Bulge Rules-48

Gringo! Battle Book 1

The Battles of: Monterey • Buena Vista Cerro Gordo • El Molino del Rey and Chapultepec BATTLE BOOK

Historical Background Taylor and Northern Mexico (Monterey and Buena Vista)

The War with Mexico is not a topic that excites admiration in too Most US “survey” texts tend to place Arista’s Mexicans at about many minds, especially in these days of political correctness. With- 6000 to Taylor’s 2200+. While the latter figure is pretty much unas- out going into all the pros and cons of why we were there in the first sailable, the Mexican numbers are not so sacrosanct. In fact, all place, suffice to say both sides had a lot to be unhappy about. That Mexican sources state Arista had only about 3700 men! As 6000 President Polk, with Zach Taylor’s help, pushed the situation over would be accurate only if all the Mexican line regiments were up to the edge, is pretty much a given. Then again, Mexico, with her po- paper strength—which they almost never were, added to which litical stew at its usual boil, did not exactly shrink from wading in. Arista left a sizeable force behind at Matamoros—we have opted As a matter of fact, opinion below the Rio Grande—and throughout for a Mexican army of just under 4000 or so. Regardless, troop much of the Western world—was that the small and fractured U.S. numbers were almost totally irrelevant at the first major engage- Army would be a push-over for Mexico’s far larger, European- ment of the war, for Palo Alto was an artillery battle in almost its trained and armed force. entirety. Unfortunately for the Mexicans, all the good stuff was on the wrong side of the field. Whatever, Mexico still considered Texas part of Mexico, even though it was now a U.S. state. So, in May of 1846, with a prod from Presi- The Mexicans deployed in a rather extended—and thin—line across dent Paredes, Mexico’s commanding general, the unfortunate but the road south to the Rio Grande, just north of a large growth of not totally incapable, Mariano Arista, took his Army of the North, trees (Palo Alto means “tall timber”, or something to that effect). crossed the Rio Grande, and headed into United States territory for Taylor, who insisted on approaching the Mexicans complete with a a confrontation. Arista had executed a turning maneuver against rather huge wagon train, deployed in the face of the Mexicans. Both Taylor’s army at Fort Brown/Matamoros, by crossing the Rio Grande sides expected a classic, frontal battle—it was not to be. down river in an effort to seize Taylor’s supplies at Port Isabel. Un- fortunately for Arista, Taylor countered the move rather quickly by The Mexicans opened with a few desultory artillery shots, all of getting between Arista and the gulf and then heading south towards which hit the ground and bounced with such minimal impetus that the Mexican army. the deployed US regulars simply avoided them by stepping aside. Then the US artillery opened up. The “flying” field and horse artil- The US Army of Observation was a division-sized force of US regu- lery of Sam Ringgold and John Duncan moved and fired so rapidly, lars under “Old Rough and Ready”, Zachary Taylor, a man of im- and to such accurate effect, that the Mexicans could not believe mense courage and even larger political ambitions, but a tactician their eyes. After standing there and getting pounded for some time, of somewhat minimal military perception. His usual theory was to Arista finally ordered Torrejon to charge the US right and change take everything with a bayonet charge, and he had a poor apprecia- the impetus of the battle. Off went Torrejon’s men…but before they tion of the marvelous artillery he had been given and had a simi- could arrive, Garland swung the 5th infantry around and into Square, larly dim conception of logistics. His peers may have thought little successfully beating off Torrejon’s charge. It was then further dis- of him, but his men loved him. Not something the Mexicans could rupted by some counter-charging Dragoons. say about their generals. As Torrejon trotted back to the Mexican lines, some burning wads from Duncan’s guns lit a grass fire several hundred yards in front of

© 2004 GMT Games, LLC Gringo! Battle Book 3 the US lines, starting a wall of grass fire that spread westward to- quick council of war was held, with Taylor’s advisors about split wards the road. With the billowing smoke providing cover, both down the middle between aggression and caution. However, when sides re-dressed their lines, with the Mexicans attempting to swing Taylor—always a sucker for the basic principle of “…when in doubt, their right forward in an oblique manner and both sides, in effect, just slam right up the middle and hope the bayonet carries the day”— each wheeling about 30º. However, all this achieved was that, when heard that his men felt that, having prevailed rather easily the day the smoke lifted, the Mexican infantry was closer to the US guns, before, they would have no problem winning again, he ordered his which now proceeded to rain destruction on the Mexican right wing army to attack. infantry as it crossed in front of them. This put most of the Mexican right into a full retreat, and Arista’s request for a second Torrejon Without belaboring the point, his men were right. With a screen of charge came to naught. skirmishers in advance and to the side, the gringos started down the road towards the resacas. Part of the 5th US filtered through the Short of artillery ammunition, his men in a state of virtual shock, chaparral at the western edge of the resaca, while the rest of the Arista chose discretion over valor and withdrew from the field. The small army moved forward under heavy, and often effective, fire. Mexicans had lost some 350 men; the rest were almost totally de- After skirmishers unmasked the Mexican batteries at the center, moralized. US losses were limited to five deaths, but the Mexican batteries whose guns were taking their toll on the slowly advancing army was still intact (their retreat was quite orderly) and they still North Americans, Charles May’s dragoons were ordered to charge held the road. Unfortunately, one of the US losses was Major Samuel them. They did, knocking most of the Mexican gunners to the side. Ringgold, their brilliant artillerist, who had his entire groin area But their momentum carried them far beyond their target, across shot out by a Mexican cannonball as he stood up in the stirrups of the resacas and halfway to Mexico. May’s men had to turn around his horse. Ouch. and then fight their way back through Diaz de la Vega’s infantry, which had reformed behind them. In doing so, May’s bugler grabbed After Palo Alto, Arista marched his rather dispirited army some 20 hold of General Vega himself, taking him prisoner…for which May miles south, down the road, to what his engineers determined would then took the credit. be a far better defensive position: a broad “resaca” that cut across both roads south…a position virtually covered by dense chaparral Taylor was not overly happy at May’s failure and now ordered and approachable only at a difficult angle. The Mexicans called this Belknap’s infantry in to “… take those guns, and, by God, keep Resaca de Guerrero; the gringos chose the name by which the north- them.” This meant, of course, Taylor’s favorite tactic, the bayonet ernmost channel was known: de la Palma. assault…and it was a fearful one, with Mexicans and North Ameri- cans slugging it out in the resacas in desperate, hand-to-hand fight- The Mexican position was quite good…so good that Ampudia and ing. When the Mexican line started to waver, a final US assault several of Arista’s staff convinced Arista that the Americans would broke it… and the entire Mexican center collapsed. never attack such an unassailable position, especially outnumbered as they were. So, Arista deployed to cover both possible approaches and then sat down in his tent to write a few letters and reports. Un- fortunately for Arista, several things were now conspiring to work against both him and his army:

•• His men had not eaten a half-decent meal in a day; •• Most, if not all, of his men were totally demoralized by what they had seen of the US artillery. Few had any desire to see them in action again. (Arista’s staff had chosen this location just for that reason, that it effectively limited the offensive effectiveness of the US guns.); •• Arista’s deployment left his left wing totally hanging, mostly because he was advised—and believed—that Taylor could not get any men into this area; •• The chaparral-covered terrain almost totally nullified Arista’s tremendous advantage in cavalry; and, of course, there was always… •• Pedro de Ampudia. Stung that the “government” had given command to Arista and not him, the unabashedly fame-and-office seek- ing Ampudia apparently spent most of the battle playing Iago, whispering all sorts of lies into Arista’s ear. Then again, Arista could have taken a peek outside his tent to see what all the shoot- ing was about. Into this nest of defanged vipers walked Taylor’s army, somewhat reduced in strength because his subordinates had talked Zach into leaving the wagons to the rear, which required a guard…some guns (all those over 6-pounder level), some infantry (the Artillery battalion), and some cavalry (Kerr’s dragoons). Taylor’s advance scouts reported that Arista’s new position appeared, as advertised, untakeable, especially given the relative strengths of the armies. A

By this time, Arista, still in his tent finishing off his correspondence (Ampudia having insisted that all the noise he was hearing was just some skirmishing with advance scouts), smelled a rat… especially when half his army streamed by his tent in overdrive. Finally alerted that there was a battle on, he grabbed Torrejon’s lancers and ordered a charge, himself in the lead. Well, most of Torrejon’s men didn’t see any advantage in that sort of thing; most of them trotted in a halfhearted way towards the oncoming gringos, a few actually ran some Americanos through with their lances, and then they all turned and headed back to the Rio Grande. And with US infantry now showing up on his rear left flank (having scratched and chopped their way through the chaparral), Arista, too, took off… also at top speed. It was First Mexican to the Rio Grande Wins the Piñada time… and the first, but not the last, excellent opportunity to deal the gringos a hard blow drowned in the Rio Grande along with hundreds of routing Mexicans.

US losses, this time, were not so inconsequential—over 100 dead and wounded—as the fighting in the resacas had been brutal. Given an opportunity to fight, the Mexican regular “Line” units had shown they could be tough. Arista’s army, though, was finished as a fight- Ampudia ing force, at least for the time being. Reports of losses at the Resaca ran from 600 to 1200+. Even worse, the average Mexican foot soldier now didn’t know who to fear most: the gringos, their artillery, men to even start to prepare a defense, but his opinion was no longer or his own comic-opera commanders. needed, as the political winds in Mexico City had shifted yet again. The new president of Mexico was Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, With no viable enemy army in sight, Taylor now headed into Mexico. self-styled “Napoleon of the West”. Arista was out; Francisco Mejía, who made Ampudia look good (see the notes on Mejía in the Now that two battles had been fought, the US Congress finally got Monterey Order of Battle), was in. around to declaring war, which then enabled them to ship more troops to Taylor. These turned out to be, for the most part, hordes of un- Well, he was for a while. Most of the survivors from the two May trained and unfit states volunteers. The volunteers were roundly battles filtered down to Monterey, where they sat while Santa Anna despised by the regulars, and, for the most part, with good reason. suggested Saltillo would be a better place to take a defensive stand. They knew little of organized warfare; even worse, they knew noth- Mejía, however, took ill—something he did better than anything ing about maintaining a healthy camp. Taylor managed to get most else—to be replaced by the omnipresent Ampudia, who smelled a of the three-month short-termers sent back, but, of those who stayed, good opportunity to make some political hay with a spirited de- far too many died of disease and exposure. fense of Monterey. So he began to troll the “presidios” for troops while Santa Anna sent up some reinforcements from Mexico City. Arista had retreated towards Monterey, the capital of Nuevo Léon, Ampudia also began to build the defenses around the town, mostly considered the key to defending the most important city in northern with civilian help, as Santa Anna’s reinforcements wouldn’t arrive Mexico, Saltillo. Arista estimated he would need at least 7000 more until the end of August. And while all this was going on, Taylor finally decided to move his army south.

By mid-September, Taylor’s army of 5795 men (not including officers) was approaching Monterey. The army was no longer completely “professional”, as it had been at Palo Alto and Resaca; now, almost half of it was comprised of volunteer units. At about the same time, Ampudia had managed to amass a somewhat motley, but willing, force of 7300 or so men, about 2300 of whom had seen action against Taylor’s army before. Despite outnumbering (albeit slightly) the Americans, the literal numbers were misleading. Twenty percent of Ampudia’s army was cavalry, which would be useless in any fighting inside the city. Moreover, defending the city required holding far too many key points, thereby stretching an already thin force even thinner. As formidable as the defenses of Monterey looked, at some point they were going to be vulnerable.

And formidable they were, indeed. The city, itself, was ringed by steep mountains to the east, south and west; only the north was approachable. The linchpin of the city’s defense was the huge Ciudadela—The Citadel, which commanded all approaches from the North, and whose guns reached virtually all quarters of the city. The Black Fort, as it was known, was also considered impregnable. Arista Directly to the west of the city was Independence Hill, on top of

© 2004 GMT Games, LLC Gringo! Battle Book 5 which the Mexicans had built a redan which led down to the Unit cohesion quickly disintegrated as the remaining regiments came Obispado, an abandoned Bishop’s Palace with more thick walls that under heavy Mexican fire. Most of the regulars were forced to with- directly overlooked the city. And across the Santa Catarina River, draw. Ironically, though, one company from the 1st US somehow which flowed by the southern edge of the city, was another ridge found itself in possession of the old tannery building that faced the with redans and fortifications, Federation Hill. Both of these hills open end of the incomplete Fort La Tenéria. Even as Mejia rushed guarded not only the western approach to Monterey but the Mexi- reinforcements into La Tenéria, Taylor, seeing Garland’s units re- can lines of communication to Saltillo. Other fortifications had been treating, ordered John Quitman’s brigade into the assault. Quitman, constructed along the northeastern edge of the city—at La Tenéria unlike Garland, swung way to the east, away from the Black Fort, (so-named for the abandoned tannery that guarded its open end) and, by mid-afternoon, pinpointed his attack against La Tenéria. and El Rincon del Diablo—and barricades and têtes-de-pont had Aided by fire from the 1st US troops in the Tannery, Quitman took been constructed within the city. The city itself consisted mainly of the fort. That was about as far as the American troops got, as heavy one-story, flat-roofed adobe houses—many with iron-barred win- US losses forestalled any further movements. dows and heavy, wooden doors— which had now been sandbagged and loopholed for further defensive benefits. It was a city that could Nightfall brought a cold rain, but it did not diminish the expecta- be held by a determined, well-commanded garrison. Ampudia, how- tions and plans of Worth at the western end of the city. By 3 AM, a ever, was not the man to provide such leadership. hand-picked force of regulars under Lt.Col Childs made their way up the almost cliff-like western slope of Independencia, clawed their Taylor divided his army into two sections, as he planned to execute way over the top and overran the redoubt, her defenders streaming a double envelopment from east and west. The first, under the com- back into the safety of the Obispado. Artillery was needed, and mander of the 2nd Division, William Worth, consisted of that divi- Worth’s men now dragged a howitzer, piece by piece, up the cliff, sion plus Hays’ Texas Rangers. This column was to seize the west- and turned it on the abandoned palace. By late afternoon, the U.S. ern defenses to the city and cut-off communications with Saltillo. commanded all the viable approaches to the city. The rest of the army, two divisions, would hit the city from its northeastern edge. Considering that this was not a field battle, but an Ampudia now reverted to an almost laager-like mentality of with- assault on a well-defended city, the plan showed some rather un- draw and defend. It would be extremely facile to simply say Ampudia Taylor-like aggressive creativity. was a coward and had no stomach for an open fight. While Ampudia was not exactly Horatio at the Bridge, this does not appear to be Worth’s division set out on the afternoon of the 20th, slowly work- what his reasoning was. Cut off, with his left wing, western de- ing its way westward towards Independencia. Mexican outposts fenses gone, and with far too many non-line units upon which to quickly relayed the news of the American movements to Ampudia depend he assumed a house-to-house style defense, where they who, after some thought, hurried a few more men onto the hill and would have stone walls to stiffen their spines, was the best way to then ordered Romero’s cavalry brigade to keep the Saltillo road handle the situation. The theory wasn’t all that bad; Ampudia sim- open. By 6 AM the morning of the 21st, Worth’s column was again ply didn’t have the resiliency or courage of his own convictions to on the move. As they rounded the bend and headed towards the carry it through to a conclusion. road they were greeted by a charge from the Jalisco Lancers and Guanajuato Activos, which was driven back by accurate fire from On the morning of the 23rd, Quitman, under Taylor’s orders began the Texas Rangers and Worth’s batteries. to cautiously filter his troops across the canal—and the abandoned Mexican positions—and into the city. Taylor, himself, joined the Worth now decided to seize the Mexican position across the river advance at about 11 AM, and, by 2 P.M., they were only a few on Federation Hill. A small group of some 300 infantry waded across blocks away from the main plaza. Here they stopped, Taylor fear- the hip-deep Santa Catarina under fire from the western redan and, ing even greater losses than his troops were already taking in the by noon, had worked its way through the trees to the base of the heavily defended inner city. hill. As they caught their collective breaths and prepared for the precipitously uphill assault, Worth sent the rest of his 2nd brigade to join them. Scaling the heights from both the west and south the attackers, led by Colonel Persifor Smith, quickly subdued the defenders of the redan, captured one of the guns and turned it on El Soldado, at the eastern end, which had no guns with which to reply. By mid afternoon, Worth held Federation Hill and the Saltillo Road, the latter despite several more attempts by the Mexican cavalry to drive them off.

Things had not progressed quite so well on the other side of the city. Taylor had ordered John Garland to take Twiggs’ Division and “dem- onstrate” against the eastern end of the town. (Why Garland and not Twiggs? See the notes in the Order of Battle.) The only problem with this was that Taylor’s request sounded more like an order for a direct assault, so Garland marched his brigade right at the northern edge of the town. Before long they were under heavy fire from the Black Fort and, when Garland angled his division to the right— towards the Purisma Bridge—they also came under flanking fire from La Tenéria. This was too much for the volunteers of the Wash- ington and Baltimore Battalion, who broke for the rear while the remaining men headed into the city. Santa Anna © 2004 GMT Games, LLC 6 Gringo! Battle Book

To the west, however, things were different. Worth, hearing the gun- Santa Anna, however, was gleeful. His scouts had just intercepted fire to the east, assumed it was a signal to attack. He formed two an American courier carrying the whole of Scott’s plan—included columns, each advancing eastward along the two main streets run- the removal of the regulars—to Taylor. He now had the opportunity ning into the city. Resistance, as expected, was fierce. The Mexi- to turn momentum in favor of Mexico. With an enemy army to the cans contested each house, each street, and each block. The Ameri- north and an invasion about to arrive in the south, Santa Anna trans- cans abandoned the idea of advancing down the streets and decided formed himself from the “Napoleon of the West” to the “Harold to go directly through the walls. Grabbing six-pounder shells from Godwinson of Central America”. His plan? Gather a new army, the guns they dug small holes in the common walls of the buildings, march north, smash the stripped-down and unsuspecting Taylor lit a short fuse, and waited for the explosive results. It was slow before Scott could land, and then turn his attention to Vera Cruz. going—but it was sure. House by exploding house, Worth’s infantry blew its way into Monterey. On paper it looked great. Unfortunately, certain aspects of the plan seem to have escaped Santa Anna, or at least he pooh-poohed them. By mid-afternoon, Worth had set up the 10" mortar in the Plaza de Almost half the army was not only newly raised, few—if any—had San Antonio, near what appeared to be a cemetery. Shortly after, any experience or drill of any kind. Symptomatic of this was Santa the gun started lobbing shells towards the center of town and its Anna’s order to not engage in any practice firing of weapons in renowned Cathedral. Soon after it achieved its first direct hit, order to save ammunition. This meant that several thousand men Ampudia asked for a meeting with Taylor. What followed was a went into action without ever having fired their muskets. Even worse, lengthy two-day palaver in which Ampudia, wily as ever, tried to the route chosen by Santa Anna was 100+ miles of more than “hard con Taylor out of as much of the latter’s victory as he could. Taylor road”; it was mostly pitiless desert, terrain even seasoned troops finally relented to a somewhat unusual quasi-Honors of War situa- would have found a hardship. For the auxiliaries, defenserias and “ tion which allowed the Mexican army to retire and put an ersatz National Guard” units, it was a deathtrap. truce in place for several weeks. Taylor had, at this time, some 4700 men, virtually all of whom were Taylor’s army had taken a bad beating, losing close to 9% of its volunteers, sitting south of Saltillo at the hacienda Buena Vista. total force (whereas the Mexican losses amounted to only 5%). His While he spent most of early February moving between Buena Vista acquiescence to many of Ampudia’s requests can be ascribed to his and another base, some miles to the south, at Agua Nueva, Santa realization that his army could probably not have survived another Anna’s army continued on its march, losing hundreds of men a day. day of attacking… which leads one to wonder what would have By February 16 its vanguard cavalry had reached Encarnacion, only happened if Ampudia had shown somewhat more spine than an a day’s ride from the Americans at Agua Nueva; the bulk of the amoeba. As it was, Ampudia was a beaten man, and it was Taylor’s army marched in during the next two days. By this time thousands mistake to not recognize the tremendous advantage that gave him. had died or deserted, despite Santa Anna’s exhortations and prom- Regardless, Taylor should also have known that his “truce” was a ises of plunder and glory… and if that didn’t work and you were political disaster—Polk’s cabinet was not only aghast, they instantly caught more than a couple of hundred yards from camp, you got repudiated the whole thing—as well as operationally unsound. shot on the spot. None of it had much effect, and Santa Anna listed his strength at Encarnacion at just a little over 15,000 … or three As far as President Polk and his advisers were concerned, Taylor times that of the Americans. This, though, was a tired army. was finished. Not only was the Monterey truce untenable, but Tay- lor was starting to show presidential ambitions. More importantly, Americans patrols, by now, had spotted the army and sent the alarm Winfield Scott had come up with a viable plan to take the war into to Taylor at Agua Nueva. Taylor now deferred to his second-in- the heart of Mexico by invading through Vera Cruz. In order to command, John Wool, who had been over this ground before, to not ensure the success of this expedition, though, Scott would need vir- only pick the place to stand but the disposition of the troops as well. tually all of Taylor’s regulars, which he was now empowered to And Wool knew just where that was: the rugged, lunar-like terrain have shipped to him in the Gulf. As for Taylor, he was reinforced just south of Buena Vista. The right flank was clearly delimited by with yet another horde of dismal volunteers and told to stay put in a series of gullies whose 20-foot sides were so steep that they effec- Saltillo. He was not happy. tively precluded military movement. To the American left, was a wide plateau which was sliced into a half dozen, steep-sided “fingers” by difficult, rocky ravines, carved out by eons of running water. Where one of these fingers reached out to the road as it ran by the gullies was La Angostura, or “The Narrows”, a defile only 40 feet across. It was so easily defendable that Santa Anna would be forced to flank the American army on the plateau, a task made quite difficult by the ravines they would have to cross to do so.

Pushing his army in an effort to catch the Americans still under preparation, Santa Anna’s advance screen of cavalry rode onto the open ground just below La Angostura on the morning of February 22nd, asking for a parlay with Taylor (the standard Mexican method of buying time, one to which the gringos never seemed to catch on). When the Mexican emissary demanded Taylor’s surrender, quite civilly of course, Taylor replied in rather brusque language, which his aide, Major William Bliss, reduced to a most un-Zach like, “I beg leave to say that I decline acceding to your request.” The battle was on.

