Alternative Chacabuco – A Live Free or Die Scenario

I’m on a roll. A Liberators roll. Jamie got me started but this scenario is because of Andrés Ferrari. He suggested I look at Live Free or Die for Liberators. I needed a scenario to play test it on and John Fletcher’s Alternative Chacabuco (13 Feb 1817) is my go to scenario for trying out rules for this period. This is my conversion of John’s scenario to Live Free or Die.

Mission

Setting: Chacabuco Farm, Chile; 13 Feb 1817

This scenario poses a What-if. The premise is that after crossing the Andes from Argentina, the patriot army advances more cautiously giving the royalists time to bring up reinforcements from Santiago.


Map/Terrain

Table - Alternative Chacabuco - Liberators HoTT - Massed Battle
Table – Alternative Chacabuco – Liberators HoTT – Massed Battle

Key features:

  • The table is 6′ x 4′.
  • The small hill is gentle.
  • Tahuilaca and Los Tauretes, the two larger hills, are steep, count as rough ground, and are impassable to cannon.
  • The fields (including vineyards) all count as rough ground.
  • Each field (and vineyard) are surrounded by walls that count as a field work for melee
  • The farm is also rough ground.

Pre-game preparation

None.


Royalist Player (Defending)

Deploys first and takes second turn.

Objective

Defeat the Patriots and hold the Chacabuco farm.

Forces Available

The Royalists have Maroto’s Division, which was facing the Argentine army as it came over the Andes. This division is based on his order of battle at the historical Chacabuco. As a what-if, Alternative Chacabuco assumes Mariscal Marco del Pont marshalled troops in Santiago to reinforce Maroto. These are combined into the Santiago Division.

Royalist Order of Battle

  • Mariscal Marco del Pont (1 base, Leader 4*)
  • Santiago Division
    • Chillan Regiment (10 bases, 2nd Rate, Infantry)
    • Frontier Dragoons (3 bases, 2nd Rate, Cavalry)
    • Frontier Dragoons (3 bases, 2nd Rate, Cavalry)
    • Concordia Hussars (2 bases, 3rd Rate, Cavalry)
    • Concordia Hussars (2 bases, 3rd Rate, Cavalry)
    • Artillery Battery (1 base, 3rd Rate, Light Gun)
    • Artillery Battery (1 base, 3rd Rate, Light Gun)
    • Artillery Battery (1 base, 3rd Rate, Light Gun)
  • Maroto’s Division
    • Brigadier General Rafael Maroto (1 base, Lieutenant *)
    • Talavera Regiment (7 bases, 2nd Rate, Infantry)
    • Valdivia Regiment (4 bases, 2nd Rate, Infantry)
    • Chiloe Regiment (8 bases, 3rd Rate, Infantry)
    • Carabineros de Abascal (3 bases, 3rd Rate, Cavalry)
    • Artillery Battery (1 base, 3rd Rate, Light Gun)

Deployment

Deploys first behind the red line on the map.

Reinforcements

None.


Patriot Player (Attacking)

Deploys second and takes first turn.

Objective

Defeat the Royalists and/or capture the Chacabuco farm.

Forces Available

The Patriots have two divisions: O’Higgins’ Division and Soler’s Division. These are the troops that fought at the historical Chacabuco.

Patriot Order of Battle

  • General Jose San Martin (Leader 6***)
  • Soler’s Division
    • Argentine 11th Regiment (10 bases, 2nd Rate, Infantry)
    • Cazadores de los Andes Battalion (7 bases, 2nd Rate, Infantry, Skirmish optional)
    • Mixed Cazadore and Grenadier Battalion (6 bases, 2nd Rate, Infantry)
    • Granaderos a Caballo (2 bases, 1st Rate, Cavalry)
    • Escolta del General (2 bases, 1st Rate, Cavalry)
    • Artillery Battery (1 base, 2nd Rate, Light Gun)
    • Artillery Battery (1 base, 2nd Rate, Light Gun)
  • O’Higgin’s Division
    • General O’Higgins (Lieutenant *; 0 CP to charge1)
    • Argentine 7th Regiment (7 bases, 2nd Rate, Infantry)
    • Argentine 8th Regiment (6 bases, 2nd Rate, Infantry)
    • Granaderos a Caballo (2 bases, 1st Rate, Cavalry)
    • Granaderos a Caballo (2 bases, 1st Rate, Cavalry)
    • Granaderos a Caballo (2 bases, 1st Rate, Cavalry)

Notes:
(1) O’Higgins was only a passable general but he was very brave. A unit he is attached to charges with no CP cost (normally 2 CP), although it still pays the movement cost.

Deployment

Deploys second. The divisions must deploy in their respective deployment zones. San Martin can deploy in either division.

Reinforcements

None.


Victory Conditions

Either side wins immediately if it destroys 1/2 of the enemy army to break it.

The game starts at 08:00 hours. Each turn is 30 minutes. The Patriots win if they capture Chacabuco Farm within 10 game turns (on or before 13:00 hours).


Notes


References

Fletcher, J. (2006). Liberators! Supplement 1: The War in the South. Grenadier Productions.

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