The Party Is Ruined

Date: 2-4 December 1760 (2010)
Location: Frankfurt Am Main, Frankzonia, Germania
Situation: Lady Pettygree's Entourage Enters The City
Lt. Col. Enigma: "Don't double click photos to see better. If YOU do, your next vacation will be in The Bastille!"
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On 2 December 1760 (2010) an expectant and cheerful Gallian entourage approaches the Water Gate of Frankfurt Am Main. Our familiar characters are:

Lady Diana Pettygree (blue) Lady Cherish Masquerade (pink), Maid Katherine (holding tricornered hat) and Lady Belle Silhouette (busby) passing through the gate.

They enter the superb town square stylishly laid out by host Randy F. The ever-resolute Lt. Colonel Enigma leads the way brandishing a loaded flintlock pistol. He always suspects trouble. Lady Pettygree is unseen.

Oh. There she is on the grey. Lady Belle Silhouette rises in the saddle to see better, Katherine again attempts to maintain her tricornered hat while Lady Cherish Masquerade eyes citizens in her way. Enigma, well, Enigma....

The next day, 3 December 1760 (2010) Lady Belle Silhouette arrives to inspect her hussars. At the moment they are practicing loading drill. Later today they will guard party goers at a ball.

That evening, the entourage rides to l'Maison Fryegoumont for a party. It will span the last hours of the day passing into the morning hours of the 4th instant. Lt. Col. Enigma is suspicious of several unusual guards. Naturally.

South of the city a piquet line of Fischer Chasseurs a Cheval stand guard. Flanking them off screen  left and right are bodies of Fischer fusiliers. All have been aroused by the appearance of numerous enemy forces boiling over onto the fields before them. There is no way to stop them. The three piquets fall back taking heavy losses.

See for yourselves why! Audacity and speed are apparently orders for the foe.

They are unstoppable. Some cross the stone wall of l'Maison Freyegoumont. The Lanciers de Saxe saddle up and receive fire. They will soon charge into oblivion to save the revelers mounting up in front of the main door of the chateau. Time and right decisions are critical for everyone! Will anyone get away? Doubtful.

Lady Belle Silhouette's guards form up and load their carbines on the chateau balcony. They will give covering fire in a moment.

While the entourage makes an escape. Success!  But....NO!

They are suddenly charged by impertinent foes bent on their capture. A series of individual melees are fought. Enigma and a Gallian white coat down three of their assailants. The near white coat fells one before he is knocked to the road. Other foes attempt to grab the reins of the ladies. In some cases the horses kick assailants away. Ouch! Only Maid Katherine's reins are successfully grabbed.

You see the result of the melee. Most escape the clutches of the foe. However,....

Katherine is captured and led away. Why?

Perhaps this unfamiliar woman and her masked desperado associate know why as....

Pandemonium reigns in the town square. Chassuers and partiers reorganize themselves.

As the enemy retires taking prisoners and cattle found scattered about the fields.
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CLOSING REMARKS
1. Our annual Light Troop Game hosted by Randy and Sheryl in DeKalb, IL.
2. Rules: Batailles de l'Ancien Régime 1740-1763 (BAR).
3. We were often fighting with units of 12 miniatures or less. You can too.
4. Hesse-Seewald Mission: Capture cattle.
5. Desperado Mission: Capture VIPs; especially Lady Pettygree.
6. Gallians: Bruce, Tom, Randy (Player/Judge) and yours truly, Bill.
7. Hesse-Seewalders and Desperadoes: Jim (Der Alte Fritz) and Keith.
8. Silhouette's female hussar guards are from Hinterland Miniatures. See: http://hinterlandminiatures.weebly.com/storecart.html
9. We were very happy Randy was able to field most of his Miniature Building Authority structures. Lovely stuff. Have you gone to the MBA website?
10. Randy designed a fun, stimulating, visually appealing and tense game; tense for some of us with personalities to lose! Bravo and applause Randy! Thank you Sheryl for the terrific chow and cheerful hospitality.

11. Postscript Photos For Fun!

(The Grey) Express: "That Germanian ruffian flew through the air when I kicked him!"
(The Bay) Siren: Oui! And the one I kicked down crashed into another!"
Both: Whinny happily with satisfaction.

Siren: I think our mistresses are proud of us, don't you?
Express: Certainment mon ami.

Siren: Do you see what I see?

Express: Oui! Keep cantering my dear. She'll disappear in a moment.

12. Comments welcome below!
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