Episode One - "Scaling New Heights"

So in an earlier posting you were introduced to Ensign Claude Canard and his Friend and mentor Ensign Côtelettes de Mouton of the French Sloop "Le Vendeen" a parody of all things Sharpe and Hornblower.

Last week saw the first episode in a planned linked campaign.

Episode One - "Scaling New Heights"

Sailing ahead of the French Fleet they Canard lands in Egypt and are some of the first Frenchmen to reach land fall....

After marching from the coast, the French Advance guard under the command of Major Cendree  reach the walled town of Aulieoup securing the town would secure the region and provide the French with a secure base for operations together with rich pickings for the men to boot.

The walls look pretty thick to much for the light artillery to breach, but they would make short work of the outer gate and barricade that had been thrown up to slow the French advance. The outer gate was soon cleared and the French advance into the inner courtyard where they were greeted by a second barricade, manned by Ottoman's, the guns were unable to get line of sight and the French under Major Ceedree were taking heavy casualties from the front and flank.

Ensign Claude Canard and his Friend and mentor Ensign Côtelettes de Mouton of the French Sloop "Le Vendeen" looked on from a nearby dune witness to the faltering attack and decied to act.

Canard has noticed that a section of the wall is undefended. The Local Bey’s men have largely shifted to join in the killing around the gate, our action starts as Canard and members of his ships crew supported by some line infantry climb a small stair case to reach the roof tops, breaching the walls of  Aulieoup.

 The table, the French main force can be seen on blinds on the far right of the table.

The French must seize the dome adjacent to the barricades to force the gate and allow the main force to enter Aulieoup.

Ottoman Turks line the walls pouring fire into the advancing French.

Our action begins as the French climb the stair well and reach the roof tops flanking the Ottoman defenders, poor dice throws make the advance a painful affair, the local Egyptian garrison begin to react to the advancing French sweltering under their heavy blue jackets.

The advancing French with Canard urging them on from the rear !!!

The presence of the French on the roof tops has triggered additional reinforcements for the Ottoman's who pour forward keen to engage the French, although how a horse is going to get upstairs remains to be seen?

Ensign Côtelettes de Mouton leads the charge as the Ottoman's make a stand at the corner of the first compound. The first Ottoman elements flee the roof top their Status I bigman unable to hold against the aggressive sailors and their array of weapons.

Meanwhile at the far end of the wall the Arabs in the town attempt to force there way into the buildings and up through the roof hatches to get at the French attackers who appear to have found themselves in a spot of bother with damp powder, it must be all that salt water.

The French push their advantage but the Ottoman's continue to bring troops to bear from the main defences. The sailors despite their aggression in hand to hand fail to break the Arab defenders.

Ensign Côtelettes de Mouton takes a musket ball to the chest and falls to the ground, seeing his Friend and mentor fall and about to be set upon by a group of sword waving Turks, Ensign Claude Canard rushes forwards with a detachment of sailors to shield Côtelettes de Mouton from the advancing Ottoman's but in the melee he too takes a wound falling to the ground as he begin to blackout the curtain falls on this episode.  

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Well there you have it you go to the trouble of designing a campaign and scenario, paint a load of new figures and you fall foul of the curse of newly painted figures....
Stay tune for the next adventure of Ensign Claude Canard and his Friend and mentor Ensign Côtelettes de Mouton of the French Sloop "Le Vendeen"

It never happened like this in Sharpe..... :-(