TMWWBKs adaptation update to - RCW AAR - Trouble at Transkaya - and New Game Mat

[Widows Son]

INTRODUCTION

This game was fought between four chums, two of whom played on the Bolshevik side, one the Whites, and one their British Allies.  In order to win, players had to accumulate the highest amount of reputation points; as these would secure their future safety or advancement within their own force, and is a system inspired by the Lion Rampant rules.

Reputation points were earned by routing or destroying enemy units, destroying enemy armoured vehicles or aircraft, rescuing (or capturing – depending which side you were on) members of the Romanov family, and/or items of their valuables that they were trying to escape to China with (see below for background).

The rules we used were a home-made mix of adapted The Men Who Would Be Kings (TMWWBKs) for infantry and cavalry and adapted Flames of War for armoured vehicles.  Some specific RCW ‘flavour’ rules (Commissars encouraging Bolshevik forces, for example) were added from various rule sources.  The result was that they worked really well and we were all very happy with the overall feel of the game.

I also tried out my new game mat from Tiny Wargames, and what a stunning mat it is.  I bought a Zulu Wars mat in a custom size and asked for no track to be on it.  I cannot praise the service and the product highly enough.  I am delighted with the mat and all my chums were impressed with it too.  It arrived early and in good order and I highly recommend it.  I shall be posting a colonial AAR in the next two weeks and there will be wider views of it in there, if anyone is interested.

I am posting some pictures of the battle.

BACKGROUND SCENARIO

The year is 1918 and the Russian Civil War is underway.  July saw the murder of Czar Nicholas II and his family at Yekaterinburg, and now the Cheka are hunting for any remaining members of the Romanov family.  One small such family group is making its way towards the safety of China.  These are the lands in-between, being the area where the outer edges of the Old Russian Empire merge and melt into Central Asia and the northern reaches of China (east of Tashkent and north of Kashgar).

The head of that small family is Count Alexey, a cousin of the late Czar, and realizing that his life is in great danger he is trying to leave Russia with his wife, Countess Sophia, and their two children.  Prudently he also takes their considerable family treasure - including gold bullion - with them, under the escort of their trusted guards.

Being close to the old Great Silk Route, the area has for centuries been a favourite haunt of bandits.  Unfortunately a large group of well-armed bandits followed the party for days, ambushing them early one morning, killing all of the guards, and capturing the family and the treasure.  Reports indicate that the bandits have taken them all to the frontier settlement of Transkaya, confident that they have time enough to consider their next steps.

GAME BRIEFINGS

The mission for both sides was to capture/rescue the relatives of the Czar alive, in order that they may be sent to Moscow/China (as applicable), and to recover all the treasure that they had.

Each side started with a mix of units and more units came on as reinforcements, including aircraft.

RESULTS

From the outset the Whites (under Colonel Larriski) were utterly mission focused and they maintained that throughout the game, going from house to house in search of bandits and captives to rescue.  Ultimately they found - and rescued - two members of the family and racked up a load of routed/destroyed units, coming in as clear winners.

Comrade Clivovitch came in a highly creditable second for the Bolsheviks, having captured one of the family and achieved several routs on the Whites and Interventionists.  

Colonel Thomas for the British and Comrade Benyari for the Bolsheviks drew equal third, and both also played very well indeed.

I will leave the final words to Colonel Larriski and Comrade Clivovitch…

Colonel Larriski for the Whites:

In spite of my late arrival I soon picked up the game, partly due to our hosts pre game briefing and the super rules. I had only missed a couple of moves and luckily the moves made on my behalf had been in line with my intentions.
 
So to the story, the white Russian forces headed to the nearest cover with Cossack forces moving up my right flank and an armoured unit moving to threaten my left I needed to no be in the open when they arrived.  To my front was a broken ground and brush with a small wood beyond I headed there with my Russian regular unit in the hop that I could get to the wood before the Cossacks arrived. My elite officer cadet school unit sort hard cover from some solid building as the armour pushed on the left.
 
I had a small arty unit to use as a firm base, but as yet only one enemy in view so one quick shot to remind them that they should keep clear was all I had time for, before I had to turn it to face the armour.
 
