'A Most Vital Matter'
A Flintloque Short Scenario by Matthew Hartley
Photograph, Miniatures and Terrain by Tony Harwood*
In the wilds of Catalucia a convoy of Sutlers including none other than Madame Palm and her 'Seamstresses' are set upon by Dark Elf Brigands in this classic Flintloque 'short scenario' for two or three players.
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Introduction
Sutlers - private traders who followed armies and provided their basic, and basest, needs - were essential to effectiveness of any campaign. With a rare insight, General Wheeling-Turn organised these individuals into convoys and offered them the protection of his army in return for their services.
As the army moves through the Catalucia highlands, incident and accident leads to some sutlers wagons becoming detached from the army convoy. One such contains Madame Palm and other lady seamstresses. All purveyors of vital services to the troops. When their loss is noticed, a section is hurried to the rear to bring the ladies safely to camp.
The Rescuers
This was written as an introductory scenario, and is intended for a newly generated section with an Experienced Sergeant, Average Corporal, and 7 or 8 Raw Privates. The unit status is regular, and all figures are armed with muskets.
Obviously from the storyline the rescuers are supposed to be Orcs, but this scenario is equally playable with any other race (except perhaps Ogres) being the rescuers.
The rescuers enter the table along the road at the bottom of the map.
The Brigands
The Dear Ladies are being set upon by a bunch of freebooting Dark Elven Guerrillas. These desperadoes are 12 in number, 1 Experienced, 2 Average and the rest raw. Between them they have 2 muskets, 1 carbine, and 4 crossbows, additionally all carry knives.
The brigands wish to loot the wagon and carry off any of the ladies they can get their hands on. They do not however wish to die trying.
The brigands can be set up anywhere on the table. However the battle begins with some of them engaged in a fire fight with the Ladies ambushed wagon. The wagon ambush can be set anywhere along the road.
The Dear Ladies (and Roland)
The ladies are all of the same race as the rescuers, and they are 6 in number, Raw for fighting purposes, and armed with small improvised weapons. Roland is the Ladies handyman and guard. He is an Average Ogre, armed with a blunderbuss and an axe. As a unit, the Ladies and Roland are Militia.
Obviously, the Ladies wish to preserve their belonging and their lives. They will undoubtedly be favourably inclined towards their rescuers...
The ladies and Roland set up in and around their wagon, wherever the Elves choose to ambush them.
If three players aren't available the Ladies should be played by the rescuer.
The Map
Terrain
The terrain is set out as indicated on the map. The forest is dense, and the farmland and broken ground should be treated as scrub land for movement purposes.
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Webmaster's Notes
The above scenario was originally published in the third issue of Wessex Games' Orcs in the Hills magazine in the Summer of 1996 as one of their 'Short Scenarios'. These were "short one page games that are ideally suited for inclusion in your campaign regardless of what troops you play with and what your regular enemy is."
The scenario was first published on Orcs in the Webbe on the 1st November 2007 in a slighty modified version to match the scenario format of Flintloque 2d Edition (Reloaded). It was absent for several years due to a prior regeneration of the website not transferring everything over correctly. That wrong has now been righted and it returned in it's original form on the 11th December 2022 as the seventh entry in that year's Advent Calendar and, of course, as part of Orcs in the Webbe's ongoing Flintloque Archive Project.
Any comments in maroon in the article above have been added by me either to provide additional information or clarity. I may also have made small changes to grammar and layout but have not marked these.
* Note that the photo has been used without permission and will be removed if requested by the copyright holder.
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