Battle of Johnson Pass - 15mm Plains War Campaign

Plains War Campaign - Turn 11

This was the 3rd major battle from my 2008-2009 Plains War Campaign, where we playtested rules for my Din of Battle 2nd Edition Colonial rules for Piquet.

Situation
A battalion of the 7th Cavalry lead by Colonel Jake “Sticky Boots” Doubleday has followed the Indians through Johnson Pass in order to press them from the east while the other cavalry regiments attack the Sacred Gathering grounds from the north. The 7th had to stop and wait for supply, which gave the Hunkpapa and Sans Arc time to regroup and move into Johnson Pass. The 7th (4 cavalry companies and 1 company of Crow Scouts) are in a defensive position while 11 warbands from the Sans Arc and Hunkpapa tribes try to eliminate them and the threat of their advance on the Sacred Gathering Grounds.

• Brian Connolly commanding the 7th Cavalry
• Ben Fryer commanding the Hunkpapa Warriors
• Mike Bolling commanding the Sans Arc Warriors

Game Special Rules

• Using a D12 for impetus due to the small number of units involved.
• Using the rule of 1/3.
• Using TAD decks
• Indians get one Sequence Deck.
• Trail is CLASS I terrain
• Woods are CLASS III
• Hills are CLASS II (all terrain besides the trail) - I really liked how this terrain turned out.

Order of Battle for 7th Cavalry (Click to view)

Order of Battle for Sans Arc

Order of Battle for Hunkpapa

  

Pre-game photos
Couldn't help but geek on the terrain here. Since this was a battle in a mountain pass, the actual gaming area was smaller (about 3' x 5'). All dismounted figures are Minifigs (love them!) and the mounted figures are from Modeller's Mart I believe. Not 100% sure.

Here the US cavalry column moves through the pass with Crow scouts screening the companies.

Battle Photos

Hostiles encountered and the 7th falls back into defensive positions above the wooded gully.

Crapload of hostiles!

Mike (left) and Ben (right) make plans as the Indian warchiefs!

Dismounted cavalry company. I don't have horse holders painted yet, but it is on the agenda.

Didn't know how useful the Indians in the prone position would be, but I really like how they look on the table.

Sweeping manuever by the Hunkpapa Indians on the right. Sans Arc are advancing cautiously to the front.

Hunkpapa look to overrun the lone cavalry company on the left flank. Crow scouts are dismounted and in the wooded gully.

Indians have started to dismount to get better shots at the Cavalry, which has taken shelter in the wooded gully.

"What have I done", exclaim's the cavalry commander! He now realizes that his deployment was poor and his entire column is surrounded and his forces are stuck on LOWER ground than the Indians.

Gulp!

More sniping into the woods.

"We must break out before it is too late!"

Cavalry mounts up in the woods, then charges for safety! What is left of the force flees the battlefield and was able to at least survive the battle. 

This was a GREAT victory for the Indians in our campaign. Many scalps were taken and many new trapdoor carbines for the Indian warriors.