My elite troops came under fire as they entered the building so I decided to give them some steel and charged in, the bandits had no chance and I was soon in command of the building.  In one of the rooms we found one of the captives, the young daughter.  This was to be the pattern for my moves, with some very tactical moving allowed me to hold units back till I had a target and them let them have it. I took the decision to close with any bandits and it paid off when I later rescued the Count too.
 
So having racked up the points I decided to beat a retreat, after all points count but only if you escape with them .

Comrade Clivovitch for the `Bolsheviks:

Truth News: Imperialist Use Mechanical Monsters with Mercenary Crews in an Attempt to subdue the People.  The battle started well enough for the people against the tyrant combined forces of Imperialists and British – yes the Whites are not man enough to face us alone. Despite this powerful league of evil, my forces, on the right flank, stormed forward (with the exception of a cowardly MG unit) with enthusiasm while forces under my comrade to my left were less motivated to the honourable cause.

Initial success included entering the bandit infested settlement of Transkaya with a Cheka battalion, a Garford Putilov armoured car, swiftly supported by aircraft – evidence of modern combined arms tactics and training. While storming the settlement my comrade on the left advanced through some woods, bombarded White infantry and launched a wild cavalry charge into the woods, which ended in failure.

Despite the spirited advance of the Peoples’ army the enemy used machine power over human courage exemplified by their use of a tracked monster liberally covered in armour and guns with a plentiful supply of capitalist ammunition. This advanced into the settlement of Transkaya, indiscriminately firing in all directions with its British crew showing little regard to local civilians. If this was not damning enough, any decent human being would have been horrified by the follow up airstrike on Transkaya which involved strafing of peasant thatched houses whose occupants only ‘crime’ was merely to work the land. Such inhuman acts spurned on our brave men to greater efforts but with more and more enemy re-enforcements arriving, things became desperate.

A spirited attack captured a member of the aristocracy while a determined charge of cavalry almost managed to carve its way pass the tracked monster, an armoured car and hordes of imperialist infantry. With men being shot of the saddle by the ferocious machine-gun fire of men who were only brave when behind armour, they gallantly pressed on – enemy to the right of them, enemy to the left of them bravely rode the 60 men. Despite the casualties, they flung themselves with sabres high into the waiting infantry where they fought to the death – almost achieving victory. If only this brave and glorious cavalry charge had been supported by my comrade’s cavalry unit, which chose, despicably, to stand and watch before breaking, the battle would have been won.

Comrades, take heart. While the battle did not go the way intended, it was fought against the odds with the enemy deploying the most foul of mechanical monsters one can imagine. We at least know that when the battle is joined one of our men is worth 25% more than one of theirs. The action also exposed traitors who were swiftly dealt with. Comrades, while our army is smaller, it is now purer than ever before.

Victory to the People!

No surrender!

[Widows Son]

Hmmm, apologies as only one photo made it as an attachment! However I think I have now worked out how to do it.  Hoorah! 

[Widows Son]

The Whites make good their rescue and leave the settlement...

[Widows Son]

The Bolsheviks advance!  (I may have cracked this photo thing after all?)

[Widows Son]

The British tank dominates the town market square while Red cavalry - soon to be wiped out by the tank - try to sneak past it.  (Fortunately for the townsfolk the cavalry died right next to the graveyard…)

[Hammers]

Lovely!

[Vagabond]

I'm pleased you cracked the photo attachment thingy because these look great.

[Widows Son]

Thank you!  I will post more photos of the game in a day or so.

[Hammers]

This is tha bomb!

[Leigh Metford]

Would it be possible for you to post your TMWWBK mods here, WS? I've been toying with the idea of adapting it to the almost contemporary Mexican Revolution, but haven't yet thought of a way to get round the all-purpose discipline rating's inability to represent units with poor training but high morale, and vice-versa.   

[marianas_gamer]

Fun sounding game and great pics  Thanks!
LB

[juergen c. olk]

Good looking game..thanx for sharing..

[blacksoilbill]

Your setup looks great!

I'd love to see your TMWWBK mods too: picked up the rules with this exact idea in mind, so nice to see it works.

[Widows Son]

Many thanks for the kind words chaps/comrades! I am posting some more pictures now and either tonight, or tomorrow, I will post my RCW adaptation of TMWWBKs for you.  Cheers.

[Widows Son]

The White Infantry advances towards Transkaya, supported by a British tank.  It was this flank where a lot of the cavalry action occurred, and where a unit of White Infantry was wiped out by Red Artillery.