The March of the Fantasy Romans

 Way back in the dim and distant past, when I was but a lad, ancient wargaming was all the rage with the cool kids around our way. OK, maybe not the cool kids but the swotty , geeky types that didn't play football - in other words the weirdos. For a long time 'ancients' was all we played. I'm not sure why we favoured ancients so heavily but it was probably some sort of natural progression from Airfix soldiers. In those days our preferred scale was 15mm. Looking back, the quality of the figures was atrocious but these were metal and being serious wargamers, metal was obviously better than plastic which were after all toys. Cost was also a factor, as being school kids we just couldn't afford bigger figures. Then one day a group of us attended a local wargames convention in Newcastle. I don't remember  much about the show but I do remember that, as part of the proceedings, it held an auction selling off painted wargames figures. Many of the lots consisted of 25mm Byzantine figures being sold as whole units. I also remember one of our number, who shall remain nameless but we'll just call him 'the Sneak', suffering what I can only describe as a funny turn. The symptoms, of this funny turn, manifested as a mad gleam in the eye, a manic grin and a compulsion to raise his hand every time a new bid was solicited. After a stressful 30 minutes, during which time our little group were heard to mutter  such phrases as; 'is he feeling alright?', 'does he know what he's doing? and 'can he pay for all that?', the Sneak emerged with a full 25mm Byzantine army. To this day I don't know where he got the cash from; it was certainly beyond the reach of my £1 a week pocket money! So now one of our number had opened the Pandora's Box of 25mm wargames figures, it meant that the arms race was on and we would all have to get some of these serious gaming pieces.
However, the problem with this plan was cash; or rather the lack of it. This small matter was overcome when I discovered Prince August moulds that enabled anyone to cast their own figures. As one of the moulds was a Late Roman legionary my problem was solved, although I'm not sure where I got the lead from - I don't think the church roof was involved.....
So after many sessions on the kitchen stove, blissfully ignorant of any modern health and safety standards, I amassed quite a few of these shiny lead wonders. Unfortunately, they just weren't as sexy as commercial figures so I was forced to bite the bullet (not literally as that would be a waste of lead) and buy some proper figures. After scouring the adverts in such esteemed tomes as 'Military Modelling' and 'Battle Magazine', I decided the way forward was Minifigs. Not only that but at another wargames show, at the same venue as the infamous Byzantine auction incident, I discovered Irregular Miniatures and was enthralled by their Saxons and Scots-Irish. After collecting Minifigs, with their staid poses and lack of surface detail, I was bowled over by the scruffy and craggy looking Irregular style. And so a project was born; henceforth I would amass some Saxons and Irish to face my Romans and fight the so-called Barbarian Conspiracy.
Unfortunately, real life intervened and the project never really got off the ground. I had the figures and quite a lot of them were even painted but I just never seemed to get around to gaming with them. That is until now when I decided to finally base them all up for the relatively recent Dux Bellorum rules.
I suppose it shouldn't come as a great surprise but things have moved on since I started this project about 40 years ago. Also being involved in early medieval reenactment for 28 years and dabbling in Late Roman reenactment, I now have a better feel for the period. Frankly, authenticity wise, my long cherished figures are truly horrible. Nevermind, toys are toys; so let's take a closer look at my fantasy Romans. Apologies for the photo quality but I've just discovered a smear on my camera lens!
First off I decided to set the standard unit size large enough to fit 16 figures in two ranks. This is roughly twice the recommended frontage but I had enough figures to do this and it avoids the DBA small element look. Units are actually based on 2 of Warbases 70mm by 50mm mdf bases. One of the bases also has an integral dice frame to fit a 'micro' dice, denoting the unit's cohesion. Different coloured dice can also be used to mark noble or ordinary status.

A typical unit from the front. All shields are hand painted (as if you couldn't guess) using designs from the Notitia Dignitatum.

A rear view showing dice frame, dodgy leather armour and fantasy helmets.







So to conform to the army lists in Dux Bellorum, I will require the following:
1 Mounted Companions with Leader
0-1 Noble Riders (superior cavalry)
0-1 Cataphracts
0-2 Ordinary Riders
0-2 Noble Shieldwall (superior infantry)
0-6 Ordinary Shieldwall
0-2 Bow
0-1 Mounted Skirmisher (Bow)
0-1 Mounted Skirmisher (Javelin)
0-2 Foot Skirmisher (javelin or bow)


First let's take a look at the command figures. These are not strictly necessary, in the rules, but I will use a command figure to mark which unit is the General's Companions. From the left, Minifigs, Foundry x 2, Irregular.






