The Sudan Posting, 1884–1885

📖 A Regimental History of The North Durham Rifles, 1884 to 1914.

VOLUME I

The Sudan Posting, 1884–1885

1st Battalion, Queen’s North Durham Rifles (89th Foot)

Opponents throughout: Mahdist tribal forces
(use Afghans as add-ons to my Perry Mahdists)

British force on table:

• Usually 3 Rifle  Companies
• Battalion Command (CO + subalterns)
• Optional Maxim (scarce ammunition)

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My campaign map shows the River War. The river is a spine, rocky hills, dunes, Fort Karad, brackish water, the besieged town.

The campaign should feel like it literally unfolds along the map.

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VOLUME I – SUDAN 1884–85

“Sketch Map – For Field Use Only”

The campaign follows the map from north to south along the Nile, touching each inset in turn.

THE NORTH DURHAM FIELD COLUMN
A Sudan Campaign

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SCENARIO I

“The Wadi of Shadows”

(Opening March Contact)

Situation

The column advances inland, leaving the Nile behind. Progress is slow through a dry wadi — steep banks, broken ground, and too many blind corners.

They are being watched.

Then the firing starts.

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Table

• A winding wadi running diagonally across table (counts as broken ground)
• Steep banks (block LOS unless within 3” of edge)
• Rocky ridges overlooking sections
• Sparse scrub

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Objectives

British

• Exit at least 60% of force off far table edge
• Keep formation intact (no more than 2 broken units)

Mahdists

• Inflict casualties (break 2 units OR kill officer)
• Withdraw at least half force

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Special Rules

Hidden Enemy
Mahdists deploy hidden along wadi edges and ridges.

Confined Column
British begin in march column:

• No firing Turn 1
• Must spend 1 turn to deploy into line

Ambush Fire
First Mahdist volley gains:

• +1 to hit OR reroll misses

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Campaign Effect

• If British badly mauled → start Scenario II with Disorder
• If Mahdists fail to inflict damage → British gain +1 Confidence

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SCENARIO II

“The Abandoned Village”

(The False Refuge)

Situation

After the ambush, the column reaches a mud village. It appears deserted.

It is not.

Snipers, hidden fighters, and sudden close assaults erupt as the British attempt to rest and resupply.

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Table

• Mud-hut village (clustered buildings, tight alleys)
• Palm trees / enclosures
• Low walls and animal pens
• Open desert around

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Objectives

British

• Clear the village
• Locate hidden supplies (2 markers)

Mahdists

• Kill an officer OR
• Keep at least one supply cache hidden
• Withdraw 50% of force

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Special Rules

Hidden Cells
Mahdists placed as markers:

• Reveal when British within 6” or they fire

Sniper Fire
First 2 turns:

• Mahdists firing from buildings count as hard cover

False Security
British units inside buildings:

• Cannot react to attacks from outside on same turn

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Campaign Effect

• If supplies found → ignore fatigue penalties next game
• If not → Scenario III begins with reduced ammo / supply

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SCENARIO III

“Broken Ground at Jebel Rahma”

(Rocky Ambush Battle)

Situation

The column pushes into high rocky ground. The terrain fractures into ridges, gullies, and stone outcrops.

Perfect ground for a decisive ambush.

The Mahdists intend to fix and destroy the column here.

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Table

• Rocky hills and ridgelines dominating table
• Narrow passes between rocks
• No flat open ground
• Scattered boulders (cover everywhere, but broken LOS)

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Objectives

British

• Break through to far edge
• Keep artillery / Maxim operational

Mahdists

• Disable British firepower (Maxim/artillery)
• Inflict 40% casualties

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Special Rules

Fragmented Battlefield
No unit may move more than 8” in a straight line without obstruction.

Close Assault Terrain
Charges from within 6” of rocks gain:

• +1 combat bonus

Command Breakdown
Officers must test to issue orders beyond 12”

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Campaign Effect

• If British guns lost → final scenario begins at severe disadvantage
• If Mahdists fail → final scenario British gain fire superiority

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SCENARIO IV

“The Last Wells”

(Final Battle – Survival Fight)

Situation

The column reaches a vital desert well — the only water for miles.

Both sides know: Whoever holds it decides everything.

This is not a siege.
This is exhaustion, thirst, and the final clash.

