SQUARING OFF AT SAWMILL VILLAGE
An illustrated eye witness report!
"It was on Friday the 13th of May when we finally reached Sawmill village again. An unlucky day they say, should have known we'd be meeting Lannigan's ragged bunch there. We had Lucky MacDuff at our head though so we weren't worried."
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"The Mounted Rifles had galloped ahead and arrived just in time to see off the Canary Caps."
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| "The enemy cavalry like to see themselves like Cavaliers of Olde but our Rifles are clever modern lads, they slipped away before they could be skewered then doubled back to the village, hopped off their horses and nicely cut off the enemy's line of retreat and the advance of his infantry!" (A timely flip of initiative.) |
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| "Well, our rifles and artillery soon finished off the enemy's cavalry while the Highlanders grabbed the Eastern section of town but I'm afraid the Rebel's Irishmen infantry can be a bit crazy when it comes to a bit of a Barney and our riders were soon back in the saddle and at a safe distance while the Irish started preparing that section of town for a fight. " |
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| "The fighting was hot and heavy along the whole line now and too close for the artillery to separate friend from foe so they entered into a long range duel, hilltop to hilltop. I think the smoke must have been blowing into the Redcaps eyes though for our lads were busting them up as quick as you please and hardly receiving even a near miss in return." |
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| "The fighting had been fierce and bloody on the Eastern flank and we could see the enemy Zouaves break and run, ignoring Brigadier Stuart as he rode amongst them, calling on them helplessly to "Rally for God's sake and for your Freedom!". When we looked back towards our Highlanders though, our hearts sank. The colours were no long waving on high, worse the last of the enemy infantry seemed to be gathering themselves for a rush." |
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"But you don't capture a Highland standard that easily. Before the enemy could muster themselves to rush the buildings, our whole force was in action. Our artillery redoubled their fire, silencing the enemy guns. On the Western flank, the Mounted Rifles remounted and tried to panic the enemy by making a flanking move but they were soon driven back by a sharp fire. B company of the Highlanders poured out of their buildings, supported by the Rifles while the battered regulars fellback to take their place holding the centre of town. The enemy wasn't going to take even one section of town without a fight!" (Another lucky flip of initiative on turn 15 of 15 )
"The fight was short and bloody. As the Greybacks started to break they were joined by Colonel Stuart waving his hat and calling on the men to "Rally for Freedom's Sake!" until a bullet knocked him off his horse. The battle was over and the village securely in the hands of the Dominion's soldiers." |
Exciting reportage , I trust the reporter was not biased ?!
ReplyDeleteNever! He reported the eye witness's report accurately.
DeleteNothing like a good Noodle with afternoon tea... Splendid reporting... great looking game.
ReplyDeleteEric
The enjoyable games are much easier to write up!
DeleteRoss, lovely viewing the skirmish, and reading the scenario to go with it. I'm thinking of raising a troop of Rocky Mountain Rangers (Canadian irregulars/cowboys) to work with my Empire army in Canada. They actually existed!
ReplyDeleteMichael
Actually, they still exist! Well, in theory, the South Alberta Light Horse has been granted the right to claim descent from them and carries the battle honour for their service alongside the NWMP during the 1885 North West Rebellion.
DeleteNaturally there is also a completely different Rocky Mountain Ranger unit originally raised in the mountains of British Columbia for WW1 and still an active reserve unit.
My brother Chris was a member of the RMR cadets when we lived in Revelstoke, BC in the 1970s. Shawn Taylor, Canadian author of Great War Spearhead, is also a Rocky Mountain Rangers alumnus, though for some reason he went Navy thereafter. 😏
DeleteIt's always nice to read such a shining example of objective journalism. Sounds like an exciting game was had!
ReplyDeleteI like to think that the reporter was accurately reporting what the witness said! : )
DeleteLooks like a great game. I've recently been playing a few games based on the 1885 campaign in the Northwest.
ReplyDeleteToo much research always seems to spoil my enjoyment of games more than loosely inspired by history or even someone else's fiction. I consider it possible that I was born with an innate aversion to reality as well as work. Might explain much of my life :)
DeleteExcellent report though there is a teensy bit of editorial bias on display, perhaps!
ReplyDeleteWell, the reporter only had access to one eye witness...........
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