Wool had deployed the small army so that the Angostura position to fall back, leaving a previously captured 4-pounder for the on- was heavily defended, with the remainder of the units to the left of coming Mexicans. His retrograde move was instantly covered by a the defile, along the plateau, to guard against what was sure to be a wall of fire from the 2nd Illinois and Sherman’s battery, as the en- Mexican flanking move. Santa Anna, though, was still moving his tire American line undertook a slow and disciplined withdrawal of huge army—eight large brigades of infantry which he had placed in some hundred or so yards. three divisions—into position. There were a lot of Mexicans, to be sure; the main question was, were they ready to do the job? Unfortunately, this move completely isolated the Arkansas and Ken- tucky troopers at the mountain, all of whom now took to their horses Santa Anna first set up his heavy guns on a knoll south of the Ameri- in full flight to the rear. The American left flank no longer existed, can position, where, at about 2 P.M., they began to send out a round and through this huge vacuum swept Juvera’s cavalry, headed for every now and then. About an hour later, Mejia’s brigade of activos the thinly defended supply base at the Buena Vista rancho. It was feinted towards the American right while Ampudia’s Light Brigade about 9 A.M., and Santa Anna’s plan was working perfectly. started to work its way through the ravines to the south towards the mountains and the thinly defended American left. Taylor quickly It was at about this time that Taylor returned from Saltillo, along dispatched William Humphrey with several rifle-armed, mounted with May’s dragoons and Davis’ Mississippi Rifles. Taylor quickly volunteer companies to cover that area, and, at about 3:30, Hum- took command at La Angostura and sent Wool to reform the slowly phreys and Ampudia started a series of small fire-fights as the Mexi- retreating infantry. Wool ordered Davis to cover the approach to the cans tried to get up and around the Kentucky and Arkansas troopers hacienda while he sent over the 3rd Indiana and one of Bragg’s while the latter attempted to counter the maneuver. Neither side had guns. In the meantime, Steen’s dragoons hastened back to Buena much effect on the other, as fire was disorganized while both sides Vista to reinforce the Kentucky and Arkansas troops that had halted concentrated on the difficult terrain. Within an hour or so, darkness their retreat there, only to find their respective commanders, Marshall began to fall and further actions ceased for the night. and Yell, in a shouting match over who had seniority. As Juvera’s troopers galloped to the charge, the command confusion was too Taylor, aware of the presence of Miñon’s cavalry riding around in much, and virtually all of the volunteers took off once again. Only the area to the north, now felt it best to return to Saltillo to see how Yell and a handful of men, plus the dragoons, remained, as Juvera’s the garrison there was doing. In case anything was happening—and brigade charged home. trusting that Wool’s dispositions would hold for awhile—he took with him Jeff Davis’ Mississippi Rifles as well as May’s dragoons, The van of the charge was most successful, overrunning the re- probably his two best units. maining infantry, killing Yell in the process. But Steen launched an immediate counter-charge at the center of the Mexican column, slic- Santa Anna used nightfall to begin to implement his tactical plan. ing it in half. The front portion overran the hacienda and charged Ampudia’s and Mejia’s probes had shown him what Taylor had, right into the face of one of Sherman’s guns, which brought them that Angostura was a lost cause, and that the plateau, if attainable, up short in no time. The rear portion of the Mexican cavalry now was held by a thinly stretched force of Americans. To that end, he fell back in disarray, only to be shelled by more American artillery planned a massive, concentrated assault by almost all of his forces from the plateau to the south. on the American left. Wool, in the meantime, began to strip some of the forces from Angostura to help on the plateau. Sherman’s, and Juvera, repulsed at the hacienda, now regrouped what he could and half of Bragg’s, battery (he had one gun in Saltillo and another across turned to the south to charge the Mississippi Rifles and James Lane’s the gullies) remained on the plateau in support, while the rifle com- 3rd Indiana. Davis, however, had deployed the two regiments in an panies of the Kentucky and Arkansas mounted regiments still held inverse “V”, and Juvera’s lancers rode right into it, where the deadly off Ampudia along the lower ledges of the mountain. Only Lane’s fire from the rifles shot them to ribbons, routing them into a nearby 3rd Indiana was available as a reserve. ravine for cover. It was about this time that, several miles to the north, Vincente Miñon’s column of lancers, sent ahead on just this At dawn, Ampudia renewed his assault on Humphrey along the mission, emerged from the mountain passes east of Saltillo and mountains, while Blanco’s brigade made a half-hearted move to- charged the American garrison at Saltillo: several companies of in- wards La Angostura, a maneuver which fooled no one. It was a fantry and a couple of guns. The charge was mostly half-hearted… different story with Lombardini’s three brigades, all of which moved and totally unsuccessful. Major Warren’s troops made short work under cover of a broad ravine just to the south of the Americans and of Miñon, with the latter beating a hasty retreat back into the moun- emerged, in brilliant parade-ground fashion, ready to assault the tains …yet another opportunity lost to unenthusiastic cavalry work. American line. Right behind them came Pacheco’s very irregular irregulars, moving in behind Lombardini to his right, while the re- Back at Buena Vista, Juvera’s failed flanking maneuver lead to a maining brigades in Ortega’s division remained just to the rear as a short period of inactivity, during which Santa Anna reorganized for ready reserve. About 7000 Mexicans were about to descend on the the final, big assault. He moved almost all of his troops over to his 2nd Indiana and O’Brien’s three guns. right and sent them back onto the plateau, under Perez. Again, the numbers were massive, but this time the American line was tighter Indiana Brigade commander, Joe Lane, immediately ordered his men and reinforced by the well-placed guns of O’Brien and George Tho- to hold at all costs, but his subordinate, William Bowles, either didn’t mas. Close-ranged, rapid fire chewed huge holes in the Mexican hear this right or didn’t want to hear it. After a heavy exchange of line. The Mexican soldiers slowed, wavered, and then began to fall fire, he yelled for his men to “… cease fire and retreat!” The Hoo- back, at which time Colonel John Hardin, assuming it was a full- siers, who had already lost over 15% of their men, instantly broke fledged retreat, ordered a counter-charge by a mixed group of Illi- and ran, leaving a huge hole between Humphrey’s now-beleaguered nois and Kentucky companies. The Mexicans were anything but troopers on the mountain and Bissell’s 2nd Illinois …a hole in which through, however, and a fresh brigade of Mexican infantry met only O’Brien and his three guns stood. O’Brien had no choice but Hardin’s assault head-on, killing Hardin and pushing the American

© 2004 GMT Games, LLC 8 Gringo! Battle Book line back, once again. American artillery fire was causing heavy casualties, but the Mexicans were still moving forward as darkness approached. Gringo! Contents A complete game of Gringo! contains the following: It was at this point that Braxton Bragg and his battery arrived. Pushed 2 34” x 22” maps (one is backprinted) into the line with guns blazing, Bragg was told by Taylor to main- 4 Sheets of die-cut counters tain his position at all costs: “… double-shot your guns and give Note: Sheet 2 contains only 240 units ‘em hell, Bragg.” And that he did. The first round of fire blew away 1 GBACW System Rules Mexican infantry in bunches, the second stopped them cold, while 1 Battle Book a third round sent the entire Mexican line scurrying back for cover. 4 Player Aid Cards Braxton Bragg, a commander whose men so disliked him that they 1 die (10-sided) once tried to kill him by rolling a lit shell into his tent, had, in essence, used double-shotted volleys to signal the end of the battle. Santa Anna tried to get Torrejon’s brigade to charge the American line, but they came under withering flanking fire by Washington’s batteries, and, as they turned back to the Mexican lines the skies opened and the rain came down in thick, cold sheets. The Mexicans had fought well, but the outnumbered Americans, supported mag- nificently by their guns, had held. Both sides were so “played out” CREDITS that a continuation of battle by either side was highly unlikely. GAME DESIGN: Richard H. Berg The casualties were grotesque. The Americans lost almost 15% of their men: 665 men killed, wounded (which was as good as being DEVELOPER: John Alsen killed given the medical skill of the day) and missing. For Santa Anna, the numbers were far worse: 3533 killed, wounded or miss- ART DIRECTOR: Rodger MacGowan ing, almost a quarter of his army. (To be sure, 1900 of those were PACKAGE DESIGN & COUNTER ILLUSTRATIONS: Rodger just “missing” as opposed to being casualties, but the end result MacGowan was the same.) MAP ARTWORK: Mark Simonitch Santa Anna reported a victory, based on guns and flags captured …an interesting spin on losing one-fourth your army. From a purely COUNTER & RULES LAYOUT: Mark Simonitch tactical viewpoint the battle was a draw, both sides having been beaten up so badly that neither could continue. However, from a PRODUCTION COORDINATION: Tony Curtis strategic standpoint, it was a huge American victory. Santa Anna PRODUCERS: Tony Curtis, Rodger MacGowan, Andy was forced to drag his army back to San Luis Potosí with only some Lewis and Mark Simonitch 7000 men, less than a third of what he started out with. For Taylor, the victory was bittersweet. Buena Vista had been John Wool’s battle; HEAD OF RESEARCH: Anton Adams he set it up, and he directed most of the movements. And, although Taylor was, once again, a hero, he was also on the shelf, as the crux ADDITIONAL OoB RESEARCH: Carleton Andrews of the war shifted to Scott’s army moving on Mexico City. Both- Playtesters for GBACW Version: Anton Adams, Keith Cumisky, ered by the relative inactivity, Taylor relinquished command and Mike Junkin, Derek Batchelor, Jeff Boschmann, Paul went home to Baton Rouge. By fall of 1848 he had been elected Glowacki 12th president of the United States. PROOF READERS: Elis Simpson, Kevin Duke DESIGNER’S NOTE: Some of this article appeared, in somewhat different form, in Strategy & Tactics magazine, #212, which, for those interested in more battles from this war, also contains games on the first two engagements of the war, Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, plus Rio Sacramento. Information can be obtained from Decision Games.

© 2004 GMT Games, LLC Gringo! Battle Book 9 Additional Rules Applicable (11.8) SQUARE Square is a defensive formation used by infantry units To All Battles to maximize their defensive potential against charging cavalry. It did make them vulnerable to artillery fire and (8.29) Mortars. These rather ungainly looking guns—they re- it was often difficult to get a unit out of Square in any sembled nothing less than someone trying to blow dinner leftovers semblance of cohesion. Square may be formed during Movement out of a big kettle—have some interesting pros and cons, most hav- or, with some difficulty, in reaction to an enemy infantry attack or ing to do with their high trajectory fire. cavalry charge. • They may not fire at any target within a two-hex range. (11.81) Who May Form Square: The ability to do this is restricted • They may not combine fire with any other guns. to units with training. This means the regulars. Only Regular infan- • Terrain effects against artillery fire are halved, rounding down. try units may attempt to form Square. Thus, the trenchworks on the plateau just east of at La Angostura • The US Regular infantry are those units that have no “state” des- (BV) do not affect mortar fire (–1 halved, rounded to ‘0’), but ignation. E.g., 2 Ind (2nd Indiana Volunteers) is not a Regular there is a –1 adjustment if it fires into La Angostura through the unit. The 1st Arty Regiment is. parapets of the trench (–2 halved to –1). • The Mexican Regulars are the Line, Ligero, and Activos units. • Mortars may fire over blocking terrain that is in the adjacent hex (or Monterey “block”) …as long as that adjacent hex is not en- PLAY NOTE: Dismounted Regular US cavalry—the Dragoons— emy occupied or controlled and there is then a line of sight from may form square. It was part of their Indian fighting training. that adjacent hex/block to the target. (11.82) Forming Square during Movement: Non-disordered Regu- lar infantry units that are not adjacent to an enemy unit, and are under Advance or Attack Orders, may form Square as part of Move- ment. It costs a unit two (2) MP to form Square. Place a “Square” marker on top of the unit. (11.83) Standard stacking restrictions apply. If the unit was in Line Extension, simply remove the extender markers when they go into Square. In addition, one artillery unit may remain if stacked with an infantry forming Square, but it may not move into a hex with infantry in Square. Once stacked in the Square, it may not move out until the units leave Square. (11.84) Forming Square as Reaction: Non-disordered Regular in- EXAMPLE #1: The US mortar is in Monterey 3443; the US con- fantry units, under Attack or Advance Orders, may attempt to form trols Loma de Independencia (Independence Hill). The mortar could Square when in danger of being charged (11.5) by cavalry. The de- fire at a target in 3041, but not one in 2943, because there is no cision to do so is made immediately after the charging unit announces LOS from 3342/3 to the latter. it is doing so, and which hex is the target, but before the cavalry undergoes the Charge UDD (11.54). The player attempting to form Square, then undertakes a UDD for the unit: • Pass means it forms Square • Fail means it does not, and is Disordered. (11.85) Square Facing. All hexes surrounding a unit in Square are considered Frontal. (11.86) Effects on Combat and Movement Square has the following effects on combat situations: EXAMPLE #2: The US mortar is in the Plaza de San Antonio • Units in Square subtract one (–1) from pre-Shock DR (not add (Monterey); there are no Mexican units in either of the two city one, as in 11.55). blocks directly to the east. The mortar could fire at the Cathedral • Subtract one (–1) from all combat-related Disordered and Rally (on the east edge of the Main Square). die rolls for units in Square. This does not apply to die rolls for entering/leaving Square. HISTORICAL NOTE: For the most part, mortars were highly in- • Units in Square are treated as Massed Targets, regardless of the effective as anti-personnel field guns. They were designed for siege number of SP’s in the hex. work, although the 10" mortar Taylor had at Monterey was just as ineffective against The Black Fort. The 7" mortar included with • Units in Square have a Movement Allowance of one. Not one the Mexicans at Buena Vista is somewhat speculative, as it does hex, one MP. not appear in many of the sources. One also wonders what a Mexi- • Units in Square may not Shock, nor may they enter an enemy can army trying to move across a desert to engage an enemy army ZOC. in a stand-up battle would want with such a gun …but one learns • Units in Square are automatically under Attack Orders, regard- never to underestimate the capacity of Santa Anna to surprise. less of what the rest of the Command is doing. However, they cannot use Refuse.

(11.87) A unit in Square may fire at more than one target/hex. If Henry, Robert Selph, The Story of the Mexican War (Da Capo Press, NY, 1950). doing so, the player divides/distributes the firing strength points A well-written, survey book—one of many—that has a little more bite than most. Dreadful maps. amongst the target hexes in any fashion he wishes, as long as: Nevin, David, The Mexican War (Time-Life Books, Alexandria VA, 1978). For 1. No target hex may be fired at by more than one-half (1/2) the a marvelous visual look at the war, this is a great book. From the sweeping unit’s strength (even if firing at only one hex!); and painting of Palo Alto, complete with grass fire, to the watercolors of Monterey 2. The usual 8.31 maximum is now observed for any one target. street-fighting, to the individual portraits and daguerreotypes of the participants, this book is invaluable. That the text, while surface, is succinct and EXAMPLE: An 8 SP infantry regiment is in Square. It may fire 4 supportive is an added benefit. Bottom Line: you can see what it was like. Great stuff. SPs into two different hexes. Nichols, Edward J., Zach Taylor’s Little Army (Doubleday & Co., Garden City (11.88) Leaving Square takes the place of Movement. It also re- NY, 1963). A Taylor reconstructionist, although he does admit that Zach was quires a Cohesion check die roll to undertake successfully. Roll one not one of history’s greats. Good volume on the first half of the war with some equally good information. Mostly supportive rather than first-line. Excellent maps die and compare it to the unit’s Cohesion Rating. Make the follow- by Palacios. ing die roll adjustments: Smith, Justin H. The War with Mexico, Vol. I. (Peter Smith, Gloucester MA 1. If the unit is Disordered, add one (+1); 1963). 75 years old and still the definitive work on the subject. So, all right, the 2. If the unit is adjacent to an enemy unit, add two (+2). Mexicans are all swarthy banditos who couldn’t out-think a chimichanga—the 3. If the unit is stacked with a leader, subtract two (–2). unrepentant “bad guys”—but that’s part of the fun in reading Smith — and he doesn’t spare some of the gringos, either. Smith was single-handedly respon- If the adjusted die roll is the same as or lower than the unit’s Cohe- sible for the abrupt fall of Zachary Taylor as an American hero. His research was sion Rating, the unit successfully leaves Square; if it was Disor- voluminous, as can be gleaned from the large number of informative footnotes. Smith may not be Politically Correct, but he knew his subject. His maps are, for dered while in Square it is no longer Disordered. the most part, quite good, especially as he notes what he based them on. If the adjusted die roll is higher, it leaves Square but becomes Dis- Tyler, Ronnie C., The Mexican War, A Lithographic Record (Texas State His- ordered. If already Disordered, it Routs. Units leaving Square as- torical Association, Austin, 1973). Playtester George Pearson literally stumbled upon this book, which contains 50 period lithographs, many in full color, of the sume their command’s Orders if In Command; if Out of Command, war, including the remarkable series of works by Carl Nebel on each of the they are under Advance. battles. The information provided visually by some of these—especially Nebel’s detailed and evocative views of the battlefields, as well as those done for Monterey (11.89) Units in Square may remain in Square if Disordered. by Daniel Whiting—was just as valuable as the maps and the texts. Urwin, Gregory J.W., The United States Cavalry, An Illustrated History (Blandford ANNOTATED SOURCES: Press, New York, 1983). Osprey-type book with a lot more meat. Good chapter on formation of regular dragoons and their operations in the war, as well as how well BOOKS: the volunteer cavalry units did. Several specific cavalry actions discussed in de- Adams, Anton, The War in Mexico (The Emperor’s Press, Chicago 1998). The tail, and the weapons the different units carried is also provided. most recent work on the war, and a most valuable source, complete with excellent maps, OoBs with numbers, and a battle by battle run-through of the pro- Webb, Walter Prescott, The Texas Rangers (University of Texas Press, Austin, ceedings. Also includes extensive discussion on tactics, weapons, and uniforms. 1991). Reprint of 1935 work, a rather complete, but somewhat flowery and un- Invaluable. critical view of the rangers. Nice pics of the boys, though …and it is very informative. Alcaraz, Ramon (trans by Albert Ramsey), The Other Side (Burt Franklin, N.Y.,1970 reprint of the 1850 edition). The one “Mexican” source we could I also had done extensive reading in David Lavender’s Climax at Buena Vista readily get our hands on (Barcena’s “Recuerdos” was unattainable), this one is and the wonderful Chronicles of the Gringos, compiled by George Winston Smith pretty much a howler …much grandiosity, wringing of hands and laying of blame. and Charles Judah; however, that was over ten years ago, and I did not retrace The North Americans are greatly despised — something the 1850 US editors those steps this time around. felt they had to ameliorate with equally politically incorrect statements. Interest- ing to get some of the feel of how Mexico felt (not good). It also contains some MAPS: excellent maps (except for the one for Buena Vista, which bears only a passing The Monterey map presented a couple of problems, as there were several that resemblance to the battlefield), much better Mexican OOB and deployment in- appeared excellent, but all of which differed in seemingly small—but often sig- formation for the earlier battles than virtually any other source. nificant—details, such as the location of barricades, redans, etc. We chose to Bauer, K. Jack, The Mexican War, 1846–1848 (U. of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, combine the information contained on the maps in Alcaraz and Smith, which 1992). Probably the best single volume concentrating on mostly the military were far more detailed than any of the others (and were closer to the period). aspects of the war, with far more detail in that area than most other volumes. This was augmented to no small extent by several contemporary drawings and This reprint of the 1974 edition does correct some of the typos that caused one to paintings (one of which, for example, details the extended stone walls on the blink, but other, similar “wha’s?” remain (notes about which are spread through south/river edge of the city) as well as the narratives and personal descriptions. the rules). Needless to say, this was a difficult—but fun—map to recreate …and we spent much time in getting the city “grid” as close to actuality as possible. Connor, Seymour and Faulk, Odie, North America Divided; The Mexican War 1846–1848 (New York, Oxford University Press, 1971). In terms of its narra- There is no shortage of Buena Vista maps, most of which agree what the battle- tive, just another of those overview books. HOWEVER, the 90+ page annotated field looked like. (Then there’s the map in Alcaraz, which must have been drawn bibliography is magnificent, listed by subject with comments on virtually every after a three-Chihuahua fandango.) Most modern maps leave out some of the book—US, Mexican, old, recent—on the subject. For that alone, invaluable. branches from the main road—and most importantly the one that runs onto the plateau just behind the gringo lines—and some older maps show items for which Dillon, Lester R., Jr., American Artillery in the Mexican War, 1846–1847 there is no explanation (like the phantom “stone wall” in Smith’s map). When in (Presidial Press, Austin, 1975). Interesting little book with some good hard in- doubt, we used Smith, as he based his version on Mexican topological surveys, formation on the US guns, plus some rather unusual theories on certain battles aside from two visits to the battlefield site. and people. He does spot the disparity between the number of Bragg guns at BV and where they were used. He also is of the two-resacas school of thought. The map for Cerro Gordo is the one in Tony Adams’ book, which is the one in Justin Smith’s. The only difficulty was in determining the (relative) elevation Eisenhower, John S.D., So Far From God (Random House, NY, 1989). The most levels. recent of the survey books on the war, and one of the best written. Eisenhower is more interested in the “why’s and wherefore” …and ramifications if the war. He The El Molino map is based on the very detailed one surveyed (and autographed) does come up with unusual numbers, though, and they come without discussion. by Lt. Robert E. Lee and drawn by Z.B. Towers of the Engineers in 1848. There Interesting, with some good pictures and supporting art. Mediocre maps. is no dearth of maps on this area/battle.

bility of sticking it out for another day, or of coordinating his attacks, it could have been an impressive Mexican win. Given evenly matched players, the Mexican has a slight advantage …providing he can keep his troops in some semblance of order …and stay away from the US artillery. CHANGES TO BASIC RULES PLAY NOTE: Some changes are covered in greater detail in the Special Rules. 5.0 THE ACTIVATION SYSTEM (5.34.) Neither side may use Brigade Coordination at any level of BUENA VISTA command. February 22–23, 1847 (5.4.) Efficiency Transfer is not used. 6.0 THE ORDERS SYSTEM Preliminary Information (6.2) Brigade Orders Change. For the US, this applies to the indi- Buena Vista is the “ biggest” battle of the war, a classic confronta- vidual Regiments. tion between a small, mobile army emphasizing firepower, and a considerably larger, but slower, Euro-Napoleonic-style force. As 10.0 FIRE COMBAT such, we recommend players have familiarity not only with the sys- (10.61) Mexican artillery may not move and fire in the same Phase. tem, but with the various pluses and minuses each army has …as these will often be the telling factors. 11.0 SHOCK ASSAULT There are two BV scenarios: the February 23rd scenario, and the (11.5) US Irregular (Volunteer) Cavalry may not Charge. Full-battle, which covers the tentative skirmishing and positioning 13.0 MORALE AND RALLY of the 22nd. (13.2) Brigade Combat Effectiveness. For the US, this applies to Map Scale Regiments. Each hexes covers c. 110 yards from side to side …or 80 yards, (13.3) Division Combat Effectiveness is not used. depending on which source map you think is more reliable. We had at least a half dozen maps, some US, some Mexican, and a few (13.42) Mexican leaders may not be used to affect/help Rally in any from that period. The numbers varied, but not enough to make a way, other than specifically stated in the Special Rules. major issue over it. 14.0 SPECIAL UNITS Length of Game (14.2) Mexican cavalry may not Dismount. Not as long as the usual GBACW dice-burner, but at least six to eight hours for a complete game would be about normal. 15.0 ENGINEERING (15.1) Constructing Breastworks is ignored; no one may build Balance breastworks. The US breastworks are discussed in the Special Rules. This is a battle that, on the surface, the Mexican Player should have a fairly easy time winning. He outnumbers the gringos by 3–1, and he has some fairly good units with him. However, several factors are working against him: general army fatigue, a large number of SPECIAL RULES APPLYING untrained units (both factors represented, initially, by the low Co- TO BOTH SCENARIOS hesion ratings), and the usual mediocre to miserable subordinate command staff. TERRAIN For the US player, desperation will be rampant most of the time. He The battlefield of Buena Vista is almost surrealistic, one which pro- has far too many volunteers, several of whom cut and ran more than vides some unusual problems for both sides. once during the actual battle. What he does have is a very indepen- The area is essentially a valley between two rather forbidding dent command system, the usual American superiority in artillery mountain ranges, one of which can be seen encroaching on the (this is the battle on which Braxton Bragg dined out for decades), field in the SE portion of the map. Extending from this mountain and units like Jeff Davis’ crack Mississippi Rifles (more dining out is a series of ravines, dug out over the eons by now (for the most for Davis). It’s “Ten Holes and Five Fingers” time for the gringos. part) forgotten rivulets. The sides of some of these ravines range Historically, Buena Vista was a tactical draw, with both sides taking from tough-going, to difficult, to almost impossible; e.g., the sides a beating. Strategically, with Taylor still holding his position, it was of the plateau near La Angostura rise some 40–50 feet straight up. a US victory …but a very close one. Had Santa Anna had the capa- Aside from the difficulties in traversing such obstacles, in form-

