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BATTLE RESULTS |
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| or...Adjutant Wolfgang Vucks and the Legion of Honour | |
The Rules
 The
game was played with a variant of "The Sword and the Flame" with
inspirational additions from "March or Die". It uses a card drawing system
to determine which units move or fire. Although based on historical facts
and events and working within the framework of the historical capacities
of the units represented: It is first and foremost a "Game".
Morale is simple, being affected by the presence or absence of leaders, (Tribal Chiefs, Sheiks, Officers and NCO's) Civilians act independently until brought under orders by the French. Some civilians resist being brought under orders more than others and some French are more effective than others in bringing civilians under orders. Movement is predictably unpredictable in the unforgiving terrain of the country. Movement is determined by die roll. |
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Men may be Able Bodied (operate as normal), Wounded (shoot and move at a disadvantage) or Incapacitated (cannot shoot or move). French must attempt to carry all wounded with them. Dead French Officers must also be carried. When there are insufficient able bodied men to carry the wounded, French units will stand in place and fight to the last man. The French have no hidden movement. The Red Shadow may offer a one time challenge to each
and any Arab Chief except the Zahira, to engage them in personal combat.
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| After Battle Report: |
 The
Arabs pounced as soon as the column was in sight of the fort. It took few
casualties at first. The water drilling crew got off a rounds or two before
jumping in the truck and heading towards the perceived safety of
the legion square. The regulars quickly organized themselves into an all
round defense. |
 The
Legion was quickly surrounded.
Pepe le Ponse's platoon resisted leaving the fort even as a sizable Arab force advanced on the commissariat in an attempt to rescue El Zahiras brother. The head of the Legion column went into a skirmish line and tried to break through to the commissariat but were held off by rifle fire from the roof tops ahead of them. The column was then flank attacked on its left with the Tirailleurs taking the brunt of the assault. |
 The
Tirailleurs (left) were charged but did prevail, however only only three
men remained standing at the end of the assault. The right flank held out
and the second platoon under Lt. Devaux pushed up to the Commissariat relieving
it from the Arab assault. |
 By
this time only two policeman and Gerrard D'Escargot were left on their
feet. They fought back several assault and repulsed the Arabs back over
the walls before being relieved by the columns right flank under Lt. Devaux.
The Red Shadow kept up a constant skirmish throughout the game and repelled one mounted attack from the head of the column after defeating its chief in personal hand to hand combat. |
 The
Chasseurs sallied from the fort and were immediately fell upon by Arab
mounted attacks from both flanks.
Several skirmishes were fought between the fort and the commissariat with heavy losses taken by both sides after theArab camel unit went berserk on hte death of their chieften. The Chasseurs received supporting fire from the quick firing 75 mm gun and eventually prevailed but by this time there were only three surviving troopers. All the civilians from the well site were either killed or wounded. Adjutant Vucks loaded all the wounded onto the truck and it made a dash for the fort. It broke through and charged up the center road and was almost at the gates. The platoon in the fort had left had formed a skirmish line to support the approaching truck. At this point, back at the supply column, the head of the column, supported by the the MG was charged by the Arabs and virtually wiped out. |
 Michelle
Eene was killed in this attack and the assault culminated with a wounded
Ted Hofstedter and Adjutant Vucks surrounded by the last 7 Arabs who all
engaged this famed Sergeant Major. Living up to his reputation he defeated
them to the last man in bloody hand to hand combat. (see the photo at the
top of the page).
Lt. Devaux has sworn to recommendhim for the Legion of Honour. The final assault from the Arabs came as the truck almost arrived at the fort. The assault was counter charged by Le Ponse's platoon and the gun team crew who had now run out of ammunition. This final valiant stand by the French was wiped out to the last man. The few surviving Arabs fell upon the truck killing the wounded civilians but were too weak and exhausted to exploit their victory. The few remaining French plus Lt. Devaux's platoon which had take very few casualties made it to the Fort. |
 The
Arabs spent, all the pack animals made it and the final score was a marginal
victory for the French. |
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