The Oxford English Dictionary defines escalade as "the action of scaling the walls of a fortified place by the use of ladders". It rivals the cavalry charge as perhaps the most stirring, and often the most tragic, type of military action. The Peninsular War in Portugal and Spain, when the English and allied armies of the Duke of Wellington campaigned against Napoleon's forces from 1808 to 1814, saw some of history's most famous escalades, with three of them occurring within six months in 1812: Ciudad Rodrigo in January, Badajoz in April, and the Salamanca forts in June. Preceding by a month Wellington's epic victory on the plains outside that city, the storming of the Salamanca forts provides an unusual gaming opportunity. (It figures prominently in Bernard Cornwell's novel Sharpe's Sword). Even if you're not a gamer, you'll enjoy how Arthur Harman recreates the drama of a Peninsular escalade:
" . . . all the round shot were expended, but without success in making a practicable breach in the gorge of Gayetano . . . .
The parapet of Gayetano, however, being much injured, and the palisades beaten down, an attempt was ordered to be made at night to carry that work, and also La Merced, by escalade . . . At 10 P.M. the storming party advanced, attended by Lieutenant Reid, with men carrying ladders . . . ."(from Jones, Journals of Sieges &c.)
In Wargaming Salamanca, the appendix to a recent book in the Osprey Campaign Series, I suggested the attempt to capture the Salamanca Forts by escalade offers as the subject for a 'skirmish' wargame. The scenario would also work as a participation game, and I have composed suggestions for this below.
The Scenario/General Player Briefing
Following the rejection of proposals made by the besieged under a flag of truce, it has been determined to storm the enemy's works tonight, 23 June 1812. Artillery fire has destroyed the palisades, but no practicable breach has been made, so the works must be taken by escalade.
Major-General Bernard Bowes has the chief command, and will accompany the storming party comprised of the light companies of the 2nd, the 32nd and the 36th Foot, command by Lieutenant-Colonel Hinde of the 32nd, against Forte Gayetano. Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Hulse and Lieutenant-Colonel George Bingham of the 53rd will lead the light companies of the 11th, 53rd and 61st Foot against La Merced.
Lieutenant Reid, Royal Engineers, will guide the storming parties. Each party will be accompanied by twenty men carrying six scaling ladders.
The storming parties assembled in the parallels adjacent to Battery Number 2 at eight o'clock this evening. It is now ten o'clock, the hour fixed for the attack . . . .
Game Structure
The participants sit around a large floor display — which might be a scale model of the forts and their surroundings, or merely a plan of the works laid out with wooded beading or masking tape — across which 15mm or 25mm figures, representing the 400-strong British storming parties, will be moved by the Umpires. They also control the French garrisons: figures need only be placed upon the display when they fire or are engaged hand to hand, to prevent the players assessing their strength with unrealistic accuracy.
Players decide personal actions, and orders for other characters or for the men; Umpires resolve the outcome of such actions, and whether their orders are obeyed, determine movement, casualties from cannon or musket fire and the characters' fates.
Each turn, representing less than a minute of real time, the players must inform the Umpires of their actions. Game organisers may issue players with tick-sheets, listing possible choices of personal actions, in the following style:
PLAYSHEET for [insert rank and name]. Each turn, choose from the following actions:
SHOUT AN ORDER (in addition to any other action) Write it on your playsheet.
GESTURE (point, wave forward, demand silence &c.; may be combined with other actions, if both hands are not required)
CREEP 5 paces (stealthy, silent movement)
WALK 10 paces
RUN 20 paces (a wounded character had to roll against his PC: if he fails, he stumbles, moving only 5 paces)
CLIMB LADDER (requires free hand)
SCRAMBLE (up scarps, ramparts or rubble; requires both hands)
ASSIST RAISING LADDER (both hands)
HELP WOUNDED MAN (binding up wounds &c.; requires both hands)
AVOID/DODGE (count as violent exertions: if wounded, dice against
PC: failure results in a fall, and another violent exertion must be made to regain feet next turn)
FIGHT HAND TO HAND (to attack an enemy; defending oneself is automatic)
DRAW SWORD
SHEATHE SWORD (both hands)
DROP SWORD (so it hands bysword-know from wrist)
Recover Sword (from above)
DRAW AND COCK PISTOL (takes one turn; requires both hands)
AIM AND FIRE PISTOL
RELOAD PISTOL (takes four turns; requires both hands)
Alternatively, players could be given flash-cards showing the same options in large letters to display to the Umpires at the start of each turn. Packs can be personalised to suit the player's character - a sergeant, for example, would have cards for sword and musket but not for pistols - and wounded players would have certain cards withdrawn from their packs to reflect their injuries. Flash-cards are probably the simplest control method.
Player Roles
Players portray the officers named in the scenario, and the subalterns and non-commissioned officers in the two storming parties, attempting to carry the works. According to Lieutenant-Colonel Bingham, Major-General Bowes rejected the engineers' advice to approach by a roundabout, covered route and insisted on advancing straight across the open glacis. Personal Briefings for the players portraying Lieutenant Jones and Major-General Bowes could reflect this conflict.
