LITTLE BIG HORN BATTLE GAME

June 25, 1876 (June 20, 2026) 4:00 pm

7th Cavalry Regiment

1.5 Miles East of the Little Big Horn River 

Captain Keogh, Lt. Col. Custer and Captain Yates

Custer said "Scout Mitch Bouyer just reported that Major Reno's attack on the west side of the Little Big Horn against the village has been repulsed. The hostiles are in pursuit. Therefore, Gentlemen, it's just up to us to find a way across the river to attack the village."

At first the two captains accepted the news in silence. Then Yates remarked, "General, we were to pitch into the village in support of the Major with our whole force coming at 'em from two angles, but now it's just us."

"We will continue as follows, said Custer. Captain Yates, take Companies E and F into the ravine to our oblique left named Medicine Tail Coulee. Demonstrate and encourage the hostiles to engage you. Pull back when heavily pressured. I'll be nearby."

"Captain Keogh, take Companies C, I and L to the right of and past Yates to the north to find a ford. I expect Yates, you will join in good time."

Both captains, saluted saying, "Yes, Sir," and joined their battalions.

Left: Part of Keogh's Battalion. Right: Yate's Battalion.

Custer is between the two.  

       

Captain Yates bellowed, "BATTALION! Column of fours, at the trot, forward, Yo-Oh!" Custer and Mitch Bouyer rode at his side for now.

Yate's battalion opened Medicine Tail Coulee with flankers to his left peering into the river. No hostiles were observed. The General and staff detached themselves to his right. Dust rose up because there had been little rain.

Across the river, warriors started returning to the village after the Reno fight. Some though remained engaged with Reno's shocked command entrenching on a height. 

In moments riders arrived in the village warning of many bluecoats on ridges across the river - to the left of the image. Individually and in groups warriors began crossing the river they called the Greasy Grass to stop the new threat. Their "hopeless ones," women, children and the elderly needed protection as they fled to a ridge west of the village. 

Crossing at the Medicine Tail Coulee ford a large band of warriors bore left to high ground and cover where they observed the oncoming battalion of Captain Yates.

As Captain Keogh's Battalion trotted forward east of Yates. Yates is off image to the right.

Back at the Medicine Tail Coulee ford Mitch Bouyer and several Pawnee scouts scared up only a few warriors guarding the crossing. Bouyer thought this could be a weakness to exploit, if Custer changed his mind about not really crossing the river here.

More natives arrived. Bouyer and allies hastily retreated.

Progress by the 7th Cavalry was stopped by larger and larger bodies of mounted warriors opposing them. Orders then came to dismount and fire as skirmishers.

As more of Keogh's Battalion arrived to push through the native blockade. But they could not. The number of warriors....

Was deemed too great. Orders to withdraw eventually passed through the companies and to clear a route to the rear.

As shown by E Company running down a party of hostiles.

Pressure was too great.

Years later, interviewed warriors remarked how the bluecoats bravely withdrew, turned about to fire stunning volleys and then continued this process many times until the battle was over.

CLOSING REMARKS

Left to Right

7th Cavalry seated: Tom H., Keith J. and Bob B.

Warriors standing: Yours truly Bill P., Chuck L. and Dave G.

Notice hostile horsemen on the left faced by the 7th Cavalry on the right who have turned about to fire in their retrograde movement.

1. What happened? Warrior arrival spots along the Little Big Horn were diced for. Heavy deployment occurred allowing a large force to block progress by the 7th Cavalry. In four playtests this did not happen. The 7th pushed deep into Indian territory. There was a greater spread in arrival locations but not on our June 20th, 2026 game day.

2. I did not mind this. Reason: It provided a way to stop the 7th before its presumed Last Stand. It was an alternative to what really happened. Plus, after the game I was reminded that several companies from the Reno entrenchment under Captain Weir rode to Custer's rescue. Historically they were too late, but not in my futuristic alternative thinking. They arrived in my projection forward in time to save the day. You know. The cavalry arrives in the nick of time.

