Balaclava 1854 - The Heights of Death

Yesterday we tried out another socially distanced remote live stream Bloody Big Battles scenario. This time we ventured back into the Crimea with the Battle of Balaclava. Rather than the Valley of Death it became the Heights of Death as carnage on the Causeway ensued.

This time Edmund was able to 'virtually' attend and took command of the attacking Russians in their attempt to capture the British supply port of Balaclava, whilst Crafthole directed the defending Allied forces of Britain, France and Turkey. I acted as referee and moved the pieces on the board for the participants.

Map of the battle area, objectives for the Russian attack are the redoubts on the Causeway Heights and Canrobert's Hill, the Fedoukine Heights, the Sapoune Ridge, the small rise to the right of Kadikoi, and Balaclava. If the Allies lose Balaclava or the topmost redoubt on the Causeway Heights then they cannot regain them as an objective. In addition the Russians have the potential to gain an objective for each of four allied divisions in reserve, the chances of gaining an objective from this increase the more reserves the allies commit. The Allies might also gain an objective if the Russians commit their Forward Reserve. To win the Russians must gain and hold a challenging five objectives. 

The allies set up first...

The Royal Naval and Marine crewed guns are in rifle pits in the foreground near Balaclava, supported by a detachment of Highland, Marine and Turkish infantry. As this was quite a small scenario I had enough tin to represent full batteries as two guns and half-batteries as one gun. This also helped me remember which was which as both sides had a slightly confusing mixture of both.

The partially built Causeway and Canrobert Hill redoubts are only partly manned by Turkish crewed naval 12 pounders. The middle redoubt is empty.

In garrison in Kadikoi are more Turkish conscripts and most of the veteran 93rd Highlanders. All these forces are under the command of Sir Colin Campbell.

Behind the Redoubts, between the Wornozoff and Balaclava Roads,  are stationed the Cavalry Division under Lord Lucan.

This consists of the crack Heavy and Light Brigades with supporting horse artillery.

The French Corps d'Observation observe from the Sapoune Heights. They are not allowed to move until turn 5 but can provide artillery support. Apart from their cavalry, if committed to action, by firing with small arms, assaulting or being assaulted, it may be possible for the Russians to gain an objective per division committed. Further British reserves await off table with similar rules applying, arriving from Turn 4.

Russian set up, various forces are poised to move forward in march column with supporting artillery. On the furthermost side of the River Chernaya and Aqueduct are (left to right) Grubbe, Semiakin, Levutsky and Skuderi. On the other side of the river, next to the furthermost (Trakir) Bridge are Liprandi and Zhaboknitski. If Zhaboknitski, the forward reserve, is committed then the Allies may gain an objective on the roll of a dice. As with allied reserve activation, they count as committed if they conduct small arms fire, assault or are assaulted, but can use their artillery without this counting as being committed.

The game is afoot, as the Russians advance and quickly secure the unoccupied Fedoukine heights. The Turkish batteries open up and the Cavalry Division move up in support the topmost Causeway redoubt.

The Russians march into the North Valley and deploy in depth to prepare for an assault.

They rapidly take the unoccupied middle redoubt before destroying the Heavy Brigade at the point of the bayonet, their favoured weapon.

Following up, they take heavy loss but also shatter the supporting Turkish battery, capturing the redoubt, and forcing the Light Brigade to withdraw. Some accounts will claim the cause of this withdrawal is contractionary orders delivered by a certain ADC called Flashman.

Now supported by the horse artillery the Light Brigade charge in again, forward the 600! Meanwhile the 93rd Highlanders and Marines have reinforced the redoubt on Canrobert's Hill, forming what could be called a thin red line, but probably will be reported as something different and repeatedly misquoted.

However confusing orders are again conveyed by Flashman and the Light Brigade are disordered. Meanwhile Liprandi's Hussars and Cossacks mount a charge of their own against the Canrobert redoubt.

