Little Big Horn

Little Big Horn was the first battle story I heard outside of the family, it has been one of my "go to" battles for 40 plus years.  The Native  Indians always have the same objective, Kill them all using overwhelming force.  Thus a good choice for solo play. I have written up a series of five scenarios for the Men Who Would Be Kings Rules playable on a Tuesday night.  I played two and will try to do the next three on Saturday

Scenario 1 Calhoun's Hill Collapses

Forces Company C Remnants 21 men with Sargeant Bobo Leadership 7+

            Company L Lt Calhoun; Sargeant James Butler; 49 men Leadership 7+

Indian Leaders Gall: Lame White Man: Yellow Nose: Leadership 5+

Plains Indians were fast and skirmishing from them was deadly, often attacks were repulsed by dismounted cavalry.  Ultimately this was a bloodbath the Leadership was too poor for company L and if I played again I would set it at 6+

Scenario 1 Set up from the native table edge

Survivors ride for Company I

Crazy horse after his sacred bath

Gall 

Yellow Nose

 Scenario 2 Keogh's Battle Ridge is Overrun

Forces Company C & L Remnants 14 men with Sargeant Bobo Leadership 7+

            Company L Lt Calhoun(leadership 6+); Sargeant James Butler(Musketry Buff); 49 men Leadership 7+

Indian Leaders Gall: Lame White Man: Yellow Nose: Leadership 5+

Keogh immediately opted for shooting the horses to give cover, however only two of his units caarried out this order.  By Turn 4 the only units left on the table were the ones in the cover.  Much harder for the Indians to win and the circle of Indians was starting to form until I swapped for FIRE orders every turn given that you need three hits and full sizr units are only 8 strong.  This was a bloodbath the Leadership was too poor for company L and if I played again I would set it at 6+

Turn 1 shooting horses

The end on Battle Ridge

Tumbledown 10mm

Company reaches form up area

Cold War Commander has some simple solo rules which I tried out for a Deliberate Attack Battle Scenario for Tumbledown.  This Project has been a long time in the making.  My inspiration to keep going came from Dougie's Wargaming blogspot whoi has superbly detailed miniatures and exceptional research.  The Brits are all mainly Timecast with a few Pendraken thrown in.  The Argie's are 10mm WW2 Pendraken Americans.

13 Platoon clears the first hilltop

 Set up was straightforward, and the firefights quite intense, harder to get the ATGWs involved and needed to twerk the Nightfighting rules by marking units that shot each turn.  If you fired then you were seen from anywhere in LOS.

Argie's under fire or Guards outflanked?

15 Platoon got a right pasting and kept getting a pasting, the Argie Artillery was called in repeatedly on top of them.  I twerked the HQ rules to allow them to fight just like infantry elements but then the 2inC had to act as the command order giver.

Argie Sniper swept away

Argies just behind the crest of the summit

 Argies held out until Turn 10 failing the command role for Braking off, making it a minor victory.

Argie's put up a stiff fight, Company CO getting involved

"Breakfast, Elevenes and Afternoon Tea"

SIDI REZEGH 20^th November 1941

Initial 1500pt FORCES

South Essex Yeomanry “C “ Squadron

Crusader Tank “Stella”, Regular

·         Lt Ned Ransome with Commander skill “Follow Me”(+1/6”)

·         Swanson, Driver skill “Quick reflexes”

·         Gunner “Ginger” Banks

Crusader “The Fying Serpent” Regular  Sargeant Charlie Wheeler

·         Skilled Shot

Crusader “Tinkerbelle” or “Bella” Regular – Corporal “Tinky” Taylor

·         “Eye for Terrain”

Crusader “Luckie”  inexperienced Corporal Billy Mathews

·         No skills just hard to kill

Crusader Tank “Bungo”, Regular with Commander  Lt Paterson

One Crusader with Command  inexperienced

2 Crusaders Regular

2 Crusaders inexperienced

Major “Dimples” in a Daimler Dingo

Recce Carrier “Uncle Ali” and 2 bren carriers all pintle mounted LMG

 

Squadron "C"

DAK  5^th Panzer Division

Lt Zimmerman Cmd Panzer IIIJ 50mm L/42 Veteran

·         Commander Skill “Strict disciplinarian” “Motivational leader”

·         Gunner Skill “Adrenalin Rush”

·         Driver Skill “Crank head”