3. Warriors moved in ten or twenty-man groups according to a Reaction Table. A situation was chosen that each group observed followed by a 1D6 throw with modifiers. Some results were Shadow, Skirmish, Hold, Charge, Withdraw, Exit, Join Others and so on. Players were free to move miniatures logically within these parameters sometimes with a group discussion to enhance historical behaviors. Historically warriors were free to come, go and fight as they pleased without recriminations. The reaction table comes close to replicating this.

4. I am proud of our players and grateful. They easily took to the two-page fast rules and completed an amazing fourteen turns between 9:30 am and 2:45 pm with a half hour break for chow.

5. We tracked the game on this white board.

7th Cavalry Losses: 34 of 80 miniatures.

Warrior Losses: 38 of 160 miniatures.

6. Lakota Noon is an amazing telling about the historical battle from the perspective of involved warriors and a few women too. Dozens of stories are told broken down in ten-minute intervals with maps and symbols representing each person's movements compared to the 7th cavalry. Simply fascinating to understand more of what happened. A must read.

7. Thank you for looking in. Comments welcome.

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150th LITTLE BIG HORN COMMEMORATION

The June 25, 1876 Battle of The Little Big Horn is being commemorated soon.   We generally know what happened 150 years ago. Some aspects will never be known. However, after reading essential books, can we learn more?  One research tool is to kriegspiel  the battle several times. 

One difficult dynamic is adopting historical warrior tactics. This is accomplished using a Reaction System.  An old one was significantly improved because it failed to produce those tactics enough. We became satisfied after five games featuring the Rosebud Battle and two with Major Reno attacking the LBH village.

As we mount up, let us be reminded what J.W. Vaughn said in With Crook On The Rosebud. "To the men and warriors on both sides of the battle who fought for the right as it was given them to see the right." 

In the Spring of 1876 Plains Indians journeyed to The Little Big Horn River they called Greasy Grass. At first, they gathered in hundreds, then thousands into five great circles to protest mistreatment at agencies, mining the sacred Black Hills, to protect their way of life and if necessary, to fight for these with the largest alliance of warriors ever gathered. 

Welcomed new arrivals approvingly say, "Hoye" as they enter one of five tipi circles.

Storms gather portending the terrible fight to come as....

One of several US Army commands approach to force The Plains Indians to return to their reservations and agencies. Here is a portion of the 7th Cavalry including....

Company F.

CLOSING REMARKS

1. We'll play our games historically, but a question arises.

2. What else could General Custer have done to avoid defeat after committing to battle? 

3. What do readers recommend? Maybe we'll try some.

4. Two books I've found very useful are:

    CUSTER'S LUCK by Edgar I Stewart

    and

    LAKOTA NOON, The Indian Narrative of Custer's Defeat by Gregory F. Michno

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General Pettygree Plans Bill's Birthday Game Day

"How much longer until the Express pulls out for the final leg to Bill's hometown, dear?"

"The schedule says 3:05 pm Mary. Forty minutes more I should think."

"Whilst we wait, let's tell our readers about plans for Bill's Annual Birthday Game Day."

"Yes, let's do so, said General William Pettygree.

"The idea germinated from another gaming group playing an annual 30mm Napoleonic game entitled The Emperor's Birthday Game. Long ago, Fred Vietmeyer gathered friends and their collections to participate in a day long Saturday game. Typically, there may have been up to a dozen players and more than a thousand colorful miniatures," said Mary.

"Years later Bill adopted the concept hosting two small games in the morning followed by lunch including a birthday cake with a larger game in the afternoon. This offers a unique opportunity to boost camaraderie with a variety of fun games," remarked the General.

"The three 2026 games are The Tomb Game hosted by Chuck The Lucky, Gaslands GM'd by John The Formidable and Return to the Sudan orchestrated by Bill," said Mary. "Half the boys will be in only one morning game, not both."

"Each is described a little next with Bill's flourishes for fun and to set the scene, remarked the General. "The first is...."