The heavy cavalry component requires up to four units of Riders (1 Companion, 1 Noble and 2 Ordinary). As my original army, based for WRG rules, had two 12 figure heavy cavalry units, this breaks down quite nicely into four 6 figure units. These are all Minifigs, those on the right on Prince August horses.

Of course this wouldn't be a Late Roman army without cataphracts. These are a mix of Minifigs Palmyran cataphracts on Prince August home cast horses and Irregular Miniatures.






Next up we have the heavy infantry component.There are a potential 8 units of Shieldwall (2 Noble and 6 Ordinary) in the list. Quite rightly there is no distinction made between auxilia and legiones for this period so my figure collection breaks down into 4 legiones and 4 auxilia.



Here we have parts of 3 Minifigs legio units.




The fourth legio consists of Prince August figures.







The remaining four Shieldwall units are all Minifigs auxilia (only 3 shown here).




For the light troops I will require 2 units of Bow and 2 units of Foot Skirmishers. The latter can be armed with javelin or bow.


I had enough figures to field one unit of javelin troops but needed to call on some Foundry figures for the bow armed equivalent. These are based on pennies, for a different project, but are easily mounted on sabot bases.






Finally for the Romans we have the light cavalry. The javelin armed LC are Minifigs, in characteristic knuckle to temple poses. For the bow armed LC I have used some Huns on sabot bases. The identity of the manufacturer is a complete mystery to me, as I bought them at a convention in Sheffield in the mid eighties.


So that's it for the Romans but before we go let's take a luck at the opposition. Half of my Irish have been based for Dux Britanniarum and the remainder are still in the pile awaiting sprucing up. However, I managed to gather enough Saxons to field seven units for Dux Bellorum.






These are a mix of Minifigs, Irregular and several other makes that I no longer recall.


Next week we start the Barbarian Conspiracy campaign, a mere 40 years in the waiting. As a taster we had a practice run last week; Late Romans versus the Captain's 40 year old Picts.  It was a good job that it was just a practice, as the Captain gave the Romans a good drubbing despite being loaded with cold. It doesn't bode well - I fear for the province!

The Barbarian Conspiracy ver.2

The Campaign of the Great Barbarian Conspiracy v2

a work in progress...

The Marshal Petain Gentlemen's Club summer campaign for 2017 is the Great Barbarian Conspiracy of 368AD, using Dan Mersey's Dux Bellorum rules.  Figures will be veteran 1980s Minifigs and Irregular miniatures.  The campaign uses as its basis the relief force sent by Emperor Valentinian with the mission of reclaiming the Province of Britannia, which had been overrun by "barbarian" raiders, described as a conspiracy of Barbarians and revolting Roman units.  This army included four units, Batavi, Heruli, Iovii and Victores.

In our game the Roman relief army is commanded by Flavius Quilpius, (well the Minifigs are his after all!) and have gathered in Gaul. Landing in Britannia the Romans face a series of battles against conspiring rebels and barbarians in a ladder campaign.

The initial Roman army of 48 points will represent Flavius Quilpius forces from the continent.  Possible sub commanders include: the future Emperor Quilpius I (Quilpius Minor) and the later usurper Maximus Minimus as subordinate officers and leaders.  Roman losses will be replaced as the rebel units scattered throughout Britannia come back into line and more units arrive from the continent (for a replacement pool of a further 48 pts).

The game is a ladder campaign, comprising four separate territories, reflecting the Roman's march northwards to reclaim Britain.  The Romans must win at each battlefield to push through the Barbarians and reach their ultimate goal, to relieve (or possibly punish) the units at Hadrian's Wall.  They have only two opportunities at each battlefield, although they may retreat further down the ladder if defeated, until they are pushed back to game area 1 and forced to retreat to Gaul.

The Romans will field 48 points in battle, unless victory cards allow the conspirators to whittle them down.  Their commanders will be Quilpius Maximus and any guest players as his Tribune.  In game 4, the great showdown, each army may field an additional 24 points, ie... 72 points between their two wings..

The Conspirators will field 24 points of:

Saxons... Tossa son of Vank, Lord of the Vank-Guard, (Me)

Picts...  the McWhitmore (What bloody man is this?)
Scotti ...  the Mad O' Finnigan
Rebelling Romans from the wall... The revolting Quintus Whitmorus in a purple Toga and speedos, who has declared himself Dux Bellorum.