2 Panzer IIIG 50mm L/42 Veteran            

Panzer IIF  Veteran        

1 Panzer IVD Veteran

2 Infantry Squads Veteran in cars all Desert fighters

1 88mm Regular crew desert fighters replaced with 50mm Pak 38 veteran in car

Recce Motorcyle

Field Gendarmes inexperienced, SMG armed all motorclyces                                              

A thorough testing of the The Tank War supplement scenarios was called for.  The first three battle scenarios are pretty genetic and easily fit the Western Desert  in my narrative campaign The South Essex are heavily involved in fighting striking the German flank at Sidi Rezegh on 20^th November 1941.  To them this battle is called Breakfast, Elevenes and High Tea as they saw action three times that day.  and

Breakfast saw action at “The Italian Farm”  using the Arras scenario.  It was very hard for me to shake the idea that the German’s should be defending, instead not only was Jerry attacking added to this was an attempt at a right flank attack.  This attack when it arrived in Turn 3 brewed Lucky and forces Stella to retreat. 

88mm at the Italian Farm

The tank of the game was Tinkerbelle.  Tinkerbelle in the centre of the backline,got properly dug in, using the Eye for Terrain rule. Punched a 2pdr into the deployed 88, before brewing first a Panzer 2,then a Panzer 4 and finally a Panzer 3. The 88mm was a magnet for carrier fire until Bongo Paterson overran the gun itself.  Stella and The Flying Serpent spent their time pasting  Jerry infantry in the farm before turning on the German flanking attack.  Game ended Turn 6, would be worth playing again.  3 crusaders lost but Luckie was only abandoned. Clear British Victory.A Military Medal for Tinky Taylor with a military Cross for Lt Paterson

Zimmerman's Panzer on fire

“Elevenes” saw more action just down the road from “The Italian Farm” using the Supercharge Scenario.  1250 points a side. The minefield rule had no direct impact literally.  Indirectly it meant Jerry tanks maneveured with advance orders or were stationary, with the Indian carriers to only units risking a run or Stella using the “Quick reflexes” rule. Pak50 replaced the 88mm.  Up to the onset of the Duststorm the Germans had all the success one crusader brewed, two crusaders abandoned and one immobilised for the loss of one panzer 2.  5 dice out of the bag.  The duststorm hit on turn 3  and the fighting became very confused. Stella used the “Quick reflexes” rule moving her into the centre of the table where she knocked out Zimmerman, Tinkerbelle and the Flying Serpent each get a further Panzer 3 but end the game immobilised. The whole DAK force is cleared from the table except an infantry squad, m/c recce and the Feldgendarmes.  Utter British victory fielding more regular crews made a huge difference in this battle.

The Survivors

“High Tea” I was going to play the basic tank war scenario but opted for Kursk instead with the drifting smoke rules and reduced forces of 700 points a side.  The Yeomanry had to escort  their A echelon fitters onto the battlefield to recover the crocks and abandoned tanks.  All the Yeomanry tanks were regular.  Jerry however had crept back in.  Jerry lost 3 panzer 3s and a m/c team while the Yeomanry had a further Crusader brew, one immobilised but in all five are recovered.  This seemed to be mainly due to pulling British dice out of the bag first, given that they outnumbered DAK dice two to one proved the concept that in an armoured game this does create a critical disparity. Both Stella and finally Luckie brew their own Panzer 3 tanks.  The actual tank of the game was Panzer “22” that simply kept shaking off the hits in turn3,4,5,6 before brewing in turn 7.

A echelon fitters

Careful as you go!

German intruders

In the Regimental diary this would be recorded as a day of hard fighting, with Acting Sargeant Taylor mentioned in dispatches, the strength of the regiment would fall to 18 runners in total,with A and B Squadrons amalgamated and  Ransome in command of the remnants of “C” Squadron.  The officers mess would also acquire a picture of "Bungo"'s charge.  

Paddy Griffiths has a great chart showing the reality of this shrinkage with armoured forces going back into battle until they are reduced to under 88%.  After a repairing the recovered crocks The Yeomanry will be fit for battle.

