OHIO 3, MICHIGAN 2
by Doug Johnson

No, it's not a hockey score. It is the win-loss record for the annual Toledo War conflict, held each year at Drums Along the Maumee. This "what if" scenario is based on the boundary dispute between Ohio and Michigan that occurred way back in 1835. The game is always at 7pm, Saturday night.

Although Michigan wasn't hesitant about throwing troops into the fray, the Ohio forces prevailed, this year. I won't go into how cruel the dice were or the bad luck on the card draw. Let's just say that both sides defended the honor of their flags. I have some modifications in the works for next year. And since four of the eight players were from Indiana, I might add some Hoosiers to the mix as well. Next year, look for irate farmers, wolf packs, rattlesnakes and some mean-tempered badgers.

Neither side has ever won two in a row, so Michigan, it's up to you guys to make 2005 the year of the Wolverine! (Editor's Note: Perish the thought!)

Sled Dogs, Penguins and Wolverines, oh my!
by Jack E. Shaw, Sr.

At Drums, I ran two of my "Madjack's Crazy Dog Sled Races." Six sleds and teams were available for each race. The Mushers all gave it their best. Surpises obtacles for them included a lost submarine, mutant penguins, an occasional Yeti, wolves, foxes, badgers, wolverines -- a four-legged one -- and a Grizzly Bear.

The Mushers all seemed to have fun. The Champion Musher in the first race was the son of the Colby's own Tim Weber. I claim age for forgetting his name -- sorry! The second race was won by a gamer that was just passing by and decided to give the race a try. Again, I claim age on not remembering his name. However I did have another Colby, Yoda, in the second race. He raced as best he could, but just couldn't finish first.

Attack on East Cemetery Hill
by Doug Rogers

Three Confederate players fought two Union for control of the promontory Evergreen Cemetery at Gettysburg, during last month's Drums Along the Maumee 5 convention in Toledo.

Rebel sharpshooters opened the action shortly before the advance down brickyard lane, until Union guns drove them off. Long range Confederate guns on Benner's Hill also targeted the Union line in support of the CSA advance. Between them, two Union regiments fled the field, which left a gap in the line. The pride of Louisiana surged forward and hit the boys from Connecticut who had advanced to fill the gap. One Louisiana regiment was driven back shaken and out of the battle. General Hays accompanied his elite brigade in a supported charge. The resulting melee decimated units on both sides, but left the Rebels holding the position.

Wounded Union leader Harris called for reinforcements to close the gaps. The call was filled with veteran New York troops and green Pennsylvania boys. The remaining men of Louisiana now charged an exposed left flank, rolling up the New Yorkers, then hitting the Pensylvanians. This charge was finally stopped with Rebels disorganized and behind Union lines.

Union reinforcements, led by Indianans in attack column, hit the disorganized Rebs and drove them back the way they came. Yankee reinforcements were too late, though, to support Weidrich's guns who had lost them to a Louisiana regiment. Weidrich's guns were blasted by cannister from Stewart's battery. Other gunners were shot down in their lunets and Stewart's gunners were driven off. Meanwhile Krzyzanowski's two remaining NY regiments were desparately trying to hold back Smith's Brigade near the Wagon Hotel.

When the game was called, 11 Union regiments had received more than 2,400 casualties in killed, wounded and captured. The Confederates had lost just under 1,600 men from six regiments. All players commanded their troops with skill and enthusiasm, and a good time was had by all.

GMs report on two events:

Americans lose to Brits but beat VC
Story and Photo by Jim Wonacott

Well, Drums '04 is over, and what a time it was. I ran two games, found a few minis I've been hunting for quite some time, and generally had a great time. I gotta hand it to the Colby Stooges (and HMGS-GL) Ð you guys done good! Anyway, like I said, I ran two games.

The first, on Friday night, was an American Revolution game using some rules I pieced together from various boardgame and mini's rules sets. It was set in the southern theater in 1781, and pitted a slightly larger and better British force against a mix of American continentals and militia. I wound up having 4 players (2 British and 2 American).

The British mission was to attack and destroy the Americans. In order to do so, they had to cross a river at 2 bridges and a ford, and the Americans had some breastworks to defend. The British sent their main force against the bridges (located close together on the British right), and sent their dragoons and light infantry against the ford. The Americans had breastworks defending those crossing areas, and fairly evenly split their forces to defend the crossings.