© 2004 GMT Games, LLC 12 Gringo! Battle Book ing these deep cuts, the rivulets managed to deposit a good deal of The roads are nothing more than dirt paths beaten down into the “debris”, mostly in the form of stones, rocks, boulders and what- stony ground by years of use. The Road halves all elevation change ever. What is indicated on the map as “streams”, are nothing more costs, rounding down; it also negates any “d” or “D” effects. The than an inch or two of trickling water. These, together with some Road has no effect on streams or the trench. The face changing minor tree growth, made moving up and down the ravines a major benefits for roads apply. problem for cavalry and artillery. Buena Vista is a hacienda; officially, “Hacienda de la Buena Vista”. On the other, western side, is a spectacular series of gullies through It had four, maybe five, ill-kept, adobe, flat-roofed buildings, mili- which runs …actually dribbles …what’s left of the river that formed tarily usable only by small detachments. In the words of one of the them. These narrow gullies have almost vertical, 20–30 foot sides, battle participants, it was a “… dirty, insignificant little rancho.” rendering them uncrossable to all but the most determined infantry. Because it was slightly uphill from the valley and plateau to the Even then, it is not recommended. About the only feasible crossing south, it provided a marvelous location from which to watch the on the map is to the rear of La Angostura (which is treated as a developing battle. stream hexside), which is where McKee crossed over before the battle began. (They’re there to guard a rather tortuous mountain Disorder Terrain: Note that some terrain types require a UDD/ trail that Santa Anna could have used to by-pass Taylor’s position. Disorder die roll (small ‘d’), while others are automatic Disorders Santa Anna did not so choose because of the difficulty of using that (large ‘D’). The d/D applies as soon as the unit enters such hex or trail. See the Optional Rule on this, below.) crosses such hexside, and it applies each time such movement takes place. Units that are already Disordered may not enter auto-D hexes The restricted passage between the spurs and the gullies—at 1632/ or cross such hexsides, and that restriction includes retreat move- 1633—is appropriately named La Angostura, The Narrows. And ment resulting from combat. narrow it is —40 feet from the spur to the gully (or, realistically, about 15% of a game hexside!!). To reinforce this passage, General Line of Sight: To make things easy, there is no terrain, other than Wool had his men dig a ditch during the night of 2/22, backed by a change in elevation, that blocks LOS. That includes those trees that parapet of earth, behind which the infantry stood. Thermopylae, dot the countryside, which were pretty sparse at best. The desultory, Mexican-style. The spur immediately above and to the east of La rundown buildings of the hacienda are too dispersed to affect LOS. Angostura was further protected against enemy fire by a somewhat Some difficulty arises, though, when the slopes come into play. haphazard breastwork. Target on lower elevation: both sheer and steep slopes act as block- Special Facing Rule [7.1] Units in 1632—La Angostura—face the ing terrain for small-arms fire and artillery firing at a range of four hexside, not the vertex. The three hexes to the front—1532, 1633, hexes or less if the slope hexside is closer to the target unit than the 1732 (albeit across the slope)—are its frontal hexsides; the other firing. Halfway is considered closer to target. (With fire range be- three, it’s “rear”. Fire may directed into/through any reachable hex ing ‘2’ for most units, this is a problem that occurs rarely.) The within the arc between 1036-1532 and 1633-1733-2336, etc. slopes do not block artillery firing at 5 or more hexes. The Trench and the Breastworks: The defensive benefit of these Target on higher elevation: the sheer or steep slopes block LOS hexsides apply to those units in 1632, north of the hexside, inside only if firing unit is firing through a (higher) slope hexside that is the “teeth” …and only through those hexsides. However, the trench part of the firing hex—unless the target is directly adjacent. and the breastworks do not exist during the February 22nd turns, until the Night-2 turn. (They were constructed during the night af- Units may always fire into adjacent hexes through slope hexsides ter the first day of battle.) Of course, they can be so constructed (with some drm’s for the tendency to fire high when firing at targets only if the US player occupies the appropriate hexes during the that are much higher or lower). However, because of the difficulties Night-2 turn. There is no cost to doing this; they just appear at the in depressing and raising the guns, artillery may not fire into an beginning of the 0600 turn. adjacent hex separated by a sheer or steep slope hexside, whether higher or lower. The Elevation changes are relative …scale varies, depending on the location. However, the map differentiates among: DESIGN NOTE: As for the mountain in the SE corner of the map, • Gradual Slope: a change in elevation without a slope indicator. by the time you get past level ‘6’, you’re into “straight up” the Thus, while 2142-2242 and 1731-1730 both represent changes mountainside. Level 6 represents the farthest limit a military unit from Level 1 to Level 2, the former is distinctly abrupt, almost could go on this rather formidable mountain range. cliff-like, while the latter is quite gradual. Courage o • Steep Slope: any change in elevation of around 30–45 or so. Some of the leaders—on both sides—showed a defi- • Sheer Slope: any change in elevation that is closer to straight up nite tendency towards wobbly legs, soft spines, and a than what “steep” represents. For all intents and purposes, these desire to return home. These leaders are indicated with are uncrossable militarily. a “+” next to their Profile Rating. • All Level 5 and 6 hexes are considered Rough hexes. Any time any “+” Leader is within one hex, or stacked with, any unit from his “side” (whether it is his command or someone else’s) The Gullies, as discussed above, are crossed with great difficulty, that is the (defending) subject of a Shock attack, before resolving and only by infantry. And, yes, the +5 cost means units with only 5 that Shock, that leader’s Player rolls the die. MP available may not cross them …ever. If the DR is a ‘0’ or a ‘9’, the leader in question has The light woods on the map are mostly sparse, single-lines of trees turned tail and bolted. Place a “Bolted” marker on that that dotted the countryside. They aren’t much of a hazard or ob- leader; he is not “in play”. At that instant, and before stacle, but they do allow us to throw in a little green. anything else is resolved,

• The units from his command are now Out of Command (until, at • All Infantry Division Commanders, and all Cavalry Brigadiers in best, their next activation). the MSA get that Efficiency that turn minus one (to a minimum • Undertake a UDD for each combat unit in that leader’s command of 1). that was within his range at the moment he Bolted. If it fails, it is Reinforcements: Use the AM listed for the turn of arrival. Disordered (as if from Shock). EXAMPLE: At the start of a Turn, Santa Anna is in his Command The next time that unit is Activated, before doing anything else, the Box in the MSA and the Mexican Player draws the ‘3’ Efficiency player rolls to see what the leadership status of that command is. Marker. Roll the die: • Pacecho (I Division) is in the MSA, as is Mejia’s Brigade. They • If the DR is a 0–1, the “Bolted”, no leader status remains in place. get 3 AM; but Uraga is on the map. He gets only 2 AM. • If the DR is a 2–3, remove the Bolted marker and flip that leader • Lombardini (II) is on the map, so all his In Command and MSA to his Replacement for the remainder of the game. brigades get 2 AM. Any brigades outside his range get only 1 • If the DR is a 4–9, the fellow has come to his senses—a little cold AM. water and a couple of sharp slaps across the cheeks probably • Juvera (2/Cav) is in the MSA; he gets 3 AM (as Cavalry does not helped—and returned to command. Remove the Bolted marker, need a Division Commander to relay Efficiency). and that leader is back to his original condition. (And he can still Bolt again!) • Artillery always gets 3 AM (2 regular, one extra for the San Patricio’s, as below). Thunderstorms Starting with the 1300 game-turn of 2/23, either player rolls the die at the end of the Orders Segment (II). If he rolls a ‘0’ or a ‘9’, a thunderstorm has broken loose, with the following effects: Mexican Cavalry • All MAs are halved, rounding up. The four Mexican Cavalry regiments are activated when the Cav- • No unit may cross a Sheer or Steep slope. alry AM is drawn. They are independent of any Division Command, • Command Ranges are halved. and they do not suffer any penalty for being out of any Division • Artillery range maximum is seven (7) hexes. Commander’s Range. • There is an automatic –1 when firing any unit during a thunder- The Mexican Staging Area (MSA) storm. The Mexican Army does not use the reserve Rules (6.3). They may • If a small-arms unit fires during the storm, if the die roll used to not be placed In Reserve. The abilities of 6.3 are replaced by these resolve that fire is a natural “even”, that unit incurs an Ammo MSA rules. Depletion of 1 level. (This represents the problems with wet powder, and is obviously used only when using 10.9.). The Mexican Staging Area has a box for each Mexican brigade. All Mexican units enter the game-map, from the MSA, through hexes Thunderstorms last only one turn, and there is only one Thunder- 1549-1949 inclusive. storm per game. Once a storm occurs, do not roll for it again. Movement Into/Out of the MSA It costs 1 MP (any/all types of units) to enter 1549-1949 from the MSA …and vice versa. Only units exiting (retreating off) the map MEXICAN SPECIAL RULES through 1549-1949 may enter the MSA; all other units are eliminated if they leave the map through any other hex. US units may not Mexican Command Efficiency and Activation enter the MSA; those that attempt to do so are treated to a fandango, Santa Anna is the Overall Commander. The Mexican Player gets given a brief (?) speech from Santa Anna, and then thrown to the four Efficiency markers (1, 2, 3, 4). These apply to all units in Santa coyotes. (It is somewhat difficult to tell which of the last two is Anna’s Army, as follows. worse.) Santa Anna in the Mexican Staging Area: Routed Units • All Infantry Division Commanders, and all Cavalry Brigadiers in Mexican units that rout are placed in their MSA Box. the MSA get that Efficiency that turn. The Mexican Player may attempt to Rally any Routed units in the • All Infantry Division Commanders, and all Cavalry Brigadiers MSA, in Phase IV/B/2. To do so, he undertakes a UDD. on the Map get that Efficiency, minus one (to a minimum of 1). • If the same as or lower than the rating, the unit is Rallied to Dis- Santa Anna on the Map: ordered status (retaining any Hits). • All Infantry Division Commanders, and all Cavalry Brigadiers • If higher than the unit’s Disordered Cohesion, it remains Routed on the Map and within Santa Anna’s Range get that Efficiency and loses a SP. that turn. He may adjust the die roll as follows: • All Infantry Division Commanders, and all Cavalry Brigadiers • If Santa Anna is in his Command Box in the MSA during this on the Map and not within Santa Anna’s Range that Efficiency, Phase, subtract one (–1) from the die roll. minus one (to a minimum of 1). • If it is a Night Turn, subtract one (–1) from the die roll.

• For each intact (all units in the brigade) cavalry brigade in the Any Mexican unit of the brigade forced to retreat must retreat to- MSA, subtract one (–1) for each such brigade. No units in the wards 1033. Units attempting to enter via 1033 may not be resup- cavalry brigade may be Disordered or Routed. plied if Out of Ammo. Fatigue and Disorder PLAY NOTE: Using this rule helps the Mexicans, tipping the bal- Mexican brigades can reduce Fatigue only if they (all units) are in ance somewhat in their favor. their MSA. 17.43 applies, but only if the entire brigade spends the Mexican Small Arms Fire turn in its MSA. The Mexican infantry was armed, mostly, with muskets. That wasn’t PLAY AND HISTORICAL NOTE: Obviously, as the game the problem. The problem was that the powder the Mexican Army progresses, the Mexican Player must start making choices as to used was of inferior grade, requiring the soldiers to often double the whether Santa Anna is best on the field, running the show, or back amount used to get an adequate charge. This resulted in a shoulder- in the rear, flogging the troops onward. Historically, he did a bit of smashing kick, to which the soldiers adjusted by firing their mus- the latter, hanging a prospective deserter every so often to stiffen a kets from any physical position other than against the shoulder. The wobbly spine or two. result of all this was that their musket (and rifle) fire was less effective than it could have been. Santa Anna’s Personal Guard The two Hussars of the Guard of the Supreme Powers cavalry units When using the Small-Arms Fire Table for Mexican “M”, “C”, and are Santa Anna’s personal guard. They stay stacked, in the same “R” weapons (but not those peculiar escopettes [E] the cavalry car- hex, with him, and goes wherever he goes, moving at the same rate. ried) the Mexican player subtracts one (–1) from each and every They may not attack, charge or do anything other than move when such die roll. so attached. They do defend normally, of course. Mexican units may not use Prepared Fire (10.5) under any circum- Mexican Off-Board Movement stances. The road leading off-map at 1033 is a rather rough, mountain trail Mexican Lancers that skirts the rather imposing mountains just off the west edge and Most (if not all) Mexican Cavalry was armed with ends up several hundred yards behind the Mexican Staging Area! lances. They were thus more in the Napoleonic mode Santa Anna was very much aware of it and seriously considered than the US mounted troops. Lance-armed cavalry (L) sending some troops to flank Taylor, which is why McKee is sitting adds one (+1) to the resolution of all Charges. where he is on the morning of February 23rd. (Wool was also aware of it.) The prevailing opinion is that Santa Anna chose not to do so PLAY NOTE: This means the Mexican lancers get a +2 for Charg- because it was a difficult trip over rutted, narrow paths, which pretty ing, not just a +1. much obviated bringing artillery. Justin Smith, however, visited the DESIGN NOTE: Mexican cavalry used either carbines or battlefield several times and stated that the trail was a viable infan- escopettes. Which units used which is almost impossible to tell. So try path, albeit a rough one. Knowing all this, we have the follow- we gave the regular line units the carbines and the rest the ing rule. escopettes. At any one time during the game (either one or two-day battles) the Mexican Player may remove any one infantry brigade (all units) Mexican Artillery from its Staging Area Box and place it in the Mexican Off-Map Mexican artillery batteries may not be assigned to any brigade or Movement Box. Neither Artillery nor cavalry may be placed in the division. They fire only Off-Map Box. This requires the use of that command’s entire AM. • when the Mexican Artillery AM is drawn, and When the Mexican Player places a brigade in the Off-Map Box he • in Reaction. takes the three Off-Map Movement markers—one with an ‘8’, one The Mexican artillery has three AM every turn. With two of them, with a ‘10’ and one with a ‘12’—and puts them in a cup, randomly any/all Mexican guns can fire. With the third AM, “San Patricio drawing one. This is the number of AMs that the brigade will take Only”, only the guns of the San Patricio batteries may fire. to reach the western edge of the map (as below). He keeps this marker secret until it has to be revealed. PLAY NOTE: Mexican canister/grape is so ineffective because of poor powder/shot. When the brigade reaches the western edge of the map the Mexican Player may now do one of two things: Los Zapadores 1. He may (attempt to) enter the brigade through any hex within Los Zapadores were an “elite” infantry unit of ”engi- two hexes of 1033. Units so entering may move into an enemy ZOC, neers” (sappers) under the direct command of General but they may not enter a US-occupied hex …nor may they fight Santiago Blanco. The Zapadores their way onto the map. (Let’s keep these rules to a workable length, • may be assigned/attached to any infantry brigade at the begin- OK?) After that, they’re on their own. If the units cannot enter, they ning of any turn that both the Zapadores and the brigade of As- remain off-map until they can. Or, signment are in the MSA, and Santa Anna is there, too. Other- 2. He may return the brigade to the Staging Area. Use the Off-Map wise, they stay in the MSA, or on the field if already assigned. Movement markers as above and add +2 AM to represent fatigue • may be treated as an Independent command, using whatever the from the original march. Mexican Efficiency marker is for that Turn (and the Zapadores AM).

The US Player draws only one Efficiency Marker per Turn, from which he gets AM for only three groups: “Taylor”, “Wool”, and “Independent”. In the Activation Efficiency Determination Phase (II/A), the US Miñon’s Marauding Minions Player must designate each of his regiments and batteries/section as The cavalry brigade of General Vincente Miñon had been sent east, belonging to one of these groups. Regiments may belong to a Tay- through the mountain passes, with orders to attack the rear lines of lor or Wool Command if the regimental leader is within that communication of Taylor’s army at Saltillo. It did so, in rather des- commander’s range. Otherwise, they are Independent. See, below, ultory fashion, and was easily repulsed by the Saltillo garrison (four for artillery. companies of Illinois foot, one from the Mississippi Rifles, a six- pounder from Bragg’s battery, plus some heavy howitzers under There is a series of boxes for each Regiment, onto which the US Captain Webster.) (Another such column of cavalry, from Santa Player places his Command Indicator. The assignments made in II/ Anna’s “Division of Observation”, under General José Urrea, had A last the entire turn. Units under Taylor/Wool may receive “Divi- better success to the north, disrupting supply and travel from sion Orders”, even though they are actually only regiments. Monterey for a month or so!) Units operating under Taylor or Wool use the drawn Efficiency We feel that Miñon would never have been a factor in the battle marker, without any adjustment, and that commander’s AM. For (there is little, if any, evidence to indicate he would have turned example, all Taylor-designated regiments are activated when a Tay- south to aid Santa Anna). At best, his horses would have been in lor AM is drawn. pretty poor shape even if he had had some success at Saltillo. So, The mechanic for Independents, though, is somewhat different. The for those of you who feel that the Mexicans need yet another use- Independent AMs are numbered 1–4. The specific # of AMs placed less brigade of 1000+ men, here’s what you do. in The Pool is that of the maximum possible Efficiency any indi- Starting with the 1200 turn of 2/23, in any turn in which the Mexican vidual Independent could have that turn. Player draws an Efficiency Marker of ‘3’ or more for his Cavalry, he Independents use the turn’s Efficiency marker, minus one, and then may use that entire turn’s Cavalry Efficiency to bring in Minon. This adjusted by the Regimental leader’s Orders Rating, and the Inde- means that the only AM placed in The Pool is one Minon AM, plus pendent AM. Thus, drawing an Efficiency marker of ‘3’, reduced one AM, each, for the other cavalry commands. automatically to a ‘2’, and a leader with a +1 Orders Rating, that Miñon’s brigade may be brought in through any three contiguous Independent will have 3 possible AM that turn. To indicate this, hexes along the NE border of the map between 3801 and 4810. All place an Independent Marker, information side down, atop that units in Minon’s brigade arrive with a Fatigue Level of ‘2’. Leader. That marker will indicate that the Leader will be activated when Independent AM 1, 2 or 3 is drawn. If Independent AM ‘4’ is The turn following Minon’s arrival, the US Player has available as drawn (if in The Pool), it is not activated. a Reinforcement: PLAY NOTE: A Regimental leaders’ Order’s Rating is used, there- • 2 Illinois ‘d’ infantry (Bissell), and fore, for two mechanics: • a 1-gun 6-pounder from Bragg’s C, 3/US battery. • Changing Orders during an Activation (as per 6.2). They enter as Independents through 1301 or 1601; if they cannot, • Adjusting that Regiment’s Efficiency for that turn. they do NOT enter at ANY time. They may use March Orders, if eligible. EXAMPLE: There are three independent regiments. The US player draws a ‘3’ Efficiency for that Turn, which is automatically reduced to a ‘2’. One regimental leader is a +1, one a 0, one a –1. SPECIAL RULES FOR THE This means that the US Player will have, available, three Indepen- dent AM—#’s 1, 2 and 3—that turn. Three AMs numbered 1-2-3 UNITED STATES are placed in The Pool and the leaders marked accordingly. The +1 regiment (with a 3 marker) will be activated when 1, 2 and 3 U.S. Efficiency and Activation System are drawn; the ‘0’—led regiment (with a 2 marker) when 1 and 2 By the time of Buena Vista, most of Taylor’s regulars had been are drawn, the ‘–1’ led regiment (with a 1 marker) only when the stripped away and sent to Winfield Scott for the Vera Cruz expedi- ‘1’ AM is drawn. tion. They had been replaced by untested volunteers to such an extent—of the 4700 men available, only 700, including artillerists, US Artillery were regulars—that virtually all semblance of command hierarchy US Artillery units activate either as Independents (all artillery units had disappeared. However, because the US army was composed of stacked with or adjacent to another artillery unit), or, if within Tay- such small units, and, perhaps, because they were volunteers, they lor or Wool’s Range, as part of a regiment (and so designated when displayed a remarkable independence of action at BV. The com- the Taylor/Wool assignments are made). When Independent, US mand system for this battle is adjusted accordingly. artillery has an Orders Rating of +1. The US Command Hierarchy is very simple. Taylor is Overall Com- Saltillo mander; Wool is a sort of second OC, with both functioning, in game terms, as Corps (probably more like Division) co-command- Taylor’s main base of operations was the city of Saltillo, about 5–6 ers. Below that, all “commands’ are regiments, each with a regi- miles north of Buena Vista. Taylor had received word that Miñon’s mental commander who functions like the Basic Rules’ brigadiers. cavalry brigade had circled to the east, slipped through the passes, and was headed towards Saltillo. With Saltillo defended by only a

© 2004 GMT Games, LLC 16 Gringo! Battle Book minimal garrison, Taylor was rather worried that his base would be taken and his army would be trapped. BUENA VISTA SCENARIOS Therefore, each turn, starting with the 1700 turn of 2/22, the US Player rolls a die in the Initiative segment. If he rolls the DR listed on the Turn Track Taylor, all of the 1st Mississippi, the Texas Rang- THE ONE-DAY BATTLE; ers, and the 2nd Dragoons (with May), are immediately removed from play. If they are still on the map by the 2000 turn, they are February 23 automatically removed at the beginning of that turn. This scenario simulates the main battle, beginning with the unfold- Taylor, and all of the departing combat units, return to the game, as ing of Santa Anna’s initial attack. There is no information as to how Reinforcements, (through hex 1601) in the 2/23, 0600 game-turn. many losses were taken by units on the 22nd, although the fighting was minimal. Therefore, no units start with any reduced strength. The Texas Rangers The game starts with the February 23rd, 0600 game-turn and ends There is a detachment from Hays’ regiment of Texas either when one side Withdraws, or at the end of the 2000 game- Rangers (see Monterey), led by Ben McCulloch. The turn. Rangers pretty much did what they wanted (and much of what they did do wasn’t very pretty), although, as The Mexican Player automatically has the Initiative for the 0600 cavalry, they are nominally attached to Lt. Col May. To reflect their game-turn and may deliberately choose any AM available. No units independence of thought and action, the US player may either use have any Fatigue. them as part of May’s cavalry, or he may use them as an individual “regiment”. For this purpose, McCulloch’s Rangers are considered Initial Deployment, United States Army of to have an Orders Rating of +1, and an Action Profile of Aggres- Occupation sive. Cavalry is listed as mounted or dismounted and Specific Orders are given. If none given, choice is up to the Player. Units may be faced Marshall as Cavalry Commander as desired. Humphrey Marshall was the de facto cavalry commander for the battle, serving as a sort of ersatz briga- Hex Units dier. To represent this, Marshall may command—in ad- 2014 Taylor dition to his Kentucky Mounted men —any three, non- Anywhere Wool regular cavalry units (counters) …the Texas Rangers are considered regulars for this purpose …within his range, whether they are 1912 May; 2 Dragoons [March] mounted or dismounted. These “attached” cavalry are so designated 1810, 1910 Davis; MS Rifles (Mounted) [March] in the Activation Efficiency Phase (II/A), and such designation lasts W/i 1 hex 1729 Jm Lane; 3 IN (all) for, at least, that turn, and until designated otherwise (in a subse- quent II/A). 1632 1 IL ‘c’, B, 4 US guns (two 6’s, two H12’s) [At- tack] Captured Mexican Guns 1732 Hardin; 1 IL ‘b’ [Attack] John Washington’s B, 4US battery contains two cap- 1833 1 IL ‘a’; B, 4 US ( two 6’s, two 4’s) [Attack] tured, Mexican four-pounders. The battery personnel was not as trained in their use as their standard caliber, 3135 McCullough’s Texas Rangers (Mounted) [Ad- and the limbers and caissons were not the same type vance] [a] Ringgold had had installed to make the artillery “flying”. Thus, they 3236 1st Dragoons (Mounted) [Advance] [a] have a reduced Movement Allowance. W/i hex of 3936 Yell; AR Cav ‘a’, ‘b’ (Mounted) [Advance] 3038, 3138 McKee; 2 KY ‘a’ ‘b’ [Attack] 3239 E, 3 US battery (all guns) [b] 3339, 3440 Bissell; 2 IL ‘a’ ‘b’ ‘c’, Texas Foot [Attack] 3541 C, 3 US (all guns) 3642, 3742, 3843Bowles, 2 IN ‘a’ ‘b’ ‘c’ 4243, 4444 Marshall; 1 KY Mtd ‘a’ ‘b’ (Mounted or Dis- mounted) [Orders Player’s Choice] 4546, 4547 1 KY ‘c’, AR Cav ‘c’ (Dismounted) [Attack] [c] [a] Treat these as one “command”, at least to start the game. [b] The actual whereabouts of some of the US guns on the morning of the 23rd can get a mite confusing. We’ve chosen the simplest one. [c] The Arkansas ‘c’ is under the command of Marshall.

