The following senario and simple rules were written to try and refight the desperate battle on the slopes of Greasy Grass Ridge, culminating in the final stand at Last Stand Hill or Custer Hill as it is also known. The rules are not tablets of stone! If there's something you don't like, Don't use it - or even better - Change it! The battle will try and represent the five companies of the 7th US Cavalry against the Indian nations of Cheyennes, Ogalallas, Black Feet Sioux, Hunkapapas, Minneconjous, Sans Arcs and Brules. The game map shows the positions of the 7th`s companies and around the edge, the location points for the Indian entry. It is assumed that all the Cavalry companies are dismounted (saves on cost!!) and that they are trying to form a defense whilst awaiting Reno and Benteen with the other six companies of the 7th Cavalry! So, don your Campaign Hat, cock your Carbine, let the Guidons flutter and ride into history and glory! "I have had but little experience in Indian fighting and Custer has had much, and he is sure he can whip anything he meets." --General Alfred Terry, Commander, Dakota Column, 21st June 1876. The following lists the 7th Cavalry forces required: HO Staff: Lt.Col. G.A.Custer 1st Lt. W.W.Cooke Capt.T.W Custer Custers Personal Standard Sgt.Maj. WH.Sharrow (5 figures) F Coy: Capt. G.Yates 1st Sgt. M.Kenny Guidon Bearer 5 Troopers (8 figures) E Coy: 1st Lt. A.E.Smith 1st Sgt. E Hohmeyer Guidon Bearer 5 Troopers (8 figures) C Coy: 2nd Lt. H.Harrington 1st Sgt. E.Bobo Guidon Bearer 5 Troopers (8 figures) I Coy: Capt. M.Keogh 1st Sgt. E Varden Guidon Bearer 5 Troopers (8 figures) L Coy: 1st Lt. J.Calboun 1st Sgt. J.Butler Guidon Bearer 5 Troopers (8 figures) A total of 45 dismounted Cavalry soldiers. Indian forces are dice generated and appear as per dice roll on the battle map location points. The 7th Cavalry have no 'morale' as such, they are fighting to survive, however the C,E,l and L companies will try and move to "Last Stand Hill" and join F Company and HQ Staff. An optional rule for Cavalry morale could be used. This should occur in the Cavalry phase and consists of throwing 1xD6 per figure, A result of '6' and the figure moves away from any Indians and heads for the table edge! The figure, if successful, and reaches the table edge throws 1xD6. A 6 and the figure makes if off and survives! The dice roll is not done for officers, N.C.0s and Guidon bearers (grizzled veterans!). Sequence of Play: Each Turn 1) Roll 2xD6 on Last Stand Hill event chart 2) 7th Cavalry phase, move or shoot 3) Indian phase. React to shooting, move, snipe 4) Resolve hand to hand combat The sequence may alter to work out 'gliches' that may occur!! "Benteen, come on. Big village. Be quick. Bring packs. P.S. Bring Packs." --Custer's last message - 25th June 1876 'Last Stand Hill' Event Table: Throw 2xD6. 2 - Roll 1xD6 1,2,3,4 1xD6 Cavalry Troopers from the other companies make it to Last Stand Hill. 5 2xD6 Cavalry Troopers as above. 6 Benteen and Reno's command breaks through to Custers command! The Indians break off and the command is saved! End of game. Well done !!! 3,4 - 1xD6 Indian snipers take up position in the ground around the command. Dice for location on map. 5,6 - 2xD6 Indian snipers take up position as above. 7 - 1xD6 Indian warriors on foot attempt to close with the enemy. Dice for location. 8 - 2xD6 Indian warriors as above. 9 - 1xD6 Indian warriors on horseback attempt to close with the enemy. Dice for location on map. 10 - 2xD6 Indian warriors on horseback as above. 11- A stray horse appears, dice for location on map. It moves at 2xD6' per turn in a straight line until off. 12 - Crazy Horse and 3xD6 foot warriors and 3xD6 mounted warriors appear at position '12' on the map. These warriors head straight for the enemy command. If this has already occurred, count as event 10. Riderless Horses Any U.S.Cavalry figure within 1" of a riderless horse may attempt to mount on a '6' using 1xD6. A second cavalryman may 'double up' behind the first successful rider. Only one attempt may be made requiring a '6' on 1xD6, +1 if rider helps. If successful the horse moves a 1xD6". The Indians ignore a riderless horse, but not a ridden one!! Greasy Grass' Combat Chart Indians Assume all bows and firearms are within range, snipers do not move but stay in position and snipe at the nearest target. Throw 1xD6: hit on a 6. Snipers are placed upto 6" in from the table edge. Snipers continue until shot or return to camp, if target hit throw 1xD6: 1,2 - Scratch, OK. 3,4 - Wounded, carry on - 1 per wound. 