Maurice 1759: Plains of Abraham

Bruce McFarlane asked me to post this Maurice scenario on my blog for those who were interested. Bruce has sent me two more scenarios that I will upload later this weekend.

Background: 13 September 1759
After spending all of the summer of 1759 in fruitless attempts to land on the north shore, General Wolfe opted for a desperate plan. On the evening of September 12th the British fleet embarked the army and sailed up river towards the landing site at Cape Rouge. After midnight, however, the fleet drifted back down river and disembarked the troops below the cliffs of Quebec. French General Marquis du Montcalm felt he had no choice, but to attack immediately. At 10:00 am, he gathered less than half the available French troops and headed out onto the Plains of Abraham.

The British waited in their usual “thin red line”. Wolfe had ordered every man to load their muskets with double shot. The single thunderous volley, set the French line to in disorder. Some claim the British advanced 40 yards and unleashed a second volley. Others claim the highlanders charged the French line. Whatever the cause, the French routed – Montcalm mortally wounded. On the British side, Wolfe lay dying. Governor Vaudreuil gathered the remaining French troops and withdrew to Montreal. They would return in the spring.

Battlefield
The battlefield is 40 base-widths wide and 46 base-widths tall:

There are two escarpments on the battlefield (thin grey lines at top and bottom of the map). Both are impassable to all troops, except via a road

Set-Up
The British are the defenders. They begin with eight cards. They start in the red British Setup Zone.

The French are the attackers. They start with eight cards. All the French regular troops (minus Bourgainville’s troops and Vaudreuil’s troops) start in the blue French Setup Zone on the right. The two French Irregular battalions can start within any wooded area of the battlefield.

Reinforcements.
Only the French player receives reinforcements. After the “Reshuffle” card has been added to the deck, the French player rolls a die at the beginning of each of his turns. On a roll of “5” Governor Vaudreuil arrives with his troops and deploys in the “French Setup Zone”. On a roll of “6” General Bourgainville arrives with his troops and deploys in the blue “Bourgainville Reinforcement Area” on the left side of the map.

Bourgainville’s troops are considered as a separate army from the main French force. Bourgainville starts with 4 cards and has a maximum hand of 5 cards.

Advanced Rules in Play
• All Guns Bombard
• Oblique Movement

Scenario Variants.
1. What if Montcalm had waited until all his forces had gathered and attacked at noon? Vaudreuil’s troops start the game within the French Setup Zone. Bourgainville’s troops start the game within the Bourgainville Reinforcement Area.

2. What if Montcalm had attacked the British at first light, before they had fully deployed upon the heights ? The British Setup Zone is relocated to anywhere within 12 BW of the Anse au Foulon.

French Order of Battle
Montcalm’s Forces
5 Trained Regular Infantry
3 Conscript Regular Infantry (Quebec, Montreal and Trois Rivieres militia)
2 Conscript Irregular Infantry (Huron and Abenakis natives)
2 Artillery

Bourgainville’s Forces
1 Trained Regular Infantry
3 Conscript Regular Infantry (Quebec and Montreal militia)

Vaudreuil’s Forces
3 Conscript Regular Infantry (Quebec and Montreal militia)
Army Morale: Half of units in army.

British Order of Battle
2 Elite Regular Infantry (78th Highlanders and Louisburg Grenadiers)
8 Trained Regular Infantry
2 Artillery

National Advantages: Lethal Volleys, Steady Lads
Army Morale: 6 Units Lost