Attack on the Railway Line
Translation details
Model:mistral-medium-2604.Translated text
Section titled “Translated text”The Whites are to guard the railway line from damage, while the Reds are to destroy it—these are the tasks of both parties.
The leader selects a road passing through impassable terrain and marks it with flags at the points where the line must be broken. The length of this road (1–3 km) depends on the number of participants and must be carefully measured so that it is not too long (which would make defense impossible) nor too short (which would eliminate the possibility of an attack). Similarly, the number of flags should not be too large (3–6). In any case, there must be at least twice as many Whites as Reds. One or two judges must constantly patrol the road (preferably by bicycle) to observe events as they unfold.
Suppose there are 20 Reds and 40 Whites. The Reds win if they manage to gather 10 of their number at one of the flagged points and remain there for 5 (or 5–8) minutes—the time needed to destroy the line. If, before this time elapses, the Whites arrive in greater numbers than the Reds at that point, the attack at that location has failed. Both sides are permitted to cross the road throughout the exercise.
Given this, the Whites must protect the threatened points with outposts (which must maintain constant contact with one another), while keeping their main forces hidden in several well-chosen locations so they can quickly reach any endangered spot. Additionally, they must send scouts along both sides of the road to locate the Reds, track their movements, and thus determine their intentions. The Whites’ commander must organize matters so that all information reaches the Whites’ positions as quickly as possible.
The Reds, in turn, must also locate where the Whites are concentrated and then, with a sudden attack, seize one point on the road in such a way that no witness of their success can escape and summon enemy reinforcements within the prescribed time.
If the road’s length is well chosen and the number of attack points is appropriate, ensuring both sides have equal chances, the task is difficult for both. The initiative lies with the Reds, who may use all manner of deception to mislead the Whites about their intentions. They can stage feints, retreat before advancing Whites, attempt an attack at one point, lure the Whites away from the true target, and then, with a sudden movement, seize it in such numbers that the Whites cannot gather the necessary forces in time to repel the assault. The more the Whites are kept in the dark about the enemy’s whereabouts, the more opaque the Reds’ plans, and the more cunning their ruses, the easier their victory will be. And since the Whites also depend on uncovering the Reds’ plans, both sides must constantly maneuver, conceal themselves from each other, and continually adjust their movements to those of the opponent.
Acting alone will lead to nothing. Every piece of intelligence must be delivered at once to the proper hands. Only coordinated teamwork can bring victory.
During this exercise, opponents of unequal numbers will often meet, so to avoid confusion and disputes, the rules of engagement must be clearly defined.
For example, an opponent may be “killed” by removing the cord from their left shoulder (a “killed” player then ties a handkerchief to their cap and goes to a designated location; they must not reveal the movements of either side). This is only permitted when one or two isolated opponents meet; with larger groups, the attackers must have at least a two-to-one advantage, and it is not allowed at all if the attacked group consists of at least 10 people. In the latter case, the weaker side must retreat, even if only by a single person. Depending on the scouts’ skill level, the leader may choose other general rules of engagement.
Judges must perform their duties with great discretion—for example, their prolonged absence from one point must not raise suspicions that something serious is happening elsewhere.
The road should be winding so that it cannot be easily surveyed. It must be emphasized again that the exercise can only succeed if the road’s length is proportionate to the number of defenders. The goal is to prevent the Whites from stationing enough men at all points to make a Red attack impossible.
If the Whites’ task proves too easy compared to the Reds’, it can be made more difficult by not marking the points where the railway line can be broken with flags. In that case, the Reds may destroy the line at any point.
Source scan: Polona / National Library of Poland, marked “Public domain”. View scan — PDF pages 234–237.
Metadata
Section titled “Metadata”- Type: game
- Traits: Not stated in the source
- Source: Zygmunt Wyrobek, Harcerz w polu: zabawy i gry terenowe (1946)
- Printed pages: 228–231 / PDF 234–237
- Digital edition: Digital edition · Source record
- Open the edition at the relevant page: p. 228
- Read the source text: hwp-113