THE TOMB AT EL WIL-YAM

A General Pettygree Battle Story

May 1, 1939

Some four thousand years ago the ancient city of El Wil-Yam prospered on the plain before you. All that remains above ground now is a slight rise cluttered with stonework remnants the locals have not yet carried away to construct the distant modern village. Recent excavations within the step pyramid atop the escarpment uncovered a labyrinth of underground passageways many hope will lead to hidden rooms, new knowledge, fame and treasure.

International teams of excavators, archaeologists and explorers are arriving to descend into the earth as General Pettygree and Aide de Camp Rupert Trevelyan looked on.

"The Americans are first to arrive Sir," remarked Lieutenant Trevelyan.

"The aircraft is a new American design, Sir, a Grumman G-21-A Goose. I believe the A stands for amphibian. It is capable of landing on water or land. If on the water, it can move ashore and power inland," said Trevelyan.

"The Goose is banking right to fly over the rise," said Pettygree.

"There's a chap either welcoming the plane or waiving it off," offered Trevelyan. Are the crew and passengers looking at the site, do you suppose?"

"Surveying a landing spot is more likely. There. She came around and is landing on the west side of the town," said Pettygree.

An hour later occupants of the Goose completed an encampment with a roaring fire before heading to the mound and detritus there.

They were greeted by the same locals who had watched them fly overhead.

Momentarily later the sound of several approaching motorized vehicles ....

Was heard and soon came into view. The Germans commanded by Kapitan von Stiehl had arrived second.

Third to arrive at twilight was a contingent of Russians uniformed in tropical attire listening to the....

Rousing speech by Comrade Colonel Moronsky warning about the kulaks in the other camps, Russian for exploiters of the people. "We must gather the treasure, if any, for the needs of our cause by any means necessary," said he --- as Commissar Boron listened approvingly.

More expeditionary teams would arrive. Whom we cannot tell at this time. The next forenoon....

Each Team was given a ten-minute limit to descend into the crumbling entrance passageway. Here we see the Americans, Tiny as torchbearer, Dr. Applegate and Captain Sommers.

When Tiny reached the downward sloping stone floor below the first set of stairs, he stopped and quietly asked, "Did you hear that?"

Dr. Applegate inquired, "What did you hear? We heard nothing."

"Scurrying sir."

"GASLANDS"

An Entertaining Rules Set

And a General Pettygree Race Car Primer

May 1, 1939

"Let's take a tour of the tentative racetrack," said General Pettygree.

"This is the start line, is it not Sir,?" asked Lieutenant Grandmaison.

"It is. We'll turn about and ride along the main road," said the General.

"The vehicles players choose will drive more or less along this road. Each driver will be given purchase points to customize his vehicle," added the General.

"Such as, Sir?," asked Skinner's Horse Captain Mostyn.

"A variety of vexing weapons and surprise equipment," answered Pettygree. "Oh and the volcano might erupt spewing noxious gasses to be avoided at all costs."

"Aye, it looks active now, General," said Grandmaison.

"The gamemaster will throw a direction die. The result will correspond to the direction of the ash cloud."

"Leaving the volcano behind we curve around passing through a gate. Drivers are always required to drive on blackened roadways when they appear. Otherwise, they may wander about as desired, said Pettygree. "Up ahead...."

"Is this nastiness to be avoided as we near...."

"The Finish Line to the right after we ride on another blackened roadway, Gentlemen."

"The Finish Line, Sirs," remarked the General. Earlier I said the track is tentative. This is because the game master may introduce another gate and new terrain options to discombobulate drivers."

RETURN TO THE SUDAN"

A General Pettygree Battle Story

May 1, 1939

"The All Aboard has been called, William. Do you have time to briefly explain the Sudan Game?"

"Barely. However, we can mention that the Dervish and allies are assembling."

"In El Wil-Yam."

"And nearby."

"With more arriving. That's all the time we have, Mary."

"Oh, one more thing, if I may. Have fun and play fast to complete the games."

"It is time to board the train, Gentlemen. See you on May 2nd. Good day to you."