La Espada y La Flama: The Sword And The Flame in Mexico!
The umpire has been informed that two alternatives for 'Flame' are; Flama, and Llama. To prevent any confusion that the game was conducted somewhere in the Andes it was decided to employ Flama so as not to confuse English speakers.

To the right, a TBC 'dirigible shot' of Ciudad Juarez. Federale troops have set up their primary line of defense along the southern (bottom) edge of the photo. As the town stretches away to the north the buildings grow increasingly north African in appearance.

Points of interest are; the barn at the lower left (soon to be abandoned by the municipal police, then dynamited anyway), the town cathedral with its courtyard at the upper left, and directly behind the large yellow saloon is a small and seedy cantina that will play an important part in the Wild West Campaign.

At this point the umpire will take the opportunity to chastise the membership with regard to attendance. The game was notably short of Federale commanders, and the possibility of 'New Age Massage' is not necessarily an excuse.

Above left, dismounted Federale cavalry take up positions along the wall of the cathedral at a seemingly safe distance from the front line. Above center, the rebels finally swarm over the Federale front line. The umpire had expected the poor quality troops holding the edge of town to break and flee under rebel machine gun fire. However, these weapons didn't prove nearly as terrifying as in other scenarios. The brick building on the right, and its entire garrison, will shortly erupt in an impressive explosion caused by rebel hurled dynamite. Above right, rebel peasants (in white garb and big floppy hats) overpower Federales (in light khaki garb and smaller floppy hats). They will then pick up the abatis and carry it towards the enemy, using it as a flimsy means of cover.

At right, slightly to the left of the action shown in the center photo above, rebels swarm over the (finally) abandoned Federale French 75mm gun. The barn to the viewer's left of the gun is not suddenly shorter than it was in the photo at the top of the page. It has been replaced with a shorter building, and rubble, to indicate that it too has been dynamited. However, the armed police originally stationed inside were unhurt as they fled the structure, and then north up the main street at the first sign of the rebels. And it might be added NOT because of a failed morale test, but because their player thought it seemed like the best thing to do at the time.

Above left, whilst the main assault presses home on the south side of town the terrifying Lupe (bottom left) leads a squad of poorly armed peons into the city through the maze of alleys on the eastern side. After scaling the wall of the cathedral courtyard they are surprised by Federales from their hiding place within the church.

Above right and right, a Federale Brigadier recognizes Lupe and brings up the strategic reserve to finish him off in a dramatic bayonet charge. This unit, despite being the 'Charging Federales' converted from Wargames Foundry Franco Prussian French infantry, fail their morale test (one suspects that Lupe is just that terrifying) and flee back across the street.

Below right, the fleeing Federales collide with a fleeing sailor running away from his captured French 75mm guns at the south side of town. At the far right is yet another squad of fleeing Federales. This time Old Glory Boxer Rebellion Japanese infantry converted into dismounted Federale cavalry.

Beneath the photo of fleeing Federales, rebels sweep north up the main street. In the foreground peons are about to storm the huge yellow saloon where a half squad of frightened Federales waits to defend the plate glass windows. In the middle distance a mixed unit of Villistas and American adventurers has just finished demolishing the front of a small seedy saloon with dynamite and its Federale defenders have fled. In the far distance the milling images by the Model T are various Federale units fleeing from the dread Lupe in the cathedral.

Below, Federales running away from the seedy saloon, shortly before passing their morale test and rushing back to defend that unimposing structure.

Middle right, a close up of the Villistas and Adventurers moving up on the seedy saloon. The second figure from right, mostly obscured, in the blue serape is the 'cunning and exceptionally lucky' Cohones Comacho. The lithe, leggy and graceful rebel wearing pale blue spandex is Sharon Stone. (The umpire again reminds the reader that it is the players and not he who select the names of their characters.)

Below right, the titanic struggle inside the seedy saloon. (And yes, the members are gradually constructing interiors to the club buildings.) The attractive facade has actually been demolished by rebel dynamite. At the top left, two rebels have lost their nerve and will not participate in the hand to hand combat. At the bottom right the outnumbered Federales shoot well, removing two rebels, then fight adequately until they all lose there nerve and run away. The rebels perform in exactly the same fashion, leaving Sharon unconscious on the floor and Cohones alone to confront the single Federale officer.

After three rounds of ties Cohones is finally beaten and killed, but he uses his incredible luck to re-roll his dice and is saved! Then on the fourth, and positively last round of combat, he rolls a one and is killed. The stunned umpire suggests that the Federale officer, which is a Non Player Character, be promoted to the status of Character in the Wild West Campaign.

The events in the saloon are but little consolation to the Federale commanders for while they are defending the south and center of town Pancho Villa personally leads his reserves round to the undefended northern end and attacks the army's rear. The exhausted Federales, by now it was 2:30am, strike their colors and acknowledge a rebel victory.