This game is another Crimean confrontation using a scenario from the One Hour Wargames book.

SCENARIO 19: BLOW FROM THE REAR

The British general is defending two river crossings from what he thinks is a numerically inferior Russian force. His complacency is shattered when Russian flanking force arrives. Each map square is 4ft by 3ft to represent the 12ft by 4ft table & extra terrain will be added.

DEPLOYMENT

The British army is arrayed as follows:

(a) Units south of the river within 12” of the riverbank.

Light Division - Lt. Gen Sir George Brown

1st Brigade - Brig. Gen Codrington

2nd Brigade - Brig. Gen Buller

Light Brigade - Maj. Gen Earl of Cardigan

(b) Units in zone 1.

2nd Division -  Lt. Gen Sir George de Lacy Evans

1st Brigade - Brig. Gen Adams

2nd Brigade - Brig. Gen  Pennefather

The Russian Army arrives in Turn 1

(a) C-in-C  -  Prince Alexander Sergeivich Menshikov, may be attached to either B or C.

(b) Arrive from the northern table edge.

16th Division - Lt. Gen Kvetzenski

1st Brigade - Gen. Pavel Maksutov

2nd Brigade - Gen. Zhabokritski

(c) Arrive at a random point on the western table edge, South of the river.

3rd Division (1st Reserve Cavalry) - Maj. Gen Kaletski

1st Brigade - Gen. Pavel Maksutov

SPECIAL RULES 1. Reserve Status.

The Blue units in zone 1 are in reserve.

They may neither move nor fire until turn 7.

2. Defensive Posture. Blue units may not move north of the river.

VICTORY CONDITIONS The Red player wins the game if there are no Blue units within 12” of either river crossing. Failure to achieve this goal results in a Blue victory.

The British forces are deployed on table with the Light Division (7 infantry battalions & 1 light horse battery) and Light Brigade (4 Cavalry regiments. & one horse battery) guarding the river line and the 2nd Division (6 infantry battalions & 2 field batteries) in reserve. All the British leaders are on hold orders and all units count as ‘shaken’ at the beginning of the game. The leaders may not take any action until they see the Russian units.

The Russians have the 16th Division (15 infantry battalions, 2 heavy batteries & 2 light batteries) deployed to the north of the river with orders to attack. They  deploy the 1st Brigade (8 battalions) to attack by the central bridge with the 2nd Brigade (7 battalions) to cross the river between the two bridges and artillery in the centre moving to deploy in the cultivated area.  The C-in-C (+2 light infantry) chooses to deploy with the 1st Brigade of the 17th Division (6 battalions) attacking the British left flank. These were joined by a brigade of dragoons (4 regiments & 1 horse battery).

In the first turn the 16th Division advances directly onto the table choosing not to use blinds and allowing the British forces to see the new threat, and to allow the Light Division commanders to start to ‘rally’ their units in preparation for the impending attack. Over the next few moves the 16th Division moves up to and wades through the river. The 1st Brigade comes under fire from the 1st Brigade Light Division and 2nd Brigade comes under fire from the Rifles and horse battery under the light Division commander. Meanwhile the British C-in-C is busy issuing orders to his subordinates to react to the unexpected attack. The 2nd Division, on receiving their new orders, begin to rally their units and to form up ready to support their friends.

On the left flank the Light Brigade, after a change of orders, form up to their flank in an attempt to stall the Russian flank attack to give time for their reserves to deploy. Luckily for them, the Russian flanking force get themselves into a ‘traffic jam’ as the cavalry and infantry end up crossing each other and the Russian infantry is slowed by moving through the woods.

Over the next few moves the Russian attack on the British left and force the Light Brigade back, wiping out the Lancers, forces joining up with the 1st Brigade 16th Division and driving the 1st Brigade Light Division back off the hill. The 2nd Brigade of the 2nd Division arrives just in time to shore up the flank. On the British right the 2nd Brigade Light Division being unopposed take the opportunity to cross the bridge to attack the Russian 2nd Infantry Brigade in the flank. Flanked by the Light Infantry Brigade and fired on from the Rifles, horse battery and the 2nd Division artillery to their front, the Russian 2nd Infantry Brigade are cut down, losing 5 out of 7 battalions. However, the British lose two battalions from the concentrated fire of the Russian Divisional artillery .

At the end of the game the Russians had captured one of the river crossings suffering heavy casualties but the British still held on to the second crossing.