Les Petites Bêtes Soyeuses
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Les Petites Bêtes Soyeuses
Being a correspondence game of En Garde! run by Pevans since April 1986 and now published as part of To Win Just Once.
If you'd like to play, you'll need to subscribe to TWJO (follow the link for details). You will need a copy of the rules to En Garde! - or at least access to a copy. The additional rules for LPBS are available as a PDF document. (You will need Adobe Reader to view this: it is available free from Adobe.)
Orders for March 1677 to LPBS, 180 Aylsham Drive, Uxbridge UB10 8UF or the LPBS orders e-mail address by 5th December 2025.
Game Report for February 1677
Sections: Duels, Trials, Appointments and Regiments, What happened in Paris, What happened at the front.
It's February and winter is almost over. However, it's still pretty chilly in Paris, so no-one is surprised to see people bundled up in thick cloaks. These are very useful for disguising that some of those about in the early morning are carrying sharpened steel to their appointments.
Hugh Jeneaux has several duels to fight with his sharpened steel (as he's a Cuirassier, it's a sabre). He chooses to meet Dragoon Botte Le Chimiste first, making it sabre versus sabre. This looks an even match, though Botte does have a second, Louis Severin Descartes, to keep an eye on things. Botte steps back initially, but Hugh follows him to draw first blood with a slash. A cut follows this, landing at the same time as Hugh's slash. While Botte is now more badly injured, it is Hugh who surrenders.
Another Dragoon, Elroi le Flingue, is Hugh's next opponent and is also seconded by Louis Severin Descartes. To make the wait more comfortable, Elroi has brought "a folding chair, a newspaper, and snacks". Hugh's new wounds put him at a slight disadvantage, as does Elroi's greater skill. Hugh starts again with a furious slash, ignoring Elroi's attempt to parry, and strikes home with his slash. Elroi promptly attacks with a slash of his own and Hugh concedes to the accompaniment of snide remarks from his adversary.
Maurice Danseur is the final Dragoon to face Hugh and has seconds Louis and Pierre De Terre in tow. Maurice is a clear favourite for this duel as he's the bigger man and uninjured. Both attack with a slash and Hugh throws in the towel again.
Dragoon Guard Balzac Slapdash has appointments with two of his regimental enemies and takes on Cuirassier Con Stantinople first. Balzac uses a rapier against Con's sabre, but Con's small stature and lower expertise weigh against him. Justin Saad and Thibault Chanson de Skye second Con, while Balzac is unaccompanied. The rapier's lunge is met by the sabre's slash and both men concede the fight. A draw, effectively. Con treats his seconds to a "full Scottish Breakfast" afterwards.
Justin Thyme is more equal adversary for the injured Balzac - who now has a legitimate excuse to duck the duel. Though, like Con, Justin is disadvantaged by his lack of skill. His expected second, Zavier Ulric Turenne, doesn't show up either. They cross swords and Balzac surrenders without a blow being struck. Something that does not do his social standing any good.
Arent Hayes and Sebastiane Blanc-Chevaux choose to face each other before moving on to their other duels. Arent is the sabre-wielding cavalryman in this encounter, with Sebastiane using his regimental rapier. Sebastiane is not a big fellow and is further handicapped by previous injuries. Both duellists start cautiously: parries from Arent, blocks from Sebastiane. Then there's a lunge from the rapier and a slash from the sabre that coincide. Arent is just scratched, but Sebastiane takes a thumping blow and concedes. It's a serious enough injury that he cries off his pending meetings with François de Blanchefort and Vaux de Fon.
However, Arent moves on to deal with his challenge from Thibault Chanson de Skye - Paris voted Thibault cause 8:0. This is another even (-ish) match, though Arent continues to use his sabre against Thibault's rapier. Thibault also has Con Stantinople and Justin Saad as his seconds. Hoping to score first blood quickly, Thibault opens with a furious
lunge. However, Arent parries the initial lunge before starting a furious slash. The slash hits next, closely followed by Thibault's cut. The decider, though,
is Arent's cut, which does some serious damage. Thibault concedes. And then ducks out of meeting Chemin de Fer and Marcel Hatch Dupree.
