Further Distractions - Blitzkrieg Commander

Carrying on with the solo wargaming I decided to give Blitzkrieg Commander a try. I had quickly skimmed through the rules a couple nights ago and was feeling keen to give it a quick go.

I set up a simple Breakthrough scenario in the Western Desert. Two Companies of British infantry were tasked to hold a gap between to rocky jebels. They were supported by the battalion’s mortar and AT platoons (the AT platoon was armed with 6 pdrs). The German force trying to push through was made up of a Panzer company with three platoons (1x Pzr III short, 1x Pzr III long, and 1x Pzr IV short), a reconnaissance platoon (Sdkfz 222) and a panzer-grenadier company (3 infantry platoons + an MG platoon). Both forces had a solitary HQ.

Here’s how it played out.

Turn 1

Germans move. Once.

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


Here is the German main force moving up.


The British positions between the small mountains.

British have very little to do… wait what’s that out there…


Looks like some German recce sneaking up.

The commander called in some mortar fire on it causing one hit (not saved) and suppressed the platoon.

Turn 2

The Germans main force moves up under cover (twice) into a nice little staging area. At this point I surrendered the initiative. I may have been able to give another round of orders but not likely two more. As the next move for the main force was to move out into the open; I didn’t want to do that, lose the initiative and be left sitting out there in the open for the British turn. Recce troops recover from being suppressed, end of turn.

The British, with little else to do, drop some more mortar bombs on the Recce troops still sitting out in the open. Round one causes two hits and suppresses them again. Round two I roll snake-eyes for orders – they get to act TWICE. Two more hits, and that’s it for the German recce. With little else to do other than hold the British surrender the initiative.

Turn 3

GAH!!! The Germans roll boxcars for orders, followed by a two: Crossfire! Three units nearest the command take three attacks from firing… not sure where that firing would be coming from…? The tanks sitting in the staging area mistake each other for the enemy and start firing on each other..? Whatever the case it caused all three panzer platoons to become suppressed… and the initiative was passed to the British.

The British have nothing to do but wait for the Germans to stop shooting each other and attack them. Hearing all this shooting and the rumbling of tank engines from behind a dune opposite his company on the right, the CO decides to move over there to take more direct control over the defense of their ridge.

Turn 4

The Germans move out. With their second successful round of orders the infantry de-bus and the tanks start pumping rounds into the British positions to soften them up a bit. This causes two hits and one suppression. If I remember correctly it was the AT platoon that was suppressed – handy for the Germans.

The British get to try out the initiative phase as there are now troops within 20cm. This causes one hit. Orders: FIRE! This causes two more hits – checking to see how many hits infantry can take I discover they can take SIX! Tough little buggers…

Turn 5

In the initiative phase the Germans score 1 hit on a British infantry platoon and FOUR HITS on the AT platoon – but by some miracle they are NOT SUPPRESSED!!! Rolling for orders… ANOTHER TWELVE! GAH!!! This time I roll “Cease Firing!”: 4 attacks on the command unit – two hits, 1 save, no suppression… well it COULD have gone worse…

The Brits plink away at the stalled Germans to their front scoring a hit on a Pzr IV and a hit and a suppression on some infantry in the initiative phase. When it comes to orders the CO is befuddled by the German behavior and stalls as well (rolled an 11!) failing to seize the initiative and take advantage of the German command blunder.

Turn 6

Tired of waiting with their cheese out in the wind, tow of the panzer platoons charge the British positions! The Pzr III platoon takes a hit and is suppressed on the way in. The Pzr IV platoon – which is trying to overrun the AT platoon – takes only one hit and is not suppressed (whew!). The German Kampfgruppe commander, seeing his subordinates seizing the initiative, gets his head together and with three successful rounds of orders sends the remaining panzer platoon and some infantry up to support the attacks, while the MG platoon lays down some suppressing fire on the far end of the ridge, pinning the isolated platoon there.


This is what it looked like when they had all moved in.

So now I get to try out close combat.

The first British infantry platoon causes 3 hits on the Pzr III platoon finishing it off. The panzer-grenadiers supporting cause a single automatic hit, but the tanks themselves do nothing. The Panzer-grenadiers are forced to retire.

The Pzr IVs that attacked the AT guns caused 1 hit but took none from the AT guns. There was the one hit on the way in, but the supporting panzer-grenadiers also cause one so it’s still a German win. The AT guns must retreat but being unlimbered guns they can not and are destroyed.

