Russian Civil War - Battle of Khabarovsk, Eastern Maritime Provinces, Siberia, 24th August 1918

On the 3rd of March 1918 Russia and Germany signed the Treaty of Brest-Litvosk, ending Russian involvement in World War One. Huge stocks of Entente supplied war-materials lay in Murmansk and Vladivostok; it was imperative these did not fall into Bolshevik/German hands. This is why the 25th Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment was sent to Siberia and found themselves fighting, under the Japanese flag.

25th Battalion Middlesex Regiment “The Navvies”.

John Ward was born in 1866, the son of a plasterer who died when he was three. At seven he was doing odd jobs as a teenager and he worked as a navvy (a labourer on road, railway and canal constructions). Increasingly interested in politics, he set up the “Navvies, Bricklayers’ Labourers and General Labourers’ Union” in 1889; and by 1906 he was a Member of Parliament. In 1914, The War Office asked him to recruit men for construction battalions. He raised four battalions all becoming part of The Middlesex Regiment (a.k.a. The Die-hards), and John Ward was offered the Colonelship of the 25th Battalion.

Col Ward (left) and Czech General Detriks – Vladivostok 1918

The men of the 25th Battalion were classified as B1 (B-oners), fit for overseas deployment but not prime men; most were older and John Ward was 46. The 25th were designated a Garrison Battalion and sent to Singapore and Hong Kong, where they expecting to sit out the war uneventfully.

To Siberia

With the Bolshevik Russian Government making peace with Germany, it was essential to safeguard Vladivostok’s stocks of war materials. The 25th Middlesex were the nearest British force available, so in July 1918 they became the first Interventionist force to arrive in Vladivostok. 

By August the situation in Eastern Siberia was deteriorating rapidly, following successes by Bolshevik/Magyar forces, against the smaller White army consisting of Czechs and Cossacks. 

The Bolsheviks threatened the junction of the TransSib (in green) with the Trans Manchurian railway (in orange); if lost the rest of Russia would be cut off from Vladivostok. As the only allied troops available, John Ward had no option but to entrain his B-oners and move north. Contact was made with the Bolshevik army at the last halt before reaching Khabarovsk and within shelling range of a Bolshevik armed train; the navvies played to their strength and dug-in. 

Russia showing Trans Sib railway et al.

The 25th's position was untenable but further interventionist troops were now arriving in Siberia, mostly from Japan. Soon the Japanese had a divisional strength force just south of the 25th’s position. 

John Ward and his men fell under the command of the Imperial Japanese Army’s 12th Division, Lieutenant-General Oie; I think this is the only time British troops were commanded by and under The Imperial Japanese Army. 

At dawn on the 24th of August 1918 the 12th Division attacked. The 25th were the first British troops to witness the ruthless advance of Japanese infantry driving all before them. By 8.30am the B-oners were exhausted but the only organised Bolshevik force east of the Ural Mountains, had been dispersed.

British Troops Parade in Omsk, Winter 1918

If the Navvies thought that was the end of their adventures in Siberia, they were very mistaken. Omsk was the capital and the centre of anti-Bolshevik resistance in Siberia; as the only British unit in theatre the 25th were sent via the Trans Manchurian and Trans Sib railways there. While the majority of the 25th remained in Omsk, Colonel Ward as the most senior British officer in Omsk, went on an inspection tour of the front accompanied by a smaller party of his troops. 

Colonel Ward and staff, well wrapped-up, somewhere in Siberia.

His tour took him across the Urals into European Russia, via Yekaterinburg and Perm ending near Koltis, about 300 miles south of Arkangel, now occupied by another Entente intervention force. By now it was the middle of the Russian winter and while precarious contact was made with Arkangel, no further progress was possible, so he and his men returned to Omsk. With more entente interventionist forces arriving in Omsk, the navvies began the long homeward journey.

Map showing location of Kotlas, the extreme limit of Col John Wards progress into Russia.
The North-Dvina River, discharges into The White Sea at Archangel.

