The Back of Beyond, Setting the East Ablaze, 28mm

This was a long-overdue return to “The Back of Beyond”, a period I really enjoy, but for some reason play far less often than I’d like. Largely because I didn’t have the right sand-coloured cloth to hand, this game was set in Northern Russia, rather than in my usual theatre of Central Asia. It pitted a mixed bag of Red forces, attacking the White around the railway halt of Retski, somewhere to the south-west of St. Petersburg. The Whites had improved the defences around the halt by building two small blockhouses or pillboxes, made from logs. The local commander was Colonel Strelnikov, who had six infantry companies at his disposal, supported by a field gun section and a couple of machine guns. For their part Comrade Colonel Tiverzin commanded two companies of sailors from the Baltic fleet, three companies of Red Guards, a company of Cheka, another of Siberian Rifles, and a cavalry squadron. These Bolsheviks were supported by a field gun and a couple of machine guns. Their job was to capture the village and the railway halt. Obviously the job of the Whites was to stop them.The Whites deployed with a three-company battalion in and around the village, on one side of the railway, with two companies forward and one in reserve. The second battalion was sent to the other (northern) side of the railway, with one battalion near the bridge, another in the railway halt and stockyard, and the third in reserve on the side of the river furthest from the village. They were given all the support weapons, with the machine guns placed in the two small blockhouses protecting the stockyard from the north and east.The Bolsheviks decided to attack on a broad front – usually not the best of tactics – but as both sides were setting up “blind” then it seemed like a sensible course. Two companies were deployed to the east of the village, supported by the Siberians, the two sailor companies facing the stockyard, in the woods beyond the cornfield, and the rest – a Red army company and the Cheka – were placed to the north of the stream, supported by cavalry and artillery. Both machine guns were placed so they could fire on the stockyard and the village respectively. The advance began on the first turn, but while progress was slow the troops were beyond rifle range of the Whites, and harassing fire from artillery and machine guns wasn’t particularly effective. On the White’s left the lead company north of the river moved into the small wood covering the bridge, where it faced the advancing Cheka. The reserve battalion moved up to cover the left flank of the Whites in the wood.The battle began on earnest on Turn 3. The field guns of both sides were now getting their eye in, one firing on the advancing sailors, and the other trying to hit the blockhouses. Meanwhile to the north of the river the Cheka stormed into the wood, beginning a short but brutal melee, which saw both sides cause heavy casualties. The supporting Red and White units exchanged fire on the northern fringes of the wood, while in the centre the sailors continued their dogged advance, shrugging off their mounting casualties as they swept through the cornfield. Over by Retski village the defenders broke the first of the two Red units facing them, but the Siberian riflemen caused heavy casualties amongst the second front-line White company, deployed in a cherry orchard to the south of the village. The White defenders advanced to get the better-armed riflemen in range, but then got gunned down almost to a man.The second wave of Red infantry reached the village, and a fierce hand-to-hand fight began, which swayed back and forth for a couple of turns before the Reds were broken. The Whites were left in firm control of the village, but the Siberians now held the cherry orchard, and so the fighting there reached something of a stalemate. Over in the north the Cheka finally cleared the Whites from the wood, while the firefight to the north depleted both sides so much that the defenders were left in poor shape. That’s when the Reds launched their cavalry, which rode down the remaining defenders, then splashed across the river to overrun the White’s field gun. Their advance effectively ended the fighting on the north side of the river, as the remnants of the Cheka secured control of the bridge.The real decider came in the centre. The Bolshevik field gun scored a direct hit on the blockhouse covering the cornfield, which led to a notable slackening of fire from the stockyard. The sailors been hesitating slightly, but this spurred them on, and they charged forward. Another “6” from the field gun resulted in a direct hit on the cattle pen beside the railway, which killed several White defenders. The sailors promptly charged home, and swept through the defenders’ line into the stockyard. Any remaining defenders were unable to flee as the Bolshevik cavalry was now in behind them, and so the defenders made a brave last stand, but were eventually cut down.Even the Cheka joined in, pinning the machine gun in the remaining blockhouse while the sailors charged it from behind. By the end of the game poor Colonel Strelnikov was left with just one company, and so he called for a general retreat. The game was fun, well-paced and filled with those memorable moments that are something of a hallmark of this period. I’m sure I’ll be revisiting the “Back of Beyond” before too long – once I’ve found my sand-coloured sheet!

Tags: Setting the East Ablaze