County Cork, Ireland: 1921
We played this scenario 6-7 years ago, and we used a friend's rule set.
Background:
It is 5 months after the Kilmichael Ambush (November 28, 1920), and although the British Government has increased the number of Crown Forces in County Cork and declared martial law, the West Cork Brigade of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) is still causing chaos, and the Royal Irish Constabulary's (RIC) Auxiliary (Auxies) Divison and the Black and Tans are frustrated with their failure to engage their enemy in the open. Commandant Tom Barry is leading the Flying Column and gets word that the Crown Forces are concentrating patrols on the Bandon - Cross Barry -Cork road. Barry plans another ambush, but is unsure of his opposition . . . .
The Flying Column hid in the fields and hills and waited patiently, as a Heavy British Army patrol passes on its way to Cross Barry. Commandant Barry knew he did not have the means to knock out an armored car and wisely opted to let the patrol pass.
30 minutes later two Crossley Tenders coming from Crookstown approach the T junction and were ambushed by the Flying Column. Barry had positioned his rifle squads on the hill, across the river and behind the hedge row facing the T junction. Although the Auxies were elite in morale and training, the IRA volunteers were in good spirits and had the element of surprise.
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| Church ruins and Irish landscape |
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| The River Bandon |
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IRA Rifle Section waiting patiently.
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| IRA Rifle men and Lewis gunner observing Auxie patrol. |
After the Crossleys passed the Church lane, the rifle squad that had hid on the reverse side of the hill moved down the lane to close the back door in case the Auxies tried to escape back towards Crookstown. Fortunately the IRA had previously captured a Lewis gun that beefed up the IRA's dice rolls.
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| Auxies searching for men and arms cache. |
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| Really needed to highlight my figs. |
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Barry makes his move.
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| The Ambush is sprung and Crossley Tender is ablaze. The driver and five Auxies were killed out right. |
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| Earning their Pound a day! |
The Auxies panicked and dispersed in all directions, but the IRA rolls were devastatingly effective, and casualties mounted rapidly. With no retreat possible due to the IRA rifle squad barring access to Crookstown, the Auxies fought on until they were all killed with no one willing to surrender.
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| Take Cover!!! |
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| "No bad shots at ten yards". |
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Fighting to the end.
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