Mark from Canada emailed me with a question about the rules. A simple one, easily answered. He was fulsome in his praise of the game: "Will begin by
confirming we love the rules" and "Love the rules...the entire set
seems to capture the idiosyncratic nature of the period. I love the
bombardment model, even if it consumes a few extra calories to manage the
steps, the Nyet-Da approach is a riot, and the attention to armored car use and
damage is fun". Like me he thinks the current focus on 28mm skirmish games means the game could be taking place anywhere in any war. He also sent me an AAR, based on a Mark Plant scenario.
Here it is:
The Battle of Zawadicze
Мы пришли.
Мы видели.
Мы смело убежали.
Venimus.
Vidimus.
Fortiter fugimus
We came.
We saw.
We bravely ran away.
 |
| Apparently the present day church in Zawadicze |
The Opposing Forces
The Polish 6thCavalry Brigade
Colonel Juliusz Rommel
1st Ułan Regiment: four bases, one tachanka
9th Ułan Regiment: five bases, two tachankas
14th Ułan Regiment: four bases, one tachanka
8th Horse Artillery Regiment: two batteries (bases)
The Bolshevik 18thCavalry Brigade
Kom Brig Pavlenko
35th Cavalry Regiment (Malinin)
1st Divizion: six bases, one tachanka(Samsanov)
2nd Divizion: six bases, one tachanka(Marchuk)
36th Cavalry Regiment (Zaitsev)
1st Divizion: six bases, one tachanka(Kirlov)
2nd Divizion: five bases, one tachanka(Platov)
6th Horse Artillery Regiment
1/2nd Divizion: 1 base horse artillery
The Bolsheviks arrive and discover that while they can see the church spire and roof tops of the town, the tall August fields and low-rise hill prevent them from seeing what might be in the town itself.
Malinin and Zaitsev send their scouts to see what lies over the rise.
The three horse Divizions and horse artillery follow.
While the Bolsheviks advance in the hope of discovering the Polish strength in the town, Rommel’s staff in the church tower are tracking the progress of each Bolshevik formation. They relay the information to dismounted 1st and 9th regiments, and brigade horse artillery battery, who in turn prepare their weapons.
The 2 divizions of the 35th regiment crest the ridge while 2/36 turn the corner on the east end of the ridge. They are startled to see the village brimming with Polish bayonets. The artillery battery unlimbers. The Tachanka platoons wheel around to face the enemy. They prepare to fire.
The Poles beat them to it. Their machine gun platoons and artillery battery open upon the exposed Bolsheviks.
Scores of Bolsheviks fall from their saddles. (The Poles rolled impressively high).
The Bolshevik Tachanka and artillery let off several volleys of their own, but with little effect.
(The Reds rolled decently well but the penalties they suffered for shooting into town are punishing).
As Bolshevik bullets and artillery shells crash into the sturdy walls of Ukrainian khatas, the Poles let loose another series of volley. They are equally as powerful as the first, and another score of comrades fall to the ground.
Amidst the din of battle, two scouts gallop up to Pavlenko’s command wagon. One announces that the 2/36 divizion is about to flank the Polish town from the wood and is awaiting the order to attack.
The other reports that the leading elements of a Polish cavalry regiment – of unknown size - has appeared just south east of the village, precisely where the 1/35 was meant to attack. It takes all but a second for him to conclude the battle is unwinnable. He is not strong enough to eject the Poles out of the town through a frontal assault. His only hope of disrupting them to gain an advantage - the flanking Divizion – will have to first make it through the 3rd Polish cavalry regiment.
Malinin and Zaitzef don’t need to be told twice. They order their Tachanka platoons to cover their withdrawal, and lead their regiments to concentrate on the road just north of Nowostawce.
The Battle of Zawadiczeis anti-climactic, but the campaign is not over just yet.
Juliusz Rommel enjoys an historically inaccurate spoil of war from a wounded Bolshevik.
Well I have to say that looks lovely. Very nicely painted armies and a lovely looking table. The only thing I could have done better would have been to have supplied more appropriate headgear from my hat shelf. I look forward to receiving campaign updates over the next few months. I may even drag my figures out and give one of these scenarios a play through. Brilliant stuff!
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