Initial Deployment, Mexican Army of the North [a] W/i 1 hex of 2734 1st Dragoons (Mtd) [c] Cavalry is listed as mounted or dismounted. Specific Orders are W/i 1 hex of 2936 2nd Illinois (a, b, c); 1st Texas Foot; given. Units may be faced as desired. No units have any Fatigue. Bissell Starting in the Mexican Staging Area: W/i 1 hex of 3138 2nd Kentucky; McKee [e] Mejia’s Brigade (3/I); all of Ortega’s Division (III); Andrade’s 4/ W/i 1 hex of 3440 Arkansas Cavalry (Mtd): Yell [d] Cavalry. W/i 1 hex of 3740 1st Kentucky Mtd (Mtd); Marshall Hex Units 2834 E, 3US battery (three 6-pounders; one 1946 Santa Anna; the Hussars H12) 1641 Zapadores (Independent) [Advance] 2631 C, 3US battery (two 6-pounders, one H12) [e] W/i 1 hex Juvera’s 2nd Cavalry; Torrejon’s 3rd 1524,1625 1st Mississippi Rifles (Mtd); Davis of 1943 Cavalry [Advance] 1809-10 2nd Dragoons; Texas Rangers; May 2144 Leon Artillery battery [a] Although all sources agree as to which units were present, few 2145, 2246 San Patricio Artillery battery agree on exactly where they were when the battle started on 2/22. 2945 Ballarta Artillery battery Our deployments used those sources which tended to place units before Santa Anna’s arrival south of La Angostura. In any Level Pacheco (I), Uraga’s Brigade (5/I); 1 hex from All of Lombardini’s Division (II) [b] Also problematical, as with [a], is the location of Taylor, the 2243/4 – 2743/4 Mississippi Rifles, and May’s 1st Dragoons. They left with Taylor when he returned to Saltillo the evening of the 22nd and were not 3946 4 Line Infantry (Guzman) [a] [Advance] involved at all in the preliminary fighting of the 22nd. There is some 4246-9 Ampudia’s Light Brigade [Attack] [b] indication both units were being held, in reserve, far to the rear— which is where we have placed them. See the Saltillo rules, below. [a] The 4th Line infantry is assigned to Ampudia’s Brigade and is considered part of that brigade for the remainder of the game. [c] Any one of May’s cavalry units may be attached to any other commander, simply by being within the latter’s range. [b] Ampudia’s good Orders rating, when compared to his ratings [d] Detachments from these units were sent across the gullies, to for the first three battles, is based on his performance (and unusual the west, to guard the approach on that flank (c. hex 1021). Exactly energy) at Buena Vista., when is a good question. [e] One of Bragg’s six-pounders is with the Saltillo garrison. THE TWO-DAY BATTLE Initial Deployment, Mexican Army of the North [a] February 22-23 No Mexican units start on the map. Some start in the Mexican Stag- ing Area (see below); the rest enter the game as Reinforcements. The game starts with the February 22nd, 1300 game-turn and ends All Mexican reinforcements, as well as those that start the game in either when one side withdraws, or at the end of the February 23rd the Staging Area, are at Level –1 Fatigue. 2000 game-turn (when Santa Anna’s supply situation dictated his abandoning the battlefield.) It allows the players to recreate the origi- Starting in the Mexican Staging Area: Santa Anna; the Hussars; nal maneuvers prior to the next day’s fighting. Ampudia’s Light Bgde; Pacheco (I), Mejia’s Brigade (3/I); The Mexican Player automatically has the Initiative for the first Reinforcements (All during 2/22) game-turn. Turn Units For the first turn, the Mexican Player automatically, without drawing, has an Efficiency of ‘3’. The US draws. 1300 San Patricio Arty Battalion; Juvera’s 2nd Cavalry Bri- gade; Zapadores [3 AM; Zapadores arrive with the Cav Initial Deployment, United States Army of AM] Occupation [a] 1400 Uraga’s Brigade (5/I) [2 AM] Cavalry is listed as mounted or dismounted. If none given, choice is 1500 Torrejon’s 3rd Cavalry Brigade [2 AM] up to the Player. Unit Orders are up to the Player. Units may be 1600 Lombardini (II); Conde’s Brigade; Perez’s Brigade; faced as desired. de Leon Artillery Battery [3 AM; Artillery only 2 AM] Hex Units 1800 Ortega (III), Guzman’s Brigade (4/III); Terres’ Bri- 1629 Taylor [b] gade (6/III); Parrodi’s Brigade (7/III); Andrade’s 4th cavalry Brigade; Ballerta’s Artillery Battalion [3 AM; 1632 Wool; 1 Ill a ; B, 4 US (two 4’s, two 6’s, Artillery only 2 AM] two 12H’s) 1732 Hardin. 1 Ill b 1833 1 Ill c; B, 4US (two 6’s) W/i 1 hex of 1729 3rd Indiana; James Lane W/i 1 hex of 2128 2nd Indiana; Bowles

© 2004 GMT Games, LLC 18 Gringo! Battle Book RULES APPLICABLE ONLY Winning the Game Santa Anna’s objective is to put Taylor’s army hors de combat for a TO THE TWO-DAY BATTLE while, so that he can turn his attention to Scott’s coming invasion at Vera Cruz. He can do this either by “destroying” Taylor’s army, or Mexican Reinforcements by cutting Taylor’s LOC so that the latter is forced to retire far to It costs arriving reinforcements one AM to be placed in its Mexican the north. Taylor, of course, is trying to avoid either of these; if he Staging Area box. All Reinforcements enter the game in Advance can retain the field at the end of the battle, he has “won the day”— Orders. regardless of what losses he takes (for the most part). Mexican Fatigue Automatic Mexican Victory #1: If, at the end of any turn, the Mexicans control 1601, 1809, and 1810, and there are no US units As noted, above, the Mexican Army was not in good shape. It had on or adjacent to the road 1601-1810, the Mexican wins. lost 25% to attrition over the last month on its march across the desert from San Luis Potosí, had not eaten in the last 12 or so hours, Automatic Mexican Victory #2: All US commands, other than the and had slept little, if any, the previous night. Santa Anna would artillery, are Combat Ineffective. have been wiser to allow his army to rest at Agua Nueva, just south Automatic US Victory: All Mexican commands are either Combat of Buena Vista, before joining battle …but he chose otherwise and, Ineffective or in the MSA. For this purpose, Andrade’s Brigade is on the 22nd, was forced to use an army whose effectiveness was not considered. severely reduced by fatigue. Failing the above, it’s a fight to the finish. (We assume that no Mexi- To simulate this, all Mexican reinforcements, as well as those that can player will ever get swept off the map in entirety; if that hap- start the game in the Staging Area, are at Level –1 Fatigue. pens to you, perhaps a hobby switch to, say, raising guppies, would be salutary.) Players earn points for rendering enemy commands Reassignment of Mexican Line Infantry Ineffective and/or attaining geographic objectives, as follows. Con- As festivities started on the morning of the 23rd, Santa Anna rein- trol means occupy or last to occupy. forced Ampudia’s light brigade with a regular line unit—the 4th Objective US Points Mexican Points Line—from Guzman’s brigade. The player may “Re-create” this, if he wishes, at any time starting with the 0600 2/23 turn. He may Ineffective Enemy 6 2 transfer any single Line Infantry regiment to Ampudia’s command Command [a], each for the rest of the game, if the regiment is either Controls 1632 1 10 • within Ampudia’s Range, or Controls both 1809-1810 3 5 • in the MSA, as is Ampudia’s brigade. Mexican unit occupies 0 5 PLAY NOTE: This is not available for the 2/23 scenario, as the 4th any one hex in 1027-1033 Line has already been reassigned. Mexican unit controls 1601 0 5 No Mexican non-routed unit in 10 0 Straggler Recovery any hex xx26 or lower US Units use the normal rule (16.2); Mexican units may recover (i.e., to the north) Stragglers only if in the MSA. Santa Anna killed [b]5 0 “What If?” Santa Anna Rested His Men [a] For purposes of victory points, a Mexican brigade that has some The following, “alternate history” rule is highly optional; it is in- units in the MSA but all of its on-map units are Disordered is cluded for those who wish to explore the avenues of possibility. considered Ineffective. Assume that Santa Anna realized that his army was at the end of its [b] There are no points for loss of any other commander as only emotional tether and decided to let them take a breather at Aqua the Mexican army was led by cult of personality. The gringos Nueva. He thus starts the battle one day later (same time, though, as may have liked Taylor, but it really mattered little to them who he still had to get to La Angostura). None of his units have any was in command. Fatigue Level. However, the US Player may redeploy any/all of his on-map units as he sees fit, as long as no unit deploys in a hex ending in —44 or higher.

NEW ARTILLERY UNITS: After countersheet #1 was printed, it was decided that artillery should have the same cohesion level on their disordered side as their front side—therefore, sheet 2 contains the corrected artillery units.

II. B Division Orders. The US Player must be within range of Tay- lor. The Mexican Play may change any brigade (the Mexican army has no divisions) if Ampudia’s posture is “aggressive” and the Bri- gade Leader is within range of Ampudia. II. C Reinforcement Orders is not used. II. D Reserve Placement is not used. IV.D. When the fifth Turn of that Assault Period is finished, play proceeds to the Interphase, unless it is the 4th Assault Period, in which case, the game is over. THE INTERPHASE When all five (5) Turns of each Assault Period have been played, MONTEREY players, in the Interphase, may do the following: Stage 1: US Unit Relocation Nuevo Léon, Mexico Stage 2: US Rally and Recovery Stage 3: Mexican Re-deployment and Rally September 20–23, 1846 Stage 4: US Re-Staging Preliminary Information (4.0) COMMAND Monterey—an assault complete with cavalry charges and street fight- (4.2) CHAIN OF COMMAND ing—is probably the most demanding scenario in Gringo!. It has (4.21) The US Chain of Command is Brigade to Division to Overall an extended amount of “special” rules, most having to do with the (Taylor). The Mexican Chain of Command is Brigade to OC unusual nature of street-fighting and the game-type terrain rules it (Ampudia). requires. And both players must make a large number of difficult strategic decisions, decisions often made obsolete by rapidly chang- (4.3) There are no Artillery Leaders. ing situations. It is also potentially a long game. We therefore strongly recommend that you give one of the other battles a run- (5.0) THE ACTIVATION SYSTEM through before tackling Monterey. (5.1) TURN INITIATIVE: Neither player uses their OC Ratings for this. However, the Mexi- Length of Game can Player adjusts his Initiative DR according to his (Ampudia’s) The game is not played using the usual Turn Track. Rather it uses Strategic Posture. four Assault Periods, each period with five (5) turns. More information on this is given, below. Experience shows that each Assault (5.2) EFFICIENCY Period takes about 8+ hours. Redeployment, between periods, takes US Efficiency about half an hour. While the game can take less than four Assault The general principles of Efficiency apply, except that there are no Periods, it will usually take at least two. Keep in mind that this Corps commanders. Instead, Efficiency markers are drawn for the covers four days of actual fighting. It’s a long game. Division commanders. And, the Division Commanders each have Map an Efficiency Rating for adjusting the drawn AM marker for their Division. The Monterey map uses a scale of c.125 yards per hex. The city of Monterey is drawn to scale using the actual (and complete) street 5.22 is changed slightly to note that a Division’s Efficiency (AM layout at the time. for use) is increased by one if that Division’s commander is either in the same Staging Area as Taylor or on-map within Taylor’s com- Balance mand range. Many factors to consider here, but, overall, the US is slightly favored. The Cavalry Brigade (under Henderson) is treated as a “Division” for AM purposes. As a Brigade Commander Henderson has no rating to adjust his AM Efficiency. Henderson’s individual units (1 CHANGES TO BASIC Tex, 2 Tex and 2 Dragoon) may be re-assigned to other brigades (limit one per brigade). If all cavalry units are so assigned: GBACW RULES • Henderson is placed and must remain in a Staging Area for that (3.0) SEQUENCE OF PLAY assault period. • No cavalry AMs are used. I. Ampudia Strategic Posture Determination. Before determining Initiative, the Mexican Player must determine Ampudia’s Stra- Mexican Efficiency tegic Posture, as per the rules for doing so. Mexican Efficiency depends much on Ampudia’s Strategic Posture. II. A. Activation Efficiency Determination. US Efficiency applies The Monterey and Outside City AMs use the Mexican Efficiency to its Divisions. The Mexican Efficiency applies to its Brigades, markers, as adjusted by Ampudia’s Strategic Posture. AM for the depending on their location, as per Ampudia’s Strategic Posture. Black Fort and unattached artillery (usually those guns outside the city) are fixed and not affected by Efficiency.

(10.0) FIRE COMBAT (10.2) Some Elevation Notes. (For elevation within the City, see M.2) The Bishop’s Palace (Obispado; 3341) renders that hex Level 6 (even The Mexican Army has: though the hex, itself, is Level 5). • 1 to 4 Monterey AM, these apply to all brigades whose leaders start the turn inside/within Monterey. They are affected by Effi- Fortifications and redans have no effect on LOS. However, La ciency. Teneria Distillery (2503)—not the redan—renders that Level Two hex into a Level Three hex. (This means that units on top of the • 1–4 Outside the City AM for those brigades whose leaders start distillery can fire over the redan—and into it.) in a hex outside the city. They are affected by Efficiency. • 2 Artillery AM—always two, not affected by efficiency—for all (10.6) Artillery may not fire into any adjacent hex that is two hexes guns outside the City that do not start a Turn stacked with a unit (or more) lower or higher than the firing hex. from a specific brigade, or start the Turn within the Command (10.61) Mexican artillery may not move and fire in the same Phase. Range of a brigadier. • 2 Black Fort AM; see M.9. (10.8) The varying effects of the large number of fortifications in terms of Fire are given on the Fortification Effect Chart. • The usual March Orders AM. (5.34) Brigade Coordination is not used in this battle. (11.0) SHOCK ASSAULT (11.36) Mexican Shock Commitment. Any Mexican infantry unit (5.36) Mexican brigadiers within the Urban City may use II/B Di- wishing to Shock must die roll for Commitment. (It would take vision Orders to change Orders at the beginning of a Turn depend- place instead of 11.11 [3].) The die roll adjustment for this depends ing on Ampudia’s Strategic Posture, but regardless where Ampudia on Ampudia’s Strategic Posture (see the rule for this, and the chart). is in terms of Range. Otherwise, they may do so only if Ampudia is Cavalry Charge is covered by 11.54. within range. (11.42) The varying effects of the large number of fortifications in (5.4) Efficiency Transfer is not used. terms of Shock are given on the Fortification Effect Chart. (6.0) THE ORDERS SYSTEM (11.5) CAVALRY CHARGE: (6.3) The Reserve Rule is not used. The Interphase between Assault US Volunteer Cavalry (all the Texas units) and Mexican Irregulars Periods is used to rally and redeploy units. (Canales’ Presidiales, the Bejar Auxiliares and the Permanent companies) may not Charge. (7.0) FACING (7.14) Units in fortified hexes—see 5.44 and 6.12—that have more (12.0) COMBAT RESULTS than two hexsides so protected, may face the hexside, not the ver- (12.4) RETREAT tex, as facing is dependent upon the fortification, not the positioning. When inside a fortification all “protected” hexsides are treated Mexican Retreat: Mexican units retreating do so either: as Frontal; all “unprotected” hexsides are treated as Flank. • Towards their Brigade Leader, if such movement does not move them closer to an enemy unit; or EXAMPLE #1: In Ft Libertad (3146), all of the hexsides are pro- • Towards the Cathedral/Plaza Mayor complex/block in the city. tected, except for the 3146/3246 hexside. US Retreat: US units retreating do so either: • Towards their Brigade Leader, if such movement does not move EXAMPLE #2: unit in 3108 uses normal facing rules. them closer to an enemy unit; or • Towards the Staging Area from which they entered the map. (7.15) Units inside a fortified hex may fire through any fortified hexside (given 7.14) as long as they are facing towards one of those US units that retreat off-map into their Staging Areas are eligible to hexsides. They may fire through an unprotected hexside only when reenter the game in the following Assault Period (not turn). facing such a hexside. (12.5) ROUT PLAY NOTE: For firing purposes a unit may face only a protected 12.53: Routed US units are placed in the Staging Area they origi- hexside or only an unprotected hexside—no overlap regardless of nally came from. Routed Mexican units are placed in either the the counter’s actual facing. Outside Routed Box or Monterey Routed Box, depending on where (8.0) STACKING they were when Routed. The rules for this (as well as several other entire sections) inside (13.0) MORALE AND RALLY Monterey are different; see the separate rules for Monterey. (13.3) Division Combat Effectiveness. This rule is not used. (9.0) MOVEMENT (13.42) [Rally DRMs] Mexican leaders may not be used to affect/ See the separate rules for Monterey. help Rally in any way. (13.5) Recovery from Rout occurs in the Interphase; being in Re- serve is not used in this game.

(13.52) Recovered US units stay in the SA they were in when ral- Stage 2: US Rally and Recovery lied. • All disordered units that are in a US Staging Area are automatically restored to normal status. Any Brigade Leader in a U.S. Recovered Mexican units are all placed in a Plaza Block closest to Staging Area has all of his routed units returned. All Fatigue is their brigadier, even if he is outside the city. The Plaza Blocks are: removed. Units that have Step Losses may reduce those losses by • Plaza de San Antonio (either block), one. However, no unit may so reduce losses to recover to origi- • Plaza de Cadulines, and nal, printed strength. Once they take a Step Loss, they are always • Plaza de Mayor (either block). operating with at least one Step of Loss. (14.0) SPECIAL UNITS • Disordered units that are on the map (but not in Staging Areas) and within their Brigade Leader’s Range are flipped to their nor- (14.2) Mexican cavalry may not Dismount. mal side and have all Fatigue removed. They do not recover any (15.0) ENGINEERING Step Losses. (15.1) This section is ignored; no one may build breastworks. • Eliminated units are not affected, or returned, by this rule. PLAY NOTE: The Mexican player can put up street barricades, Stage 3: Mexican Redeployment: but that is covered by a different mechanic. See M.75. After the US Player has finished the first two stages of his redeployment, the Mexican Player may Redeploy and Rally. (17.0) FATIGUE • First, determine which Strategic Posture he (Ampudia) will adopt. (17.4) REDUCING FATIGUE • Re-assign up to three units from one brigade to another. Fatigue is reduced only during Interphases. All unit Fatigue is re- • Within the restrictions of his Strategic Posture he may place his moved during the Interphase. All units start the next Assault Phase units in any hexes, Points or Blocks that are not within three hexes “fresh” (if not quiet as eager as they were before). or two blocks/points of a US unit. Units that start adjacent to a US unit may not move. SPECIAL RULES • All Mexican units in the City are automatically Rallied, Recover from Rout (unit placed with its brigadier) and remove Fatigue. ASSAULT PERIODS No die rolls necessary. The game is divided into four Assault Periods, with the players “start- • Mexican units outside the city are Rallied and reduce Fatigue by ing anew” at the beginning of each period. In between each Assault two levels. Recovery from rout occurs normally (13.52). Period is an Interphase, wherein players can redeploy, rally and re- • No steps are recovered and eliminated units are not affected, or cover. returned, by this rule. Each Assault Period has five (5) turns. When the fifth turn has been completed, so has that Assault Period. Stage 4. US Staging Area Re-assignment The US Player may re-assign all units in Staging Areas to new Stag- There are no Night Turns. ing Areas, if he wishes, in the same fashion as he did for the first Assault Period. However, no more than one Division may ever be The Interphase assigned to Staging Area #4. PLAY NOTE: The Interphase can take some time; it’s like setting up anew. DESIGN NOTE: That’s because SA #4 is really a non-existent place; the area represents units on the march from SA #3 that have an Stage 1. US Unit Relocation early start. At the beginning of each Interphase, the US Player may: • Leave units in place. Reassigning Units • Move individual units so that they are within their Brigade The US Player may assign one cavalry regiment to a brigade, one Leader’s Range. Such movement may not move the unit within cavalry unit per brigade. If all cavalry units are so re-distributed the four (4) hexes or three (3) block-points of a Mexican combat unit, US Player does not get to use the Cavalry AM. unless the US unit is moving away from the Mexicans. Regard- The lone, unattached artillery battery—the Siege guns of C, 1 US, less, all such movement must be towards the Brigade Leader. may either remain independent (and be used as per the Siege Gun Disordered units may be moved. rules), or they may be attached to any one brigade that has no other • Place up to two SP of artillery in a Full City Block which the US guns attached. either occupies or controls (last player to occupy) that is within The Mexican Player may re-assign up to three units during each twelve (12) infantry MP’s of the guns’ initial location—as long Interphase, from one brigade to another. Units inside the Black Fort as such movement does not violate the above movement restric- are so eligible, if there are no US units within one hex of the road tions. That gun is considered to be on top of the roof of a house running 2114-2515. You may have to keep track of this on paper. and may not move for the rest of the ensuing period. It may be redeployed the next Period, though. US Siege Guns • Units on the map may move off the map into any US Staging The term “Siege Guns” refers to artillery capable of Area, as long as they do not violate the above restriction and their destroying walls. The US Player has two guns which brigadier is in, or has moved into, that SA. qualify as “Siege” guns, his 24-pounder howitzers from • Re-assign cavalry units and/or the C, 1 US guns. ‘C’, 1 US. These are the only US guns that have any

