Partizan Game 1920 Assault on Urga

It has taken me a couple of weeks to get the game report from Partizan together thank s for bearing with me.

Today we put on our 1920 Assault on Urga game at my favourite Wargames show, Partizan in Newark.

Its my favourite show of the year for good reason with some fantastic games in a great venue.

Richard and Andy from Legendary Wargames provided their fabulous terrain for us to play and joined in the game. Cheers gents. Legendary Wargames – Wargaming Holidays in Yorkshire

Our Game has the Mad Baron Von Ungern Shternberg leading his Russian and Mongolian Forces in storming the Mongolia Capital Urga in a bid to defeat the Chinese and drive them out of Mongolia.

Our game is based on the Barons third and final, successful, attempt to storm Urga, now Ulaan Bator and capital of Mongolia.

The Barons Forces have 3 objectives. 1, Capture the City 2. Free the Bogda Khan Spiritual and Political leader of Mongolia 3. Destroy the Chinese army.

To achieve this our Russian commanders, Dave, Si and Rich Lawrence have the following forces,  order of battle built around our prefered rule set, Triumph of the Will by Too Fat Lardies.

Asiatic Cossack Division

Baron Ungern Von Schternberg

Divisional Assets

All Ground Assets must be attached to a regiment

Field Guns x 2

Heavy Guns x 1

Armoured Car

Fighter Plane on the roll of a 6

Cavalry Colonel Kazagrandi

1^st Siberian Cossack Regiment

3 x 8 Sotnias Drilled, Aggressive, Cossack

1 x Tchanka

2^nd Siberian Cossack Regiment

4 x 8 Sotnias Drilled, Aggressive, Cossack

1x Tchanka

Chahar Mongol Regiment

2 x 8 Sotnias Drilled, Aggressive, Cossack

Tribal Mongol Cavalry

3 x 8 Ortas Militia, Aggressive, Cossack

2 x 7 Ortas Militia, Aggressive, Cossack

Infantry Colonel Sepeilov

3 x Infantry Regiments

Each with 4 x companies of 8 Drilled

Attached MG platoon 1 x MG

1 x Officers Regiment

4 x companies of 9 Drilled Aggressive

Attached MG platoon 1 x MG

The Chinese forces are from the collection of Chris Charlton and have some really lovely figures. 

Commanded by Chris with Rich Harris and Andy  taking turns on the left flank whilst Chris Flowers and Steve took turns on the right., their forces would consist of the following:

Garrison of Urga

General  Chang Chin Hui

Garrison Assets, all ground assets must be attached to a regiment

3 x Field Guns

2 x Mortars

1 x 37mm Infantry gun

1 x Fixed position FT17

1 x Fighter plane on a  roll of a 6 then 5 if unsuccessful each turn until arriving then back to 6.

Cavalry Regiment

3 x Squadrons of 8 drilled

Russian Lancer Detatchment

1 x  Squadron of 8 Drilled, Lance, aggressive

1^st Special Assault Regiment

3 x Companies of 10 drilled Aggressive

1 x Citreon Kegresse

Dare to Die Regiment

3 x Companies of 10 Drilled Aggressive

Mg platoon 1 mg in truck

Russian Mercenary Regiment

3 x Companies of 8 Drilled Aggressive

MG Platoon 1 MG

1^st Chinese Line Regiment

4 x of 8 Companies Drilled

Mg platoon 1 mg

2 x Chinese second line regiments

Each 3 x Companies of 8 Militia

MG Platoon each of 1 MG

The Chinese had the advantage of trenches and more quantities of artillery shells. The Russians a slight edge in quality and quantity of troops, particularly the cavalry.

On the Chinese right flank the Mongol holy mountain, covered in forest is undefended, deemed impassable but also holy to the Mongols and Chinese nobody expects an attack from this flank, two companies of Cossack infantry have climbed the mountain and will attack the temple area to try free the Bogda Khan. 

This happened historically, although it was a company of Russian and Mongolian Officers, historically it turned the tide of the battle, it remained to be seen if it had any effect on our game.

In terms of figures, the majority are Copplestone castings from the fantastic Back of Beyond range. But there are plenty of other manufacturers.