Stella Surprises Zimmerman in the Dark

SCENARIO: Point Defence Early hours 20^th November 1941

FORCES

South Essex Yeomanry “C “ Squadron

Crusader Tank “Stella”, Regular

·         Lt Ned Ransome with Commander skill “Follow Me”(+1/6”)

·         Swanson, Driver skill “Quick reflexes”

·         Gunner “Ginger” Banks

Crusader “The Fying Serpent” Regular  Sargeant Charlie Wheeler

·         Skilled Shot

Crusader “Tinkerbelle” or “Bella” Regular – Corporal “Tinky” Taylor

·         “Eye for Terrain”

Jat Captain Lal Singh  inexperienced Dug in

Jat 2pdr Regular  Dug in

Jat 2pdr portee regular

2 x 8 man Jat infantry squads inexperienced Dug in

DAK  5^th Panzer Division

Lt Zimmerman Cmd Panzer IIIJ 50mm L/60 Veteran

·         Commander Skill “Strict disciplinarian” “Motivational leader”

·         Gunner Skill “Adrenalin Rush”

·         Driver Skill “Crank head”

 Panzer IIIG 50mm L/42 Veteran               

Panzer II Veteran            

2 Infantry Squads  Regular

This was a 700 point night fight battle to squeeze a secone fight in after the Charge.  The South Essex has gone into laager very close to the Germans and their Indian LAD goes against the grain and is working through the night,lights blazing.  Like a moth to the flame Zimmerman is attempting a night sortie, the Jats are providing the security with 2pdrs, also in wait is Stella,The Flying Serpent and Tinkerbelle.  As soon as they hear Jerry voices the lights go out and it's time to fumble in the dark.

Objective 1 Indian LAD at work

Objective 2 Sqn HQ

Objective 3 Luckie getting fuel and ammo

Zimmerman with Jerry infantry

This is a battle where holding terrain not the casualties matter, Ransome comes on promptly from the reserves and ambushes the Panzer II then going on to Blow Zimmerman's tank.  Jerry takes the Squadron HQ bags both 2pdrs and the Captain Singh, however a squad of Jat infantry spending two turns DOWN hiding in their foxholes to avoid tank fire, is assaulted by Jerry infantry, who they repulse rolling four 6s for no casualties and wining the game for the brits.  Again abruptly ending on turn 6.

SCENARIO 5 Duel in the Sun: Skirmish in the Sand.

SCENARIO 5 Duel in the Sun: Skirmish in the Sand.

Noon 19^th November 1941

FORCES

Indian Armoured Recce Brigade

2^nd Lancers 

Risaldar  Khan Regular (Regular) in carrier

Uncle Ali in a Recce Carrier    

South Essex Yeomanry “C “ Squadron

Lt Ned Ransome in Crusader Command Tank “Stella”, inexperienced 

Sargeant Charlie Wheeler in Crusader “The Fying Serpent” inexperienced

Billy Mathews in Crusader “Luckie”  inexperienced

Two further Crusaders under Ransome’s command

DAK  5^th Panzer Division

Lt Zimmerman   in Cmd Panzer IIIJ 50mm L/42 Veteran

Panzer IIIG 50mm L/42 Veteran              

Panzer II Veteran            

2 Infantry Squads Veteran in cars one scouts     

All Desert fighters                                                 

Scenario  5  gave the side with the most order dice a slight advantage during the game.  Its a good scenario for the random nature of the set up. One piece of paper for each unit placed on one terrain piece. No plans just action, kill or be killed.  Will Ned Ransome survive again?

“Ransome, Brigadier Bob Sharpe wants pickets out, get yourself shifted toot swift over to those Mounds.  Do you see those little Mounds.  Might be one, maybe two miles away.  Yes, then get moving,take Khan and a Jat portee. Get on the horn if you see Jerry and get your troop back here if you do”.  The best thing to do in an “O” Group led by Major “Dimples” is to stay still and quiet. Ned Ransome hated the man, clearly it was mutual.  On the journey out to the Picket point, the thunder rages over the desert, kicking up a dust storm.  In the murk , Ransome’s anxiety kicks in, the dust has broken up his force,vague shapes.  He thinks they have arrived popping his cupola he pushes up to get a better look.  As the dust settles it reveals his troop.  The heat is soaring but Ned’s hairs are on end. 

Billy Mathews in “Luckie” is just in front of him. The 3^rd troop Crusader on top of the big mound seems to have lost its pennant.  Tink Taylor in “Bella” is just on his right up on the smallest mound.  Further on the right is the Flying Serpent.  No sign of Khan or Uncle Ali, could be in the closeby depressions.  The Jat portee is on top of the big mound, a prime target for the Panzer II opening  up with it’s autocannon 300 yards away.  The portee goes up like a rocket, that’s going to alert the whole Brigade flashes through Ransome’s mind as he slides down into his own tank. 

