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Orcs in the Hills
Issue 1 - Online Edition

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Provosts take on some Orc deserters holed up in an abandoned
farmhouse in this Flintloque scenario for two players.

The Orcish army of the Duke of Wheeling-Turn are without doubt the best troops in Catalucia. But being good in a scrap doesn't mean being good out of one, and the army needs constant harsh discipline to keep it in line. Without this discipline the troops quickly get bored and restless, often falling back on bad old habits... The Iron Duke has a high regard for their abilities with bullet and bayonet, but has less respect for them as fellow Orcs. He once described them as: "a right rabble of stinking scum", and was also heard to comment: "I don't know about the enemy, but by the Gods I certainly sleep with my eyes open around them".

As a consequence of this, the Army of Albion is well supplied with Provosts who are kept busy flogging, torturing, hanging and generally keeping order. The bulk of the Provost Corps is made up of Ogres on the basis that they're the only race who can hit an Orc with enough force to make it matter.

The Provosts are mean, nasty and impartial. They work to a strict code: suspects are guilty until proven very guilty. It's tough, but it's fair... well, almost.

After escaping from the Elves in Northern Catalucia, the Orc Army retrains, prepares and waits in the Goblin Regency of Al-Garvey. The Iron Duke keeps his Orcs as busy as he can to avoid trouble, but desertion is a big problem despite all the efforts of his Provost Corps. Patrols are constantly operating to sweep up bands of fugitive Orcs attempting to slip over the border or just off to a safer place. Justice for those captured is swift and terminal at the hands of the Ogre Provosts...

The Action at the Hacienda del Vimto

With desertions starting to reach an alarming rate, a four Ogre Provost patrol has been dispatched to sweep an area from which reports of a band of deserters have come in. After two days of patrolling the Provosts pick up the fugitives trail and track them to the Hacienda del Vimto, a small Goblin olive farm. Showing remarkable restraint for an Ogre, the Lieutenant in charge of the patrol, scouts out the area first and discovers that there are ten deserters in the farm.

The deserters are all Regular infantry types and have fled the harsh discipline of the Army to seek out the rumours of a deserter 'army' in the mountains. It is said that you are safe there and that each deserter has his pick of many fair elf and goblin maidens. Food is plentiful and the booty enormous...

This motley band comprises of three Experienced Orcs (one a Corporal who has appointed himself leader), two Average and five Raw. The Experienced and Average Orcs are armed with muskets, the Raw Orcs a sword, musket or improvised weapon (chosen on a random die roll).

The Orc Provosts are Elite and the patrol comprises of one Raw Lieutenant and three Corporals, one of whom is Experienced, the other two Average. The officer carries a sword and pistol, the Corporals carbines (all Provosts are either officers or non-commissioned officers in the Corps and there are no privates. This is to allow them to reinforce their authority with rank if required).

The Lieutenant decides to leave their mounts and attack on foot after lunch when the Orcs will be sleepy after their meal of the local cheap wine and the late olive farmer and his wife. The Orcs have posted no sentries as they think theyÕre far enough away from the Army to be safe.

To simulate the state the Orcs are in, there is a flat 10% for the Experienced Orcs, 20% for the Average and 30% for the Raw that they are somewhat tipsy. If they fail this roll they suffer a -10% modifier to all movement and firing for this game.

To win, the Provost must capture or kill at least seven of the Orc deserters. The Orcs can claim victory if half of them escape to the north.

Scenario Variant

Replace the Ogre Provosts with four mounted Bog Orc Provosts (use (34861) Orc 2nd Heavy Dragoons).

Solo Variant (By Steve Blease)

Although Flintloque is best played in the company of friends and works best with a GM as well, it can with a bit of thought be played as a solo wargame.

In this scenario it is best that the player takes the part of the Ogre Provosts and puts the Orc deserters on automatic pilot.

The following table should allow the deserters to act in a random, but reasonably realistic, pattern. If you do get a result that seems incongorous, either live with it or change it to one that seems more reasonable.

Solo Play Table:

Each character should roll under the appropriate column at the start of each move or under the appropiate action (rather like the Morale table really!)

*i.e. engaged in hand to hand combat.

D10 Roll Modifiers

+3 Character is Experienced
+1 Character is Average
-1 Character is Raw
+2 Character's Section is Elite
+2 Enemy is more than 30cm away
-2 Enemy is less than 10cm away
-2 Character being charged
-1 Each colleague in unit already killed
+1 Each enemy character already killed

If you think a particular scenario or the stage the game is at deserves further or changed modifiers, feel free to change them.

Results:

A Charge nearest enemy figure, firing if appropriate and engage in hand to hand combat.
B Advance towards nearest enemy figure and fire at it.
C Fire at nearest enemy figure from current position or engage in hand to hand combat as appropriate
D Take no action this move
E Retreat 50% of walking movement and then take morale test as if Fired at First Time.
F Run towards nearest cover and then take morale test as if Pushed Back.
G Retreat full walking movement and then test morale as if Section Leader Killed.

If you feel the results is not in keeping with the game being played feel free to roll again but don't just roll again because things are going against you!

Orcs in the Hills
Issue 1 - Online Edition

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Go Back to the Last Article - Continue on to the Next Article

Webmaster's Note

The above was the introduction to the first issue of Orcs in the Hills magazine published in the Winter of 1995 by Wessex Games.