The Battle of Kherson: 2 March 1919

The French and their forces landed at Odessa on the Black Sea, 18 December, 1918. They scattered their small force to the north, northeast and east including the town of Kherson. This town is located on the Dnieper River, a few miles inland from the Black Sea, some 150 miles (+/-) east  of Odessa. The French commander assigned the responsibility of defending Kherson to the 1st Btn, 34th Ing Regiment of the Greek Army. This was supported (?) by one company of the French 176th Regi supported by two 65mm  mountain guns. It was reinforced by a second company from the French 176th and two companies of the Greek 7th Inf Regi. Even though the Greeks made up the vast majority of the men, command was in the hands of the French Major Lanchon. There was a two tiered defense line consisting of an advance line based on the Kherson Railroad Station and a local church/cemetary, a few miles north of the town center (the main line) and its small fortress. On 1 Mar, Ataman Grigoriev's pro-Bolshevik forces arrived some 31 miles to the north and had delivered an ultimatum to Lt Mathios in command of the advanced position. The Allies were to lay down their weapons and evacuate by 1500hrs on 2 Mar, or face the consequences. This was rejected and the battle was on.

This view is northward looking over Kherson itself, toward the Kherson RR Station, seen top center. Kherson's riverside dock area is just off to the bottom of the photo...

The view is still northward, now a closeup on the station (l) and church (r). The defenders are seen at bottom. Two French Hotchkiss MMG, two French cos, three Greek cos and a Greek Evzoni co, and one White Russian co (not in photo, and supported by a French Armored Train and artillery)...

Viewing southward to Kherson with the initial Bolshevik force drawn up for the assault just out of the photo to bottom. (The allies were heavily outnumbered 10-12,000 to 1000+). Late snow is lingering underneath the few trees...

The fighting began with the Bolshevik artillery aiming at the grand RR Station House, but only one round was on target and it had no affect on the large structure. The Bolshevik cavalry and infantry began to make their charge across open ground...

...while the French artillery placed one of their first rounds directly on a charging horsemen. First blow to the Allies...

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The Greeks on the Allied right flank let the charging horsemen get closer before their rifles and a French Hotchkiss tore into the Bolshevik ranks, downing seven of the ten man co! With such a devastating volley, its no wonder that the Bolshevik failed their morale and came to a thunderous halt...

On the other Bolshevik flank, the French artillery barrage all came up short. Only the Hotchkiss MMG had the range to reached the Reds, but it only dropped one cavalryman...

To be continued...

Russian Civil War: The Interventionists

 Researching the history of any era is always rewarding, and the RCW is no different.  I had the knowledge of the Allied effort in Odessa in 1918, but never realized the specifics. This included the French troops, but never knew there was just as large a Greek contingent. The French also brought along Colonial troops as well including Algerians and Senegalese! Naturally I had to stage this particular part of the Civil War.

Here are some Greek soldiers...

and Greek Evizone...

Finally (for now) some of the French troops...

Russian Civil War: The Whites

 Moving on to the forces know overall as the Whites, including everything from leftist Social-Revolutionaries, to Menshiviks, Centralist Cadets, and Right Wing Monarchists. The First two photos show the elite Kornilov Division. These miniatures are I believe from STP Miniatures out of St Petersburg, although I purchased them from Siberia Miniatures...

Next two photos of some regular White troops also from Siberia (I highly recommend their miniatures)...

A Lewis Gun Team (from Tiger Miniatures) on left, with some standard troops (from Copplestone)...

Kuban Cossacks (from Siberia) in the next two photos...

And finally, for now at least, some Don Cossacks (from Askari Miniatures)...

To be continued...

Russian Civil War: The Reds

 Along with our continuing Blood and Plunder Campaign, I've taking a dive into he Russian Civil War  with new and interesting figures to paint and buildings to put together. To start off, I have some of my Bolshevik forces to illustrate, so here we go.

First up are some Kronstadt sailors, backbone of numerous Red units. These come from Copplestone and their Back and Beyond range...

Next are some generic Bolshies, these coming from Siberia Miniatures in Russia. I highly recommend them...

Some more Bolsheviks from Siberia...

Siberia Minis on left, with Copplestone's three on right...

More Copplestone...

A good old Maxim from Siberia...

Finally, can't do the RCW without cavalry, these are Copplestone as well...

Next up, the Whites...

