Rhingyll | 13 Jun 2015 8:44 p.m. PST |
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Rhingyll | 13 Jun 2015 8:47 p.m. PST |
Battle of Sabray. For my second attempt at using the TSATF rule set I chose an 1879's NWF fort defended by troops of the British Empire against indigenous Pathans. The attacking Pathan force consisted of two tribes of 3 clans each with a C-in-C over both tribes. One clan of each tribe was all firearms and the other two clans of each tribe being mixed weaponry. I had just received my new NWF Action Card Deck from TVAG and had to use it. Being my second experience with TSATF I wanted to keep things simple and removed all the Event Cards but left in the two HALT cards. A HALT card ends movement in the movement phase and immediately the fire phase is initiated. If the HALT card is turned over in the fire phase then all firing is stopped and the morale phase begins. I liked the idea of a sudden end to a plan and having then to react to the unexpected action. I created rosters for the British forces as I thought it would personalize the game a little and I could track a soldier's life or death with the Regiment. My real life must really be lacking something. Oh well, on to the fun part: The Battle of Sabray. General Roberts (C-in-C), commanding the 2nd Gurkhas and the 72nd Highlanders along with a mountain gun of the 2nd Derajat Artillery and a detachment of 10th Hussars (acting as mounted scouts), stopped his march at the Sabray well. The intent was to rest his troops for a few days before resuming their march. He had learned his lessons well from a year or so in Afghanistan and decided to dispatch scouts to check the surrounding hills for any suspicious activity. It wasn't long before his scouts returned with reports of several hostile enemy clans moving in the direction of the well. The encampment was alerted and the 72nd Highlanders took up positions in the old Sabray Fort while the Gurkhas scurried out of their tents and took on the task of protecting the well and preventing the enemy from attacking from the west through the village. The attack came very quickly with a clan pouring out of the village to the west. Capt. J. Cook of the Gurkhas just managed to get his troops into a close order double line. Their effective fire drove the Pathans back in a route off the table while sustaining only minimal casualties themselves. No sooner was this mission accomplished than another clan charged the well from the north. Steady Gurkha marksmanship did not slow their attackers down. A vicious melee ensued and eventually the Pathan were driven off, but at a cost to the Gurkhas of 5 dead and 2 wounded. The wounded were carried to the back entrance of Fort Sabray and placed in a safe place within the fort with other wounded soldiers. Meanwhile in the area of the fort, Pvt F. Kitto of the 72nd was escorting some natives with supplies around to the front gate of the fort. Jezail fire seriously wounded him just outside the front wall. He was helpless and could not move under his own power. His longtime friend and fellow soldier, Pvt. G. Trotter rushed out of the front gate and managed to drag the unfortunate Kitto safely back through the gates just as the Pathans closed on them. Another act of heroism took place as Lance Sergeant P. Strongbow (10th Hussars detachment) desperately defended his fellow Hussar Pvt. D. Hooks who had been wounded by Pathan musketry. Strongbow was eventually seriously wounded himself and never realized that Hooks had finally succumbed after yet being struck again by Pathan lead. Two more Hussars (Pvt B. Short and Pvt. T.Steele) arrived at the scene behind the hastily constructed barricade, only to both be quickly killed by enemy fire. The lone fit survivors of the 10th Hussars (Corporal H. Johnson and Pvt. R. Farley), who had been holding the horses, left the position and made for the rear entrance to the fort on foot carrying their wounded sergeant with them. Upon leaving their sergeant within the safe confines of the fort they joined Pvts. A. Rajbanshi and T. Adhikan of the 2nd Gurkhas, who had just deposited two wounded comrades in the fort, to face a clan of Pathans approaching the rear entrance to the fort. The 2nd Derajat Gun for whatever reason took up a lone position on the northeast side of the fort and ended up facing two clans of Pathans. One clan was very slow to act but the other after losing its leader to well-aimed gunnery, charged the gun but failed to close. The clan morale held up and they eventually charged the gun a second time, but only a few managed to make contact. The gunners pulled back, but by now, Pathan bullets had wounded Pvts P. Malik and S. Wakim. Pvt. H. Salim