Assault on the Trans Siberian RCW AAR

We had planned a big Russian Civil War game at Chris Flowers place for some time, the completion of a Red armoured Train by Chris Charlton and a whole bunch of extra reds and whites by Dave and Si meant the game was even bigger than initially anticipated.

We use Triumph of The Will and The rules work on the premise of a units will to press on, hence the title Triumph of the Will. This is mainly expressed by the number of figures in a unit. The larger the unit the more willing to press on. The level of training (Regular, Drilled, Militia) represents their fighting ability and how easily their will is eroded by losing figures. Unusualy most dice rolls require you to roll low, just as well when I am rolling.

In our game a town and its nearby railway station is being besieged by the Whites supported by an armoured train. Getting wind of Red reinforcements on the way the Whites launch an attack to try and take the town before it can be relieved. Deploying at the far end of 13 feet of table the Reds have a lot of road to travel to save their besieged comrades.

The whites in our game had generally slightly better troops and more of the modern gear with aircraft available more often, slightly higher numbers of MG's and guns and a train from move one. This reflects the increased availability of this gear to the whites through the support of the International great powers. The reds however had trenches and would eventually have the edge in numbers.

White Order of battle:

Attack force Under Richard C

One armoured Car

6 units of 9 Storm Troops, Aggressive Regulars

4 Units of 8 Cossacks, Aggressive Regulars

2 Units of 8 Drilled

1 Armoured Car

1 MG

Supporting Force Richard L

1 MG Drilled

2 Field Guns Drilled

1 Armoured train with Field Gun

4 Units 8 White Infantry Drilled

Right Wing John

2 units of 6 Asiatic Cossacks Aggressive Regulars

4 Units 8 White Infantry Drilled

1 Field Gun Drilled

1 MG Drilled

Reserve John

4 Units White Infantry Drilled

3 Units Cossacks Aggressive Regulars

1 Tchanka MG Cart

The Whites would have  apre-programmed bombing Run from a Sopwith 1 1/2 strutter and a Spad on a roll of a 6 each turn.

The Reds had more of a mixed bag.

Town Defence Force Steve

1 MG Drilled

1 Field Gun Drilled

4 x 7 Militia

4 x 8 Drilled

Station Defence Chris F

1 MG

1 Field Gun

3 x 7 Militia Cavalry

2 x 8 Siberian Rifles Regular

2 x 10 Sailors Aggressive Regulars

Reinforcements from move 2 Dave and Chris C

1 armoured train

4 Units 10 Sailors Aggressive Regulars

8 Units 8 Red Infantry Drilled

5 Units 8 Cavalry Drilled

1 Tchanka MG Cart

1 Unit 6 Partisans in Ambush

Red Sopwith Camel on a roll of a 6.

Move one and the Whites launch their Assault on the POW's and Militia holding the town, the left unit here are ex Austro Hungarian POW's who did quite  a bit of fighting  after some ideological recruiting in prison camps and months march away from home with no food.

They get lucky with the roll of a 6 and a Spad fighter comes on and attacks the town. They have also pre-programmed a bombing run on the Red Militia Cavalry which quickly destroys one unit of the reds.

Richards White armoured car trundles forward without its supports and along with the massed white guns begins to take a heavy toll of the defenders whilst John starts to push the White cavalry of the reserve forward on the left.

The reserve infantry from Si's collection also start to push forward on the white left wing.

Meanwhile the red infantry suPports are arriving, lovely figures from Daves Collection. They do have a long way to go though.

The overpowering firepower of the White artillery coupled with the elan of the white officer storm units is causing Steve severe problems, he has quickly lost both MG and Gun alongside multiple infantry casualties.

The whites storm the first trench lines and see off the militia with minimal casualties.

Richards units defending the White trenches set off in support and the train begins to move around to the right flank to support John.

John has meanwhile got stuck in on the right flank as Chris and Dave arrive with large numbers of red reinforcements and an armoured train crammed with their best troops, red sailors.

The reds get a fighter on the roll of a six, unfortunately they take it in turns to roll anything but a six all day and the red Sopwith never leaves the box.

Rich L's cossack brigade launches itself at the right hand side of the town held by two units of drilled red infantry.This front unit is one of my favourites painted as Ossetians.

Meanwhile the reds are pushed further back in the town and begin to concentrate their remaining troops in the bombed out factory.

A unit of Siberian Cossacks reaches the reds in the trench on the flanks of the town, the first unit of red infantry is cut down but the Cossacks take horrendous casualties with only 3 out of 8 remaining.

The whites get another Spad and the plain decimates yet another Sotnia of red cavalry whilst Johns troops press forward to prevent the reds relieving the town.

The next three units of Richards Cossacks close with the remaining red infantry in the forward trenches, in the back ground we see the white armoured train arriving on the right flank to support John.

Johns artillery fire has been deadly and both the Red MG and Field gun have been destroyed but the veteran red Siberian rifles make a stand and start to punish the white infantry advancing across the open ground.

The whites advance in a determined manner but two units are practically destroyed by the Siberian rifles and the supports from Dave and Chris. In the back ground we see Asiatic Cossacks dealing with a band of Partisans which ambushed them from the forest.

A close up for Shaun and Mark. These are from Studio Siberia painted as Siberian Cossacks, lovely figures but rather delicate swords.

Chris F  has pushed a unit of sailors to the edge of town to give some much needed support to Steve. The other unit pulls back however as the Cossacks are closing and they dont want to be caught by those sashka sabres in the open.

The battle for the bombed out factory is becoming desperate, Rich L's artillery is taking a toll whilst his Cossacks move in on one flank and Rich C's infantry have control of the rest of town and prepare to close in on the other flank supported by the armoured car.

