Up the Nile Game 2, the village.

Young Herbert Farthingdale is regretting taking that commission with the Khedive's Egyptian Army.  His latest command, a company of the 7th Garrison Battalion are poor shots and less than keen.  They haven't been paid in six months, and the Company's Remington rifles are rusty to the point of being dangerous and have a poor range compared to the Martini Henry Rifles of the British. 

Colonel Boris Bumsby Pasha, a chubby chancer and camel worrier of some renown, and Herbert's commanding Officer, has detached the 7th company to secure Taboun, whilst the column marches on Kabkaba and the "Mad Fakir."   It's still all looking a little bit grim.

 

The Village of Taboun

Second of three games, the Village.  The Seventh Garrison Company, supported by an Egyptian crewed gun, have set out under Herbert to secure the village on the flank.   

The battlefield

And the village, plumbing limited.

7th Company march for the village.  No Dervish so far.  I'm using blinds for the enemy.

Mahdist riflemen in the dunes.  We give them a volley.  Seven hits.

The enemy are driven back pinned, and I give them a second volley.

7th Company reach the village and face yet more Dervish riflemen in those dunes.

My gunners need training.

The gun crew are wiped out.

The company drive back the Dervish.

But Dervish tribesmen and camel riders are swarming around the village now.

The camel riders swarm in as darkness falls, but among the buildings the Egyptians fight well.  Herbert survives, at least until morning. 

It's up the Nile for you Farthingdale.

Young Herbert probably shouldn't have taken that commission with the Khedive's Egyptian Army.  His men, the 3rd Sudanese, were well trained regulars, the only issue being the Remington rifles they used having a limited range compared to the Martini Henry Rifles of the West Kents.  The real problem was the Mission, march up the Red Nile and sort out the Dervish problem.

Easier said than done, especially when you are an idiot of Herbert's calibre.

Our Hero is serving under Colonel Boris Bumsby Pasha, a chubby chancer and camel worrier of some renown.  Its all looking a little grim.

 

The Garrison of Abu Hamed has been lead out by Colonel Bumsby to march on Kabkaba, where a "Mad Fakir" has been preaching a Dervish Jihad against the Turks.  The Fakir is a little unclear on just who his enemies are!

The Wadi

First of three games, the Dervish ambush Colonel Bumsby's force at the Wadi.  I`m using Men Who Would be Kings, with 15mm figures and 2 figures to a base.  My Regular units are 24 figures (representing 12 bases) and the Dervish Tribesmen 32.

The Game

The Abu Hamed Wadi

A 24 point field force, right to left, the Regular Sudanese, a well drilled Mountain gun battery, the West Kents and the Lancashire Fusiliers.

Rocks to the right, the wadi ahead and a patch of sand, unscouted.

The sand turns out to be good going, but the rocks are filled with Babbage generated shooters.  Dervish spears appear to the front.

The Fusiliers give them a round of firing, killing seven. 

Bumsby scouts the wadi and is stuck fast.  He always was too large for that poor pony.

They come again and we kill four more

But those devils in the rocks get four of my men.

The Fusiliers see off the Dervish but at grievous cost.

The sad demise of Captain W.A.N Kerr of the Loyal North Lanc's Fusiliers

Bumsby steadies the Lancashires as the mountain guns get into action.

More Dervish shooters appear.  they kill off the Lancashires, just one shrt of killing Bumsby himself.

Although the fellow comes close.

Colonel Bumsby retreats to the West Kents and the tactics are now to hold the line

The Sudanese are regulars, but their rifles are poor  At long range they snipe at the Dervish.

In fact its at "only just" range.  Four hits out of twelve.  We'll take that.

All three Dervish units on table are pinned.

The guns get six hits out of eight.  Well drilled indeed.

And another four for the Sudanese.  Its very much swung to the Colonial field force

The Shooters deliver a charge,  Their bullets will not harm you, etc...  The bayonets do though. Six hts versus three

We've seen them off.  The Papers will love it, Her Majesty will love it, that fat idiot Boris Bumsby may even make Prime Minister yet.

Captain Peacock's Kraal Cockup

No excuses, just a great little 30 point game of Men who would be Kings.  The Queens Own must capture the Kraal, eight groups of Zulu disagree.

The Game

24 Points of the Queens Own march on table.  The Kraal is top right.

Once again Mr Rumbold and the Commisarry wagon tags along.

Peacock steps out.  Major Willy Stroker watches aghast.  "Where is that idiot going?"

The Zulu swarm to Peacock's front.

He is dressing too far to the left, again.  Your customer Mr Grainger.

Shooting like that won't keep them at bay.

Peacock's privates are roughly handled.  Your customer Mr Humphries.

The 9 pdr screw has a pop. Zulu swarm from the Kraal in response 

Stroker ensures that Lucas stands firm against the enemy to his front. We have worries about Lucas.

Meanwhile even Grainger is holding on against swarming overwhelming Zulu numbers.

Humphries takes on the pigs ear left flank that Peacock has lost. 

And the shame of it!  I recycle losses to bring on Lt Brahms and an extra company.  Fills his tight tunic out well does young Brahms.

A good looking youth Brahms, with a big chopper held aloft.  Your customer Mr Lucas.

The new company close order, as the enemy come on

Graingers turn to feel the heat

But crafty old Grainger times his discharge well.

He loses four men but the Zulu rock back at -8.

The last volley from Lucas as the Zulu fade away, gone to ground.  The Kraal is ours.  Mr Rumbold is short on ammunition.  Time to resupply at Rev Quincy's Drift, before the final push. 

Roll call.  "I know you're there Harman, I've seen you."
"Me colour Sergeant?  Thank you very much."

Join us next time as Peacock's company are joined by Major Francis Howerd of the Engineers at the defence of Quincy's Drift.   Will Mr Rumbold find the right sized screwdriver to open the ammunition boxes?  Will Master Brahms' chest burst out of that over tight tunic? Will Young Colonel Grace parade the battalion to tell us we've all done very well!

Probably