Tiny Little Big Horn.

Game of the Wild west, a tiny Little Big Horn of 1876. 

Using The Men Who Would Be Kings in 28mm.

Organized, using terrain and models and umpired by Phil McGilton.

AAR by Phil McGilton.

Players
US Cavalry    :  Leslie, Tom and Billy.
Plains Tribes  :  Adam and Jeremy.

This months game down at the club was set in 1876, a tiny Little Big Horn using The Men Who Would Be Kings rules by Daniel Mersey.

It’s been a while since I have been to the club and this was a great opportunity to get my US Cavalry and plains Tribes on the table. 

TMWWBK is a fun rule set a big part of the rules is the Leaders traits that add fun and character to the game. Players roll on a table for their units leaders traits in this game we had cowards, drunkards and bald headed leaders. The table was setup with two clear objectives for the US Cavalry, destroy the village and stampede the pony heard of the table. For the Plains Tribes save the village but they could also win honour if they captured the flag old glory.

The 7th Cavalry had five units of 4 veteran Irregular Cavalry and a field Gun. I had insisted that the Cavalry players had to dismount to fire their Carbines and use two miniatures from the unit as horse holders. The Cavalry players didn’t like this much but it gives the game realism. Also they only had 10 rounds per man but one of the mounted Cavalry units had 3 pack mules with extra ammo. 

The Plains Tribes had 4 units mounted and 4 on foot.

This worked out at 36 points in both Field Forces and it turned out to be a balanced game.

The start of the game saw the Cavalry make slow but steady progress. There were several woods on the board and the Plains Tribes could deploy in them hidden. Only the scouts in each Cavalry unit could see into the woods for signs or the enemy.

This led to several ambushes being sprung on the US Cavalry, Billy seemed to get the worst of these attacks on the left flank.

Leslie dismounted his unit and deployed the field gun to support Billy’s unit under attack.

The Field gun had a bit of a duffer for a leader and couldn't get a round off.

Another ambush is sprung this time on Leslie’s second unit. This ambush is easily repulsed as the tribes leader is a coward and has to stay out of charge range.

The Plains Tribes are determined to destroy Billy’s A troop on the left flank. Billy’s good die rolls and supporting fire from Leslie takes its toll on the tribes units.

The Plain Tribes hold the left flank but this leaves the centre and the right flank open to attack!

The coward pulls is unit back into some rocks to provide cover from Cavalry fire.

Billy’s A troop go down fighting to the last man. But it has cost the Plains Tribes dearly.

Jeremy raises his mounted braves back to protect the village. It’s at this point Tom after a slow advance down the centre of the table gets the pack mules under control and lunches a spectacular change into a dismounted Plains unit winning the fight!

The dismounted unit is pushed back. This opens the way for Toms very depleted unit just 3 troopers and the pack mules to take the objective of the village with Leslie’s unit advancing in support.

The village is taken!

I have been collecting my Plains Tribes and 7th Cavalry for the last 20 years and this was only the second time I have had a game with them. But what a game the miniatures are all Britannia 28mm quite cartoony looking not everyone’s taste but I love their character.

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Photos curtesy of Phil and the Editor.