Overview.

Good turnout this month given the holidays. I believe we had 16 people involved in playing 4 games.

The games were : 

• A large Napoleonic what if.
  
  
• A tiny Sudan conflict.
  
  
• A Dreadnought 1900 Naval engagement.
  
  
• BattleTech Alphastrke Sci Fi.

Setup time.

Tsushima : Bashing the Russian Bear.

AAR by David Taylor.

Game of the Russo-Japanese war 1905 using Tsushima rules in 1/2400.

Russian Player   : Dave Brown (Vice Admiral Zinovy Rozhestvensky)
Japanese Player : Gary Barr (Vice Admiral Togo Heihachiro)
Umpire                : David Taylor

Organized, using models and umpired by David Taylor.

The Battle of Tsushima – 27th May 1905

Using Tsushima Rules by A & A Game Engineering (available from Tumbling Dice)

Scale 1:2400. Ships mainly Tumbling Dice with a few 3D prints from WTJ for more obscure vessels (e.g. the Orel).

The battle was played at a 1:2 model to ship ratio. (This keeps the space taken up by the ships on the table in closer proportion to the ground scale as per Paul Hague’s Sea Battles in Miniature). Ground scale 10 cm: 1 nautical mile.

For those who don’t know, at the start of 1904, Japan declared war on Russia over disagreements on zones of influence in China. The Russian Pacific squadron was blockaded by the Japanese in Port Arthur (leased by the Russians from China, on the western side of the Korean peninsula) having failed to break out and get to Vladivostok (in Russia on the eastern side of the Korean peninsula).

To relieve the siege, the Russian’s dispatched the best elements of their Baltic fleet to Port Arthur, however, its departure is delayed and, after it reaches Madagascar (not without incident*), Port Arthur falls. Therefore, the Kremlin orders the Russian Fleet, now renamed the Pacific Fleet, to wait at Madagascar for another squadron of Russian ships, made up of those which had been deemed too outdated and slow to go with the original fleet.

The forces eventually combine and sail on towards Vladivostok past the Japanese islands where the enemy await them for one of the most decisive sea battles of the twentieth century.

The fleets at 1:30 pm when the main battle lines sight each other. In the foreground, the Japanese Battlefleet, the Russian fleet dead ahead and the shadowing Japanese light forces off their port bow.

The Japanese battlefleet. The 4th Division of light cruisers in the foreground. The 1st Division of battleships in the middle and the 2nd Division of armoured cruisers on the starboard side.

The Japanese light forces. Two divisions of light cruisers and 4 divisions of destroyers.

The Japanese objective was to stop the Russians getting through towards Vladivostok to the north. The mainland of Japan lies to the east while the island of Tsushima lies to the west.

The Russian fleet with the first Division of newest (Borodino class) battleships in the fore, with, on the port side, the battle line of the 2nd Division of Battleships, the older 3rd Division of turret ships and coastal battleships and the 4th division of armoured cruisers. Destroyers guard the starboard side and light cruisers and auxiliary ships bring up the rear with the Orel hospital ship at the back.

The Russian’s objective was to exit the north end of the table with at least half of their capital ships and one third of their cruisers/destroyers.

There were certain minor objectives for both sides as well.

The Action

Gary started by angling his armoured cruisers to the east and his battleships to the west to cross on either side of the Russians. His shadowing cruisers turned towards the enemy, closing the range. The Russians countered by moving slightly to the west, but focusing their fire on the Japanese armoured cruisers and light cruisers.

Despite their inferior crews, the Russian shooting was incredibly accurate (DB fired 8 dice from his 1st Division needing 10s to hit on d10s and scored 5 hits). This was to be the way things went for the majority of the game.

Despite his superior crews, Gary couldn’t seem to hit the proverbial barn door.

The fleets engage. Gary crosses the T of the Russian 1st Division, as his armoured cruisers move towards the lighter Russian forces and auxiliaries. His two light cruiser divisions move in from the west, evading to try and avoid the Russian fire. The Japanese destroyers hold back, having been ordered not to engage until the enemy is slowed and taking losses.

The Russian armoured cruisers in the distance fancied their chances against the Japanese light cruisers until a lucky shot hit the magazine of the almost undamaged Oleg, which suffered a catastrophic explosion and sunk below the waves. Despite suffering (the Idzumo had suffered significant hull damage, lost her rear main turret and a couple of secondaries, so had broken off; the Yakumo had taken damage to her engine and been brought to a halt until she could repair it) the remaining Japanese armoured cruiser had got amongst the lighter ships and, with help from the light cruisers coming from the other side, had dispatched the Russian light forces (the light cruiser Vladimir Monomach had also suffered a catastrophic explosion, although she was almost a wreck when this happened) , forcing the surrender of the Orel (although, being Japanese, Gary had wanted to sink it).

The Russian 2nd Division had been engaged closely by the superior Japanese 1st Division and almost destroyed, however, they had done some significant hull damage to the battleship Fuji in return. The Russian 3rd division’s slower ships had suffered with a torpedo almost sinking the Imperator Nikolai I. 