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Table

• Central well / water source
• Low rocky rises around
• Open desert approaches
• Optional small ruined structure or shrine

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Objectives

British

• Control the well by Turn 8
• Maintain at least 2 formed units

Mahdists

• Deny the well
• Break British force OR control water

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Special Rules

Thirst
From Turn 4:

• Units not within 12” of well suffer fatigue penalties

Desperate Charges
Mahdist units below half strength gain:

• +1 in melee

Last Reserves
Each side may hold 1 unit off-table:

• Arrives Turn 5 on a random edge

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Campaign Resolution

• British Victory → Column survives, battered but intact
• Mahdist Victory → Column destroyed in desert
• Draw → Survivors stagger back to Nile — campaign inconclusive

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Campaign Flow – Following the Map

1️⃣ Secure the River
↓
2️⃣ Silence Fort Karad
↓
3️⃣ Survive the Inland March
↓
4️⃣ Relieve the Town

The map is now the campaign spine.

Each scenario:

• Tied to a visible feature
• Uses map annotations as rules
• Feels geographically connected

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Scenarios V–VIII — are smaller, sharper, more personal engagements I can insert between the map-linked battles.

They follow a second map, set further south than the original

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SCENARIO V

“The Inland Convoy”

December 1884
“The men were untried. The officers more so.”

(Smaller action derived from The March Inland)

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Forces (Up to 20 per side)

British (18–20 figures)

• 1 Captain
• 2 Subalterns
• 2 Sections (6–8 men each)
• 2–3 Supply markers (mule teams)

Mahdists (15–20 figures)

• 1 local Emir
• 3–5 riflemen
• Remainder spear-armed warriors

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Table

• 4x4 recommended
• Dry wadi crossing centre
• Low scrub patches
• Long sight lines

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Situation

A reduced column escorts critical supplies away from the Nile.
No one is certain the enemy is nearby.

That certainty does not last.

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Objectives

British

• Escort at least 2 supply markers off-table
• Keep officers alive

Mahdists

• Destroy or capture 1 supply marker
• Wound or kill an officer

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Special Rules

Heat & Dust (Tight Table Version) After Turn 4:

• Running causes automatic fatigue test.

Officer Exposure Both subalterns must:

• Issue at least one order during the game.

Uncertain Contact Mahdists deploy hidden beyond 12”.

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Campaign Consequences

• Any officer wounded: mark against his name.
• If supplies lost: Battalion Fatigue +1.
• If no officer casualty: one subaltern gains “Steady Under Fire.”

This establishes personal reputations.

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SCENARIO VI

“Sunset at the Cut-Off Fort”

January 1885
“Relieved at sunset. Attacked at nightfall.”

(Smaller action from The Fort at Dusk)

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Forces

British Relief (18–20)

• 1 Subaltern commanding
• 2 Sections
• Optional small Maxim detachment (3 crew)

Mahdists (15–20)

• 1 leader
• Mix of rifle & melee

Fort Garrison

• 4–6 exhausted defenders inside fort

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Table

• Small mud fort centre
• Broken ground & scrub
• Narrow approach

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Situation

The relief column is small.
The fort is already under pressure.

This is not a grand assault — it’s a desperate link-up.

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Objectives

British

• Enter fort with at least 6 men
• Hold until Turn 8

Mahdists

• Prevent link-up
• Kill relief commander

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Special Rules

Fading Light After Turn 3:

• Visibility 18” After Turn 6:
• Visibility 12”

Command Responsibility The subaltern in command:

• Must be within 6” of majority of troops to avoid confusion penalty.

Exhausted Garrison Fort defenders:

• -1 in melee first round only.

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Campaign Consequences

• Fort lost: Battalion Fatigue +1
• Fort held: commanding subaltern eligible for promotion note
• If commander fails 2+ morale tests: “Uncertain in Crisis” tag

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SCENARIO VII

“Shots in the Dark”

February 1885
“Firing was heard in the dark. It was not all ours.”

(Scaled from The Night Alarm)

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Forces

British (16–20)

• 1 Captain
• 1 Subaltern
• 2 Understrength Sections

Mahdists (15–20)

• Infiltration force
• Mostly melee, few rifles

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Table

• Camp layout (tents, crates, wagons)
• Low visibility entire game
• 4x4 ideal

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Situation

Night infiltration.
No grand battle lines — just confusion.

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Objectives

British

• Maintain unit cohesion
• Avoid panic

Mahdists

• Kill officer
• Break 1 section

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Special Rules

Limited Visibility Maximum 12”. Beyond 6” requires spotting roll.

Confusion If a British unit fails morale:

• Roll D6:
  • 1 = fires at nearest friendly unit.

Officer Exposure Any officer issuing an order:

• Must roll Exposure test (risking becoming target).

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Campaign Consequences

• Friendly fire incident: permanent -1 Battalion Morale next game.
• Calm defence (no section breaks): Captain gains “Night Steady.”

This one is psychological.

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SCENARIO VIII

“The Wells at Abu Rahman”

March 1885
“The Battalion formed square under severe pressure.”

