Map of China, 28th Jan- 1912
The location of the Battle - small strategic town of 塞搤 (è sài), situated in Kiangsi between Japanese Fukien, British Chekiang and French Kwangtung
We were playing using the black powder rules (tweaked a bit to include things like biplanes) with 550pts aside, the winner was the player with the most huts at the end (6:00pm) or (failing that) who had killed the most vps. However our British player turned up with the excuse that his dog had eaten his army (which I believe it had), this left just me and the japanese left to slog it out in a good old fashioned Europeans vs Natives kind of colonial affair. (apolagies for poor picture quality but owing to the shiny table i was unable to use a flash)
Japanese Second Army - 550 point army list
Gensui Rikugen Taisho (Field Marshal) Ōyama Iwao
Military Genius - 100 point
35th Infantry Division
Rikugun Chujo (Lieutenant General) Ichiro Shichida
Good Commander - 80 points
Samurai standard unit (10 models) - 41 points
Samurai small unit (8 models) + Brave - 35 points
Ashigaru large unit (14 models) - 36 points
Ninja small unit (6 models) - 46 points
IJA 57th Independent Mixed Brigade
Rikugen Taisa (Colonel) Inoe Hikaru
Average Commander - 70 points
Samurai Archers standard unit (10 models) - 59 points
Ashigaru with Rifled Muskets standard unit (10 models) - 43 points
Samurai Cavalry small unit (3 models) + Messengers (Replaces Ferocious Charge with Light Cavalry) - 40 points
2e Regiment de Tirailleurs, B compagnie (550pts)
Commander in chief
· Major Louis Ney (poor, 60pts)
1st Platoon
· Captaine Charles Ney the younger (Good, 80pts)
· 1e section (12 figures)
· 2e section (12 figures)
· 3e section (12 figures)
· 1 Bleriot
2nd platoon
· Lieutenant Balliard (average, 70pts)
· 1e section (12 figures)
· 2e section (12 figures)
· 3e section (12 figures)
· Spahi detachment (12 figures)
· 1 Hotchkiss HMG (with 3 figure crew)
"Major Louis Ney had planned meticulously. He was sailing up the canal, along with Lieutenant balliard, in the German ship the princess Wilhemina. On board was the 2e platoon comprising of three sections and backed up by a Machine gun and platoon of Spahis.
He had recieved reports that the Japanese were also sailing troop Junks up the canal towards è Sài, and he expected that they may have to engage them with broadsides to even have a chance of landing a force there. So to secure the town until they arrived he had sent Captain Charles Ney along with the 1e platoon and guard section to arrive by train along the recently opened railway connecting Chekiang and Kwangtung, this would place him almost directly in the town and thus secure it against a possible assualt till he himself arrived with the main force. The train would be followed by a Bleriot from the experimental flying core, and they would use this to knock out enemy artillery. Of course the British embassy over looked the railway and no doubht there would be troops stationed there, he just hoped Charles could weather it!"
The Princess Wilhemina glided gently up the canal, to find it deserted. The preliminary bombardment from the rest of the fleet had blown out the door, windows and rooves of the village and the villagers had all fled or had been killed and as for the Japanese... they were no whee to be seen. However Charles had not arrived either and the British embassy was still just out of spyglass range.
But as the Major's ship moved nearer he caught a glimpse across è sài station of tents and banner. Field Marshal Ōyama Iwao had his command tent setup in front of the Embassy and the 57th mixed brigade was holding it. There was no sign of the British force yet.
Then the train pulled up at the station followed by the Bleriot, and together with his sergeant and thirty six other men Captain Ney dismbarked from the train as it pulled off. At least they had not encountered any rail bombs, planted by the natives but the Japanese behind them were sure to cause confusion.
Major Ney suddenly realised that if the Japanese fleet arrived behind him then both French forces would be surounded against the Village, but at least they would hold the strategic position. Ney ordered the ship to tack towards the shore so that if a Japanese vessel apeared they would be able to broadside it with the 100pdrs.