The Rules

Triumph of the Will | TOOFATLardies

We used the Too Fat Lardies rules “Triumph of the Will – Wargames rules for revolutionary warfare 1914 to 1936”, by Richard Clarke; these rules, focus strongly on morale and motivation. To represent this, the size (number of figures) of each unit is a reflection of the unit’s motivation, not its actual numerical size. For example, the highly motivated Japanese units are ten figures each, but the less motivated Bolshevik units are six each. 

Infantry movement is one inch per figure, up to a maximum of eight inches and the units gets one shooting attempt per five figures. To continue the example, the Japanese would move eight inches and fire twice and the Bolsheviks six inches and fire once per activation; as a unit loses figures movement is reduced by one inch per figure lost. As a unit loses more figures, it is increasingly ineffective as it can only move one or two inches and fire at a very reduced level. There are no morale tests, as morale is rolled up into fire and movement. 

Unit activation is by cards; when the two jokers are drawn, the turn-cycle ends, though units not yet activated can still shoot. Units are initially deployed using blinds and only placed on the table when spotted. These rules are available in pdf format from the Too Fat Lardies web shop and include supplementary rules for specific wars (e.g. Spanish Civil War, Russian Revolution) in this period.

How the game played.

The forces of both sides were a mixed-bag. The Bolshevik forces consisted of conscripted Red Guard motivated by their commissars, ex-POW Magyars and some Cossacks for cavalry; their best troops were a unit of naval infantry (sailors & marines) and the armed train. The Interventionist forces were composed of well-motivated Japanese infantry and artillery, the 25th, ex-POW Czech infantry, some so-so Japanese cavalry (cavalry was never a Japanese strength) and a significant number of Cossacks. Off table The Interventionists had an armed train, represented by a spotter team.

The Bolsheviks and the Interventionists had decided to deploy some units directly onto the table, without blinds. The Bolsheviks deployed their two best units, the armed train and the naval infantry unit into the railway-station and The Interventionists deployed their off-table artillery spotter without a blind too. 

As most units were represented by blinds, initial game turns moved quickly, until sufficient blinds were replaced by their spotted units. 

The Interventionist artillery spotters quickly called counter battery artillery fire aimed at the train. With more unit cards in the draw-pack the sequence of play became less predictable. The Bolsheviks had spotted the 25th and Japanese troops advancing towards the railway station; Red Guards, marines and the train opened fire on them. The 25th, not enjoying the attention of the Red Guards, decided that some shovel and spade work was in order and charged the Red Guards, defending the coal bunkers. However, the youthful Red Guards, despite their poor morale, held off the navvies who were forced to retreat.

By now the advancing Japanese were closing in and, despite taking fire from the Bolshevik train, moved to charge the coal bunkers. Interventionist artillery was raining down on the Bolshevik’s train causing considerable damage, as the focus of the action remained the railways station. 

In front of the 25th, more advancing Bolshevik forces were spotted in the morning light, but the mist was thicker in front of the Czechs and Magyars, as the presence of blinds persisted on this flank; perhaps as well since the Czechs and the Magyars had a particular dislike of each other.

With a ruthless attack the Japanese cleared the coal bunkers of the youthful Red Guards, but the naval infantry, remembering Port Arthur, were made of stronger stuff. Another unit of the 25th attacked the Russian sailors but with no avail and were driven off. Luckily the artillery spotter was experienced and at the next opportunity walked the barrage to the sailors’ position causing considerable casualties, including the loss of their officer. With the numbers now more even and with Colonel Ward leading his men, the 25th attacked again and pushed the sailors back and securing a firm lodgement in the railway complex.

By now all the mist must have cleared, as all blinds had been replaced by their respective units and the Japanese saw the left flank of the Bolshevik army spread out before them. The Japanese cavalry thought it a good idea to advance towards a unit of maxim gun armed Magyars they had mistaken for Red Guards; the result was predictably bad for the Japanese. However, the Japanese artillery had got the range of the Bolshevik lines too and a combination of accurate and luck fire destroyed several Bolshevik units.

