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Wednesday, May 4, 2022

Cowboys in Cuba

Mountain gun vigilant from the heights above

The first test of my Spanish-American rules is in the books.  Planning to host the Tuesday remote game and needing a working draft (well, QRS), I sketched the rules' concept out while away in Las Vegas last week.  Built upon earlier work, I figured the general game engine could work in a new setting.  After all, a game engine predicated upon unit combat effectiveness and cohesion ought to have broad applications.  No?

Anyway, without rules' critique and the stresses that remote gaming can generate (I save those for another time), let me try to recount the battle from my almost fresh memory.

Battlefield
The American forces are marching from Siborney toward Santiago.  In their path is a Spanish force situated in the hills along Las Guasimas Creek.  The US objective is to brush these Spanish aside and exit the table on the road to Santiago.  They have ten turns to accomplish this task.  For Tuesday's action, we had a full house with two Spanish players opposed by four American players.  The Spanish commander was able to place his force on table hidden along with an equivalent number of dummy markers.  Both units and dummies could move freely until spotted.
Hidden Spanish on the Spanish left.
Hidden Spanish on the Spanish right.
Typical of game hosting of late, the action kept me hopping.  Grabbing a screenshot or photo was catch-as-catch-can.

On to battle!
Americans arrive!
The American cavalry arrive with Wood and the 1st US volunteer Cavalry marching up the trail while Wheeler and Young take the main Siborney-Santiago Road.  The American plan hinges on pinning the Spanish in the center and outflanking both flanks.  To do this, Wood splits his command (1st Volunteer Cavalry, "Rough Riders") with four troops heading up the trail while four troops head off into the dense jungle to the left.  The 10th US Cavalry ("Buffalo Soldiers") hugs the right flank while the 1st US Cavalry marches down the road.
American plan of attack.
As the Americans advance, the 1st US Cav comes under artillery fire as it crosses the Las Guasimas Creek.  The troopers are pinned at the bridge.  The 10th Cav envelops the ranch as its occupants retire.  No contact with enemy infantry yet. 
Coming under fire
Wood's advance against the Spanish right.
The Spanish defenders laying in wait, spring up seemingly all around!  Mauser bullets split the air as the 1st US Cav comes under fire as it crosses the creek.  The troopers on the road are pinned.  Luckily, help is on the way as the 10th works its way around the ranch and threatens the enemy's flank.  Is there no concern for the potential enemy in the rifle pits on the heights above?

Contact!
10th Cav to the rescue!

On the Spanish right, Wood continues working his way rapidly around the enemy flank.  Spaniards in the trenches, thrown up across the trail, are easily outflanked and quickly engaged in a firefight in the jungle.   

Contact on the Spanish right! 

Seeing four of its six troops pinned, the remaining two troops of the 1st US Cav storm up the hill into the dense jungle.  Their bravery is met with a hail of bullets.  The troopers tumble back down the hill in disorder.

1st US Cav gets bogged down.
With the 1st US Cav pinned, the 10th Cav redoubles the effort to relief pressure on its comrades.  Attacking in strength, the Buffalo Soldiers force the defenders back.  The Spanish suffer heavy casualties in this sharp action.

10th Cav attacks!

The 10th Cav presses on.
The American attack on the Spanish left. 

Flushed with success, the 10th Cav presses on.  The troopers scale the heights and contact another Spanish defender. Two troops take casualties as they work their way up the slopes.  Spanish artillery fire from the mountain gun continues to harass the 1st US Cav at the creek.  For them, progress is slow.

10th Cav scales the heights.
On the Spanish right, Wood completes his encirclement of the enemy trench position.  The Spanish defenders are in a serious jam as they are pinned to the front and threatened on both flanks. 
In a pickle!

The hot action on the Spanish right continues with more Spanish infantry appearing near the crossroads.  These Spaniards halt the Rough Riders as they attempt to reach the objective.  Spanish artillery fire rains down on the enemy as the troopers clear the trench line and threaten the enemy rear.  The clock is ticking.

Heavy fighting...EVERYWHERE!
Hot action at the crossroads
Back on the Spanish left, the 10th Cav attacks.  Two troops up on the ridge attack along the ridgeline and into the waiting Spanish.  The Mausers rip through the 10th as it closes.  In ferocious close combat, the troopers are scattered.  Suffering heavily as well, the Spanish defenders fall back.

10th Cav Troopers meet their Maker on the heights.
With the Spanish defense collapsing back toward Santiago, the race is on to secure the crossroads.  In the heavy and prolonged firefight at the crossroads, Wood falls.  Quickly replaced, his next-in-line falls.  Officer casualties are high.
Race to the crossroads!

Stalemated at the crossroads and time expired, the heated action at Las Guasimas ends in a draw. 

The Americans believe if Wood had not fallen at this crucial time, victory could have been theirs.

Hard fought on both sides and an entertaining battle.  The game produced a narrative not unlike the historical event.  Well, except for the loss of Wood! 

Game finished in about three hours.

My retrospective on rules, game, and game play another time, after I recover.

51 comments:

  1. Splendid looking game Jon and a period rarely seen, you do have a wide range of figures !. Your ambitious remote gaming puts me to shame I really find it enough to cope with one opponent not try and balance 4 or 5 players, no wonder you are exhausted !

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    1. Thanks, Matt!

      Yes, I have many collections. Some have yet to see action on the blog but I am working on it!