The second British infantry platoon attacked took two hits and cause two. Both are to disengage… Troops in trenches..? I thought that was silly so I just left them there, and the panzers retired back down the hill a bit.

On the British turn two infantry platoons were able to fire on German panzers in the initiative phase causing two hits on each and suppressing the Pzr IIIs. There followed two fire orders which saw one German panzer-grenadier platoon suppressed, then forced to fallback (into another panzer-grenadier platoon – which suppressed it as well…), then ultimately finished off.

At this point I called the game. The impetus of the German attack had been blunted. Though the British lost their AT platoon, the Germans had lost a panzer platoon, the recce platoon, and a panzer-grenadier platoon. Starting turn seven they would have had one panzer and one panzer-grenadier platoon suppressed, leaving one take platoon, one panzer grenadier platoon, and the MG platoon still facing a, more or less intact Rifle company immediately to their front, and a second one still in reserve. Here’s what it looked like:


Still holding the center ridge is the British rifle company and the battalion commander – one platoon at the far end of the ridge has been suppressed by the German MG platoon. The two remaining panzer platoons are on the hill; one is suppressed, the other is supported by a panzer-grenadier platoon. Off to the left is the MG platoon and the suppressed panzer grenadier platoon. Off to the right is part of the second British rifle company, beyond which – out of the picture – is the mortar platoon.

I guess the Germans could have still possibly squeaked a minor victory out… but I was happy stopping there. I got the taste I wanted and can go back and reread the rules to sort out any questions that I have. I like the game so far. There was some ebb and flow and some interesting randomness in the Command and Control system. Maybe I’ll read the off-table artillery and air support rules before my game with Gary on the 15th.

I like this scale of action. Stands=Platoons, multiple companies or even multiple battalions could easily be fielded.

I had been thinking I might rebase my 15mm WW2 guys. I think the urge first got me when I saw Curt’s Flames of War bases (miniature dioramas every one!). I may not go that crazy but the look of the bigger bases has been growing on me. I’ll probably stick my vehicle on bases too. I imagine I’ll be playing this more that FoW in the future and for some reason I think having a vehicle on a base will help me visualize it as being a platoon rather than a single vehicle… I don’t think I’ll start in on that for a while… MUST… STAY… ON… TARGET!!!

Tashaklabad Redux

If you host it they will come… or maybe not…

This was to be the first of my revived Friday Night Wargames. Once a month, on the first Friday, I vowed I would run an historical miniatures war game… I find ritual is important in life. If things don’t become ritual, it’s so much work to organize new different irregular activities that they almost never happen. Months slip by before you get together for that game you said you should do sometime…

So I’m running a game on the first Friday of every month in the War Room (my basement hobby bunker), whether anyone shows up or not… this, the first of those, was an “or not…” kind of evening and thus my first foray into solo wargaming in a very, very long time. It was kind of fun.

The game I ran was more or less a re-run of a scenario I ran a couple weeks ago on Savage Sunday; Flight from Tashaklabad , (except without the special characters). I thought John or Gary, who I thought might possibly show up, would get a kick out of it, if they did. Otherwise I was interested to see how it might turn out if it were played differently – i.e. if the Russian player retired his forces immediately instead of waiting for the Chinese and trying to fight it out with them…

You can see the background and notes/special rules for the scenario at the previous post.

Here are the initial positions of the Russians:

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


There are the two Russian companies deployed ot in the desert with their commander; Captain Dmitri Yakovski. On the rocky outcropping is the sniper I added to the force for this game. Behind the rock the sniper is positioned on is the MG detachment.


A close up of said sniper.


An overhead shot of the initial positions.

TURN 1

The Chinese march on to the table. All the Russians begin to retire to the train, even the Machine-gun detachment. The Russian infantry manages to go as fast (with 2d6” movement) as the Chinese close-order infantry (with 3d6” movement).


The Chinese march on to the table.


The Russians retiring.

TURN 2

The Chinese choke on the movement rolls; 6”, 7”, and 8”. The Russians tear off with 10” and 11”. They’re practically on the outskirts of town. I’m starting to think the game is over already; the Chinese will never close the gap. The Russians will be in the town and boarding the train in an orderly, proficient, military manner before the Cavalry even arrives!

The Russian MG stops this turn to set up and fire next turn covering the retreat of the infantry companies. It’s far enough off to the side that they hope no one will veer off to deal with them.

TURN 3

The Chinese remember how to march and the lead company surges forward 15”. One Russian company holds for this turn while the other, which started furthest from the town passes through them. This is me trying fancy maneuvering; leapfrogging the units in an orderly retreat… I should have just run them both at top speed…!