The 25th weren’t put of the woods yet, as a force of Red Cossacks charged them; the 25th buckled but did not break at the ferocious charge. The Cossack officers lost control of their men, who thinking the retiring opponents had been broken, wildly followed them. But the men of the 25th didn’t lose their cohesion and after a desperate struggle held off the Cossacks, but at considerable cost to themselves.

It now only remained for General Oie to deliver the coup de grace, on behalf of his Emperor. With Japanese infantry sweeping forward and soon to be in melee, the activation card for the allied Cossack cavalry came up; General Oie didn’t miss his opportunity. Lead by their Altman in best Cossack tradition, the Magyars holding the extreme end of the Bolshevik line were routed; the Altman didn’t try to stop his men pursuing the Magyars, who were soon slaughtered. 

Their flank turned by Cossacks, Russian good sense overtook political ideology, as it was self-evidently safer on the other side of the Amur River, which is two and a half kilometres wide at Khabarovsk. The game ended with a clear Interventionist victory, as happened in history when the Bolsheviks confronted the Japanese 12th Division. 

This shouldn’t really be surprising as Russia was militarily exhausted and in political turmoil; conversely the Imperial Japanese Army had taken no significant part in The First World War.

Acknowledgements etc: figures from Copplestone Casting, Empress Miniatures, Wargames Atlantic and Redoubt Miniatures. Train, rollingstock, station etc by Sarissa Pression. 

Thanks to Mark, Mark, Mathew, Tom and Ian for all playing in the spirit of the era.

Source: the main source for the scenario and historical account is, With the “Die-Hards” in Siberia, by Col John Ward. The book is available in hard copy reprint or a free e-book from gutenburg.org. I highly recommend the book if you want to know about this forgotten era of twentieth century history.

Colonel Ward, C.B., C.M.G., M.P.
https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/10972/pg10972-images.html

Other information is from internet resources.

Stephen Huntsman

Marvel Crisis Protocol.

Despite Devon Wargames Group being a mainly historical club, we do run the odd "other" game. This month I decided I would give Marvel Crisis Protocol a run out.

Marvel Crisis Protocol gives players the opportunity to be their favourite Superheroes for a day, whilst trying to occupy or collect objectives as they save/seek to destroy the world.

Having gathered four virgin players willing to give it a go, I ran a training turn, so that everyone had some idea about what was going on. This did not go too well, with some of the concepts confusing the players (probably my fault in the way I explained them.)

Pressing on, I gave the players one character each and ran a full game, at reduced points. Captain America, Ironman and Rocket Raccoon took on The Hulk and Doc Ock. Being experienced gamers, the chaps started to pick up the rhythm of the game and were soon making informed choices of who to activate and what abilities to use. The boys saw that this game was about more than damage and picked up victory points for secure and extraction tokens.

The first game finished with a big victory point win for Captain Marvel and company.

Play was speeding up now the boys were getting the hang of the system, so we swapped sides and put the scenario on "rinse and repeat."

This was a much more nuanced game. Doc Ock and Hulk decided to pick on the little guy Raccoon. The other side went after Doc Ock and tried to keep Hulk at a distance.

It wasn't long before Rocket Raccoon was "dazed" and Doc Ock had picked up damage. Hulk attempted to get involved and launched the garbage truck Ironman was standing on into the distance.

Rocket Raccoon was soon knocked out, whilst Hulk was now getting really angry.

Some heavily powered up attacks left all the rest of the opposition dazed at the end of the final turn.

Many thanks to John, Mark, Paul and Lawrence for taking it all with good humour, as they channelled their inner Superheroes.

Vince

French Indian Wars skirmish to "Blood & Plunder".

