The
St. Regis-Akwesasne reserve straddles the New York, Ontario, and
Quebec borders, and it was the scene of violent confrontation between
Warriors and other Mohawks in May 1990. The reserve's main economic
base is a series of bingo and gambling establishments on the New York
side, and these businesses are protected by the Warriors and others. On
the Canadian side of the reserve, a group of Mohawks wanted to diversify
the reserve economy and shut down some of the gambling interests. Tensions
continued to rise on the reserve between groups to the point where both
were taking up arms. Shortly after the Canadian Mohawks requested
police intervention, there was a nine-hour gun battle between the two
groups which left two people dead. In a joint operation, police
forces from Ontario, Quebec, and New York State moved onto the reserve to
restore order. The incident marked a turning point in the militancy
of the Warrior society and served as a precursor of the Oka crisis. Some
of the Akwesasne Warriors ended up behind the barricades at Oka, as did
Warriors from several other reserves in both Canada and the United States.
This
scenario simulates the clash between the two groups of Mohawks. It is
essentially a case where armed men went looking for trouble and found it
in a rural neighbourhood.
Pro-Gambling
Forces: There
has been a long period of intimidation and rising tension, with people on
both sides of the dispute calling for external intervention. The
anti-gambling forces have put up barricades to keep the white customers
off the reserve and out of the casinos. There have already been
skirmishes, but no injuries yet. This night, the opponents have set
themselves up in front of a house and are refusing to back down to
pro-gambling Warrior pressure. Considering the steady increase of
tension over the past few weeks, such defiance amounts to a direct
challenge. The Warrior player's orders are to take his group of Warriors
and overrun the house, using force if necessary. Warriors and two
pickup trucks set up on the road. The two green troops armed with
Pythons are drivers.
Pro-Gambling
Units:
Number
Quality
Weapon
3
Line
AK-47 (semiauto)
1
Green
Ruger Mini-14
1
Line
M-870
2
Green
Python (6")
Ammunition: Combatants
with rifles carry 10 magazines FMJ while the shotgunner carries 40 rounds
"00". The two with Pythons carry 50 rounds of JSP each.
Anti-Gambling
forces: From the anti-gambling forces' perspective, the Warriors'
intimidation tactics have served to increase the tension to the breaking
point. There have already been gun battles, and the police station
has been attacked twice, once with explosives, and again a few days later
with an overnight fusilade of small-arms fire. Confrontation happened
before, but tonight will be when the shooting starts in earnest. Anti-gambling
units must prevent the Warriors from overrunning their positions, but must
avoid casualties. Anti-gambling units start anywhere in the yard of
the house, but may retreat to the house later on.
Anti-gambling
Units:
Number
Quality
Weapon
2
Line
AK-47 (semiauto)
1
Line
Sako 30'06
1
Militia
M-870
2
Green
Mini-14
Ammunition: Combatants
with AK-47s or Mini-14s carry 10 magazines FMJ. The combatant with
the SAKO carries 50 shells FMJ, while the shotgunner carries 40 shells
"00"
Special
Rules--Night Action: This action is a night action with limited lighting (-6
ALM). Warriors may use the pickups for illumination of the battle
scene, thus dispensing with the visibility ALM for everyone over clear
terrain, but giving anyone directly looking into the lights a -8 ALM.
Victory: The
battle lasts as long as the ammunition holds out. No extra reloads
will arrive. If the anti-gambling player remains on the starting
property at the end of the skirmish, then he wins a strategic victory by
standing up to the pro-gambling forces' intimidation. If the
pro-gambling player has managed to kill, capture, or run off all the
anti-gambling combatants, then he wins a strategic victory by showing the
community the power of the pro-gambling faction.