Dave's lovely figures and Chris's fantastic train were just starting to reach the area of action when we ended the game as we ran out of time. Sorry guys.

The game effectively ended with a draw, the Whites were close to capturing the Town but were nowhere near capturing the station and with reinforcements already reaching both, the White advance was likely to stall.

I need to apologise to Chris and Dave who got very little fighting in having to march right across the table. My bad I thought you would be able to get there quicker chaps.

The rules are a bit clunky but do give a feel for Russian Civil War so we will probably amend them slightly to make them a little more playable before using them again. Another game of this planned for September. Mongolia is supposed to be nice in the Autumn!

Thanks everyone for taking part. 

Workbench Update 40mm Cavalry and new stuff

 I have been trying to focus on adding something new to the 40mm project in terms of units. With a number already complete then the French Hussars seemed the best focus.

These three once based will give me a group of 8 and Leader.

The trumpeter in reversed colours on a grey is very bright and pops really well as intended.

The officer has a round base and lots of gold braid, a much flashier figure than his troopers and looks quite different with the blue Shabraque.

The last trooper has an uncovered shako to contrast with the various coloured covers of his comrades. Once based I will gets some pictures of them as a unit.

The British are a little behind the French in painting so far but catching up. These three take me to seven so two more to do.

The British are a tougher proposition than the French. As the two figures available are either firing or loading a carbine they dont lend themselves to a unit, so a bit conversion work is required. This chap has his right arm replaced with a Sash and Sabre one brandishing his carbine and a green stuff bridle hand.

This next chap has a French Hussar right harm with Sabre and a metal hand stolen from another figure.

This however is the original loading figure, very nice. Just two more to paint to complete the unit.

For my French I wanted a differently coloured unit to support the 88me Ligne. I have gone for the Paris Municipal Guard in early uniform. A real contrast both to the rest of the French and to the allies uniforms. I do like how these look.

I have also completed the first of my Portuguese Cacadores, not sold on the brown shade so may try some alternatives but a lovely figure.

These are really lovely figures by Flashing Blade Miniatures, with a good selection of poses. More of these to come.

Lastly a couple of Russian Cossacks, inspired by our recent games, these will be the command base for Shkiro's wolves. A touch of Dash to my white forces, as though they needed it.

Good progress, hope to have some of these on table very soon indeed.

General D'Armee AAR Playtest

 Steve has been keen to try these rules for a while so we had a nice Russians vs French game.

Went pretty well as it happens.

The French hold two villages with three small brigades of foot, two six pounder batteries and two small cavalry brigades.

The attacking Russians have 12 pounder batteries with 3 larger brigades a large and a small cavalry brigade and a reserve guards brigade.

Chris F and I would attack with Russians whilst Steve and Chris C defended with the French.

Each side has a number of dice they can roll to get extra things. ADC's typically who can re-roll failed orders. Given that all units need an order to do anything except fire these are pretty useful.

Steve and Chris occupy each village with a battalion and set reinforcements behind them, their left flank is covered by a small brigade of fo0t and another of horse with one of the 6 pounder batteries. The French under Chris Con their right have a battery between the two villages and a larger cavalry brigade covering the extreme flank.

The Russians get forward quickly although Mr Flowers has his usual difficulty when rolling for movement so one brigade stalls. Artillery on the villages causes minimal casualties.

I decide I want to exploit my slight cavalry superiority so the Hussars are pushed forward as quickly as possible.

Move two I roll well on command dice so spend some to add artillery assault to one battery which increases the casualties on my target unit, the village is blocked by my own advancing infantry so I concentrate on one of the supporting units causing devastating casualties and forcing it to retire in disorder.

We quickly close on the Russian left and assault the village. My first assault bounces off with casualties to both sides but the rest of the briagde is well placed to carry on the assault.

On the right we are not quite close enough yet but closing on the further village. 

Next move we close with right hand village, I don't have an assault order so it will be a little harder, as with the left village the first battalion bounces but another is in range to carry on next turn.

On the left we have charged the village again. The advantage here is that the French are still disordered from being charged last go. We bounce off again but the village is weakening.

The cavalry close and the superior numbers of Russians tell, a narrow victory to the Russians pushes the French back but doesn't allow the Russians to follow up.

A third attack on the left village is repulsed but only just.

The village on the right is just as beleagured but manages to push the Russians back again.

On the right Chris's columns are finally moving forward with a view to smashing into Steves French who, in a bit of historical irony, are in line on a reverse slope.

The Russians storm the right hand village for a fourth time, each of the four battalions has taken a turn at charging in, wearing the defenders down and giving them no time to reform.

On the right we are having our third assault, this time it goes to second round and the French throw in supports pushing the Russians out and exchanging the mauled defenders with the fresh battalion which, however, remains disordered by the combat.

Its nearing the end of the night and Chris is gathering himself for a mighty knock out punch against the French left.

The French however seem unpreturbed and ready for him.

In front of the right hand village the Russian Guards have arrived. They charge the village and make it look all too easy.

On the left my Russian line have finally taken our village and pushed the French back.

But what's this? Steve has left a gap through which a small unit of French Hussars can charge my disordered Russian line.

A desperate closing volley has no effect and the French cavalry are in amongst my infantry and the battalion is broken.

The guards however are happy enough occupying the village.

On the left with one last throw Chris C charges his remaining untouched battalion at the left hand village, a good closing volley disorders him and he retreats from the ensuing melee badly mauled.

Chris marches over the slope into the waiting muskets of Steve's French. Steve assures us it wont be as one sided as it looks but we have run out of time so wont get to find out.

With both villages taken and the French left in disarray its a Russian victory and a great first test of the rules.

Overall a thoroughly enjoyable game and I look forward to playing the rules again soon.