steadfast Incorrigible bullishly
knows the only thing they can do now is attempt an escape.
VPC: Captain Paton, suddenly without the opportunity to
finish off Lord Curr moves instead to intercept the last of Lord Curr's men.
He's joined by the still shaken Rifleman.
 |
| Incorrigible Murray Straw, surrounded and facing his end |
LCC: The last man standing from Lord Curr's company is
the young Incorrigible Murray Straw.
He's facing two Guardsmen, who are soon
joined by the Rifleman and Captain Paton. He's surrounded. The young fighter is
terrified. He attempts to break away but there is nowhere to go. All hope fades
and Murray slinks to his knees, discarding his rifle and pitifully pleads with
the grim-faced British soldiers. The Guardsman glance at Captain Paton, awaiting
his order to finish off the Incorrigible.
But instead the captain sheathed his bloodied sword and
with a mocking wink orders his men to fallback, leaving the sobbing Murray Straw
on his knees.
Conclusion.
Lord Curr, Lady Felicity and Burton Cartwright barely
escaped with their lives.
Dakota, Mohan Singh, Dr. Newell and Captain Smyth did
not. RIP.
There is no word of Murray Straw.
Lord Curr's Company failed to engage the services of Duarte
Cavaco and the British Monarchists appear
to be unstoppable. Lord Curr's sponsors
are threatening to withhold funds and insist the Super Weapon is completed on
time. It's now all or nothing for the
forlorn Company.
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