Uprising in Chihuahua!

The forces were divided in Blue for government troops and Red for rebel troops. 6 roles were created - Commandante Zero and General Bonia represented Blue force and El Vira, Bull Cunton, Chief Shitting Bull and Dick Tracer represented Red force. Each player had various personal victory conditions which did not coincide with their erstwhile allies. All figures used were kept hidden until they came onto the table. A set of very simple fast-playing rules with alternate moves was devised for this game.

The game begins with the train heading for El Dorado. General Bonia is contemplating his present status as glorified shotgun rider for the regular gold and munitions shipment to El Dorado when suddenly, the train is brought to a halt by a log blockade. Immediately, two booming shots are fired from hidden artillery followed by a horde of rebels coming over a hill into the valley. The train is under attack!

General Bonia decides to stay on the train with the bulk of his Tijuana regiment who are dressed and trained along British drill to hold off the rebels while some of his men try to remove the blockade. Sniping from the train causes the rebels led by El Vira to halt momentarily to return fire. Meanwhile, removing the log blockade turns out to be a risky business.

A Gatling gun manned by some Yankees led by Bull Cunton, is causing casualties among the exposed troops. General Bonia has to constantly feed in more men to continue removing the log blockade. This cuts down on his firepower and he decides to detrain out in the open to increase his firepower. It is damned difficult to use smoothbores inside a train.

Meanwhile, unknown to the rebels, Commandante Zero, who was out on army manuevers with his newly raised troops, has heard the artillery fire and decides to go towards the sound of gunfire. He sends out the Trujillo Infantry regt who move up the hill on which the rebel artillery was posted. The rebels are suddenly faced with a huge unexpected enemy attacking them in the rear and rapidly turn their artillery around to face this unexpected threat. However the Trujillo Infantry regt coolly advanced and destroy the rebel artillery.

Suddenly, El Vira springs a surprise from an unexpected direction, an all-out attack by his marauding bandidos. One band immediately goes for the flank of the Trujillo infantry regiment and the other goes for the flank of the Tijuana regiment. In addition, the rebels on foot eventually gather enough courage to rush the train. The resulting melee is pure carnage. Both government forces are savaged and retreats in haste. The Trujillo Regt runs through the train to continue running away with General Bonia trying to rally them.

The bandits both foot and mounted, now start to loot the train. El Vira seems unable to contain his men, flushed with a sudden and easy victory. Too bad. Now Commandate Zero sends in his other infantry force, the Texavery Infantry regt to sort out the mounted bandits who had decimated their sister regiment. A sharp round of fire causes the bandits to beat a hasty retreat.

In addition, Commandante Zero now brings in his crack cavalry, the Tequila Cavalry Regt named after his favourite poison, supported by a Renault tank, through the valley to charge the looting bandits.

All the participants meanwhile note a lone biplane circling overhead ineffectively dropping bombs. This is Dick Tracer, an idealistic pilot, who is fighting for the revolution. He is in love with Mariah Cariah, who is the current squeeze of El Pancho Vira. Dick has to fly the plane to prove his heroic qualities and then he gets to marry Mariah and settle down south of the border.

Tequila Cavalry Regt charge the looting bandits and cuts them up. El Vira rallies his men to stand and fight and a melee ensues. The crack cavalry is wiped out but they have killed a lot of bandits. El Vira, surveying the mess around him, realises that the fight is over. The Government forces are advancing with a tank and a fresh infantry regiment. He orders his men to mount up and leave. This they do but the bandits are ambushed by the Indians, led by Chief Shitting Bull, who has wisely played no part in this fight until now. The Indians relieve the bandits of their gold and they take their leave.

Bull Cunton, unknown to El Vira, had made a secret pact with Commandante Zero to switch sides. In addition, Bull will remove the ambitious general Bonia from the scene for a share of the gold. Bull gets his mercenary bunch to mount up to charge the rallied Tijuana regiment under general Bonia. Surprisingly, the men of this proud regiment take aim and literally wipes out the Yankees. Bull, with only two men left, wisely decides to leave the scene. Of course, based on his performance and given the outcome of this battle, Dick Tracer also decides wisely not to land to meet up with El Vira and he flies off back to Sausalito. Mariah will understand.

A game designed by Victor Wong

Played on 6 October 2001

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