The closing stages. In the foreground, the Russian armoured cruiser Aurora makes a break for it (this was one of the minor conditions for David – not to lose the Aurora as she currently sits in harbour at St. Petersburg as a floating museum). In the middle, the Japanese 1st Division and destroyers circle the crippled Russian 2nd Division. Unfortunately, one of the Japanese destroyers had collided with the Mikasa, the Japanese flagship, and gone to the bottom with her hull stove in. The Mikasa didn’t notice. On the top right, the Russian 1st Division heads north to escape, followed by two Russian destroyers. The Japanese 4th (light cruiser) division tries to head them off, but the Tsushima is holed, floods and capsizes, leaving the Naniwa to head for home rather than face two battleships alone.

In the right middle, at an angle, is the Russian 3rd division of older ships. Currently slowed to a crawl by damage. On the right, the Japanese light cruisers and armoured cruisers circle the Russian auxiliaries as the Vladimir Monomach (the three masted ship), the last of the Russian light cruisers, tries to escape north. Next turn she will go under.

We had to call time, however, it was considered that the two Borodino class battleships would have escaped with nothing to stop them. The Aurora would also have likely escaped, along with the two remaining Russian destroyers. However, the rest of the battle fleet would have been lost, with the Japanese 1st Division capable of dispatching the remains of the Russian 2nd Division and the Japanese destroyers capable of dealing with the crippled, slow moving 3rd Division.

It was a great game, with David doing better than the Russians did historically, a result of his excellent gunfire, however, overall it was a minor victory for Gary as the Russians would have been unable to meet their victory conditions.

Gary’s minor condition was not to lose the Kasuga, the third ship in his 1st Division. A junior officer on board was Isoruku Yamamoto. Who would have planned Pearl Harbour if he had gone down?  

*On 21st October 1904, Russian ships thought they were being attacked by Japanese torpedo boats while passing through the North Sea and so they opened fire. In the darkness, Russian ships started firing on each other. The Russians had just engaged the Hull fishing fleet. Russian gunnery was atrocious and when the firing stopped, a number of Russian ships had been hit by friendly fire, with one fishing boat sunk and four more damaged, with a number of casualties on both sides. The Dogger Bank incident nearly brought Britain and Russia to war.

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Photos curtesy of David Taylor. 

Tiny footsteps in the Sudan.

Game of British Colonial war in the Sudan, loosely based on an attempt to relieve Gordon in Khartoum. 

Using 6mm Baccus and Irregular miniatures and custom rules by Leslie.

Organized, using terrain and models and umpired by Leslie Tipping.

AAR by David Maltman.

Players
Anglo Egyptian : Paddy McG and David Maltman.
Madhist            : Phil McGlinton and Ian Anderson.

Field of Battle :

To the North is the Anglo Egyptian camp. The army deploys within 6" of the camp.
To the West is a river down which a Gunboat and 2 steamers are carrying a battalion on British infantry.
Half way down the river is a walled town, which may or may not be occupied by Madhists.
To the South is Khartoum, under siege and starving.
To the East is a line of hills behind which the majority of the Madhist army are coming from.
Scattered across the desert are series of wadis, troops can be concealed within them.
Rocky outcrops give cover from rifle fire.

The British objective is to get a unit to Khartoum to lift the siege. The Madhist have to prevent this. 

How it played out.

the Madhist army deployed mainly behind the hills with their artillery on one of the hills and an advanced scouting party of cavalry. Their camelry and cavalry are towards this end of the table, the infantry further down.

The Anglo Egyptian army get under way, bringing their artillery out of camp. Meanwhile the Royal Irish rifles are being ferried up the Nile in 2 paddle steamers supported by a gunboat.

The Egyptian artillery score an early victory by silencing the Ansir artillery. A line of 2 Egyptian battalions the artillery and a gatling gun unit deploy to intercept the Ansir cavalry. The artillery having killed everything visible.

The remainder of the army, 2 camel units, 5 infantry battalions and a friendly tribe move of towards the port, which we do not know if it contains hidden troops at the moment. 

The flotilla now at the port has not been fired on so its likely to be unoccupied.

We decide to reinforce the eastern flank as there is a lot of cavalry on its way down. Two battalions peel of to reinforce the line.

The Egyptian camels reach the port and are not attacked. 

Meanwhile the RIR boats have moved down the river to unload and the gun boat has an dropped anchor to allow it to fire.

At this point a couple of Ansir rifle battalions popup out of the wadis they have been hiding in.

The Egyptian camels deploy in the port with the infantry moving up to form a firing line above the port. The British camel corps covering their left flank were fired on and forced to retreat. 

Meanwhile up in the east the Egyptian infantry and artillery are being attacked by the Ansir cavalry and infantry but holding their own while their reinforcements move into place.

The supply train continuous its glacially slow advance towards the port.

More Madhist infantry pop up from the wadis. A bit like whack a mole.

Additional Ansir reinforcements arrive behind the eastern hills. It's a war of attrition near the camp as Madhist units swarm against the Egyptians, who do quite well to whittle them down with rifle fire, only to take lots of hits when in the melees.

