Lefebvre’s Charles Town Expedition Scenario

In the summer of 1706, Charles Town, Carolina found itself preparing for yet another test of its defenses. A combined French and Spanish force gathered off the coast, probing the inlets and islands while the town’s militia, garrison, and small flotilla worked to anticipate where the blow might fall. The scope of the landscape, forces mustered, and the fortified harbor all shaped the decisions on both sides long before the first shots were fired. This scenario is created for use in Week 5 of the Summer of Plunder, but is playable at any time. It is designed to let you explore some new features of the game for the town’s defenses and use landing parties as part of the allied fleet’s attack. The strategies to victory will force you to play the game in a new and fresh way

Historical Background for “Lefebvre’s Charles Town Expedition”

Background Context

• Charles Town grew rapidly after 1670, becoming a major English foothold in the southeast.
• Spain claimed the region as part of Spanish Florida and viewed English expansion as a threat.
• Native relations were strained due to abusive English traders.
• France opposed English influence among the Cherokee and other tribes.
• The War of Spanish Succession (Queen Anne’s War) brought European conflict to North America.
• Carolina launched multiple pre‑emptive attacks on Spanish Florida in 1702–1704, escalating tensions.
• Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville conceived the plan for a joint French–Spanish attack on Charles Town in 1706 and helped organize the expedition while in Havana. Unfortunately, he died of yellow fever before the fleet sailed, leaving the operation without its strongest commander and strategist. His absence contributed to the expedition’s poor coordination, which many historians cite as a key factor in its failure.
• Jacques Lefebvre was the French naval officer placed in command of the 1706 Franco‑Spanish expedition against Charles Town after the death of Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville. He led the allied fleet assembled in Havana and directed the attempted landing and reconnaissance efforts along the Carolina coast.

The 1706 Invasion of Charles Town

In 1706, during Queen Anne’s War, the French and Spanish launched a combined amphibious expedition against Charles Town, the capital of the English Province of Carolina. The colony was a valuable port and a center of privateering activity, and its capture would have significantly disrupted English influence along the southeastern coast. The expedition was organized and funded primarily by the French, assembled at Havana, Cuba, and stopped at St. Augustine to pick up Spanish reinforcements before sailing north.

Lefebvre’s spies had reported that Charles Town’s population was being decimated by a yellow fever epidemic. Weakened and exposed, the allies judged this was a favorable moment to strike. Lefebvre’s force consisted of five ships carrying approximately 300 French soldiers under General Arbousset and 200 Spanish volunteers under General Esteban de Berroa. The allied commanders intended to land troops near Charles Town, overwhelm the militia, and force the colony to capitulate.

The expedition’s undoing began during the passage north from St. Augustine. The Brillant (La Brillante), one of the expedition’s six ships, which carried much of the French force, including artillery and siege equipment, gave chase to a small sloop it encountered along the way and consequently became separated from the rest of the squadron. That sloop turned out to be a privateer sent out by Governor Nathaniel Johnson. Having eluded its captors, its captain quickly returned to Charles Town to warn of the Franco-Spanish fleet’s approach.

Charles Town’s Defense

The warning gave Governor Johnson time to mobilize the colony’s defenses. The countryside and town rallied in response, despite also suffering the ravages of the yellow fever epidemic. Some 600-900 militia were posted under the command of Lieutenant Colonel William Rhett on James Island, which guarded the southern approach to Charles Town harbor.

When the main Allied fleet appeared off the coast, the English were ready.  Over a period of two weeks, militia clashed with the Franco-Spanish invaders in a number of skirmishes, from the Charles Town peninsula to James Island, Hobcaw Point, Shem Creek, all the way to Sewee Bay.  The assault was eventually driven back by the colonial militia. The Brillant, still separated from the main fleet and unaware of the recent events, arrived later and was captured by Rhett’s improvised flotilla of merchant vessels. The five remaining allied ships had already sailed away in defeat by the time The Brillant arrived.

The result was a crushing defeat for the French and Spanish, with 230 men taken prisoner. William Rhett sailed victoriously back into Charles Town aboard his prize, The Brilliant, accompanied by local sloops. The colony declared a day of thanksgiving for its successful defense, and the Franco-Spanish alliance never again attempted a direct assault on Charles Town.

Playing “Lefebvre’s Charles Town Expedition” as an Oak & Iron Scenario

This scenario was originally designed for use in the 2026 Summer of Plunder campaign during Week 5 to correspond with the “Attack on Charles Town“ for Blood & Plunder.

This is a “what if” scenario that reimagines the conflict as if the La Brillante had arrived with the rest of the fleet and the attack had been more coordinated, thus making the British defense even more difficult.

GAME SETUP

Do not use the normal game cards to set up the game. Instead, use the following guidelines:

• Use a standard 3’x3’ board
• Requires the Landmass and 2 islands terrain pieces

Optional Rules

• Desperate Defense: Once a Franco‑Spanish ship comes within Musket Range of the landmass, this ability becomes available. During any British activation after that point, the British may spend 1 Fortune to have each Unit within Musket Range of the landmass take a free Rally action (once per game).
• Optional: No Quarter – both players ignore Strike Points, and play continues until the time limit is reached, the scenario objectives are completed, or one force is completely Out of Action.

Initiative Cards

There are no recommendations for initiative cards. However, the French player may swap a single one of their French cards for a Spanish initiative card following all other deckbuilding rules.