© 2004 GMT Games, LLC 22 Gringo! Battle Book affect on the walls of the Black Fort; all other guns fire only at keep handy as a reference as posture affects a wide range of activi- “human” targets (or the Cathedral). The 24-pounders may fire ei- ties. ther as field guns (against troops) or against the walls of the Black Fort. Once chosen, a Posture remains in effect for the entire Assault Pe- riod. It cannot be changed until the next Period. C, 1 US exists either as an independent battery, or as a battery attached to a brigade. The Mexican Player does not have to reveal his choice until he has If independent, the guns do not operate under any AM. Instead, the to do something that would make such revelation necessary …which, US Player may undertake three 3 activations per Turn at any time to be honest, in most cases is almost instantly. during any of his AM. During an Independent Activation, those guns Uraga’s Orders Ratings may either Move or Fire, not both. If attached to a brigade, they operate like any other battery. Col. Jose Lopez Uraga, in charge of the Black Fort garrison, was actually quite a capable brigadier …and he commands, probably, The assignment of guns is determined at the beginning of each As- the best brigade in Ampudia’s army. Because he is isolated in la sault Period and may not be changed during that Period. Regard- Ciudadela, Uraga has two Orders Change Ratings …which he uses less, C, 1 US always starts an Assault Period in a Staging Area. when the rules require—except when he gets Orders via the Tele- graph (M.72)—as follows: To fire at the Black Fort walls the US Player determines the range (the wall is considered to be in the hex closer to the firing guns) and • If he is inside the Black Fort, he uses the –2 rolls the die. If he rolls the die within the range listed on the Siege • If he is anywhere else, he uses the +1. Gun Table he reduces that wall hex by one. Canales • From SA #1 it is 14 hexes (range) to 2016-8, the only walls it can If Canales is killed, there is no Replacement Leader, and his two hit from there. The reverse is also true. Presidiales units are immediately removed from the game. • In SA #2 it is 12 hexes to 2016-8. • SA #3/4 are out of range. Mexican Hidden Deployment (Optional Rule) All other ranges are counted from the hex the siege guns are in. PLAY NOTE: This is a rule that gives the game a lot of sizzle. It does, though, require a certain amount of bookkeeping and hon- When that wall hexside has suffered the number of hits listed below esty. (use SP markers) it is no longer there; otherwise, regardless of the number of hits it still provides the benefits listed on the terrain chart. Any units that the Mexican Player wishes to start an Assault Period As you can see from that table, it’s not a very effective form of inside a Partial or Full Urban Block, or in any Point to which a LOS warfare, is it. could be traced from any of the US Staging Areas only through a Full City Block, do not have to actually be placed on the map. Black Fort Walls are: They may be deployed “Hidden”. • The Moat/Outside Walls (3 Hits to destroy), EXAMPLE: At the start of the game, Mexican units in the Plaza de • Any Bastion hex in entirety (e.g., 2018) (6 Hits to destroy), and Mayor cannot be seen by any US units in Staging Areas because • Any of the 4 “walls” of the Citadel facing N, S, E or W. (5 Hits to LOS from the SA’s is blocked by the Urban City Blocks. destroy) To deploy Hidden units, record the unit and its Block location on a Fire at any other target—mostly personnel inside the Fort—is con- piece of paper at the start of the turn ducted as per the usual Artillery rules. A Hidden unit becomes “spotted”—no longer hidden and placed on SPECIAL MEXICAN COMMAND RULES the map—when one of the following happens: Ampudia’s Strategic Posture • It Fires or Shock Attacks. The Commander of the Mexican Army of the North, Major-Gen- • It moves into or through a hex or block into which any US unit on eral Pedro de Ampudia, spent most of the time prior to the actual the map could “see”—trace a LOS. (There is always a US unit in assault wavering between plans to attack Taylor’s army as it ap- any Staging Area which was used by the US Player at the start of proached (which wouldn’t have been a bad idea for the period in the Period). See the LOS mechanics in the Terrain rules. which Taylor’s army was strung out all over the Mexican countryside) and bowing to local pressure to hole up inside the city and Once the US Player occupies Obispado and both redans on El defend to the last man. Each strategy had its adherents and ulti- Soldado, mately Pedro decided on an almost totally defensive stance. It could • Units may hide only in Full City Blocks have been different—actually Ampudia was somewhat bold the first • Any movement by a Hidden unit reveals its location. day or so, using both his cavalry brigades to assault US troops— and we hereby allow the Mexican Player to choose between a handful of strategic postures. SPECIAL RULES Prior to each Assault Period the Mexican Player must choose whether FOR THE CITY he (Ampudia) will be Aggressive, Cautious, or Defensive. Each posture carries with it benefits and restrictions, and it also has a This section is quite extensive, as the “terrain” for Monterey is dif- major effect on the Ampudia Surrender die rolls. Virtually all of ferent from any other game in the system. All of the rules, below, these are listed on the Ampudia Strategic Posture Chart, which the apply to movement/combat inside the city. Mexican Player should peruse closely—and both players should

Monterey, a rather beautiful city of low-slung, white buildings, groves of trees, etc., is nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Madre— one of the more picturesque cities in northern Mexico. At the time of the battle it contained about 10,000 inhabitants. It also contains a host of problems for the designer, problems whose solutions ask for a bit of flexibility and understanding on the part of the players if they want to get some of the feel of what this fascinating assault was like. We have tried to be as brief as humanely possible. DESIGN NOTE: Many of you may have seen Monterey when watch- ing the several Major League games played there some years ago. The “mountain” in the background is the game’s Loma de Independencia. Most of our vision of Monterey, in terms of how we have represented it on the map, comes from the several detailed and descriptive pictures and drawings of the city included in Tyler’s “The Mexican War” (M.1) THE MAP (M.2) THE CITY The Monterey map is divided into two types of terrain: (M.21) Monterey is considered to be all Streets and City Blocks. The city of Monterey is defined by two things: • The Hex grid, for all areas outside “the city”. • A Block and Point system, for inside the city of Monterey. • The Street grid. The intersections where streets meet are called Street Points. There are also street points along streets where The former uses the normal terrain rules (9.4), except for The Black there are no intersections. Fort, which we’ll cover, below (M.9). • The City Blocks. The four different types of blocks represent the The Santa Catarina River was hip-deep fordable in most places, so varied level of buildings within that block. we have not bothered with any “ford” rules. The roads east of the city do not cross the river, or effect the cost of doing so. The road to (M.22) A Block is an area of the City surrounded by hexes, streets the south includes a bridge. and/or Block-Dividing lines. A Block is “identified” by the letters/ numbers of the streets surrounding it.

THE AMPUDIA STRATEGIC POSTURE CHART Posture Chosen: Item Affected Aggressive Cautious Defensive Initiative DR Adjustment 0 –1 –3 Efficiency Adjustment: Outside City +1 0 –1 Inside City 0 +1 +1 Units May Start Assault Period[a] Anywhere [b] In Monterey or All units of at least one infantry brigade a fortified hex must start in Ampudia's Range. Remainder in Monterey or fortified hex.

Cavalry Restrictions None [b] Starts in Monterey Starts in Monterey. +2 to all 11.54 DR. Effect on Orders Dierolls by Brigade Leaders inside City –1 0 +1 May use II/B to Change Orders if in Urban City YES NO NO Location of Ampudia Anywhere Must Start in Monterey Must Start and Stay in Cathedral Shock Attack Commitment? Dieroll –2 Dieroll Dieroll +2 Def. Shock Dieroll (11.37) Dieroll +2 Dieroll Dieroll –2 Barricades to Build 1 2 4 Calling Canales May Use 2 Canales AM May Use 1 Canales AM No Canales AM a = Uraga's Brigade must start in the Black Fort in the First assault Period b = But not within six MP's of a US Staging Area

There are four different types of blocks: and they are extremely difficult to cross. (They were fairly high.) 1. Open are blocks with little or no buildings/walls. Those build- Exception: the street ‘to Saltillo” running through the wall allows ings and other terrain shown have no effect on movement or com- passage through the wall. bat. (M.27) Elevation and LOS: Within the city, the following eleva- 2. Plazas are open areas and were the center of town activities. tion premises are used: PLAY NOTE: The Plaza de San Antonio and the Plaza Mayor (or • Streets, Open Blocks and Plaza Blocks are Level One. Main Square) are subdivided by Block Dividers into two or more • Partial City Blocks and Stone Walls are Level Two. blocks. The Plaza de San Antonio, at the southern edge of the city, • Urban City Blocks are Level Three. is divided into three Plaza Blocks, at the center of which is the city LOS may not be traced through Partial and Urban City Blocks. Cemetery, a Partial City Block (for game purposes). (M.3) URBAN CITY MOVEMENT 3. Partial City are blocks which contain enough buildings to aid protection but delay movement. (M.31) Units inside the Urban/Block portion of the city move from Point-to-Point, Point-to-Block (or vice versa), and/or block-to-block. 4. Urban City. These are the “urban” areas of Monterey, consisting If two blocks are separated by a Block Divider, units pay the cost of (mainly) of one story, flat-roofed adobe houses that the Mexi- entering the new block. cans have sandbagged and loop-holed for defense. (M.32) The cost to enter a block or street is whatever is listed on the Some of the Urban City blocks also represent larger edifices: chart, regardless of the size of the block or the length of the street. • The Hospital (P/Q-2/3). • The Prison (in the center of the Plaza Mayor, which disrupts Street (M.33) Infantry and cavalry using Attack Orders get several ben- #10). efits in the Urban City: • The Cathedral (X/10,11, just off the Plaza Mayor). • Units may move into an “adjacent” (see M.5) Point without draw- • The Bull Ring (Just off Street W, south of the Plaza Mayor). ing Reaction Fire. See M.63. • It negates any possible Ambush. See M.67. (M.23) Streets. Running through the city are the Streets. These are identified by (M.34) Command ranges are traced using Point and Block costs as numbers (from 1 to 11), for the streets running generally east-west, if they were hex costs. Ranges may never be traced through Urban and letters (A to BB) for those running generally north-south. Blocks, even if friendly occupied. PLAY NOTE: The Numbering/Lettering system for all of this is (M.35) Phasing units may enter City Blocks occupied by Enemy needed if you are using Hidden Movement and/or are playing by Units. See M.72. mail/computer. Along the streets are points, usually at intersections or correspond- (M.4) FACING AND STACKING IN URBAN ing to block dividers. Points are used to regulate movement of units. POINTS/BLOCKS When moving on streets, units move from Point to Point. (M.41) Units inside Monterey City do not have to be faced in any (M.24) Block Dividers divide and separate large Blocks into dif- particular direction. They are always considered to have “Frontal” ferent blocks. Dividers are not streets. They simply delineate blocks. facing and may not be flanked, either by fire or shock. (M.25) The Ojo de Agua, the canal running through the eastern PLAY NOTE: Thus, there is no cost to “change facing” while mov- section of the city, is a Stream, except where it becomes a Pond. See ing. the Terrain tables. There are several bridges crossing the canal. The (M.42) The Stacking restrictions inside the City are somewhat more canal acts as a Block Divider. restrictive: 4 SP of Foot, 3 SP Mounted, or one unit (whichever is (M.26) Stone Walls. These run along portions of the southern edge larger), plus 3 guns in a Point or 6 guns in a Block. Artillery may of the city, separating city blocks from plazas. They serve as protec- combine with either foot or mounted. tion, in that they pretty much negate any fire (they’re Level Two), (M.5) ADJACENCY (M.51) Inside the Urban City, the term “adjacent” means either: • A unit one Point distant from an enemy unit in another Point. • A unit in a Point which borders a Block occupied by an enemy unit (and vice versa). (M.52) Rule 9.52 does not apply inside the city. Instead: • Units using Advance Mode that move adjacent to an enemy unit may draw Movement Reaction Fire (M.63) from the latter. If they do draw Reaction Fire, they must stop, ending their movement for that Phase. If they do not draw fire, they may continue to move. PLAY NOTE: Thus, unlike 9.52, where mere presence and position is the defining factor, whether or not a unit must cease movement under adjacency circumstances depends on Reaction Fire.

• Units in Attack Mode do not draw Reaction Fire when moving +1 dr adjustment if unit spent only 1 MP to enter the hex (see adjacent to an enemy unit. However, 12.24). (a) they do have to stop (for that Phase) when so moving, but +1 dr adjustment if unit is in Attack Order. +2 dr adjustment if unit is in March Order. (b) they can Shock units in adjacent Points only—not Blocks (see M.72). Units in Advance may not Shock. The above are cumulative. DESIGN NOTE: In this case, “Attack” represents something dif- PLAY NOTE: This rule, essentially, is usable only when playing ferent than the usual, linear-oriented attack of the base game sys- with Hidden City Deployment. Otherwise, it’s too easy to avoid. tem. Note, though, that protecting a unit by using Defend Orders makes it difficult to launch any cohesive assaults on enemy-held blocks. (M.53) Artillery units may move adjacent only if stacked with a Interesting choice. friendly non-artillery unit, or moving into a Point/Block already occupied by a friendly non-artillery unit. (M.7) SHOCK (M.71) Any phasing unit under Attack Orders that ends Movement (M.6) FIRE COMBAT in a Point may Shock attack enemy units in: Fire Combat is pretty much the same inside the City as outside (in • any adjacent Point (including Points bordering a Block the unit the hex field), with the following changes. wishing to Shock is in); or (M.61) Range. • any hex adjacent to that Point, and vice versa (for units in hexes • Each Point is considered to be one hex from the next Point when just outside the city grid). using the Range Table. Units in Advance may not Shock attack when inside the City. • Each Block is considered to be one hex from any Point that is bordering that Block. (M.72) Any active unit that ends Movement in a Block (M.35) must • Each Block is considered to be two hexes from any adjacent Block, Shock attack enemy units in that Block. Thus, a phasing unit wish- whether separated by a street or a Block Divider. ing to Shock attack enemy units in a Block must first move into that Block as part of Movement and then resolve combat as part of Shock. (M.62) What a unit may fire at depends mostly on LOS. In this Stacking restrictions apply separately to each side. case, terrain elevation is important. Also a consideration, for units in street Points, is that you can only fire in a “straight line”; bullets PLAY NOTE: Shock Combat in Blocks takes place with both sides and shot do not turn corners. When in doubt, use a straight edge to in the same place. If it so happens that both sides are still there determine whether a unit in Point ‘a’ could fire at one in Point “B” after combat resolution, they stay there until one side leaves, ei- without intervening Blocks. ther voluntarily or involuntarily. (M.63) In addition to the types of non-Phasing Fire available through (M.73) Units that must Retreat from a Block; 10.4, a non-phasing unit may use Movement Reaction Fire against • do so into the Point from which they came, if the attacker; an enemy/Phasing unit that moves adjacent and is not in Attack • do so into any unoccupied Point otherwise. Mode. If they cannot so Retreat, they stay and lose an additional SP. PLAY NOTE: This is obviously more “fun” when you play Hidden (M.74) Units may not form Square in Points or Blocks. Movement. We called it “Adobe Ambush” during testing. PLAY NOTE: Remember, there is no Position Superiority. This is (M.64) Prepared Fire. The following units are always considered not linear warfare. to be using Prepared Fire: • All non-Phasing units in Fortified hexes, Blocks or Barricaded (M.75) Barricades. Barricades are jerry-rigged, tem- Points. porary street fortifications that provide defensive ben- • Phasing units that have not moved that Phase. efits for those “behind” (actually, stacked with) them, very much like Breastworks. Barricades may be placed: (M.65) Units in Blocks may fire in any direction (there is no “fac- • On any Street Point. ing”, remember?) However, firing in more than one direction is • On any bridge Point. treated as Splitting Fire. Units in Points may fire only into adjacent Blocks and into Points to which they may trace a LOS. Again, they The Mexican Player starts the game with three (3) Barricades. He may do so in any direction, but if firing in more than one direction, may build (place) additional barricades only at the beginning of the that is treated as Splitting Fire. 2nd, 3rd and 4th Assault Periods. The number of barricades he may so place is limited by Ampudia’s Strategic Posture and the counter (M.66) Units in Points may use no more than 4 SP (or two artillery mix (10). SP!) when firing in any one direction. Units in Blocks use 10.14. Barricades increase the cost of moving into a Point. They also add DESIGN NOTE: We have ignored the question as to whether units defensive (terrain) benefits to units that are stacked with the barri- in blocks are inside buildings or atop them. You don’t really want cade. The Monterey Terrain Chart lists the benefits/costs of barri- to get into that sort of detail, now do you? cades. (M.67) Adobe Ambush. A unit that is moving along streets is sub- Once in place, a barricade may not be moved. Any player may de- ject to Ambush when it enters the ZOC of a unit in a Full City Hex. stroy a barricade by passing into the Point and paying 1 MP to de- Essentially, such unit is subject to enemy Reaction Fire when it stroy barricade. He does not have to destroy it; it is simply an op- enters the street/ZOC—and such Reaction Fire is resolved with the tion. following possible adjustments:

(M.8) CAVALRY IN THE CITY seems to be a waste of good units. In game terms, perhaps so. Mounted Cavalry units operate differently—and far less effec- However, Ampudia and his staff viewed Ciudadela as the linchpin tively—inside the City than outside (in the hexes): of their northern defense. He did not intend to leave its defense to “Defenserias” and other assorted semi-rabble. Most players will • Mounted Cavalry may not move into Urban or Partial City Blocks, move at least one regiment out. Keep in mind, though, the VP worth although they can fire into them. of this fort. • Mounted Cavalry may charge only through and/into Plaza Blocks. Any other block type prohibits charging …or Shock of any kind, (M.93) Ampudia may give Orders directly to Uraga, in The Black unless they dismount. Fort—i.e., allow Uraga to change Orders—by using the telegraph. If Ampudia is in The Cathedral and Uraga is in The Black Fort, the • Mounted Cavalry may charge “down” a street to shock/charge telegraph can be used, which means there is no Orders Rating die enemy units in a Point. They gain all the benefits of Charge— roll necessary for Uraga (even though he’s “out of range”). except they first halve their SP (rounding down) before making any adjustments. (The Lords of Design Giveth, and the Lords of (M.94) All Artillery Fire against the Fort Walls is resolved using Design Taketh Away). The charge path must be straight. (In other the US Siege Gun Table. No other US guns have any affect on the words, no turning the corner to charge). Walls. For all other, anti-personnel Fire, units inside the Black Fort ignore all ‘d’ results. All D’s become d’s (with no +/– modifiers). (M.9) THE BLACK FORT (M.95) Artillery and infantry in the Black Fort get a +1 drm to all of The Black Fort—so named by the US troops because the walls were their Fire. black—was called Ciudadela (Citadel) by the Mexicans. The Cita- del was a heavily reinforced and fortified abandoned cathedral with PLAY NOTE: Infantry in the Clear hexes cannot fire at anything 25–30 foot walls. The Mexicans surrounded it by some more works: outside the fort. 11-foot thick walls and a 12-foot moat. All of this stood on a small hill, rendering virtually any spot on the map within reach of her (M.96) There are only two AM for The Black Fort, and they are guns. Communications between the fort, commanded by Colonel used for all the artillery and infantry inside the Fort plus Uraga, if José Lopez Uraga, and HQ was handled by a rough form of tele- he starts inside the Fort. If Uraga starts Outside the Fort, the units in graph! Essentially—and practically—it was untakeable by the type his brigade that are also outside use the applicable AM. The Mexi- of army Taylor had. However, for those who insist… can Player gets 2 Black Fort AM each Turn, and they are not affected by Mexican Efficiency. Units inside the Black Fort never run (M.91) The Black Fort consists of four types of terrain: out of ammunition. • The Moat (moat and wall, as noted above). The Moat/Outer Wall (M.97) Units occupying the fort may enter and leave the fort via the is Level 4. These Walls need 3 hits to be destroyed. road/bridge using road rates. Units that do not control the fort may • Clear Terrain inside the Moat. These are Level 3 (2017, 2115, not use this road or bridge. 2118 and 2217). • The Bastions (at each of the four corners). These are Level 4 UNUSUAL EVENTS AND RULES (2016, 2018, 2216 and 2218). These Walls need 6 hits to be de- Duty Calls #1: Ole Davy Twiggs stroyed. This rule concerns one of those tangential stories that • The actual Citadel, the “block” in the center (2116 and 2117). make reading about wars and the people who fought This is Level 4. These Walls need 5 hits to be destroyed. them so much less depressing than it ought to be. Seems that the irrepressible Twiggs had this great fear of get- (M.92) The fort was built to hold about 30 guns; the Mexicans had ting a bullet in the belly and dying from, not the actual wound, but nine (the number varies based on the source). The guns are placed the infection that would quickly result. Ole Davy, who was not the either in a bastion or the Citadel. Once placed they may not move. Mensa representative at Monterey, theorized that if he emptied his The garrison troops are placed in any hex, bastion inside the fort, or colon of all matter there would be a much lesser chance of suc- in the Citadel, which is treated as if it were a single Urban Block. cumbing to such a horrible death. It, therefore, occurred to him that taking a laxative right before the battle would allow him to enter the DESIGN AND PLAY NOTE: Historically, the fort was manned by fray clean as a whistle, at least “colonically.” Then, extending that Uraga’s “brigade”. The Mexican Player will quickly note that this line of thinking to the sort of conclusion Ole Davy often came up with, he figured an extra dose would keep him extra spanking clean …cleaner than clean, as it were. Doesn’t take too long to figure out where Twiggs spent the 21st: in back of his tent, glued to his seat, lending depth to the phrase hors de combat. For those of you wishing to simulate this, at the start of each Period of play, roll a die for Twiggs. If the die roll is odd, Davy’s on the throne and is unavailable for the day’s events. Garland now commands his division, with Major Lear running the 3/1 brigade. If even, duty has called (ahem), and Twiggs is fit to command. Well, he never was really fit to command—but at least he’s upright. This can only happen once.

Duty Calls #2: Antonio Canales Antonio Canales’ contingent of “rancheros” had been MONTEREY VICTORY CHART disbanded after their dismal (non)-performance at both US VP's Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma. Canales, himself, Objective for US Occupation Earned was still “negotiating” to have the US set him up as El Supremo of Northern Mexico, so the Mexican High Command was The Cathedral (Block #163) Auto. US Victory viewing him a little suspiciously anyway. Any hex inside The Black Fort 25 Therefore, they assigned him about 600 auxiliaries from Tamaulipas Each Full City Block Controlled 1 and, putting him under Ampudia’s command, gave him instructions to harass the approaching gringos and then report for duty—neither La Teneria Redan (2403) 3 of which he did to any great effect. The result was that, when the La Teneria Distillery (2503) 1 battle started, Canales and his troopers were outside the city. El Rincon del Diablo 2 This was an interesting opportunity for Ampudia to put a little pres- Fort Libertad 3 sure on Taylor, and he did attempt to make contact with Canales. Nothing, however, came of it—and Canales was a no-show at the Obispado (Bishop's Palace) 5 main event. We give you the (slim) opportunity to correct that over- Federacion Redan 1 sight. El Soldado 3 If the Ampudia’s Strategic Posture for the period is either Aggres- sive or Cautious he may attempt to get Canales into play. To do this Southern Redans (both, 4323-4) 1 he places either 1 (Cautious Posture) or 2 (Aggressive Posture) Plaza del Toro (Bull Ring, Block #146) 2 Canales AM in The Pool. Each time the Canales AM is drawn, the Mexican Player rolls the die: Plaza de San Antonio (all blocks) 1 • If he rolls an ‘8’ or ‘9’, Canales is activated for the rest of that Purisma Bridge Plaza (block #153) 2 Assault Period. The AM used to activate cannot be used to move Santa Catarina Bridge (3830-3930) 1 Canales men; that will occur with the rest of the AM drawn that Period. Once activated, place all the Canales AM in The Pool; he Each time Cathedral is hit [a] by US Arty Fire 1 will have 2 AM each turn, no more, no less. At the end of his Each Mexican Brigade Ineffective [b] 10 active Assault Period, Canales goes home and is no longer in the game. a = A Hit is any result other than a No Effect. The Terrain • If he rolls a ‘2–7’, the attempt has failed. Effects of being a Full City Block apply. Note that because of its height - tallest building in town by far - the • If he rolls a ‘0’ or a ‘1’ not only has the attempt failed but the Cathedral can be "seen" from virtually anywhere on the Mexican Player may not try again for the remainder of the game. map! Once Canales is activated, his AM is available to be placed in the b = Canales “brigade” does not count for VP. pool for the rest of that Period. However, Canales and his troopers always start a Period off map. The Mexican Player must immediately write down which hex he wishes to use for Canales’ entry AMPUDIA SURRENDER TABLE (when finally activated), either: United States Victory Points Accumulated • 4053, 4832, 1949, or 1039 by end of Assault Period Canales enters like any other reinforcement, except that he may not Posture for do so if the chosen hex is enemy-occupied. The Mexican Player that Period 0-15 16-30 31-45 46-60 61-80 81+ may not change the Entry Hex, but once Canales has entered he Aggressive NO 8-9 5-9 2-9 Auto Auto stays on the map for the rest of that Period, to be used as an additional brigade. Cautious NO 9 7-9 5-9 1-9 Auto Defensive NO NO 9 7-9 4-9** Auto Winning the Game At the end of any Assault Turn in which the US Player occupies the If it is the 4th Assault Period, subtract one (–1) from all dierolls. Cathedral the US Player automatically wins the game. Failing that, An Auto is still an Auto. the following is the method to determine victory. NO = Surrender? Besame mi Burrito, Gringo! In the Surrender Interphase, at the end of each Assault Period (not # - # = If US Player rolls within this range, Mexicans sur- turn), the US Player totals the number of Victory Points he has ac- render and US Wins; otherwise, treat as a NO. cumulated for occupying or controlling (last to occupy) hexes and Auto = Vamos, muchachos!! It's all yours, Gringo! blocks, along with a few other items as listed on the Surrender Chart. ** = Historical Result He then rolls the die and consults the Surrender Table under the column for the Strategic Posture assumed by the Mexican Player during the past Period. If he rolls within the range listed, Ampudia surrenders and the US Player wins. If not, proceed with the next Period. If it is the 4th (last) Period, subtract one from any die roll …and this time, if the US Player doesn’t win, the Mexican does.

