Yellow Ribbon

 

I recently re-read ARCHAEOLOGY, HISTORY and CUSTER'S LAST BATTLE by Richard Allan Fox, Jnr.  The definitive work that cut through a century of wishful thinking,  self -serving nonsense and plain just getting it wrong.  Very good you say, and?

I have a hard copy of Greg Novak's Yellow Ribbon rules for the Plains Wars.   Amongst aficionados of the period Yellow Ribbon claims the Laurels.

I also have a box full of 15mm figures.  Last opened circa The Men Who would Be Kings.  I opened the box.  I had thought I was going to need horses for the horse holders.  Not so, I had already bought them but not painted them.  Grand.

Yellow Ribbon requires 16 figures per Company of cavalry.  Mounted and dismounted.  This I had.  I had more but not enough for a second company.  I also have Crow Scouts and some infantry.  There are some pack mules some where and figures suitable for Packers. One packer for 2 Mules, two Mules per Company.

I will do a second Company.  I also need some wounded cavalry figures.  They are an important feature of the game.

As for the Plains People I have loads of warriors.  Yellow Ribbon requires bands of 12 to 18 figures.  Mounted and dismounted.  These I have in great store.  I need more Indian women, children and elderly-dismounted only.

I could go more Tepees too.  Irregular again I think.  It is the cost effective option.

First though I need to make a QRS for Yellow Ribbon.  No small task.  The original is in small text, produced on machines that have long been obsolete, the pagination has gone wrong and the information could have been ordered better.  No matter, this is one of the Great Games.  Superbly conceived and covering all aspects of the War on the Plains.  In Yellow Ribbon Indians behave as Indians and the Cavalry need to take care.

Should you fancy doing the Plains Wars 10mm has much to recommend it.  Mine are 15mm. My point is the more space on the table the better.  

The West was vast and empty. Until it wasn't empty.  Hoka Hey!

In my next Yellow Ribbon post I will show you my first 7th Cavalry Company.  That means 16 cavalry mounted, 12 cavalry horses, and 13 dismounted cavalry.  Three troopers remain mounted as horse holders. Also two Pack Mules and a Packer to lead them.  That is the basic USA unit for Yellow Ribbon.  Mine represents Company K 7th Cavalry led by Lieutenant Edward Godfrey.

Some judicious additions have been ordered. They include a pony herd, a USA Wagon, additional troopers and Indian non combatants.

Above we see one of my Indian bands.  They are organised into Warrior Societies.  We will meet each of them as we go.

If you are new to the Plains Wars you might be asking What is so special about Yellow Ribbon?  The answer is simple.  The Indians behave like Indians did in the Plains Wars.

Do ride along with me as we head into the West.