General Wargaming

Wargaming the Colonial Sudan

Posted by Ochoin on 10 Aug 2018, 22:35

For the past ten years we've staged widely different demo games at our local Train & Hobby show. This year, it was a ictional battle in the early phase of the Mahdist Wars.

A two day event, the game normally fills the available time but this year we got to play the same game twice. The results were widely different but I will report mainly on the second, Sunday, game in which the Anglo-Egyptians managed a "winning draw".

Our "terrain guy", Daniel, did his usual outstanding effort to create a forbidding desert landscape, fringed by the Nile & largely empty at the beginning of the game.

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The A-E arrive, in a state of nervousness & immediately form square for no good reason.

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The game had two simple goals. The first was to escort a caputured emir down the length of the table for river evacuation. The second was to defend the village & evacuation point.

You can see the far zareeba here & the village in the foreground:

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and the dock:

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The Mahdist entry to the landscape was through an elaborate system of dice throws that deposited them in one of three entry points.

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The plan on Sunday was to use a fast escort...good idea but the Egyptians were cut off & barely managed to return to the zareeba.

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Thwarted, the Mahdists massed to take the village. Our wily opponents, Mal & Daniel were certain they could massacre their foreign opponents.

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The Anglo-Egyptians formed a line in close order.

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They unexpectedly used the evacuation boats as gun platforms to enfilade the Mahdists.

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By using the scrub as cover, the Beja managed to hit the British & destroy two units.

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But British and Egyptian nerve held. Damien & I had kept a reserve & re-enforcements were brought in.
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And the desert again gained its deathly quiet.

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Fortunately the whole event was photographed.

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The photographer later leaving by the late coming train.

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donald
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Ochoin  Scotland
 
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Posted by Bluefalchion on 11 Aug 2018, 00:53

1) I did not know this before, but I need a "terrain guy."

2) Very cool setup! Thanks for sharing.
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Bluefalchion  United States of America
 
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Posted by Ochoin on 11 Aug 2018, 01:12

Thank you for your kind words.

The balloon & the train were both just "eye candy" in this game. We'd intended actual uses for both but the game was getting complicated.

As it was, it was both tense & entertaining & on both days came down to the wire & could have gone either way.

BTW rules were our mix of The Sword and the Flame & The Men Who Would Be Kings.

And a bonus pic:

The Jehaddiya rifles who were unexpectedly accurate. There will be questions asked in the House of Commons about British casualties.....

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BTW we *all* need a 'terrain guy'

donald
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Ochoin  Scotland
 
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Posted by Graeme on 11 Aug 2018, 06:18

The terrain is absolutely fabulous and the vegitation all looks very appropriate for the desert environment. And payrus along the river banks, excellent! The figures all look great fighting through the landscape and I really like the observation balloon, no shortage of hot air in The Sudan. The wooden jetty is very nicely done.

Are there some new R.N. figures? I like the look of those.
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Graeme  Australia
 
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Posted by Bluefalchion on 11 Aug 2018, 06:51

The dock: very very cool. Scratch built?

The balloon: Okay, I cannot resist. What were the special rules about the balloon going to be?
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Posted by Ochoin on 11 Aug 2018, 07:53

The RN figures are Newline Colonials. I guess about 33% of the figures are Newline.

Everything except the two towed barges is scratch built. I guess we've been working on this project for 14 months.
Re; the observation balloon. We have ACW figures for the basket & the control ropes, so it will appear in our first foray into the ACW. The obvious thing would be to see off table reserves....weather permitting. In the Sudan game we had "Event" cards, many concerning sand storms, fog & even rain & thunder. All of these would pose issues for balloonists.

Again, thank you for your interest. Compared to some of the marvels that appear on Bennos, we're "small beans" but it's nice to get compliments.

donald
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Ochoin  Scotland
 
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Posted by Kekso on 11 Aug 2018, 11:27

That's lot of nice photos. Balloon, palm trees and photographer are really my favorites.
Thanks for sharing.
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Kekso  Croatia

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Posted by Ochoin on 11 Aug 2018, 13:24

Kekso wrote:, palm trees
.