And just what he had feared came true. The 35th Infantry division had arrived by Junk behind him and were preparing for a broadside.
To the west the 57th were advancing with their gunners and archers skirmishing behind a shield wall while their cavalry secured the Govenor's palace, and as yet Louis could see that Charles had not noticed the 57ths advance and was still forming up his men for what must appear to him a gentle walk into th town.
But then the Japanese gunners opened fire with their US 1861 pattern rifles at the rear of the 1e platoon, their gun shots resounding off the nearby buildings. Their shooting was devastating and left three men dead and the 3e section shaken. Charles would have to pull his act together now.
Then the Japanese, known as "the natives" by the French officers, let off a string of arrows at the Bleriot which caught in its cloth wings. If those pilots wern't careful it would have to land and then they'd loose a valuable asset to their force. And yet still no sign of the British force camped not ten miles from here.
Down at the station the 1e platoon was growing agitated and Charles was having trouble controlling them. The recent casualties had not been good news and after repeated orders to enter the village, all of which had failed, the captain began arguing with them.
By now Major Ney and Lieutenant Balliard had docked the Wilhelmina and themselves made landfall, however they had not been able to land with the men as they were still securing the ship. Now they would be able to secure the village before Charles, who would most probably be disciplined for his lack of control over his men.
But their position was now quite strong, they surrounded the village and all they had to do was advance upon it. The ship's guns and the Bleriot's machine gun would hopefully keep the enemy at bay long enough to entrench in the huts.
Now Charles was in a desperate situation, the Native gunners opened up fire on the 3e section again and the remaining men from the scetion fled back down the railway despite Charles' warning of court marshal. He now had only twenty four men remaining, one of which was a guard unit luckily.
Soon however the 1e and 2e section's sitaution worsened as the Bleriot, eager to test out its combat flight flew off a mile or so west of the embassy, rendering it useless until it returned (worse than that it proceeded to get another arrow lodged in its engine as it flew over the natives. Oh and yes that is my phone)
Things started looking up for the French as the entire 2e platoon disembarked from the ship, went in to skirmish formation and prepared to enter the village with the Lieutenant at their head. They positioned the Hotchkiss HMG to provide covering fire if the Japanese landed to the south.
Finally Charles got control of the guard section and ordered them to storm the village, which they did, willingly following the drum beat to the end, and for one of them it was the end... as this poor fellow had his head blown open by a volley from the native guns.
But even though Charles had ordered them to enter the Village the 2e scetion was unable to comply as they were ambushed by the native horse riding hard down on them. However despite being suprised the 2e managed to inflict more casualties on the horse whilst hlding them off with bayonets.
Major Ney was pleased. His plan had worked perfectly, he was now holding the village with four sections of infantry, one platoon of cavalry and a Machine gun (a total of sixty three men) as well as having his HQ established in the centre hut. Also to the west there was another section of infantry holding off the 57th mixed and to the east there were two 100pdrs mounted on the Wilhemina to pin down the 35th if they came from the south.
The Guard unit (1e section) and the Spahis were patrolling the streets and had it all covered, but there was still a chance that the natives could drive us out of our position
The Bleriot got within range of the Native guns and peppered them with shot from its Hotchkiss. However it had not achieved a suitable range and only hit one man with its spray of shot.
At last the 35th disembarked from their ship which had been lying idle for quite a while, seeming to be allowing Major Ney to fortify the village before they assualted, unless the Japanese won Ichiro Shichida better hope that a stray bullet killed him, because if it didn't his Field Marshal would!
The gunners and archers of 57th Brigade had by now entered the forest and began to fire off shots into the village taking down two of the guards from 1e section, leaving them on breaking point. As this picture shows the native Chinese were showing their full hearted support for the Tirailleurs.
