Back of Beyond - Autumn 1921

 

Having mopped up the last of the Bolshviks, the 14th Allied Eastern Expeditionary Army and The Illustrious Arm of the Nine Illuminated Terrestrial Immortals took well-deserved breaks. The Chinese remained in Kubassa to solidify their hold on the region, while the Canadians of Allied  Expeditionary Force marched back to Canuckand. 

There remained one final battle this Autumn... 

Pursuit to Gura

The Red Horde did not relent, they pursued the Russian East Asia Cavalry Division to the very gates of Gura, where the Russians made their last stand... 

Desperately short of supplies (especially ammunition) the last gasp of Russian Imperialism in the East was to ride out of Gura and attack the Chinese camp, hoping to capture or destroy the supplies of the army investing the city. 

The attack was prefaced by a short preparatory barrage by the 77th Imperial Artillery Regiment. But, lacking ammunition for their guns, the bombardment was light and insufficient to seriously hamper the Chinese defence... 

The Imperial Russian 38th Hussars and Mongolian cavalry galloped off to the west to try and maneuver around the Chinese left flank. 

The 337th Infantry Regiment held their position, hoping either the artillery would be able to soften up the Chinese defences, or the flanking cavalry might create enough chaos and diversion, that they might be able to advance without being cut to pieces. 

Unfortunately a devastating barrage from the Chinese artillery finished off what remained of the 77th Imperial Artillery Regiment... The rest of the Russian assault would have to proceed without artillery support. 

Luckily, for the infantry, the flanking maneuver DID distract one of the Chinese battaliosn which reversed in their trenches to bring fire on the cavalry now galloping to their rear. 

The 337th Infantry Regiment and Mongolian infantry began firing on the entrenched Chinese infantry, slowly whittling away at their number, while the 38th Hussars fired on the Chinese Artillery (and very nearly caused them to flee!) 

Once the Chinese in the trenches had reoriented their battalion, however, it was all over for the Russian cavalry. The last of the Imperial Russian 38th Hussars, and their commander, Hedwig Markus von Eggenberg, Margrave of Grosswardein, went down in a hail of rifle and machine-gun fire... 

Then the rest of the Chinese force arrived to reinforce the position. 

While the fire from the Mongolian Cavalry and 337th Infantry Regiment did force the Chinese infantry to give up their position, they were unable to capitalize on this minor success. 

A furious charge from the Chinese cavalry drove off the last of the Mongolian Cavalry. 

And the last of the Imperial Russian 337th Infantry Regiment we cut to pieces in the open by the Chinese artillery.

After the battle von Eggenberg's corpse was recovered by the Chinese. His head was removed and placed on a spike above the gateway at the main entrance to Gura - to remind those that might stand against the one true Kahn of the fate that awaited them. 

Situation at the end of 1921.

And with that I think we'll call it done... 

I may or may not get around to posting some thoughts and reflections on the campaign.... If I do, I think I might leave it for a bit to allow some thoughts to percolate... We shall see. 

Thanks to those that participated. 

ORANGE

• Commander of the Field Army: Lieutenant General Sir Percy Arbuthnot-Worcester-Gruntfuttock-Smythe
• Faction: Western Interventionists
• Army: 14th Allied Eastern Expeditionary Army
• Base of Operations: Canadar 
• Other Cities: Canuckand, Molsensk, Stlojia, Borschka, Baboushka, Vlodkask
• Resource Points: 18
• Field Army:
• 3rd Battalion, Winnipeg Grenadiers (7)
• 5th Battalion, Cape Breton Highlanders  (8)
• 2nd Battalion, Regina Rifles - Heavy Infantry Battalion (8)
• 105th Canadian Fusiliers - Heavy Infantry Battalion (8)
• 7th Battalion, South Saskatchewan Regiment (7) 
• 8th Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles - Cavalry (8)
• 37th Field Artillery (4)
• 38th Field Artillery (10) 
• 69th Armoured Regiment (10) 

