Indian Territory

Scenarios for Long Knives and Injuns using Fire and Steel skirmish rules

Introduction

Presented below are the first two of a number of Wild West scenarios I've played in the past. Inspiration for them came mostly from a series of articles in Miniature Wargames. The ideas might have come from there but I can't claim that either of the following scenarios are based on historic events.
I wargame the American Civil War at 1:50 scale and have carried that through. I know it sounds daft but this works quite well. With a company represented by just one figure and using Fire and Steel skirmish rules, the few historical actions that I have tried were very successful. You need to be prepared to let figures split up and go off on their own to carry out specific tasks, like scouting, etc., not keep all your figures in one body. Historical actions seem to be all about lone companies shooting off in all directions and getting cut up by the Hostiles before help arrives.
These scenarios work best with a player-umpire taking the part of the Indians. It's best that the U.S. player doesn't know the Victory Points system or the Indians' Objectives, just his own Objectives.

Scenario 1 - Where there's smoke there's...

Background

A small body of U.S. Cavalry has been ordered to ride out and destroy an Indian village. No prisoners are to be taken. As the cavalry make their approach, smoke from the village can be seen in the distance rising over the trees. The Indians know they're coming and have begun to move the women and children to safety.

Terrain

A river runs down the center of the table. The two fords indicated are known to the Indians but are revealed to the cavalry only when they are reached. Elsewhere the river is impassable.
Three spurs project from the North edge of the table. All troops can cross these but they block line of site. Cliffs line the South edge. These can only be passed at the Indian Exit point. This path is obvious from anywhere on the table with a good line of sight
Scattered woodland covers part of the table. The Indian Village is in the extreme North East.

U.S. Cavalry

Objectives
Simple enough. Inflict as many casualties as possible on the Hostile population and take minimum casualties to themselves.

Forces

Character - Fig ID	Skill	Weapon	Traits	Wounds
Major Burns	1	Sword, revolver	-1 h-to-h	O O O
Sergeant Stripes	3	Carbine, sword, revolver	+2 morale, +1 h-to-h	O O O
Trooper Smith	2	Carbine, sword	+1 shooting	O O O
Trooper Jones	2	Carbine	None	O O O
Trooper Davis	1	Carbine, sword	-1 morale	O O O
Scout (White) - Hawkins	3	Rifle, revolver	+2 shooting, +1 morale	O O O

All U.S. troops are mounted and enter at the indicated point on Turn 1.

The Good Guys

Objective
For all forces to leave the table by the cliff path with minimal casualties.

Force 1 - The Braves

Character - Figure ID	Skill	Weapons	Traits	Wounds
White Cloud	3	Lance, bow, tomahawk	+2 morale, +1 h-to-h	O O O
Mountain Minnow	2	Lance, tomahawk	None	O O O
Broken Toe	2	Rifle, tomahawk	+1 shooting	O O O
Sleepy Horse	2	Rifle, tomahawk	+1 h-to-h	O O O

All the Braves have horses and may start the game anywhere on the table, mounted or dismounted. Record must be kept of where the horses are when the Braves dismount.

Force 2 - The Innocent Villagers

Character - Figure ID	Skill	Weapons	Traits	Wounds
Hairy Bear (Squaw)	1	Knife	-1 h-to-h	O O
Running Elk (Squaw)	1	Knife	-1 h-to-h	O O
Ten Moons (Child)	1	None	-2 h-to-h, -1 morale	O
Stolen from Ivor (Child)	1	None	-2 h-to-h, -1 morale	O

No horses are available for the villagers who, as you might expect, start in the village.

Victory Points

The Victors are decided when one force has left the table entirely. There is no time limit. Start from zero and tot up the following.

• +5 each Brave killed
• +3 each Squaw killed
• -1 each Child killed (I don't care what your orders were!)
• -10 Major killed
• -5 Sergeant killed
• -5 each Trooper killed
• -1 Scout killed (We never liked him any way!)

Results

• >13 Major U.S. Victory
• 4 - 13 Minor U.S. Victory
• (-7) - 3 Everybody loses - no draws - not in this game!
• (-17) - (-8) Minor Indian Victory
• <(-18) Major Indian Victory

Scenario 2 - Out on a spur

Background

The U.S. forces have set off to locate another village and report back. At first light today, Hawkins set out to observe the village and make an estimate of the number of Hostiles. The rest of the Cavalry are hiding on a hill to the South West waiting for him to return. To their dismay they notice a large war party returning from the West who will soon pass by and probably notice Hawkins. He needs saving.

Terrain

A river runs down the center of the table. The two fords indicated are known to both sides. Elsewhere the river is passable only with difficulty (bad terrain). There is a steep hill to the South West and a spur to the North East; the second level of each counts as bad terrain. Scattered woodland covers part of the table and the Indian Village is in the extreme North East corner.

U.S. Cavalry

Objective
Get someone off the West edge of the board who has seen the village from 12" distance or less. At the start of the game that means Hawkins. Anyone who spends a turn stationary with someone who has seen the village counts as if they've seen it themselves.

Forces - look familiar?

Character - Fig ID	Skill	Weapon	Traits	Wounds
Major Burns	1	Sword, revolver	-1 h-to-h	O O O
Sergeant Stripes	3	Carbine, sword, revolver	+2 morale, +1 h-to-h	O O O
Trooper Smith	2	Carbine, sword	+1 shooting	O O O
Trooper Jones	2	Carbine	None	O O O
Trooper Davis	1	Carbine, sword	-1 morale	O O O
Scout (White) - Hawkins	3	Rifle, revolver	+2 shooting, +1 morale	O O O

Hawkins starts dismounted at point B. The rest of the Cavalry are dismounted at point A. All have horses with them.

The Good Guys

Objective
Prevent the U.S. Cavalry achieving their own objective.

Force 1 - The Braves - enter on turn 1 where indicated and follow path until the enemy are discovered

Character - Figure ID	Skill	Weapons	Traits	Wounds
White Cloud	3	Lance, bow, tomahawk	+2 morale, +1 h-to-h	O O O
Mountain Minnow	2	Lance, tomahawk	None	O O O
Broken Toe	2	Rifle, tomahawk	+1 shooting	O O O
Sleepy Horse	2	Rifle, tomahawk	+1 h-to-h	O O O

All the Force 1 Braves have horses and start the game mounted.

Force 2 - More Braves - enter on turn 2 where indicated and follow path until the enemy are discovered

Character - Figure ID	Skill	Weapons	Traits	Wounds
Shaven Legs	3	Lance, bow, tomahawk	+2 morale, +1 h-to-h	O O O
Weeping Thrush	2	Lance, tomahawk	+1" movement on foot	O O O
Sorry Sight	2	Rifle, tomahawk	-1 shooting	O O O
Strong in the Arm	2	Rifle, tomahawk	+1 h-to-h	O O O

All the Force 2 Braves have horses and start the game mounted.

Force 3 - Even more Braves - start and remain in village until the enemy are discovered

Character - Figure ID	Skill	Weapons	Traits	Wounds
Black Rabbit	3	Lance, bow, tomahawk	+2 morale, +1 h-to-h	O O O
Yellow Stripe	2	Lance, tomahawk	-1 morale	O O O
Eleven Toes	2	Rifle, tomahawk	+1 shooting	O O O
White Metal	2	Rifle, tomahawk	+1 h-to-h	O O O

All the Force 3 Braves have horses but start the game dismounted.

Victory Points

There aren't any. Whoever achieves their objectives has won.