Boxer Rebellion- The Seymour Expedition - Part 3 ( Solo)

 ....the outlying troops have been drifting in slowly in accordance with Seymour's orders, but all is not going to plan. 

Despite Seymour's orders to wait until all the Allied forces have been concentrated, many local commanders attempt to take the matter in hand and deal with the Boxer and Imperial troops in their jurisdictions.  In one particularly troublesome area the local commander had a dilemma. An ancient abandoned earth fort had been reoccupied by Boxers and Imperial troops, who began to work on repairing the derelict fortifications by creating firing platforms, rebuilding the gates etc. 

At his disposal he had a unit each of US Marines, German Kriegsmarine, British Sailors and French Sailors.  The Americans also had a Colt Machine gun. 

The mud fort would not stand up to large calibre modern artillery but he only had an Austro-Hungarian 3pdr at his disposal. Believing the garrison to outnumber his meagre forces, (he was right) it was decided that the Allies would attack only one side of the fortification. The US Marines would attack the south-east corner, the British the main gate, The Germans, the length of wall to the north of the main gate and the French the north east corner. The 3pdr would target the gate only. Then provide any support fire if necessary.

The repaired firing platforms with Boxer artillery.

The Allied attack plan.

The North East corner- the French objective.

The area above the main gate. The poor condition of the fort would only have been a problem if the Allies had good artillery....they didn't.

The bastion that the US Marines would hit.

The interior.....a sadly dilapidated place....but formidable enough if the enemy doesn't have modern guns!

Very thick mud and brick walls that wouldn't stand up to large calibre artillery......the Allies had none....the Chinese, however, did... 

The Austro-Hungarian 3pdr opens the assault by firing at the main gate.

US Marines advance covered by their Colt MG

...now they are in front...poor deployment!!

Firing again!

US Marines under fire.

View from the Imperial troops above the gate- the Germans and British visible.

SUCCESS!! In a blast and crash the main gate turned to matchwood and smoke- well paddle pop sticks and cotton wool!

French Sailors getting onto the walls.

The US Marines climbing the ladder and in melee with Imperial troops

The Colt giving support.

Hand to Hand on top of the thick mud walls.

Inside the gate- Artillery, Imperial troops, Tigermen, Boxers all waiting behind the main gate.

First through the gate....The Germans???!!

And they copped a blast!!

That's an ugly die roll against the Kriegsmarines!!

The Boxers launch themselves at the Germans...there aren't many of the Kaiser's men left!

The British sailors follow the Germans in- the Germans weren't supposed to go thru the gate.....

Hand to hand- Germans and British troops in a desperate fight. 

The US Marines clear the bastion wall.......even taking out a very troublesome gun 

...but an artillery piece on the far side of the fort begins firing at them

A Boxer unit moves towards the US Marines.

The French get onto the wall

Desperation at the main gate 

The Americans- over 50% casualties  ......   withdraw....covered by the Colt MG.

The British and Germans, forced to fall back as the Imperial troops keep firing as they retreat.

The Tigermen follow the retreating British and Germans.

Boxers- victorious after holding onto the main gate.

The Tigermen run out , pursuing.....into the sights of the Austrian 3pdr.

For a solo effort, an interesting turn of events.
The Germans, rather than fulfil their mission to attack the section of wall to the north of the main gate, decided, at the last minute  to go for the gate. This was due to the fact that they were in front of the British sailors as the gate was smashed open by the Austro-Hungarian gun. This meant that all the Boxers and Imperials on that section of wall fired into, or reinforced, the area behind the main gate. Bloody hand to hand fighting took place just inside the main gate and both Germans and British troops were forced to retreat.

Both the French and the Americans got onto their respective sections of the fortress walls, but were unable to get into the fort due to the casualties suffered.

The Allies were forced to retreat...a Chinese victory!!....It's going to take a much bigger effort to take this fort!