As we have a new player with a small Malleson force, we decided to travel from war-torn Kubanian plains to war-torn Transcaspian plains.
So. August 1918. After white Transcaspian forces started their all-out rebellion, soviet government in Tashkent sent some of their forces to deal with it. Unknown to them, british commander Malleson already intervened and reinforced weak white forces with his trusted sepoys.
South-east of Ashgabat, small town of Mekhinli was awakened by sounds of firefight. Soviet batalion-sized force, led by a group of local bolshevik agents, arrived from the east, sowing panic and awe.
Despite their numbers, most of the soldiers were conscripted unwillingly and their morale is weak. Also they have only one commander, thus overall control is limited. Local agents are well-motivated, and armed for close combat (they even have some grenades from tsarist' stocks - nasty surprise).
White garrison left the town at first opportunity, but their commander (turkoman ex-officer of Imperial Army) rallied them. Soldiers are undisciplined and have weak morale.
At the start of the battle british column this makes its best to reach Mehinli in time. Comprised of reliable and skilled indian troops and supported by HMG-detachment and a gun, it is a very powerful force, but commanding officers are strictly ordered to avoid losses.
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Deployment:
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Battle begins. Reds quickly take eastern quarter of the town and the central square. Local agents can quickly move in the well-known territory, spearheading red advance, but suffer badly from aimed shots of white infantry. Whites are extremely careful, they capture western quarter, but keep distance from enemy.
First companies of 19th Punjabi's arrive and are immediately ambushed by red marksmen!
Whites move forward - now they are contesting the central square of a town! Indian force blunders a bit, but its officers quickly restore order. Firefight rages on, losses begin to mount on both sides.
In the backyards of Mehinli red and white companies slowly engage each other in a sluggish and mostly fruitless close combat. Remnants of bolshevik agents use their grenades with some effect and finally drive whites out and capture some buildings in western quarter.
Whites on the central square are totally demoralised and pinned by rifle and HMG fire. Suddenly lucky shell from indian 18-pdr changes fortunes: mansion, occupied by reds is blown to bits and engulfed in flames! HMG team and force commander manage to leave building in time, badly burnt, but the entire company dies in the fire!!!
British officer bravely leads an assault and drives out remaining reds from the square. losing some soldiers in process.
Red advance into the western quarter ends in the failure, as white officer managed to make contact with british commander and call artillery fire precisely upon the enemy, successfully pinning and demoralising them. Meanwhile, sikh companies, that were sent to capture eastern quarter, fell under strong fire from remaining HMG and the remnants of red riflemen (they passed all 5+ morale checks and refused to leave battlefield).
After the last game turn white/interventionists controlled 2 of the town quarters, while reds still controlled the eastern one. Red losses were very heavy, but british also lost far more infantry (half of the sikhs and nearly 1/4 of muslims), than was allowed for them to count for major victory. White losses were considered light - much more soldiers were frightened to death, than killed
As a result - a minor victory for allied forces.
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January 16, 2025, 12:55:12 AM
January 24, 2012, 01:38:31 AM