Now for the battle, Victorian British versus
Mahdist Sudanese. This would be a simple clash, just to get a feel for the units. Strangely, Jack took the Sudanese, I guess he couldn't resist the lure of a 26 element army! The 12 element British army is 'loosely' based on the Desert Column that set out to relieve Khartoum. It's listed in the book
'War in the Sudan', but we went with the following:
2 x Camel Corps, 6 x Rifles, 2 x Knight, 1 x Cannon,
1 x Machine Gun, 1 x General.
*Machine Gun treat as Cannons but use Rifles modifiers
Sudan House Rules
- Rifles movement limit to 200 paces.
- Camel Corps treat as Rifles but move as Camelry, must dismount to fire (50 paces)/ mount to move (50 paces).
- Machine Guns jam on a 1 & take the next full turn to fix (no firing!! Aaaarggh)
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The Battlefield, we went with a 48"x 36" board. The Sudanese were allowed to set up in a semi circle, stretching from the halfway mark.
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Directions of attack, Jacks plan was to just 'swamp' the British.
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The Camel Corps & Hussars take to the flanks.
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Could the Sudanese make numbers count on the flanks?
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The Sudanese main group marches forward.
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The crazy
Weimaraner nearly wrecks the game!! Get down yer mad hound...
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The Camel Corps dismounts, Rifles at the ready.
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Part of the South Staffs join the Hussars on the flank.
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The British stand ready to repulse the Sudanese.
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The Sudanese Cavalry rapidly approaches, I started to have my doubts!
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The initial volley recoils the Cavalry, however Jack splits the Horsemen...
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Rifle fire recoils the Camels, whilst the Hussars engage the Dervish Cavalry.
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The Camel Corps makes short work of the Dervish Cavalry up close.
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Rifle fire destroys one of the Camel elements.
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British Cannon opens up on the poor Camels.....
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The Dervish Cavalry on the flank is destroyed.
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The Hussars are far superior to the Dervish Cavalry.
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Boom! The
Camelry eventually bite the dust.
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The Dervishes are closing in... BUT the main group is about to reach the British Rifle range...
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The Naval Troops & the Gardner Gun open up, scratch two more Sudanese elements...
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The South Staffs stand proud & destroy another Dervish element.
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Finally the Dervish Cavalry charge into the British & are destroyed.
Game Over.....
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Final view from the Sudanese Line. The British stand firm.
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The Heroic South Staffs!
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Well, well, well, now that was very one sided! The game was meant to be a 'dip in the water', but I never expected that outcome. The power of the Rifle, very impressive. It's very strange because at first, as the Sudanese got closer & seeing the vast difference in forces, you couldn't help think that the Dervishes would win. What a difference the Rifle range makes. Rifles, Cannons & Jagers also get a bonus when an enemy is in open ground (within 300 paces for Cannons).
Mind you, Jacks tactics helped the British cause, a head on charge is always going to cause casualties. He should of used the Cavalry & Camels a lot better, concentrating them all on the flanks. In the game, I reckon diverting two of the Dervish Cavalry away, when they faced the Camel Corps, cost him dearly. If he could of turned that flank....
Next time I'll play the Dervishes, I'll be hugging that terrain very very closely!!!
