Al Sucmayah Evacuation
British Colonial Afghanistan Mini-Campaign
by Pete Panzeri
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Here is the first AAR from several AFGHANISTAN SCENARIOS:
1. Her Majesties Forces Al BaruchMajor Elmington-Smyfe, Commanding, Captain Horace Worts, Deputy Commander MISSION: Evacuate all Commonwealth forces and British Subjects from Al Busayah [1] and the Garrison at Al Sucmayah [2] to Baruch. Defend and defeat [3] Afghani warriors who may attack. Hold the Garrison at Al Baruch [4] until COL Whelms' relief force arrives from Kabul in 10 days time, and [5] secure a suitable crossing for wagons and Artillery across the defile of the Wadi al Masoof. [Victory conditions out of 5: Marginal Victory = 3, Tactical Victory = 4, Operational Victory = all 5.] See Order of Battle. 2. Borjicistan Jihad Alliance: Eye-aven't Ben LAYden, and Mullah Fuggah Abdul JabarMISSION: Figure out what the Imperialists are up to, stop them, and destroy them. Forces: 1,000 foot, 200 Camels, 300 Cavalry, 1 mountain Gun; 600 rifles amongst them all. 3. AAR of Scenario played 15 SEPT 2001Her Majesties Forces Al Baruch: Played by "Thomo the Lost" and "CDK" (Commonwealth Detachment Korea), Borjicistan Jihad Alliance: Played by Wayne Eye-aven't Ben LAYden, and Tony Abdul Jabar (the Mullah fuggahs). Day 1: Major Elmington-Smyfe marched with the Trains, two batteries and two companies of Commonwealth Infantry to Al Busayah and linked up with the Supply Train stranded there. CPT Worts with the Cavalry rapidly Forced-marched to Al Suchmaya. LT Cratchett's Engineer detachment departed north of Baruch to complete a wagon-defile of the Wadi al Masoof, but got lost and were unable to find the Wadi. Day 2: CPT Worts with the Commonwealth Forces at Al Suchmaya burned all stores and evacuated the garrison to the outskirts of Al Busayah without being intercepted. Lt. Cratchett's Engineer detachment reached the Wadi north of Baruch but was exhausted and unable to begin work on a wagon-defile of the Wadi al Masoof. Day 3: CPT Worts with the Commonwealth Cavalry and Suchmayah garrison arrived west of Al Buysayah to find Major Elmington-Smyfe and the Infantry surrounded and besieged by Abdul-Jabar and about 500 infantry. They managed to enter the town and link up with about a dozen casualties. Lt. Cratchett's Engineer detachment at the Wadi north of Baruch was unable to find a suitable site to begin work on a wagon-defile of the Wadi al Masoof. Day 4: Commonwealth Forces at Al Buysayah began to march east toward Baruch at Dawn in an attempted breakout. Abdul Jabar's Infantry and Cavalry charged repeatedly from the west, but were dispersed by the rearguard (RHA and infantry) firepower. The Al Faw Afghans managed to enter the town behind the British, and the general engagement delayed the British with heavy casualties on both sides. At noon, Haven't Ben LAYden arrived from the direction of Baruch, with another 500 Infantry and 200 Cavalry, blocking the British line of march. Just as Elmington-Smyfe was beginning to clear Afghani infantry from his escape route, an exploitative charge of Jabar's cavalry broke though the British rear guard (infantry and artillery) and swept all before them. This set the entire commonwealth column to flight. Had it not been for the Afghani's stopping to loot the two pack trains (Containing the Suchmaya Garrison's Personal belongings) no man would have reached Baruch alive. Captain Worts was killed when his horse was shot (for the 2nd time) during a failed rear guard attempt. Lt. Cratchett's Engineer detachment at the Wadi north of Baruch experienced a rockslide and was unable to complete work on a wagon-defile of the Wadi al Masoof. Day 5: Major Elmington-Smyfe and 20 troopers from the 14th Lancers made it to Al Baruch, and another band of 50 stragglers led by Captain Lawrence arrived 18 hours behind them. Lt. Cratchett's Engineer detachment at the Wadi north of Baruch received word of the massacre at Al Busayah, and ceased work on their nearly completed wagon-defile of the Wadi al Masoof. Commonwealth Forces(I) At Al Baruch:
(II) At Al Suchmayah:
(III) At Al Busayah:
Back to Veteran Campaigner October 2001 Table of Contents Back to Veteran Campaigner List of Issues Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 2001 by Pete Panzeri. 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 |