The British were able to cross the bridges easily, as the Americans set up their works back from the bridge sites, between the shoulders of an oxbow in the river. In effect, the British would be attacking up a small peninsula. And that they did, with drummers drumming, fifers fifing, and colors flying in the breeze. In fact, they led with a regiment of highlanders, and drove the Continentals right out of the works. Of course, they were then forced to retreat and it took the British 3 more attempts to dislodge the stubborn Americans from their defensive positions.

Meanwhile, on the British left, the lights and the dragoons took their time in crossing the river, and were able to pry the Americans out of those works as well. All in all, the Americans were defending their cause quite stubbornly, and were making the British work for their keep that day.

Until the ninth turn, that is. That's when the gods of war decided to punish the Americans. They had two brigades, each with its own brigadier, and no overall commander. Within two turns, one brigadier was shot out of the saddle by the Jaegers posted with the British light infantry, and the other went down rallying his troops the last time the British stormed the American works. After that, it was all over, the remaining American troops disintegrated, and the British had won the day.

Out of the 2,200 British troops in the field, they had about 250 casualties, while the Americans suffered about 500 casualties out of the 1,900 troops they had deployed. Good fight for all, but a bad day to be an American general.

Second Game

The second game, Saturday afternoon, was set in Vietnam circa 1969. Using Charlie Company rules, a U.S. rifle company had to assault and hold a VC-held hamlet. The hamlet was set in among some low hills, and had the obligatory rice paddies and elephant grass nearby. Some jungle was interspersed throughout the area. Again, I had 4 players (all playing the U.S. forces, I played the VC as the GM).

The U.S. Company HQ and 1st platoon were to chopper in and commence the assault, while 2nd platoon would come up as reinforcements in APCs, with a tank in support. The U.S. forces also had an AH-1 Cobra in aerial support, as well as battery of 81mm off-board mortars. The Company HQ and the first squad of 1st platoon went in to the NW of the hamlet, while the platoon HQ and second and third squad went in east and NE of the hamlet. It didn't take long for the s*** to hit the fan!

The VC had three squads defending the hamlet proper, while another squad and a 12.57mm HMG were positioned on a low hill just NW of the hamlet. When the US helo's came in to land, the MG and some of the VC got some shots in on them, and took one out just after its troops dismounted. That fire also pinned some of that squad.

1st platoon HQ and 2nd and 3rd squads were finally able to get moving, and set up positions in hilly, wooded terrain east and NE of the hamlet, trading fire with the VC in the hamlet. Meanwhile, the company HQ and first squad got into a nasty fight with the VC squad NW of the hamlet. It took them several turns to deal with that squad, and even then, they had to kill every VC squad (except for the last one Ð she surrendered). They then moved up, took out the HMG, and took up positions overlooking the hamlet.

Meanwhile, the US Forward Observer had called in the Cobra, who helped to deal with the VC in the hamlet. Unfortunately, the VC HMG shot the Cobra up pretty badly and it was forced to head back to base just before the HMG was taken out. The U.S. commander called up 2nd platoon and the armor to reinforce the assault on the hamlet, which had bogged down into a shooting match between the VC and 1st platoon.

Poor 2nd platoon. The VC heard the growl of the engines and had an RPG team waiting for them. One shot, and one APC went up in flames, causing half the squad in it to be KIA. The poor platoon medic tried everything he could, but three more squad members died in his arms as he was tying to save them. The RPG team then ducked back into the hamlet.

Just as 2nd platoon recovered from the loss of that track, the FO with the Company HQ started calling in mortar fire on the VC in the hamlet. While RPGs took out another APC (after the squad had dismounted) and damaged the U.S. tank, the U.S. Company just had too much power, and overwhelmed the remaining VC in the hamlet. Once the full U.S. assault was pressed home, the VC that were still alive bugged out, and the hamlet was in U.S. hands.

While they successfully took the hamlet, it was an expensive U.S. victory. Out of 92 infantry, 20 were KIA and 5 were WIA. Two of the four APCs were destroyed, one helo was shot down, and the Cobra and tank was damaged. Out of the 49 VC defending the hamlet, 19 were killed or badly wounded, and 1 VC and the HMG were captured.

Again, my hat goes off to the folks who run the show at Drums, and my thanks to the players who played my games. You can be sure I'll be back next year!