      Managing six players, remotely, can be a challenge. They keep me on my toes.

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  2. A draw seems the fairest result. A great battle though, packed with action.

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    1. A draw seemed realistic too although Graham might have thought the Spanish deserved a win. It was close. Very close. Had the Spanish lost one less unit, they would have scored a minor victory.

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  3. Ah! So that's what was going on. The Spanish account is now up on my blog: https://wargaming4grownups.blogspot.com/2022/05/cuban-hills.html

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    1. Well, this is how I remember it and I am writing the "Official" history! Off to read your account now.

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  4. A fantastic game Jon, well worth the long wait to get this collection on the table! I particularly like the method of "hiding" the Spanish dispositions.

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    1. Thank you, Keith! glad you enjoyed the AAR. Boy, it sure has been a long time since these fellas have been out for battle. Now that they are accustomed to combat, the next battle maybe not long in coming.

      I am thinking of revising the hidden marker situation for the next game based upon further thought and player critique.

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  5. Gosh, that was a close call. I was right to buzz with anticipation. Great report and photos as usual Jonathan. I look forward to your reflections.

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    1. It sure was close! Really came down to the last combat on the last turn. Ver dramatic finish.

      If you and Ray are interested in testing the remote gaming waters, the game is still on table. Drop me an email.

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  6. Fantastic game and a draw seems a fair result

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  7. Very in conflict and great looking game sir!

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  8. Remote gaming, six players and dummy movement. It certainly seems like a handful, but lots of fun for the players.

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    1. It was a handful but fun. Hopefully for players too although we entertained some spirited discussions.

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  9. Well that worked well and certainly went down to the wire. I liked the use of hidden markers for both sides, which gave a nice fog of war to the action. I certainly am looking forward to your post game thoughts etc.

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    1. The game worked OK, I would say. There was some griping during the game but we made it through and the end justified the means, I think.

      The hidden markers did work for some so I returned to the drawing board to rethink this facet of the game. Jungle warfare and the weapons utilized require hidden movement of some sort and I will work to make a better representation.

      I plan to refight the battle solo to see if the direction in Game 1 represents the mean. I may refight with players too. Still much to consider and do.

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  10. A cracking little scenario and game there Jonathan. It's as well I have embarked on the Triple Alliance and WW2 American project else I may have been tempted again.

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    1. Glad you enjoyed the scenario and game report, Phil! Do not fight your temptation to dive into a Cuban Rebellion.

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  11. Good looking and entertaining game, sounds like a lot of work too!
    Best Iain

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    1. Thanks! It was a lot of work but hosting a remote game, for me, usually is!

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  12. Do you have a Teddy? We need to see the Teddy.

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    1. I do have a Teddy. He was not out on the table for this game. He should have been since Wood went down and TR could have replaced him.

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  13. Good love game Jonathan. I appreciate the arrows that illustrate the movements of the troops. 😀

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  14. Unusual period and superb report!

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  15. An interesting, close-run fight. Obviously a lot of work for you, too, Jon!

    Cheers,

    David.

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    1. I thought it an interesting situation. The game provided a hint of guerrilla warfare in the jungle with a bit of asymmetry. Any interest in late 19th Century warfare?

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    2. Sadly, the advent of dreary uniforms, no (or few) colourful flags and modern unpleasantly effective weapons rather puts me off recreating warfare after about 1880! ;-)

      Cheers,

      David.

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    3. Understood. We will have to get back to Lace Wars soonish.

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    4. Thanks, Jon. That would be good. :-)

      I do understand very well that other people find Colonial Wars fascinating and I do find some of them of interest myself; I have a decent collection of books on various colonial wars. I just don't find gaming them as appealing as more colourful wars...

      Cheers,

      David.

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    5. Have you selected a tempting SYW/WAS battle?

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    6. Not really a colonial battle or campaign. Two armies equipped with modern weapons, fighting in a modern style.

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    7. I agree, Graham. SAW was a "War of Liberation."

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  16. Great job on a little gamed war. Interesting take on rules. Ditto on all the nice things said about the troops and terrain.

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  17. Splendid game and AAR. Was expecting any minute for the defenders in the rifle pits to spring out and outflank the 10th. Their outflanking maneuvre seems to have in turn dangerously exposed their own right flank.

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    1. Thanks, Mike! I expected Spanish to pop out of the rifle pits to threaten a flank too. The problem with that is the Spanish opted not to occupy the rifle pits!

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    2. Not occupying the rifle pits was a gigantic bluff to pull that column out on to that flank and use up time whilst concentrating troops on the right where the objectives were. Nearly worked.

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  18. That sounded and looked like a very entertaining game Jonathan…
    Well done to you for herding so many cats 😁

    All the best. Aly

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    1. Aly, the game was tense on many fronts. It was entertaining and I am grateful for the good participation.

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  19. Great looking game, Jon. Sic=x players remote, plus hidden movement is a lot to tackle!

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    1. Thanks! This offered up a handful of fun and challenges.

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  20. Action a plenty and I am sure a great experience for all involved. Surely the retrospective must be 'positive'?!
    Regards, James

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    1. Action a plenty, for sure. Still pondering the retrospective. More testing before I reach the conclusion stage.

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  21. Don,t see a lot of SAW wargames nicely done!

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    1. Not a lot of SAW, for sure. I ought to get these out more often.

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