Tejas Return

 

INTRODUCTION

A what-if scenario, Tejas Return is another version of the Mexican American War start. In actual history, Mexican forces sat passively and were taken on the defensive by US Forces. But what if they had prepared to get into action as soon as the proclamation was issued and defend their claim on Texan soil? This 12 turns long scenario studies the case of an early invasion of Texas by Mexican forces in the Spring of 1846. One player represents the United States of America’s land and naval forces, the other has Mexico’s land and naval forces. Mexican forces are more numerous at the start of the game, and ready to invade Texas, but will receive only a small number of reinforcements, while the USA receives many Volunteers and regular Army units.

• The Mexicans must capture Austin, San Antonio, Goliad, Laredo and Brownsville in Texas and then hold against the enemy, hoping to gain enough time for America’s internal politics to disrupt and eventually end the war.
• The USA must resist and reclaim Austin, San Antonio, Goliad, Laredo and Brownsville in Texas, and possibly advance and eventually conquer key Mexican cities near the Rio Grande. The Anti-war sentiment is represented by the ‘Tension Index’ in the game.

Be careful of the supply lines for the both sides, as early success can outrun your supply!

The games Cards and Events allow full replay ability thanks to the numerous various situations that they create on the environmental, diplomatic, military, political or economic fields.

DURATION & FORCES

A what if scenario for SGS Halls of Montezuma lasts 12 turns, each representing 15 days, between April 1846 and September 1846. Most objectives on the main map are in Texas and adjacent Mexican regions.

Duration: 3h+
Favored Side: Mexico
Most Difficult Side to Play: Mexico

The Mexicans player always plays first.

The American forces include the US Navy, US Regular Army and State Militia forces.

The Mexican forces include Regular Army units and assorted Militia forces. The Mexican Navy is almost non-existant and consists solely of Blockade Runners.

MAPBOARD

 

The map represents most of Texas, the southern coastline of the US gulf coast, and most of Mexico from the Yucatan peninsula to the the Rio Grande River.

Western US and Mexican regions and some key seas or islands appear on the sides as “Off Map”Boxes”.

Note: Many cities, towns and villages have strong fortress values. These are representing the difficulty of bringing the population there into a pacified state.

VICTORY

Immediate victory

The American player wins if he controls Austin, San Antonio, Goliad, Laredo and Brownsville in Texas after turn 5.

The Mexican player wins if the Tension Index reaches a preset level or if he holds all the Victory cities in Texas. He may also may also win by controlling Austin, San Antonio, Goliad, Laredo and Brownsville in Texas after turn 5.

(A warning message will appear when the Mexican Victory level is approaching).

Otherwise, the player with the most Victory Points at the end of the scenario wins the game.

Bonus VP

Many regions and structures give VP when captured, and may cause loss of VP if lost. All of those are shown by the VP stars on map and in the region navigator.

The Political Climate in the USA [Tension Index – see next section] increases with US incursions into Mexico and capture of Mexican cities and towns.

The Mexican player gains 1 VP for each US Regular Army Unit destroyed, and the American player also loses 1 VP in these instances.

REINFORCEMENTS

USA

June 1, 1846

– in one selected region of player’s choice in a list:

1st LA, 1st TX,
1st US, 4th US Artillery, 7th US

– Additionally, if Austin, San Antonio and Goliad are USA controlled:

* at Great Plains OMB

Clark’s Battalion, Kearney’s Pack Train, Price’s Regiment, 1st Missouri Volunteers, 2nd Missouri Volunteers, Doniphan’s Regiment, Doniphan’s’s Pack Train

June 15, 1846

– if Austin, San Antonio and Goliad are USA controlled:

* at Northern California OMB

John C. Fremont, California Volunteers, Sutters Volunteers, Clark’s Battery, Pacific Sailors, Supply unit

August 1, 1846

1st KY, 1st MD, 1st MS, 1st OH, 1st TN,
GA Cavalry, LA Cavalry,
5th US Artillery, 6th US Artillery,

MEXICO

Mexico has none scheduled.

Reinforcement (and replacement, see next) come only via Card play.

SPECIAL RULES

MEXICAN 11TH / 12TH INFANTRY

The Mexican 11th and 12th Infantry are immobile until released by Card play.

REPLACEMENTS
Each side receives 1 replacement every turn. Additional replacements and constructions are handled by cards.

CARDS
There are two cards drawn each turn in this game, and players may keep up to 10 of them in hands.

SUPPLY SOURCES
Sources display the supply icon on map.

USA units: New Orleans, Corpus Christie, Brownsville and several OMB.
Mexican units: Mexico City, Monterrey, Chihuahua and several OMBs

FOG OF WAR
Both sides benefit from a partial fog of war, i.e. the player cannot see what an enemy stack could contain (only a flag is displayed on those).

BREAKTHROUGHS
In this game, no breakthrough are possible.

US POLITICAL CLIMATE
Also called Tension Index or Antiwar Sentiment, this is a numerical index that varies during the course of the game, mostly with the play of some key political cards and via the capture or loss of important locations.

When the Index value approaches or reaches 10, Mexico wins the game, as domestic politics in the USA heavily favor peace and their will demands in the Congress to end the war via negotiated peace.

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For the PDF version, use the links below :

SGS Halls of Montezuma – (PDF) : Grand campaign Mexico 1846 – Opening moves.
Scenarios : Cauldron of Generals 1847 – Tejas Return.