Taiping Rebellion - A River Defense

Welcome the Taiping Rebellion in China in the 1850s and 60s!

Background

It has been years since I have put this collection on the table. I'm going to change that going forward and run at least two Taiping Rebellion games a year. This is a 25mm collection mainly comprised of Foundry figures with some Old Glory figures included for variety. 

About half the figures were purchased painted from a good friend, and the rest were bought and painted over the years. I recently added the flags to the Imperial forces (nobody produces them) and they turned out great. I had to design the flags myself or from images on the internet. Then I printed them on my ink-jet printer. A photo below shows the variety of flags and banners. As usual, click on image for bigger views.

River is made of window tinting cut to size. Town buildings are scratch made by Mal Wright for my Boxer collection. Crops are cut out from a door mat and spray painted green. Bridges and Pogoda are aquarium pieces. Normally each unit is 4 stands, but I had to make units 3 stands to allow for maneuvering as I only have an 8' x 5' table. Sigh. I used to have 14' x 5' in my old basement. 

Scenario

This is an early war scenario, around 1854 when the Taiping Rebellion was surging like an unstoppable wave across southern China. The Imperial forces are guarding two bridges and a town that the Taiping need to continue their advance. Although the river is fordable to infantry and cavalry it wouldn't work very well for the supply columns that are following the Taiping.

The battle pits the Imperial Green Banner Army vs Shield Army of the Heavenly Kingdon (Taiping). Taiping are mostly on the left side of the photos prepared to assault the Imperials dug in behind the river. The Taiping mostly have yellow flags trimmed in red. Imperials are to the right in most photos behind the river line. Flags vary for the Imperials.

Victory Points

• 1 for bridge closest to the pagoda. 
• 3 for bridge near the town.
• 5 for town itself. 

Taiping House Rules

We played a Hybrid set of rules I created based on standard Piquet (Hallowed Ground supplement) and Field of Battle impetus. So, most of the game mechanics are Piquet, with impetus usage based on Field of Battle. If you are truly interested in the Taiping rules (Jingals, Tigermen, and Stink Pots, oh my) and Hybrid concept send me an email and I'll send you PDFs. ericbu2025@gmail.com

Here are the Buddhist Monks hoping their pagoda isn't burned down by the Taiping. 

Rosters

Here are the two rosters for today's game. You will notice that most Imperial troops are very poor compared to normal Western Drilled troops. 

The Taiping "Guard" are the Veterans of the army and have very high stats compared to the enemy. A Ying is like a Brigade in western terminology.

If you would like copies of the Quick Reference Sheet email me and I'll send you a PDF.

Setup

Here are some photos of the game's setup. Mostly taken from the short end of the table to get the natural light. Taiping on the left and Imperials on the right. This photo was taken when I had each unit at 4 stands instead of 3 I used for the game.

Here you can see the Taiping cavalry Ying at the close edge of the table, supporting the Guard Ying.

Close-up of the Guard Ying near the pagoda. Commanded by Rich.

Two Yings (Left and Center) commanded by Michael.

Imperial positions (dug in) around the Pagoda bridge

This is a great photo showing the main Taiping attack across and around the main town bridge

The battle plan for the Taiping was to force the crossing of the Pagoda Bridge and then wheel down the flank of the Imperial forces, while pinning their forces down at the river edge.

The Battle

The battle started with lots of skirmish action between Jingals (Light and Heavy) and Imperial Tigermen. These are special skirmishers and I have house rules for them. The Jingals can either fight the enemy jingals\tigermen or fire on units to try to disorder them.

Meanwhile the Taiping forces surged forward! Left Ying charges towards the river. Imperial peasants are attempting to hold the far right of the Imperial line. 

The Center Ying now advances to the River. In Piquet, this is a CLASS II river so halt on contact then can move normally after that.

Near my side of the table the Guard Ying advances and throw out their Jingals to take out the enemy skirmishers. Jingals are individual stands.

The situation near the Pagoda Bridge.

Taiping and Imperial Manchu cavalry race to the river to try to get an advantage on the flanks. This upcoming cavalry battle swirled for four Melee Resolution cards. Fighting can be seen in the distsance.

