07/13/07 - The Road to Tsientsien: A Boxer Rebellion scenario for The Sword and The flame. And yes, the editor does realize that the membership had many pressing social engagements throughout the month of July, resulting in only one game being held during that period. However, the crack staff hopes to compensate for this with a plethora of oriental wargame weenie images.

Top right, a completely inappropriate libation accompanying a spectacular pagoda which required the absolute minimum of effort to prepare for the game. (As in, "I really like that aquarium decoration you have in your window. Here's my credit card, will you sell it to me?")

At right, 'All the Germans in the World' sweep onto the table on the right flank. With their mounted colonel safely in the rear they press forward with banners flying. Incidentally, these very banners can be found on the Warflag web site, and also here on the web site for The Bengal Club. If you don't have the Warflag site bookmarked in your browser, then go to our links page, and click on the link there. If you want to download a copy of the regimental standard for the Imperial German Marines, the go to our FLAGS page.

At right, the same Germans, from the Boxer perspective. Not only does this provide a better view of the flags, but also of the 'Chinese Bridge.' This item, much lusted after by our French associates (Eric, I'm still looking for another one of these, but all the discount stores seem to stock lighthouses now instead of bridges) was purchased at a 99 cent store, where it was being sold as an 'American Christmas Time Cover Type Bridge.' Clearly made in China it didn't quite look like a New England covered bridge, but with a little repainting it made a quite believable Chinese footbridge.

While the Germans move inexorably forward on the right, the American forces maneuver for position in the center and on the left of the table. At right, a group of Boxer spearmen spring from ambush in... Well, originally it was supposed to be a rice paddy, but our member in the Central Pacific still hasn't emailed us his instructions on how to build a model rice paddy. So the umpire was compelled to use a piece of beige fur, which looked something like the 'Wheat Field' from the American Civil War. Here the Boxers have charged home on a skirmish line of US cavalry. The Americans are about to roll very poorly on their dice. Consequently they will flee combat, but not make it quite far enough away to escape the charging Boxers, who will strike them in the rear and inflict serious casualties. In the rear, at left, can be seen the now famous 'Aquarium Decoration Chinese Pagoda.' In the rear, at right, can be seen the unimpressed German commander, waiting for this turn to end so that he can resume the forward motion of his Teutonic steamroller.

Below, the eventual victims of the German advance. A large unit of Chinese regulars, with a very pretty flag, hope to use a redoubt to block the Germans. Unfortunately German rifle fire will, eventually, eliminate every single figure before the Germans resume their advance to, what appears to be, inevitable victory.

Above right, having vanquished the US Cavalry, the Boxers move on to attack a skirmish line of US infantry. These Americans will successfully evade the Chinese At right, the lone Boxer unit can be seen preparing to charge the American formation revealed by the flight of the US skirmishers. At this point things looked pretty hopeless for the Boxers, but they did rather well. Of course they died to the last man, but it really was surprising just how many Americans units were diverted from the advance to eradicate this single unit of chaps with spears.

TA-DAH! The Chinese commander springs his cunning trap. Wave upon wave of inscrutable adversaries surge upon the Americans from their hiding place just off the left hand side of the gaming table. At right, a close up of the Imperial cavalry making up the first wave of the attack

At right, the Imperial Cavalry (center rear) joined by the Kansu Braves (red coats in the center) and some Boxer survivors (shirtless at bottom left) crash upon the American left flank. This photo will soon be followed by some excellent dice rolling on the part of the American commander, some appalling dice rolling by the Chinese commander, and the immediate flight of all Chinese survivors off the left hand side of the table.

Above, a close up of the pretty flag brandished by the sorry survivors of the German marksmanship.

At right, more of the, now clearly doomed, Chinese flank march against the Americans. A final wave of Tartar cavalry clearly can not succeed where the Chines regulars have failed. On the other hand, while the US forces were delayed slaughtering the Chinese flank march the Germans goose stepped across the table and won all their victory conditions. Commentators described this as, "The Americans fought hard, and the Germans won the game."