The Historical Escalade
An eyewitness, Captain Andrew Leith Hay, 29th foot, wrote:
"From the spire of the cathedral I witnessed the scene that ensued . . . the enemy was on the alert; the moon shone bright, rendering the slightest movement discernible. The moment the British troops debouched, an uninterrupted and vigorous fire burst forth from the artillery of the forts, accompanied by incessant discharges of musketry: the valley presented one continued blaze of light. General Hulse attacked La Merced. General Bowes succeeded in rearing some ladders against Gayetano, but could not force an entrance. Unfortunately he fell, and the column under his orders lost upwards of 120 in killed and wounded . . . ..The attack by General Hulse proved equally unsuccessful, and hopes of gaining immediate possession were completely abandoned."
Personal Honour
How can a recreation of such a failure, in which the British troops have no chance of success, make an entertaining participation wargame? Firstly, the players should not know in advance that the ladders, constructed of green wood, proved to be about six feet too short to reach the parapet, but discover this only when they have succeeded in raising the ladder.
Secondly, and more importantly, success depends, not upon carrying the forts, but upon observance of the contemporary code of honour, which emphasised displaying gallantry and coolness under fire, and remaining with one's men, even when wounded, before waiting upon the surgeons. See John Keegan 's discussion in the 'Waterloo' section of Face of Battle for further detail and examples. 'Honour Points' will be awarded for courageous behaviour in action, wounds bravely borne, and — when appropriate — inspiring last words.
Blood And Wounds!
Players can choose to remain at their posts, although wounded, to demonstrate their disdain for a whole skin, but may faint from loss of blood, or even expire, before reaching the surgeons. The Umpires will give a player a Physical Condition rating when first wounded of 14-18, reflecting its severity, and adjust it if wounded again; when his PC falls to 8, his movement is halved; at 3 he collapses, insensible; at zero, he dies.
A wounded player undertaking any violent exertion must roll 2d10 and score less than, or equal to, his PC, taking into account any modifiers, to succeed. Should he fail, a pain spasm will prevent him from moving that turn, leaving him defenceless if attacked and reduce his PC by 1.
After every tenth turn since the wound, his PC will fall by 1, and will fall by a further 1 after every five turns in which he makes a violent exertion - successful or not. Umpires will inform the player that he feels weaker, without revealing the numerical reduction.
Last Words
Players who are mortally wounded have 1d6 minutes to compose and utter some suitable noble sentiments before expiring, for which all players within earshot award 'Honour Points'.
The Cannon's Mouth
Guns may fire every other turn. Treating the centre file of a storming party under cannon fire as the intended point of aim, draw Roundshot Chance Card from a pack of cards labelled 'Hit' or 'Miss' to determine whether it has been hit. If not, draw for the first file on the left, then the first file on the right, and so on, until a file is hit. If the shot misses altogether, draw cards for any other body of men to its immediate left or right to determine whether it has been hit instead. Draw First Graze Cards, from a pack listing various distances in paces and one of two cards labelled 'Before' and 'Behind', to discover where the shot lands: troops up to 100 paces in front of, and no more than 50 paces behind, the first graze, are potential casualties. Starting with the figure nearest to the enemy, draw Roundshot Wound Cards until one gives no injury, and then lay the cards out in descending order of severity: these are the fates of the figures from the head of the file. Where a limb is hit, assume that the nearest to enemy; otherwise dice Odds/Evens for Left/Right.
Roundshot Wound Cards
HEAD KNOCKED TO ATOMS! (killed instantly)
MORTAL WOUND in belly
MORTAL WOUND in chest/shoulder (time for some last words)
LOST MY LEG, BY G-D!: leg smashed (four men required to bear from the field in a blanket)
ARM SHATTERED above elbow (walk slowly from the field, to surgeons to undergo amputation)
ARM SMASHED below elbow (remain on the field for 2d6 turns before walking slowly to surgeons to undergo amputation)
GLANCING BLOW (knocked down, stunned and severely bruised; unable to regain feet during assault but no permanent injury)
KNOCKED DOWN by wind of passing shot (stunned for 1d6 turns, until regains feet; remains shaken, reduce PC by 1)
THAT WAS CLOSE!: passing ball plucks off shako/hat
SPLATTERED BY BLOOD! (figure to immediate Left/Right (dice as for limbs) is hit)
A LITTLE MORE GRAPE?: Treat each gun firing grapeshot/canister at under 200 paces as forty infantrymen firing a first volley (see below).
THE BLAZE OF MUSKETRY: Assume troops firing, by volleys of at will, fire once per turn for the first three turns, and once every other turn thereafter. Throw 2d6 for every 20 real men/figures firing for the number of men hit by the volley. For greater realism, add or subtract modifiers for the first volley, range, smoke, fouled muskets after prolonged firing or fatigue, to the dice score at discretion.