(Smaller-scale square action)

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Forces

British (20 max)

• 1 Captain
• 1 Subaltern
• 2 Sections
• Optional small Maxim team

Mahdists (20, recycling in waves of 6–8)

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Table

• Open desert
• Central well marker
• Minimal scrub

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Situation

Cut off from water, small detachment forced to form square.

This is not a brigade square.

It is a fragile box of exhausted men.

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Objectives

British

• Hold square until Turn 8
• Keep at least 1 officer alive

Mahdists

• Break square
• Enter square interior

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Special Rules

Improvised Square Forming square costs one full turn. If charged before completion:

• -1 melee first round.

Wave Assault Mahdists return in small waves until morale collapse.

Colours (Optional) If present:

• Officer must be in base contact or morale penalty applies.

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Campaign Consequences

If square breaks:

• Formal Inquiry triggered (one officer disgraced).

If square holds:

• Battalion Reputation permanently increases.
• One officer gains “Mentioned in Dispatches.”

This is the legend-maker.

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How These Function

Scenarios V–VIII are:

• Smaller
• Officer-focused
• Insertable between the major map-linked actions
• Designed for 4x4 table, 90–120 minutes play
• Character-driven rather than tactical grind

They preserve the narrative tone:

• Exposure
• Reputation
• Fatigue
• Political consequence

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CLOSE OF VOLUME I (1885)

After the last Scenario :

For each surviving subaltern:

• Roll for Wounds / Fever
• Roll for Promotion or Stagnation
• Add one permanent descriptor:
  • “Steady under Fire”
  • “Reckless”
  • “Quietly Reliable”
  • “Unfit for Independent Command”

Those labels will follow them for 30 years.

The Queen’s North Durham Rifles (89th Foot)

The Regimental files of the 1st Bn North Durham Rifles.

A BLOOD & STEEL CAMPAIGN

1884–1914

A 30-year officer career campaign beginning in 1884.

My 30 Wolseley-helmet regulars represent the 1st Battalion, 89th Foot, The North Durham Rifles on overseas service.

Four young lieutenants join in 1884.

One may rise to Colonel by 1914.

One may die obscurely.

One may disgrace the regiment.

One may become a VC winning legend.

If any are killed we get a new draft.

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🎖 1884 – The Officers Join

I Rolled for background and personalities.

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1️⃣ Lt. Arthur Blackwood

• Son of a Durham industrialist
• Bookish but ambitious
• +1 Tactical planning
• −1 Personal bravery

Hidden trait: Political climber

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2️⃣ Lt. Edward “Ned” Collingwood

• Minor gentry
• Popular with the men
• +1 Morale
• −1 Discipline

Hidden trait: Gambling debts

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3️⃣ Lt. Henry Ashcroft

• Frontier-obsessed romantic
• +1 Skirmish combat
• Reckless in charges

Hidden trait: Seeks glory

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4️⃣ Lt. Thomas Wycliffe

• Quiet, calculating
• +1 Logistics
• No natural charisma

Hidden trait: Cold ambition

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📜 CAMPAIGN STRUCTURE (30 YEARS IN 6 VOLUMES)

Each Volume = 4–6 linked games.

Officers:

• Gain promotion rolls
• Gain wounds
• Gain reputation
• Risk scandal

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VOLUME I – Sudan, 1884–85

Opponents: Tribal waves (use Matabele or Afghans)

Scenarios:

1. Desert convoy
2. River column landing
3. Fort defence
4. Set-piece battle

Survival test: Roll for heatstroke, dysentery, wounds.

Promotion possible if:

• Officer wins a decisive engagement
• Saves colours
• Survives last scenario unwounded

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🧠 OFFICER PROGRESSION SYSTEM (Simple)

After each Volume:

Roll 1d6 per surviving officer:

1 – Wounded (permanent −1 stat)
2 – Stagnant (no promotion)
3–4 – Steady progress
5 – Promoted
6 – Decorated (extra influence in next theatre)

If scandal event drawn: Re-roll and take worse result.

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⚔️ REGIMENTAL CHRONICLE

The Queen’s North Durham Rifles (89th Foot)

1884–1914

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📖 VOLUME I

The Desert Posting, 1884–1885

“The Battalion first smelt powder beneath a white sun and upon a waste of sand. There the boys became officers.”
— From the unpublished memoir of 2nd Lt. H. Ashcroft, 1913

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The Embarkation

In September 1884 the 1st Battalion, 89th Foot, received orders for service in the Sudan theatre of the ongoing .

Four newly joined subalterns reported to the Colours only weeks before embarkation from England.

They had scarcely learned the mess seating plan.

They would learn other things quickly.

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The Four Subalterns (As Recorded in the Battalion Ledger)

Each begins the Volume as Second Lieutenant.