PLAY NOTE: The Mexican Deployment at the start of each As- sault Period can be very important. His main problem is he’s got MONTEREY INITIAL too much ground to cover. This is an aspect of play that will im- DEPLOYMENTS prove exponentially after the first play-through. First Assault Period HISTORICAL NOTE: Most of the Mexican deployment is “un- known.” Mejia did have his HQ at the Purisma Bridge, with the General Sequence: The Mexican Player determines his initial de- following known “dispositions.” ployment first. He places all his units that could be "seen" by the US Player on the map . The US Player then determines which divi- • About 300 of the Aguascalientos and Querétero Activos held the sions will enter through which of his Staging Areas. And, finally, Purisma position, along with the 12-pounders. the Mexican Player places the rest of his units on the map (unless • The remainder of the Querétero Activos plus some companies he is using Hidden Deployment). from the 2nd Ligero held the La Teneria redoubt. The Mexican Army of the North • The rest of the brigade was within the triangular area formed by the Purisma Bridge, La Tenéria and El Rincon del Diablo, the last The Mexican Player will be operating under the restrictions of what- of which was held by several hundred more men from one of the ever Strategic Posture Ampudia (the Mexican Player) has chosen; remaining regiments. see below. Ramirez's Brigade was assigned the western edge of the city, and it Once that is determined, he places his units on the map. The Mexi- was his men who held the positions on both Independencia and can Player has available all units with an “M” on them, and listed Federacion. on the Monterey OoB, below. There are, however, several deployment requirements for the first Assault Period: • Ft. Libertad contained a small detachment. • Obispado was held by the 1st Mexico Activo. 1. Uraga's Brigade must be placed in the Black Fort. It is under “Attack” Orders. It appears that Romero's cavalry was stationed at the western end of the city, while Torrejon watched the approaches from the shadow of 2. For the first Period, the Mexican must make the following artil- the Black Fort, on the outskirts of the north-central edge of town. lery dispositions: The US Army of Occupation Initial Deployment Where What The US Player has available all the units with an “M”, and listed on Black Fort two 4-pounders, six 12-pounders; one 18- the Monterey OoB, below. pounder; guns are placed in either one or more of the 4 corner bastions, or in 2116-7, The US assigns each of his four divisions to one of his four Staging all hexes of which are Level 3. Areas (see the map) to start the first Assault Period. He may assign a division to any of the four Staging Areas, but only one (1) Divi- El Rincon del three 8-pounders. sion may be assigned to SA #4. Diablo (3106) In addition, the US player may assign any one Cavalry regiment La Teneria (2403) two 8-pounders; one 4-pounder; one H6 (both counters, if that applies) to any one brigade. He may also howitzer attach the C, 1 US battery to a brigade that has no other battery. Purísma Têtes-de- two 8-pounders, one 12-pounder; The US units do not have to be placed on the map until they actu- pont (the 2 bridges one counter in each bridge/Point. ally move. Units in the SA's are not reinforcements; they are con- just west of 2911) sidered to be "on the map" (even though, physically, they are not). Fort Libertad (3146) four 6-pounders. They appear, and move, when activated. Obispado (3341) two 8-pounders, one 12-pounder, one H6 Orders are assigned as the US Player wishes. Howitzer. The Historical Dispositions for the first day of the assault were: Federacion Redan two 8-pounders. SA #1: Twiggs' 1st Division, Butler's Field Division and (4439) Henderson's Cavalry, the latter minus all the Texas Cavalry, plus the C, 1 US Heavy Artillery. Anywhere in ten 6-pounders. Monterey SA #4: Worth's 2nd Division, to which was attached the Texas Cavalry. The latter must be assigned to a brigade. There are no guns in El Soldado. 3. Canales and his Presidiales are not available until activated; see Duty Calls #2. 4. The remainder of the units available may be placed as desired. All units start under whatever Orders the Mexican Player wishes (except for Uraga’s brigade, above). 5. The Mexican Player may place three (3) Barricade counters in any street intersection he wishes.

© 2004 GMT Games, LLC Gringo! Battle Book 29 CHANGES TO BASIC GBACW RULES (3.0) SEQUENCE OF PLAY II. A. Activation Efficiency Determination. There is no “Efficiency”; this is already pre-determined; see changes to 5.2, below. II. B Division Orders. Used only by the US and only if the brigadier is within Command Range of Worth. II. C Reinforcement Orders is not used. II. D Reserve Placement is not used. (4.0) COMMAND There are no Corps/Army Commanders; only Brigadiers, plus the US has a Division Commander (who is, for game purposes, the OC), Worth, who moves only in the Commander Movement Phase (IV/A). The Mexicans have no Overall Commander, and must function under that reality. Worth’s Activation Rating is not used. EL MOLINO DEL REY HISTORICAL NOTE: Santa Anna spent virtually the entire five Mexico City, September 9, 1847 days of the Battle for Mexico City either in, or riding around, the city, performing no function other than to mess around with the Molino is a good introduction to the GBACW system. Counters are deployment of troops to no visible gain. His only appearance at El few, the command and activation system is somewhat less detailed, Molino and Chapultepec was about an hour after the North Ameri- and the action is rather fast and furious. cans had taken the Mill. He had no perceptible effect on either one of the assaults. Historical Background The basic premise is that the US Player (Winfield Scott) has de- (5.0) ACTIVATION cided that the best approach to the city—about a mile and a half NE (5.1) US adds two (+2) to Initiative DR. of the game-map—is across the eastern and southern causeways. The only way for him to use these causeways is to take the key (5.2) There is no Efficiency in this battle. Mexican “stronghold”, Chapultepec. • The US always gets three (3) Army AM per turn; • The Mexican gets three Army (3) AM per turn in each turn in However, Scott is also under the (misguided) impression that the which it has the Initiative. In turns in which the US has the Initia- two buildings to the west, Casa Mata and El Molino del Rey, are tive, it gets two (2) Army AM. repositories for Mexican artillery. He has decided that, before he PLAY NOTE: If you wish to give the Mexicans a leg up, ignore the can proceed to Chapultepec, and thence Mexico City itself, he must 2 AM for No Initiative restriction, and give them 3 AM each turn. secure his left flank. (5.3) When a player’s Army AM is drawn, he may activate all of his Although Scott had his entire army at his disposal, when he attacked units, not just some. The only exception is that General Worth moves El Molino, many of the units were dispersed, to the east, as “feints only in the OC Movement Phase, IV/A, as per 4.17. , and thus the US Player has only three brigades available. (5.34) Only the US may use Brigade Coordination. Map This El Molino map uses a scale of 110 yards per hex. (5.36) As there is no Mexican leader above Brigade Level; all Mexi- can brigadiers are treated as Out of Command for this battle and, Length of Game thus, do not get to use II/B (Division Orders). The game is played until one player wins; see below. (6.0) THE ORDERS SYSTEM Balance (6.1) There are no March orders in this battle; just Advance and Attack. The Mexicans again outnumber the US, although that is illusory, as much of the Mexican numerical strength is in its cavalry, which (6.3) The Reserve Rule is not used. played almost no part in the battle. However, the Mexicans do have what appears to be a solid defensive position. Yet, the US is still (10.0) FIRE COMBAT favored …mostly because the two Mexican defensive positions are (10.61) Mexican artillery may not move and fire in the same Phase. not mutually supportable, many—but certainly not all—of the Mexi- can units are shaky, and the Mexicans have little or no functional (11.0) SHOCK ASSAULT command system. (11.37) [NEW DRM] Units defending against shock behind a For- tification or Stone Wall hexside subtract one (–1) when undertaking a Pre-Shock Cohesion check. See the Terrain Rules for this battle for more detail on the several different types of man-made fortifications.

(13.0) MORALE AND RALLY lege (Colegio Militar). The depiction of this fort is rather simpli- (13.3) Do not use Division Combat Effectiveness. fied, because of the scale. Therefore: • Regardless of the elevation level of the hex, only those hexsides (13.42) Mexican Brigadiers do not provide any Rally DRMs. with the “steep” icon are Steep. (14.0) SPECIAL UNITS • It costs infantry 1 MP to move into 1809 by the Road. If they are attacking into that hex from 1909, it is treated as if the Road were (14.2) Mexican cavalry may not Dismount. not there. (15.0) ENGINEERING • It costs Infantry 2 MP to move from 1808 to 1809 and vice versa. (15.1) No one may build breastworks. • It costs infantry 3 MP to move in either Colegio hex (1808-9) from a hex outside US units may enter, or Shock across, a Colegio (17.0) FATIGUE hex only if they roll a 7–9 when they wish to do so. This repre- Fatigue is not used; the battle is too short. sents the confusion and delay in getting scaling ladders to the troops. Mexican units may not cross the walls to move in or out of the Colegio. • Artillery may enter 1808-9 only by means of the road; the cost listed is for moving from 1808-9 and vice versa. Cavalry may not enter the Colegio. Fortifications. Much detailed by Lee’s survey, these are well-constructed breastwork-type blockades, built for protecting firing units as well as retarding charging enemy. They offer such protection only against units firing/attack through the hexsides with the teeth pointing out. SPECIAL RULES Stone Walls. Just like it says, but not built for military purposes. FOR THE BATTLE They simply exist as protection and a barrier. Trench. This is the large, dry ditch that runs just in front of Casa TERRAIN Mata, used by Ramirez to deploy his brigade. It offers the usual protection such ersatz—and here, rather erratic—trenches usually The Molino battlefield looks simple; that is deceptive, as there is offer. much detail, and a large handful of unusual “terrain” types, both natural and man-made. HISTORICAL NOTE: There appears to have been a similar, but smaller, ditch running north-south, along the western edge of the Marsh/Flooded. Mexico City (off the map to the NE) is surrounded park of Cypress groves. It is mentioned in two sources, but is not by partially reclaimed swamp (at this time). Some of it was fields, on any maps. As it did not play any part in the battle, we have some of it marsh. Pretty much all of it had been flooded by Santa ignored it. Anna at the approach of the North Americans, reducing (most) military movement to the Causeways. Fosse: The Mexicans had dug a ditch in front of the western edge of the wall of the Colegio Militar. This, and the mines planted just Cypress Grove. These were part of the Chapultepec Park and were below it, is covered in much greater detail in the Chapultepec sce- rather swampy—and very beautiful. Note that hex 1711 is not so nario. much “flooded” as swampy without the cypress trees. Ditch: The western side of the Chapultepec Park had an irrigation Maguey Hexsides. A line of large maguey plants—medium height, ditch (apparently dry) that provided a minor obstacle. cactus/palm-like flora—which offered some protection. Causeway. Slightly elevated road through the flooded lands and Ravines. The two dry ravines on the map were almost uncrossable, marshes. No effect on combat. except where the Roads traversed them. Using the Roads negates the cost of crossing the ravines. However, units Shock Attacking Aqueducts. Several of the Causeways had large, stone aqueducts across the Ravine where the road crosses still use the Ravine Com- running their length to/from the city. The aqueducts offered protec- bat effects. No US infantry unit may cross the west-most ravine tion to any one using them for such, although it was not difficult to [1827/1828 to 2434/2533] or move west of it. move through them, by way of their many, large arches. Note that such protection applies only to units defending against fire/attack Strongpoint Buildings: Here we refer specifically to Casa Mata, a coming through a hexside not connected to the defending hex by small fort-like building, and El Molino (including 2114), a series of the aqueduct. The aqueducts block LOS for artillery, but not for low, flat-roofed warehouses which had been strengthened by sand- muskets. bags on the roofs, etc. Casa Mata was surrounded, except where the road entered the building, by a dry moat. That effect is built-in. AM Availability Mexican units, if required to retreat Casa Mata or El Molino, may The US uses the 3 US Army AM; the Mexican Player has available take a step loss instead three Mexican Army AM; how many he gets to use depends on Initiative. Chapultepec. The name refers specifically to the 200-foot high “Hill of the Grasshopper”, atop which rests the Mexican Military Col-

Initiative Victory The US Player automatically has the Initiative for the first game- The games is played until one player wins. Who wins is determined turn. After that, players Die roll, with the US adding two (+2) to his as follows: DR. See the US First Turn restrictions, below. The U.S. Player wins if, at the end of any game-turn (not Activa- U.S. First Turn, First AM tion Phase), he occupies all hexes of two of the following: The US starts the game with the Initiative. However, for that first • Casa Mata (1822). Army AM (only) he may activate only: • El Molino (1816, 1915, 2015, 2016). • The Storming Party and the Light Battalion. • Chapultepec (1808-9). • His artillery, but they may only Fire, not move. The Mexican Player wins if, at the end of any game-turn, any two brigades (Sumner’s Cavalry is not considered a brigade for this U.S. First Turn Command purpose) are Combat Ineffective. All US brigadiers are considered to be in Command Range of Worth—although they really aren’t—for the first game-turn only. If both of the above exist at the same time, the game is a Draw. (The (They’ve been given their orders.) US Player has taken his objectives, but has lost enough men to render the capture of Mexico City a much more difficult project than it historically was.)

EL MOLINO DEL RAY US Deployment & Reinforcements

Hex Units [All Brigades are under Advance Orders] 3212 Worth [a] W/i one hex of 2814 Garland; 4th US, 2nd Arty, 3rd Arty 2624-2526 McIntosh [b]; 5th US, 6th US, 8th US 2821, 2921, 3021 Cadwalader; 11th US, 14th US, Voltigeurs and Foot Riflemen [c] 2619 Wright’s Storming Party (2 bns) [d] 2719 The Light Battalion [d] W/i one hex of 2529 Sumner; 1st, 2nd, 3rd Dragoons, Mounted Rifles (mounted) [e] 2706 One 6-pounder from Drum's G/4 US battery 2713 Two 6-pounders from Drum's G/4US battery 2718 Huger's two 24-pounders 2623 Duncan's battery (A, 2US a and b)

a MajGen William Worth commanded the assault on El d These units operate independently; they have no leader: Molino with this ad hoc, reinforced division: his two bri- • They are always In Command. gades (Garland's and Clark/McIntosh's), plus Cadwalader’s • They may Change Orders when activated without (from Pillow's Division). dierolling.

b Col McIntosh is standing in for Brig Gen Clark, the actual e Sumner’s Cavalry may not move until a Mexican cavalry brigade commander, who is hors de combat for this battle. unit enters the map. After that, they’re free to do what they want. c These two units start stacked; they were both part of the same regiment (The Regiment of Voligeurs and Foot Rifle- No US infantry unit may cross the ravine [1827/1828 to 2434/ men). 2533] or move west of it.

Hex Units [All Brigades are under Advance Orders] 1820-4 (Casa Mata) Perez; 4 Ligero, 11 Line Infantry; Deploy Extended a W/i 2 hexes of 1915 Leon; Nat.Guard units of Liberty Bn, Union Bn, Querétaro Bn, Miña Bn b 1603, 1604 Rangel; Guanajuato Activos; Hidalgo Bn c 1917-1927 [c] Ramirez; 1st Line, 12th Line, 2nd Ligero [d], Fijo de Mexico Bn [See below] d 1817-1819 Two 2SP 4-pounders, one 3SP 8-pounder e In or adjacent to the Colegio Militar Bravo; 3rd Ligero, Students of the Colegio Militar; two 24-pounders; one 68- pounder Howitzer

a These two units were quite large, especially the 11th Line, Whenever a Mexican AM is drawn, the Mexican Player may with a reported strength of around 900. That’s 18 SP, and attempt to activate—and bring in—one of his cavalry brigades. that means it can extend two additional hexes. To do this, he rolls the die for the chosen brigade: • If the choice is Alvarez, a DR of 0 or 9 will activate that b Our numbers for these units (in terms of SP) are based on brigade. the troop strengths on the 13th (the assault on Chapultepec), • If the choice is Andrade, a DR of 9 will activate that bri- upped to account for losses. We could not find any numbers gade. specific to El Molino. The Fijo Bn is sometimes listed as the Regular Mexican Standing Battalion. Mexican cavalry enters the game in Advance Mode, through hex 3201. c Rangel was originally deployed in the Mata/Molino area, but Santa Anna withdrew him as a reserve brigade the night Once activated, the brigade is available for the remainder of before the US attack. the battle, unless/until it becomes Combat Ineffective. At the end of the Game Turn that it does so, all units in that brigade d It appears, in some sources, that Ramirez placed 2 compa- are permanently removed from the game, regardless where nies (160 men) of the 2nd Ligero in the Cypress Garden. It they are at the time. is possible that this was actually the 3rd Ligero, which started on Chapultepec, but moved to reinforce the troops at El Available Mexican Cavalry [a]: Molino early in the battle. Alvarez; 2nd Line Cav, 3rd Line Cav, 5th Line Cav, 9th Line Cav, Tulancingo Curaissiers e There is no indication of the size/type of guns in this group. There is also some question as to whether there were six or Andrade; Oaxaca Cav Bn, Michoacan Cav Bn; Los Pintos seven guns. However, by the 13th, the Mexicans had three infantry [b] 4-pounders and an 8-pounder inside the castle, most likely the remaining guns from El Molino. Our Mexican sources [a] Both brigades comprise Alvarez’s cavalry division. He say six at El Molino, but the North Americans captured three commands one of its brigades, Andrade the other. We treat guns at that battle. As Mexican artillery fire at El Molino them as separate brigades. was not very effective or helpful, we’ve gone with 6. To make matters even more confusing, it is not quite clear ex- [b] A most interesting unit. According to the notes in Smith, actly where these guns were deployed. We’ve gone with the vol 2., and a Mexican source, these were “semi-savage information that, when Santa Anna redeployed, he moved “pintos”—men from the hot region … marked with spots. his six guns “closer to El Molino”. They lay flat when charged upon, and hewed the enemy down with heavy knives (machetes), and they were ex- MEXICAN REINFORCEMENTS pected to fill the Americans with terror.” Perhaps. But that’s A large force of Mexican cavalry (with a lone supporting foot the only mention they ever get, anywhere. As you see, they unit) is sitting just off the map, to the west of Hacienda Los have no small-arms. Morales. Santa Anna had hoped that it would play a big role in sweeping the North Americans from the field by attacking their flank. That never happened, a result of poor command cooperation, and the usual reluctance of the Mexican leaders.

© 2004 GMT Games, LLC Gringo! Battle Book 33 CHANGES TO BASIC GBACW RULES (3.0) SEQUENCE OF PLAY II. A. Activation Efficiency Determination. There is no “Effi- ciency”; this is already pre-determined; see changes to 5.2, below. II.D. Reserve Placement is not used. III.C.3. Action Phase: • Add: The US Player may fire his off-map Artillery as an activation. • Add: The Mexican Player may use his AM to attempt to Activate one of his Brigades. (4.0) COMMAND CERRO GORDO (4.11) The Army Commanders have two functions: April 18, 1847 • Initiative. • Santa Anna also acts as Division Commander for the Mexicans, Preliminary Information in that any brigadier within his Command Range may Change Cerro Gordo presents the designer with several problems. First is Orders, without a die roll, in the Division Orders Phase (II/B). that the battle took place over two days. One the 18th, the US ad- US Brigadiers may do same if the chain of command —Scott to vanced one division to seize Atayala. Santa Anna’s reaction to that Division to Brigadier—is in place. was minimal. On the following morning, the battle continued. For game purposes we have melded the two days into one continuous (4.12) There are no Corps Commanders (ignore 4.12). flow of play (12 turns). (4.13) The US Division Commanders’ Activation Rating is not used. Second is that eternal game design bugaboo: the players know too Moreover, they move as per 4.17. much, far more than the historical participants. The lines of sight were almost non-existent for all but troops on the higher elevations, (4.3) There are no Artillery Leaders. and, even “worse,” Santa Anna was convinced, as were most of his (5.0) ACTIVATION advisors, that the only approach was by the National Highway and some of the lower ground just to the south (as you can see from the (5.2) There is no Efficiency in this battle. Both Players always get initial Mexican deployment). For this reason all Mexican units start three Army AM per turn. See “new” 5.37, below. the game “inactive”. (5.3) When a player’s Army AM is drawn, he may activate all of his Given all of that, Cerro Gordo is, like most of the battles in this units, not just some. The only exception is that US Division com- war, an unusual one. The US is very aggressive, the Mexicans are manders move only in the OC Movement Phase, IV/A, as per 4.17. not. However, the Mexicans have far more troops and the advan- tages that mountainous terrain can offer. (5.34) Only the US may use Brigade Coordination. (5.37) If the Mexican Player uses an AM to activate one of his bri- Map gades, as above, then he may not undertake the Action Phase with This scenario uses the Cerro Gordo map. The scale is c. 115 yards his units, except for artillery fire. per hex. (5.4) Not used. Length of Game 12 turns—or about five hours based on playtester experience. (6.0) THE ORDERS SYSTEM (6.1) There are no March orders in this battle; just Advance and Balance Attack. Favors the US, but not greatly. Much depends on how the Mexican (6.12) Division Orders is used only by the US, and only when Tay- Player reacts—when he can—to the US advance. Hopefully, the lor is on the map. Mexican player, given what he knows, will do a damn sight better than Santa Anna. For the Mexicans there are no Divisions. Any brigade in command range to Santa Ana may change orders in this phase. Initiative (6.3) Units may not enter Reserve. The US Player automatically has the Initiative until the turn after Atalaya is taken. Starting with the next turn, players roll for Initia- PLAY NOTE: Two Mexican brigades and the Mexican reinforce- tive, with the US Player adding Scott’s Initiative rating to his die ments are in reserve at the start of the game. This means they can- roll if Scott is on the map (and 9.33 isn’t in effect). not be activated until taken out of reserve at the end of Turn one, at the earliest.