DEPLOYMENT

Do not use the standard game setup with cards. Instead, use the guidelines below:

• Place the Landmass touching the edge of the board.
• Place two tokens or markers on the landmass to represent the bastions. If you have access to a 3D printer, you could use one of these free fortification STLs, but they are purely a visual aid and aren’t critically important
• Place the 3 smaller islands from each Core Rules box within musket range of the Landmass in a formation similar to what is shown.
• The British player may place a special landing party token representing a British Militia unit anywhere on each side island cluster.
• As the Defenders, the English should deploy first and within the half of the map containing the Landmass.
• The Franco-Spanish fleet must deploy on the half opposite the Landmass at least cannon range away from all English ships.
• The wind blows west to east (sideways between the middle islands.
• Note: The English Admiral is among the land defenses and not on a ship. This means that the English cannot gain the bonus for sailing in Line Ahead Formation. This is intentional, as the defenders were largely civilians pressed into service, and while some may have had experience, the fleet was not specifically trained for naval warfare.

GAME LENGTH:

10 Turns

HISTORICAL FORCES:

The exact historical details of the forces involved in the conflict are a little vague. 3 of the French ships were known, two are vague, and the Spanish ship was a galliot, a hybrid oar-and-sail vessel similar in concept to the Galley Frigate. The British forces were a ragtag band of mostly merchant ships pressed into service. The following represents a very loose attempt to recreate the spirit of the historical battle using existing Oak & Ships and upgrade cards available in the game.

There are some new items for the gun emplacements and militia defenses, with rules and stats covered later in this article.

Suggested Forces:

The premade forces require the following boxed sets for Oak & Iron:

• 2 Core Rules boxed sets (or 1 Core + Merchant Men + Gentlemen of Fortune)
• 1 Men of War expansion
• 1 Galley Frigate _{(use a 4th rate from Men of War as a proxy)}

If you do not have the actual models, feel free to proxy the ships with what you have in your collection. Alternatively, you can try to play a modified version of the scenario with a 100-point force per team.

Charles Town’s Defensive Emplacements

Charles Town’s Militia Defenders

Much of Colonel Rhett’s success was owed to the rapid deployment of militia.

• Militia units on James Island, the Neck and river crossing skirmished with French landing parties, delaying their movement and forcing the attackers to commit more troops than planned.
• These scattered engagements prevented the French from massing quickly and gave Charles Town time to reinforce its defenses. Militia patrols along the marshes and riverbanks disrupted French reconnaissance and kept them uncertain about safe landing sites.
• Additional militia companies mobilized across the surrounding countryside, creating the impression of a growing defensive force.

Militia Units in the Scenario

Deploy a Landing Party Token on each side island. Use the standard Landing Party rules with the following changes:

• The Militia units may make a standard Partial Fire attack like a ship. However, this Attack cannot cause damage or critical hits to the target ship, they can only inflict Fatigue.
• The Units have a Fortitude 4 when attacked by Broadside attacks to reflect their scattered nature and small attack profile. Resolve Partial Fire attacks or attacks by other Landing parties with a Fortitude 2.
• Each Militia Unit has 12 Fatigue and a Crew Value of 6. When the unit is reduced to 6 Fatigue, lower the Crew Value to 3.
• During the Movement Phase:
  • The Militia may move on the Islands at a Speed 1 in any direction.
  • The Militia Units may use a special “TAKE COVER” Action. The unit may not participate in the Shooting Phase, but may reduce the amount of Fatigue taken from each Attack by 1 (to a minimum of 0).

OBJECTIVES AND VICTORY CONDITIONS:

• The Franco-Spanish suffer an additional Strike Point for each Militia unit not Out of Action in round 6 or beyond.
• The British suffer an additional Strike Point for each enemy landing party on the Landmass (max 2)
• Standard Strike Points apply

Additional Reading Suggestions

Conclusion

In the end, the defense of Charles Town in 1706 came down to a mix of preparation, stubbornness, and a community willing to show up when it mattered. The fortified harbor, scattered militia, and emplacements all played their part in shaping how the Franco‑Spanish attack unfolded.

Hopefully, this scenario gives you a chance to explore some new moving pieces on the table and try some new mechanics for Oak & Iron . If you run it as part of Summer of Plunder, feel free to share your results. Every game adds another angle to the story and keeps the campaign lively for everyone involved.

Product Recommendations

Additional Content Suggestions

If you enjoyed this historical Oak & Iron scenario based on Wager’s Action, you may enjoy these other scenarios:

Sources:

1. Wikipedia — Lefebvre’s Charles Town Expedition (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lefebvre’s_Charles_Town_expedition)
2. Town of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. “The 1706 French and Spanish Attack on Charles Town.” Grant Research Report. Accessed May 16, 2026. https://www.tompsc.com/DocumentCenter/View/47221/Grant-Report—1706-French-and-Spanish-Attack-on-Charles-Town
3. Mount Pleasant Historical — 1706 French and Spanish Attack on South Carolina Lowcountry (https://mountpleasanthistorical.org/items/show/117)
4. Kronoskaf / Project WSS — 1706 – Franco-Spanish Expedition against Charles Town (https://kronoskaf.com/wss/index.php?title=1706_%E2%80%93_Franco-Spanish_expedition_against_Charles_Town)
5. Symbiotic Thoughts — A European War that came to America: The 1706 French and Spanish Invasion of Charles Towne (https://symbioticthoughts.com/blog/a-european-war-that-came-to-america-the-1706-french-and-spanish-invasion-of-charles-towne/)
6. Walled City Task Force. “Invasion 1706.” Walled City Task Force, September 16, 2016. https://walledcitytaskforce.org/2016/09/16/invasion-1706/.