Lt. Arthur Blackwood

Methodical. Industrious. Keeps detailed field notes.
The men are uncertain of him.

Lt. Edward Collingwood

Well-liked. Overconfident. Laughs too loudly.

Lt. Henry Ashcroft

Earnest. Romantic about war.
Speaks of “glory” before the first shot is fired.

Lt. Thomas Wycliffe

Quiet. Observant. Already studies the Colonel’s habits.

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📖 The Queen’s North Durham Rifles

The deep archives: (notes for my solo campaigning)

Biographical Files of Officers Joining, 1884

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2nd Lieutenant Arthur Henry Blackwood

Born 1862 – Durham

Son of Edmund Blackwood, coal owner and Justice of the Peace. Educated at Durham School; commissioned by purchase following an unremarkable but respectable academic record.

Blackwood arrived at the Depot with immaculate kit, polished boots, and a leather-bound notebook in which he recorded everything: distances marched, rounds expended, remarks made by senior officers. He was quiet in mess, deferential to superiors, and notably stiff with the men.

It was widely understood that his commission had been expected, not earned.
Blackwood himself understood this better than anyone.

He sought not glory, but proof — and feared deeply the moment when it might be demanded.

Private remark recorded by the Adjutant:
“Blackwood is anxious to do right. Whether he can do so under fire remains to be seen.”

Unspoken burden: terror of public failure
Hidden virtue: iron steadiness when plans collapse
Career fault-line: may hesitate when decisiveness is required

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2nd Lieutenant Edward James Collingwood

Born 1861 – Northumberland

Second son of a declining county family. Too little money, too much charm. Commissioned through connections rather than means.

Collingwood was instantly popular — with officers, with NCOs, with the men. He laughed easily, drank too freely, and possessed the dangerous confidence of someone who had never yet been tested.

He talked openly of war as “the making of a man”, and privately assumed it would make him.

There were rumours — debts, cards, a discreet loan from a senior cousin — but nothing proven.

Mess note:
“A good fellow. Perhaps too much so.”

Unspoken burden: fear of mediocrity
Hidden vice: gambling, recklessness
Career fault-line: bravery may shade into foolishness

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2nd Lieutenant Henry Charles Ashcroft

Born 1863 – Surrey

Educated at a minor public school. A devoted reader of Napier, Oman, and accounts of the Indian Mutiny. Ashcroft had wanted the Army since boyhood and spoke of it in terms usually reserved for religion.

He requested foreign service immediately upon joining.
He requested danger without irony.

Ashcroft believed utterly in courage, sacrifice, and the moral purpose of empire. He expected to distinguish himself quickly — and to be judged harshly if he did not.

From Ashcroft’s own diary, 1884:
“I pray I shall not disgrace myself when the moment comes.”

Unspoken burden: romantic idealism
Hidden danger: contempt for caution
Career fault-line: glory-seeking under fire

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2nd Lieutenant Thomas Edward Wycliffe

Born 1860 – Yorkshire

Son of a clergyman. No wealth. No connections. Commissioned through diligence, recommendation, and sheer persistence.

Wycliffe spoke little, listened much, and observed everything. He learned regimental routine quickly and mastered paperwork without complaint. Senior officers found him “useful” — a word that, in time, may become either compliment or curse.

He did not speak of honour.
He spoke of duty.

Colonel’s marginal note:
“Wycliffe sees things.”

Unspoken burden: ambition without patronage
Hidden strength: clarity under pressure
Career fault-line: moral flexibility in pursuit of command.

Subsequent Volumes

VOLUME II – Frontier War, 1890s

Opponents: Pathans, Afghans

Add:

• Ambush mechanics
• Night attacks
• Convoy escorts

By now:

• One lieutenant may be Captain.
• One may have a limp.
• One may be dead.

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VOLUME III – The Capaihn against the Mullah, Somaliland Crisis.

Opponents:

• Tribals

Political consequence: A defeat may stall promotion for 4 campaign years.

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VOLUME IV The Boxer Rebellion

Opponents:

• Boxers
• Boxer regulars
• Possibly USA & French allies

Urban warfare: Machine guns brutal.

This Volume often kills reckless officers.

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VOLUME V – The Great Power Crisis (1910–12)

Choose:

• War with USA (Canada)
• German clash in Africa
• Russian clash in Afghanistan

Now: The senior surviving officer is Major or Lt-Colonel.

This is where reputations are cemented.

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VOLUME VI – 1914

If one officer survives from 1884:

He may now be:

• Colonel commanding the battalion
• Brigadier
• Or broken and sidelined

Final scenario: A major battle. Win = honoured regiment entering the Great War. Lose = scandal, parliamentary inquiry.

