Zulu game 3 the Mounted Infantry

Attack on Silhayo's Kraal January 1879

Game 3, the Mounted Infantry attack.

The Frontier Light horse have rounded the mountain and climbed a less steep slope to challenge the Zulu.  Meanwhile elements of the 24th and NNC have rallied and are moving up into support.

Four groups of eight Frontier Mounted Infantry arrive on the Zulu flank.

The straggling NNC and 24th Foot regroup to assist.
I swap the objective markers the run across the table.

Ok so after a game of "what's in the middle at Lidl" I bought a £3 doormat to provide the long grass.  No apologies but I got it onto the table and restarted the game.

In Blood and Steel an enemy on the opposite side of tall grass can't be shot at.  They are outside line of sight.  Within the grass they get soft cover.  The rocky ground is similar, but here it is at the foot of a slope so doesn't block line of sight.  It does however count as hard cover.  I'm counting "dead ground" as being outside line of sight, and unless at the edge can't be shot into or out of.

The British win the initiative edge.  They attempt to use shooting to weaken the Zulu.

And these frontier light horse are a mix of Boer and actual Frontier horse from Perry Miniatures.

The Zulu aggression shows as they charge from the rocks (with a -1" penalty for that movement in difficult ground). Six hits five casualties and two fatigue.

The Frontier Light horse hold on, but it's grim.

And the Zulu line comes forwards getting into charge range.

The Zulu get into contact with a rush from the rocks and it's four dead and two fatigue fails.

Perry miniatures vs Minifigs.

The NNC join the combat.  Strangely-Brown to the rescue.

But the Zulu charge another group in destroying the Mounted infantry group.

But on the summit the Zulu can't get close enough.

And the Regular Infantry are getting into firing position.

Shooting drives the Zulu back.

The Mounted Infantry shooting is excellent here.  Six hits.

Three Zulu down but no fatigue!

Shaka B gets the charge done.

The Zulu start falling back before the sustained rifle fire.

And van Trompe keeps the pressure on.

With the Regulars now firing the Zulu's game is pretty much done.

A last success as Shaka B routs Mounted Infantry group

The Zulu start to pull back over the mountain.

Even under all of that firing the Zulu get a substantial part of their force away.
Good game.

The History bit

Russell's mounted contingent had reached the heights with his force was split in two with the Natal Mounted Police and Natal Carbineers on the left and the other men on the right, out of sight of each other. The left unit came under fire from a party of 60 Zulus on rocky ground. They dismounted and advanced in skirmish order, returning fire. The Zulus were driven off by 10:00 am, with losses of between ten and eighteen dead and no British casualties.The right-hand party captured a number of Zulu horses but otherwise had an uneventful day, except for narrowly avoiding a friendly fire incident with a party of the NNC who had removed their distinguishing red headbands to avoid attack by the Zulus.