Losses by all forces are replaced in terms of points to offer more choice for the next battle.  The Romans must face 48 point barbarian armies in each of the territories as they march northwards.  

The campaign game uses the scenarios from Dux Bellorum and these are available within the spoils cards:

Open battle x2
Dawn attack
Village attack
Siege
River attack
End of Reign
The Bard's Tale

(the poet Marcus Obsequilis or the bard Catweasle of Lugvallium)

Cards from spoils deck at the commencement of the campaign, randomly, one to each of the conspirators, four to the Romans.  Each side may play up two two cards for a battle, one for each command.  Cards have a value in terms of army points and may be exchanged for stratagems for an individual game. 

On dicing to determine Aggressor and Repeller it is the Repeller who has the option to play a scenario card for this battle, if they have one, otherwise the Aggressor may play a scenario card.  If no scenario cards are played the game is a fair and open battle (or a normal battle under the rules)  Repeller's strategies are revealed first.

A victor in battle can draw more cards from the spoils deck, a selection of scenarios, strategies, unit upgrades, additional resources and bonus LPs that you may add to your army, or remove from your opponents.  A Maximum of four cards may be drawn by each side following a battle.

Destroy a unit of Nobles 1 card each unit.

Rout the enemy army. 2 cards
Win scenario conditions 3 cards.

If Quilpius can destroy all of the conspirator's armies he becomes Dux Bellorum.

If the conspirators destroy all possible 96 points of Quilpius' Romans the Province is lost.  The largest of the conspirators forces remaining is the winner, and may be crowned Grand Mugwump of Britannia, Dux Bellorum.

The Terrain Rules.

Terrain Positioning:

The table is divided into six sectors.  Terrain is chosen from the available list for that area and six pieces are placed.
Players choose their table base edge before terrain placement commences.

Terrain pieces are placed in an IGOUGO sequence beginning with the defender.

Terrain adjustment 

Roll one IABSM Artillery dice to indicate the direction in which the terrain must be moved, 
and three normal D6 for the distance in inches.  Dice to move the terrain piece before placing the next one.
Linear terrain such as roads and rivers must run from a base sector to end in a second sector.  

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

The actual history bit...

In the spring of 368, a relief force sent by Emperor Valentinian, commanded by Flavius Theodosius gathered at Bononia. It included four units, Batavi, Heruli, Iovii and Victores as well as his son, the later Emperor Theodosius I and probably the later usurper Magnus Maximus, his nephew.

Theodosius took advantage of a break in the winter weather to cross the Channel to Richborough, leaving the rest of his troops at Bononia to await better weather. This enabled Theodosius to gather vital intelligence.  He discovered that the British troops had either been overwhelmed, refused to fight or deserted; many also may not have been paid.

Once the troops landed, Theodosius marched with them to Londinium which he made his base. There he began to deal with the invaders:

There he divided his troops into many parts and attacked the predatory bands of the enemy, which were ranging about and were laden with heavy packs; quickly routing those who were driving along prisoners and cattle, he wrested from them the booty which the wretched tribute-paying people had lost. And when all this had been restored to them, except for a small part which was allotted to the wearied soldiers, he entered the city, which had previously been plunged into the greatest difficulties, but had been restored more quickly than rescue could have been expected, rejoicing and as if celebrating an ovation.

An amnesty was promised to deserters which enabled Theodosius to regarrison abandoned forts. A new Dux Britanniarum was appointed, Dulcitius, with Civilis granted vicarius status to head a new civilian administration.

After discovering that the local Areani had collaborated with the invaders, Theodosius removed them from their positions.

By the end of the year, the barbarians had been driven back to their homelands; the mutineers had been executed; Hadrian's Wall was retaken; and order returned to the diocese.

Theodosius also overcame and defeated the force of Valentinus, a Pannonian who had been exiled to Britain and joined the invaders.

Considerable reorganization was undertaken in Britain, including the creation of a new province named Valentia, probably to better address the state of the far north. Claudian suggests that naval activity took place in northern Britain.

It is possible that Theodosius mounted punitive expeditions against the barbarians and extracted terms from them. Certainly, the Notitia Dignitatum later records four units of Attacotti serving Rome on the continent. The Areani were removed from duty and the frontiers refortified with co-operation from border tribes such as the Votadini, marking the career of men such as Paternus.