At this point I realize the Chinese specialist assault unit will not see any action this game… they’ll just never catch up. There’s still a huge gap between the regular Chinese infantry and the Russians, but they’re starting to look like they’ve got hope…

The Russian MG cuts a swath out of the leading Chinese infantry. 5 of 6 dice hit! Maybe not so much hop… The Russian sniper also takes his first (and last) victim of the game.

The Second bunch of Chinese arrive; the MG, field gun, armoured car, executioner and General Wu Fang himself.


The Russian MG cutting down Chinese infantry. the sniper and his victim can also just be made out if you look carefully...


TURN 4

Start rolling for Cavalry. No cavalry. Though they’re starting to close the gap things are still not looking great for the Chinese, considering in the next turn or two the first company will be wiped out by the Russian MG… or not…

It must have jammed or something. Needing 3+, on six dice, they managed only one casualty… yikes!

TURN 5

The Cavlary arrives. Both Russian companies retire, but they’re going a bit slower now. It’s obvious that one will be contacted next turn and will have to make a stand to try and hold off the tide of Chinese while the other company loads up on the train.

The Russian MG manages to clip three Chinese from the trailing company and that will be all it will do this game as they’ve all gone past and are out of the MG’s firing arc. The Sniper begins to fall back toward the exit corner, as there is no chance he will actually get on the train at this point.

The Armoured car is in range at this point and takes down 3 Russians. They then fail a morale test.. bad, bad news.


The scene at the end of the movement phase. In the top left of the picture are the Chinese artillery and MG setting up…. with nothing really to shoot at…

TURN 6

Contact! The Chinese cavalry and leading infantry company charge in to contact with the Russian company trying to hold the line on the outskirts of town. The other Russian infantry company is apparently tripping over themselves trying to get on the train. This turn they rolled 5” for movement.

Captain Yakovski sticks around to try and steady his troops but fails to rally them and remove the morale failure token – which will prove to be disastrous by the end of the turn.

Shaking with fear, the Russians can’t shoot straight they take down only one infantryman and one cavalryman as they charge in. The Chinese armoured car, in return kills two more Russians.

The Chinese infantry must know kung fu, or something, because they take down four Russians, each was with the first attempt (most were ganged up upon, but it was completely unnecessary!), and lose only one of their own. Another Russian is taken down by the cavalry, for a total of seven Russian dead this turn. A few of the unengaged Russians did manage to shoot four of the infantry in the second company that was following close on the heels of the first.

The Russian company then fails a morale test…


Russians dashing for the train.


The melee begins!

TURN 7
Now here’s one of the little hiccups in Contemptible Little Armies… if a unit receives it’s second morale failure token will immediately rout if “any of it’s figures are contacted in close combat by an enemy figure of model”. It doesn’t say what happens if it is already IN contact with any enemy figures/models…?

Originally I would have just removed the unit at the end of last turn… it’s failed a second morale test and is IN CONTACT with enemy models... But more recently I thought the unit should be given the opportunity to retire, and if the unit it is in contact with can pursue, and the unit with the shaken morale will then only be removed if there are any “fresh contacts”.

Having decided this I would have removed a unit as soon as it was contacted in the movement phase but then Will (the Piper!) pointed out at mayday that it is possible that the unit being contacted, if it were sitting still, could conceivably kill all those moving into contact in the shooting phase and thus wouldn’t actually contact them in close combat… Fair enough…

But this situation is even stickier… the Chinese go first, the cavalry charges in and are in contact. It has no opportunity to retire from the unit/figures it is already in contact with. It can’t kill those figures in the shooting phase because they STARTED the turn in contact (nor can it kill enough of the enemy to prevent “fresh contacts” as just about everyone in the company is doubled – or TRIPPLED – up on as a wave of Chinese floods over them….

So when should they be removed…? If anyone has the answer to this please let me know. Here’s where I wish Mr. Peers and/or HLBS offered a bit more support for their game. An official forum or at least some official Addendum or FAQ’s on the HLBS webiste… I don’t even see any mention of any of their publications on their website… urrrrrr…

Here’s what I did – the situation was hopeless anyway so I let the Russians fire on anyone new coming in and then removed them. In that desperate last stand they took down 5 infantry and one cavalryman before being massacred while trying to surrender!

Things couldn’t have gone worse for the other Russian company, either. They rolled 3” for movement… Only two boarded the train this turn, only three more will be able to next turn… if they survive… as the Chinese cavalry not engaged with the Russians outside of town charged past and into the narrow streets of the town!

