Musket & Saber
QUICK PLAY
mini GAME SCENARIO RULES

SCENARIO: 
Molino del Rey
Gateway to mexico city
8 september 1847

12.0 Introduction
12.1 Historical Background
In August 1847, Winfield Scott’s daring advance into central Mexico had reached fruition. His army won shattering victories over Mexican forces at Padierna (19 August) and Churubusco (20 August). However, Scott’s manpower shortage made him susceptible to a Mexican request for an armistice. In reality, the wily Mexican ruler, Santa Anna, was playing for precious time to rebuild his forces. It was a rumor of new cannon being cast—reputedly from melted church bells—that brought the armistice to an end.
The rumor indicated the cannon were being cast (true) at Molino del Rey (false), just west of the fortress of Chapultepec on the western approaches to the Mexican capital. Shifting part of his army westward, Scott gave the order to capture the mill on 8 September. The Mexicans saw it coming and prepared their defenses.
The US forces took the Molino, but only at the cost of heavy casualties—the heaviest of Scott’s entire campaign—the Americans could ill-afford. It would not be until five days later they renewed their advance with an assault on Chapultepec followed by a dash across the causeways into the city. That great victory might have happened a few days sooner had things gone more smoothly at Molino del Rey.

12.2 The Scenario
This game covers both the actual and the potential fighting on 8 September. One player commands the US forces, the other the Mexican forces. All the standard rules apply. There are no additional rules.

13.0 Set Up
13.1 Army Colors & Units
US units have light blue backgrounds, Mexican units have red backgrounds. 

13.2 No Step Recovery
Neither player may recover any lost steps.

13.3 US Set Up
Formation 1 (nine counters): w/2 1213
Formation 2 (two counters): w/1 0812
Formation 3 (one counter): see 12.1 
Formation 4 (one counter): see 12.1

Optional Rule: If players desire, the Drum/1 and Huger/1 artillery may fire out to a range of 6 at half strength (round up).

13.4 Mexican Set Up
Formation 1 (one counter): 1008
Formation 2 (three counters): w/1 1009
Formation 3 (two counters): 1208 
Formation 4 (two counters): 1209
Formation 5 (one counter): 1409
Formation 6 (three counters): 1508
Formation 7 (four counter): w/1 0408 
Formation 8 (four counters): 1 each 

in 1708, 2201, 2203, 2205

Counter Errata: the Bravos/6 artillery unit should have a range of “0” on its reverse side.

13.5 Alternative Mexican Set Up
At his discretion, the Mexican player may alter the set up in 13.4 by placing any or all units of Formations 1 through 5 within the area defined by hexrows 09xx through 16xx inclusive, hexes xx08 through xx10 inclusive.

13.6 Game Length & First Player
The game consists of three turns unless the US player decides to extend the battle (see 13.7). Place the Turn marker, front side up, in the Turn 1 box of the Turn Record Track. The US player is the first player.

13.7 Extended Battle
At the beginning of a US movement phase after the first, the US player may extend the battle. Flip the turn marker to record the decision. Place formations 3 & 4 (one counter each) on hex 1213. The game now runs through Turn 8 and the victory conditions are altered (see 14.3). 

14.0 Victory Conditions
14.1 Major Victory
At the end of Turn 3, either player wins a major victory if his units occupy or were the last to pass through both hexes 1208 and 1209.

14.2 Minor Victory & Draw
If neither player wins a major victory, calculate the VP scored by each. The player with the larger total wins a minor victory. If the totals are equal the game is a draw.

14.3 Victory in the Extended Battle
If the battle has been extended, the US player wins an epic victory by occupying any bastion in hexrow 22xx if he can trace an “open road” from that bastion to hex 1213. An open road consists of an unbroken path of road hexes, each of which must be free of Mexican units or Mexican ZOC, and not within range of a Mexican artillery unit with a clear line of sight to it. If the US player does not win, the game ends with a major Mexican victory.

15.0 Designer’s Notes
Having recently finished the Musket & Saber game Pedregal (covering Padierna and Churubusco), my interest in the Mexican War has been rekindled. This battle was a natural follow-up as it was historical, and its size ideally fit the QuickPlay format.
The problem with designing this game, like games about virtually every other battle in the war, is that the outcomes was not only a US victory, but a relatively easy one (heavy losses in this battle notwithstanding). It’s tough to make it interesting for the Mexican player. Molino del Rey presented a second problem in that is was a short battle, lasting barely two hours or two turns at most.
Both problems were solved by extending the scope of the contest to incorporate a drive into Mexico City, as would happen just a few days later. For bragging purposes, the Mexican player should consider the outcome a moral victory if the US player opts out of the extended battle.

16.0 Orders of Battle
16.1 US Forces
Winfield Scott’s Army (part)
1) William Worth’s 1st Division (reinforced; about 3,000 infantry & 10 cannon)
Wright’s Storming Party (about 500 men drawn from several regiments)
Garland’s Brigade: 2nd & 3rd US Artillery (serving as infantry), 4th US Infantry	
Clarke’s Brigade: 5th, 6th, & 8th US Infantry
Cadwallader’s Brigade (of Pillow’s 3rd Division): 11th & 14th US Infantry, Regt. of Voltigeurs 
Artillery: Duncan’s Light Battery (six 6-pdr cannon), Drum’s Siege Battery (two 24-pdr cannon), Huger’s Siege Battery (two 24-pdr cannon)
2) 2nd US Dragoons (about 300 cavalry)
3) Riley’s Brigade (of Twiggs’ 2nd Division, about 1,000 men): 4th US Artillery, 2nd & 7th US Infantry
4) Pierce’s Brigade (of Pillow’s 3rd Division, about 1,000 men): 9th, 12th, & 15th US Infantry

	The US regiments were down to between 300 and 400 men each, the Dragoons somewhat less.