GREEN

• Commander of the Field Army: Altan Baatar Kahn
• Faction: Warlord Chinese
• Army: The Red Horde
• Base of Operations: Lung-Hu
• Other Cities: Wurumchi, Sui-Pei, Bashkent 
• Resource Points: 42
• Field Army:15
• Heavy Infantry Battalion (8)
• Heavy Infantry Battalion (9)
• Infantry Battalion (12)
• Infantry Battalion (12)
• Cavalry (8)
• Artillery (10)
• Tank (11) 

LIGHT BLUE

• Commander of the Field Army: Win-Cao Lo-Fat, The Most Illustrious Beacon of Celestial Light and Commander of the Arm of Earthly Might
• Faction: Warlord Chinese
• Army: The Illustrious Arm of the Nine Illuminated Terrestrial Immortals 
• Base of Operations: Wei-Li
• Other Cities: Ching-Ho, Ulaan-Goom, Pyrohy, Holopchi, Kubassa
• Resource Points: 11
• Field Army:
• 1st Heavy Infantry Battalion (12)
• 2nd Heavy Infantry Battalion (13) 
• 3rd Infantry Battalion (12)
• 4th Infantry Battalion (13)
• Cavalry Regiment (13)
• Artillery Regiment (14)
• Tank Regiment (11)

Back of Beyond - Summer 1921

 The war in the east continued through the summer of 1921 with increased intensity! 

The Illustrious Arm of the Nine Illuminated Terrestrial Immortals, under the command of The Most Illustrious Beacon of Celestial Light and Commander of the Arm of Earthly Might, Win-Cao Lo-Fat, continued their siege of the Ist Guard Regiment, Ipatiev House, at Kubassa. 

The Canadians of the 14th Allied Eastern Expeditionary Army pursued the Ist Babushka Army Corps to Vlodkask, where they would make a despreate attempt to hold the last bit of territory under their control. 

The Red Horde, led by Altan Baatar Kahn, pursued the East Asia Cavalry Division through mountain passes and into Mongolia to fight them again at Driutsek. 

The Siege of Kubassa

Just before the final assault, Lo-Fat ordered a herd of pitch-covered pigs be led to the one of the sewer outflows under cover of darkness. As the pig were released into the city's sewer system they were set alight. Squealing, flaming pigs tearing through the sewer system sowed chaos and confusion amongst the residents and garrison and provided perfect distraction for the troops of The Illustrious Arm of the Nine Illuminated Terrestrial Immortals to storm the Bolshevik trenches, scale the walls and eventually overrun the city. 

Kombrig Mahat Mikhan packed his mandolin and along with his chief commissar and a pantomime horse costume, escaped the city under cover of darkness. The commissar was later captured and executed by counter revolutionaries near Vladivostock, but Mikhan made it to American where he began a new life writing comedy for "decadent westerners". At least until 1947, when he was deported to the Soviet Union after the House Committee on Un-American Activities began investigating the motion picture industry in Hollywood. 

The Battle of Vlodkask

The starving, tattered remains of the Ist Babushka Army Corps, dug in around Vlodkask. 

So broken were they, that the Canadian's preliminary bombardment saw off what remained of one of the battalions entirely! 

At dawn, the Canadians of the 14th Allied Eastern Expeditionary Army begin their assault 

The 8th Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles, quickly crossed a ford northeast of the town and overtook the positions of the departed bolshevik battalion, hoping to flank the rest of the Bolshevik line, or at least prevent reinforcements from retaking the position. 

Meanwhile, the 2nd Battalion, Regina Rifle Regiment, cam under heavy fire as it approached Vlodkask.  

Bolshevik Cavalry blocked the Canadian Mounted Rifles from sweeping up the Bolshevik flank! 

While the Canadian Mounted Rifles kept the Bolsheviks busy the 69th Armoured Regiment, supported by the 5th Battalion, Cape Breton Highlanders and the 15th Canadian Fusiliers, attempted to cross the ford. Unfortunately the tanks of the Armoured Regiment floundered in the soft mud of the ford and could advance no further. 