Captain Yakovski was also killed this turn in the melee on the outskirts of town.


There’s the Chinese support units all set up with nothing to shoot at…


The assault troops and executioner also slowly making their way forward. The armoured car is also now lacking any targets.

TURN 8

The Chinese cavalry contacts the fleeing Russians in the town. The Russians shoot down two cavalrymen as they move in, but then lose 4 of their own in close combat. Two more Russians board the train. They will be the last.

The second Chinese infantry company moves into contact with the engine to engage the engineers and crew within to try and prevent the train from leaving. The crew proves to be stubborn, killing three Chinese with no losses of their own!


Chinese cavalry fight with fleeing Russians on the platform while Chinese infantry attack the trains engineers!

Really I should have ended the game at this point – there was no way the Russians could achieve their victory conditions at this point… but I was having fun so I thought I’d play it out….

TURN 9

The Cavalry and infantry battle on the platform continues. Two more cavalry are shot as they make fresh contacts, one is killed in close combat. Three Russians are killed.

The engineers hang on and kill another Chinese infantryman!

(the Russian MG and sniper have all this while been slowly retiring towards the exit corner…)


The Sniper and MG trying to sneak off unnoticed…

TURN 10

The melee on the platform continues. The Russians now desperate start fighting like savages! The take down 3 cavalry in close combat with no losses of their own!?

The engineers are finally overpowered and the train will not be going anywhere…

Turn 11

The third Chinese infantry company moves into to clean up the mess on the platform. Again the Russians are fierce. They kill 5 Chinese infantry and another cavalry! Four of their own are also lost. At this point there are two Russians left on the platform (and four hiding in the coach with Baron Borrisov and his family…). The Chinese offer terms and the Russians accept.

The armoured car chases after the sniper and the MG all of whom promptly surrender, there being no real place to run to…

It occurs to me that I may have missed a morale test or two on turns 9 and 10… though none were failed this turn…


The situation at the end of the game. The three Chinese standing together in the bottom left are the shattered remains of the leading Chinese infantry company (of which there were 18 originally!). The second company, which took the locomotive, looks like it still has 10, as did the third company, on the platform.

It also occurred to me after the game that I completely forgot about the Chinese aircraft I had planned on using… not that they needed it – or that it was all that effective last game..

Tough scenario. Fun. Played it in about two and a half hours. Not sure how the Russians could have pulled it off….

Anyway the next official monthly game night will be July 6th. There will be more action in Central Asia - as I will hopefully have three more units of Chinese finished.. and maybe even some BOLSHEVIKS rolling off the line…! I’ll have to finish up a unit of White Russian mercenaries for the Chinese – they will be the survivors of Tashaklabad.

Gary and I will, however, be getting together on Friday the 15th to try out some Blitzkrieg Commander, and of course there is Savage Sundays (3rd and 17th of June)… This Sundays adventure will be called “In the Clutches of Wu Fang!” Our Savage Heroes will have to rescue Baron Borrisov and his family from the dastardly villain; General Wu Fang!

(the report probably won’t be up until Monday, however, as I will be playing bike polo Sunday evening…)

Hey if you made it this far why not leave me a comment below!

End of May Update: Last of the Russians and Other Distractions

Well in the last update (last week) I was pretty much done everything I had planned for May..

Well I haven’t finished the Chinese SPAD… and I didn’t prep and prime (or paint) any new Chinese infantry units…

Here’s what I did finish up

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


I did finish the Russian’s C-in-C. He’s also from West Wind Production’s Cowboy Wars line (as mentioned in the last update).


I also finished up some Big Game Hunters from Coppelstone Castings. I picked these up as they could be used both in Pulp Adventure games as well as be the base of unit of British volunteers in some sort of Great War in Africa campaign.


I am also more or less finished up the Bolshevik masters… I might do a little touching up here and there and the officer still needs an arm, etc. But they’re well on their way…


I signed up for a Board Game Geek account and wasted a lot of time cataloguing all my games. Of course going through all those games got me to thinking about playing them and I also stumbled across these half-painted RoboRally figures… So I did a bit of work on them… they’re still not quite finished… but just about…

I also haven’t done an illustration for the Hero’s Gambit poster. I pulled out my pens and realized they were all thoroughly gummed up for lack or use and realized I haven’t gotten Photoshop or Illustrator … or any sort of graphics program on my new computer… yeha, not sure how I’m going to sort that out just yet…

So.. for June. Well in the It’s Good to Have a Plan I had set out to accomplish the following things in June:

1. Finish off any Chinese or Russians

2. Make moulds and start casting Bolsheviks

3. Start sculpting Indians inc. a new British officer figure, two Indian riflemen, one Indian Lewis-gunner, and a generic Indian crewman kneeling.