Battalion Scale Blood and Steel

A battalion-scale Abstraction for Blood & Steel / Blood & Valour

Issued as an appendix to the Regimental History of the Queen’s North Durham Rifles (89th Foot)

Colonel Tiberias Farthingdale inspects the North Durham Rifles at Cestria Barracks prior to their embarkation for Egypt.

And in service during the Gallipoli campaign.

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PURPOSE

Battalion Scale allows a full British infantry battalion (c. 800–1,000 men) to be represented on the tabletop using 30–40 figures, without changing core Blood & Steel or Blood & Valour mechanics.

Figures on the table represent:

• The decisive point of the action
• Engaged companies
• Battalion command and support weapons

The full battalion may not be all deployed keeping reserve companies off-table, influencing morale, reinforcement, and reputation.

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TABLETOP ESTABLISHMENT

On-Table Force (Typical)

Battalion Command

• 1 Commanding Officer (Colonel or Lt-Col)
• 1 Adjutant / Senior Officer
• Optional Colour Party (2 figures)

Infantry Companies (Abstracted) 

• Each 2 groups = one full company (c. 200 men)
• Each group contains:
• 1 Junior Officer or NCO figure
• 5–7 riflemen
• So each Company has a named officer and a Sergeant Major

Under Blood and Steel, each company counts as having the NCO rule.

Support Weapons

• 1 Maxim MG detachment (1890s onward)
• 1 Lewis gun (1912–14 only)

Scale Note: Casualties represent disruption, loss of cohesion, and exhaustion — not literal body count.

Around 1900 the revisions that would alter battalion structure from eight to four (stronger) companies began.  Under these abstraction the earlier Battalions count a single group as a company.  Later Battalions count two groups.

THE BATTALION FATIGUE TRACK

The battalion as a whole tracks cumulative strain.

Fresh → Steady → Worn → Exhausted → Shaken

Advance the track when:

• A rifle group breaks
• An officer is killed
• A scenario objective is lost
• A mass morale test fails

Effects:

• Worn: −1 to all battalion morale rolls
• Exhausted: No offensive bonuses; MGs limited ammo
• Shaken: Any further loss forces withdrawal

Fatigue resets only between Volumes, never between scenarios.

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OFFICERS & RISK

Officers are force multipliers and liabilities.

Officer Attachment

• Attaching an officer grants:
  • 'NCO' bonus (per core rules)
• BUT the officer must roll on the Exposure Table if:
  • Section takes fire
  • Section enters melee
  • Position is overrun

Exposure Table (1d6)

1 – Killed 2 – Seriously Wounded (miss remainder of Volume) 3 – Wounded (miss next scenario) 4–5 – Shaken but unharmed 6 – Commended (+Reputation)

Officer loss immediately advances Battalion Fatigue.

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OFF-TABLE COMPANIES

The battalion may begin with 2–4 off-table companies.

They may:

• Feed reinforcements (restore a Spent section to Disordered)
• Absorb narrative casualties
• Be lost to disease, detachment, or political interference

At the start of each scenario roll 1d6:

• 1: One off-table company unavailable
• 6: One off-table company reinforces (GM discretion)

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THE COLOURS

If the Colours are on table:

• All groups within command range gain +1 Morale

If the Colours are lost or captured:

• Immediate Battalion Morale test
• Battalion Fatigue advances by 2 steps

Officers may voluntarily expose themselves to save the Colours.

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PERIOD ADAPTATION

1880s–1890s

• Single Rifle Groups represent a company
• Maxim rare or scenario-limited
• Close order doctrine
• Narrative is derring do!

1900–1908

• 2 Rifle Groups are a company
• A Maxim is standard
• Extended order, entrenchments
• Narrative is professional detached.

1909–1914

• 2 Rifle Groups are a company
• Maxim + Lewis gun
• Fire superiority doctrine
• CO often off-table

Models remain unchanged; doctrine shifts narratively to operation orders.

The Campaign segments

I'm using a period style map with campaign game inserts.  Each posting will have a corresponding map, and the Sudan has two!  Each posting/map has  four scenarios.

In some postings, such as the Sudan, i have added several 20 figure smaller scale encounters.  I will stick with Blood and Steel however.

In lower margin, faint and slightly smudged:

“Water worse than reported.”

“Native guide uncertain — or lying.”

“Men steady under fire. Young officers less so.”

“Heat more destructive than the enemy.”

Capt. Henry Markham, Acting Adjutant, 1st Battalion

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VICTORY & CONSEQUENCES

Victory is judged at battalion level, not by figures remaining.

A tactical win with heavy fatigue may still count as a strategic failure.

