Action from the Sudan

Over the last couple of weeks I have been trying to get my blogging mojo back into action and whilst working on the garden I was thinking that part of the reason for not posting regularly was the effort it was taking to put together posts. Editing pictures, creating the narrative and the final copy all take precious time, so forward going I am going to only focus my long posts on the games and projects that I believe are worthy of this effort.

However we do play every week in the shed and most weeks you will find me busy painting figures at some point and this blog does serve the purpose of a diary of events. Therefore to kick things off here are a few photos of a recent game we fought last Monday night. There is a very short summary, a taste of the action and of course the result.

This one off ficticious battle was set in the Sudan with the vast Mahdist hordes facing a large British and Allied force determined to put them to bed. Spread across a 16ft table over 1500 little men fought out this action. Black Powder rules were used.

The game was also notable for the inclusion of a new player, Matt. Hopefully he had a good game and numbers permitting might wish to return.

The British entered from the far table, not knowing the disposition of the enemy but they knew that they would be up against a lot of them.

The table was zoned with an Oasis /Ruins in the South, an old watch tower in the centre of the Mahdist entry point and a long wadi heading East West across the northern end of the table.

The British had already deployed their cavalry on both wings and were searching for the enemy.

Battle commenced immediately as the British and Mahdist cavalry came to blows but not before the British scouts had discovered the best part of a third of the Dervish force hiding in the Wadi. Most of the action was fought at this end of the table. 

The British being sensible chaps had somehow managed to deploy their less so competent Egyptian Allies to face this flank whilst their strongest forces held the centre and the flank facing the Oasis.

The Dervish had decided in advance that they would solely focus on one wing of the Invaders and would attack from the Wadi, the forces holding the Oasis would threaten but not advance thereby pinning the left wing of the British. 

The battle was fast and furious, the British cavalry were hastily chased away and a full frontal charge against the hapless Egyptians was launched. Fanatical charges are deadly and in the onslaught most of the Egyptians fled leaving the defence to the steady Brits.

Somehow Black Powder delivers in this period, the volley firing of the ranked infantry decimate the horde forces but there is always the chance they will get through and if they do they can be deadly.

As the game progressed the Fuzzies prepared themselves for a second storm on the British line. This time the defence was bolstered by troops drawn from the centre.

Once again the Martini Henry's played havoc with the local tribesmen's morale and the assault failed.

With the clock ticking was there one final opportunity before the game time could run out? The remnants of the Mahdist cavalry force were thrown out as a screen in front of the British line to allow fresh warriors to move up unhindered.....

But alas command rolls and the dreaded end of evening clock put paid to any final assault. A quick tally of casualties suggested that the game was a draw and considering the positioning of both forces a likely British marginal victory was on the cards.

Everytime we play these games they are nail biting affairs, the Colonials always look hopelessly outnumbered BUT their firepower, resilience and command all come to the fore.

Hope this is of interest

More soon....