Well finally an AAR for my 'The Russians are Coming Campaign'! Yes the Great Game continues in the Antipodes with the Russian Empires tentacles attempting to envelope Australia. This is an extra Campaign game to reacquaint myself with the Colony at War Rules, the scenario finds the South Australians on the attack against a weak defending unit that is reinforced. That's about it for my preamble over to the game and I hope you enjoy the AAR for 'The Spoiling Attack!'...
The Russians defend their entrenchments against the rampaging Volunteers of the the Adelaide Rifles!
The History
Wednesday August 27 1879
Wednesday August 27 1879
Captain Beach blew his whistle and the brave lads of the Adelaide Rifles advanced as one from their jump off positions along Taylors Road! Ignoring the random shots of their foes and cheering the red clad Colonials moved rapidly toward their objective Captain Beach urging them on every step of the way!
Meanwhile Captain Mordvichev cursed under his breath, he commanded a few wretched Sailors drawn from from the fleet whom he thought would be lucky to score in a brothel let alone score a hit on one of the Colonials with their rifles! He was worried as he considered his options, withdraw was out of the question yet he doubted his ability to hold, as the bullets whizzed around him he looked about frantically while trying to keep his Sailors in line and firing.
The South Australian Riflemen quickly came upon the Russian's position and so far only Private Earle Page had fallen from their ranks, he was winged by a lucky shot from one of the Russian Sailors! Beach and his men were ecstatic and quickened their pace to close in for the kill.
Mordvichev damned Satan and feared for his life as the Colonials approached, but Lady Luck smiled on him he spied two sections of Russian infantry in their heavy green tunics marching just to the rear of his position, he promptly summoned them to march to the sound of the fighting and once they were close enough gave them orders to immediately attack the advancing Red Devils!
Beach's Force had reached the Russian entrenchment and he ordered them to move to encircle it! Whilst two section approached frontally Sergeants Chris Watson and George Reid's men advanced to engage the Russians flanks! The advance then continued and much to the South Australian's surprise Russian Infantry appeared on before them, the attack stalled just as it was about to snatch a victory!
A fierce firefight broke out! The Russian Sailors buoyed by the arrival of the Regulars doubled their efforts. The South Australians were now halted by the Russians furious defence! The air was now filled with lead and the screams of the wounded and dying...Sergeant Chris Watson's section suffered heavily and pulled back to be replaced by Sergeant Cook's boys, all along the line the Riflemen were checked!
Ignoring the hail of fire Captain Beach personally intervened, he exclaimed 'For the Queen!" Then he drew his sabre, emptied his revolver into the massed Russians and lunged forward into the their entrenchment! Inspired by their Officer the South Australian Riflemen were drawn irresistibly forward! A desperate melee took place for control of the trench, men fell on both sides and the carnage to the left and right of the melee was fearful as the close range shooting continued. The intense fighting seemed to last but a moment and it was followed by an eerie silence...the Russian's defending the trench broke the Colonials had prevailed! A great hussah rose from the South Australians as the Russians Sailors fled whilst their accompanying Infantry retired alongside them.
Captain Beach was elated and gathered his section commanders together to regale them, it was only moments later after the conflab as everyone calmed down he looked around and was confronted with the horrors of war, the dead and dying of both sides were piled in the entrenchment and its surrounds, Beach under his breath cursed this damnable war and its evil bounty...
The AAR
The Battlefield at the start of play with the South Australian Militia in the foreground deployed along Taylors Road and the Imperial Russians in the distance!
Captain Beach prepares to launch his men forward to GLORY!
Nervous Russian Sailors man their positions in response to the Colonial sortie...
Turns 1, 2, 3 & 4
The South Australians advanced in open order...
...whislt the Russian defender fired but unfortunately for them scored only one effective hit!..
Turn 5
Once the Riflemen were in charging distance of the entrenchment Captain Beach formed his centre troops into line and ordered the left and right sections to continue in skirmish order and flank the Russians!
Unseen by the South Australians Russian Infantry were fast approaching to assist the Sailors in their defence of the entrenchment!
Sergeant Watson's section takes a pounding from the Russian Regulars with half their numbers casualties they retire, luckily for Beach Cook's section was in place to replace them!
Turn 6 & 7
Beach's main assault section led by Andrew Fisher come to grips with the defender, this vicious melee would continue for two turns!
To the right of the main assault Cook's fresh section gave the Russian a couple of turns of volleys!
Whilst to the right of the melee for the trenches Reid's section engaged the Russians they faced!
Turn 8
Success for the Colonial Force the trenches were taken after a hard slog!
Captain Mordvichev and his Aide comer face to face with their foes as they occupy the Entrenchments!
The melee lost the final few Russian Sailors break!
Turn 9
Captain Beach in the occupied Russian entrenchment!
An overview of the battlefield at the end of Turn 9...
Victory to the South Australians as they hold the entrenchment and the Russians are on the run!
This scenario played well if the Russians had had a little more luck with the dice they could well have been successful as the close up firefight and the melee were both very evenly balanced. I've got my head around the Rules again, they work well for games like this but the last scenario in this Campaign is going to involve all the available figures I have and that will stretch the them to the limit as each figure on figure fire/melee requires a dice throws with anything from D4s to D12s! It'll work but it will be a long game!
Next time: Background on the Final Campaign Game, 'The Big Show - Assault on the City Of Adelaide'