Well I think I’m on track and that’s all do-able. I have no Russians to finish off so that’s one less thing. I might cast another handful of Russians, when I cast the 6 odd Chinese, I need and paint them up as White Russians in Chinese service. I’ll just add finishing off the SPAD to the “Finish off Chinese category”…

Finishing and making moulds of Bolsheviks should be no problem. Nor should getting started on Indians….

If I get ahead of myself I’ll maybe try and paint a few pirates and make a couple pirate ships.

Another "Game Plan 2007" Update...

I finished up a few more things I had planned to get done this month..

(Remember: click on picture to get a bigger version)

#1 Mounted Russian Staff Officer #1


This figure is from West Wind Productions Cowboys Wars line (ZCW-048 Russian Hunting party) He will be the staff officer of my White Russian force. The other mounted figure in the pack will be my C-in-C…. when I get him finished…

#2 Russian Snipers


Also from the same West Wind Productions pack (ZCW-048 Russian Hunting party). Technically, the list only allows for one… the other, I guess could be a russian “big game hunter” character…?

#3 THE COSSACKS!


Odd angle for this shot…? I took this shot a couple days ago as soon as the finish was dry enough to touch them…I think I was trying to adjust the camera and take the picture with my left hand while holding a squirmy wee girl in the other…. Anyway, 16 of them done. The riders are my own sculpts/castings, the horses are hinchliffe from the Colonial Connection. Before I make anymore cavalrymen I’m going to sculpt and mould my own dang horse!


Here are some of those Cossacks again I was trying out a couple of different paint schemes for Semirechensk Cossacks.

Here is my complete (for now…) White Russian force holding a review for the Tsar and his family.


There are 6 units of 18 infantry (which could alternatively be fielded as 8 units of 13..), a unit of 16 Cossack cavalry, 3 machine-gun detachments, 2 snipers, 1 aircraft, and the staff officer (currently standing in as a C-ic-C).

At some point I would like to add a bit more infantry and cavalry to this force, as well as some armour, artillery, and a unit or two of tsarist officers and/or partisans. But for now it's on to others! Next: finish the Chinese! (... then bolsheviks... then British/Indian...)

Still to do in the next week:

1. Finish painting the Chinese SPAD - Well under way. I painted the recognition stars on the wings last night. I had this crazy idea that I’d paint a Chinese Dragon on the fuselage as a personal symbol for the pilot…. So it might not get finished until next month.

2. Prep and prime remaining Chinese (cast any that are still needed – six, I think..) and paint one battalion.

3. Finish the Bolshevik masters I am currently sculpting – did a bit of work on these today. Mostly just need a bit of finishing touches… and the officer need arms!

4. Poster for Hero’s Gambit – I actually have until the first Tuesday of June to finish this. I have an idea, I just got to sit down and start drawing!

Flight From Tashacklabad

I ran this scenario for Savage Sunday (my bi-weekly Savage Worlds game). I wanted to try out integrating Savage Worlds wildcards into a Contemptible Little Armies game so that I could, in the future, possibly use CLA as an even faster, more furious, and just as fun method for working out MASS COMBAT on the tabletop. I also wanted to try it out to potentially add characters to CLA Back of Beyond games that are a bit more interesting (and personally effective on the table top…) than the ones presented in the Back of Beyond book.

There are some notes on changes I made to the CLA rules as well as notes and special rules for the scenario following the report.

Flight From Tashacklabad

Starring:
Darrin Morris as Oscar Carson, Mercenary Adventurer.
Lloyd Sisk as Derek Braun, ex-Foreign Legion Mercenary and Big Game Hunter

… and, as always, myself, Tim Brown, as General Wu Fang and the Chinese Horde.

Tashacklabad, August 1920.

Oscar Carson and Derek Braun hired on as “specialists” with some White Russians in the summer of 1920. They were escorting a prominent White Russian VIP, Baron Yuri Borrisov, and his family, along with a small force of two infantry companies, east along the Trans-Siberian Railway. In mid-August they found themselves stopped at Tashacklabad for a spell. Here they replenished supplies, tried and find some word of what is going on elsewhere, and perhaps do a bit of recruiting for the anti-Bolshevik cause.

