The occasional exploits of Brigadier 'Tubby' Bykleigh and the Rhanzlistan Field Force

Friday 10 January 2014

Red Incursion Repulsed at Haztonawar

From today's copy of The Rhanzlistan Times comes welcome news from the frontier of the exploits of the Rhanzlistan Field Force and its intrepid commander, Brigadier 'Tubby' Bykleigh ~





















The frontier village of Haztonawar was strangely deserted reported the scouts from the RFF.


















The cause of this unusual circumstance was soon revealed to be the advances of Red Robinski and his SPIFF!













Acting with clear and decisive intent, Brig Bykleigh soon deployed his forces towards the deserted village.


















Heavy going along some of the roads {aka dreadful dice throws} delayed the RR armoured car as it advanced to support the Jalfreezi Rifles.


















The Red Hordes were massing ominously to the north of the village.


















However, the armoured car cleared its difficult road going {threw better dice this time!} and advanced down the main village street to confront and then repulse the Red cavalry advance.


















In the meantime, the Shropshire Yeomanry were moving to the left flank in support of the advance of the Loyal Tandooris. Bykleigh's plan was becoming clearer: block the Reds in the centre, hold them on his right and turn their Left!


















Alert to the threat, Robinski moved Bolshevik infantry onto his flank.


















Major White gallantly lead the Yeomanry in a charge on the enemy, only to be repulsed with heavy losses by concentrated fire.











In the centre, the Jalfreezi Rifles, supported by the No1 (Baalti} Battery occupied the buildings at the south end of the village.


















While the 2nd Gurkha Rifles held the right flank, first halting and then repulsing the Red cavalry charges, only to find themselves flanked in turn by the Red armoured car!













This left the Jalfreezis rather isolated in Haztonawar's empty homes. But, were they dismayed? No! They gallantly repulsed every effort to dislodge them although throughout the action they were under constant and galling fire!
















The Gurkhas though on the right first retired and finally broke, the remnant heading south seeking safety!












Despite the loss of the Yeomanry, the RFF's left flank was determinedly held by the Tandooris, trading shots with their Red foe and, despite heavy losses, refusing to quit their position.


















In Haztonawar things had reached a crisis point and even Brig Bykleigh was forced to join in the defence!


















The Red armoured car found itself behind the RFF's open flank, but was engaged by the men of the No1 {Baalti} Battery in a long range duel!
















Heavy losses on both sides now forced Army Morale checks. While the RFF passed their first test, the SPIFF failed not only the first, which halted them, but the second which saw them compelled to retire.
















Despite having been fought to a standstill, the men of the RFF found themselves in uncontested possession of the ruins of Haztonawar! The forces of Robinski have been once more thrown back in disarray! Only time will tell if they will rise again to threaten this remote outpost of Empire! In the meantime, "God Save the King!"



















The rules we used were Setting the East Ablaze, available from Caliver Books of course. The figures are from our respective collections and feature many manufacturers, Copplestone, Pulp Figures and Brigade Games being prominent amongst them. The buildings are from Mutineer and the vegetation from The Last Valley.

10 comments:

  1. Splendid stuff. I must get my Russian Civil War and Back of Beyond figures out again sometime soon!

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    1. Excellent news on dusting off your BoB stuff! Always enjoy reading about {and seeing} your madcap adventures!

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  2. Typical propaganda from the Imperialist press, a more truthful account will appear shortly in the Asian edition of Pravda, Правда с Востока

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  3. Beautiful work, I love your terrain and the pics, nice report!

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    1. Merci beaucoup mon ami! Bien venue a Rhanzlistan!

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  4. Really nice, the colour of the buildings is spot on for the Northern Planes and down into the Deccan. Very Lodhi/Mughal. trees are excellent you can put in some big mangoes, neem, peepul and banyan with the trailing arial roots the palms tend to be more a feature of the waterside. Typical field crops will be Maize and Sugar cane, but dont forget Marigold fields, and also small rice paddies and fish ponds that can be quite an obstacle to an advance. Off the cultivated ground thane there is loads of thornscrub about 10 to 12 feet high, real bio barbed wire. Happy to send piccies if you wish, Delhi and the North is where I live for now
    Best
    Graham

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  5. Thanks for that, Graham! Always nice to welcome a knowledgeable chap into Rhanzlistan! Pop back soon to see more from today's action, "Putting one up the Jakzi!"

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  6. I saw that - also very nice. I am waiting for some real indian cavalry for the 30s to be produced before I get into the period, in the meantime I am busy putting together some regiments for your ECW rules and enjoying the process - Devon and Dorset for me though.
    Graham

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    1. I'm waiting for a package of Brigade Games Indian cavalry here,they match the style and size of the rest you see. I hope you will enjoy your ECW games sometime in the future.

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