Imperial defenders, with the help of attached Jingals, cause heavy casualties among the Taiping Veterans and disordered a couple units too. The river line appears to be holding. Lone Taiping unit in the middle of the photo has formed in "circle" to fend off the Bannerman cavalry about to cross the river!

Because of my location on the table it was hard for me to get photos of the raging melees at the far end of the table near the town. Many Taiping units were routed, but rallied and came on again against the Imperials. The attack to the right of the bridge (from Imperial view). Mongolian cavalry swinging around to bolster the morale of the Imperials and Peasants. 

Action to the left of the Bridge. One routing Taiping unit heading towards the table edge. The river line is holding so far!

Meanwhile the Taiping Veterans have charged towards the Imperials at the bridge and have used their attached stink pot (single figure stand in the water) to drive the imperials back disordered! This was a huge event as the stink pots are one shot weapon and can only disorder the enemy. A very fortuitus roll and the Imperials are disordered and driven back in disorder. (Green tag on unit)

Here are some photos I was able to take during our lunch break of the battle along the river's edge near the town. Many Taiping units are disordered though. The "heart" on the command stand means they have to check for survival on the next Officer Check card.

At the Pagoda Bridge the Taiping have taken control of the bridge and drive off the Imperials. The situation before the melee.

And after

In the middle the Bannerman cavalry breaks the Taiping Brethren's circle and rout them. The Imperials pull more cavalry across into the center!

Taiping units have driven back the peasants and have made several breaches in the Imperial defense. 

Last photo showing the cavalry across the river for the Imperials which could really ruin the current Taiping advantage. The Pagoda bridge is completely overrun by the Taiping effectively turning their flank, but much further away (and on foot). The Manchu cavalry was eventually routed by the Taiping cavalry near the bridge (somehow missed taking any photos of that melee!).

We had a great time, but as folks were all new to the rules it took longer than I wanted. We stopped and it was still anybody's battle, which surprised me. We will play again soon! 

The Dragon and the Cross

I bought the original MANCHU version of this game with garish map, which you can go look at on BGG.

Here is the revised version with gorgeous map and better-looking counters. I hope to get this on the table in the near future. I clipped all the corners of the counters too. Link to BGG.

 

Taiping To Do List

If you made it this far thank you! Here is what I have left in order to finish the collection. After all are painted, I'll flock all the bases. Players didn't see it as a problem to not have the bases terrain-ed.

Paint the following, but some are optional. The cavalry is on the table right now.

• 1 x Manchu Cavalry (8 figures)
• 1 x Manchu Cavalry (8)
• 1 x Manchu Cavalry (8)
• 1 x Manchu Infantry (12)
• 1 x Manchu Infantry (12)
• 1 x Manchu Infantry (12)
• 1 x Manchu Infantry (12)
• 1 x Manchu Infantry (12)
• 1 x Bannerman Infantry (12)
• 4 x Imperial Mounted Command
• 9 x Imperial Foot Command
• 6 x Imperial Light Jingals 
• 4 x Heavy Jingals
• 1 x Beheading scene
• 1 x French Landing Party (12) Optional
• 1 x European Civilians (24) Optional 
• 1 x Chinese Civilians
• 2 x Hand carts
• 1 x Veteran Taiping or Brethren Muskets\Matchlocks.
• 2 x 8lb Smoothbores
• 6 x EVA Crew
• 1 x EVA Gun
• 10 x Artillery Crew
• 2 x Howitzers

Thanks for taking a look here today! Have a wonderful day.

Eric

Sunrise on Oak Island

Taiping Rebellion - The Valley of Sorrow

This is the last in a series of Taiping Rebellion games we have been playing in August.

I have returning generals: Jan and Phil, with new guys Mike P. and Mike J.