The two Canadian Field Artillery Regiments engaged in a vicious duel with the Bolshevik Artillery. The 37th Field Artillery took heavy casualties and eventually had to retire. But the 38th eventually silenced the Bolshevik guns! 

After a prolonged firefight with the Bolsheviks holding the town, the 2nd Battalion, Regina Rifle Regiment, was obliged to retire, having sustained a great deal many casualties. The 3rd Battalion, Winnipeg Grenadiers and 7th Battalion, South Saskatchewan Regiment kept up the pressure on the Bolsheviks. 

After a brutal clash with the Canadian Mounted Rifles, the Bolshevik cavalry tried to block the Canadian infantry crossing at the ford. Unfortunately, the Canadian Artillery was able to shift its focus to supporting the infantry advance and caught the cavalry in the open and cut them to shreds. 

Under the heavy weight of fire from the Canadian infantry, the Bolsheviks gave up the town and the Canadians began pouring across the bridge into town. Teh Winnipeg Grenadiers lead the assault. 

Teh Winnipeg Grenadiers stormed right through the town and out the other side to attack the flank of the remaining Bolshevik battalions dug in on the hills North east of town. The South Saskatchewan Regiment followed on and took up positions within the town of Vlodkask. 

At the other end, the Cape Breton Highlanders began their assault on the dug-in Bolsheviks. 

The Cape Breton Highlanders took heavy casualties in their assault, but the Bolskevik force was broken. Those that weren't killed or surrendered dispersed into the woods and deserted, fleeing in all directions.  

Commissar-General Lev (Leon) Davidovitch Runstein was unable to be located after the battle and assumed to have been killed in the fighting. 

The Battle of Driutsek

 The East Asia Cavalry Division fleeing Wurumchi, and hotly pursued by the Red Horde, decided to make a stand before Duiutsek. 

Crossing fords south of town, they were pursued a little TOO closely! 

Chinese Cavalry caught up with the Mongol Cavalry just beyond the East ford. 

The two units engaged in a protracted battle. The Mongols attempted to steer the Chinese cavalry away from the fleeing Russian infantry, in hopes of giving them time to turn and set up a defensive position. 

The battle went back and forth for some time, stalling the Chinese Infantry's advance. 

Finally the Mongol Cavalry was driven off and the Chinese Advance resumed. 

At the West ford, the 28th Imperial Russian Hussars turned to make their stand against the pursuing Chinese, to give the artillery time to turn and fire on their pursuers. Unfortunately, it was the Chinese tanks (which had SUCCESSFULLY crossed the ford!) that they Hussars had to face! The horsemen did no last long in the face of the tank assault! 

The Chinese tanks then drove off the 77th Imperial Russian Artillery, leaving the single Russian infantry battalion to hold off the Red Horde. 

The remains of the 77th Imperial Russian Infantry Regiment made their stand, and caused grievous casualties to the pursuing Chinese infantry battalion. 

Under the weight of fire from all sides, and under threat of being entirely surrounded and annihilated, the Russians quickly had to give up the field. 

So intense was the Chinese pursuit, that the East Asia Cavalry Division bypassed Driutsek entirely and retreated all the way to their base of operations at Gura, where they would make their final stand! 

In Other News

While it seemed the former Archduke Yevgeny Lytton, had settled into retirement and running a spa and bathhouse he'd set up in Tashkabad, in the summer of 1921 it was reported he rode out of Tashkabad with his personal guard of Cossacks. At first it was rumoured that he'd taken up banditry, but firsthand reports seemed to indicate few were killed or injured in this excursion and that they seemed to be looking for one thing;  a Samovar that had been part of his family for some time!? It seems they located it at a bazaar in Bakunin - and even paid the "grotesquely low price" the merchant was selling it for, and promptly rode back to Tashkabad!? 

