Don't Throw a 1: The Battle of Tchorgoun 1854

The weekend before last some of the Rejects got together for our last game of the year, but as you may have already seen on BigLee's blog, we had a very special guest. the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challange's resident stats geek Miles Reidy

Miles, Lee and Ian picked out the Russians, while Surj, Richard and myself would play the

Brits and allies.

Setup

It is the 26th September 1854, the Battle of Alma was fought six days before and won by the British, French & Turkish allies. The beaten Russian army retreated back to Sevastopol to reorganise but has departed for fear of the main army in the area being trapped inside the town. Prince Menshikov has led his men to the open plains North East Sevastopol.

Heading slowly south to invest Sevastopol the combined armies make what was known as the 'Flank March' to avoid the towns big guns, spending the night of 25th September in their encampment at Machenzies Farm and around the Traktir Bridge. The British, French and Turkish forces have decamped and are heading south to invest Sevastopol in a bid to secure the vital supply ports of Balaclava and Kamiesh.

The game is a 'What if' scenario; What if the Russian Army under Prince Menshikov had decided to threaten or attack the Allies on their Flank March. Scouts have spotted Russian troops gathering on the heights near the village of Tchorgoun not far from the Traktir Bridge. Lord Raglan being informed of the situation does not wish to be caught with his troops in march order, so orders those units which are close by to engage the Russian forces that are now in his rear and flank, while the rest of the army continues on its way. Mist hugs the battlefield and neither side can be completely sure where the enemy troops are at the start of the game...indeed some of their own units have become a little lost on the mist.

Order of Battle

Russians - C/O Prince Menschikov (Overall Commander Miles)

16th Div c/o Lt Gen Kvetzinski (Miles)

1st Battalion Vladimir (4), Susdal (4)

2nd Battalion Uglutz (4), Kazan (4)

2x Heavy Guns, 2x Light Guns

17th Div c/o Lt Gen Kiriakov (Lee)

3rd Battalion Moscow (4), Butirsk (4)

Attached 6th Schutzen Battalion

1x Heavy Gun, 3x Light Guns

6th Cavalry Div c/o Lt-Gen Ryzhov (Ian)

6th Battalion 11th,12th Hussars

6th Battalion 11th Uhlans (4Sqn), 53rd Don Cossacks

2x Horse Artillery Light Guns

Reserve 14th Geavy Gun & 14th Light Gun

(660 Infantry Figures, 78 Cavalry Figures & 12 Guns)

British - C/O Lord Raglan

1st Div c/o HRH The Duke of Cambridge

1st Battalion Grenadier, Coldstream and Scots Fusilier Guards

2nd Battalion 42nd, 79th & 93rd Highlanders

2x Medium Gun

2nd Division c/o Sir George Lacy Evans

1st Battalion 41st, 47th & 49th Line

2nd Battalion 30th, 55th & 95th Line

2x Medium Guns

Light Cavalry Division c/o Lord Lucan / Brigade c/o Earl of Cardigan

Cavalry Battalion 8, 11th Hussars, 4th & 13th Light Dragoons, 17th Lancers

1x Horse Artillery Light Gun

French - c/o Marshal St Arnoud

1st Div c/o Canrobert

1st Chasseurs a Pied, 1st Zouaves(2), 7th Line (3)

1x Heavy Gun

2nd Div c/o Basquet

2nd Battalion 3rd Zouaves (2), Algerian Turcos (2)

Light Cavalry Brigade 1st, 4th Chasseurs d'Afrique

Heavy Cavalry Brigade 6th Curassiers, 6th Dragoons

2x Medium Guns

Turkish c/o Suleiman Pasha

1st Division c/o Selim Pasha

1st Battalion Line Battalions (6)

2x Medium Guns

(426 Infantry Figures, 86 Cavalry Figures & 11 Guns)

I was placed on our right flank with the British line on a very nice looking hill.

Surj was in our centre with the French

It was pretty foggy, so we couldn't see all the way across the table, were the other

Russian troops hidden across the field?

Mile went in for the kill straight away and started to move the Russian

coloums down hill.

Me and Surj thought it'd be a good idea to move towards the Russian's as we could only

fire at medium range.

Two units of French Chasseur d'Afrique

The Russians cross the river...

The Brits get a little help from the French Chassuers a Pied

On the left flank me and Ian jostled for the best position with our cavalry. (Richard wasn't there for the start!)

The Russian Hussars faced off with the French Cuirassiers and Dragoons

Could the Brits hold the hill?

A view from the left down the table.

Miles gets closer..

I lost my artillery on the left and a few figures from the piece on the right.

Lee concentrated his Russians on Surj's Zouves

Only 3 Russian coloumns came forward

But there were plenty more behind????

The cavalry move into charge range.

The fog clears to reveal loads more troops hidden in the mist.

More French infantry, the Turks and hoards of Russains!!

The British first fire caused havoc on the Russian columns.

Surly the wouldn't stand ??

One of the columns turns tail and runs!

A clash of steel!

The 55th line also turn tail and run as two columns charge in, straight through the

Grenadier Guards, disordering both units.

A tad blurry I know?

The French are also pushed back in disorder.

uh oh!

The Russian second line charge home...gulp!

Oh gawd!!!

Its a bloody disaster, two more units of the thin red line are smashed by

Miles dice rolling!!

Both are thrown back in route!!

Yes ROUTE!

But its ok, I've still got the creme de la creme of the British army.

The Guards and Highlander division.

The clash of steel on the hill mostly went in the Allies favour.

Richard arrived and threw great dice, Ian had to leave early and was replaced by that famous

Cavalry commander BigLee!

The Ruskies were sent packing!

I'm still holding my own .......just!

More Russians cross the river

BigLee and Miles are looking rather pleased with themselves.

The French push up the Turco's

In an absolutely disastrous turn, throwing a 3, then a 1 on a D20. I lost both 2nd Division c/o Sir George de Lacy Evans and Brigadier Pennefeather 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division.

This would cost us dear.