This leaves Claude de Nord versus Frank X Change to finish off this month's duelling card - another chapter in the perpetual feud between the Cardinal's Guard and the King's Musketeers. However, despite his regiment, Claude uses a sabre. This and his skill give him the advantage. Entertainingly, his second is present at the duels - as his opponent! While Louis Severin Descartes is Frank's second. Despite his inferior expertise, Frank is a wily character. He blocks Claude's slash and dodges the follow-up cut before drawing first blood with a lunge. Claude isn't about to give up on a first hit. They trade slash for lunge twice before Claude gives up.
There's only one Major free
There's a vacancy for a Major in the Grand Duke Max Dragoons and both Pierre De Terre and Steve De Sade want it. However, Pierre has seniority and becomes a Major, while Steve remains a (slightly more senior) Captain.
Having borrowed some funds, fresh face Beau Taux applies to the 53rd Fusiliers. The regiment is happy to accept him and he buys the rank of Captain.
Recent arrival Hugo Serre prefers the King's Musketeers and is signed up by Colonel Claude de Nord. He doesn't need to borrow any money to buy a Captaincy.
Moving up the hierarchy to Brigade level, Armand Alsace has applied for the vacant command of First Foot Brigade. He flashes a bit of cash to improve his chances and is backed by Greg de Bécqueur. Thibault Chanson de Skye tries to contribute some influence, too, but just isn't influential enough. Things are looking rosy for Armand until "Tiny" Thierry Toothpick butts in. Flexing his ministerial muscles, Thierry effectively blocks the application.
As it's the last month of the season, it's no surprise that several Parisians volunteer for some time in action. It is surprising that Brigadier Thibault Chanson de Skye volunteers the whole of Fourth Foot Brigade. Marcel Hatch Dupree gives his battalion of the Royal Marines its marching orders. Cavalry support is provided by the Princess Louisa Light Dragoons, commander Charles PiedLuminaire, Archduke Leopold's Cuirassiers, commander Hugh Jeneaux, and the first squadron of the Crown Prince Cuirassiers, courtesy of Arent Hayes. PLLD Major Dee Jean Aise has already packed his kitbag, but CPC Subaltern Dee Jean Aise is taken by surprise. Lieutenant-General Bernard de Lur-Saluces joins the Royal North Highlanders for a month.
Croissants for the big nobs
Who was where: in the clubs |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 |
| Fleur de Lys | FXC + Justine | FXC + Justine | FXC + Justine | FXC + Justine |
| GdB + Bette | GdB + Bette | BeV + Lotte | BeV + Lotte | |
| . JiT + Guinevere | . LSD + Edna | . HS + Sue | . HS + Sue | |
| . ZvT | . CdN + Chris | GdB + Bette | GdB + Bette | |
| . LSD + Edna | LR(G) + Maggie | . CdN + Chris | . JiT + Guinevere | |
| . LR + Maggie | . FdB + Freda | . LR + Maggie | . LSD + Edna | |
| JH + Cath | . JS | . CdN + Chris | ||
| . HS + Sue | . LR + Maggie | |||
| . JiT + Guinevere | ||||
| . BT | ||||
| . PDT + Sal | ||||
| . BLC + Eve | ||||
| . CdF + Jenny | ||||
| . CS + Anne | ||||
| . MD + Belle | ||||
| . SDS + Thomasina | ||||
| Bothwell's | HF + Ella | HF + Ella | HF + Ella | HF + Ella |
| ElF + Lucy | ||||
| Hunter's | HS + Sue | AA | AA | AA |
| CS + Anne | CS + Anne | |||
| Blue Gables | FdB + Freda | FdB + Freda | FdB + Freda | |
| PDT + Sal | PDT + Sal | PDT + Sal | ||
| MD + Belle | ||||
| Frog & Peach | CE | JS | ||
| BT | CE | |||
| BT | ||||
| SDS(G) + Thomasina | ||||
| Shows who was in or outside a club: . = Toady to character above; (G) = Gambled; CP = Crown Prince; (id) = expected host; bold = first visit to new club; underline = first time mistress seen in public with this beau. | ||||
Greg de Bécqueur holds open house at the Fleur all month, but only accepts higher-ranking socialites. This probably explains why he and Bette only have a few guests each week. The first week is notable for being peaceful. It's also notable for the number of Parisians inspecting their new clubs. And for some successful courting - though duels will be required to satisfy Dee Jean Aise and Martin de Garnache.