The Opening Moves at the Little Big Horn

 The first Indians. begin to emerge from the village. Notice the stragglers appearing behind the Cavalry's charge. The Rules "Yellow Ribbon" account for that...

As more Indians move into the fight, the first shots are fired...and Reno is hit and killed! Another trooper is killed while two receive light wounds (yellow caps)...

The fighting intensifies as more and more Warbands emerge from the village. Two bands even close to hand-to-hand and casualties mount for both sides. Two Warbands are actually forced to retire (when native leaders are lost, a roll is taken and if failed, they withdraw until a new leader is selected, or they vacate the field)...

Reno's (?) three troops begin to withdraw to the timber, some mounting up while others simply fall back. M Troop (at top of cavalry line, just entering the timber) is to be the rear guard...

While M Troop fires into the Warbands, keeping them temporarily at bay, Troops A and G (top right) try to save themselves...

When A Troops attempts to retire after mounting up, they are overtaken by a Warband and engaged in hand-top-hand (center). It is a one-sided fight, no Native losses, but three troopers bite the dust!

Closeup of A Troops difficulties, as five troopers escape momentarily...

Troops A and G along with Reno's (?) HQ, are arriving at the top of the bluff overlooking the Little Big Horn. Will they have a chance to regather themselves before Benteen arrives?

The remnants of A Troop (top center) are desperately attempting to reach the Reno Column reforming at the top of the hill, but Native Bands are closing in from two sides...

Yet another Native Band is moving along the Little Big Horn to attack the troopers from the west...

Unfortunately for the few A troopers still in the saddle, a Native Band goes first and shoots two of the three off their horses! The lone survivor gallops off...

One lucky trooper...

As the survivors of Reno's Battalion reform and try to dig in, Captain Benteen arrives with his Battalion and the Pack Train. They survive (?)

 

Reno's Ride, 6/25/1876

 Using 15mm miniatures from Blue Moon with a few QRF figs, we've set up Major Reno's iconic charge at the Little Big Horn. Bottom to top are Troops G, A, and M, with Reno himself in the middle. At the top of the bluff, you can see Lt.Col Custer with his column observing the charge...

A close up of the controversial commander of the 7th Cavalry...

Custer...

Reno (in his light-colored hat to left) and his scout Bloody Knife, (above Reno) leading the charge...

There's Reno's target, the Native American village...

Fallschirmjager at Veldwezelt, Belgium, 5/10/1940

 Having built this during the 2020 Covid Shutdown, it was time to put the fight on the table.

The first view of the battlefield, is from the south, with the Albert Canal on the right. GThe Belgians have a Platoon in each of the three trench systems along the river and about the middle ground. Another two Platoons are dug in on the hill to the sw (lower left). The German Gliders are place as they actually landed. One (2nd below bridge)flipped upside down but injuring only one man. A second (bottom)was badly shot up by anti-aircraft fire and only three Germans remained operational...

The key bunkers to the Belgian defenses, one alongside the highway; the other directly beneath the bridge. The demolition charges would be set off from these and were obviously, the prime targets of the German Fallschirmjager. Historically the orders never arrived to set off the charges (Belgians waiting for orders), as the HQ Bunker where the commander was preparing to phone in his orders, was completely destroyed by Stuka attacks for that purpose!

Two identical, large Casemates guarded the Canal, located south and north on the canal from the bridge. Neither would play much of a role historically or in the game...

Closeup of German Gliders, #1 whose nine men were to attack the bridge bunker to cut the demo charges as well as the two closest Belgian houses (thought to house soldiers)...

A view across the northern part of the field...

An example of how effective the German assault was. After only 30 minutes, the Fallschirmjager have rendered both bunkers inoperative; destroyed one of the two targeted houses, and have virtually cleared the southern and western trenches! Fighting was still going on in the northern trenches as German Me109 and Stukas begin their runs! Our rules had to reflect that Belgian rifles and MGs had a bad habit of malfunctioning! And thats not to mention none of their grenades had their detonator caps installed!

In the southern/western trenches the Germans are consolidating their defenses while expecting counterattacks...

As our game wound down after 90 minutes of fighting, we sped up the timeline (we had to break for dinner), so as to launch the major Belgian counterattack, supported by three T13 tanks. The Germans struck with Stukas, but they succeeded in disabling one...

The remaining T13s moved against the Germans who used a captured 47mm ATG to knock out both! A terrible day for the Belgians!