The Red Sea Gazette, Issue 1 1883

Run for the Hills (Nile) - A Men Who Would Be Kings Scenario - Part 2.

The Royal Dragoons make the first break.  Abandoning the Infantry Captain  Quincy flees for the paddle steamer

The RMLI secure the landing site

The Wasseer produces his sneak, a fleet of dervish fellucas with riflemen as crew. 

The Marines pull back to cover the gangplank, fearful that the Madhists will get between them and the steamer.

The Dervish fleet is pinned by the steamer's gun.  Colonel Quilp double times for the stricken boats.

Dervish riflemen appear in the rocks to snipe at the cavalry, but they are too late.  

The GS Wagon and its wounded reach the steamer.  Lt Herbert Farthingdale is saved and can write more letters to his mother.

The Egyptian Companies finally wise up and sprint for the Nile.  Hawtrey minces along unable to catch up.

The end game.  Our heroic Officers save themselves at the expense of their men.

Run for the Hills (Nile) Scenario, Men who would be Kings

The University of North Durham's boasts a collection known as the "Farthingdale Papers," recovered from the Library of Farthingdale Hall. Various members of the infamous Farthingdale family have contributed to these papers over the years, but one of the most misunderstood letter collections in the archive belongs to Herbert Farthingdale, an Officer of the Indian Army between 1880 and 1914.   
Herbert was a first class administrator and served in staff positions for most of his career.  He rarely  did any actual fighting.  One of his first letters refers to the doomed Quilp Pasha expedition which had as its objective a march from Suakin to the Nile.  

Herbert's letters are all addressed to his Mother, the redoubtable Henrietta Farthingdale, who was the "Mother" of modern Wargaming, and who is reputed to have thrashed the author H.G Wells at a game of "Little Wars."

Dear Mother,

I have been seconded to the expeditionary Force of Colonel Quilp Pasha this week.  A great battle occurred in which most of our forces were apparently wiped out, but which I cannot report on since I am reduced to riding in a general service wagon with the wounded following a bout of dysentery.   It was not wise to eat dinner with those Cavalrymen of the Royals.  Goodness knows what that meat really was!

I am recovered enough to view the scenario of the retreat to the Nile.  As we fled onto the great floodplain of the river we could see a cluttered terrain ahead.  With pursuit behind us we had to get to the “Firkit” a finely crafted river steamer which was moving downriver to our rescue.

The vessel seems stoutly constructed by a master builder, yet clearly has limited berths aboard.  My estimate would be that there are only some 24 places.

Captain Quincy of the Royals commanded the GS wagon to move through his line to the front.  He made a valiant charge clearing away no less than two large groups of Dervish chargers that appeared in the rocks before us.   The Royals suffered huge losses, but also took down a group of riflemen.  

The Rajput Infantry defending our rear were caught and massacred.  Both of their Officers were deemed to be too ugly to own mirrors, but died bravely.   

With the gun clearing our way Captain Quincy seemed confident that he could at least save the Royals.

To our right were the Queen’s Own Minifigs.  The eccentric Colonel Quilp Pasha, the sole surviving Senior Officer marched at the head of his men, with the idiotic and cowardly Lieutenant Hawtrey commanding a second group.  Hawtrey repeatedly failed to coax his men into moving.  He also seemed to be armed with a service revolver and table knife.  The Queens Own Minifigs are Old School!

Colonel Quilp sacrificed his Anglo Egyptian troops to protect the Queen’s Own.  The Egyptians had some poor Officers, and were soon decimated by the repeated appearance of charging Dervish Warbands.  It was the Colonel who first reached the halfway point across the table, no doubt patting himself on the back.  (Colonel Quilp was even spotted using his George Hare patented Dry Plate Extended Bellows Camera to photograph the scene.)  

All appeared to be going well.  The Dervish had been rebuffed.  The “Firkit” had tied up to the river bank and a company of Royal Marine Light Infantry moved out to secure the landing spot. 

The Dervish reacted to the Marines when a group appeared to their front, but with a combination of superb musketry from the RMLI and the cannon from the foredeck of the steamer these were recoiled.  The leader of these stalwarts was obviously a veteran and professional Officer!  

The Steamer used its Heliograph to signal the Imperial forces now half way across the plain... “The enemy can be seen massing behind you.”    Dervish cavalry suddenly appeared on the Eastern base edge, (newly painted) with a large unit of Camelry.  It seemed that the mad Khalifa was determined to destroy the surviving British Forces. 

