Action at Sarvan, August 1919

[Dr Bogo]

Last week at Chez Ignatieff we played a breakthrough game pitting a Bolshevik mechanised division against a dug in British Indian infantry brigade north of Sarvan in Transcaucasia (Azerbaijan). The campaign, in our sun-addled minds, was that repeated Bolshevik efforts to overthrow the government of Ahmed Shah Qajar in Persia by armed force provokes a major British intervention in Transcaucasia and Turkestan (i.e. Dunsterforce on steroids).

The image below shows the British brigade HQ in its redoubt to the left at the centre (Strongpoint Hillman), the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders in the closest trench line (Strongpoint Coalman), the 11th Sikhs in the central trench (Strongpoint Watchman), 27th Punjabis in the far trench (Strongpoint Horseman) and the 18pdr battery from 15th RHA on the hill in the far corner (Strongpoint Longbow). The reds were deployed close to British positions along the right of table, having crept up during the night and the attack kicked off at dawn.

[OSHIROmodels]

Lovely spread. As to be expected of course 

cheers

James

[Dr Bogo]

Turns 1 & 2

British staff officers coordinate defensive plans during stand-to inside the brigade HQ while Brigadier McAusland orders a despatch rider to get a hold of any reinforcements he can scrounge up from the rear areas

[Dr Bogo]

As dawn breaks the 27th Punjabis under the command of Maj. Charlie Clarke open up on a swarm of Dagestani tribesmen who'd crept up on their position with devastating effect, while the Red HMGs hidden in the scrub score an early success, knocking out the Punjabi Vickers team.

The punishing fire from the 11th Sikhs in the centre causes the Red commander to bring on all his air support (START THE PURPLE!). However those long hours spent practising his barrel rolls rather than bombing runs come home to roost as the Red ground attack pilot drops his bombs short amidst attacking Red infantry, knocking out an HMG team and splattering a few more Dagestanis!

[FramFramson]

Lovely AAR and table!

[marianas_gamer]

Excellent but Brigadier McAusland looks much too spic and span!!!
LB

[juergen c. olk]

Beautiful setup..great paint jobs..really like the planes.

[Sparrow]

Really impressive!

[Dr Bogo]

Pt.2

The Red Gotha bomber has *marginally* more success with their bombing runs than their colleague in the Junkers, prompting a round of back slapping and self congratulating - while the Red commander himself danced a little dance in the corner. The Sikhs, facing combined armour, off table artillery, air and infantry attack at this point, decide that a tactical stroll backwards toward the HQ at Hillman isn't a bad idea and manage to pull out largely unscathed.

[Dr Bogo]

The 27th Punjabis on the left decide that retreat isn't an option and prepare to face off against Red tanks driving over their position, while the shady Col. Vashilivesky of the ChON leads a crack unit of Red infantry in support.

Just in the nick of time the RAF decides to put in an appearance and a DH10 thunders over the Red brigade in the centre, showering them with heavy bombs and putting most of their armour out of action and causing the infantry to think twice about following up their costly success against the Sikhs.

[Dr Bogo]

The 15 RHA battery finally kicks into action as well, knocking out the FT17 right in the face of Major Clarke (who was by this point using a pillbox made out of his dead Punjabis to ward off the inevitable). Meanwhile on the right, the Argylls in Strongpoint Coalman face off against increasingly long odds, although having seen three previous units cut to pieces by their .303 rounds, the Red Austro-Hungarians and Latvian Rifles are slightly more cautious in their advance than their predecessors, using armour with fire and manoeuvre tactics to keep the Argylls' heads down.

[Ignatieff]

(Wiping away tears of pride).  That's me boys!  Cracking AAR and lovely game and pics.   

[coggon]

(Wiping away tears of pride).  That's me boys!  Cracking AAR and lovely game and pics.   

I was hoping it was your progeny (as opposed to some random person who acquired the keys to the toy cabinet) that wrote the report.  Well done!

[warburton]

Excellent AAR

[Dr Bogo]

On the far left of the line at Strongpoint Longbow, the 15 RHA position finally succumbs to a swarm of Red Guards, having inflicted dozens of casualties at point blank range. Amidst the smoke and casualties Maj. Daniel Dravot Jnr and his Punjabi sniper, Ahmed Mounim, manage to sneak away...

Meanwhile in the centre of the line the Red infantry decide they've had enough and hunker down in the face of the 11th Sikhs' HMG and rifle fire, plov is put on the stove, vodka on ice.