The second week sees Louis Renault bring his guests to the Fleur after the duelling workshop he's hosted. This has given them the opportunity to show off their swordsmanship. Chemin de Fer is slightly embarrassed that his weapon is a hefty cutlass and asks to borrow "an oversized knitting needle" for the fencing exercises.
Similarly, Maurice Danseur would normally use a sabre, but "there will be advantages to knowing how a rapier works for the next time I have to face one," he reckons. Then it's time to rejoin their companions and enjoy a glass or two. This allows them to spot regimental enemies and other no-goods. Now that he's in the 53rd, Beau Taux discovers an enemy in François de Blanchefort - the feeling is mutual. He also discovers that he must defer to Botte Le Chimiste and Hugo Serre as his social superiors. But neither is of the nobility! Beau challenges both.
This ruckus interrupts Frank X Change's peaceful time in his club. Taking a look at what's going on, he spots a regimental enemy in the shape of Hugo Serre. Hugo calls in support from his colleague, Claude de Nord, who's one of Greg's guests at the time. Host Louis keeps out of the way by casting some crowns on the club's gaming tables. His single wager of 200 crowns is lost.
The biggest news from this party, though, is Claude de Nord revealing himself as a traitor ferret and serving arrest warrants on Justin Thyme and Louis Severin Descartes. After spending some uncomfortable time in the Bastille, both miscreants will be on trial at the start of March.
Who was where: courting, visiting and going out |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 |
| Sue | Out | Out | Out | Out |
| Anne | Out | Out | Out | |
| Belle | Out | Out | ||
| Chris | CdN succeeds ex-MdG | Out | Out | Out |
| Lotte | Out | Out | ||
| Henrietta | CdF fails | CdF fails | ||
| Jenny | Out | |||
| Ella | Out | Out | Out | Out |
| Lucy | Out | |||
| Sal | Out | Out | Out | Out |
| Freda | Out | Out | Out | Out |
| Thomasina | SDS succeeds ex-DJA | Out | Out | |
| Maggie | Out | Out | Out | Out |
| Di | SBC succeeds | |||
| Cath | Out | |||
| Eve | Out | |||
| Guinevere | Out | Out | Out | |
| Bette | Out | Out | Out | Out |
| Edna | Out | Out | Out | |
| Therèse | BS fails | BS succeeds ex-RS | ||
| Morgane | ZvT at home | |||
| Justine | Out | Out | Out | Out |
| Shows who was with a mistress or on a doorstep: Out = Mistress with current lover; I = Indiscreet (+ mistress name); ex-id = Pinched from former lover; st.down = stood down to rivals. | ||||
Another courting success means Rick Shaw will be looking for payback on his return from active service. Sebastiane Blanc-Chevaux's success disgruntles no-one, however. Nor Chemin de Fer's failures.
As they stay in the Fleur for the rest of the month, Frank, Hugo and Claude continue to exchange insults.
Steve De Sade tries his luck on the tables in the Frog & Peach in week 3. He places 50 crown bets, but stops after cutting twice despite actually winning one bet. He doesn't lose any money overall, but his approach cuts no ice with the cognoscenti.
Hugo Furst has a plane for February. "In light of the bally hoo-ha going on this month what with the womenfolk all up in arms and talk of witchery, treachery and downright sluttyness, I think the best course is to keep the old head well down and my beady eyes firmly on my own dear sweet thing." Thus Hugo and Ella pass February at his new club, "comfortably ensconced in a private room in the company of the delightful Ella and some decent bottles of red."
Henri DuShite brings some extra crowns when he visits the Bawdy houses and the footpads are very grateful. Though they spurned the small change Charles Etfeevor and SBC had after their visits.