Studio Siberia provided 3 Sotnias of Cossacks, whilst Empress provided another along with the dismounted Cossacks and the Russian Howitzer. A fair number of the Chinese are from Pulp figures by Bob Murch, particularly the civilians, and three of the Mongols are from the Fireforge medieval range.

None of the accounts of the fighting mention air power but the Chinese definately had an air force in Mongolia and whilst the Russians probably didnt they add a great deal to a game so we decided we couldn't miss them out.

Mongolian Tribal cavalry adds a really unusual element to this game, its likely the Baron had at least 5 regiments for this assault, we managed to get the equivalent of one and a half or so. They certainly add some flavour to the game and I plan to paint a few more.

The buildings are a mix, Urga had distinct Chinese, Russian, Commercial and Temple Quarters so I had two distinct areas with Chinese buildings in one and Russian in the other. Models are a mix of Chinese buildings scratch built by Oshiro and others commercially available from Hovels or 3d prints.

The Russians wasted no time in belting forward to storm the defences frontally, each force having a mix of foot and Horse. On the Russian left the forested area is impassable but two companies of Cossack Plastun infantry have climbed over the mountain to attempt the Citys flank and rescue the Bogda Khan. I have not included these on the orders of battle so they came as much as  Surprise to the Russian commanders as the Chinese.

On the right Si and Richard push their cavalry into the gap between the defences and straight at the Chinese cavalry, whilst their infantry marches at the entrenchments.

Pretty soon the advanced Chinese redoubt is enfiladed and in trouble with cavalry on both flanks and infantry advancing down its centre..

It does however act a sa funnel for the cavalry who bunch and take in enfilading fire from all sides.

Mixed in with the Mongolians are Si's led by his Mongol Princess, a nice addition.

The tank was emplaced and caused only moderate damage to the horsemen swirling around it.

Parking up outside the wire the Tchanka inflicted a few losses straight away on the defenders of the redoubt.

Down the mountainside two companies of Cossack foot advance on the temple, a nasty surprise for the Chinese but there are not a lot of these guys so they need to be nippy, in and out with not much of a firefight.

At this point we take a short shopping break the game is looking very good and we are well on schedule.

As we return Rich L pushes his Cossacks forward at the redoubt and the Chinese cavalry.

Unfortunately for Rich the defenders take out his Tchanka before it can add a great deal of value.

The Chinese cavalry are taking casualties but hang back, their best bet is to let the Cossacks come to them through the hail of defensive fire of the infantry.

Rich C in the Russian Quarter is pretty untouched so far with the Whites going for local superiority in the Chinese quarter and temple.

I love how medieval the Mongolians look, only the rifles slung on their backs give the timeline away.

We call another quick shopping and lunch break as the majority of the Russians are set for their final assaults into Urga.  The game is looking good and we are getting good feedback.

Back from lunch and we are pretty much straight to it, Dave's Russians pile into the trenches all along the Chinese quarter and start to make inroads despite strong resistance.

As Dave has the Officer regiment they are just that slight bit better and their quality starts to tell urged on by the Baron himself from behind..

The Russians begin to make headway right along the defence in the Chinese quarter and the Mongolian tribal cavalry add to the mayhem by breaking in on the flank of the Chinese.

The Cossacks arrive at the temple to find a reception committee.

It doesnt look like the foot Cossacks are going to take the temple but they have distracted Chinese forces that could have been used shoring up the defences elsewhere.

Chris's Chinese assault troops decide to storm out of their earthworks and take the fight to the advancing Russians. A brave but ultimately doomed exploit.

The Russians and their Mongolian allies are well into the Chinese quarter now and the Chinese defence starts to buckle and then break under the pressure.

Si's forces close with Rich H's Chinese in the Russian quarter, his cavalry have taken a hammering and his gun is out of ammo but the infantry are marching stoicley on to come to grips with the Chinese.

The Cossacks have closed with the temple to be met by small arms and MG fire from the defenders.

I did neglect to capture the final moments of the battle on camera I am afraid.

The Cossack foot were driven off badly mauled but this provided just enough distraction for mounted Cossacks to burst in the front gate and make off with the Bogda Khan, Dave had captured the trenches and first buildings in China town and the redoubt had fallen leaving only Russian town in Chinese hands. With the Russians on the ascendancy we call it a win for the Baron and pack up.

A cracking day, with lots of interest from visitors and the chance to speak to people. The game played remarkably well too.