Wu Fang, the notorious Chinese Warlord, had been informed of the presence of White Russian VIP and escort. Tashacklabad is very near the Chinese border and Wu Fang’s domain. Where there were soldiers, General Wu figured, there are supplies and the VIP could probably be sold to the Reds for a considerable ransom. They marched for Tashaklabad immediately.

Early in the morning the Russians received news of a large force of Chinese soldiers that had crossed the border and are approaching Tashacklabad. If the rumors were true the Chinese force vastly outnumbered the small force of Russians. Orders were issued to begin loading the train for a move further east. The two companies of infantry were dispatched to the nearby passes to see if they could find the Chinese and delay them as long as possible before retiring to the train and escaping with the rest of the Russians.

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


Local labourers loading up the train.



The train and the village of Tashaklabad.


Baron Borrisov and his family prepare to board the train.

Carson joined the first company, in the dunes south of town, watching the passes out of the mountains that led to the Chinese border. The second company was behind them and a machine-gun detachment, concealed by a hill lurked off to their left.

Braun decided to set up a firing position in the highest building in the town to snipe and cover the infantry’s retreat.

They waited.

…and waited…

Finally just before noon, when they were starting to wonder if there really was any Chinese coming this way, Columns of infantry were spotted coming down from the pass.


The Chinese advance out of the pass and form lines.


The Chinese advance towards the Russian positions.

As they came within range the Russians opened fire with rifle and machine-gun cutting swathes out of the dense formations of Chinese. One company of specialist assault troops was cut to pieces before they even got to the Russian lines.


Here you can clearly make out the three companies of Chinese regular infantry in close order formation. Advancing slightly ahead of and between the two companies on the left is the company of specialist assault troops. Facing them are two companies of Russian infantry, one in front of the other. Out of the picture off to the right is a detachment of Russian Maxim machine-guns secreted behind, and protected from immediate threat from the Chinese advance by a rocky spur of the mountains to the south and east. In the distance is Tashaklabad.

A second company of Chinese, the one on the extreme right, was shredded by fire as they charged into the left flank of the forward Russian company. The survivors that made it into the contact with the Russian positions were quickly swept away in a short sharp melee. The action at this point even got close enough that Carson drew his pistol and fired off a few rounds at the scattered Chinese.

The Chinese on the far left that charged the Russian company’s other flank faired a little better, not having the maxims to contend with.

The Russian company’s left wing didn’t have long to rest as a second company of Chinese charged in hard on the first company’s heels. It was also savaged by the Russian Machine-gunners but enough made it through the hail of fire to make and impression on the Russian infantry and cause more than a few casualties.


The second wave of Chinese attacks the forward Russian company’s right flank. Oscar Carson is there to witness the events and shoot a few Chinese.


The Russian maxims firing upon the advancing chinese

It was about this time that some supporting troops for the Chinese were spotted coming down out of the pass. A Rolls-Royce armoured car was slowly picking it’s way through the rocks and rubble. Machine-gun and Artillery detachments were also spotted.


The Chinese MGs and Armoured Car.

Though assaulted by three times it’s number the forward Russian company seemed to be holding it’s own. Runners were sent back and forth between the two company’s headquarters and there was some question as to whether the second company should retire to the town to load up into the train or move forward to drive off the Chinese infantry and deal with the Chinese artillery. If those howitzers got into a good firing position the train would be in grave danger.

The debate would soon become a moot point when a squadron of Chinese cavalry that traveled through an alternative pass further to the west and swept far around the flank swooped in out of the dunes and rolled up the right flank of the second Russian infantry company.

Carson, taking in the events around him, decided the situation was hopeless and hightailed it back towards the town to get on the train before they left leaving the soldiers to their fates. Though he had taken a number of horsemen down from his position in the town, Braun could not himself alone stem the tide of the Chinese onslaught and save the Russians from their doom. He too abandoned all hope and made for the train.


The Chinese cavalry arrive!


Chinese cavalry rolling up the Russian line.

Though the Cavalry had some initial success the Russians sold themselves dearly. Despite their stubbourn resistance the Russians were quickly swept from the field along with their commander in chief. Less than half of the Chinese cavalry squadron remained, however, when they wheeled around toward the town.

The drone of an airplane was heard overhead. It swept by the Russian machine-gunners strafing them briefly but causing no casualties. The plane then carried on towards Tashaklabad.


The Chinese SPAD (so recently purchased from a French surplus arms dealer that they hadn’t even had time to paint over the roundels….) heads toward Tashaklabad.

