More RCW Action, last Triumph of The Will playtest

 A third playtest for the rules ahead of the weekends big game.

This time I went early War Southern front with good quality Whites against Red Militias.

I gave the Whites one regiment of Regulars, with three companies of 9 and one 8. Supported by an MG a Field gun and an Armoured car.

They also had a regiment of 4 Sotnias of Cossacks each of 8 figures supported by a Tchanka and the ability to roll for an airplane.

The Reds have 5 companies of Militia infantry in units of 7, supported by an MG and an armoured train with a gun and a company of 10 Regular sailors.

They also have a regiment of militia cavalry again in 7s with three sotnias and a Tchanka.

In a ambush in the wood they have a further 2 companies of 7 militia Partizans.

So 8 companies of whites' vs 11 of Bolsheviks, the Reds also have some trenches to help last a little longer. Didn't really help. Bare in mind regulars are the best level and Militia the worst with drilled in between.

The Whites advance with foot and armoured car on the left and centre and the cavalry in a mass on the right.

The reds have 2 companies in trenches with an MG facing the White foot. The horse deploy opposite the Cossacks and the three extra foot companies straight up the middle. The train with the sailors on board moves once then stops slightly behind the trenches..

The White artillery quickly inflicts casualties on the Reds in the trenches.

The cavalry after moving spot the Anarchists hiding in the woods and got shot at for their trouble.

The mass of Cossacks thunder down the small gap right of the wood towards the Red cavalry.

The right hand unit of Whites takes a casualty from the fire of the anarchists and starts to move away from the rets of the regiment to take care of the pesky partisans.

Meanwhile the Red cavalry advance to meet their fate.

The gun from the cruiser opens up on the armoured car with no effect.

Oddly Chris manages three hits with the armoured train but then rolls far too high with his casualty dice and cause no damage at all. 3 or less to hit.

15 or less for damage, he rolls 22! As Chris says at the time, "Whats oh bugger in Russian?"

The Whites are now in MG range and start to concentrate fire on the damaged company whilst Chris holds his fire for now.

Steve fires his Tchanka at the Red cavalry, in the reds command roll they are forced back and disorder those behind, At the same time the White Airplane attacks and destroys the Red Tchanka before Chris can bring it into action.

Steve takes advantage and charges the disordered Red Cavalry seeing off the remaining two Sotnias with minimal damage to his Cossacks.

At this stage Chris realsies he has not done anythign with his Red infantry or his Naval infantry, best unit on able, and starts to move them, its already too late though.

The Red Tchanks now fires into the Anarchists inflicting 2 casualties and the remaining two Sotnias of Cossacks charge the Anarchists. As they are in cover and have their commander attached, they are able to inflict 4 casualties on the Cossacks before being wiped out.

The remaining company of Anarchists is now being flanked by White infantry.

The Cossacks and the Tchanka are now loose on the flank of the Reds and with one company destroyed int he trenches they are about to be over run.

Not sure why the Anarchist commander is waving, maybe he has seen the light and is trying to change sides.

As a playtest I wanted to see if a slightly smaller but better trained White force could overcome poor but numerically superior Reds. The answer was an emphatic yes.  Better troops and equipment more than off sets numbers, as perhaps it should, more good feedback for the rules. We also decided that as units were given orders these should be attached to units to remind their commanders what they are able and not able to do.

All told a good nights testing despite Chris not having much chance to enjoy the fight.- Sorry Chris.