 

I guess I would class myself as more of a historical big-battle, large skirmish kind of wargamer when it comes to a preference about the games I would always jump at playing with a distinct leaning towards the simulation quality of a set of rules, which I gauge on my own assessment spectrum of simulation at one end of the extreme and game at the other, and then my other assessment profile, fun to play - not fun to play, preferring that sweet-spot of the fun, simulation game.

As far as the first parameter with regards to Blood & Plunder (B&P) rules from Firelock games, seemingly more aimed at the smaller skirmish game, they would not have appealed in terms of other rule sets I would naturally turn to, and as regards the simulation aspect, I see them very much in the realms of a game, aimed at lovers of the Hollywood pirate cliché, in the guise of Captain Jack Sparrow rather than claims to be recreating the career of Edward Teach.

As to whether B&P are or were fun to play, the initial hurdles to my decision to play them would have not permitted me to have offered an opinion until now.

In addition to having a clear set of parameters when assessing games and rules I prefer over others, I also believe in the maxim that minds are like parachutes, working at their best when open, and the Devon Wargames Group is the kind of club where you can get the opportunity to play most sets of rules out there at any given time, with all sorts of themes as well.

So it was the chance of playing something new to me that prompted me to take up Mike C's offer to host a game of B&P using his marvellous collection of French Indian War figures and terrain which I have enjoyed games with in previous club meetings.

The rules themselves have features common to several others I have played in my time with various unit and character statistics that feature in the combat and morale calculations that require testing during play, the normal movement, loading and firing actions and an interesting activation sequence using a playing card sequencing  based on the suit of the card, its value, with aces low, and the quality of the troops using the card.

The quality of the troop type is important, because although the suit and value determines who gets to activate first in a given round of play, the quality determines how many things you get to do in that action, and sometimes the two requirements don't always match, leading to an interesting decision point for players as to who to activate and when depending on a given situation, never knowing what options the enemy might have as their priorities.

Mike presented the table as seen above, for the four of us playing the game, with two players per side, and with myself and Nathan commanding the British garrison holding the fort, and with potential for some reinforcements turning up later in the game, whilst Alex and Steve M took the French command, tasked with taking the fort and fending off any relief attempts.

As part of the setup Nathan and I, as British defenders, had the opportunity to rearrange parts of the terrain to our liking and so prepared a clear field of fire around our stockade, as the most likely preparation made by any garrison. 

Each team of players was presented with a very nice set of 17th century replica playing cards from which we drew a hand of cards equal to the number of units we had in play and then once we could see the hand, the decision on who to activate and what to do with the unit in question.

At first, with the various units at long range and seeking to manoeuvre into position, the activation sequence was not particularly critical, albeit the occasional irritating hit on a unit that was hoping to get the first advantageous shot from cover, which, as figures became casualties pushed units ever closer to their break point as the game progressed.

I must say that the anticipation of reviewing the hand of cards drawn each turn of play and bathing in the comfort of several face cards in hand whilst trying to assess the priorates coming up in play as regards getting in an important shot or charging in on a unit that was ripe for being sorted out with the bayonet was a very fun aspect of play in B&P and made for a very interactive game as the drama unfolded before us.

The French made good headway around all sides of the fort and their combined firing soon forced the British back from the front palisades around the main gate, as Nathan and I decided to surrender the position, looking to form an inner defence of the compound based around the tower position at the back of the fort garrisoned by our best bayonet wielders and firers, the ever reliable British Grenadiers.

As Indians and French Marines scaled the front palisade and dropped into the interior, a close hand to hand struggle developed in the compound, with nowhere to hide, as the British defenders poured in musketry backed by bayonet attacks, as the defenders attempted to turn the compound into a kill zone for the first enemy units that entered; and this was where the card play really came to the fore, with the need to get the drop on the enemy and make it count before they could respond in kind made for a very fun entertaining period of play.

Meanwhile the first British relief units started to appear on the perimeter in the form of several units of British rangers who very quickly asserted themselves by shooting up and dispersing several follow up French units closing on different sides of the fort.

