The Chronicles of Kaptain Putin – Part 1

Sunday saw the first of a number of linked scenarios’s using the excellent scenario generator Platoon Forward by the Two Fat Lardies. Over at the Evesham Wargames Club we have seen a recent surge of Napoleonic activity and I thought with would give me an opportunity of giving the Ottoman’s an outing and Dane a chance to put his Russian’s on the table.

What follows is a series of engagements set with the back drop of the Russo–Turkish War of 1787–1792 a futile attempt by the Ottoman Empire to regain lands lost to Russia. The engagements follow a young Kaptain in the Imperial Russian Army. Kaptain Victor Putin.

The Chronicles of Kaptain Putin – Part 1

Kaptain Putin stopped to wipe his brow the army had been marching south for over 50 leagues, the land before them had become more arid and the climate hotter than what Putin had been used to in his home in the North of Russia

Dispatches came from High Command arrived in the form of a fresh faced Lieutenant Bagration, Putin was to lead his company towards the village of El Hamid, where the Turks had set up an observation post in the minaret in the village. In order to access the possible strength of the Turks he was to grab a prisoner and break off with minimal casualties. (Scenario G Raid – Your platoon had been tasked with a raid into enemy territory. The objective rolled was Observation post. You must spend 4 turns engaged in combat and cause several enemy casualties with sustaining significant casualties for a major victory.)

Selecting 80 men and being reinforced by a section of Cavalry he approached the village on a wide front, in previous encounters he had bested the Turks with ease, but they had been reinforcing in recent weeks... (well painting more Infantry anyway.)

In the village Khafra Bey waited he had amassed several units of Turkish Militia (12 Blinds) hidden deep in the village out of sight of the approaching Russian’s he would make them pay in blood for previous losses, the problem Bey faced was that he had little knowledge of the quality of troops under his command or if they turned to dust the minute they came in to sight of the advancing Russians. (The Turkish forces contained 12 Blinds which would be diced for once observed, roll high and Trained Regulars or Mamluk Cavalry would appear, roll low and it’s merely a wild goat or a lone scout.)

Putin advanced across the open plain, spread out in front of him was the village of El Hamid with its narrow streets and enclosed courtyards, the village was flanked by wheat fields on the right and high ground to the left. Putin’s big men spent several actions peering through their telescopes looking for signs of Turkish activity but none could be seen. The Turk was well hidden on this occasion.

Kaptain Putin order his men forward, positioning himself on the left wing with two sections under his immediate command, as the crested the high group they came upon a group of spear armed natives. The natives surged forward from the dead ground at the foot of the hill and whilst brave were too few in number to trouble the Russians and were soon running back to the village.

On the Right wing a number of Blinds had been uncovered in the wheat fields, they were not the troops Kharfra Bey had wanted. Many of the blinds contained nothing but the occasional scout and those that did appear were lowly militia with spears, they turned and ran for the safety of the village where they could put the spears to good use, should the Russians dare enter.

The Russian’s pushed on, Turks appeared on the roof tops and began sniping at the Russian’s in the open, but the Russian volleys were applying large amounts of shock to make the Turk firing ineffective. Entering the wheat field the Russian cavalry flushed another spear armed unit from its hiding place and a swift round of combat drove the Turks from the open ground to the inner sanctum of the village.

Turn 4 came and went Putin achieved his orders and gave the order to retire they had prisoners from the first round of combat and had lost less than 6 men so far.

Khafra Bey sensed the Russian withdrawal and urged his remaining troops from hiding, whilst some on being observed melted away some good dice rolling generated some of his best troops, the famous Mamluk Cavalry, the Cavalry swept left and flooded towards Putin who was somewhat isolated on the high group, he fired a number of volley’s killing several of the charging cavalry but they were able to close, once again Kaptain Putin was forced to enter hand to hand combat in order to drive off the Turkish Cavalry.

The Turks were too few in number to follow up and had to sit watch as the Russian Infantry marched from the field with their prisoners in tow.

Back at camp Kaptain Putin, relayed his findings to Colonel Goransty. Putin had lost 8 men but had learned much about the strength of the cunning Turk. He had received follow up orders to take a patrol out tomorrow morning to scout the land to the west of El Hamid, perhaps more concerning was the fact that the padre Borganski had gone missing and with him the ancient relic of St Peter, Putin would have to find it and the Priest if he was to keep in the Colonels good books.