was dead and all that remained was their Havildar, D. Fayad. He was forced to abandon the gun and the hapless Pvt. Wakim, and make a run for the back entrance to the fort bringing only Pvt. Malik along. Wakim was murdered by the heathen savages as he lay helpless and unable to put up a fight.. The most aggressive Pathan clan, spurred on by their leader, withstood fire from the 72nd in the fort and managed to make it to just outside the front gate with about 75% of its force still intact, including their leader. A lucky, or should I say unlucky, shot felled Capt. J.T. Frome, commanding the 72nd, and he lay dead only minutes after the engagement began. Command of the 72nd now fell into the more than capable charge hands of Colour Sgt. T. Lumsden. Gen. Roberts himself was also in Fort Sabray so the 72nd would have no command issues. Two clans were now making their way to the back gate of the fort. The alert Lumsden on seeing this movement, positioned himself with nine men and Piper J. Baggan (for Scots' fighting inspiration) in a good firing position from the fort facing these clans. The Pathans final broke through the front gate but failed to close the charge on a hastily formed rank of the 72nd. They were pushed back though the gate and outside the walls of the fort. The Pathans charging the 2nd Gurkhas on the west side of the fort also failed to close their charge and were pushed back. Meanwhile, Pvts. G. Cassels and H. Cracknell of the 72nd were wounded by musketry defending the fort's east wall. The Pathans realize now that the fort is too strongly defended for them to take without heavy losses. They now decide to concentrate on weakening Robert's command as much as possible. The 2nd Gurkhas, only two of which are in the fort after dropping off wounded there, are the obvious target in an exposed position at the Sabray well. Capt. J. Cook realizes his predicament and decides that he must get his command to a safer position. He decides to make for the rear gate. The supply train animals (still not unloaded) are close to the well and undefended. He decides he will try and move them along with the Gurkhas as they will need the supplies and he did not want the enemy to make off with them. If escorting the supplies hinders the movement of his troops to safety too much, he will abandon the pack animals. During the rush to the back gate, half the baggage animals were lost to the Pathans ans well as some of the handlers. Capt Cook and his Gurkas as well as the 72nd are now within the confines of Fort Sabray along with what remains of the baggage train. General Roberts has dispatched what is left of the Hussars (Johnston and Farley) on a mission to ride to the east in hopes of running into friendly patrols that can relay the need for assistance. If no help comes Roberts will be forced to abandon the fort and march out as the supplies will not last long. Meanwhile, the Pathans have headed back to the hills now with their share of the supply train and the mountain gun of the 2nd Derajats. Roberts has not seen the last of them. Casualty List: 10th Hussars; Wounded: Sgt Phillip Strongbow KIA: Pvt. Benjamin Short Pvt, Thomas Steel Pvt. Daniel Hooks 72nd Highlanders: Wounded: Pvt. George Cassels Pvt. Henry Cracknell Pvt. John Douglas Pvt. Frederick Kitto Pvt. James McQueen KIA: Capt. J.T. Frome 2nd Gurkhas Wounded: Naik Netrabahadur Thapa Naik Dipprasad Pun KIA: Pvt. Lachhiman Thapa Pvt, Bhanbhagta Umesh Pvt. Sameer Chemjong Pvt. Sudi Mainali Pvt. Rishav Nuepane
2nd Derajat Mountain Battery Wounded: Pvt. Payan Malik KIA: Pvt. Hudad Selim Pvt. Shakur Wakim |
Rhingyll | 13 Jun 2015 8:49 p.m. PST |
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Rhingyll | 13 Jun 2015 8:51 p.m. PST |
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Rhingyll | 13 Jun 2015 8:52 p.m. PST |
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Rhingyll | 13 Jun 2015 8:53 p.m. PST |
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Rhingyll | 13 Jun 2015 8:53 p.m. PST |
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Rhingyll | 13 Jun 2015 8:54 p.m. PST |
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Rhingyll | 13 Jun 2015 8:55 p.m. PST |
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Rhingyll | 13 Jun 2015 8:56 p.m. PST |
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Rhingyll | 13 Jun 2015 8:56 p.m. PST |
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Rhingyll | 13 Jun 2015 8:58 p.m. PST |
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Rhingyll | 13 Jun 2015 8:58 p.m. PST |
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Rhingyll | 13 Jun 2015 9:00 p.m. PST |
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Rhingyll | 13 Jun 2015 9:01 p.m. PST |