Jan and Mike J. are the Imperial commanders
Phil and Mike P. are the Taiping commanders

Scenario Background

It is getting late in the summer and the Taiping need food. They have sent out this raiding force of six thousand men to find and gather forage for the larger army. They take along the bandits as they are good at stripping the land bare of every usable item. Smoke can be seen up and done the valley as village after village is raided. The Taiping target this last village and thinking it will be easy pickings, they just send the bandits into the town, while the real muscle of the raiding force, the Brethren, hang back and protect them. The local peasants have mustered about 2000 men to defend this village and they are not going to leave without a fight. Meanwhile, an Imperial command of cavalry (900 men) and infantry (3000 men) arrive to hopefully save this village and their people.

Guess who now has flags?!?!? My Imperial forces have been without flags for years, and I finally got around to putting some on them. They need a lot more, but at least they are no longer "naked"! Lots of touch-ups on the flags to be done, and each unit will likely have two or more flags\banners on them.

The Forces
This was a smaller battle than the prior two games, as this was supposed to represent a small raid in the valley.

Imperial Forces:

4 x Peasant mobs (mixed weapons) - protecting their village
3 x Cavalry
6 x Imperial infantry
2 x Tigermen
1 x Heavy Jingall
1 x Light Jingall

Taiping Forces:

4 x Brethren with melee weapons
1 x Brethren with matchlocks
1 x Brethren with repeating crossbows
1 x Brethren cavalry
2 x Light Jingalls
5 x Bandits

The Battle

The Taiping draw the "Move in Open" card first and start a general advance on the right and begin to gather around the village with the Bandits.

Tigermen and Jingalls clash!

The peasants, not waiting for the Taiping to mass their forces jump on the last bandit (levy) unit in the line! Mike J. is always aggressive.

They rout the bandits, then turn and take the next one in the flank!

Bandits hit the village in force. Stink pots are throw, but appear to have no affect on the peasants. Maybe they are used to the smell?

Here you can see from the Imperial side the situation.

Another bandit group routed! Those peasants are nasty!

Mike J. is bringing his cavalry from the center to the aid of the peasants. The Mongol cavalry is hit by Jingall fire and is disordered. Jingall team to the center right of the photo, in the road.

The Taiping pressure the entire Imperial front!

Taiping repeating crossbowmen disorder an Imperial infantry unit.

Imperial Jingalls begin to have telling effect on the Taiping center with several Taiping units becoming disordered.

Fresh bandit unit attacks some peasants with bowfire (and miss).

The Imperial cavalry is swinging around the town to get into action.

then go into melee and are pushed back in disorder by the peasants! These peasants mean business!

The clash in the center! (Love my new Imperial flags I made!)

The Manchu cavalry charge!! Below is a stop action video of the charge! Fun stuff!

The Manchu cavalry routs the bandits, and the entire rear of the Taiping command is ripe for the destruction.

Now that the bandits are down to only 1000 men out of 2500, the Taiping brethren are aggressively attacking the left and center of the Imperial line, with very good results.

The Imperial stink pot successfully drives back the crossbowmen!

Taiping matchlockmen advance and deliver a volley. This routs the Imperial battalion

More hand-to-hand combat.

Taiping bandits have half the village in their possession.

The Bannermen cavalry have made a flank march and appear near the village!

The Manchu cavalry turn their wrath towards the bandits and rout another unit! The Manchu cavalry will have Battle Honors after this engagement.

The Manchu cavalry has run roughshod over the bandits, when the Taiping cavalry finally shows up on the scene.

The Manchu wait and the Mongols come to their assistance.

Then the Bannermen!

The Taiping are slowly rolling up the entire Imperial left flank as more Imperial units rout off the table.

Imperial unit caught by the Pingers!

Leaving the Mongols behind (they are still disordered from Jingall fire), the Manchu and Bannermen begin to advance against the Taiping cavalry.

Another Imperial unit disordered (green marker)

The cavalry clashes!

Taiping "Melee Resolution" card comes up. They could either start that cavalry melee before the Imperials can start it, or they can attempt to attack the peasants in the village section.

They chose the village section, driving the peasants out in disorder, taking the last village section and reducing the Imperials to zero morale! The Taiping have won a VERY close game.

We have had a wonderful time with these three Taiping battles and should see them on the table more often in 2019. I'm going to cry if I ever sell these!

We are going to play some board games over the coming weeks as September is a busy month and running miniature games takes a lot of work.

Cheers!