Situation at the end of Summer 1921

ORANGE

• Commander of the Field Army: Lieutenant General Sir Percy Arbuthnot-Worcester-Gruntfuttock-Smythe
• Faction: Western Interventionists
• Army: 14th Allied Eastern Expeditionary Army
• Base of Operations: Canadar 
• Other Cities: Canuckand, Molsensk, Stlojia, Borschka, Baboushka, Vlodkask
• Resource Points: 18
• Field Army:
• 3rd Battalion, Winnipeg Grenadiers (7)
• 5th Battalion, Cape Breton Highlanders  (8)
• 2nd Battalion, Regina Rifles - Heavy Infantry Battalion (8)
• 105th Canadian Fusiliers - Heavy Infantry Battalion (8)
• 7th Battalion, South Saskatchewan Regiment (7) 
• 8th Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles - Cavalry (8)
• 37th Field Artillery (4)
• 38th Field Artillery (10) 
• 69th Armoured Regiment (10) 

YELLOW

• Commander of the Field Army: Hedwig Markus von Eggenberg, Margrave of Grosswardein
• Faction: Tsarist
• Army: East Asia Cavalry Division 
• Base of Operations: Gura
• Other Cities: 
• Resource Points: 1
• Field Army:
• 337th Infantry Regiment (Heavy) (4)
• Mongolian Cavalry (6)
• 38th Hussars Cavalry (6)
• 77th Imperial Artillery Regiment (7) 

GREEN

• Commander of the Field Army: Altan Baatar Kahn
• Faction: Warlord Chinese
• Army: The Red Horde
• Base of Operations: Lung-Hu
• Other Cities: Wurumchi, Sui-Pei, Bashkent, Driutsek
• Resource Points: 42
• Field Army:15
• Heavy Infantry Battalion (10)
• Heavy Infantry Battalion (9)
• Infantry Battalion (12)
• Infantry Battalion (12)
• Cavalry (8)
• Artillery (12)
• Tank (11) 

LIGHT BLUE

• Commander of the Field Army: Win-Cao Lo-Fat, The Most Illustrious Beacon of Celestial Light and Commander of the Arm of Earthly Might
• Faction: Warlord Chinese
• Army: The Illustrious Arm of the Nine Illuminated Terrestrial Immortals 
• Base of Operations: Wei-Li
• Other Cities: Ching-Ho, Ulaan-Goom, Pyrohy, Holopchi, Kubassa
• Resource Points: 11
• Field Army:
• 1st Heavy Infantry Battalion (12)
• 2nd Heavy Infantry Battalion (13) 
• 3rd Infantry Battalion (12)
• 4th Infantry Battalion (13)
• Cavalry Regiment (13)
• Artillery Regiment (14)
• Tank Regiment (11)

Back of Beyond - Spring 1921

 The Chinese and Western Interventionists were all on the move early in the spring! Vigorous preparations through the winter and quick action in the spring allowed them to seize the initiative and move on their respective opponents and trap them before they could even launch their own operations for the spring.

The Red Horde has attacked the East Asian Cavalry Division in Wurumchi

The 14th Allied Eastern Expeditionary Army has marched on the Ist Babushka Army Corps in Baboushka

Finally, The Illustrious Arm of the Nine Illuminated Terrestrial Immortals has marched on Kubassa to attack the Ist Guard Regiment, Ipatiev House to "finally crush the barbarians, once and for all"

The Siege of Kubassa

After the long march through the remote backwaters of Kazakhstan to regain his base of operations at Kubassa and hastily raising a new battalion of infantry with the limited resources at his disposal, Kombrig Mahat Mikhan set about planning offensive operations against the Chinese in the spring. Before he could ready his diminutive force to march, word came that the Chinese were coming to him! 

Outnumbered over three to one, there was no chance at beating them in the field, so the Bolsheviks were ordered into the city and defences were hastily prepared to stand a siege! 

Upon their arrival, The Illustrious Arm of the Nine Illuminated Terrestrial Immortals  attempted to take this city by storm, but were bloodily repulsed - and lost several tanks in the process! At that point, Win-Cao Lo-Fat, The Most Illustrious Beacon of Celestial Light and Commander of the Arm of Earthly Might, ordered his troops to dig in and invest the city. The Chinese were patient and numerous, they could wait them out.  

