20mm Rif War Scenario and Battle Report

[cmikucki]

Rif War Battle Scenario and AAR – the struggle on the road to Tuguntz, January 1922
I’ve finally managed to get my Rif War collection to the tabletop.  This game was played at Winter Wars (40) in Champaign, Illinois. 

The Scenario:
Spanish force continue to struggle to relieve small garrisons and attempt to assert control over lines of communications that were suddenly threatened during the Riffian offensive in the fall.  This battle is based loosely on the initial use of light armored forces by the Spanish to recapture strategic crossroads garrisons at Tuguntz and Ambar.  Throughout these battles small groups of Spanish Colonistas (civilians) were trapped by the rebellious tribesmen and either held for ransom (as at Annual) or killed outright.  To compel our Spanish players, in this scenario, a group of colonistas is held in Tuguntz, and hope that they can be rescued alive depends on rapid, decisive action.


Spanish Forces:

Column Headquarters: 1 + 3 figures, 1 Car, 1 Truck (to evacuate colonistas and wounded)

Detachment of Armor: 3 FT-17 tanks w/ vehicle MG

Regular Army Infantry Battalion (REG test @14) w/
HQ: CO + 3 figures
2 Companies ea w/ 10 Figures
1 MG Plt w/ 3 Figures

Moroccan Police Mehal-La company (POOR test @8)
CO + 8 figures
Attached Spanish LMG Company 6 Figures w/ 3 LMG’s

 
I Bandera La Legion (Franco) (ELITE test @ 19)
HQ:  CO + 3 (Including the banner)
MG Coy w/ 3 Figures, 1 Hotchkiss MMG
3 Coys ea w/ 10 Figures

III Bandera La Legion (ELITE test @ 19)
HQ:  CO + 3
MG Coy w/ 3 Figures, 1 Hotchkiss MMG
3 Coys ea w/ 10 Figures


Riffian Forces:Harka Command w/ 2 Mounted Figures

1 Harka Beni Uriaguel Regulars x20 Fig (ELITE)
1  Harka Jiblis Tribal x 16 Fig (REG)
1  Harka Riffian Tribal x 16 Fig (REG)
1  Harka Jiblis Tribal x 12 Fig (POOR)
1 Harka Riffian Tribnal x20 (REG)
1 Harka Beni Uriaguel x10 (ELITE)
1 Harka  Jiblis Tribal x 20 (REG)
1 Harka Beni Uruaguel Support Weapons w/ 3 LMGs, 1 Lt Mortar 9 Figures
1 Harka Riffian Tribal 10 Fig (REG)
1 Harka Jiblis Tribal 10 Fig (REG)
1 Harka Riffian Tribal 10 Fig (REG)
1 Harka Riffian MG w/ 2 MMGs, 7 Figures (REG)
1 Harka Jiblis Tribal 10 Fig (ELITE)
1 50mm Mountain gun , 3 Fig (REG)
1 65mm Mountain Howitzer, 3 Fig (Reg)
1  75mm Field Gun, 3 Fig (Reg)
9 Blank Blinds (More of this later)

The AAR: A view from the south end of the table – Taguntz is in the left foreground.  If you look closely you can see the array of randomly placed 3x1" blinds around the table.  (covered with rocks or sand to blend):




The view from the Spanish entry point on the road from the coast:  ahead a roadblock and some trenches – too far off to see if the Riffi intend to hold it  (6” to a blind to automatically reveal it unless it fires)



I can’t help including a pic that accidentally showcased Richard Baber’s excellent Rif War Guide:


In good colonial style, the Spanish General (Stan) sent the Native police unit out in front:




The two bandera of the legion opted to deploy on the south of the road – nearest to the route to Taguntz




The first blind to fire from a Khor were the Beni Uriaguel support group – at the far Northern end of the board.  These fellows proved troublesome and resilient for five or six turns – facing the police and the regular infantry battalion:


Quite by chance, as the tanks scouted the road block, they quite by chance revealed that the nearest blind was the 75mm gun (at 4” range).   Four turns later the cursed dice had missed each shot – the Spanish Armor rolled on – minus one tank that broke down (2d6 every move 2 or 12 breaks down)


On the Spanish Left, the III Bandera made short work of a harka skulking in a Khor between two mountains – if the distance, and rushed to the Khor in front of Taguntz – revealing the 65mm gun:


In the Southeast corner – the Beni Uraguiel (20 elite figures!) revealed they were holding the ruined fort.  Throughout the game the system had these fellows providing moral support via rifle, but they declined to take decisive action, and eventually moved down the two steps and retired without coming to the aid of their comrades in Taguntz. 


It took several turns for the I Bandera and the tanks to clear the roadblock and the entrenchments.  To a small degree of luck much was owed, because the subsequent earthwork above the roadblock was occupied by a blank blind – the Riffians had been sheltering in a Khor behind the hill (where  the random blind system put them) and as they moved to occupy the entrenchment, reserved fire from the gun batteries, legion MG’s and the Renault’s decimated them.  This was a critical outcome, as the Legion could ill-afford another stiff fight before getting to the edge of Taguntz to support the III Bandera. 

The final fight developed with one large (20 figure) harka at the base of the Taguntz rise behind a stone wall battling with the remnants of III Bandera:

Finally, in a desperate act, the remaining pair of Renault’s pushed forward with minimal infantry support right into the edge of town.  The III Bandera was pinned in the Khor below town. 


The armor faced (again randomly) a 50mm mountain gun at the entrance to the town – again the Riffi dice failed them, and three turns of Antiarmor fire from the gun missed at very close range!!!  The final act was the 10 figure elite Harka in the town getting agitated and charging the armor, despite having no AT capability – the MG’s on the FT-17 mowed them down, and the resistance faded….



I think everyone had a great time.  My six year old son rolled dice for the Riffians, and three players divided the Spanish command.


Rules:
I use a modified version of Rapid Fire II for the Rif War.  In addition, I use umpire-facilitated, random placement for the Riffi forces.  Each Harka is puton a roster, along with blank blinds, numbered 1-25 (for this scenario) and random looking desert/ rocky blinds are numbered underneath with 1-25). 
After the terrain is set, I arrayed the blinds (without knowing the numbers) in likely lines of defense, in defiles, at entrenchments, in the ruined fort, and in Taguntz itself.  This spread the Harka out in both quality, numbers and weapons.  I think this is an essential game mechanic to reflect the tribal differences in their forces. 
I also used a reaction table (like that in Science vs Pluck for those who are interested) to generate a reaction from a Harka if they 1)  Didn’t seem to have an obvious action or 2)  They began testing for 50% casualties.    I think this game could be played SOLO as well for those so inclined, using this mechanic.  The Harkas using the table basically start on a five level scale in the middle – holding their ground and either get more agitated (culminating in a charge) or lose interest and retire.


Figures and such:These are all 20mm figures, the Riffians coming from a variety of excellent suggestions as laid out in Richard’s guide.  The Early War Miniatures, HPC, and Battlefield figures were really fun/ easy to work with.  I’m almost out of heads from all the head swaps of Goumieres etc.

For purists, I know my FT-17’s are the 37mm version in the pics – they are my only three in camouflage.  I have a dozen in olive green for the SCW and WW1, but need to paint MG armed versions in the Gray/ Green camo for this battle when it is run again in a few months.

A special thanks to Richard for his inspiration!

[Tom Reed]

I watched you running this game on Sunday and it looked like a lot of fun. The terrain and figures are great looking.