(10.0) FIRE COMBAT to cross the mountains and reach Mexico City. As such, it provides (10.61) Mexican artillery may not move and fire in the same Phase. the best method of movement in the game, negating the general Remember, they need not be activated to fire. movement restriction applied to all terrain, above. Rio del Plan. This was not a very big river, in terms of width. How- (11.0) SHOCK ASSAULT ever, it ran through a gorge with cliffs of up to 500 feet. It was (11.5) Cavalry Charge uncrossable. The Mexicans have, potentially, a large contingent of cavalry. Unfor- tunately, they have three factors working against their efficient use: Steep Slopes. Infantry moving up, and cavalry moving down, Steep Slopes must, at the conclusion of their movement for that Phase, • The terrain, which limits the Charge Path (11.52 and 11.53) and UDD to see if such movement has Disordered them. any charge benefits (11.55). Of course, they can use normal Shock (into hexes they can actually reach). Fortification (el Telegrafo). Santa Anna’s engineering preparations • Their commander, General Valentin Canalizio, was, shall we say, were amazingly half-hearted and slipshod. Some redoubts were fin- somewhat lacking in eagerness to participate. Perhaps his “fore- ished; others (such as the ones for the easternmost Mexican troops) boding of disaster” (most likely his) made him a bit tense and un- were only laid out in terms of placement. For those fortifications in sure. Not unusual with Mexican upper level officers in this war. place, a unit in a hex protected by these redoubts may fire through any hexside that is part of the hex it is in. Moreover, a unit in such a • The units themselves: The splendiferously and colorfully uni- hex cannot be “flanked” through a redoubt hexside. formed Mexican cavalry regiments performed poorly throughout the war, usually failing to attack, or even participate, in any mean- PLAY NOTE: Remember that units defending inside such fortifi- ingful way. (There were exceptions.) At Cerro Gordo they took cations (a) get a –1 DRM to any pre-Shock Cohesion checks, and one look at the approaching North American’s and high-tailed it (b) may ignore Retreat results. back to Mexico City. The Camp. The tents of Santa Anna’s army were spread all over (11.55) Additional DRM: Lancers add one (+1) when Charging. this area. They have no affect on the game. DESIGN/HISTORICAL NOTE: The Tulancingo Cuirassiers, prob- Mexican Activation ably the best cavalry unit in the Mexican Army, was, in the Napo- All Mexican units, except those In Reserve, start the game “inac- leonic sense, Heavy Cavalry. While this does not give them a Shock tive”. Inactive infantry units may not undertake anything in their DRM, they are far easier to commit to combat with their high Co- AM’s Action Phase, except that any artillery may fire (at targets to hesion Ratings, reflecting their “heaviness”. which it can trace a LOS). (13.0) MORALE AND RALLY There are two ways units may be Activated, and once activated they (13.3) Division Combat Effectiveness. Not used. remain so for the rest of the game. Any Mexican Brigade (units in Command range only) or any indi- (13.42) This may not be used by Mexican leaders. They may not be vidual unit, is automatically activated at the start of any Mexican used to affect/help Rally in any way. AM that any US combat unit is within four (4) MP and Line of (15.0) ENGINEERING Sight. (15.1) This section is ignored; no one may build breastworks. For any one of his AM drawn in any one Game-Turn, the Mexican Player may Activate any one brigade (units in Command range only). (17.0) FATIGUE Units of that brigade may undertake a normal Action Phase. If he Fatigue is not used; the battle is too short. chooses to do this, he may not undertake anything else, other than artillery fire, with any other units. SPECIAL RULES US Off-Map Artillery Starting with the Game-Turn after the Turn in which the US Player FOR THE BATTLE (first) captures Atalaya, he has the use of a 68-pounder piece of Heavy Artillery that they have managed to drag up the side of the TERRAIN ridges to the south of the Rio del Plan (about 4 hexes off-map). The Faux Road/Northern Approach. Given the above, Santa Anna Each time a US AM has been drawn/selected, before undertaking was sure that the only avenue of approach to his Cerro Gordo posi- any other action, the US Player may designate as a target of this gun tion was along the Highway. However, engineers Pierre G.T. Beau- any one hex south of, or adjacent to (and north of) the National regard and Z.B. Tower informed Scott that Santa Anna could be Highway between 2334 and 4330, inclusive. He then rolls one die flanked by moving to the north of his positions. Scott sent Robert E. (there are no DRM), consults the Off-Map Artillery Fire Table, and Lee and some engineers out to clear the path as far as could be done applies the result, if any. (about to the point where a LOS can be gained from la Atalaya to the mouth of that path as it emerged), and that was where, and by Victory what means, Scott planned his attack. The game starts with Twigg’s The game is played until one player wins or 12 turns have been two brigades having used this “cleared” (well, made somewhat played. Who wins is determined as follows: easier) path. The U.S. Player wins if, at the end of any game-turn (not Activa- The National Highway. The Mexican opinion was that this excel- tion Phase), he occupies El Telegrafo (2030) and has exited at least lent (for that era) road was the only viable route an army could take 10 SP of non-disordered Infantry off the map through 1027.

Mexican Historical Victory: The Mexican Player wins if, at the If neither player has achieved victory, as above, by the end of twelve end of any game-turn, any three (3) U.S. brigades are Combat Inef- (12) turns, the Mexican Army is considered to have survived and fective and the US has not satisfied the above victory conditions. blocked passage. The Mexican Player wins. Mexican Competitive Victory: The Mexican Player wins if, at the end of any game-turn, any two (2) U.S. brigades are Combat Ineffective and the US has not satisfied the above victory conditions. This victory condition may not be used if the Mexican Cav- alry have been activated. CERRO GORDO Initial US Deployment CERRO GORDO Players choice as to start Orders. Set-up only is 1 unit per hex. Hex Units Initial Mexican Deployment Level 2 hex Twiggs (2 Div), Harney (1/2Div); All Brigades are under Advance Orders except Vasquez and between 3125-3625 1st Artillery, 3 US, Regt of Mounted Ampudia. inclusive Rifles (dismounted); K, 1 US Artillery Units may be Faced as Desired unless stated otherwise. Battery, 4 x 12lb Howitzers from the Howitzer & Rocket Company. Hex Units Level 2 hex Riley (2/2Div); 4th Artillery, 2 US, 7 US. 1130 Santa Anna; Hussars of the Supreme between 3825-4224 The Rockets of the Howitzer & Power inclusive Rocket Company. 3839-40 Pinzon; 5 Line Infantry, Atlixco NG; Artillery: 1 x 12lb, 2 x 8lb, 4 x 4lb (a total US AM Available: Three US Army AM of 3 artillery units). [All UnitsFacing East] US Reinforcements 3935-6 Araujo; Libertad Bn, Zacapoastla NG; The US Player may bring in any one of the following groups, Artillery: 4 x 4lb, 4 x 8 lb (a total of 2 ar- one per Turn (not AM) starting with the Turn after the US Player tillery units) [All UnitsFacing East] occupies Atayala (2528). Some of the groups have restrictions 3832-3 Badillo; Jalapa NG Co., Coatepec NG Co., as to when they may be used. Teusitlan NG Co; Artillery: 6 x 4lb, 3 x Reinforcements may enter the map through either 4825-6, or 8lb [All UnitsFacing East] 4836-8. The US Player may bring on Army Commander, MajGen 3136, 3236 Jarero; Matamoros NG, Tepeaca NG; Winfield Scott, with any infantry brigade, below. Artillery: 1 x 8lb, 4 x 4lb • 1st Brigade,Volunteer Division: Shields; 2 NY, 3 Ill, 4 Ill, 3rd 2534, 2634-5, 2734 Diaz de la Vega; 6 Line, Grenadier Guards Vol. Artillery Battery. of the Supreme Power; • 2nd Brigade,Volunteer Division: Pillow; 1 PA, 2 PA, 1 Tenn, Artillery: 4 x 16lb, 3 x 8 lb 2 Tenn, US Marine Detachment. 2528 1 SP Infantry Detachment • 1st Brigade, 1st Division: Worth (1 Div), Garland; 2 Artillery, 3 2030 3 Line/Vasquez; Artillery: 4 x 4lb Artillery, 4 US; A, 2 US Artillery Battery. This brigade may not Any Camp Hex Vasquez; 1 Ligero, 2 Ligero, 3 Ligero, 4 enter until both Shields and Pillow have done so. Ligero; Galeana NG Artillery [In Reserve] • 2nd Brigade, 1st Division: Clarke; 5 US, 6 US, 8 US. This bri- 1730, 1831, 1931 Ampudia; 4 Line, 11 Line [In Reserve] gade may not enter until both Shields and Pillow have done so. • 2nd Dragoons, Tenn Mtd Volunteers [a]. Mexican AM Available: Three Mexican Army AM. [a] = For the purpose of changing Orders, these two units may Mexican Reinforcements do so, as per the rules for such, when in range of Twiggs, Harney, The following units are available as Reinforcements. To be or Riley. (TheTenn Mtd Vols were historically “unattached”, but brought in requires them to be Activated (see below). If Santa this rule suffices to cover that.) Anna is in any Cerro Gordo Village Hex, or within 4 MP of HISTORICAL NOTE #1: Shields’ Brigade (attached for the 1027, these Reinforcements are within his Command Range. battle to Twiggs’ 2nd Division) and, much later, Worth’s Divi- Arteaga’s “brigade” may not be activated before the cavalry. sion (which saw no action), were brought in through 4825 and The Reinforcements are In Reserve at the start. They enter the cleared Level 2 hexes. Pillow’s Brigade entered, in a some- through hex 1027. what confused manner (not unusual, considering Pillow’s tal- • Canalizio [The Cavalry]; 5th Line Cav, 9th Line Cav, Morelia ents, or lack thereof) through 4836-8. The Dragoons and Heavy Activos Cav, Tulancingo Cuirassiers, Chalchicomula Activos Guns (not used in this game),attached to Twiggs, remained in Cav, Jalapa Activos Cav, Orizaba Activos Cav the rear. • Arteaga; Puebla Activos, Puebla Natl Guard HISTORICAL NOTE #2: The commander of the Volunteer Di- HISTORICAL NOTE: Arteaga’s brigade came up just as the vision, MajGenRobert Patterson, was not present. Shields’ bri- battle was ending, made a brief appearance just west of Cedrro gade was attached to Twiggs’ 2nd Division; Pillow operated Gordo, and then retired. without Divisional Command.

(4.0) COMMAND There are no Corps/Army Commanders, only Brigadiers, plus the US Division Commanders, who move only in the Commander Movement Phase (IV.A). The US Division Commanders’ Activation Rating is not used. (4.3) There are no Artillery Leaders (5.0) ACTIVATION (5.1) US automatically has the Initiative each game-turn. (5.2) There is no Efficiency in this battle. The US always gets three (3) Army AM per turn; the Mexican always gets two. PLAY NOTE: Two Mexican AM reflects the somewhat half-hearted Mexican commitment to defending the hill. If you want to give the Mexicans a bit more opportunity, give them 3 AM. CHAPULTEPEC (5.3) When a player’s Army AM is drawn, he may activate all of his units, not just some. The only exception is that US Division com- Mexico City, September 13, 1847 manders move only in the OC Movement Phase, IV.A, as per 4.17. Preliminary Information (5.34) Only the US may use Brigade Coordination. The Chapultepec scenario is somewhat unusual, if alone for the (5.36) As there is no Mexican leader above Brigade Level, all Mexi- fact that it uses a scale different from the other battles, 45 yards per can brigadiers are treated as Out of Command for this battle and, hex. While the Turn/Am sequence remains the same, each Turn (and thus, do not get to use II.B Division Orders. all the Activations within) now represents 20 minutes, not an hour. Some of the basic rules mechanics have been streamlined (cf. the (5.4) Efficiency Transfer is not used. artillery fire rules, below). Unless changed by any of the following rules all rules dependent on stacking or range are unchanged to keep (6.0) THE ORDERS SYSTEM things simple (i.e. Artillery Approach Fire is still three hexes). (6.1) No March orders in this battle; just Advance and Attack. We also note that Chapultepec makes for a very good solitaire game, (6.3) The Reserve Rule is not used. as there is not that much for the Mexican player to do, in terms of strategy or even movement. (8.0) STACKING AND EXTENSION Map (8.1) Chapultepec stacking is: • Four infantry SP (or one unit), or This scenario uses the Chapultepec map. The scale is 45 yards per • Six guns, or hex. The half/partial hexes along the east and north edges of the • one infantry unit plus one artillery unit. map are playable. (8.4) Line Extension is not used; we’ve kept the units to small enough Length of Game size, vis a vis the scale, to make this unnecessary. See, though, Spe- Play until there is a winner. 4–5 hours depending on your solitaire cial Fire Rules, below. play pace. (10.0) FIRE COMBAT Balance See the Special Rules for Fire, below. It is hard to see how the Mexicans can win this one. Chapultepec, (10.61) Mexican artillery may not move and fire in the same Phase. itself, may be a difficult target, but there is nothing—and no one— supporting it. Its garrison is pretty much on its own, except for the (13.0) MORALE AND RALLY one battalion that Santa Anna did release during the storming. If the (13.3) Division Combat Effectivenesst is not used. players allow the Mexican to use the Optional Reinforcements (below), that will change the balance. (13.42) Mexican leaders may not be used to help Rally in any way. (15.0) ENGINEERING CHANGES TO BASIC (15.1) This section is ignored — no one may build breastworks. GBACW RULES (15.24 [NEW]). Units defending against shock behind a Fortifica- tion or Stone Wall hexside, or in a Colegia hex, subtract one (–1) (3.0) SEQUENCE OF PLAY when undertaking a Pre-Shock Cohesion check (11.37). See the II. A. Activation Efficiency Determination. There is no “Effi- Terrain Rules for this battle for more detail on the several different ciency”; this is already pre-determined; see changes to 5.2, below. types of man-made fortifications. II. B Division Orders is used only by the US. (17.0) FATIGUE II. D Reserve Placement is not used. Fatigue is not used; the battle is too short.

© 2004 GMT Games, LLC Gringo! Battle Book 37 SPECIAL RULES MINES The Mexicans planted several mines below the western FOR THE BATTLE walls of the Colegio. Unfortunately, they had to be set off by hand, something the Mexicans delayed doing, TERRAIN and then failed to do when they finally remembered them. Causeways and Roads. For game purposes, they are the same. There are three Mine markers for hexes 2145, 2146 and 2247. Any Aqueducts. Several of the Causeways had large, stone aqueducts time a Mexican AM is drawn, the Mexican Player may attempt to running their length to/from the city. The aqueducts offered protec- explode the mines. He may do this only once for each hex—remove tion to any one using them for such, although it was not difficult to the counter after the attempt. move through them, by way of their many, large arches. The aque- To try to explode a mine, the Mexican player rolls the die: ducts block LOS for shot/shell artillery, but not for grapeshot or • A 0 or a 9 explodes the Mine. musketry. (Where the aqueducts paralleled the stone walls we left • A 1–8 fails, and no further attempts for that hex. them out, feeling them to be redundant at this scale.) Any unit in an exploding Mine hex is automatically Disordered and DESIGN NOTE: We hope you will excuse us for running the aque- loses 1 SP. duct along the hexsides, somewhat unrealistically. Marsh/Flooded. Mexico City (off the map to the NE) is surrounded SCALING LADDERS by partially reclaimed swamp (at this time). Some of it was fields, The U.S. assault troops got to the base of the walls of Chapultepec some of it marsh. Pretty much all of it had been flooded by Santa only to find that the scaling ladders, absolutely necessary to get up Anna at the approach of the North Americans, restricting (most) the vertical walls, were nowhere in sight. They had to wait for some military movement to the Causeways. time for troops to bring them up. To reflect this: Cypress Grove and Swamp. Greater Chapultepec was a large, rect- • Any US unit that wishes to move into a Level 6 (Colegio) hex— angular park. The western side of the park was a beautiful grove of either by movement or Shock— from outside the hill top must cypress trees, set in a naturally swampy environment. Some hexes start adjacent to that hex. Exception: units may move through reflect the presence of large numbers of trees; others are just swampy, the gates if there is no opposition on the other side; otherwise, with scattered trees. treat it is a regular hilltop hex. Fortifications. Much detailed by Lee’s survey, these are well-con- • To see if it can so move/Shock, the US Player rolls the die for structed breastwork type blockades, built for protecting firing units each such attempt. as well as retarding charging enemy. A unit in a hex protected by If that DR is a 6–9, the Scaling Ladders have arrived, and the unit these redoubts may fire through any hexside that is part of the hex it may move. If that DR is a 0–5, no ladders and no movement. is in. Moreover, a unit in such a hex cannot be “flanked” through a redoubt hexside. Rolling for ladders does not prevent firing. PLAY NOTE #1: Remember that units defending inside such forti- SMALL-ARMS FIRE fications (a) get a –1 DRM to any pre-Shock Cohesion checks, and (8.31) The Maximum Fire Strength per hex is four (4). (b) may ignore Retreat results. (8.45) If both units—‘a’ and ‘b’ (e.g., the 4 US regiment)—of the PLAY NOTE #2: Notice the two mini-redoubts for hexes 3540 and same regiment are in adjacent hexes, for purposes of combining 3542. Made to hold a gun or two, it does not appear they were so fire SP’s, they are treated as if they were “extended”. manned during the assault. Infantry uses the Chapultepec Small-Arms Range Chart to deter- Stone Walls. Just like it says, but not built for military purposes. mine the DRM for fire. They simply exist as protection and a barrier. Chapultepec. The name refers specifically to the steep Hill of the SPECIAL ARTILLERY RULES Grasshopper, about 200 feet above the surrounding area, atop which On-Map Artillery rests the Mexican Military College (Colegio Militar). The hill has Given the scale of the map, any gun of the era could reach any hex six levels of elevation, the Colegio being on the sixth and highest. on the map with relative efficiency, given good Line of Sight. There- (2645 is not part of the Colegio; it is a Level 5). Many hexsides are fore, to simplify matters, the artillery in this battle do not use the Steep Slope, the crossing of which automatically Disorders the unit. normal artillery firing rules. Instead, they use the Chapultepec Ar- Others are Sheer and uncrossable. The 6th level, the Colegio, may tillery Firing Table. not be crossed by any Mexican unit, except through the gate, and by When firing on-map guns, the player rolls the die and consults that US units only if they have Scaling Ladders (see below). See, also, table. He adjusts that dieroll as follows: the note on the fosse, plus the rules on the Mines. +1 for each SP over ‘1’ in that unit. Thus, a 2SP section would Colegio Militar. The buildings of the college are distinguished from get a +1 DRM. the rest of the hilltop. 2446 and 2545 are clear hexes (courtyard); the rest are buildings. Artillery may be placed in, and used from, +1 for firing at any target within three hexes. This does not apply either. to the Mexican 68’s and all Howitzers and Rockets. –1 all Mexican guns. Fosse: The Mexicans had dug a ditch in front of the western edge of the wall of the Colegio Militar. It has no effect on the game, as the –? Terrain as per TEC. US can’t get over that wall unless they have scaling ladders, any- –1 Artillery moved. way.

Restrictions. Aside from the normal LOS rules: Table. He then starts the game with one of his Army AM. • Mexican artillery in the Colegia (atop the hill) may not fire into • Each time the US draws his Army AM—except for the first AM any hex adjacent to, but outside, the Colegia. (A question of the he uses in the game, which is covered by the pre-assault bom- inability of the guns to depress at that angle). However, artillery bardment— he may roll once on the Chapultepec Artillery Fire may pre-shock reaction fire (the attackers are coming to the guns). Table before activating his units. • No artillery unit may fire at any target within two hexes that is LOS is not an issue in off-map fire; the US can fire at any hex. It is two elevation levels lower or higher. an issue for on-map guns. US off-map artillery may not fire at any US Off-Map Artillery hex that is within two hexes of a friendly unit. The only modifiers The US had eight guns of various type (see note below) deployed to which apply are those for terrain. the south and southwest of Chapultepec, which was in range of all HISTORICAL NOTE: The off-map US artillery consisted of 3 cap- of these mini-batteries. To reflect this, and the early morning pre- tured Mexican 16-pounders, 3 8” howitzers, 1 24-pounder moun- assault bombardment; tain howitzer, and a 10” mortar. Referring to the El Molino map, • Before starting play, the US Player may engage in a pre-assault they were split into 4 sections, located in El Molino hexes 2706, bombardment, rolling four times on the Chapultepec Artillery Fire 2714, 2214, and 2613.

Smith’s regiments entered the battle from a somewhat unusual CHAPULTEPEC “angle”. Quitman, aware that the Mexican redoubt defended by US Assault Force the Morelia Bn would be difficult, and costly, to take with a frontal assault, sent Smith’s troops off to the east, into the flooded No US units start on the map; all units enter as Reinforcements. fields. After slogging their way across the swampy fields and end- They enter under whatever Orders (Assault or Advance) the US less irrigation ditches, they came into the battle (and what would Player wishes. be our map) on the left flank, and somewhat behind, the Morelia There are six “groups” of Reinforcements. The US Player may Bn, driving them away from the redoubt. bring in one group per Turn (not AM). Each group must arrive within the game map parameters noted below. Smith may always choose to enter through hex 3552 (the Tacubaya Road) as a normal reinforcement. However, the US Player may Clarke’s Brigade: Enters through any hex on western edge, be- choose to send Smith on his flanking maneuver. In that case, the tween 1044 and 1051, inclusive. Units: (2/1Div) [d]. US Player states that Smith may be attempting to flank. Smith’s Brigade: See Special rule on Smith, below. Units: (1/ • Smith may enter the map only after at least three other brigades 2Div). have entered the game. Pierce’s [e] Brigade: Enters through any hex on western edge, • Smith may enter through any hex along the eastern edge of the between 1044 and 1051, inclusive. Units: (1/3Div), including map, from 3743 to 3750, inclusive. The US Player should write McKenzie’s Storming Party; Reno’s Rocket and Howitzer Com- that down, keeping it secret. pany. • To actually bring Smith onto the map, when a US AM is drawn, Cadwalader’s Brigade: Must enter through hex 1041 [a] Units: the US Players rolls a die for Smith. If the DR is 7-9, Smith (2/3Div); I, 1 US Artillery [b]. enters; if 0-6, he remains off-map. Add one (+1) for each previous game-turn in which Smith, eligible to arrive, has not yet Shield’s Brigade: Enters through any hex(es) along southern edge done so. that are not “blocked” by a Stone Wall (e.g., may not enter through 2253). Units: (1/4Div); A/2US ‘a’ artillery. Note: Smith’s failure to enter on its first turn does not prevent otherwise normal reinforcements on the following turn; Smith at- Roberts’ Brigade: Enters through any hex(es) along southern edge tempts an entering die roll and another brigade may enter as above. that are not “blocked” by a Stone Wall (e.g., may not enter through 2253). Units: (2/4Div). including Casey’s Storming Party. PLAY NOTE: Yes, it is mathematically possible that Smith will not arrive. US AM Available: Three US Army AM. Division Commanders may be brought in with any one of the bri- Notes for the US Assault Force at Chapultepec: gades in their division. The US Overall Commander, MajGen. [a] If playing historically, Cadwalader’s brigade enters first. His- Winfield Scott, is off-map and not used. torically, the battalion of Voltigeurs (which was part of a regiment combining them with the Foot Riflemen), was divided up • Worth (1st Division). and divied out: 4 companies were the advance for Pierce’s bri- • Pillow (3rd Division). gade, and another 4 companies attacked the few Mexican troops • Quitman (4th Division). guarding the southern walls. [b] This section of guns from Magruder’s battery is commanded by Initiative Lieut. Thomas J. Jackson, later known as “Stonewall”. The US Player always has the Initiative. [c] Hale’s rockets, as opposed to the less reliable Congreve rockets (which the US army also used). They were fairly accurate up to Smith’s Brigade 2000 or so yards. Brigadier Persifor Smith’s brigade, nominally in Twigg’s 2nd Di- [d] This was the last brigade, historically, to enter the battle. vision, is under the divisional command of Quitman for this battle. Twigg’s counter is not used. [e] Franklin Pierce, eventually 14th President of the United States.

VICTORY The Mexican Player wins if, at the end of any game-turn, any three The game is played until one player wins. Who wins is determined (3) brigades are Combat Ineffective and the US has not taken the as follows: Colegio. The U.S. Player wins if, at the end of any game-turn (not Activa- tion Phase), he occupies all eight (8) hexes of the Colegia Militar, the top of Chapultepec. CHAPULTEPEC Optional Mexican Reinforcements Santa Anna had two divisions held in reserve, east of Chapultepec. Initial Mexican Deployment [g] They were never released because Santa Anna feared additional [All units are under Advance Orders] attacks along the southern causeways, and he “froze”, failing to commit anyone in sufficient time to help. This rule allows the Hexes Units Mexican Player to be a little less indecisive than Santa Anna…if 1453 Miña National Guard Bn the players agree to use it. Essentially, he gets to use/release the 3750 Union National Guard Bn (with 1 SP al- rest of Rangel’s brigade [d]. ready lost) [f] The following regiments, all in Rangel’s brigade, are available as 3446, 3545, 3646 Matamoros de Morelia Bn, One per hex: Optional Reinforcements: 2 SP of 8lb guns, 2 SP of 4lb guns, 1 SP of • Grenadiers of the Guard of the Supreme Powers (two counters). 4lb guns [b] • Mixto de Santa Anna [e]. 2148 Queretero National Guard Bn (with 1 SP • Matamoros National Guard Bn. already lost) [f]; Patria National Guard Bn Starting with the game-turn after the turn in which the San Blas Any Level 5 hex Toluca National Guard Bn Bn arrives, the Mexican player may release/bring these in as rein- between 2245-2543 forcements. In the Colegia Gen. Nicolas Bravo; 10 Line Inf. (both), • He may bring in only one per game-turn (and if he uses that Militar Cadets of the Military College [a] turn to bring in the Hidalgo Bn, he may not bring in any optionals). Any Level 3 2SP of 24lb guns; 1SP of 68lb gun; or > hex 1 SP of 8lb gun; 3 SP of 4lb guns • He selects the arriving unit blindly, by drawing it from a cup, like he draws AM.