In the end the interior compound fell to the French, but not without a heavy toll on the attackers and although the British rangers were making progress on the perimeter and the fort tower held firm it seemed fair to award the game to the French, although I like to think they would have had to offer terms to our stalwart grenadiers to surrender the place with full military honours.

I can't say I will be a regular player of B&P, but I enjoyed our game and can readily see why the system attracts its fans, with its player decision points generated by the card play mechanism an attractive way to enjoy skirmish games.

In my assessment B&P leans more towards being a game rather than a simulation of skirmish black powder warfare, but is no less than a very fun game as well being a strong competitor in this genre to similar offerings such as Musket and Tomahawks.

Thank you to Mike C for putting the game together and to Steve M, Alex and Nathan for the fun of playing it.

JJ

Clotted Lard 2025 in Support of Devon Air Ambulance.

 

I am proud to write that the Devon Wargames Group has regularly promoted our hobby of historical wargaming in support of several charities over the years and in more recent years that has been directed in support of our own county wide air ambulance service, Devon Air Ambulance, that provides vital emergency rescue around our very large rural county that is a summertime destination for many folks resulting in our population multiplying dramatically in the summer and our roads becoming heavily congested with visiting traffic.

Devon Air Ambulance Trust relies on a combination of public donations, income from its charity shops, and lottery funding to support its operations, and with donations from the public making up 23% of its funding that saw the trust raise £15.8 million in 2024 and needing to spend £14.8 million of which £9.2 million was used to provide its charitable service, saving lives across Devon, we in the club are very pleased to be able to support such an important service.

Another great day in 2025 for Clotted Lard VIII.
Thank you to everyone who took part and contributed to helping Devon Air Ambulance in the process.

We have enjoyed the company of Too Fat Lardies and all our friends in Lard for the last eight years with our annual Clotted Lard show, and last year saw the event raise just over £264 after expenses, with a further £20.40 raised on the day from participants and visitors happy to make a contribution.

To this, as in previous years, the club voted to round the sum up from £264 to £400 at our Club AGM  to which was added the contributions from the day.

As in all club activities nothing could be accomplished without teamwork and volunteers willing to make a contribution, and whilst we all get to enjoy playing the games we bring to the tabletop, it would be remiss not to mention Richard Clark and Nick Skinner of Too Fat Lardies who have been regular supporters of our show over the years and continue to be so. 

In addition I should thank the managing committee of the Lympstone Village Hall who make available their 'second to none' facilities that we all enjoy for our show, Colin Murray our Clotted Lard Club 'cat-hearder in chief', who has taken over the reins to organise our annual event, Jack and Sarah Frost who arranged our cream teas 'Devon style' with, of course, cream on first, and all the club members and Lardy friends who turned out to help get things set up and cleared away, as well as contributing to the games we hosted.

Thank you to one and all and here's looking forward to Clotted Lard IX in 2026.

JJ

Blood Red Skies - Battle of Britain Mini-Campaign

 

This month Si got his RAF & Luftwaffe models out on the table to entertain a few of the chaps with a Battle of Britain mini-campaign using the rules 'Blood Red Skies' from Warlord Games, and written by Andy Chambers, offering a fun action packed way of playing WWII air battles.

The campaign consisted of three scenarios played for about four-hours that resulted in a 2-1 victory for the Luftwaffe.

Scenario One was a 'Dogfight', a learning game pitting two Spitfires up against two Bf 109s.

Scenario Two, 'Fighter Sweep' that featured eight Bf 109s up against six Hurricanes and three Spitfires. This went to the Luftwaffe after the RAF ran out of fuel/ammunition or just lost morale.

Scenario Three was 'Escort', with four Bf 109s, 2 Bf 110s, and two He 111s against six Hurricanes and three Spitfires. 

After the loss of a Spitfire and a Hurricane, the RAF withdrew.

The aircraft are 1/144 scale model plastic kits, and the flight stands and clouds are home made.