At the close of each Volume:

• Surviving officers roll for promotion
• Battalion Reputation adjusts
• Fatigue effects carry forward

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Structure of Infantry Operation Orders 1880s to 1914

Orders generally followed a standard format designed to ensure coordination, often incorporating: 

Information of the enemy: Known positions and defenses.

• Information of friendly troops: Supporting artillery, flanking units, and neighboring battalions.
• Mission of the battalion: The specific objective (e.g., capture a trench line).
• Execution: Specific tasks for each company (direction of advance, objectives), artillery barrage timing, and "cleaning up" parties.
• Administrative/Logistical Details: Rations, ammunition, stretcher bearers, and communication methods (runners, pigeons, flares).
• Command and Signals: Locations of Brigade and Battalion HQ, and flare signals for identifying advanced positions. 
• Detailed, centralized control, often leading to slow reactions.

These will be used as Scenario information.

The Flagstaff Affair

 The Flagstaff Affair  

After an act of defiance as a Maori flag replaces the Union Jack, a small detachment lead by Lieutenant Whitemoore is sent to secure the hilltop flagstaff.

Background & Narrative

Word comes to Colonel Tiberias Farthingdale of the 58th Foot that a small hilltop flagstaff — a key signal and morale position overlooking Kororāreka — has been retaken by local insurgents. They have cut down the union flag and replaced it with a local rag of some sort.  Reinforcements are still days away, but need time to muster.

Ensign Clancy Whitemoore, battered but unbowed by months aboard a frigate getting here, is tasked with taking, replacing and holding the hilltop flagstaff long enough for reinforcements to arrive..

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Forces & Roles

British / Crown Forces (Players)

• Lieutenant Clancy Whitemoore, 58th The Rutland's, leading a small detachment of 58th Foot 
• "Captain Quilp Parkour, and his "company" of local Militia with a few forest rangers.
• A handful of sailors / veterans detailed from HMS Acorn

Insurgent / Rebel Forces

• The Greater Ariki with small bands of local fighters controlling the hilltop and surrounding scrub
• A lesser Ariki with his own followers and an improvised cannon salvaged from a wreck.

Map & Terrain

• Hilltop Flagstaff Location: A raised area in the centre or upper table edge
• Cover: Bush/scrub around approaches, light woods, rocky outcrops
• Fields of Fire: Open ground on approaches; rough/uneven terrain slows troop.

The hill itself offers little in terms of defensive advantages.

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Deployment

• Rebels deploy behind the hilltop flagstaff with a single ambush group.
• British deploy near Thier table edge.

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Special Rules & Mechanics

1. Holding the Flagstaff

• The main objective is control of the flagstaff marker.
• If any British unit occupies the flagstaff position at the end of a turn, they replace the flag using an action. 

• If the British still hold the flagstaff at the games end they win outright.

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Victory Conditions

British Victory

• Control the flagstaff at the end of the turn when reinforcements arrive, or
• Hold it until the game ends.

Rebel Victory

• Prevent British from holding the flagstaff, or
• Completely rout British forces before the end turn.

Draw

• Neither side holds the flagstaff at the end of the final turn.  The Maori may claim a moral victory if their flag still flies.

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Scenario Ideas & Twists

• Fog of War: one Rebel position isn't fully known until discovered by the end of turn one.
• Limited Ammo: historically both sides may be subject to limited ammunition.

The Game

The Flagstaff affair commences 

The view from the Pä

The Maori advance around the hill

And the 58th advance

My shotgun armed Maori poke their heads up and get them shot off.  Three men down, one fatigue marker.

But the flag yet boldly flies.  I position a group to storm the hill  

And the 58th send a small group forwards under their Lieutenant.

I position a second Toa of Maori to assault the far left.

And the view from the 58th's position.  The Lieutenant prompts his men forwards 

The Militia "Captain" has a group bogged in the mud of the stream, which counts as a depression 

The 58th top the hill and spread their replacement flag 

But my Toa of Maori wait their chance to charge as we try to weaken them.  Four times we shit at these guys!  They shrugged it off!

On the left I perform a haka and charge.  The 58th are unloaded, and it gets bloody.

The Greater Ariki prompts the attacking left to attack again.

On my right the lesser Ariki fights and attritional musket battle with the Militia 

The view from above as the 58th close in on the flagstaff.

And they take it!  But can they hold it?

I charge up, through a hail of incoming fire.  Two are killed but they stand.  They fight back and the Maori dice are terrible.  We take four shock and reel back shaken.  We take our flag with us though!

And the game ends.  Lieutenant Whitemoore has succeeded. 
The Colonel promotes him to brevet Captain. 

The Greater and Lesser Ariki sulk back behind the palisades.

An artist's depiction the fighting by Van Klomp, presently hanging in the National Gallery.