His next thought it shit ,that’s not the 3rd troop crusader it’s  a big nasty Panzer III.  He can see the Jerry commander as it thankfully reverses back over the mound, mustn’t like the odds,  he watches Billy Mathews in “Luckie” go after it. “Get out of it Billy”, he warns, while Billy only cries “Tally Ho”.  “You bugger!” Going round the mound “Luckie” has  closed in on the Panzer III, misses the rear shot , Ransome watches the Panzer III 50mm round bounce off “Luckie” the gun droops then  Jerry infantry swarm on “Luckie” lobbing 

grenades.  

Shouting “Stop Now Driver”, he feels the sweat gush from his armpits “Driver reverse,  we are going back the way we came.  The heat is intense.  He hears Charlie Wheeler shouting that “Bella” has been jumped up the rear by a Panzer III. Charlie cries Fire then he cuts off.  Head just out of the tank Ransome sees the Flying Serpent shimmering above the ground.  A tank round strikes the Serpent, they don’t bail still no reply from Wheeler.  "Charlie were is the bastard?” Tink Taylor cuts in “ Over the hill boss, just go straight at him”.

Flying serpent  spots the Panzer III behind Bella, fires and his the tracks

“ Driver crack on straight t ahead, Ginger get set there’s a panzer just over this crest”.  “Stella” kicks up a mass of stones skittering on the tank hull, with a cloud of dust covering their rear.  She bucks on the crest, Ginger fires, they load fire again, The Panzer III isn’t moving it’s right hand track has been mangled by as shell from the “Flying Serpent”, but its still pumping shots out on Charlie Wheeler.   “Slow now driver rocks ahead. Edge round to the right”.  Tink calls“Coming up on your right Boss”. the panzer III puts a round in Tinks tank for his trouble.  Sweats pouring down Ned’s neck, “ Come on Ginger get him” The 2pdr loads, fires Germans bail from the Panzer III.  "Good shooting".  Ned opens the lid, wriggles his shoulders peeking out.  Finally Charlie Wheeler responds, he banged his head and was out of it.  The 3rd troop Crusader has been brewed by a Panzer II which hunted down both Khan's and Uncle Ali's carriers

Bucking the crest

Tink Taylor on Ned's right

Game result  Jerry win, 4 VP putting four in the bag, while the South Essex manage only Panzer III and Uncle Ali has bagged a squad of Jerry infantry 2VP.

Operation Crusader- Dimples Sounds the Charge

(SCENARIO 17 THE CHARGE OF THE 9TH ARMOURED, TEL EL AQQAQIR,2 NOVEMBER 1942)

This scenario reflects my  setting in Operation Crusader with the fictional South Essex Yeomanry.  Arriving in Egypt the Yeomanry are brigaded with fragments of the 3^rd Indian Motor Brigade, in their case 2^nd Lancers Hodgsons Horse forming the Indian Armoured Recon Brigade.  On the 18^th November 1941 Operation Crusader the South Essex as part of the Indian Armoured Reconnaissance Brigade are sent out to search for Rommel’s tank force, turning back towards Tobruk the regiment  are warned in the early hours by the Recce Squadronn that they have encountered a blocking force of  DAK AT guns.  

FORCES 18th November 1941 near Tobruk

2^nd Lancers Hodgsons Horse

Risaldar  Khan Regular  (regular) with batman in  Recce carrier with Boyes 

2 Infantry Squads in Bren carriers each with an additional pintle mounted bren                 

South Essex Yeomanry “C “ Troop

1 Crusaders command tank , “Stella” inexperienced commanded by Lt Ned “Reverand” Ransome

1 Crusaders command tank inexperienced commanded by Lt “Bongo” Paterson

7 Crusaders inexperienced

DAK all veterans
Lt Braunbauer with 2 men
2 LMG Squads
1 infantry Squad
Panzer III
88mm
2 Pak 38 50mm

                                                                                 

                                                    

Major Trumper Jones had a simple plan the South Essex had to simply pass through the gun line shattering it and getting into Rommel's rear literally doing this while the DAK were in the dark.  The attack started in the pre dawn dark.  If wasn’t for the bloody Indian Khan, the Squadron Major Trumper Jones “Dimples” would have ordered a plain old high speed charge right over the guns.  Khan reminded him that The Auk had told “Dimples” categorically that he would have his command if he didn’t listen to his recce.   Khan had spotted both minefields and AT guns.  Khan plan was to clear out the AT Guns, if an only if, he was given covering fire by the Yeomanry.  “Dimples" delegated Ned Ransome to this tiresome task of giving covering fire.  Dimples world was being turned upside down by  a “foreign” recce carrier jockey, he even suspected that Ransome was too eager in supporting this plan.   Dimples was sure The Reverand  lacked guts and wasn't really that "Tally Ho". Well anyway the rest of the Squadron would charge and young Paterson, a super huntsman, was reminded not to spare the whip.

