Pony Wars After Action Report

[Shawnt63]

A bright clear Sun shon bright in the early morning of 1870 on the western plaines of the United States. The Sun had yet to bring the full heat of the day to the small area of North Dakota known as Sutter's Bight. In the Bight was the town of Miller's Hitch and a couple miles from that was Fort Defiance!

The Commander of the Fort Colonel Dale Diggery set about giving orders to his command as they readied to secure all the civilians in the Bight and bring them to Fort Defiance. He knew he had to destroy the Indian village across Willow Creek at the far end of the Bight and to do that meant he could have no distractions.

The Colonel was a mean man, crass, brutal and dishonest but he was a seasoned soldier and not afraid to make hard decision on his soldiers lives.

His force was considerable, he had A Company of the 6th Cavalry supported by half companies of B and D Companies. He had 3 new 12 pound field guns, a half a regiment of the 47th infantry and a wagon carrying extra ammo.

He had to secure a mining camp


and two settlers homes




as well as the town of Miller's Hitch


before he could ride out to the sleep Indian village at the far end of the Bight.


Orders were issued to D Company to bring in the Miners, B Company to secure the Settlers not far from the Mining camp and 3 adn 4 sections of A company was to secure the other settlers farm. His own 1 and 2 sections of A company supported by the infantry and 3 12 pdrs would secure the town.

Orders were issued. Food, ammo and extra horse fodder was dolled out and with a rousing chorus of "Columns of Two Forwaaard Yeeeeeooooo!" Away went the gallant 6th!




The 6th was miles away from the Mining camp and unbeknownst to them a band of about 30 Indians rode over the hill and spotted the Miners. The Indians decided that the Miners were in a place they shouldn't oughta be and so started shooting at them.


While the Miners fought the small band of warriors another group of 40 arrived and went to attack a settlement close by the mining camp.
The Miners put up a small fight but they couldn't last against so many of the Native warriors!


While this was happening Smoke signals started and then the aweful drums! The Native Warriors were gathering.


The Cavalry moved as quickly as possible and little did they know their peril. As D and B Companies engaged the 40 Warriors near the settlement the lead element of A company went through a pass and just then the drums ceased! All available Indian Warriors arrived right on the flank of 3 and 4 sections!

In a short brutal fight over 340 warriors  attacked the 10 troopers from 3 and 4 sections were over run and shortly after 1 and 2 sections joined them in dying far from achieving their mission.


The Cavalry were decimated and looked to be in big trouble until the infantry opened fire and although they only killed 2 warriors the Indians decided enough was enough and left (really they knew the cavalry couldn't defeat the village now so no reason to continue to be killed for no reason!).


The remaining cavalry and infantry moved back into Fort Definace and hoped to be reenforced as early as possible.

[OLeary]

Excellent batrep! Nice looking figures on that table too and well photographed 

[Marine0846]

Fine report.
Looks like the Indians scored big in this battle.
Well done.

[Shawnt63]

So I cut out a couple of incidents in the game last night due to late time frame and tired brain so here it is.

As the Miners were being over run by Sioux and Cheyenne warrios, Black Bart and the Hole in the Wall gang rode out of their hideout to rob the bank in Miller's Hitch.




The gang are well armed ruthless bandits capable of outshooting a Cavalry patrol and they were about to make a nasty afternoon for the townsfolk.

Riding in to town they quickly robbed the bank and made their escape just as the soldiers of A company arrived. The Soldiers went in pursuit but Black Bart was cagey enough to push his gang to a different pass than the one the Soldiers knew about. So while the Cavalry men of A Company were being over run by 300 warriors Black Bart, laughing the whole time, road leisurely through a small pass - only to be ambushed by 20 warriors.


But as mentioned earlier Bart and his bunch are tough Hombres and they outshot and out fought the Sioux Braves killing 12 of them and chasing of the remainder for the loss of a single gang member - in the infamous words of one eyed Jason Johns - More for the rest of us!

[FifteensAway]

Alright, Shawn, time to give up some more details, like who makes the figures and what scale are they in.  And, if you don't mind, can we take up a collection to get you some improved terrain to go with your fun scenarios?  Of course, you do show that you don't need top form terrain to enjoy the hobby.  I'm guessing 15 mm but want to know for sure.  And table size to help us put it all in perspective.  Don't go taking offense about my terrain idea, just one of my personal bug-a-boos that stems from life as a model railroader.  But do give us more in the future. 

This is the sort of thing I have in mind for my collection, every thing going on all over the board -- or boards, in my case.  Yee-haw!

[Shawnt63]

LOL no offense taken I used to have even worse terrain but am slowly improving as I go. Scale is 15mm, Figures are mostly Mini-fig but with a small cross section of Peter Pig (Bad guys and some towns folk), Hovels and Freikorps. I have a whole bunch of the new Blue Moon that I am starting to paint. Table is 12 x 4. I am still looking for a good train as I have no cars to go with my locomotive and coal car.

Cheers!