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Rhingyll | 13 Jun 2015 9:01 p.m. PST |
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Rhingyll | 13 Jun 2015 9:02 p.m. PST |
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Rhingyll | 13 Jun 2015 9:02 p.m. PST |
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Rhingyll | 13 Jun 2015 9:03 p.m. PST |
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Rhingyll | 13 Jun 2015 9:04 p.m. PST |
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Rhingyll | 13 Jun 2015 9:04 p.m. PST |
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Rhingyll | 13 Jun 2015 9:14 p.m. PST |
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Duc de Limbourg | 13 Jun 2015 9:44 p.m. PST |
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Thorfin11 | 13 Jun 2015 10:48 p.m. PST |
Yes, excellent stuff – really enjoyed it. |
abelp01 | 14 Jun 2015 5:35 a.m. PST |
Yes indeed, thanks for sharing! |
D6 Junkie | 14 Jun 2015 6:33 a.m. PST |
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Rich Bliss | 14 Jun 2015 7:48 a.m. PST |
Too bad the Pathans don't have any names. |
Rhingyll | 14 Jun 2015 8:07 a.m. PST |
The Pathans do have names but I don't have the correct keyboard to be able to type هِجَائِي or أَلِفْبَائِي |
The Virtual Armchair General | 14 Jun 2015 12:23 p.m. PST |
Well, if it wasn't Ali Majidh, it wasn't Maiwand, either! Some tactical errors by both sides may have prevented anyone from chalking up a victory, but the fight was a good one. I'd just have to say, "Better luck next time," to all parties. Sounds like the Pathans took heavy casualties, and if the Brits' surgeon didn't keep records of treating any of the enemy, a body count would at least have proven helpful to get a better sense of who did best in the give-and-take of action. I fear that lost Screw Gun may come back to haunt the Brit's! When you decide it's time to use the Events that are part of the Action Deck, or even go full time and use the Event Deck, please let us know so we can see how they influence play. And, at least as important, hat's off again to your beautiful layout, superb buildings, and well done figures and Pathan banners. A great looking table top with excellent lighting for the top notch photos. All in all, a brilliantly mounted and performed game! I hope Sergeant Brom gets to see this--it would do his heart good! Well done! TVAG |
Rhingyll | 14 Jun 2015 1:18 p.m. PST |
There were 36 Pathans. 3 Clan leaders amd 1 Tribal leader either killed or seriously wounded. I did a count at the end. I did not distinguish between a Pathan being killed or seriously wounded as I considered them out of action if either seriously wounded or Killed. Forces of the Empire had 11 killed including a leader and 9 seriously wounded including a leader. |
Gone Fishing | 14 Jun 2015 1:59 p.m. PST |
Rhingyll, your AAR's are always inspiring. Thank you for taking the time to post. The photos are extremely atmospheric! |
SgtGuinness | 21 Jun 2015 8:52 a.m. PST |
Rhingyll, great looking game! Very well done AAR. Those are the kinds of games that colonial players aspire to run and to play in! Love that terrain. What are the hills made of? How did you build them? Cheers, JB sgtguinness.blogspot.com |
Rhingyll | 21 Jun 2015 2:14 p.m. PST |
Thanks Sgt. Hills are made by a company called Paragon Scenics. They come pre-painted and are for their 54mm Fort Apache series. I like them because they have plenty of areas on them that 25/28mm can stand. Also they require no effort except pay for them and unbox them when they come. |
sausagesca | 27 Aug 2015 1:17 p.m. PST |
Great set-up. As others have noted, the hills are particularly effective. Chris |
FlyXwire | 28 Aug 2015 5:44 a.m. PST |
Inspiring! Thanks for posting this for us to enjoy in seeing, and reading. |
Flying Glove 1556 | 28 Aug 2015 11:48 p.m. PST |
Great AAR and photos!! HUZZAH!! |
chrisswim | 30 Aug 2015 3:54 p.m. PST |
Nice game, great pics and commentary. The Pathans did not record the battle. |
Mad Guru | 02 Sep 2015 7:51 p.m. PST |
Rhingyll -- how did I miss this the first time around?!?!?! Awesome AAR!!! And my thanks to sausagesca for resurrecting this deserving thread! Those are Pontoonier Third Burma War Gurkhas, aren't they? I really like those figures and wish more of them were still in stock at Newline Designs. |
Rhingyll | 03 Sep 2015 6:55 a.m. PST |
Yes those are the Pontoonier Ghurkas. I have one unit of them and was lucky enough to have received them about two years ago before the well went dry.I have another 20 man unit and one 10 man unit of Gurkhas that are a mix of Foundry and Old Glory which I have had for many years. |