The Men Who would be Kings Game 2

I had a slight revision to my plans for "the Men who would be Kings."  The original plan was to paint my British in khaki, to enable me to use them to represent a British force anywhere between 1870 and 1915.  Then I painted a command figure as a redcoat, just to see what it would look like.  Unfortunately it looks flaming great so I have had to go down that route, effectively limiting the usability of my figures for the look of those red jackets.  

 Ah well, those are the perils of wargaming sometimes.  

The Duke of Lancasters Regiment have sent out a punative expedition (scenario two) against the Pathan village of the Burpas.  The orders are simple, burn the village to the ground.  Unfortunately for the plan the Burpas have gathered a force under the hill chief Bungdit-in, and the tribesmen are revolting. 

The British are a straightforward force.   Three companies of the Regiment under Major William  Hartnell Smith (6+ the gentleman has a bottle...)  Lieutenant Frederick Stanley (5+: Terrible Planner.  Unit has limited ammo.) and 2nd Lieutenant Brian Disraeli (He hates anyone named Gladstone)  As a reserve leader I added the RSM Charlie Atkin (6+: Bald as a coot.  No game effect but he has  a shiny head...)

 Accompanying these worthies is a troop of the 9th Hussars (pronounced Whoosarse) under 2nd Lieutenant Billy "Boy" Gladstone... 

My wargaming journal clearly on display, even though I am meant to be using this blog!

The British Advance against the swarming tribesmen

Lots of un-textured and unfinished bases

The volley fire is effective, as the tribesmen recoil

The Whoosares sort out the (frankly Mahdist) camelry.  Young Gladstone is triumphant.

The Major is cornered in a wadi.  Not clear why he was there or what that company was doing.  

The Major is killed and the RSM takes over. 

British regular cavalry are a powerful force in the men who would be Kings.  Young Gladstone sweeps up the opposition.

Almost game over.  As Gladstone and his Whoosarse finish the tribes outside the village and the RSM hangs on in the wadi. 

The painful truth... Bungdit-in and his tribal band.  I failed to activate them four turns in a row, and they were the only real survivors, retreating from the burning village.

In his History of the Regiment Dr Snodgrass reports the sad death of Major William  Hartnell Smith (6+ the gentleman has a bottle...)  
"...It remains unclear what the Major thought he was doing, since attacking the Pathans in their flank through the wadi was both unnecessary and dangerous.  He paid for his mistake, being chopped to pieces by a Pathan kinjhal sword wielded by a fanatic ghazi.  The RSM, who took over and saved the company later denied that the Major was drunk, simply "quite merry" on active service."   

The Major's hip flask can be seen on display in the Regimental museum at Fulwood barracks, Preston.