16.2 Mexican Forces
Santa Anna’s Army (part; a total of perhaps 6,500 infantry, 4,000 cavalry, 30 cannon)
1) Perez’ Wing of Perez’ Brigade: 4th Light & 11th Line Battalions (about 750 men)
2) Ramirez’ Brigade: 1st Line, 2nd Line, & 2nd Light Battalions, Fijo de Mexico (a volunteer battalion), one battery (at least 1,000 men with six cannon)
3) Rangel’s Brigade: Grenadier Battalion, Mixto Santa Anna (formed from detachments from several regiments), Morelia & San Blas National Guard Battalions (c. 1,000 men)
4) Leon’s Brigade: Liberty, Mina, Querétaro, & Union National Guard Battalions (about 1,000 men)
5) Echeagaray’s Wing of Perez’ Brigade: 1st & 3rd Light Battalions (about 750 men)
6) Chapultepec Garrison: 10th Line Battalion, Military Academy Cadets, minor detachments (total of about 750 men with a battery of cannon including some 12-pdrs)
7) Alvarez’ Army of the South: Cavalry Brigades of Andrade, Juvera, Quijano, & Torrejon, incorporating the Regiment of Hussars, the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 8th, and 9th Line (Lancer) Regiments, the Coraceros, Guanajato, Jalapa, & Morelia Activos Regiments, and squadrons from Chalchicomula and Orizava (a total of about 4,000 cavalry)
8) Causeway Garrisons: each of 2-300 men with a battery of cannon

Terrain Effects Chart (TEC)
Clear 		1 MP to enter. No effect on combat.
Hill			Same as Clear. Blocks LOS unless both observer and observed also on a hill.
Light Woods	1 MP to enter. Attacker halved attacking into if attacking across a clear hexside. Blocks artillery line of sight unless artillery is on a hill hex. 
Road 	1/2 MP while moving along the path (see 4.3), ignore other terrain in hex and on hexside crossed. No effect on combat (use other terrain in the hex).
Town 	1 MP to enter. Infantry & artillery halved attacking into. Cavalry halved attacking or defending. ZOC blocked into (not out of). LOS blocked unless observer and observed on hills.
Ravine 		Treat as clear, but no LOS to or from a non-ravine hex, even if adjacent.
Swamp		Artillery may not enter but may bombard. All CF halved attacking into or out of.
Bastion 	Ignore and use other terrain in hex unless defended by infantry or artillery, then treat as a town hex. A defender forced to retreat may take a step loss instead.
Obstacle 	Only infantry may move across by expending entire MA. Infantry halved attacking across. Artillery unaffected bombarding across.
Impassable	No unit may move across. Artillery may bombard across, no other combat is allowed.
Rough 	In addition to any other terrain in hex. Artillery may not enter but may bombard. Cavalry may not enter or attack into. Infantry stops on entry. Attacker halved attacking into. Blocks LOS.
Lake 		Movement and combat prohibited. Artillery may bombard across.

Combat results TABLE (CRT)
Differential	-5 or less	-4 to -3	-2 to -1	0 to +1	+2 to +3	+4 to +5	+6 to +7	+8 to +9	+10 or more
die roll									 
1	Ax	Ax	Ax	Ar	Ac(NE)	Dc(Ex)	Dr	Dr	Dx
2	Ax	Ax	Ar	Ar	Dc(Ex)	Dc(Ex)	Dr	Dx	Dm(Dr)
3	Ax	Ar	Ar	Ac(Ex)	Dc(Ex)	Dr	Dx	Dm(Dr)	Dm(Dr)
4	Ar Leader	Ar Leader	Ac(Ex)Leader	Dc(Ex)Leader	Dr Leader	Dr Leader	Dm(Dr)Leader	Dm(Dr)Leader	Dm(Dx)Leader
5	Ar	Ac(NE)	Dc(NE)	Dr	Dr	Dm(Dr)	Dm(Dr)	Dm(Dx)	Dm(Dx)
6	Ar	Dc(NE)	Dc(Dr)	Dr	Dm(Dr)	Dm(Dr)	Dm(Dx)	Dm(Dx)	Dm(Dx)

Dm = Rout Check. If MC failed, unit routs. If MC passed, apply parenthesized result.
Ar/Dr = Retreat. All units either disrupt or retreat 1-3 hexes.
Ac/Dc = Retreat Check. If MC failed, treat as Ar/Dr. If MC passed, apply parenthesized result.
Ax/Dx = Retreat or Loss. If MC passed, unit may take a loss. If MC failed, or if passed and player chooses, all units disrupted and retreat 1-3 hexes.
Ex = Exchange. Each side loses step.
NE = No Effect. 
Leader = Leader Casualty. Roll a die, leader killed on 5-6; check for each leader on both sides.. 
MC = morale check for primary unit.

If retreat only possible on unsafe path, unit routs. If no retreat possible, the unit is captured. 
Whenever defender retreats, attack may advance.

CREDITS
System Design: Chris Perello
Map Graphics: Joe Youst
Counter Graphics: Chris Perello & Larry Hoffman
Rules Booklet: Callie Cummins & Lisé Patterson
Cover Design: Lisé Patterson 
© 2013 Decision Games, Bakersfield, CA. Made & printed in the USA.
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