Crimean War Game - the Directors Cut

Following on from the game last Saturday we agreed that those of us who were available would try the scenario again, which is what we did on Friday. This time I reinforced both armies. The Otomans had their two-gun battery increased to three guns. The British were given a completely new battery of Royal Artillery while the Russians benefitted from the troops I’d left off last time, ie a fourth brigade of cavalry and the divisional artillery and the horse artillery were increased to their ‘official’ strengths of 12-gun batteries, represented by six models each! The Russians also received two battalions of reservists and two of sailors. 

The objectives were to be the same but Paul allowed us to keep our cavalry off table if we wished so they could arrive in the rear or on the flanks of the British. The Ottomans could do the same. Paul umpired and played the Ottoman commander, Makkem Bey, and Conrad and I were the Russians. Jim and Richard were the British. On to battle.

Russian left flank with the advancing British in the far distance.

My artillery on the ridge. 

More guns and the Naval infantry.

The British advanced, 1st Division on their left and the Light Division on their right. The cavalry brought up the rest.

HM 23rd Fusiliers 

The British line. 

The 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers again. They were to make several attempts to dislodge the Russians from the ridge.

Conrad moved his artillery forward to bombard the Turks while his infantry began their advance.

The battlefield as seen from behind the British line.

The leading battalions of the Light Division reach the river.

My Russian riflemen attempting to slow the enemy advance.

The ridge was held by a brigade of Russians plus the Naval battalions.

The British moved across the river, seemingly unstoppable.

Conrad’s force approaching the Ottoman fort.

The Light Brigade alerted to the presence of enemy to the rear.

Four regiments of Russian cavalry and a half-battery of horse artillery. The uhlans were prevented from advancing when Jim turned his artillery (in the distance on the hill) about 180 degrees and caused a fair bit of damage to the uhlans. My horse artillery forced the 17th Lancers to retire and the Cossacks charged the 15th Hussars but were driven back. The Cossack commander was also killed.

The 23rd attack on the Russian artillery was beaten back (phew!)

The rest of the Russians on the ridge were being shot down by the highly effective Minee rifle-armed British. They were fo4ced to pull back to safety. My hussars were just getting in the way.

Russians lurking in the scattered woodland lining the stream.

Retiring Russian artillery forced from their position. I really must paint up my limbers that I’ve been trawling off eBay for several years.

The 23rd attacked the Russian gun line again, this time forcing the gunners  To limber up and get away.

This left room for a counter attack by the Russian infantry, which successfully destroyed the 23rd Fusiliers! Hurrah!

The Guards were a different kettle of fish and they drove all before them. They looked very impressive, that is until the whole brigade was forced to pull back after the Coldstream Guards (above) were blasted back by my cannon.

Priest blessing the troops.

The Russian secret weapon, a mobile Icon to boost the morale of their men.

Meanwhile Conrad had driven off two battalions of Turks stationed outside the fort but the subsequent assault on the fort was driven back by the determine defence of the Turkish defenders. Paul’s cavalry also made an appearance and caught a half battery of Russian artillery in the flank,  but Conrad’s own cavalry was about to hit them in the rear or flank.

At this point we had to end the game. The Russians had successfully held the ridge; the appearance of our cavalry in their rear had forced the British to redeploy a battery of Royal Artillery which had been making life difficult for me on the ridge. This alone made my cavalry’s rather lacklustre performance worth it. Sadly the Turks still held their fort but it was only a matter of time (imho). The result was too close to call but as things stood the Russians had the edge.

This was a great game, and over the five hours we played 18 turns and still had room for pizza at lunchtime. It was also great to see my Crimean collection out on the table again. I love the uniforms of the British, painted about twenty years ago if not longer. Despite the war itself not being packed full of game-able battles a little imagination in creating alternate scenarios such as this fictional Danube campaign goes a long way towards getting lots of enjoyment from the period. I have no desire to paint any more figures for the British but I could, as mentioned earlier, finish the limbers. Oh, and there are several boxes of plastic Russians somewhere in the greenhouse……

I must now prioritise finishing my 1808 Russians so we can play a Russo-Swedish War game sometime soon.

It’s the Other Partizan tomorrow so that shove a good day out. If you see me do say hello.