The epic battle between the forward Russian company and the Chinese broke down into a number of small pockets of confused melees. The Russian machine-guns, having little else to shoot at, exchanged some fire with the advancing armoured car then decided to retire towards the town. Unfortunately the armoured car swept past the crumbling Russian lines and cut down the Russian machine-gunners as they ran across the barren ground.


The Chinese Rolls-Royce chasing down the Russian machine-guns, the Chinese cavalry mopping up the last of the second Russian infantry company, and the grand melee between the Chinese infantry and the Russians of the forward company.

The Chinese SPAD made it to the village and made it’s first pass. It dropped a bomb barely missing the locomotive.

Word was sent down the line to get the train moving!

Braun had just leapt aboard the moving train and the plane made its second pass. It scored a direct hit on the second coach. Though it tore away a large chunk of the roof and blew out all the windows it caused no fatalities or serious harm to the train. Braun, however, being the sole occupant of the carriage, would for some days have difficulty hearing above the ringing in his ears.

The SPAD, being low on fuel now, made a third and pass, missing again.


The Chinese SPAD drops bombs on the train, the first one barely missing the locomotive.

By that time the Chinese cavalry and armoured car had arrived. The cavalry were riding along side the train trying to engage the engineers and stop the locomotive. The armoured car simply drove along side trying to shoot it up. Carson and Braun fired from the moving train taking down a few of the Chinese cavalry.

The Chinese howitzer finally got into position, however, and with it’s first shot scored a direct hit on the coal car blowing it to smithereens and derailing the train!

The passengers were thrown about in the carriage as it careened off the tracks. Though they were bumped and bruised no one was seriously injured.


The train is derailed by a direct hit on the coal car.

In the chaos and confusion following the train derailing Carson quickly bundled Borrisov and his family out of their turned-over coach hoping to disappear through the town and evade capture. Unfortunately when he followed them out he found they were completely surrounded by some fierce and angry looking Chinese cavalrymen…

What will happen to our dashing hero and his Russian patrons? What happened to Derrek Braun? Find out in two weeks in the next episode of my Savage Worlds Pulp Adventure Serial….!


Some notes on the scenario and adaptations/changes to the rules…

Forces used:

The White Russians

2 units of 18 Russian Infantrymen
1 HMG
1 C-in-C on horse
2 “wildcard” heroes
4 non-combatants (Borrisov and his family – to be loaded on the train)
9 crates of supplies ( also to be loaded on the train)

The Chinese

I unit of 11 Special Assult troops armed with “trench brooms”
3 units of 18 Regular Infantry
1 unit of 13 Regular Chinese Cavlary
1 Rolls-Royce Armoured Car
1 HMG
1 Field Gun
1 mounted C-in-C (the only shinese “wildcard” – I made him thus just to keep Braun from sniping him too easily…)
1 mounted Staff Officer
(I had also meant to bring on the executioner but forgot to…)


Changes to the CLA rules.

Ranges for weapons are doubled. The printed ranges in the book become “short range” and double this distance is “long range” – long range (i.e. over half the maximum range) incurs a -1 to hit penalty as per normal.

Savage Worlds wild cards will use their appropriate shooting or fighting die (and wild die!) when shooting or engaging in close combat. Wildcard’s dice can ace, but there is generally no bonus for raises – unless they are attacking another wildcard. Hits against non-wildcards are worked out as per the normal CLA rules using the CLA modifiers to score hits. If wild cards are hit the damage should be worked out for them as per the SW rules. Any penalties due to wounds should then also be used as modifiers when shooting or fighting in close combat.

Scenario Rules

This will be a regular Fighting Retreat scenario – with a few changes…

There are passengers (including a White Russian VIP) and baggage by the train. One can be loaded per turn. If any baggage are left behind or otherwise captured each one captured counts towards victory conditions as if they were individual soldiers. If any of the Russian VIPs family are captured or killed, they count double. If the Russian VIP is captured or killed the game is lost.

Any infantry starting the turn in contact with the train (as long as it remains still for the turn) may board it as their movement for the turn. Once the train starts no one can get on.

The train can travel at a max speed of 12” per turn but only accelerates at a rate of 2” per turn. The train moves before any regular movement takes place.

The train (as well as anyone else not on the train…!) must make it off the northeast corner of the table to be considered “escaped” for victory conditions. To win the Russians must exit at least half their force off the table (including the VIP, his family and baggage as noted before). The Chinese win when they make it impossible for the Russians to succeed in their victory conditions (i.e. kill or capture over half of the Russian force, or the VIP himself).

