Trains

[Stewart 46A]

No I have received my engines back from Miles after a refit, I have a few ideas.

A train (within the game) should consist of a flatcar with or without a field gun/MG, an engine/tender and a boxcar/passenger car.

It can carry 1 unit, no horses so mounted unit must pay to dismount.

Each turn train can move up to 2 squares, unit can dismount or shoot.
Unit counts as out of command (2 sq) for action points
Rifles shoot at half strength but count as in cover for return/offensive shooting.
Field gun/MG shoot forward arc (180Deg)
Can be hit by HE,, any hits on train will derail that square and all bases roll to save and become pined



Stewart

[Colonel Kilgore]

Interesting ideas, Stewart!

Can you please explain the logic of rifles firing at half strength (wouldn't they all rush to the side of the train where the shooting's taking place)?

Simon

[Stewart 46A]

Simon I am thinking lack of space to bring all guns to bear


Stewart

[Smoking gun]

Simon, half strength is probably due to lack of space and adequate firing positions. Seats tend to get in the way.

Best wishes,
Martin Buck

[sukhe_bator (Neil)]

I'd also go with that assessment - there is limited space as well as openings for firing positions in a conventional carriage. This is probably why open freight wagons were preferred as well as having limited metal 'armour' sides for protection against small arms fire.

There is a photo of a roof mounted Hotchkiss MG on p.17 of Mike Blake's Armies of the Mexican Revolution albeit an exposed position. Both roofed freight wagons and carriages ought to have this option with presumably a 360 degree field of fire. However it would not be able to depress to fire at an enemy in the lee of the carriage.

I'd take issue with the 180 degree field of fire for artillery. Wagons were too narrow and confined for the trails to be manhandled around. I have only seen on RCW forums pics of flat wagons equipped with a macgyvered turntable allowing the gun to be brought to bear to the side. A 45 degree arc of fire each side would seem to be the max. for static mounted field guns.

[Smiley Miley 66]

Found the book. Wow this is the cheapest I found it ?
Armies of the Mexican Revolution
Uniforms, Equipment & Weapons of the Armed Forces in Mexico 1910–20
Mike Blake
ISBN: 978-1-85818-771-6
232 pages
297mm x 210mm
Hardback
Well illustrated
£39.95

Miles

[Colonel Kilgore]

It's quite a monster of a book, Miles, with lots of nice pictures.

Simon

[Smiley Miley 66]

I can see that, so that's why I put up the details for it. Might get it myself in the near ish future.
Miles

[sukhe_bator (Neil)]

I can thoroughly recommend it... A comprehensive work obviously many years in the making. You can get the gist from the reviews but it has a wealth of detailed information, sketch colour reconstructions of the many and varied combatants and features some interesting MexRev photographs from the Elmer Powell Mexican Revolution Collection, DeGoyler Library, Southern Methodist University. Its the kind of authoritative work we've come to expect from Dave Ryan at Caliver Books.