~Presents~

Maltese Falcons!
Scenarios for Spanish Fury, Actions!



Malta, 1565

"Tell your master that this is the only territory that I will give him. There lies the land which he may
have for his own - provided only that he fills it with the bodies of his Janissaries."
- Jean Parisot de la Valette, pointing to a ditch beneath the walls of Birgu

The siege of Malta is an epic of history. The Christian nations of the Mediterranean were at the
mercy of victorious Ottoman fleets, having lost there own only recently in the disaster of X in
15XX. The coasts of Spain and especially Italy were ravaged and thousands carried off to slavery.
The Turks only lacked a firm base to operate from which could block all east-west shipping and
enable their galleys to be in easy reach of their targets on the southern European coast.

The Island of Malta was the perfect location for the Turkish fleet. Several deep harbours
were available. It was equidistant to enemy territory and friendly territory, and left no
enemy behind them to harry supply ships carrying reinforcements. Of equal importance
were the residents of the isle.

The Knights of St. John of the Hospital, or the "Hospitalers", had pledged unending war on
the forces of Islam. Driven from Rhodes in 1522, they had recently taken up residence on
Malta and were themselves using it as a base to harass the Ottoman empire. Their galleys had
severed communications between Constantinople and the allied states of North Africa where
Barbary Corsairs ruled. Concerted operations were impossible with the small but formidable fleet
the Knights possessed which worked ceaselessly against both eastern and western enemies.

Destroying this hornets nest and turning it to their own purposes made the Turks choose this
barren rock as their target for the 1565 campaign, over Hungary, Sicily and Spain. The story of
the siege and the resulting humiliating defeat of the Ottoman army and navy is too long and of
too interesting a read to cover here. Several essays and books are listed below to enable those
itching to learn of this historic turning point to have a starting point.

This page is here to provide gamers so inclined to play out several of the engagements that
took place using the Spanish Fury system, and Actions! in particular. Below are several historical
scenarios. The forces involved can only be guessed at for the most part, but since Actions! uses
variable at start forces exact details are not absolutely necessary.

General Principles

~Maltese Terrain~
Malta was an inhospitible land in the 16th century, and underdeveloped. Therefore when
preparing a table to play the scenarios on, try and avoid fertile pastures and woods of any
sort (there was almost none on the island). Rocky hills and ravines, some villages, the
occasional fig tree orchard. The northeast is the highest area with the most hills, and slopes
 downward to the southeast, with a central plateau  upon which rests the town of Mdina.

~The Knights of St. John~
Knights use the same Special Rules for choosing Captains and Colonels as the Spaniards.
The Flight Number of the Knights is 70%.
Troops types:
MltM- Maltese Militia
Hsp- Hospitalers



Scenario One
The Preliminaries

20 May, 1565
The Turks have landed are are securing the immediate area around Marsasirocco
where the fleet has anchored.  A cavalry force from the city of Mdina attempting
to oppose the spread of troops inshore has run into a reconnoitering party coming
in the opposite direction.

Knights
Roll 1d6 on the Force table below:

Ottomans
Roll 1d6 on the Few, Mounted section of the Turkish National Force Table

The Board (Roughly 4'x4')
 The Turkish board edge should be the lower end of a slope with the high end on the
Knight's side (gentle, not too extreme). The Turks may have a small hamlet on their half of the
 board. Otherwise it should be mostly open, slightly undulating ground.

Setup
The Turks set up first anywhere on their half of the board. The Knights set up next on their
half of the board.

Victory Conditions
To win a player must drive their opponents past their flight number -or- take at least
one enemy stand prisoner off their own board edge.



Attack & Counterattack

29 May, 1565
Ottoman engineers and sappers have come forward to study the defenses of St. Elmo to
determine artillery targets, assault areas and potential undermining. Few guards protected
them. The Knights have attacked and driven these uncautious men to run pell-mell back
 to camp. Roused by the impetuosity of the defenders, a Janissary unit launches and
immediate counterattack to save their specialists and possibly gain some ground
from the disorganized Christians.

Knights
Roll 1d6 on the Force table below:


Ottomans
Roll 1d6 Force table below


The Board (Roughly 6'x4')
  36" from the Knights board edge should be a trench running across the full length of the board.
18" from their board edge should be a small fortified hill (a small sconce with the rear open) facing the Ottoman board edge. The entire board should slope upwards towards the Ottoman board edge.

Setup
The Knights set up first within 18" of the Ottoman board edge.  At least 12" from their own board edge,
place 6 prisoner stands (Ottoman Pioneers). Other Ottoman forces enter on their board edge.

Victory Conditions
To win the Knights must hold both the fortified hill and the trench while capturing or eliminating two
stands of Pioneers. The Ottomans win by holding Both the trench and the fortified hill. Either player
may win by pushing their enemy past their flight number. Any other result is a draw.




St.Paul's Bay

8 September, 1565
The relief force has driven the Turks into headlong retreat. While the fleeing army tries
to crowd onto the transports in St. Paul's bay, some Janissaries and Algerian troops are
fighting a desperate rearguard action to stave off the triumphant Knights and Spanish
 soldiers. On the heights around the bay the fate of the Turkish army will be decided.

Christians
Roll 1d6 on the Force table below:


Ottomans
Roll 1d6 on the Moderate, Predominantly Foot section of the Turkish National Force Table
(Replace Mts, Akj, Sph with BrC)

The Board (Roughly 6'x4')
  Roughly 24" from the Turkish board edge a ridge should run the width of the board.
Behind it on the Turkish side it should slope towards their board edge fairly sharply.
The rest of the board should be rugged, with low hills and ravines, and rough ground.

Setup
The Turks set up first on or behind the ridge. The Christians set up within 18" of their own
 board edge.

Victory Conditions
The Christian player must push the Turks past their flight number within 14 turns or lose.