The Battle of Baboushka

In the spring of 1921, the long-awaited attack from the Western Interventionists finally came to Baboushka. The Force of Allied troops, mainly made up of Canadians, had grown to a force nearly double the size of the Ist Babushka Army Corps. Reinforcements had poured up the rail line from Vladivostock and marched through the snow from Canadar to Molsensk to Canuckand, and finally to Borshka. 

Commissar-General Leon Davidovitch Runstein had chosen a bottleneck before Baboushka for the Ist Babushka Army Corps to make its stand. 

At dawn, during an unseasonably warm day in May, the Canadians began their assault! 

The Tanks of the 69th Armoured Regiment led the way, followed by the newly arrived 7th Battalion, South Saskatchewan Regiment - who were desperate to prove themselves. Flanking the Tanks were the 5th Battalion, Cape Bretton Highlanders and 3rd Battalion, Winnipeg Grenadiers. 

The 1st Transuralian Peoples Infantry Battalion holding the bridge eventually broke and the Tanks smashed through their lines and lumbered on towards the second line of defence. Behind them, the assault battalions poured across the bridge. 

The Tanks eventually faultered, under heavy fire from all sides and the South Saskatchewan Regiment was cut to pieces. The 2nd Battalion, Regina Rifle Regiment and the 105th Fusiliers followed on into the maelstrom. 

2nd Transuralian Peoples Battalion, in the center of the Bolshevik line, eventually broke under heavy fire from the Canadian artillery and infantry, but they had sold themselves dearly. By the time they were obliged to retire, they had blunted the attack of three of the Canadian battalions! 

The 5th Battalion, Cape Bretton Highlanders and 3rd Battalion, Winnipeg Grenadiers abandoned their positions flanking the bridge and drove across to support the wavering attack. 

The 8th Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles follwed across. 

It came down to two shattered infantry battalions facing each other, with Cavarly supporting. 

The only difference being, the Canadians still had guns in support that unrelentingly rained down fire on the enemy lines! 

The last of the Bolshevik infantry fled and only the 1st Babushka Cavalry Regiment remained to slow the advance of the Canadian assault. They were quickly cleared away by the Canadian artillery

By the end of the day the hill overlooking Baboushka was in the hands of the Cape Bretton Highlanders and the Canadian Mounted Rifles. 

The Bolshevik army was in disarray. What remained of the force fled south to Vlodkask. Without supply, however, the force began to melt away. The wounded could not be properly cared for and were abandoned to the Westerners. Starving soldiers without ammunition surrendered to the Canadians or deserted. 

The Bolsheviks cause was looking bleak in the East! 

The Battle of Wurumchi

Further South and a little to the East another Chinese force was facing another Russian force - but this time Tsarists! 

Scouts of the Red Horde had reported the route to Wurumchi was clear. From a distance it seemed there was little enemy activity in or around the city. The chinese began to wonder if the rag-tag band of Russian bandits had abandoned the city when they'd heard the Red Horde was finally on the march. 

Arrayed before the city, it quickly became clear the Chinese had walked into a trap! 

Russian artillery, removed from the city, began firing on the Chinese from hidden locations in the rocky hills to the west of the city. 

Russian infantry concealed in the city, waited until the Chinese force was right at the gates of the city before they revealed themselves and fired on the Red Horde, point blank! 

Russian and Mongolian Cavalry, hidden in the hills and valleys to the south west of town, charged out and were upon the Chinese flank before most of the force realized they were there! 

Chaos spread among the Chinese ranks! Two battalions of infantry were set to flight before the rest of the force could even react. Their guns were also overrun before they could be brought to bear. 

Teh Chinese cavalry and tanks reacted quickly to regain control of the situation, and the remaining battalion of Chinese infantry made for the town. 

The last of the Chinese infantry made it to the town before being run down by the Russian Hussars pursuing them. From the city they were able to drive off the Cavalry with rifle fire. 

The Chinese tanks gave up trying to engage the Cavalry, which literally rode circles around them, and advanced on the Russian Guns. 

