19th Century Colonial

TSATF – Sudan 1884

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a Sudan game using The Sword and the Flame colonial rules (20th Anniversary Edition) and the Gunboats and Dhows rules. Six players and a referee fought on the Nile and beside it. The British/Egyptian force was victorious, sinking both dhows and maintaining control of their base.

The boats used were made by Last Stand Dan.

Photos and comments are in this Flickr album.

Sudan – Gunboats and Dhows

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a Sudan game using The Sword and the Flame colonial rules (20th Anniversary Edition) and the Gunboats and Dhows rules. Two river steamers manned by the Royal Navy were tasked with capturing two small Dhows docked on the Nile. Fortifications covered the approaches to the docks and additional Ansar troops arrived by boat. The boats used were made by Last Stand Dan.

A large Dhow appears suddenly to block the British advance…

… and is quickly sunk. The crew eventually makes it to shore.

A second large Dhow appears and blows up a British steamer with a lucky hit.

A hidden Ansar gun fires with little effect, and is quickly silenced.

Most of the British crew survives the explosion of their boat and captures the opposing Dhow. The Ansar crew of the small Dhow is wiped out.

A second hidden fort fires, but causes few British casualties.

The empty small Dhow is captured by the British.

The British captured one large and one small Dhow, sank a large Dhow and destroyed several Ansar forts. One British steamer was destroyed, but otherwise British casualties were light.

Sudan – The Sword and the Flame

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a Sudan game using The Sword and the Flame colonial rules (20th Anniversary Edition) and the Gunboats and Dhows rules. British forces were tasked with recovering captives, a river steamer and supplies taken by the Ansar. Ansar units were hidden on the table and more arrived on turns 3 and 6. The boats used were made by Last Stand Dan.

The captured river steamer and supplies are in the foreground. The captives are in the fort.

The British advance by land and water.

British infantry moving fast in open order.

Ansar infantry reinforcements arrive and clash with British cavalry.

The remains of a British platoon forms square and protects the wounded. The British gunboat safely passes the fort and shoot down many of the Ansar defenders.

Infantry lands from the British gunboat.

The small square survives against great odds.

The gunboat and its infantry shoot up the Ansar attempting to move the supplies.

After about four hours of play we needed to quit so the hobby shop could close for the Memorial Day weekend. The British recaptured their river steamer (2VP) and some of the supplies (1VP) but did not get into the fort to rescue the captives (2VP for the Ansar). A hard-fought British victory.

TSATF – Sudan 1884 Replay

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a Sudan game using The Sword and the Flame colonial rules (20th Anniversary Edition). The scenario was called the Battle of El Sisi Landing, November 13, 1884. This was a replay of an earlier game with some force and layout changes.

Order of battle and objectives: battle-of-el-sisi-landing-v2a

The gap between the river and land tables is for access only and does not increase the range.

The Ansar fort which is the main objective of the British attack.

British artillery fire wipes out the crew of an Ansar gun

The battle on the river proceeds independently.

British infantry advance into their rifle range but remain outside Ansar range.

A shot from a dhow blows up HMS Teapot. As with all naval documentaries, a photo of Barham is used.

The Ansar right wing fall back from the British fire.

The British right wing falls back away from the river and the threatening Ansar dhows.

Egyptian cavalry drives off the mounted Ansar.

The Ansar fail to close and lose a chance to destroy a pinned Sudanese unit.

When the game ended, the British were in a strong position away from the river, but far from taking the objective fort. The Ansar were ahead on victory points. The early loss of HMS Teapot made the game an uphill battle for the British, but they fought well to the end in spite of that.