5,6 - Kill. -1 to 1xD6 throw if bow armed. +1 to 1xD6 throw if target already wounded. Indian warriors Indian warriors on foot move 1 xD6" per turn. Indian warriors on horse back move 2xD6' per turn. After U.S.Cavalry fire, each group of 1xD6 or 2xD6 Indians must test against its 'spirit", throw 1xD6. If score or less than number in group, carry on. If fail, the group halts, each figure fires as a sniper then retreats back to the Indian Camp (remove from table). Crazy Horse Warriors The turn after Crazy Horse is killed, a -3 modifier is applied to the event table. All following turns at -1. U.S. Cavalry Assume all Cavalry weapons, whether carbine or revolver, are within range for all targets. Cavalry may move 1xD6' per turn or fire. If moving, -1 ' to the 1xD6 throw, for each wound on figure! Firing carbines, throw 2xD6 for each figure firing. Fire at nearest target (threat!!). Any 'Double' - out of ammunition, use revolver. Target mounted warrior 8+ to hit Target foot warrior 9+ to hit Target sniper warrior 10+ to hit Target Crazy Horse 11+ to kill -1 per wound on firer, all hits on Indians 'kill'. Firing Revolvers, throw 1xD6 for each figure firing. A '1' and the revolver is empty! Use weapon as a club! Target mounted warrior 5+ to hit All other targets 6 to hit The number of wounds do not effect revolver fire. All hits on Indians are 'kills'. Crazy Horse has a saving roll of 4,5,6 on 1xD6 if hit by firing. Firers may shoot at figures in combat, but if the target figure is missed, dice for each other figure, being hit with the same score as would normally be needed. The out of ammunition rule only applies on the original score. Tomahawk Versus Carbine Hand to hand combat occurs when figures come into base to base contact. Throw 1xD6 per figure: Apply modifiers Mounted Indian +2 Indian warrior +1 Crazy Horse +3 Custer +2 Other U.S. Officer +1 NCO/Guidon bearer +1 Outnumbered (each figure extra) -1 Per wound -1 Highest score wins. Draws have no effect. Losing Indians are killled. Losing Cavalry roll 1xD6: 1,2,3,4 - Wounded; -1 to firing and hand to hand. 5,6 - Killed and scalped +1 to 1xD6 for each wound Crazy Horse has a save roll of 4,5,6 on 1xD6. For a group of Indians to stay in hand to hand combat, make a 'spirit roll, throw 1xD6 score or less to stay otherwise retreat off table to camp. This article does not attempt to be a 100% accurate simulation. If any errors have occured, they are purely my own. Most of all give them a try and see how you fare. Above all, have some enjoyment while playing! Figure Ranges that are available: Guernsey Foundry (Excellent 25mm); Dixon Miniatures (Very good 25mm); Brittania Miniatures (Chunky 25mm); Peter Pig (Characters in 15mm); Minifigs (Solid packs in 15mm); Freikorps (Full range in 15mm). Further Reading End of Custer - The Death of an American Military Legend (Very detailed!) Dale T. Schoenberger Little Bighorn 1876 Osprey Campaign Series Peter Panzeri Battle of The Little Bighorn - Custers Last Stand (Ladybird Books!!) Frank Humphris I first read this in 1976 (age 8!) and then went and bought boxes of Airfix U.S. Cavalry and Red Indians, and the rest is history as they say! For visual enjoyment watch 'Son of the Morning Star' a two part video charting the life of Custer from the end of the Civil War to the Little Bighorn. The second video deals mainly with the Little Bighorn and the battle scenes are excellent (no yellow neckerchiefs!!). The last stand shows how desperate and confused the fighting must have been! Two superb books which I heartily recommend for background reading and scenario ideas are Son of the Morning Star (isbn 0-330-29340-0) by Evan S. Connell The Fetterman Massacre (isbn 0-330-23984-8) by Dee Brown, author of Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee Custers Luck can be played solo or better still with a player commanding each company (watch player`s charcter emerging as things get desperate).. Back to The Gauntlet No. 20 Table of Contents Back to The Gauntlet List of Issues Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 2000 by Craig Martelle Publications This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com