The Guns taking a pounding from the tanks and the Cavalry unable to regain the city, it was clear the city was lost the the East Asia Cavalry Division was obliged to retir to Driutsek. 

The General Situation at the end of Spring 1921

ORANGE

• Commander of the Field Army: Lieutenant General Sir Percy Arbuthnot-Worcester-Gruntfuttock-Smythe
• Faction: Western Interventionists
• Army: 14th Allied Eastern Expeditionary Army
• Base of Operations: Canadar 
• Other Cities: Canuckand, Molsensk, Stlojia, Borschka, Baboushka
• Resource Points: 18
• Field Army:
• 3rd Battalion, Winnipeg Grenadiers (8)
• 5th Battalion, Cape Breton Highlanders  (11)
• 2nd Battalion, Regina Rifles - Heavy Infantry Battalion (9)
• 105th Canadian Fusiliers - Heavy Infantry Battalion (9)
• 7th Battalion, South Saskatchewan Regiment (8) 
• 8th Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles - Cavalry (12)
• 37th Field Artillery (9)
• 38th Field Artillery (10) 
• 69th Armoured Regiment (10) 

YELLOW

• Commander of the Field Army: Hedwig Markus von Eggenberg, Margrave of Grosswardein
• Faction: Tsarist
• Army: East Asia Cavalry Division 
• Base of Operations: Gura
• Other Cities: Driutsek 
• Resource Points: 1
• Field Army:
• 337th Infantry Regiment (Heavy) (8)
• Mongolian Cavalry (9)
• 38th Hussars Cavalry (10)
• 77th Imperial Artillery Regiment (11) 

GREEN

• Commander of the Field Army: Altan Baatar Kahn
• Faction: Warlord Chinese
• Army: The Red Horde
• Base of Operations: Lung-Hu
• Other Cities: Wurumchi, Sui-Pei, Bashkent 
• Resource Points: 42
• Field Army:15
• Heavy Infantry Battalion (11)
• Heavy Infantry Battalion (9)
• Infantry Battalion (12)
• Infantry Battalion (12)
• Cavalry (10)
• Artillery (12)
• Tank (12) 

LIGHT BLUE

• Commander of the Field Army: Win-Cao Lo-Fat, The Most Illustrious Beacon of Celestial Light and Commander of the Arm of Earthly Might
• Faction: Warlord Chinese
• Army: The Illustrious Arm of the Nine Illuminated Terrestrial Immortals 
• Base of Operations: Wei-Li
• Other Cities: Ching-Ho, Ulaan-Goom, Pyrohy, Holopchi
• Resource Points: 11
• Field Army:
• 1st Heavy Infantry Battalion (15)
• 2nd Heavy Infantry Battalion (15) 
• 3rd Infantry Battalion (13)
• 4th Infantry Battalion (13)
• Cavalry Regiment (15)
• Artillery Regiment (14)
• Tank Regiment (12 )

DARK BLUE

• Commander of the Field Army: Kombrig Mahat Mikhan
• Faction: Bolshevik
• Army: Ist Guard Regiment, Ipatiev House
• Base of Operations: Kubassa
• Other Cities: Kroptkand, Bakunin
• Resource Points: 6
• Field Army:
• 1st Heavy Infantry Battalion (12)
• 6th Artillery Regiment (14)

RED (of course) 

• Commander of the Field Army: Commissar-General Lev (Leon) Davidovitch Runstein
• Faction: Bolshevik
• Army: Первый Бабушка Армейский корпус (Ist Babushka Army Corps)
• Base of Operations: None
• Other Cities: Vlodkask
• Resource Points: 0
• Field Army:
• 1st Transuralian Peoples Infantry Battalion (Heavy)  (7)
• 2nd Transuralian Peoples Battalion (Heavy) (5)
• 3rd Transuralian Peoples Battalion (5)
• 4th Transuralian Peoples Battalion (6)
• 1st Babushka Cavalry Regiment (11)
• 1st Borschka Artillery Regiment (5)