On the western side of the village 2e section valliantly held off the cavalry from 57th brigade, inflicting a suprising ammount of casualties on them, whilst taking relativly little (if any). So far it was true then that the Tirailleurs fought like lions with bayonets!
In the Village the troops started entrenching themselves in the huts, with the Guards leading by example, piling dead bodies at the door and sticking their Bayonets out. The streets couldn't be as easily defended as the huts could.
Major Ney, Captain Ney and Lieutenant Balliard, together with a Hotchkiss MG began rigourasly debating the defence of the village inside their HQ at the centre of the Huts.
But by now discussion must stop, the 57th gunners and archers had reached the walls and would at any moment be storming the village, and then guns would be fired, bayonets be washed in gore and the shelled huts be stained with the blood of forigners from the other side of the world.
The Japanese Field Marshal had now moved his headquaters forwards and the 2e section were still heroicly holding off the cavalry, however they could not stop the 57th inf storming the village. The Spahi were ordered to attack the Japanese at the walls, but evidentally confused about who they were meant to be attcking from their vantage point, they ignored the order.
To the East though the 35th division was still disembarking from the ship, the over cautious lieutenant general would be very unpopular if they lost the town!
Especially as the crew of the Wilhelmina started to have pot shots with their 100pdrs at his men with a range of only a few yards! If he wasn't careful he would be loosing more men soon!
Over to the west the 2e section continued to hold off the horsemen, not taking any casualties, and inflicting good loses on the natives.
Finally, with only one casualty, the 2e section broke the native horse, showing to be an inspiration to the other Tirailleurs by sending the first part of the Japanese 2nd army into flight!
But by now the 57th Brigade had entered the village and secured two of the Huts to the south west of the village, the Spahis however seemed to be oblivious to the whole thing. To the east the 35th had pulled their act together and were storming the eastern wall, whilst on the Wilhelmina the crew shot at them with two of their 100pdr naval guns!
With the 57th in the town and the 35th trying to enter the 2e Compagnie was squeezed tight. They then decided to bring the 2e section in to help defend the village. Soon blood would be running through the streets and the shout of battle would be heard from miles around.
Luck was running out for the French, but with the Bleriot finally returning and flying straight over the Japanese field marshal towards the village things may be looking up.
With the 35th Division so close to breeching the biscuit tin walls, Lieutenant Balliard rallied the Spahis and ordered them to charge the infantry at the walls, which the did with patriotic optimism! They charged straight into the Ninjas, scalling the walls, inflicting heavy casuaties for the loss of two men.
Having for so long now ignored their Lieutenant's orders to confront the attacking force on the eastern wall, but when it came to it the order "Go east" proved to vague for them and as they had no compass. They guessed on the direction and went to the northern barricade, waiting for the supposed Japanese assualt. "sir, maybe they're disguised as bushes!"
The 57th Brigade entrenched itself in two of the western huts, barricading the doors and preparing for relief from the 35th. But that was more than uncertain to arrive in time.
The inevitable came when the large spear armed ashigaru platoon broke through the barricade and stormed the 3e section from 2e platoon in the south eastern hut. It was bitter fighting with the 3e section taking it badly, but despite this they held their ground and inflicted several casualties on the natives.
The last of the 35th's units surrounded the spahis, pinning them back in the street and inflicting a heavy toll on the horse, but in the fighting the ninjas began to waver....
The town had turned into a blood bowl. To the east the spahi were holding up the restof the 35th division from entering the town, but there was some doubht that they could remain in that position of defence. To the south 3e section tried desperatly and against the odds to hold their hut against the Japanese pikemen storming it. And over to the west the 2e section, 1e platoon, having broken the cavalry stormed the native guns entrenched in the western hut, but took heavy casualties from the closing fire from the natives as they charged in.
Soon the fighting reached breaking point and the Spahis (amazingly surviving!) bolted for the western entrance. In the western hut both the native guns and the 2e section retired from the bloody combat, but the 2e section had shifted the rifles from their entrenched position and things were looking brighter. Amongst this carnage however the figting in the south still went on.
