Ambush (Morelos 1918)

Ambush!

Morelos 1918

This is a fictional game set during the Mexican Revolution. I am trying to write about different aspects of the revolutionary wars to expand my games into areas not usually covered.

This follows directly after my earlier game:

https://baberonwargames.blogspot.com/2025/09/atapec-mexican-revolution-game.html

History

Morelos is a relatively young state, having only been created in 1869 by President Benito Juárez in honour of the independence leader, José María Morelos y Pavón.

Morelos is also known as the home of Emiliano Zapata, one of the most famous revolutionaries of the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920). Zapata’s cause was ignited by the inequities of the sugar industry that had thrived in Morelos since the early colonial period. Zapata would become the inspiration of the agrarian movement called Zapatismo.

Even though the armies of the Carranza Government are now on the ascendancy in the war as a whole, the Zapatistas and their various native Indian allies can still cause trouble and controlled large parts of the state and launched attacks, ambushed and harried their Federal opponents, this game represents one of those actions.

Game Background

Federal forces have found things hard going over the last month or so, culminating in the defeat and capture of the Pueblo of Atapec by Zapatista forces! Situated just 30miles south of the State Capital of Cuernavaca, which itself is only 52miles from Mexico City! Atapec was an important supply base for Carranza`s forces in the area, its loss (be a temporary) was embarassing and the loss of the supplies – either stolen or destroyed has been a major blow.

General Gonzalez the local Federal commander needs to send a supply column through “bandit country” to re-supply his forces in the field; this is the basic background of my scenario.

The convoy has to pass through the territory controlled by a Tlahuica Indian named Chato (who led the attack on Atapec) and his followers.

Federal orders

You command a supply column, your orders are simple the wagons of supplies and ammunition must get through at all costs.

Indian orders

After the success at Atapec your warband has gained more volunteers who are keen to get to grips with the Federales. Your scouts have spotted a large convoy moving up a nearby valley, this seems an opportunity for them to gain experience and your band much needed supplies, particularly rifles and ammunition. You must of course consider casualties, if you lose too many warriors, others will be less likely to follow you in future.

Federal forces * See note 1 below

HQ

CO, driver & bodyguard (in car)

Convoy

several large wagons of supplies

2 squadrons of 12th Cavalry each with:

30 mounted troopers in 10 man troops

1 company from the Federal 24th Infantry Regiment with

HQ: CO, NCO, 2 men

3 x 10 fig platoons

Tlahuica Indians * See note 2 below

Chato * See note 3 below

4 x 10 figure warbands (mixed weapons) * See note 4 below

Note - Chato is the figure in the white shirt and hat on the far right 

1 x 10-fig special scouts (Mixed weapons) * See note 5 below

1 x 6-fig mounted scouts (mixed weapons)

Special game notes

1. Federal morale is not good and they suffer a -1 penalty for this game

2 All Tlahuica Indians gain +1 in melee

3 Chato adds +1 morale to any Indian unit with command radius, he himself gets +1 on on rolls due to his skills.

4 Bow max range 6”

Range 1-3” - open 4-6, soft cover 6, hard cover 6

Range 4-6” – open 5-6, soft cover 6

5 Special scouts

These are highly skilled and add +1 to all dice (to hit, effects, morale, etc)

They move always as if they are one level of cover better (due to skill) so in the open they are considered in soft cover, etc

They are hard to spot causing a -1 to any spotting roles against them.

The Tlahuica Indians are out numbered roughly 2:1, they also lack firearms with about a quarter of their warriors being armed only with bows and melee weapons! This cannot become a straight up toe-to-toe battle. However Federale morale is shaky, whilst Indian morale is good which could balance the encounter. 

Initial set-up

The Indian bands start the game concealed along the trail, I used marked discs placed face down to randomise the deployment. The Federale convoy has one cavalry troop out front, another to the rear and two more on each flank; the infantry plod along with the wagons.

My table

This photo shows my disposition markers

As I was playing solo I decided to set the convoy up in column in the center of the table to start the game - rather then slowly move every figure, horse and wagon team for some 5 turns, which would have been a complete waste of time! If playing with an opponent (or multiple players) you of course can place the Indians anywhere and start the convoy at the start of the trail.

Once set I turned the markers to find out the Indian deployment

Obviously crosses mark deployment zones

By pure chance two Indian units flank the trail

Chato and his group ended up close by

This Indian group was very isolated and exposed

Chato`s scouts in a position to cut off any retreat

Mounted group held in reserve

Game Report

Frankly this was a very confusing and chaotic game, so I`ve written a brief game report, illustrated by photos; but haven`t written it turn by turn as usual because some turns blended into the next very quickly.

The Federale convoy walked straight into Chato`s ambush, the lead cavalry troop was shot to pieces, Other Federal units took casualties up and down the convoy.

The commander of the second Federal Squadron launched his troop towards Indians on the right flank of the convoy,

They met a hail of accurate fire, he and his standard bearer were killed, his unit failed their morale and routed.

The Convoy commander also died, hit twice (totally random and he had saving rolls which he failed) sitting in his car, his driver and bodyguard leaped out and joined the escort fighting back against their attackers, a flanking cavalry troop also charges those Indians.

At the rear of the convoy the last cavalry troop dismounts and moves to support the infantry defending the wagons, both units face Chato`s highly skilled scouts.

At the front of the convoy, infantry and cavalry battle the indians concealed among the rocks

At the rear of the column casualties mount among the cavalry

At the front the indians begin to close on the lead wagon

In the center a huge melee has developed, but the Federals outnumber the indians and are gaining the upper hand, the indian mounted reserve makes an appearance into the flank.

Federal cavalry units at the rear of the convoy and on the right flank fail their morale and break

A melee develops around the lead wagon

In the center the melee gets more intense

After about ten turns, casualties have risen to critical levels among the convoy defenders, most of what remains of the cavalry are fleeing in whatever direction they can escape.

The commander of the Federal infantry decides to cut his loses and blows up the closest two wagons to cover his own retreat.

Chato`s men butcher any remaining Federals and move in to loot the wagons

So a total victory for Chato and his band, but he lost 26 out of 56 warriors (though under our campaign rules he would get 50% back due to the victory), but inflicted far greater casualties on the Federals and captured three out of five wagons and a car (which they can`t use) so not a bad days work.

I`m not sure about the scenario as a whole, convoy/ambush games tend to be a bit hit-miss.

The deployment markers worked OK, the melee rules still need work.