Britannia Crusader

The Major got lost on the way to the forming up point, somehow he also lost the radio link to the artillery and someone had misplaced the flare gun.  No artillery barrage.  Well the attack still had to go in.  Ransome commanding "Stella", led his troop forward in a steady advance, letting Khan push on with the carriers and Paterson hammered in at a run. All this noise simply alerted Jerry, the initial fire order couldnt get a clear target in the dark so no shots but plenty of ambush dice out of the bag.

                                                      

Achtung Panzers!

 Turn 2 immediately brought sunrise with direct sun in blindsiding the Yeomanry (an additional -1 to firing)

Ned Ransome partially blinded could clearly see the flashes of the 88 shots devastating the charging crusaders of his squadron.  "Stella's"Gunner "Ginger" Banks still managed to "6" hit on the 88, as did Sargeant Charlie Wheeler in his "Flying Serpent", two pins on the 88 and one kill.  

A hit a palpable hit Good shot Ginger!

Lt Bungo Paterson's tank had brewed, his number 2 Crusader was oinned by Pak 38 fire and the reserve Panzer III came on table and pinned his number 3 Crusader.  The inexperienced crew and the sand in everything adding to the shock of battle.  Khan pushed up within 6 inches of the Jerry positions with his carriers another move and they would be on top of one of the  Pak38s

Number 3 Crusader Pinned

Turn 3  Jerry mopped up the Pinned down Crusaders first  the Panzer III.  The Bungo's last crusader charged full tilt for the board edge wildly firing on the run at the Panzer III.

Panzer III mops up

Then the infantry after another hit by the Pak38

Ransome's crusader in the center of the battlefield looked distinctly lonely, trying to hulldown "Luckie" fubarred his order test probably tipping awkwardly into a hole, the 88 crew targetted "Luckie" but missed.

Ginger managed to get a third shot into the 88mm crew, and another troop tank managed a fourth hit forcing the blood spattered crew into a rally in turn 4. The Pak 38 put a round into Ransome's no5 Crusader Khan managed to fire this gun with the Boyes wounding one of the crew in return.  No5 crusader bailed as their tincan was on fire.  Four Crusaders were now out of action.

Turn 4   Bungo's last crusader crashed right off the board, better to live in hope than die at German hands.  The Panzer II was now free to roam.   "Luckie" was missed again by the Panzer III and the Pak 38.  still more misery for the South Essex, on top of it all the Jerry infantry opened up on the Scammel and riddled the radiator with MG fire, crushing any hope of recovery. 

The 88mm recovered taking off all the pins while the Pak 38 tried to bag Khan's recce bren,  some serious withdrawal saved him by throwing up a cloud of dust.  It was  Ransome's moment to pushed up, turning and advancing on the Jerry right he hoped to hook round, but lucky pinned down had to be left behind.

Turn 5 “Luckie” Rallies,despite being under fire from the pak 38, 88mm and the Panzer III.  One hit could have finished the tank off.  Bren carrier sprays the Pak38 crew who bolts for it off table throwing a fubar funk for their order check. Khan advances, Ransome turns in with his troop spraying the 88mm for all they are worth.   The Jerry infantry leap frog past the command group into foxholes

This maybe an advance order but it was made in reverse.

Turn 6  “Luckie” reverses facing off the Panzer III.    The command group leapfrogs past the jerry infantry squad.  The 88mm barely hangs on under more fire from Ransome ‘s troop and the brens of Khan.  The Flying Serpent scores the last hit of the game, the 88mm with multiple pins and only 2 crew left would last another turn.  Its just about possible for the infantry, Lt Braunbauer and the Panzer III to get away leaving the South Essex in procession of this part of the field.

Hard to find the best German unit possible Leutnant Braunbauer  who lent his command bonus to the 88mm Pak 38 and a squad of infantry at various points.  “Aldwinter”  was the best tank, nothing matches rolling 3 sixes in a row for tank firing.

Outcome a South Essex Yeomanry win one tank off table, three crusaders in the Jerry defending zone with two bren carriers 6points.  Dak knocked out four crusaders and one bren carrier.  The battle winner was “Luckie”, the tank that  somehow surviving an 88 glancing blow and then missed by the 88mm again, the Pak38 and the Panzer III.