A British infantry battalion and cavalry regiment arrive from the North west.
The Egyptians reposition to counter the new threats.

The British lancers are soon in contact with Mahdist cavalry.

Back at the river the RIR and the gunboat slow the advance of a large Fuzzy Wuzzy unit making then drop to ground  a couple of times. But eventually they reach the brave Belfast boys. The rules do not allow you to fire at a unit which is charging you. Which I found odd as I know if I was being charged by large gentlemen with spears, swords and shields, I would be firing rounds at them quicker than I ever did on a firing range. That, or scarpering towards the port as quickly as I could. But when you have an umpire you abide by his ruing and quit your griping.

Things do not look good for the Belfast lads. The Fuzzies are good melee fighters and very resilient due to their large numbers.

More fuzzies and Ansir infantry advance from the hills towards the line on troops near the port. The British camel corps are going to be the first hit.

Back at the river the last of the Royal Irish rifles succumb to the Fuzzy Wuzzys. 

There is a bit of the Sudan which will be forever Ireland.

The gunboat and the units in the port get revenge for the RIR and the Fuzzies are shot to pieces.

However, another large unit of Fuzzy Wuzzys are coming down from the east to attack to port defenders.

The fresh unit of British infantry move in to support the Egyptians.

Meanwhile in the northern sector lots of Ansir infantry and cavalry are advancing on the Egyptian infantry.

At this point the camera man decided that discretion was a lot better of an option than valor and scarpers of back down river towards Egypt. So we have only dispatches to rely on.

The big Fuzzy Wuzzy unit tore into the port defenders routing the Egyptian infantry through the newly arrived British infantry.

At this point time was up and it was agreed the Madhists had won the day. They had more units left and there was no chance the Anglo Egyptian army were going to reach Khartoum. 

The next day in the Times the headline was "No relief for Khartoum, Government not spending enough on the army".

So no change in 120 years.

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Editorial comment.

To memorialize the defeat of the Royal Irish rifles we approached the foremost poet in Ireland, Mr Percy French, who rejigged the Welsh song "Men of Harlech", it seemed appropriate.

Men of Belfast, by Percy French.

Men of Belfast can'st thou see.
While at your afternoon tea.
The Fuzzy Wuzzys are hiding in the wadi.
Sneaking up on thee, to cause you misery.

Men of Belfast while at your repast.
The Fuzzies are coming at you fast.
They wish to make this day your last.
By chopping you up and into the Nile your bodies cast.

While you scrabble around for your gun.
The Fuzzy Wuzzy is changing at the run.
With red Ulster blood the Sudan will run.
He'll put an end to British colonial ambition.

Men of Belfast you cadre of braves.
You now should be lying peacefully in you graves.
Not bobbing on the Niles smalls waves.
Or taken to Omdurman as slaves.

We'll let Mr Rudyard Kipling have the last word with the Final verse of his poem Fuzzy-Wuzzy.

So 'ere's to you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, at your 'ome in the Soudan;
You're a pore benighted 'eathen but a first-class fightin' man;
An' 'ere's to you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, with your 'ayrick 'ead of 'air - 
You big black boundin' beggar - for you broke a British square!

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Photos curtesy of the Editor. 

Stomping across the Sands.

Battletech Alpha Strike.

Game System: Alpha Strike Quick Start Rules (Catalyst Game Labs Alpha Strike Box Set).

Players

One side   : Charlie Dickinson , Josh Dickinson.

Other side : Jeremy Mulholland.

                                    

No AAR just some photos.

       

                 .

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Photos curtesy of the Editor.  

Fallback from France , a Napoleonic what if ?

AAR from Andy.

Game . Using General d'Armee 2 in 28mm.

Players

Allied  : Andy Smith and Chris Caves.
French  : Jeremy Nixon and Stephen Casement.

Miniatures and terrain all from Andys collection, with a minor contribution from the editor. 

What if 1814 the British invasion of France has gone wrong so they must pull out ?

The French pulled together an attack force and caught the British rear guard.

The rear guard must hold on long enough for the guards to get off. If they are used in the battle the British lose.

The French must cut the escape road and capture the village. 

Turn 1 the French win to move 1st. French forces form up across the board. 

The French artillery do more damage to themselves then they do to the British. This was a theme throughout the game. French gunners were having a bad day kept on throwing double 1s or 4 on the dice which put cas onto themselves. 

On turn 3 the 1st reserves for both sides turn up but the French get bad dice and cannot move for a few turns allowing the British to form their firing lines.

In the meantime the skirmishes fight it out.

Turn 5 French old guard and French heavies turn up. The British household brigade are on the table. 

By turn 8 the French 1st infantry attack fails as the British firing lines get very good dice

Some photos of the battle.

Editors comments

In all the games I've seen Andy run, they are all large spectacles. There is one thing you can say "Andy don't do small". Where most of us are happy with a hundred figures a side, Andy comes out at near a thousand a side. I doth my hat you sir.  

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Photos curtesy of Andy. and the Editor.