Added to these woes are the fact that there seems to be a fleet of Dervish fellucas about to come down the Nile and onto the table.

Will the Khalifa succeed in his evil plan.  Will your poor son ever make it off this huge tabletop?

I will write as soon as I can Mother,

Your Loving Son, Herbert,

2^nd Lt, the 3rd Rajputs.

The Firkit and her Marines.  (and yes the gangplank is a "gone to ground" marker!)

The Nile Paddle Steamer Firkit

Paddle steamers formed a key part of operations during the 1884 Sudan war.  Indeed the steamers sent down the Nile in a desperate attempt to rescue General Gordon famously arrived only two days late.  Differing from purpose built river gunboats these were pleasure craft and working boats already on the Nile, taken into British service, although often given additional welded plates or sandbag defences.

The Firkit is named after a town on the lower Nile, 'Firket' (or Ferkeh, take your pick)  An alternate source for the name is the rumour that the Captain, Hieronymus Haddock, was often to be found on his bridge shouting “More speed ... oh Firkit.”

I began with 5mm balsa and cut out a 20cm deck shape.  I wanted this size for the tabletop, and the shape looked about right.  The “tail” at the rear is for the paddle wheel which will be mounted on this balsa base to give the model strength.

Since my figure collection is 20mm I wanted the model to accommodate some Newline Designs sailors.  As I built it however I realised that I was coming nearer to 15mm figure size.  Bath-tubbing generally works for me,  I use 10mm buildings with 15mm figures so  I went with what looked right rather than rigidly going for 20mm sized doors and windows.  

The cabin structure on the lower deck were formed from balsa, and then the upper deck from a thick card.  

A lip of thick card edged the balsa of the main deck, nipped with holding clips for the glue to set.  I left a 20mm gap around the cabin structure, mainly because my figures are based on those size of washers.  I intend to give enough room to evacuate the Queen's Own if needed.

 

Once the glue was set I fixed the funnel and upper works.  Then the fiddly work of building sandbags from air drying clay began was done, I set the railings in place, using slivers of bamboo, and scratch built a gun for the foredeck by using the end of an old paintbrush and some balsa.

Can`t help but think that I made the rear wall of those sandbags one line too high., but they look fine with 20mm figures behind them.

Any gaps at this stage were given a coat of filler, and I made sure to place some rough filler between the paddle wheels and at the bow to represent white water.

 

The  spare clay went to making lifebelts, barrels and stores boxes, as well as some struts for the paddle wheel.  

A large barrel went just behind the funnel, presumably Captain Haddock's private rum store.  Rumour has it that, like me, he is an Admiral Daiquiri man.

I used more clay to make a rope pile on the port side lower deck.  More bamboo was used to make the mast, although in the finished model this is removeable for storage. 

Fitting some of my Rajput Infantry around the vessel gave me a size check.  I can fit three into the bow section, or perhaps a gattling gun.  So far so good...

With the main body painted in "Vajello Iraqi sand" I use their "Sand" colour to paint the defensive sandbags.  

The paddle steamer "Firkit" was beginning to take shape.  I gave the lifebelts a touch or red and white, hoping this was not a sign of wargaming things to come.  The ship's name went onto the forebridge, but I darkened it after this picture was taken.

The last thing to do was the rigging.  I used a thin nylon strip recycled from the black netting from some Morrisons' oranges.  (the same netting that will form my Dardanelles Anti-Submarine nets in another scratch build project I`m attempting)  The fore and aft rigging crosses the mast, but it can still be dismounted for storage of the model.  

Under "The Men Who Would Be Kings" I intend to claim the paddle steamer as a crewed weapon on the foredeck, plus an Irregular rifle group (my 12 Newline Designs sailors) in good cover behind the sandbags.    I estimate the steamer to be around 9 points, moving at 6" per turn upstream, 8" downstream.  It will be interesting to see what kind of officer "Captain" Haddock is.

The groups count independently, although based on the vessel.  If the vessel is within 1" of the river bank the Sailors can disembark, as per moving across a linear obstacle, but equally in such a position it can be stormed by enemy chargers.  I made a balsa boarding plank for just that purpose.  Now that would be a fight I would like to see.

