Spanish-American War Battle of Las Guasimas (Battle Report Finale).

[CapnJim]

Greetings!  This is my first post in this section of the LAF, but I have many posts in some other sections.  Glad to be here, though!

My wargaming buds and I bought a collection of 15mm Spanish-American War figs years ago at a flea Market at a convention.  It's been a long while since we played with them, so we thought we'd break them out for last week's (Wednesday) game.  We fought a battle inspired by the Battle of Las Guasimas, in June 1898 north of Santiago de Cuba.  We decided to use Bloody Big Battles, and they actually worked out quite well for an engagement much smaller than those for which the rules were intended.

Our fight was a bit bigger than the actual fight.  The US was attacking a fortified Spanish position in and around Sevilla, which sat in an open area on a wooded ridge, with a hilltop dominating the center of the field.  The US attacked from the south with 3 "brigades".  One had 2 units of the 1st US Volunteer Cavalry (Roughriders) and a section of Colt MGs.  Another was a Brigade of the 1st and 10th US cavalry, with 5 units and 2 sections of Hotchkiss MGs.  The third was a Brigade of infantry with 5 units.

the Spanish defended with 3 brigades of infantry with 3 units each, one with a section of light guns.  The brigade with the guns occupied the area around the hilltop, and another just south of Sevilla.  The 3rd occupied Sevilla proper.    I played the US, and my gaming bud, Ted, played the Spanish.

The Roughriders attacked north up the road to Sevilla, while the cavalry brigade followed a stream to a road bridge, intending to attack from the east.  All the cavalry were dismounted.  The infantry brigade followed up behind the Roughriders.  The Roughriders made first contact, taking fire from the Spanish guns on the hilltop.  They deployed into line, and pushed forward through the jungle.  The infantry followed up some bit to their rear.  The cavalry brigade slowly worked their way upstream to the bridge.

As the Roughriders fought the Spanish forward positions, the US infantry brigade moved up, and started to deploy behind and to the left of the Roughriders.  Good thing, too - the Roughriders were taking casualties.  Fortunately for them, they were also causing casualties.  All this while the US cavalry brigade crossed the stream, deployed into line, and moved west along the other road to Sevilla.  This attack drew units from the Spanish forward positions to counter it, which took some pressure off of the Roughriders.

So, by now, we had US attacks moving in from the south and east, with the Spanish reacting accordingly.  They had one brigade (on the hilltop) faced east, and another (in front of Sevilla) faced south.  The brigade in Sevilla stayed put.  The battle was reaching one if its critical points, as the US prepared to attempt a coordinated assault from 2 directions.  Both sides had taken some casualties, but the real fighting was yet to come.

To be continued....   
 

[Inkpaduta]

Looks like a great game and one I would have liked to play.

[Tom Dulski]

What scale is this? Can we get a closer look at the minis?

[CapnJim]

@ Inkpoaduta:  Thanks.  We had a ton of fun.

@ Tom Dulski:  They are 15mm figs (maybe 18mm?).  Picked them up at a convention flea market several years ago.  We're not sure who manufactured them.  My bud Ted has them at his house.  I'll see about getting some close-up pics taken and posted here one of these days, after our blizzard is done....

And now, on with the show...

We left our game with the US infantry brigade poised to attack the Spanish positions in front of Sevilla from the south, while the US cavalry brigade was set to do the same from the east.

And attack they did, starting with the US cavalry brigade.  They focused on the hilltop, in order to take out the Spanish guns that were harassing the US Roughriders and the infantry brigade.  2 units of cavalry went up that thill, sweeping all before it!  The other cavalry units and the MGs focused on the 2 Spanish units on the Spanish far left flank.

In the meantime, the US infantry brigade attacked the Spanish positions in front of Sevilla.  The dug-in Spanish unit proved to be a tougher nut to crack, but the weight of US numbers came into play, and the US infantry and cavalry brigades had the Spanish outside of Sevilla proper in a vise.  The US took casualties, but were able to send all the Spanish not in the town packing, setting up the stage for the attack on Sevilla itself.

That attack went in, with cavalry units assaulting from the east, while infantry units did so from the south.  In the end, US numbers won out.  The US took Sevilla after a hard-fought assault.  All 9 Spanish units and their guns were either broken or destroyed.  But it was an expensive US victory - the US force took about 30% casualties.  This was the first real engagement of the war, and the Spanish had shown that they were not going down without a fight!

[juergen c. olk]

Very nice...thanx for sharing.

[Tom Dulski]

agree, impressive set up

[CapnJim]

Thanks!

As previously mentioned, I'll try to get close-up pics of the figs one of these days...

[johnl5555]

  Looks great! I own Frei Korps troops for both sides. Those troops are not Frei Korp. I know a couple of other companies have made figs in 15mm. One called Blood Axe (or Blood something IIRC) also made Moro's. Did you make any changes to the rules to run the game? I'd have never thought to use them. But I may now!

Thanks

John

[CPT Shanks]

Fantastic looking game.  Thanks for sharing.

[FifteensAway]

Perhaps not, but have a look at The Virtual Armchair Generals Splendid Little Warriors in 15 mm to see if they might match up: https://www.thevirtualarmchairgeneral.com/400-Rough%20Riders.htm. The photos in this thread aren't clear enough for me to see for sure but it some of the figures here seem to have bayonets.  Perhaps someone adapted figures.  There is also the very old and long gone Frontier range that might have been a source.

At least the linked range can provide a game.  And check out the Wind and the Lion Range, too, in 15 mm if of interest.