David Bickley's Wargames Blog

The occasional ramblings of an average gamer, journeyman painter, indifferent modeller, games designer, sometime writer for Wargames Illustrated and host of games in GHQ.



Thursday 21 February 2019

Engagement at Pender’s Kraal


Last week’s scheduled game here in GHQ, an Anglo-Zulu War game, was cancelled at the last minute when we were quarantined with the ‘Winter Vomiying Bug’, well Sue was anyway. All is now put to rights, so it was ‘game on’ just one week later. As ever the Imperial Force was lead by that giant of British Imperial talent, Lord Rawnsley, while the Zulus as ever were lead by the gallant, if incompetent, Chief Bykelezi m’Tubii ~
Lord Rawnsley

Chief Bykelezi m’Tubii
Continuing our now established routine of using Black Powder 2 wherever possible for our games the game was scheduled to last 10 Turns when, if no obvious victor emerged, night would have been deemed to have fallen and the Zulus to have slipped away. Shall we see how it went then?
As Lord Rawnsley's column enters the table they are surprised
by the Zulus! Not the best of starts you'd think...
The left flank of mounted troops of varying quality are facing
a charge by the Impi and fire from a group of skirmishers.

The Mounted Infantry charge the skirmishers, who try to
evade, unsuccessfully, and they are ridden down...
To add insult to injury the Impi fail to defeat the mounted
Natal Native contingent! This is not how it was supposed to
happen...

Although Shaken, the natives hold their ground and are
relieved to see the Somersetshire Light Infantry coming to their
aid.
Meanwhile, blissfully unaware of the disaster on his right,
Chief Bykelezi orders the Impis forward to attack Pender's
Kraal before the supplies can be moved off.

The 80th, the Staffordshire Volunteers, Stand To. "Zulus,Sir,
thaasands of 'em!"

With their fighting spirit well up the Natives rash into the first
Impi. Madness you'd think? Well, the dice gods chose that very
moment to shuffle off...Oh Dear!

Another Shaken Impi fails to Rally! Oh Dear! Oh Dear!

And they are charged by the Mounted Infantry! This is all
coming unstook and no mistake!
Having seen off their second Impi, the Natives ride down a
second group of Zulu skirmishers.

And its all over in Turn 7 with all of the pride of Chief Bykelezi
either Shaken, Routed, or Destroyed. And hardly an Imperial
Brown Trouser moment in sight....

Well, as you can see from that, a resounding win for the forces of Lord Rawnsley! The Zulus plan was sound, but it all unravelled thanks to those fickle Dice Gods, again... Oh well, there is always a next time.




18 comments:

  1. Lady luck did shine on the Empire that day and certainly saved Pvt. Widdle a reminder of life back home in Soggy Bottom.

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    1. Nothing could be relied on for the Zulus! Just one of those games!

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  2. A great looking game with beautiful units!

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  3. Another lovely looking game, but Lady Luck certainly favoured Her Brittanic Majesty's forces! There is always next time.

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  4. Excellent game David ......go the Empire 🙂

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  5. The Empire Strikes Back. Rip roaring stuff.

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  6. Has Phil slipped you his dice from last year, looks great and sounds like fun anyway!
    Best Iain

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    1. It was a grand game, if you discount my dice that is!

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  7. As always a very fine looking game coming out of GHQ!

    Christopher

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  8. Spiffing stuff David...
    You really have upset the gods of dice... or possibly you have used up all the good numbers on the ones you have...
    To be on the safe side I would add dice to your shopping list for Hammerhead...;-)

    All the best. Aly

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Aly! The dice gods have truly forgotten me of late! Mind you, I did sneak a win at Phil's yesterday! I have tried the new dice trick, many times, but to no avail. I am cursed!

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