Blenheim to Berlin: BACK OF BEYOND: BOKHARA 1919

On the weekend of 7/8^th March I joined the AB1 Group of gamers for one of our seasonal big games – a Back of Beyond extravaganza ‘The Struggle for Bokhara’. The game was held in the Sea Scout Hall in Methil, Fife. The staff at the hall provided tasty morning rolls and lunch. Chris Henry and Donald Adamson developed the scenario with Donald acting as umpire on the day. We used Setting the East Ablaze version 2 which is a definite improvement over the original version, and it gives an enjoyable quick game.

The Daily Llama (Jack) and Prof Pollard (Nicol) plot their victory

I was one of the 2 Bolshevik players and our objective involved completing a railway line to Bokhara. On our table we faced hordes of Tibetan warriors and a group of Scottish archaeologists supported by various university OTCs and a non-sectarian Glasgow razor gang. On the other table was the walled city of Bokhara, held by the Emir ad his Arab allies, which was threatened by the advancing Polish emigres and the Whites. Ian who was going to command the Arab allies could not make it to the weekend as he was ill but not with Corona virus. Chris took on that role substituting spare Turkish and auxiliary figures for the missing Arabs.

The Temple of Ahur Mazda

On our table we began skirmishing fairly seriously with the forces of the Daily Llama who at one point looked liable to overrun the railway. The archaeologists were attacked by the Arabs but held them off. Our actions ended when we realised that the Forces of Freedom had done a deal with the Emir and they were all advancing on the Altai Mountains and the railway line. What followed was a long struggle with the 4 players from table 1 vs 4 players from table 2 and 3. No player could pick an aircraft as part of their starting force. They were all allocated due to special events. The Forces of Freedom both got an aircraft and they caused havoc with their ground attacks on the way to bombing the coal yard at the Red railway depot. I eventually got an aircraft which made 2 moves over the table before it was shot down by some White riflemen – the horror of it. At the end we decided that Bart as the Polish player had been the most successful player due to his boldness and sheer luck in discovering additional artifacts by way of special events. However, the team prize went to the unlikely combination of Nicol and Jack who successfully got their excavated treasure back to the rail head and thence to the Hunterian Museum of the University of Glasgow via Kiev.

The Emir's palace in Bokhara and the inviolate city walls

A good fun weekend and sadly our last meeting until the Corona Virus crisis is over. Below is a link to my photos on Flickr.

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmLW8mBT

Here are the briefing notes Donald prepared for the players:

Supreme Command of the Soviet Steppes

Players: Bill (friend of Stalin) and David (friend of Trotsky)

The Soviet Generals are very keen to take over Bokhara. So keen in fact that they are building a railway towards the city. This may not be unconnected to gold that is contained in the Treasury of Kublai Khan which is thought to be within the city.

OBJECTIVE: Take the Treasury into the hands of the Soviet peoples!

Starting Point: Railway terminus

Forces: Each of the Generals can take 5 squads of 10 plus two support weapons plus two vehicles.

Forces of Freedom (Whites)

Players: Jim (White Russian) and Bart (Poles)

The White Russian General is happy to ally with the Emir of Bokhara, but briefly. He wants to destroy the soviet railway terminal, and if possible, pick up some loot as well.

The Polish general, firmly on the side of the Whites, is not unaware of the gold that is contained in the Treasury of Kublai Khan which is thought to be within the city. He has also heard rumours of the fabled temple of Ahur Mazda, and the legendary riches which it is said to contain.

OBJECTIVE: Destroy the railway terminal, kill reds and enrich yourselves.

Starting Point: Eastern edge of the board

Forces: Each of the Generals can take 5 squads of 10 plus two support weapons plus two vehicles.

Forces of Archaeology (and friends)

Players: Nicol (Professor Pollard) and Jack (The Daily Llama)

The Professor may be an academic, but he is not naïve. He has brought members of the OTCs of the Universities of Glasgow, St Andrews, Aberdeen and Edinburgh plus 10 thugs from the East End of Glasgow (The Billy Bhoys, a mixed religious gang). He needs to spend some time excavating, before making his way to the rail terminal where he has bribed the staff to take him to Kiev and the west.

The Daily Llama (Eton and Balliol) shares these goals, although he is keener on attacking the Bokharans and Arabs who have recently burnt a Buddhist monastery in the Altai mountains.

OBJECTIVE: Defend the Mountains and the sacred site of Ahur Mazda. Then seize the railway terminus.

Starting Point: Temple of Ahur Mazda

Forces: Professor Pollard can take 4 squads of 10 [OTC] plus 10 archaeology guards plus two support weapons plus two vehicles or planes. The Daily Llama gets five squads of Tibetans plus two support weapons plus two vehicles.

Forces of Emir of Bokhara

Players: Peter (Emir) and Ian (Arabs)

The Emir of Bokhara has trained his army on Turkish lines. He wants to destroy the Soviets and their railway terminal but does not trust the White Russian forces. He is outraged to hear that western archaeologists are in the mountains of his realm and disturbing the spirits of his ancestors in the Temple of Ahur Mazda

The Arab general shares these goals, although he is keener on attacking the Tibetan raiders (who are with the archaeologists) who have recently been raiding his oases in the south of the country,

OBJECTIVE: Destroy the railway terminal, kill reds and safeguard the sacred temple in the mountains (killing the Tibetans on the way).

Starting Point: City of Bokhara

Forces: Each of the Generals can take 5 squads of 10 plus two support weapons plus two vehicles.