Major Ney had started panicing. His HQ was surrounded by brawling troops the south east was overrun, the north east was being defended (but for how long no one could say) by the Spahis and the 2e section was doing its best to shift the gunners again. But now the Bleriot had returned to the frey and could be put to good use for the glort of France.
From the deck of the Wilhelmina the marines fired their two 100pdrs into the backs of the 35th division.
Over to the west it was a mixed story. The 2e section had fallen on the native gunners as they were preparing to fortify the western hut and the natives had been wiped out to a man, but the 2e section bolted out of the village once more, to reform outside the walls and recover from their casualties.
The town was awash with blood, held by sixty three men against the Japanese force of fifty. Things were looking up for the French, but this was a turning point. Both army's commanders were a huts breath away from each other and both facing the same decisions.
But the French lost their nerve, The samurai at the eastern barricade broke the Spahis, hacking them apart or sending them scattering off the field and in the south western hut they had just as much luck with the Ashigaru shifting the 3e section from their hut and sending them running for the ships. Major Ney was hiding on the floor ordering his lackey to pull up the boards, just outside the door of the HQ was a large unit of Samurai storming the opossite building. The HQ would have to be moved.
But then, what a turn in favour of the French! The 3e scetion, having just fled over the back wall of the south eastern hut, charged towards the Lieutenant General intent on redeeming themselves, but he ran towards his men. The unfortunate Lieutenant General however ran across the path of a 100pdr shell from the Wilhelmina, and was blown to smitherines leaving his men leaderless and spreading panic and confusion through the 35th.
From outside the town all that could be seen was the banners and bayonets of the French poking out through the top of the blown out buildings, with the Ships towering above the rooves and the Bleriot circling above with its Mg ratling off now and again. But in the huts the Japanese were running riot and it was all the Frenchmen could do to stand.
In the Field Marshal's camp his Aide de Camps arrived carrying the head of the Lieutenant general, ready to be strung up and taunted for his caution and ignominious death!
The Bleriot, went for a reconnaisance flight, reloading its gun for the final shots and searching out the field marshal's new position.
By now all the troops were crammed into the village engulfed in bitter brawls. The northern, south western and south eastern huts were held by the Japanese, whilst the southern, north eastern, eastern and western were held by the French with the central hut the French HQ. Out in the streets the Ninjas tried to gain entrance to the guard's hut in the south while the Hmg crew suceeded in battering up a group of samurai with their machine gun, using it like a club, whilst not suffering any losses.
...Then the Bleriot returned! Sweeping its Hotchkiss down it fired into the south eastern hut, killing every man inside and spraying the walls in blood! This was the moment a hard blow for the French and the moment that won them the town.
After the battle it was reported that the entire British Expeditionary Force For China (BEFFC), en-route to e sai, whilst billeting in a nearby town, had been annihilated by a large native mob.
The Game ended with the Japanese holding the south and south western huts and the French holding the West and Eastern huts. Whilst in the streets were the guards, the machine gun crew, the Bleriot above and two large units of samurai. The Huts ended as a draw, holding two each so we counted up victory points...
The Japanese had killed 158pts
But the French had killed 199pts!
By all means it was the shell from the deck of the Wilhelmina that killed the Lieutenant General that won the game!
Kiangsi was French
Dispatches:
I have the honour to report...
On the 29th of January...
At 0700hrs (seven o clock) till 1100hrs (eleven o clock) out two ships (the German Princess Wilhelmina and the French Nonsuch) opened up on the village of e sai and the British embassy with a preliminary bombardment from their 100pdrs, clearing out the native villagers
At 1430hrs (half two) the Japanese natives fired upon the 3e section of the 1e platoon whilst they were at the e sai railway station.
