Our Crimean War campaign continued this week with the third battle of the quartet, Inkerman. As a change from my own laboured prose, here is a report for you from one of the players:
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"To Prince Dolgoruki (Minister of War)
Sir, It is with great pleasure that I can report a substantial victory over the foreign invaders yesterday before our wondrous city of Sevastopol.
In a major attack, carried out under the command of our Glorious Prince Menshilov, the brave soldiers of the 10th, 16th and 17th Divisions attacked and captured positions occupied by the vile invaders of Queen Victoria's army, known to them as the Sandbag Battery and Home Ridge. During fierce fighting in very poor visibility our brave troops suffered immense casualties in the face of sustained rifle and short range artillery fire. Despite the number of casualties and under the inspired leadership of Prince Menshilov, ours sons and fathers held onto the captured positions even while under heavy counterattack, until the battle drew to a natural conclusioon due to both sides being exhausted.
Prince Menshilov was ably assisted by Prince Gorchakov who successfully kept the foreign French Dogs occupied on the Sapoune ridge which prevented them from attacking Prince Menshilov's forces.
Words are not enough to explain the immense bravery shown by Prince Menshilov and his men in the face of horrendous rifle and artillery fire, which showed the disadvantage that our troops suffer from, being armed only with muskets. I must strongly recommend that we look in great detail at the new rifled muskets.
I can confirm that Prince Menshilov showed considerable bravery during the battle and led numerous charges from the front and organised a stoic defence when the positions had been taken.
I recommend that his bravery be rewarded at the highest level by you and our Tsar Nicholas I.
As testament to the success of the attack I enclose some of the new wondrous pictures of the battle taken with a device known as a camera."
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The poor visibility mentioned in Dave's report is one of the things that makes this such a fun game. Fog, rain, and powder smoke all featured in the battle, so the scenario provides for random changes in visibility. A unit may be able to sneak up and execute a bayonet charge under cover of fog one turn, only to find it then lifts and reveals them to massed enemy batteries on the next.
Scenario map:
CRI3 Crimean War Inkerman map by
bbbchrisp, on Flickr
In our game this time, Gorchakov's feint managed effectively to keep the French out of the battle almost entirely except for their few cavalry. The Russians were therefore able to seize the two objectives they needed for victory. However, the British were vigorously commanded and launched a series of furious counterattacks. By the end the Russians were still clinging on, but they didn't have much army left!
As the Russians had lost at Kurudere, and managed a draw at The Alma, this victory levels the score in the campaign. Everything now rests on who will be favoured by the fortunes of war at The Chernaya …
Chris
Bloody Big BATTLES!
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