I managed to find some time to do a quick solo game over the Easter weekend. Very quick game of just over two hours and cut short for obvious reasons in the game so 9 moves.
The scenario was very loosely based upon one of Charles Grant’s scenario The Wagon Train for those of you old enough to remember them. In short a Vietminh wagon train, plus two elephants, have to move in column from one side of the table to the other (6 foot.) They have two starting place options. The French plan is to ambush them although their plan is based upon getting onto the table then hunting the Vietminh down. Access points are numbered 1 to 8 and when the French force is rolled on the Random event chart they appear.
First move the Vietminh arrive and roll low on ammunition from the chart. Point 11. Great start.
Second move the French arrive in force on position 4 which brings them on right next to a Vietminh squad who are caught in flanking fire and destroyed. Part of the French force runs for cover behind a hill.
Move three the Vietminh continue to move across the table whilst the French race along the other flank to cut them off. The race begin. The lead squad of Vietminh take the hill with the ruins and plan to block the French. Meanwhile a stray artillery shell lands in the middle of the table with no effect.
Move four and the Vietminh continue to move forward and skirmish lightly with the French with no effect for both sides.
Move five continues in a similar fashion although the mortar ammunition is limited now although as its not on the table yet its no problem. At this point the Vietminh look set to get across the table as the French are unable to block them having been blocked themselves.
Move six and seven both continue. The French gain the initiative with their lead unit and KIA and WIA men in the Vietminh command group including the support weapons that are being deployed to defend the flank of the column. Morale in the squad fails and they run for cover taking an elephant and wagon with them to safety.
Suddenly the situation is not looking so good for the Vietminh as the head of the column has been swept away and the other half of the unit is walking into flanking fire. The lead squad is still on the ruins hill and decides to move down to outflank the French squad.
Move eight. However the Randon Chart brings on a French dive bomber. The French platoon commander makes radio contact and points out the road with the column. The pilot rolls a perfect 20 and sees them and sweeps down dropping two bombs on the column causing a lot of casualties. Morale breaks for the rest of the squads and they dive for cover.
The next couple of moves involve a limited defence by the Vietminh with a couple of more casualties and the French pilot sweeping round for another attack on the hill. At this point, due to time constraints on my part and the fact that there was no way that the Vietminh could succeed I called it a French victory.
Great fun and the French bomber was a real game winner so be warned about aircraft.
Please note that no animals were injured in this scenario, as I had decided to not allow them to be targets, only their handlers.
Below is the Random Events Chart that I used if any of you want to play this scenario. I used a very small paying area and a larger one would have created a more complex and tactical game but I just needed a quick fix.
French Indo China French Ambush Game. Random Events Chart.
1 - Lead elephant stampedes.
2 – French Recce unit arrives point 2
3 – French MMG jams for rest of game. Crew use secondary weapons.
4 – Vietnamese Paras 1 arrive point 6.
5 – Vietminh squad nearest the enemy make full charge on French force.
6 – French HQ and mortar arrive point 8.
7 – French Radios stops working for 2 moves due to atmospherics.
8 – French Force A & B arrive point 5.
9 – French Ground Bomber arrives over the table for up to 5 moves. Has two heavy bombs. Must be given target by ground force so cannot randomly attack. Move 10x 6” 2 x heavy bombs, 2 x HMG’s, S&D 4
10 – Vietnamese Paras 2 arrive point 1.
11 – Vietminh start to run out of ammunition. Can only fire once per move.
12 – No Effect.
13 – French Captain starts to fire and ambush begins.
14 – French force C& D arrive point 4.
15 – Vietminh sense ambush and go to defensive stance.
16 – Vietnamese Paras arrive point 7.
17 – French mortar only has 5 more shots left.
18 – No Effect.
19 – Random artillery shell land in the centre of the table. Roll D20 for inches and arrow die for direction.
20 – All French forces arrive on table in their allotted entry points.
21 October 2014, 05:46:05 AM
