Capt. Cholmondley VC

We were back to the Sudan this week, although the Galloping Majors were down in number. Therefore the roll of honour was to be:

Major Stroker - posted overseas

Major Eyeswater - dining in the mess

Major Cakey - mysteriously disappeared in the bazaars of Cairo

Major Pea - Intelligence Officer (running the Dervish)

Major Whitemoore - Galloping Major, in charge of Camel Corps

Major Dundarse - Galloping Major, Langbaurgh Light Infantry and the evening's 'Sir Garnet'

Young Winston Elliot - The Adjutant

For this game, I wanted to test a few mechanisms for our prospective Sudan campaign. Firstly, I wanted to see how many Imperial players the game would accommodate. After playtesting, with Major Stroker, over the summer I was confident that 2 Imperial players would be fine. However, 3 players each commanding a battalion wing, whilst doable, seems to be stretching the format a bit. This week, I added the third player with the introduction of the Adjutant. The latter would not get an on table figure, as per the Galloping Majors, but would instead command units allocated to him by Sir Garnet, from the combined force of 2 battalion wings plus supports. Essentially, it's 3 players sharing the command of 2 Field Forces, and it worked a treat.

Secondly, we tested my 'Radical Babbage' system. This forgoes the Native deployment table and instead uses a system of Blinds. Once deployed, the Dervish are controlled by the normal Native Actions table. Native Recycling is carried out by the alternative Recycling table from our Suakin campaign. This was also a great success and resulted in a more realistic use of the Dervish and saw more movement on the Imperial side.

Thirdly, I wanted to see how far the players could realistically move across the table in a single evening's game. I informed the players that the objective was to cross the table but in my head they were searching for the body of Madly-Barking, and maybe even his Penny-Farthing.

We rejigged the terrain from last week; removing the residency and adding Finnigan's Famous Donga.

The British deployed first, with the Camel Corps on their right, opposite the donga, the Naval Brigade in the centre, and the Langbaurgh Light Infantry on the open left. Despite the objective being to move across the table, the British, had yet again chose a Gatling gun as a support option. 

The British Deployment

Once the British had deployed, we diced for the Mahdist deployment and got 3 mobs all on their right. I was concerned that this would be a bit skewed but luckily one mob was held off table to be deployed on a random table edge.

The Dervish deploy their blinds

So on to the first activation card, and it was to be the Dervish and the reserve mob came on the right table edge, in the open and in front of the Langbaurgh Light Infantry. Any hopes of surprise flank or rear attacks were soon dismissed. To add insult to injury this was the only turn the Mahdist card came out first, just when they didn't want it. For the remainder of the game the Dervish card was last every turn; I don't know how I managed that, it must be some kind of gift!

The world's worst flank attack

Unsurprisingly, the Dervish were spotted immediately, to reveal 4 units of Beja tribal infantry. They then spent several turns bravely, but foolishly, hurling themselves against the Teesiders. A company of these were classed as marksmen, so the outcome was inevitable and totally predictable.

Beja about to meet their maker

On the opposite flank, the unopposed Camel Corps moved up to the donga.

Ships of the desert

However, this didn't go unnoticed by the Dervish and they began to switch their focus to the opposite flank.

Dervish riflemen move left

As the Mahdist forces quickly built up in this sector, the Camel Corps confidently crossed the donga to face them off.

It's about to get nasty

Dervish prepare to charge

The Camel Corps calmly form a firing line

However, numbers tell and a unit of Beja breaks through

Cholmondley's company are horribly cut up but with a stupendous roll for  pinning test we instantly awarded him a VC

Back in the centre, with the Gatling gun refusing to fire, a unit of Beja had broken through against all odds. A company of Teesiders were almost massacred but miraculously passed the pinning test.

At the donga, Cholmondley's company had been pushed back by yet another attack. Now down to three figures, this was obviously Cholmondley, his batman and the CSM!

By now, the accumulated casualties was seriously effecting the Dervish's morale and they were beginning to slip away.

So, all in all, a great game and it did achieve everything it set out to do. I think we're close to finalising the game format for the next campaign now.

As far as this game went, I think Major Whitemoore's Camel Corps were clear winners. They advanced across most of the table, as instructed, and gallantly fought off a major Dervish attack.

The Wooden Spoon has to go to Young Winston, the Adjutant; with a Gatling gun that refused to fire, sharpshooting sailors (?!* - really?) that couldn't hit anything, scouts that couldn't spot (inexplicably deployed at the back or in the firing line), and managing to get a company of the Langbaurghs almost destroyed. There'll be some explaining to do in the mess, young fella me lad...........