Trouble up the Donga

In a nod to the terrain of Zululand we deployed a donga and rolling hills as well as tall grass areas onto the weekly battlefield.  It was pointed out that the donga was clearly the creation of a master craftsman, a work of genius.  I  pointed this out with no sense of embarrassment since I was the bloke what done it.

The thin end of the donga.

And the running tokens indicate that the Zulu have "run to ground."

The British cautiously deploy

Turns out that a donga is just as attractive as a hill in terms of getting troops into it.

I run at the British, but again and again I'm knocked back

Worse, even when I get into combat I'm beaten.  The national Characteristic  stats of the British seem a little Hollywood.

But we do kill a few of them

The British form up a line, the Zulu hide in the grass.

The colour is saved.  It seems Lt Pea wasn't killed in vain last game.

A desperate fight around the colours.

And the British dice are excellent.  They shield the withdrawing colour.

The remains of the Zulu cower in the tall grass.

The last turn.  All the Zulu can do is fire a ragged volley as the British rescue their colours.

As a step ahead with the Zulu I intend to add a second group of Musket men, which seems fair enough since the Zulu had far more guns than the British.

The Imperials have a group of Natal Native Infantry yet to be painted, and I may add another, as well as some Natal/Boer cavalry.  My intention is to make the "British" a more diverse, historically accurate force.

I've really enjoyed these few Zulu games.  A small figure collection but the Blood and Steel rules worked really well to give three excellent games in a row.  Its a period I will dip back into in future.

Lt Pea and the camp site carry on.

 Washing the Spears game 2.

The Zulu objective is the campsite, where Lt Pea has taken to his tent after injuring his leg chasing a chicken.

British fire is steady

The Zulu close in, my new casualty markers seeing some action

The Zulu rush the tents.

Lt Pea's recovery is rudely interrupted.  He abandons his copy of the "Victoria's Secrets" catalogue and takes up his 'revolver

But the British are closing in

The Zulu take casualties but somehow stand

Holding the initiative the Zulu attempt to shield the group raiding  the camp.  Our mission is to capture the objective and take it off table, but the casualties are horrendous.

Pea is taken off to the Zulu camp, but we needed to kill more British 

The end game.  The Zulu losses mean a strike roll, which we fail, but we claim the moral victory

Great game, fraught with difficulty but really enjoyable.

The first Spear Washing

The Zulu

First Induana @0
Shaka Eubank
Second Induana @10
Shaka Bruno
10 Married Warriors @4.           40
10 Married Warriors @4.           40
10 Unmarried Warriors @4.      40
10 Unmarried Warriors @4.      40
8 Warriors with rifles @4.          32.      = 202

British

Lieutenant @0,
Lt Jasper Pea
NCO @5
Colour Sergeant Scott
8 x British Regulars @7.   56
8 x British Regulars @7.   56
6 x British Regulars @7.   49
6 x British Regulars @7.   49.             = 202

The Zulu come on, running to ground, as the thin Red line forms up

The ancient Minifigs Zulu actually look the part!

And the Zulu swiftly grab the objective.

But the British are close.

The shooting begins, and it's a brutal fight.

But the Zulu close, that 6" charge is crucial.

Up close these boys are deadly

And they charge in from different angles, shielded by the rolling terrain.

And faced by these British Regulars the Zulu are not above a bit of bullying.

In a fit condition f enthusiasm I leave the objective.  And some of the Zulu units are running low

But its a damned close run thibg

The fight surges to my right, leaving my second Induna leade isolated away on the left

With dice like that I'm not going to win this!

The Zulu fight desperately

The British are pushed back, but the Zulu are staggering

I fail my strictest test the British pass theirs.  A damned close run thing.

One of the great games I think.  It couldn't have been closer.

The Spanish Raid, Blood and Plunder

 As a typical Frenchman our bold Captain of Militia was enjoying a game of Boule when word came of the Spanish attack.  It was to be Militia on Militia action.

The Town square, complete with a Voodoo priest hexing the cross.

Spaniards?  Call out the bold French Militia!  Someone?  Anyone?

And those horrid Indeo fellows too!

The French place their best troops out in the open in the town square.

And my worst over on the right.

My Militia advance around the church and I suddenly see the gap  in the wall that has been hidden from my viewpoint.

I standard blaze away at the skulking Spaniards

The Militia and the Lanceros play chicken

On the other flank it comes down to hand to hand

The Lanceros make short working my skulking Militia

The Captain and his Group hide in Church

A catastrophic event as my Boucanier discover they have wet powder

The Lanceros run my Militia to death, but frontage church windows I fire a volley, shaking them.

Out in the square the Boucanier are beset.

But the Captain charges out and a stiff fight commences

On the flank it's going poorly.  I realise I've gotten around 20 of my Frenchmen killed

And soon it's more.  The French have only a handful of men left alive.

My two surviving Militia guys on the right finally win their fight.  A Phyrric victory

In the market square less good.

And the Lanceros cross into my deployment zone.  I fail the strike tests.  The French run away.

An enjoyable game, great set of rules!