Both cavalry charge's end in carnage, as the Light Brigade pull half a league backwards once again and the thin red streak of the 93rd and Marines see off the Russian cavalry with their Enfield Rifled muskets and assistance from the Turkish artillery.

The Marines follow up with  further close range volley and thunder against the Hussars, wiping them out. Further along the Causeway, the Russians return the favour against the Light Brigade, the only survivor of the noble 600 is a certain Flashman, last seen being dragged off into captivity by a Cossack.

The Marines move forward to recapture the middle redoubt. The Russian infantry further along the causeway in the topmost redoubt are now spent after their strenuous efforts, but more Russian infantry are massing, ready to be thrown forward against the heights of death.

The Russians commit their forward reserve, but do not lose an objective by doing so. They surge forward with a deafening 'Urrah!'. The Marines are cut down to the last man!

Desperately Campbell throws forward the raw Turkish conscripts whilst his beloved Highlanders of the 93rd fiercely charge into the topmost redoubt. Despite the fact the allies cannot win this objective back, he needs to clear the Wornzoff road for the 4th Division who have just arrived as reinforcements from the west.

The veteran Highlanders clear the topmost redoubt with elan. They only manage this with a supporting volley from the now committed 4th Division, but this detail won't appear in Russell's account published in the 'The Times' or the 93rd's regimental history. Importantly for the allies, committing the division does not cause the Russians to gain an objective. At the middle redoubt the shaky Turkish conscripts are no match for overwhelming numbers of Russians who retake the central redoubt.

The Highlanders consolidate their position whilst the advancing Russians force Campbell himself to ride off in some haste, temporarily leaving his command without direction. The Russians then charge the Canrobert redoubt, if they take this they might at least get a draw. 

However the now fully committed 4th Division close on the Russian rear

Back at Balaclava, the Naval batteries pivot to cover the approaches to the port  in case, whilst the Marine batteries run their guns hot to provide long range support to Allied forces on the Causeway.

With flanking fire from the marine batteries at Balaclava, and a telling volley from 4th Division to their rear, the Russians are caught once again in the jaws of death and the Turkish gunners see off the attack.

With 4th Division well placed to reoccupy the central redoubt, and only spent Russian infantry nearby, things start to look grim for the Russian attempt to take Balaclava. 

Belatedly the Chasseurs d'Afrique put in an appearance, charging over a Russian battery with typical French flair, before finally being brought to a standstill with a whiff of grape from some guns desperately wheeled around just in time. After the battle they will claim they gave the entire Russian attack le coup de grace! 

Lucan and a returned Campbell confer behind the westernmost redoubt. Hot work indeed!

Cambridge's Division of Guards and Highlanders belatedly arrive, but all the glory has already been taken by Campbell! In his Glaswegian brogue he disdainfully tells Cambridge to turnabout and mind his business!

Campbell has regained the Heights and with allied reinforcements pouring in the Russians see no point in continuing,  so concede the day.

The horse artillery move to assist the 93rd in firming up their position on the Causeway Heights. Campbell is crowing like the Cock o' the North,  but Lucan looks more than a little sheepish as he wonders just what he will tell Raglan about not only losing the Light Brigade but the Heavies as well! Whose idea was it to defend a redoubt with cavalry! 

Skudari on the Fedoukine Heights faces off the French. With the only fresh Russian troops left on the field he will now need to cover the retreat back to Sevastopol.

The unfortunate Dnieper Regiment have spent the whole battle formed up in march column next to Kamara being decimated by the naval batteries across the valley whilst their officers ran about like wet hens.

Situation at close of play, The Russians have captured three objectives but look likely to lose one of these on the last turn.

View looking back towards the River Chernya. The Russians have wrecked much of their attacking force, but the Allies have taken heavy loss as well in a bloodbath. The British cavalry have not only been been battered but fried. The overall strategic situation remains unchanged, looks like it's going to be a long siege. I do hope everyone has packed some nice warm gear for a long Russian winter...