Identify troops who fire during a turn by placing a cotton wool smoke cloud to their front. Unless ordered to charge immediately, presume the men will have reloaded and can fire again next turn; if orders prevent reloading place a counter behind them, indicating empty muskets. Only stationary units, not engaged in hand to hand combat, may reload.
Draw the number of Wound Cards indicated by the dice for every volley, ignoring references only applicable to players. For quick resolution, treat all wounds as grave ones,rendering the figure incapable of further action. When two or more men are struck, draw a card for each player in that group, and follow its instructions. Where a limb is hit, assume that nearest to enemy; otherwise dice Odds/Evens for Left/Right.
Musketry Wound Cards
MISSED, BY G-D!
HOLE IN HAT/shako
HAT/SHAKO CARRIED OFF (if drawn again, the ball passes harmlessly overhead)
HOLE IN COAT-TAILS
JACKET BUTTON carried off
EPAULETTE/SHOULDER-WING carried off
A CLOSE SHAVE! (turn figure towards original direction; deduct one rung/2 paces from movement)
FOR SHAME, SIR! (ducks involuntarily: a violent exertion)
BALL GLANCES OFF belt-plate (spin figure round; a violent exertion)
FLESH-WOUND in arm (reduce PC by 1)
FLESH-WOUND in leg (reduce future movement by one rung/step; add 1 to die when dodging; reduce PC by 1)
ARM SMASHED (unable to use hand; climbing becomes a violent exertion: reduce PC by 2)
ANKLE SMASHED (falls; roll against PC to regain feet; reduce movement by half; add 2 to die when dodging; reduce PC by 2)
BODY WOUND (knocked to ground: roll against PC to regain feet; reduce PC by 3)
I CAN'T SEE! (grazed, stunned and temporarily blinded by blood: roll against PC to recover; reduce PC by 3)
MORTAL WOUND (time for last words)
DEAD!
Spontaneous Firing Umpires' Note
Before the game, ask the commander of each detachment whether he will order the men to advance with unloaded muskets, or with flints removed, and whether he will check them personally to ensure obedience. Remind players that troops coming under musket fire will invariably fire back if their weapons are loaded. Once they open fire it will be extremely difficult to keep them moving forward, which is why storming parties were often sent in with empty muskets.
If fired upon, the men will probably stop and return fire unless their muskets are unloaded. Throw a d10, counting 0 as zero, for each detachment, which will fire spontaneously if:
Muskets are LOADED for 1 or more
Muskets are UNLOADED (but not checked) for 8 or more
In the latter two cases, reduce effect by 3, since only a few men will have disobeyed orders. All other men in the same company will then load, unless an officer can urge them on - decide his success by dice - and continue firing until ordered to stop.
RAISING LADDERS: Raising a ladder requires at least four men, and usually takes three turns. Throw 2dAv: if the score is equal to or less than the number of men raising the ladder, they succeed quickly in only two turns; if it exceeds the number of men by four or more they take that many turns. At least four men must remain alive throughout, or the attempt fails.
CLIMBING LADDERS/OVER OBSTACLES: Each turn a figure can climb 2 rungs of a ladder, or make a violent exertion and climb 4 rungs, but must roll against his PC: if he scores above his current PC he slips back one rung, and reduces his PC by 1. Climbing past wounded man clinging to the ladder, or holding on if hit by a falling man, both count as a violent exertion. If his PC falls to 3 or less he falls off the ladder. Climbing over broken palisades, into ditches or across parapets counts as a violent exertion, taking at least two turns.
TEARING DOWN PALISADES: A detachment, provided it is accompanied by an officer of Royal Engineers, can tear down a length of palisade equal to its front in 4dAv turns, and then may climb over the wreckage. Palisades destroyed by artillery fire need not be torn down, but still count as obstacles.
PERSONAL COMBAT WITH SWORD OR BAYONET: Change the words of 'Paper, Scissors, Stone to resolve hand to hand combat between characters and any Frenchmen while retaining period atmosphere. For example: a thrust defeats a cut, which defeats a parry, which blocks a thrust. One round of the game takes one turn. One Umpire will play Frenchmen when necessary. A non-played figure who loses a round of combat is assumed to be dead or gravely wounded; but a player is only wounded: a successful French thrust causes a serious wound, reducing his PC by 2; a successful cut, a minor wound, reducing his PC by 1. Having lost a turn of combat, a player can attempt to disengage/escape by dodging away at the start of the next turn, rolling against his PC to succeed, or choose to continue the fight.
MORALE: British soldiers will not ordinarily retreat unless so ordered by an officer, or several wounded, when they will walk or creep back; if unable to effect an entry, they will mill around until an officer gives fresh orders, or over 30% are shot down, when they will break and run back.
THE BUBBLE REPUTATION: Afterwards, surviving players only will be asked to award 'Honour Points' to any others - dead or alive who particularly impressed them during the attack, to represent the affect upon their reputation. The Umpire will award 'Honour Points' to all players for each wound received and for time spent in action thereafter, as they see fit.
by Arthur Harman