They're "cheapies" from China, painted & based & lots of dry brushing & with sisal added,

donald
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Ochoin  Scotland
 
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Posted by Beano Boy on 11 Aug 2018, 15:15

Congratulations to all concerned putting the table top game together. It looked just Great! Being a pirate at heart,the gunboat is my favourite piece. :thumbup: BB
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Posted by MABO on 12 Aug 2018, 00:44

Very cool gaming table - also with the train. Very interesting to see.
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Posted by Ochoin on 16 Aug 2018, 03:14

Thank you.

The train was an experiment. We're planning an ACW game for the 2020 Show that will have a working, ACW-era train.

donald
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Posted by C M Dodson on 16 Aug 2018, 07:11

Hello Mr D.

Fantastic scenery especially as it is a wargame rather than a diorama.

The ponds and dock look lovely.

The troops are great, the balloon and steam engine super.

There is a real period 'feel' to this set up.

Fabulous effort.

Best wishes,

Chris
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Posted by Susofrick on 16 Aug 2018, 07:33

A fabolous table! And really love that photographer! Great to see this!
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Posted by Ochoin on 16 Aug 2018, 10:07

Susofrick wrote: And really love that photographer! Great to see this!


Over at Strelets, they're talking about the bonus figures: the Streltsi. As you'd know, you get a unique one with every box of figures. Some are saying they're a bit over them.
The photographer is a Streltsi figure, from an ACW set, I think.That sort of "personality" figure would be a great, bonus inclusion in all their sets: a Roman senator in the Roman sets, a nurse in the WW1 sets etc.

Even we wargamers like the odd quirky figure. On the roof of the Arab village, I stuck the boy from the Orion Janissary set. He's a villager & witness to the battle. I'm sure the photographer got a picture of him too.

donald
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Ochoin  Scotland
 
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Posted by Susofrick on 17 Aug 2018, 07:22

Great use of the boy!
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Posted by Peter on 11 Sep 2018, 20:44

One of my favorite periods and that is an excellent table! :thumbup:
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Posted by Ochoin on 15 Sep 2018, 08:39

Thank you, Peter.

The Colonial period games tend to demand good scenery because of the relative paucity of figures. You have to have something to look at.
When we did Ligny 1815, there were so many Napoleonic soldiers on the table you could hardly see the scenery.

donald
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Posted by Ochoin on 12 Oct 2018, 13:55

How accurate is the view count on threads here?

There are 2500 views for this thread, according to the counter. Is this really true? Why would so many people look without commentating?

EG "I hate your use of sand. It's the wrong colour for the Sudan". Or, " What Vallejo paint did you use for the British tunics?" Or, "Do you get eye strain or repetitive hand injuries from painting so many figures?"

I'm forced to think all the silent viewers are following my Sainted Grannie's precept. "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything."

donald
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Ochoin  Scotland
 
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Posted by Graeme on 12 Oct 2018, 15:50

It's Big Brother watching you! :shock:

Seriously though. Each time someone new posts a comment the folks who have already commented will open the thread to see what the new poster has written. That will account for some of the silent views. For instance I just opened the thread to read your comment about wondering why I just opened this thread. I like to read other people's comments, they're so often more intelligent than mine.

Of course it's also true that each time there is a new post the folks who didn't comment before might open the post to read it and then leave without comment. You can perhaps admire their consistency.

And the mods have to read each post to make sure we haven't written anything illegal, immoral or fattening; so theres a few more views.

Perhaps a lot of people have trouble thinking of something to say that doesn't sound like it's been said a hundred times before. Which is probably not the problem they think it is, I'm sure the folks who post pics here would appreciate a dozen replies saying "yeah, good". Or perhaps they look at the pics and then have to dart back into the kitchen before the chip pan catches fire. Or perhap's they're painting the Highland cattle they primed last week insead of writing a reply. And I suspect that many people look at everything but only comment on subjects that match their personal interests. That's OK we all have different interests so everyone should get a share of the comments.

My own reason for not posting comments as often as I perhaps should is it's just easier. That's not a good excuse.

Of course there are those here who always seem to have a friendly and encouraging word to say. They are real stars. :thumbup:
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Posted by Avatar on 12 Oct 2018, 16:30

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