Mexican Revolution game turns 10 to finish

 Mexican game turns 10 to finish

You may recall at the end of turn 9 Villa`s train had returned to the table just in time to prevent the left hand Colorado cavalry squadron crossing the railway bridge!

Therefore the first rolls of turn 10 was their morale check - coming under artillery fire and losing their commander! The morale roll was average, so I decided they halt their charge to reorganise.

Villa`s train moved forward another 12" to allow his troops to dismount nearer the action, this also placed the gun closer and gave it an easier shot at the disrupted Colorados - which it did causing more casualties and another morale check next turn!

Villa`s troops dismounted the train and headed towards the battle.

Villa seen here in the center

Villa`s Yaqui Indians head towards the railway bridge

Back at the pueblo the 1st Colorado troop dismounts to support the Federals already deployed, the 2nd troop arrives in the market square.

Federals exposed on the bridge

Villa`s `75 limbers up to move forward along with the Hotchkiss.

Villas cavalry and infantry storm forward now the armoured car is burning.

Turn 11 The Colorados by the train track again get a suppressed result so dismount and try and take cover, they again take a hit for the mountain gun and take yet more casualties (yet another check next turn). 

The Federal `75 in the pueblo can now see (be it a long way away) the from carriage of the train and tries a long shot (miss)

At the pueblo the 2nd Colorado troops deploys and the 1st moves to support those Federals already engaged

Villa`s men continue their advance, there is lot shooting (ineffectual at long range)

Turn 12 another good shot for the train causes yet more casualties! Their morale is looking very shaky for next turn!!

The Federal `75 misses again, but closer!

Lots of rifles pour fire across the river to little actual cost to either side, though the exposed Federals on the bridge are forced over the hump seeking whatever cover they can find.

Turn 12 the Colorados on the rail line break, they`ve taken nearly 50% casualties and lost their commander, they remount and get ready to run, another shot from the train causes more casualties to speed them on their way!

But the Federal `75 in the pueblo rolls a magnificent 12 on 2D6 and hits the train gun carriage wiping out gun and crew! You will note the Yaqui have now advanced nearly to the rail, bridge at this point.

More inconclusive firing and general advancing at the river. The second federal gun arrives and unlimbers. Villas artillery catches up with the action

Turn 13

The Colorados on the rail line run away

The train with draws, the Yaqui reach the river

All hell breaks lose at the pueblo, Villa`s men attempt to storm the bridge in the face of Colorados, Federal troops and two cannon! Though luck is with them as the second Federal gun rolls two "1"s and its breech jams on the first shot taking two rounds to clear! 

Turn 14

The battle at the bridge becomes a total free for all, casualties on both sides mount quickly

Villa`s reserves move towards the bridge

 

Soldaderas - the feared Chicas de Muerta!

The Yaqui cross the rail bridge

Turn 15 

The Villaistas are across the bridge! In the face of concentrated rifle fire, cannon firing canister over open sights, they drive home the attack!

The Hotchkiss revolving cannon wipes out the Federal machine gun

The Yaqui start their move in towards the pueblo on the Federal left

Turn 16

Both federal cannon are knocked out one by rifle fire - leaving one fanatical gunner alive who picked up a rifle and fought on! The second gun took a direct hit from the Villista `75

At this point the Villistas were battling bayonet & machete against the surviving Colorados in the pueblo square. 

Turn 17

Colorado/Federal morale cracks, the survivors break off and try to mount their horses, many are simply gunned down as they run!

The lone gunner kills man after man as the vengeful Villaistas closed in!

Col. Diez realising the game is up makes a run for his car!

Turn 18 

Col. Diez has left it too late and he and his staff are butchered by the Yaqui! 

The last gunner meets a similar fate

The last Colorados flee

Afterword

This game was set up on the fly, but played as I had hoped. The Revolutionary battles seem from my reading to quite often be confused, jumbled affairs. Coordination between forces was difficult because of the lack of stable communications, sieges and attacks against towns often allowed the defenders better platforms (stable lines of communications) than their attacker had.

Artillery was generally poorly employed, even though the artillery arm was a specialist, trained corps. Gun were rarely employed against indirect targets and mortars/howitzers virtually non-existent. So guns tended to be employed in a direct line of sight capacity which of course made them vulnerable to enemy guns and also meant they were often employed too far forward making them vulnerable to capture too.

Villa as a commander was brave and clever  and keen to learn the military arts for former Federal officers. But he was not military trained and lacked subtle tactical skills, he was known to try and rush his opponent, overwhelming them with speed and numbers; but to win you need more then one tactic - this eventually was his undoing when facing barbed wire and entrenchment