Casualties
In terms of casualties, it may be fairly stated that both sides took something of a bashing on this July morning. For the Allies, there was the complete loss of the men in Taipeng Mission. Of course, this could not be surely known until almost a week after the first engagement. It was a nagging concern among the higherechelon officers, however. The Relief Force had been repulsed with significant loss. Casualties among the officer corps had been exceptionally high. With the sole exception of the Japanese, who had not made it to the field in time, each contingent had suffered the death or wounding of a Platoon Officer and or an NCO. The Russians and British had been hit hard, in particular.
Though there was no official count established, it was agreed that the Boxers had been bloodied at Taipeng Mission as well. The front line units defending Huan-Su had been decimated. A couple of other units had been "damaged" when they attempted to engage the Americans or press an advantage against the floundering Germans. The largest loss of life for the Boxers however, took place in and around the Mission itself. Five units attacked the ad-hoc garrison twice, and were subjected to a galling fire. The light piece managed by the French proved especially lethal. Then too, there is the fact that the Boxers were charging across open ground against riflemen in a prepared position.
Scenario Design
The high number of casualties was perhaps, a result of the relative largeness of the game itself. That is to reflect, that during those lunch time planning sessions, I may have experienced a little of the "megalomania" sometimes attributed to enthusiasts of this hobby. This Boxer Rebellion solo wargame was intended to be a skirmish game, if a large one at that. But, how large is too large when one is solo-gaming with individuallybased figures? The Allied Force, it has been related, numbered some 247 total figures. When the count for the Boxers is added to this, the total number of "men" on the field comes to 663. Of course, hindsight always tends to be 20/20. I think that if the game were to be recreated, a "better" game might result using less than half of this total number of figures. (Perhaps then, the Japanese would have had a chance to get into the fight.) In addition to the size of the game causing some "problems," it appears that the scenario design was heavily weighted against the Allies.
The completely unenviable task facing the Relief Force was mentioned in the introductory segment. Given the numbers of Boxer and Imperial units on the south side of the Leiho, their placement behind hasty barricades and the "channeled" approach used by the Allies, it seems that measurable success by the Relief Force was impossible if not highly improbable. Again, one is forced to reconsider the size of the game at this point. Perhaps things would have proved more "interesting" if the Boxers had not been able to protect the entire game table frontage of the Leiho? Then again, accepting the game as it was, perhaps things would have been more "interesting" if the German commander of the Relief Force had come up with a better plan of attack?
Critique of Plans
The Allied plan of attack, on review, consisted of no real defined objective. It was an attack hamstrung by the acknowledged rivalry between nations of the Relief Force. (I revised the deployment of the Allies three times before starting the wargame, as it was recalled from my reading that Russians didn't really "like to be near" troops from this nation; that the British preferred to work with this nation, and so on.) The plan of attack was also based on too broad a front. Just because the Chinese were spread all along the south side of the Leiho, did not mean that the Allies were required to attack all of these positions / units. Again, utilizing the perfect vision of hindsight, it seems that a directed attack by the Allied Relief Force, perhaps along the east edge of the board, concentrating on Kengtow, might have produced better results.
The objection that this approach would have left an open flank to the Boxers is answered by the fact that to fully attack this flank, the Chinese would have to leave their positions. They then, would yield the advantages of terrain and position to the Allies. In greater detail, one company of infantry could have screened the column advance of two companies. The screening force could have been supported by one of the troops of cavalry and a couple of guns. The attacking force could have been supported by the remaining guns and the troop of cavalry could have been held in reserve to "charge" across the bridge at Kengtow.
On further review, it appears that artillery or gatling gun support was one factor not fully utilized by the Allies. Perhaps the broad-arrow plan of attack would have faired better with artillery in front of the infantry? In this way, the Boxers could have been harassed with shot and shell belbre the British, Russian and German platoons went forward for close action.
There is really nothing that can be said of the Boxer plan and dispositions that has not already been mentioned. One is left to wonder though, what the result would have been with the early involvement of their numerous irregular cavalry. (As if the Germans were not discomforted enough by the attack of the Tigermen.)
Rule Adjustments
Throughout this article, I have made reference to the few adjustments made to this rule set and supplements published by Mr. Brom. In brief review, these adjustments concerned the order of battle for the Boxers (leader to men ratio and percentage of rifle-armed troops in the bands of Boxers), and a slight modification to the movement rules. One footnote made mention of the lack of any canister rules for artillery fire. As the fighting progressed, especially around the Mission, I began to develop an opinion that the close combat rules did not really "work" for me. I am sure that a lot of this opinion is the result of the size of the game; making a somewhat lengthy close combat process even longer.
As the fighting progressed too, I began to think about and even if, the rule system utilized in FIRE AND FURY might be adapted to this period. Having had very good experience with this rules set in gaming an ACW action and in adapting the concepts and gaming an AWI action, my thought process may be a little biased. However, I do think that the assignment of fire points might speed up resolution of fire combat. I also think that the close combat tables in FIRE AND FURY could be successfully adapted to this particular period. While I don't have anything on paper at this time, it seems to me that melees would also be resolved much more quickly and easily. The "loss" of the skirmish aspect that is integral to The Sword and The Flame would be minimal, I believe. This is simply because, once again, I made the game too large.
Adapting FIRE AND FURY to this period - perhaps for a re-fight - would necessitate a revision of sorts with respect to unit organization. My initial thinking is to keep the Western Units as platoons, but have them organized in three (3) sections of six (6) men. The lieutenant and sergeant would remain on individual bases. Each section could be divided into two (2) half-sections, and this three (3) man base would become the basic fighting unit. For irregular or native troop types, I am thinking along the lines of four (4) stands of five (5) men each. The leader of the unit would be integral to one of the stands.
Of course, many details (classification of troop types, adjusting the melee table and results of same, assigning fire points to the variety of troop types and developing the role or impact of small unit leaders) remain to be worked out, but the project does have merit. However, this is something to put on the "idea shelf" until more time is found to explore all the options.
As the Holiday is very nearly upon us, I think I should shake the dust off from my "summer in China" and return to the more familiar grounds of a fictional England in the midst of a civil war. (I am typing this final page on December 22, 2001.)
It will be good to return "home." I am looking forward to catching up with the Queen, Prince John and his allies (or are they?): the French and the Scots.
The Relief of Taipeng Mission A Large-Scale Skirmish Game Set in The Boxer Rebellion
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© Copyright 2002 Hal Thinglum
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