Tuesday 20 June 2017

Broadside AAR

Here is a report on the game we had at the Broadside show.

We were playing "The Men who would be Kings" rules by Osprey. All the figures terrain and everything else is owned by Tim who was referee. (Yes that is an Airfix Fort Sahara before anyone says!)
Peter and Bob took the Imperials while me and Matt had the Mahdists.
Our job was to hold the town.
With few rifles most troops are only visable to provide a spectacle.

My reinforcments arrive super early (on turn 1)
And I charge them into the British where I can.
The Cavalry and Camalry do well
but die quickly after destroying the British mounted troops.


The defence looks far more formidable that it really is.

In Retrospect all the mahdists should have been in hiding
 and waiting for the British to enter the village
 




























































A Scratch built
Nile steamer
carrying the British reinforcements

















While Matt controlled the Mahdist reinforcements
 that arrived by river.















While we had lost troops the Town was
still in the tribal mahdist hands.
And we had given the British in the desert a bloody nose.















The Imperials assault the defences.
Keeping them out was darned tricky
As they had quite rightly shot the defenders to pieces
before assaulting.
 






















The River battle was in full swing.
And despite an attempted boarding of the Imperial steam ship
the Mahdists  were just unlucky with the dice.









The British entered the town at the end of the day





























 Conclusion: The Native players (both me and Matt) agree we could not hold the town. The imperial players also agree that while they could take the town they would not be able to hold it for very long at all.

While Questions would be asked in the House concerning British losses I would conclude it was a marginal Imperial Victory. Maybe in the future British foreign policy would change. But for now I accept the defeat and know in the future I would play the Mahdist differently in the same situation.

Overall though a good game and a good day.

27 comments:

  1. Cracking looking game and a close run thing in the end - brilliant stuff.

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    1. Thank you Michael. A few lucky dice rolls either way really would have tipped the balance. needless to say questions in the hose will be asked!

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  2. A very enjoyable batrep, Clint. For me, the highlight was seeing that old Airfix Fort Sahara again. Oh my, that brings back so many happy memories. Sadly, I don't know what happened to mine. I might still have it buried deep in a cupboard or it might have gone.

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    1. Thank you Bryan. It is always good to see an old friend. Tim has modified his though. Still as good and better for 15mm. I only wish I still had mine! (But like my marbles it has LONG gone!)

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  3. Great looking game Clint. Love the fort brings back fond memories of flicking through airfix catalogues that used to come in their sets and admiring all the big layouts in there.

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    1. Thank you Simon. While I do remember free airfix catalogues it sound like you remember them far better than me. It is a good fort though and I have checked and it is now expensive on eBay. But I am still tempted.. But I must resist.

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  4. It looks and sounds like a cracking game that could have gone either way in the end.
    I do like the Sudan as a gaming period, (I have hundreds of figures for it!) and it's really good to see varying scenarios rather than the normal desert column.

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    1. Thank you Joe. I agree. There is much to commend colonial wargaming. And the boats did a slight twist to the game as well as the Mahdists defending a town. There may be another Colonial AAR next week. (There is a game planned)

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  5. What a great Batrep Clint, really nice to see and thanks for sharing

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    1. Thank you Dave. Sorry it has taken so long (over a week). I kept meaning to and things got in the way.

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    2. Know the feeling ! Great to see none the less

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    3. Thank you Dave. I already have the next few posts lined up. But no clues just yet.

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  6. it was a beautiful looking game Clint and I really enjoyed our chat, which may or may not have distracted you!

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    1. Thank you Andy. Always happy to be distracted it gives me something to blame and not myself!

      I also enjoyed our chat and was pleasant to meet Damon as well (Well when I say Pleasant......)

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    2. Yeah, let's not go too far :-)

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  7. Top looking game. I love that photo of the steamer with the troops on board.

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    1. Thank you Roy. The steamer is scratch built but I am sure you could buy one from another company if you needed one. Tim always puts on a good looking game.

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  8. Very nice batrep. I particularly liked the river war. Thanks.

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    1. Thank you Irqan. The pleasure is all mine.

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  9. Great looking game Clint and some lovely peripheral details 😀

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    1. Thank you Matt. Tim always puts on a very good looking game. I have a large level of respect for the man and have offered to let him co host this blog. SO far he has declined.

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  10. Sounds like a very close-run thing.

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    1. Thank you C6. To be honest at the end both sides claimed the other had won. So A close run thing for sure. While the British would have gone on to hold the town with the troops on the boats. BUT when news of the "Victory" reached home maybe it would be classed as a defeat.

      Yeah it was anyones game.

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  11. T'was a cracking looking game Clint!

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    1. Thank you Ray. I will make sure Tim knows you said so.

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