Java (1811) - another Christmas Cracker!

At OWS in recent years we have established a fine tradition of Christmas special games. These are multi-player BBB scenarios created by Dr Mark Smith, but with the added dimension that each player has personal objectives unknown to his team-mates, and often conflicting with theirs. Mark likes to find obscure corners of history for us to visit. Previous years have seen us fight at Magdala, Khoosh-Ab, and Amoaful.

This year, in honour of Colin's recent return from Indonesia, Mark transported us to the British invasion of Java in 1811. The climactic battle of the Java Expedition was the storming of Fort Cornelis, and this was the action we fought.

Fort Cornelis from the south. British columns are attacking from the west (out of camera);

the north (where they have breached the defences); and the northeast. 

The measuring stick is pointing at Redoubt #3 as my troops storm it from front and rear.

Note the Christmas cracker, top of shot, to aid combat resolution.

Photo courtesy of Bruce.

It was my lot to take the part of Colonel Rollo Gillespie and lead one of four British columns converging on the Fort from various directions. My objectives were simple, focusing on storming a couple of the fort's key redoubts. The execution was less straightforward than the mission. Random events were resolved by Christmas cracker. I lost the first pull so Gillespie was personally struck down for the first two turns by poisoned coffee, slowing down my night approach from the east. Worse than that, the cracker contained a large D6 which Crispin adopted and used to deadly effect, killing off two of my precious skirmisher bases in the first couple of rounds of firing. I confiscated the evil cube, only returning it for the final assault of the game, when we found it actually could roll a 1.

My compatriots were faring little better. Adjacent to me, the aggressive McLeod tried but failed to storm a redoubt, with diffident support from Wetherall who was more intent on preserving his force intact. In the southwest, Major Yule's column was stalled and ultimately beaten by French guarding the enemy's line of communications. Meanwhile the task facing me got no easier as more French, Dutch and Javanese recovered from their surprise and manned the fortifications.

But at last McLeod cracked the crust and stormed the corner redoubt. A gallant defender detonated the magazine, causing us great loss, but we were not to be gainsaid. The breach once made, McLeod's men poured through it, while I was able to exploit and widen it to assail a second redoubt, my main objective. This I took on the last turn, and just as well, for my attempts against a third redoubt had been fitful and futile. A French counterattack was thwarted by redcoat volleys.

So ended the game. McLeod had failed to take as many redoubts as he hoped, and Wetherall's reticence had perhaps cost him a part in a British victory, so I was left as the most successful (or least unsuccessful) British player. I must say I didn't feel like a winner, but benefited from a charitable scoring scheme. As for the Franco-Dutch, despite the defection mid-game of an entire Dutch contingent who marched off unimpeded, and despite the fall of the fort and their military defeat, in game terms they had a clear win.

Once again, Mark had entertained us and educated us at the same time. Roaring good fun, and a wonderful way to end another wonderful year of good gaming with good friends. Here's to more of the same in 2018!