Further adventures in Tingtong...
Following the massacre of European troops and civilians as they tried to reach the
Starling moored on the Yangtee River, the only survivor, Kapitan Vassily of the Imperial Russian Navy, managed to reach the outpost at Chulin. He arrived as a small European force set out to reach the supply depot some miles to the north. Dreyfus Depot sat aside the old Grand Silk Road and contained both food supplies and ammunition. It had been set up to support operations deep into the province but it was now in danger of being cut-off and captured by the Red Dragons. A small force of French Foreign Legion held the depot along with a British Screw Gun Team. The Relief Force, led by Colonel Fotherington, set out on a route march with little prior recconaisence despite Vassily's warnings that the Red Dragons were operating in far larger numbers than expected. Fotherington felt that his force would easily smash through any Chinese force and pressed on with an immediate advance...
The Red Dragon Force
The Relief Column and the Depot Garrison
The area around the Dreyfus Depot
The Relief Force must reach the depot with 50% of its troops to secure a victory, the Chinese must prevent them.
Depot defenders...
The advance began well with the Relief Column making good ground, but upon reaching the bridge they became bogged down trying to cross. Fotherington delayed the force in order to secure a defensive position around the old toll house beside the bridge and in doing so gave the Chinese time to get into position...
British and Russian sailors on the march...
Civilian volunteers and Turkish troops reach the river...
Chinese move into ambush positions...
As the British launched their first attempt to cross they sent in a detachment of Turkish Marines, these were attacked by Chinese troops who charged them on the bridge and a short fight broke out. The Chinese got the better of the fight but at the crucial moment the Chinese leader was shot down and his men fled.
But casualties among the Turks were high and they just held on taking cover on the bridge. Meanwhile the Chinese Jingal opened up a terrible fire and killed several of the Turkish soldiers and volunteers, one shot actually killing two European volunteers in one foul swoop.
The British and Russian sailors occupied the toll house and used the roof to open fire on advancing Chinese troops but they soon began to take heavy losses from both musket fire, and more devastatingly, from Chinese crossbows! With losses mounting Fotherington decided to launch his detachment of British soldiers and African Rifles over the bridge. Meanwhile the defenders of the depot had decided to launch their own attack and began a successful advance towards the bridge!
Death by Jingal...
Chinese troops drag their cannon to a firing position...
Turkish Marines storm the bridge...
FFL on the move...
As thing bogged down in the centre, the losses in the Relief Column began to mount. In a prolonged firefight, losses on both sides started to cause both commanders concern, and the lack of a leader for one of the Chinese formations had held them back from administering a killing blow early on. A protracted gun battle now raged around the toll house and bridge, with neither side managing to get an advantage. Even the loss of the Chinese cannon crew did little to help the Relief Column... It had failed to hit anything anyway!
The British soldiers launched one more assault over the bridge to try and reach the advancing FFL, who it now seemed would be coming to relieve the Relief Column! Braving a storm of gunfire they made it over the bridge but at the same time Chinese cultists swarmed into the toll house. As the sailors fled the Chinese took hold of the house.
As the British finally linked up with the advancing FFL, the Chinese rushed out of the house and attacked the civilian volunteers, cutting all but two of them down in a violent hand to hand fight. With these losses the Relief Coloumn would be unable to get to the Depot and as it retreated, the FFL and the few British troops that had got over the river retreated back to the safety of the depot as the Relief Column retreated taking as many wounded with them as possible. Luckily for the Europeans the Chinese losses were so devastating they could do little else than also retreat and lick their wounds, and await more men to try and storm the depot...
Fotherington salutes the men as they go 'over the bridge'...
Great game, went right to the wire with both sides at breaking point before the final attack by a group of cultists put the Relief Column over 50% casualties forcing them to retire. Indeed the depot defenders were in far better shape and on the way to rescue the Relief Column when the game ended.
Good fun game... I suspect more to come from Tingtong soon.
21 April 2009, 07:45:10 PM