For Russian soldiers to board the train they must start their turn in contact with the train. They then board it as their movement. They can not board the train if it is moving.

Wild cards may attempt to jump aboard the moving train. To do this they must pass an agility roll with a -1 per inch of speed the train is currently moving at.

Hits on the train from fire
Small arms can fire on the train, targets within are counted as in hard cover (-2 to hit)
Artillery and aircraft may fire at the train. If the train is stationary firers may choose which car or shoot at the locomotive. Otherwise roll:
1-2 locomotive
3 coal car
4- 5 passenger car
6 baggage car

After determining which section of the train is hit roll on the appropriate table

Locomotive
1-2 Engine blows up/ train derailed if moving
3-5 Engine damaged half acceleration and max speed. If moving when hit dice again; engine derails on a 1-3
6 No appreciable damage.

Coal car.
1-2 Car destroyed, train can’t move, derails if moving.
3-4 Car damaged half acceleration and max speed.
5-6 No appreciable damage

Passenger coach/baggage car
1-2 Car destroyed, train can’t move, derails if moving.
3-5 Damaged dice for each occupant or piece of baggage; on 5+ it is destroyed.
6 No appreciable damage

Infantry can move into contact with the train if it is not moving. They are considered to have entered CC with the passengers on the train.

Cavalry can move into CC with the locomotive while it is moving until it gets off the table. They are assumed to be in CC with the engineers. The Cavalry get none of their regular bonuses for being cavalry. The train engineers (of which there are two) are considered to be defending an obstacle and are stubborn. If both are killed the cavalry may board the train with a skill test (dice less than their tactical rating).

This game was, according to the victory conditions, over around the seventh or eighth turn when the Chinese cavalry wiped out the rear Russian Infantry Company. WE played it out to the twelfth turn to see if the train, along with the “heroes”, could get away.

It is definitely is a TOUGH scenario. I think they could have made it if they started running from the get-go, perhaps sacrificing the MG – leaving it to cover their retreat. If they needed to buy time to load up more stuff on the train they could have started alternating moving and firing the two infantry units. When one ultimately got caught it could have stayed and held off the Chinese while the other unit bolted for the train… I don’t know… I think the indecision about when to leave, and even considering trying to stay and fight it out, was what did them in. To be fair they had no idea as to what was in my force or that they COULD potentially arrive from somewhere other than the far base edge…. I DID warn them that they were severely outnumbered (their thought, however, was that I was just going to bring on more infantry, from the same pass, as the initial ones got wiped out… ).

I will be running this scenario again, without the wildcard characters, at my next Friday Night Wargame. Then again maybe I will use a couple wild cards. I do think I’ll drop the ranges for firing back to normal…. Maybe not give the Chinese the howitzer and allow the Russians to load up one VIP passenger AND one crate each turn…. We shall see…

Game Plan '07 Progress Report

Well part way through the week 1 of the new plan and here are some pictures already.

Of the things to be done this week....

1. Finish off the Russian infantry battalion I have sitting on my painting table. DONE! Here they are:

(Remember, click on pics for a bigger version)


The new battalion


The new battalion joined by the rest of the brigade for review.

I have one more battalion of Infantry to finish off the two regiments of the brigade

4. Paint three Chinese infantrymen to finish off third battalion. DONE!


Here are the three Chinese Soldiers I needed to finish off the first three battalions of Chinese.... Didn't take a picture of them of parade... maybe next time...

2. Finish painting the Chinese SPAD
3. Prep, assemble and prime the remaining Russian infantry battalion and Cossack Regiment

Still in progress. Here is a picture of the work station:


The Cossacks and their horses are in the foreground and being worked on. the final battalion of Russian Infantrymen are off to the right. In the distance you can see my Chinese SPAD and beyond them are chinese figures being marshaled for preping, basing and priming (next weeks project)

In addition the the scehduled projects I have put the finishing touches on a couple of other things that were still sitting on my workbench needing a finishind touch or two:


the new Aviatirx figure from Artizan Designs. I picked this up to use as Amanda's Savage Worlds Pulp Adventure character; Josephine Pink! (Should she ever get to play with us again....).


A Nieuport 17 in Imperial Russian service. Maybe Miss Pink will fly this someday...


I also painted a spare Russian infantryman as a White Russian mercenary in Chinese service. "The difference being...?" You might be asking yourself, well I painted the lower legs to look like putees rather than boots, painted on a armband like all my Chinese Warlord's troops have and painted the Chinese five coloured star on his hat instead of the imerial cocade.