So that's the Firkit, built ready for action, and awaiting her chance to supplement the Queen's Own Minifigs on the tabletop.  Equally however, and here is the really devious bit, the Dervish also siezed and used paddle steamers.  Clearly Haddock is something of a mercenary, so my opposition can expect to see my 20mm Dervish crewing the boat too.  The Sneak of the Sudan strikes again!

Lieutenant Charlatan Heston saves the day at Jaksi.

Major Farthingdale-Pyles and Quincy Pasha attempted the relief of Jaksi using Men Who Would be Kings on our Thursday evening game at Durham Wargames club.  So far Mr Babbage has defended Jaksi, a revolting place, really well.  After dividing the forces into a British command and an Egyptian one we diced for it and I was fortunate to be taking the role of Major Pyles once again.  

Unexpectedly a last minute Dervish Commander appeared, The Mad Khalifa Nigel, who used a variant of the Babbage rules, since "The Khalifa" does not believe in letting his men slink away.  

With the Dervish appearing randomly and then acting under his command the Pasha and I were in trouble.     

The terrain had Jaksi, our objective on a hill against the far table edge, some random scrub and rocky areas, as well as a long dry donga, subject of much quipping and punnage during the game.

 The gallant Major Farthingdale-Pyles turned out to be quite effective, a 5+.  His unit of the Queens Own, Regular Infantry, were in luck!  My unit of Royal Marine Light Infantry were under the command of an ordinary regular Officer 6+.  The gattling gun Sergeant was a 7+.
Were my side was let down was the Cavalry.  The Royal Dragoons` Lieutenant Charlatan Heston was an utter poltroon.  The Regular Cavalry were not allowed to charge.  They would have to use their carbines.  The effectiveness of my force was under serious question!

Quincy Pasha had some effective Officers in his Anglo Egyptian Field Force.  Two groups of Fellahs and the gun were all commanded by stalwarts.  One of his units however was commanded by... a coward.  A man likely to run off at any moment. 

Placing this group in reserve the Pasha declared that he was resolute and keen to face the enemy.   

The Dervish appeared behind my British force.  I had planned to advance the Cavalry to take the objective, but my first attempts to move my force into a defensive formation failed.  Major Pyles advanced  and then realised that he was alone.  The RMLI had refused to move, as did the gattling gun.  With a cry of glee the mad Khalifa let loose a horde of Dervish Spears, from behind me!  

 The Pasha had that dry donga in front of his position.  His line advanced well, all except for Ali the coward, who clung to the base line.

The Dervish swarmed in the donga to the front, and even worse a group charged from the shrubbery to wipe out the gun and its crew.

 The exact same thing happened to the British.  The Dervish charged out of nowhere and wiped out the gattling gun and it's crew..  Lesson learned.  Keep the crewed weapons in the centre.

To the front of the Pasha the Hadendowah camelry charged from the donga into the left hand group of fellahs.  The other unit had been pinned by those pesky Dervish riflemen and was unable to help. 

The Pasha however was up to this challenge and saw them off.  Still things were looking dodgy on the right.
  

 To be quite honest things were looking bad on the left too.  My Royal Dragoons, commanded by Lt Heston the coward, were having to use their carbines to swat away enemies from the isolated Queens own.  More and more Dervish appeared over that hill on my flank.  The RMLI were down to eight men.  
    

 The Anglo Egyptians were holding out, but that donga gave the Dervish an advantage. 

At this point I had something of a revelation.  I had to stop moving.  We had to get to the objective but there was no point in my trying to get into a proper defensive position, since that only brought down more Dervish upon me. It was up to the Royal dragoons and Charlatan Heston to get to Jaksi and save the day.   Looking at it objectively it seemed like a long shot!

  

The Pasha was in even more trouble than me.  He had lost over half his force, and he himself was the only survivor of one unit.

With our new tactic of standing still the Dervish attacks had quietened.  Even so we were only just hanging on.

The only moving unit was the Royal Dragoons and Heston quickly double timed them towards the town.

With the Khalifa howling threats and swearing vengeance the Pasha and I declared ourselves the victors.   This was a somewhat hollow claim however, since we had each lost well over half of our men.  

The only unit not to have casualties was that of the cowardly Ali, who refused to move from the baseline for the whole game.

Lessons learned:  

• Hold fast and move as little as possible,
• Let one quality unit rush to the objective,
• Deploy in square, or at least defensively, from the outset,
• Keep crewed weapons in the middle of the line rather than isolating them.