The Brazilian Exploratory Force (BEF) makes its long awaited debut into the theatre!
Firstly, why the Brazilians, you're probably wondering. The answer is, there was already too many British players. And yes, those are late war WW1 British figures being used to play the Brazilians.
The battle:
The Japanese launch a surprise invasion of Vladivostok, catching the Red Russian and myself (the Brazilian player) off guard.
I've a (no longer) secret agreement with the Red Russian player, allowing my forces to land at Vladivostok and ride the railway.
Unfortunately, the person commanding the Red Russians in this game wasn't aware of this (proxying for the actual Bolo player) so didn't know I was meant to be on his side. And the Japanese technically weren't at war with the Brazilians either. So I was the fly in the ointment, arriving on turn 3.
The Japanese landing craft arrive!
And is immediately bombarded from the shore batteries.
With the battle in full-swing, the first unit of Brazilians arrive.
(I thought it was a great idea to randomise the entry point - And they arrive into a firefight!)
Soon followed by the Brazilian CinC, de Castro Pereira, who it
turns out is an adrenalin junky who has no idea how to properly command a train.
(Again, I randomised for his entry point, and he turned up on the opposite table edge.)
Yes, you're seeing things correctly. The Brazilian 2iC did order his troops to advance along the railroad line, halting the fire from both Red Russians and Japanese - The Japanese player did comment how the Brazilian flag did look remarkably similar to the Star and Stripes of the USA.
Not that it stopped him from then ordering an aerial bomb attack into the Brazilian-Bolshevik grouping. My Brazilians joined in with the opportunity fire at the aerial target, which the Reds had initiated. (The Brazilian ROE state not to initiate combat with the Imperial Japanese, unless fired upon first.) But luckily we Brazilians of the Legion are rubbish shots, and missed!
Meanwhile, on the other side of Vladivostok, the train isn't moving fast enough so de Castro Pereira orders more speed.
With disastrous consequences!
Broken arm not stopping him, de Castro Pereira orders his surviving men to leave the carriage.
The foot race to reach the end of the derailed steam engine in full-swing. Gold medals to the boys from Brazil!
(Its a good job the Umpire didn't call for a dice test, to see if the intermingling of Brazilians and Japanese didn't devolve into a massed brawl.)
At this point in the game, the central warehouse has changed hands a few times between the Imperial Japanese and Red Russians. And the Russian player had reached the end of his patience with the Brazilians running around his home port - So he ordered his troops to open fire, justifying his actions with "I don't know which side they're on," which I replied with "I'm on your side!" The Russian reply of "You should have said so," didn't bring back the Brazilian KIA.
(I did say that it was a secret agreement I had with the campaign's Red Russian player. Unfortunately, in this game, he wasn't in control of the Bolshevik forces and I went along with keeping the game's Russian player in the dark.)
The flag of the Republic of the United States of Brazil is placed proudly on the quayside at Vladivostok. Objective number one seized. We control the water front.
(The flag is correct, though an anachronism for our time frame.)
This is where the game's Red Russian player disagreed with de Castro Pereira's presence and my claim that the Brazilian Exploratory Force had helped secure Vladivostok. It wasn't my fault the Japanese didn't shoot at us in the game and, therefore, allowing the BEF to follow ROE and engage them in battle.
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The rules used were Setting The East Ablaze (STEA)
Those present at the game were:
. Commanding Player Imperial Japanese Forces
. Commanding Player Brazilian Exploratory Force (BEF) aka the Brazilian Legion, or Brazil Legion
. Commanding Player Imperial White Russians (solely as an observer of the game)
. Player controlling Vladivostok's Bolshevik garrison (and who's house we played at)
. Campaign Umpire
Game outcome:
A mess.
Both the Bolshevik and the Japanese army morale broke at the end of turn 8. But the Bolsheviks were defending, so get to keep Vladivostok and lay claim to a victory.
The Japanese retreated to prepare for a future (possible) attempt at the port. While, also cutting Vladivostok off from the sea with their fleet and destroying the railroad line to the north. Vladivostok is, effectively, cut off from help.
The Brazilians, meanwhile, are boisterous in the victory they perceive they achieved. The commander's accompanying ladies are quickly ferried in from the offshore ships (as somebody has to nurse him, now he has TWO broken arms. Or was it two break to one arm?) Either way, he won't be using his sniper rifle, nor commanding from the front, for the foreseeable future.