Who was where: round and about |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 |
| In jail | JiT | |||
| LSD | ||||
| Bawdy houses | SBC + FC | JS + FC | ||
| AA + FC | CE + FC | |||
| ID + FC | BT + FC | |||
| HDS + FC: Mug-12 | ||||
| Practising | JS - Rapier | CE - Rapier | BS - Rapier | BS - Rapier |
| HDS - Cutlass | ZvT - Rapier | SBC - Rapier | ZvT - Rapier | |
| BLC - Sabre | HDS - Cutlass | HDS - Cutlass | SBC - Rapier | |
| JdG - Rapier | JdG - Rapier | BLC - Sabre | BLC - Sabre | |
| CdF - Cutlass | ElF - Sabre | JdG - Rapier | JdG - Rapier | |
| BeV - Sabre | BeV - Sabre | ElF - Sabre | ElF - Sabre | |
| CS - Sabre | ID - Sabre | ID - Sabre | ID - Sabre | |
| JH - Sabre | MD - Sabre | MD - Sabre | ||
| JH - Sabre | JH - Sabre | |||
| SDS - Sabre | ||||
| Regimental Duties | IP | |||
| Shows everybody else: FC = Female Companionship; Mug n = Mugged & amount lost; (G) = Gambled; Weapon = Weapon practised with. For those doing nothing: -club = not a member of a club; -Cash = insufficient funds; -SL = insufficient Social Level; ???? = unknown host. | ||||
A little siege music
In the Netherlands, the French forces maintain their winter sieges while building up strength for a spring campaign against the Spanish Netherlands. Fourth Foot Brigade arrives from Paris to little effect. Brigadier Thibault Chanson de Skye has a close encounter with some Dutch grapeshot when he tries to get a closer look at the enemy fortifications. His brevet rank is made permanent, removing him from the 69th Arquebusiers.
The pressure of the sieges is beginning to tell and the Picardy Musketeers overrun a Spanish fort that's run out of matériel. Luckily, there's enough saleable stuff left for the Picardies to loot. Colonel Percival Puffington is brevetted to Brigadier-General, takes command of First Foot Brigade and sweeps nearly fifteen hundred crowns worth of goodies into his baggage. Major Barthélemy Chifflet follows his boss's lead, but doesn't get quite as much booty. Still, a lavish Mention in Despatches ("the boy done good") is worth having.
The Royal Foot Guards don't make any noticeable headway, but still manage to find something to plunder. That'll be 500 crowns' worth for the boss, Camille de Polignac, rather less for Lieutenant-Colonel Martin de Garnache, another 500 for Major Hector William Boone and Major "Tiny" Thierry Toothpick falls in between them. There are also
Mentions for Camille, Hector and Thierry ("Where does it all come from?"). Captains Felipe Savant and Neville Moore get nothing, however.
And Guards Brigadier Terence Cuckpowder makes sure of picking up more than 500 before being brevetted to Lt-General.
The fresh horsemen of Princess Louisa's Light Dragoons pick on some fleeing (it started as an orderly retreat) Dutch infantry and capture their remaining supplies. These are worth nearly a thousand crowns to Colonel Charles PiedLuminaire - now a brevet Bdr-Gen - and nearly as much to Major Dee Jean Aise, now Lt-Col Dee.
Hugh Jeneaux is serving with first Frontier regiment and positions himself behind Marcel Hatch Dupree's battalion of Marines. This is a canny move, but neither gets any reward.
Arent Hayes's squadron of the Crown Prince Cuirassiers serves with second Frontier and provides a much-needed screen for the infantry. Arent picks up a few crowns and is Mentioned in Despatches, while Subaltern Vaux de Fon gains promotion to Captain.
Fourth Frontier has a battalion of the Cardinal's Guard with them. CG Lt-Col Come Asiouar staves off a rout as his men stand and fight. A close shave from an enemy sword earns Come a Mention ("More of a haircut, really") and the title of Marquis from His Majesty.
The RNHB regiment has the pleasure of both General Rick Shaw and Lt-Gen Bernard de Lur-Saluces leading battalions and there are MiDs for both.