TMWWBK - Sudan Battle Report

The British advancing on the village

A battle report of a recent TMWWBK game can be found at Robafetts site

The Men Who Would Be King - Playtest

Last night I play tested The Men Who Would be King (TMWWBK) rules from Osprey.

For a first game they ran very smoothly with only a few questions:-

Can you double, charge or move from heads down?
Is there a minimum unit size for breaking?
Is it cumulative casualties for pinning? (I doubt it)
Why doesn't everyone move at double, given the extra D6 movement bonus?
Should there be a charge bonus, or an attacking in rear modifier?

The British Advance fleeing from a previous defeat

Dervish Camel head to cut off the redcoats 

Half shot to pieces unit hides behind the wadi

The mid day sun saps their strength

Lancers impact the failed rear attack of the White Flag unit

Defending the village - A TSATF battle report

The British commander was ordered to clear out the village held by the Dervish at the side of the nile.

Deployment was secret with a sheet dividing the table in two. This was the first time I had used this method despite gaming for some nearly 40 years. It worked quite well with the British unsure what they would encounter when they finally saw the village.

The dervish were able to dig in and form zeriba walls to improve their defensive portions

Another close run game with the British advancing onto Dervish rifle fire and aggressive counter attacks. The British could have held back as their rifle fire has greater range but they pushed on and as a consequence lost the battle. 

The Dervish deployment. The warbands on their left flank deployed forward and held back the British attack. They also decimated a impetuous cavalry charge.

The British left wing including baggage animals

The Dervish defences

 

A Dervish warband having sneaked out the village out of sight of the advancing British launch their surprise attack

The Dervish hold the village against the British assault

The Sacred Oasis - TSATF Sudan Battle Report

The Table Layout. The British had to take the sacred Oasis the Dervish defend it.

The Mahdi overseeing operations

The sacred Oasis and tomb

Advancing onto the village

The Mahdist defend the village

Defending the village

The British Destroy the Mahdist assault

The camel corp head into an ambush

View from the Oasis

The rifle armed Mahdist protect the right flank from the safety of the wadi

Troops hidden in the wadi exposed by the cavalry scouts

The British left flank advancing to the wadi

Underfire

The ambush is sprung

The camel corp is destroyed by 2 warbands

Perry Mahdist Baggara Horse

Finished over the last month or so but purchased Salute 2010 one each of the Perry miniatures Mahdist horse. The flag is from the Grimsby Wargames club web site.

 

 

Last Post of the year and some Masai

Just a final picture of the year of my first unit of 10 Masai, complete besides adding a bit of grass to the bases.

I was hoping to attach a picture of my new 12 man Mahdist horse but I still have 4 riders to finish so hopefully next month.

For 2012 of the 105 figures I painted 41 were colonial so a reasonable percentage given my low output this year. Of the 105, 46 were painted in the last 3 months so the beginning of the year had been very slow.

My intention for 2013 is to paint up the last 40-50 Mahdist foot I have including the perry plastics set which should give me enough figures to run a fairly big battle and add the option of buying some Egyptians to support my Brits. Of course I also want to finish the Masai so a lot to do.

A

 

Simon Ward - RIP.

I was very sad to hear of the passing of a great actor and a true favourite of mine, Simon Ward, who died after a long illness at the age of 70.

As Ward appeared in a few films / plays worthy of mention up in a 'Colonial Africa' blog I thought it seemed appropriate.

First up is "Young Winston" -

Ward as Winston Churchill.

Young Winston is a 1972 British film based on the early years of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

The film was based on the book My Early Life: A Roving Commission by Winston Churchill. The first part of the film covers Churchill's unhappy schooldays, up to the death of his father. The second half covers his service as a cavalry officer in India and the Sudan, during which he takes part in the cavalry charge at Omdurman, his experiences as a war correspondent in the Second Boer War, during which he is captured and escapes, and his election to Parliament at the age of 26.

Churchill was played by Simon Ward, who was relatively unknown at the time but was supported by a distinguished cast including; Robert Shaw (as Lord Randolph Churchill), John Mills (as Lord Kitchener), Anthony Hopkins (as David Lloyd George) and Anne Bancroft as Churchill's mother Jennie. Other actors included Patrick Magee, Robert Hardy, Ian Holm, Edward Woodward and Jack Hawkins.

The film was written and produced by Carl Foreman and directed by Richard Attenborough. It was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Screenplay, Best Art Direction (Donald M. Ashton, Geoffrey Drake, John Graysmark, William Hutchinson, Peter James) and Best Costume Design

"The Four Feathers" -

As William Trench.

The Four Feathers is a 1977 British television film adaptation of the classic novel The Four Feathers by novelist A.E.W. Mason. Directed by Don Sharp, this version starred Beau Bridges, Robert Powell,Simon Ward and Jane Seymour, and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. It follows the novel almost exactly, and response to the film was very positive.

Lieutenant Harry Faversham (Beau Bridges) realises his regiment is being deployed to the Sudan where they would see combat. He promptly resigns his officer's commission, stating that he did not wish to leave his fiancé, Ethne (Seymour). In reality, he was questioning the cause, and was fearful of seeing combat. Following his resignation, his fiancé and three friends present him with white feathers, representing cowardice, and turn their backs on him. Following his regiments deployment, Faversham realizes he has made a grave mistake, and that he will never be able to live any quality of life unless his honour is restored.

Disguising himself as an Arab, Faversham makes his way to Sudan determined to find his unit. He learns of an impending attack on the regiment, and tries to make it in time to save them. During the battle, his closest friend Captain Jack Durrance (Powell) becomes engaged in close combat, during which he is blinded when a black powder rifle goes off next to his face. Faversham attacks the Arabs who surround Durrance, and rescues him as he staggers blindly. In the end, Faversham is able to help his regiment, and redeem his honour.

"The Rear Column" -

As Herbert Ward.

The Rear Column is a play by Simon Gray set in the jungle of the Congo Free State in 1887-88. The story begins after explorer Henry Morton Stanley, has gone to relieve Emin Pasha, governor of Equatoria, from a siege by Mahdist forces. He leaves behind him a 'rear column' with supplies at the Yambuya camp on the Aruwimi River and instructs them to wait until the Arab slave trader, Tippu Tib, has brought 600 more porters before following on to Equatoria. The play follows the story of the men left waiting in the camp. The officers depicted in the play are based on historical figures.

The play was first produced in London's West End in 1978 at the Globe Theatre in London, now known as the Gielgud Theatre.

Finally, the cherry on the cake...

"Zulu Dawn" -

At Lt. Hon Standish William Prendergast Vereker.

Zulu Dawn, a 1979 film is about the historical Battle of Isandlwana between British and Zulu forces in 1879 in South Africa. The screenplay was by Cy Endfield, from his book, and Anthony Story. The film was directed by Douglas Hickox. The score was composed by Elmer Bernstein.

This was the my first introduction to the Anglo-Zulu war and film that remains with me an all time favourite. Okay, so it may not be the most historically accurate but what films are!

RIP - Simon Ward.

Read the Guardian Obituary.

Mahdist, Dervish and Army Painter.

I recently multi based 6 Dervish to see how effective the army painter is with them.

Basically undercoated white. Base colours only. Army painter strong tone followed by one level of highlighting. Considerably faster than my normal method and not too much difference.

Undercoat applied

Base coats applied very quickly. Missed out my usual first stage brown.

Army painter applied, Shiny.

Finished units with highlighted flesh and cloth. 1 level of highlighting instead of the usual two.

A traditionally painted dervish adds to the unit.

Close up of both army painter and traditional Dervish