A Look Forwards

The Ōhaeawai Pā Reconnaissance

“The ground itself seems to be watching us.”

Narrative Setup

Colonel Sir Tiberias Farthingdale, 58th Rutland Foot, newly arrived aboard HMS Castor, has taken overall command. Confident, impatient, and already thinking in terms of artillery and assault columns, he orders Lieutenant Cornelius Farthingdale forward with a mixed shore party.  No nepotism in this family!

Officially, the task is reconnaissance.
Unofficially, Cornelius is being used to justify a decision already made.

Unknown to the British, the Pā is no crude stockade. It is a carefully engineered killing ground.

The Colonels biography "Carry on Tiberias" was published by Rutland Press in 1890.  

Low Whig, High Tory. The Cards

 The Cards

I've done a lot of work on my MPs cards for the Low Whig, High Tory Parliament.  I have dozens upon dozens of these, some affiliated to Whig or Tory, some allocated on draw.

Most of the unaffiliated MPs are of very low influence 1-2. 

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🏛️ Comic Politicians — Scandals & Reputations

Colonial Opportunist / Radical (Fixed)

1. Sir Marmaduke Whitemoor. 3, Colonial Opportunist- Changed his views on land reform three times during the same luncheon.

2. Julian Fagg, Esq 2. — Radical
   Advocated universal suffrage until elected, whereupon he lost all enthusiasm.

3. Lord Archibald Muckrake 2 — Colonial Opportunist
   Personally exposed corruption in every office except those he occupied.

4. Mr Erasmus Parkour - Minor 2— Radical
   Denounced inherited privilege while quietly inheriting three estates.

5. Sir Edwin Podsnap 2— Colonial Opportunist
   Believed the Empire worked best when it worked for him.

6. Sir Lionel Waffleton 2— Radical
   Never took a firm position, but loudly condemned those who did.

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Unaligned – Party Determined by Card Draw

7. The Right Honourable Percival Blott 1
   Rose to prominence by never contradicting the last speaker.

8. Alderman Septimus Cringe 1
   Apologised so profusely in debate that no one noticed he voted the wrong way.

9. Lord Horatio Puffington 1
   Famous for speeches that began magnificently and ended nowhere.

10. Mr Ambrose Tittlebat 1
    Once filibustered himself into unconsciousness.

11. Colonel Reginald Bumble-shute 1
    Insisted civilian politics required “a firm hand and a louder voice.”

12. Sir Giles Slubberworth 1
    Accused of impropriety but cleared after misplacing all relevant documents.

13. Mr Thaddeus Sneerwell 1
    Opposed every bill on principle, especially those he had not read.

14. Viscount Wilberforce Twaddle 1
    Considered compromise a sign of moral weakness—unless necessary.

15. Mr Bartholomew Wheeze 1
    Absent from Parliament for health reasons during every critical vote.

16. Sir Humphrey Dithers 1
    Formed three committees to decide whether action was required.

17. The Hon Montague Flannelby 1
    Known for passionate speeches followed by immediate retractions.

18. Alderman Tobias Grindlewig 1
    Built his reputation on fiscal responsibility and other people’s money.

19. Mr Cornelius Blatherskite 1
    Spoke at great length on matters he only half understood.

20. Captain Augustus Windbag (Ret.) 1
    Invoked military discipline while refusing to obey party discipline.

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Producing a wargame from Low Whig High Tory depends largely on the situation. It's a risk. If I lose to the generated opposition I escalate the Crisis.

Each card has 3 levels, determined by a d6 dice roll

For instance:

Second Anglo–China War (Canton Campaign) — 1859

Face Cost: 10,000 guineas  

Enemy Leader: Canton Command (Entrenched)  

Special Rules:  

- +1d3 cost if China Treaty Ports Crisis is active  

- Victory: +1 amusement  

- Defeat: A China Crisis looms

A dispute over trade becomes a bombardment. The Foreign Office insists it is all very regrettable.

🔲 LEVEL I — POLICE ACTION

🔲 LEVEL II — COLONIAL WAR

🔲 LEVEL III — IMPERIAL CRISIS 

A Level 1 Police action is a skirmish game. A Blood and Steel Company action.

A Level 2 Colonial War is battalion level. Blood and Steel deals with this as well, the groups counting as Companies.

An Imperial Crisis requires a divisional or Corps response, it's the Indian Mutiny, the Boer War, the Crimean War. Units must be scraped from garrisons and sent out. Lose one of those and things become problematic for the Empire.

Terrain for the New Zealand Wars

Bringing together my terrain for the New Zealand Wars.  

Blood and Steel

...and a rules reminder "Terrain should cover 50%-75% of the playing area!"