Mexican AM Available: Two Mexican Army AM. (The players • For the Activation/AM he uses to bring in that unit, no other may use 3 Mexican AM if they wish to attain better play balance). Mexican units may move or Shock; they may fire. • The arriving units may enter through either 3540 or 3743. If the Optional Deployment hex is occupied by US troops, it may not enter through it. No, the historical deployment doesn’t look overly efficient to me, either. Then again, other than holing up inside the Colegio and Notes: praying for divine intervention (as Santa Anna is not about to pro- [a] These are the famous cadets, teenagers mostly, some younger, vide much of the same), what could be better? So, if you agree, or and much-honored in Mexican lore, Los Niñoes Heroes, who just simply want to explore alternatives, we suggest the follow- fought as bravely and determinedly as any older man ever would ing. have. [b] Part of Rangel’s brigade; but, until Rangel enters as a reinforce- • The Matamoros de Morelia Bn, and those 5 guns, still go into ment, may be commanded by Bravo. This was considered one that redoubt. of the better Mexican infantry units. • The rest of the units may be placed anywhere on the map, but [c] Commanded by a real tongue-twister, LtCol Felipe Santiago not in any road hex that is also on the edge of the map (cf. you Xicoténcatl. Very unusual to find a high-level officer with a cannot put a unit in 1041 or 3552). The Cadets must be placed Nachuatl surname. Akin to finding a Catholic or Jewish com- in the Colegio…and remember, the only way Mexican troops mander in the US Army at the time. The San Blas, apparently, can enter Level 6/Colegio, is by the gate. tried to reinforce the College but only made it halfway up the entrance road before being beaten back. Historical Mexican Reinforcements [d] The other division, under Ramirez, would never have been re- The Mexican Player has two units and a leader that he can bring leased. into the game: [e] At the time of Buena Vista, this was an ad hoc battalion made up • General Joaquin Rangel. of remnants of the 6th, 7th, and 8th Line Infantry. Probably about the same at this time. • San Blas Activos Bn (both counters) [c]. The battalion may enter [f] The SP reduction represents losses taken at El Molino. with any Mexican Army AM drawn after the first game-turn. It enters through 3540 (partial hex), under Advance Orders. [g] This is based on General Bravo’s report the day after, as delin- eated in the notes to Smith (Vol 2, p.408). • Hidalgo Battalion. This unit may enter with any Mexican Army [h] The appearance of this battalion is mentioned in only a few AM drawn after the the turn in which the San Blas Bn has en- sources, although it was part of Rangel’s troops at Molino. It tered. It enters through either 3540 or 3744 [h]. seems to have been used to defend the Tacubaya Road.

COMMAND AND ORGANIZATION CHARTS For Monterey and Buena Vista

MEXICO, ARMY OF THE NORTH at one 12-pounder Purisma Bridge tête-de-pont two 8-pounders Purisma Bridge tête-de-pont MONTEREY four 6-pounders Ft. Libertad MAJOR GENERAL PEDRO de AMPUDIA [a] two 8-pounders Obispado one 6” Howitzer Obispado East Wing Brigade / BG Francisco Mejia [l] one 12-pounder Obispado 10th Line two 8-pounders Federacion Ridge redan [i] 2nd Ligero ten 6-pounders Monterey [j] 3rd Ligero Queretaro Activo General Note: The exact location and assignment of the individual Aguascalientos Activo units is extremely difficult to pin down, mostly because it changed from one moment to the next. Sources also tend to differ, and the Mexican West Wing Brigade / BG Simeon Ramirez OoB given in Smith (based on that signed by Ampudia and Condé) 4th Ligero gives only units, not commands. 1st Mexico Activo San Luis Potosí Activo [a] The Cuban-born Ampudia was called the “Culinary Knight” for his Morelio Activo habit of boiling his opponents’ heads in oil; one of the more interesting Monterey Auxiliares [c] personages in the war. Handsome of looks and military in bearing, he had the backbone of a frightened ferret. In Eisenhower’s succinct words, Reserve Brigade / Col. N. Mendoza he vacillated between “ … bravado and terror.” Monterey was not his 1st Line best day, either, as he spent most of the time indoors. In his favor, we do 7th Line note that he tried to talk his staff into attacking Taylor’s army as it Zapadores approached, only to be rebuffed by those who chose discretion over Nuevo Leon Defenserias [d] valor. Then again, Ampudia didn’t argue too strenuously it appears. He was slippery enough, however, to both avoid Santa Anna’s political Black Fort Garrison / Col. Jose Lopez Uraga wrath (for a while) as well as bamboozle Taylor into a rather pro-Mexi- 3rd Line can peace following the battle. 4th Line [b] There are no Division Commanders. 6th + 8th Line [e] [c] There is a good chance that these were simply local police, armed East Wing Cavalry / BG Anastasio Torrejon townspeople, and assorted similar rabble. They don’t appear anywhere 1st Line Cavalry else during the war. Ligero Cavalry 3rd Line Cavalry [d] There is considerable confusion as to whether these men were in- 7th Line Cavalry fantry or cavalry. Ampudia’s return lists them as cavalry, but it is a 8th Line Cavalry remarkably large unit to be mounted (and, in essence, wasted inside a city. So, despite the notation in Ampudia’s returns, we have assumed Presidiales [n] / BG Antonio Canales [k] that such a large group would, most likely (and as is noted in other sources), be used dismounted. “Defenserias” was the military term for West Wing Cavalry / BG Manuel Romero what we call local militia. Even lower than the Auxiliares, and prob- Guanajuato Activo Cavalry ably similar—in ability, training and method of levy—to the “National Jalisco Lancers [g] Guard” units one finds at Buena Vista. For a visual, picture all those San Luis Potosí Activo Cavalry worthless troops in any Zorro movie. 1st Nuevo Leon Activo Cavalry Bejar Auxiliares Squadron [e] As the total manpower of these two units had dropped to less than 1st & 2nd Tamaulipas Permanent Cos [f] 100, they were combined into one regiment at Monterey. Lampazos Permanent Co. [f] [f] For game purposes, these are all lumped into the “Permanent” counter. Bejar Permanent Co. [f] Their total strength was less than 100 rank-and-file, with the La Bahia La Bahia Permanent Co. [f] contingent numbering one soldier. Wonder whether he was an officer or just a trooper? Knowing the Mexican Army predilection for this sort Artillery Location of thing, he probably considered himself “Colonel” of the regiment. two 4-pounder In the Black Fort [h] For those interested, the numbers are Tamaulipas (50), Lampazos (23), six 12-pounders In the Black Fort [h] Bejar (22) … and the lone Bahia Rider. one 18-pounder In the Black Fort [h, m] [g] One of the really good Mexican cavalry units, even if it was militia, three 8-pounders Fort Diablo the Jalisco Lancers fought everywhere. At Monterey, under their com- one 4-pounder La Teneria (redan) mander, Lt.Col. Juan Najera, they charged the Texas Rangers as the two 8-pounders La Teneria (redan) latter emerged onto the Saltillo Road from the shadow of Loma de one Mnt. Howitzer La Teneria (redan) Independencia … only to get shot to ribbons, including Najera. Even

© 2004 GMT Games, LLC Gringo! Battle Book 41 the staunchly bigoted rangers commented on their remarkable bravery 2/Field Brigade / BG John Quitman and discipline. 1 Tennessee Infantry 1st Mississippi Rifles [j] [h] The Black Fort guns were manned by the fore-runners of the infamous San Patricio battalion, here called the Colorado Company. 2nd Division / Col William Worth [d] [i] These guns were originally placed in El Soldado Fort but were moved 1/2 Brigade / Lt. Col Thomas Staniford to the redan when Worth’s column appeared on the Saltillo Road. 8 US Infantry Childs’ Artillery Bn [j] The sources estimate the number of guns inside Monterey as any- Duncan’s ‘A’, 2 US Field Arty where between 7 and 17 (and of no indicated type). With no one source appearing to have any greater insight then the others, we opted for the 2/2 Brigade / Col. Persifor Smith median: 10, which would confirm the total Mexican guns with at least 5 US Infantry one of the many, varying sources. 7 US Infantry Louisiana Volunteer Company [h] [k] General Antonio Canales, known as the “Chaparral Fox”, was one Mackall’s ‘K’, 1 US Field Arty [b] of Mexico’s most devastating, brutal, ruthless—and effective—guerilla fighters. Prior to the war, he was known mostly for hit-and-run raids Cavalry Division / MG James Pinckney Henderson [c] into Texas in which the destruction was equal to anything the Apaches 1st Texas [e] could ever come up with. As a result, he was fair game for the Texas 2nd Texas Rangers, who considered it a personal quest to kill Canales, who sported 2nd Dragoons [i] easily the biggest mustache in the war. One source says he “... was as least as shifty as he looks.” He proved, however, to be most inadequate Unbrigaded as a battlefield commander. Perhaps this was because, while fighting Webster’s ‘C’, 1US Heavy Battery [f] with the Mexican army, he was wheeling and dealing with the US Gov- ernment to have them set him up as ruler of a local kingdom. Canales’ [a] = Ah, poor Old Davy. See the rules for what happened to him at motley crew was supposed to harass Taylor’s lines before and during Monterey. Twiggs was, essentially, a Taylor clone in terms of tactics … the battle. It appears that Ampudia attempted to have Canales do just which, for him, consisted of one word: attack. that, but The Chaparral Fox appears to have missed/ignored his cues. [b] = Thomas Jackson (later “Stonewall”) was assigned to this battery Yet another botched opportunity. but apparently only arrived at Point Isabel the day the fighting started. [l] Need a good quote? Justin Smith’s “War with Mexico” is just loaded [c] = Henderson’s status as a Major General was a Texas “commis- with ‘em. Here’s what he says about Mejia: “ … a little, pockmarked sion”; probably got it from the governor. Henderson was also the gov- man in blue glasses, who looked like a sot, and thus far in the campaign ernor. This “division” is treated as an independent brigade. had been distinguished only for bad health and a pompous vocabulary.” To his credit, JS provides a half-dozen sources for this opinion in the [d] = Worth viewed Monterey as his big chance to finally get field grade. notes. Mejia actually took command of the Mexican army after Resaca A fairly good commander in any case, he did un-nerve several of his but fell ill, was replaced by Requena, took over again, and then handed subordinates by riding off towards Independence Hill muttering some- over the baton to Ampudia mid-summer. thing about finding a “… grade or a grave.” Interestingly—and tangen- tially—aside from having a city named after him, Worth has a rather [m] This large gun, not usually found with a Mexican field army, was large, obelisk monument to his memory in New York … right in front probably from Fort Brown, in Texas. of the Toy and Hobby Center and one block from the old SPI offices! [n] = The standard Canales’ gathering of mounted usual suspects, more [e] = Mounted infantry … early version of the Texas Rangers for the suited to slash and burn raids against civilians than organized warfare. most part. The close-range firepower of their new Colt “Walker” re- volvers, added to their almost maniacal, and deeply prejudicial, hate of Mexicans—fostered by years of raids by Canales’ rancheros and equally UNITED STATES, ARMY OF OCCUPATION at barbarous Texan reprisals—made the Texas Rangers the most ferocious, MONTEREY furious and feared—by both sides— single group of fighters in the war. One US officer called them “… packs of human bloodhounds”, and MAJOR GENERAL ZACHARY TAYLOR Zachary Taylor stated “I am glad to have the Texa[n]s … with me … 1st Division / BG David Twiggs [a] but I never want to see them again.” He was mighty glad to have them 3/1 Brigade / Col John Garland at Monterey, though, where Hays’ regiment not only single-handedly 3 US Infantry destroyed the charge of the Jalisco Lancers but also, the following day, 4 US Infantry dismounted and lead the infantry in the brutal house-to-house fighting. Miss and Texas Vol Infantry [g] Like volcanoes, they were magnificent and horrible to contemplate, and just as difficult to control. The majority of them were psychopathic Bragg’s ‘E’, 3 US Field Arty killers with a handy “Letter of Marque” from the US government. 4/I Brigade / Lt. Col Henry Wilson [f] = This includes the two siege guns (24-pounder howitzers) as well 1 US Infantry as the 10" mortar. Both were monumentally ineffective against the Black The Washington and Baltimore Battalion Fort, but the 10-incher was the gun that Worth dragged into the city on Ridgely’s ‘C’, 3 US Horse Arty the last day, planted in front of the cemetery in the Plaza de San Anto- Field Division / MajGen William Butler nio, and began lobbing shells into the cathedral, which housed Ampudia … and the Mexican arsenal! 1/Field Brigade / BG Thomas Hamer 1 Ohio Infantry [g] = Most of the 3rd Texas, commanded by Albert Sidney Johnston, 1 Kentucky Infantry had gone home in August. What was left combined with a company of Mississippi volunteers.

[h] Remnants of the 1st and 2nd Louisiana regiments. One source re- 1st Cavalry Bde / Gen. Miñon [n] ferred to this as The Phoenix Company. 4th Cavalry Jalisco Lancers [i] May’s 2nd Dragoons were actually unassigned; for game purposes Cazadores [o] we’ve listed them with the Cavalry. Oaxaca Activos [j] Although the Mississippi Rifles were mounted infantry, here, as Puebla Activos at Buena Vista, they fought entirely dismounted. 2nd Cavalry Bde / Gen. Juvera 5th Cavalry 9th Cavalry MEXICO, ARMY OF LIBERATION [a] Tulancingo Cuirassiers At BUENA VISTA Morelia Activos MAJOR GENERAL ANTONIO LOPEZ de SANTA ANNA [b] 3rd Cavalry Bde / Gen. Torrejon 3rd Cavalry Santa Anna’s Guard: Hussars of the Guard of the Supreme Pow- 7th Cavalry ers 8th Cavalry Unassigned: Los Zapadores[c] Ligero di Mexico Light Brigade / MG. Pedro de Ampudia [d] Guanajuato Activos 1st Ligero 4th Cavalry Bde / Gen Andrade [p] 2nd Ligero [e] Michoacan Activos 3rd Ligero Presidiales 4th Ligero Artillery [q] 1st Division [f] / MG Pacheco San Patricio Battalion [r] 3rd Brigade [e] / BG Mejia Ballarta Battalion San Luis Potosi Activos Battery de Leon Morelia Activos 5th Brigade [g] / BG Uraga * = Irregulars Celaya Activos a = Some sources call this army " … of the North", others, the "Army of Leon Activos Liberation". We go with the latter, as the former was pretty well de- 1st Bn Guanajuatos Activos* stroyed as a cohesive fighting force in the first three battles, and Santa 2nd Bn Guanajuatos Activos* Anna brought in a host of new units. There are no "official" returns for how many Mexicans were available at Buena Vista, although the figure 2nd Division / MG Lombardini 15,142 is the usually accepted one (the Agua Nueva numbers). All of 1st Brigade / BG Garcia Condé [h] this is quite speculative, as is the make-up and strength allocation for 1st Line several of the brigades, such as Pacheco's … whose totally raw recruits 3rd Line were not only recently raised but didn't even bother to file any reports 5th Line … and Juvera's cavalry, whose actual units are somewhat of a mystery. Jalisco Activos [i] For the most part, we have tried to cross-reference information from 2nd Brigade / BG Perez other battles as well as tangential references to units throughout the 10th Line sources. We also hold out hope that someone can always come up with 11th Line more accurate, specific information. Hidalgo Bn* The "correct" make-up of Santa Anna's Army of Liberation is rather Michoacan Activos [i] cloudy, mostly because the returns (OoB's) for the battle were lost. Dili- gent research - which we left to several outside sources—can provide 3rd Division / MG Ortega some good hints, though. For the command hierarchy we relied upon 4th Brigade / MG Guzman the Mexican returns from Agua Nueva (where Santa Anna's army 4th Line [j] stopped for a short breather) of the day before. As for individual regi- 1st Mexico Activos ments and their numbers, there is a lot of interpolating, cross-referenc- 2nd Mexico Activos ing, etc. It is our feeling that this OoB is as close as you can get to Lagos Activos "accurate". An additional note: a few sources give the Mexicans a 1000- 6th Brigade / BG Terres man cavalry brigade under Juan Alvarez. We do not accept this. More Aguascalientes Activos reliable information places Alvarez in command of the "Army of the Guadalajara Activos South", in Mexico City, at the time of Buena Vista. Queretero Activos b = The Mexican commander at Buena Vista, the always mercurial, Santa Anna Bn [k] often inept, but ever-so-fascinating President of Mexico, Antonio Lopez 7th Brigade / BG Parrodi [l] de Santa Anna, was, to be colloquial, a real "piece of work". Often treated as a self-aggrandizing buffoon in North American texts, he was 12th Line certainly that at times. However, given the right circumstances he could Puebla Activos be anything but. His troops seemed to like him, although his senior Fijo de Mexico* [m] officer staff deserted faster than unpaid mercenaries… leaving him with Costa Guarda di Tampico Bn an upper-level command that resembled nothing more than a Mexican Tampico Veterans di Costa Garda © 2004 GMT Games, LLC Gringo! Battle Book 43 road-show version of Gilbert & Sullivan. He botched much of the Mexi- so was Vera Cruz.) can defense against Scott's Vera Cruz expedition in 1847, much as he misread the Texan's militarily misguided determination at The Alamo a m = The battalion of "clerks" - ‘sons of Mexico’ - from Mexico City. decade earlier. However, his Buena Vista campaign revealed, if not a Their flag was captured during Hardin's disastrous counter-charge at high level of capability, certainly a military mind with a modicum of the end of the battle. insight. Santa Anna's problem, however, was that his strategic capabili- n = Not present at the actual battle; busy wasting everybody's time and ties often outweighed his tactical. energy at Saltillo in a major botched opportunity. See the BV rules. c = The “crack” Zapadores (engineers) were under the direct command That one of Mexico's crack cavalry regiments, the Tulancingo Cuiras- of Colonel Santiago Blanco. siers, was with Miñon is not a 100% certainty, but they’re too good to not include. d = Ah, Pedro's back, yet again. This guy has more lives than a Bud- dhist cat. You'd think that, after Monterey, Santa Anna would have as- o = Mounted Infantry with rifles. An unusual Mexican unit. signed him to guarding Mayan ruins. Not so. Upon receiving word that p = This brigade featured the two Andrade brothers. Los Dos Andrades he was being court-martialed for his (lack of) performance at Monterey, - Miguel and Manuel - were pretty poor stuff. So were their troops. The Ampudia immediately turned around and pointed fingers at his subor- Presidiales pretty much stayed close to the nearest exit. (Literally; they dinates (not without cause, to be sure). Bureaucracy being what it is, were rear guard on the march up from San Luis Potosí.) this meant that any legal action had to be delayed, and Santa Anna needed experienced generals at Buena Vista. After the battle, he was q = Much confusion and conflicting information as to how many Mexi- "banished" by Santa Anna. can guns were actually present at the battle, ranging from 17, to the 20 we have, to a possibility of 25. (Author Tony Adams says there may e = The 2nd Ligero arrived marching with Mejia’s brigade. have been as many as 39 at Aqua Nueva, many of which would have f = Pacheco's Division was comprised of mostly inept locals, Monterey been left behind.) The appellation "de Leon" cannot be nailed down; I rejects, and recent enlistees. (Can you say "shanghaied" in Spanish?) It have it somewhere in my notes … but cannot find from exactly where it might be safe to say that, other than the aerobic workout of the hike came. In addition, few sources mention the 7" mortar (which Smith from San Luis Potosí, this unit had absolutely no drill or training. Most lists as a 7" howitzer). Several testers wanted to know what Santa Anna had never fired their muskets, even in practice … an order Santa Anna would be doing hauling a mortar across the desert; perhaps, under the had given to preserve ammunition. theory that he did not know exactly where he would confront Taylor he needed one in case the confrontation was of a siege nature. g = The four Active Militia units in this brigade each have two combat units to reflect their size. r = The infamous San Patricio Battalion, subject of a recent, rather dreary movie, was made up of (mostly) Catholic ex-patriot US immigrants, h = Five days later, Garcia Condé was commanding the Mexican cav- only some of whom were actually "deserters" (the quasi-Irish appella- alry at the battle of Sacramento. tion, "St. Patrick's", probably comes from the fact that its "American" leader was John Riley). The Mexicans actually called it Legión de i = The presence of these two units is somewhat suspect. They show up Estrangaros, and its true commander was Major Francisco Moreno … in some returns, not in others. The best information gives them to a native-born Floridian! Scott had many of them hanged after the fall of Lombardini’s division, and we then divided them between his two bri- Mexico City, although a goodly number were not, mostly due to Scott's gades. scrupulous insistence on fair trials for all concerned. Many of the sup- j = The 4th Line was attached to Ampudia’s Light Brigade for the fight- posed deserters were not even US citizens, just Catholic immigrants ing on the 23rd. who felt more akin to the strongly-Catholic Mexico than the rather stone- stupid bigots who peppered the US army at the time. The more things k = An ad hoc battalion of units from the remnants of the 6th, 7th and change …. 8th Line. l = Parrodi was the fellow who got "head-faked" out of Tampico by Ann Chase, wife of the American consul there. Given Tampico's value as a port, this was not an insignificant piece of jelly-footing on Parrodi's part, as Tampico was considered a really tough nut to crack. (Then again,

UNITED STATES, ARMY OF OCCUPATION At BUENA VISTA MAJOR GENERAL ZACHARY TAYLOR [a] BRIG. GENERAL JOHN WOOL

Command Units Combat Leader Division Commander Cavalry [e] 1 Dragoons Lt Col Chas May None 2 Dragoons McCulloch's company of Texas Rangers Indiana Brigade 2 Indiana Col. W. Bowles BrigGen.Jos. Lane [f] 3 Indiana Col. James Lane Independent Arkansas Cavalry Col. Archibald Yell None 1 Kentucky Mounted Col. Humphrey Marshall 2 Kentucky Col. W.R. McKee 1 Mississippi Rifles Col. Jefferson Davis 1 Illinois Col. John Hardin 2 Illinois + Texas Foot [b] Col. Wm. Bissell Artillery C, 3US Horse Capt. Braxton Bragg E, 3US Field Capt. Tom Sherman B, 4 US Field[c] Capt. John Washington Saltillo Garrison [d] 1 Illinois, 2 co's Major William Warren 2 Illinois, 2 co's 1st Miss. Rifles, 1 co. C, 3US (one 6-pounder) C, 1 US (Webster's section pf 24H's)

[a] See Rules concerning U.S. Command. Essentially, Taylor and [f] The Indiana contingent had two Lanes: Col James L. lead the Wool are leading a small division. 3rd Indiana, while General Joseph L command the only "brigade" Taylor had, the Indiana Brigade. Most sources agree that [b] Captain Conner's Texas Foot was attached to the 2nd Illinois Joseph Lane was a highly accomplished, partisan-type com- for the battle. mander, pretty much out of his element in such formalized style [c] The two 4-pounders in Washington's battery were captured of warfare with which he was now involved. A couple of days Mexican guns. prior to the battle, the two Lanes appear to have gotten into a fist fight with each other, as two politicians are often wont to [d] Except for the possible arrival of the ‘d’ unit of the 2nd Illinois, do. The end result was that the 3rd Indiana was removed from and the 6-pounder from the C, 3US battery (see the rules), these General Lane's command, although Joe was left in charge of the units are not in the game. "brigade" … whatever that meant. [e] There was no official "Cavalry Brigade", and the three units [g] In game terms, what we have done is to eliminate the “brigade” listed were actually detachments from the parent formations. as a functioning command, and make Joseph Lane replacement May appears to have been "in charge", at least by dint of rank, leader for Bowles (2nd IN). James Lane stays in command of although the three units do not appear to have ever operated in a the 3rd. coordinated fashion at Buena Vista. Much of the mounted volunteer force at BV was under the command of Humphrey Marshall, although that, too, was somewhat ephemeral.

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