At 1435hrs (quarter to three) the Japanese natives opened fire on the 3e section again and broke it, they also damaged a valuable biplane
At 1520hrs (twenty past three) the Native horse engaged the 2e section of the 1e platoon in e sai station.
At 1525hrs (twenty five past three) The 2e platoon and guard unit occupied and fortified the town of e sai at the command of Major Louis Ney
At 1530hrs (half three) the bleriot opened fire on the native guns.
At 1540hrs (twenty to four) the natives opened fire on the guard unit killing several.
At 1600hrs (four o clock) the Natives start to storm the village of e sai.
At 1605hrs (five past four) the Princess Wilhelmina's crew open up on the natives to the east with their 100pdrs.
At 1640hrs (twenty to five) the Spahi engage the Japanese natives at the command of Lieutenant Balliard
At 1655hrs (five to five) the Natives move into the western side of the village of e sai
At 1725hrs (twenty five past five) the Spahi fell back and the 2e section of the 1e platoon succeeded in shifting half the natives from the western part of the village
At 1730hrs (half five) the Spahis returned to the fight and the Natives re-trenched themselves in the western region of the village. The 100pdr naval guns opened fire on the village of e sai by command of Captain Marchand
At 1735hrs (twenty five to six) half the natives were cleared from the western part of the village e sai
At 1737hrs (twenty three to six) the natives break into the eastern side of the village securing several huts
At 1740hrs (twenty to six) the 100pdr Naval guns by command of Captain Marchand open fire on the village of e sai and kill the Native chieftain Ichiro Shichida
At 1800hrs (six o clock) the Natives take part of the northern part of the village of e sai
At 1810hrs (ten past six) the Bleriot piloted by Lieutenant Frey and Lieutenant Negrier, opened fire on the southern part of the village of e sai, wiping out all the natives in that part of the village
At 1815hrs (quarter past six) we with drew from the entire southern and northern parts of the village of e sai
At 1830hrs (half six) the Natives, suffering heavy loses and severly outnumbered, withdrew from the village of e sai and later from the province of Kiangsi all together leaving it in
I have taken the liberty to... move the Princess Wilhelmina and Nonsuch into defencive positions in the e sai harbour on the canal, fortify the village of e sai, raise to the ground the local British embassy and set up an air field parallel to the railway.
I am putting forward...
Lieutenant Frey (Experimental flying core) for bravery, exceptional flying skills and battle winning actions in the odds for the glory of France, for the Médaille militaire
Lieutenant Negrier (Experimental flying core) for bravery and battle winning actions in the odds for the glory of France, for the Médaille militaire
Captain Marchand (Merchant Navy, Princess Wilhelmina) for exceptional leadership, bravery, level headed decisivness and battle winning actions in the odds for the glory of France, For Promotion to Commodore and for a Legion Of Honour
Corporal Massena (1e Guard section, 1e platoon, 2e Comp, 2e Tirailleurs) for holding of the enemy's elite from his position and for trying to regain his position against the odd, for the Médaille militaire
Corporal Lannes (2e section, 1e platoon, 2e Comp, 2e Tirailleurs) for covering the 1e platoon whilst it entered the village of e sai and then for leading two assualts on enemy positions inside the village in the face of heavy losses and suceeding, for the Médaille militaire
Gunner Courbet (1e section, 1e (2e) platoon, 2e Comp, 2e Tirailleurs) for failing to follow orders and cowardice in the face of the enemy, but for holding off a unit of natives, disciplining and another fine for damage to the Hotchkiss
Also I must report the deaths of forty eight men during the day and six men wounded.
We captured nearly twenty natives and the british ambassador.
I must also report damage to the Princess Wilhelmina and the Bleriot
Yours humbley, Colonel Charles Ney of the 2e Tirailleurs
(Note: Lieutenant Negrier and Corporal Lannes were awarded the Medaille Militaire, but Lieutenant Frey and Corporal Massena had theirs declined and Captain Marchand was awarded a Medaille Militaire instead of the higher Legion of honour.)