AREA TERRAIN: woods, wheat fields or tall grass, 

LINEAR TERRAIN:  walls, fences, and hedges 

ELEVATED TERRAIN: Hills and upper floors of buildings. (just for the look it needs 2" of height)

DIFFICULT TERRAIN:  wooded areas, rubble, tall vegetation, and shallow waterways.  For New Zealand logged areas with tree stumps.  Muddy puddles.

BUILDINGS: Buildings divided into 4" Structures each

And another reminder

The way troops interact with the terrain is going to make the game.

Woods Area -1” and No Run to Ground Soft 

Buildings and Rubble Area -1” and No Run to Ground Hard

High Crops and Tall Grass Area -1” and No Run to Ground Soft

Fences and Hedges Linear Takes full Advance action to cross; No Run to Ground Soft

Low Walls Linear Takes full Advance action to cross; No Run to Ground Soft or Hard

Shallow Stream Linear -1” and No Run to Ground None

Marsh Area -1” and No Run to Ground None

Important to note that for the New Zealand Wars the Maori are "elusive" and gain extra use of cover in terrain.  They also felled logs for cover in dense woodland, and indeed dug Rifle pits!

Some source material:

Tracks, trees, bush, ferns

Gullies, big old trees, elevations, mud, rain

Smoke, fern, cover from view, Pa defences, trees

My New Zealand ideas.  Stuff I can use on table that will tie my game to this period.

1. Rainstorms (Bloody hell its raining.  Deploy Puddles!)

• Irregular shapes, not circles (NZ rain never behaves).
• Tint a few with brown/green wash underneath → looks churned, not clean water.
• Put them where units must go: track junctions, gate approaches, stream exits.

Rules nudge

• Puddles: No modifier, but first failed Run test in contact = Fatigue (wet boots, slipping).
• Dice for "wet powder markers"

Cheap, thematic, and it feels right.

2. Bush Tracks & Cart Roads (Linear)

• Track: No penalty
• Mud Track (after rain): -1” Move, Run allowed but failed Run = Fatigue
• Counts as Soft for saves if flanked by bush

Visually: brown felt strip + static grass edges = instant win.

3. Fern Scrub (Area)

Thick waist-high bracken, not trees.

Rules

• Area, -1” Move
• Shoot -1 beyond 6”
• Run allowed, but failed Run = Pin

This is the classic NZ firefight terrain — skirmishers love it, formations hate it.

4. Fallen Timber & Windfall (Area / Linear)

Storm damage, logging debris, old clearings.

Rules

• Area or Linear
• -1” Move
• Counts as Hard cover when shot through
• No Run to Ground

Easy build: twigs + bark + coffee grounds.

Under construction.

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5. Gullies & Cuttings (Linear / Area)

Dry creek beds, erosion cuts — everywhere in NZ.

Rules

• Inside gully: Hard cover
• Entering/exiting costs full Advance
• Units inside cannot be seen unless attacker is within 6” or elevated

This makes elevation matter without needing hills everywhere.

Recreation of a contemporary painting.

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6. Raupō Huts & Whare (Buildings)

Not just European buildings — this shouts NZ Wars.

Rules

• Buildings, Hard cover
• Can be Burned (scenario/event driven)
• Burning building: Area of Smoke after 1 turn

Visually: they don’t need to be perfect — suggestion beats accuracy.

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7. Tree Stumps & Clear-Felled Ground (Area)

Post-logging or artillery-cleared areas.

Rules

• Area, -1” Move
• No cover
• Units charging out of stumps suffer -1 Melee first round

It’s nasty, awkward ground — perfect.

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8. Stock Pens, Yards & Post-and-Rail Enclosures (Linear / Area)

Half-farms, half-defensive.

Rules

• Fences
• Enclosed yard counts as Soft cover
• Crossing fence = full Advance

Looks civilian… plays military.

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9. Flooded Low Ground (Area)

Different from marsh — temporary and cruel.

Rules

• Area, -1” Move
• Run allowed, but any Run = automatic Fatigue
• No cover

Great after “Heavy Rain” events.

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Optional additions

Smoke & Damp Powder

• After heavy rain: first Shoot action by a unit = -1 Shoot (wet powder markers.
• During heavy rain -2 Shoot.
• Smoke markers linger 1 extra turn in still weather

Slippery Banks (Stream edges)

• Pass resolve as Advance test failure means = unit gains 1 Fatigue.

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Terrain density rule of thumb

For Blood & Steel skirmish fights:

• 1 terrain piece per square foot
• At least one linear obstacle per table quarter
• At least two “awkward” areas (fern, marsh, rubble)

If units can just march and shoot cleanly — add one more patch of misery

The tabletop 

A Logged area occupied by the Maori

The Pã

So far so good!