"The Assault on Khartoum Begins " Topic

There were a few questions I needed answers to from this solo play test before I felt comfortable hosting a game for my friends. I didn't know if I would need to recycle Mahdist figures or if I had enough. For the purposes of this game I wanted Gordon and the defenders to actually have a chance of winning. But I wanted it to be a tough, near-run thing for both sides if possible.
As I began playing I realized that the the rule set, " A Good Dusting," didn't provide any way for units to be routed by rIfle and/or artillery fire. It merely slows units down. Perhaps I missed something but in several readings of the rules the only way to rout a unit was in close assault. So that was something I changed by adding parts of the morale rules from Tim Wright's, "Sand and Blood."
I also didn't know if I had the right balance of forces between the Mahdists and Egyptians. So far it's looking good but time will tell.
The opening volleys from Khartoum's defenders caused some casualties but nothing significant. It wasn't until turn 3 that things began to happen. Two Mahdist rubs assaulting the Massalamieh Gate were routed by the combined rifle and artillery fire from the defenders. A third unit was completely annihilated. It was at this point that Mahdist Emir Abdulrahman Wad al Nejumi had to decide whether to commit the 2nd wave to push home the attack, risking more casualties against this well defended portion of Khartoum's walls, or hope that the effort against the Burri Gate succeeded.
The Mahdist emir decided to to retain the 2nd wave in reserve and hope that he could rally and return to battle the two routing rubs. In this, he was successful.
The success was short-lived, however, as the defenders unleashed a withering fire upon the rubs, scoring 14 hits out of 20 dice, effectively eliminating both rubs as fighting forces. Nejumi was left with only 2 rubs attacking the Massalamieh Gate, both under 50% strength. Losing no time, Nejumi decided to reinforce the assault on the Burri Gate.
On the Nile River front, Gordon's armed steamer, Cairo, scored several devastating hits on one of the Mahdist dhows and blew it up.
Photos of the action thus far can found at this link:
link

While I like the game, every time I see those round movement trays I think I'm looking at some sort of coracle race!

While I like the game, every time I see those round movement trays I think I'm looking at some sort of coracle race!

Agreed. They look like walled enclosures to me.

Looks good!
I do find the round movement stands distracting though.

… Yeah. Some kind of jihadist hover-craft.

Good game and I can understand the need for movements stands to speed play.

Perhaps if the movement stands did not have the large lip and were painted to match the board and not the hills they would be less distracting.

Everything but the movement stands looks great. Those stands do take away from the game. Lose them.

As soon as I saw the stands I thought their lips were intrusive. I would have movement stands with no lips which would make for a more natural look.

I'm not familiar with the rules set you are using, but it sounds like you are spot on with the adopted rule change to allow for a forced back or routed result from excessive small arms and or artillery fire.
Cheers,
JB
Sgtguinness.blogspot.com

Interesting report! I'm don't think the trays bother me like the other posters, and the rest of the game looks simply stunning! I hope you keep posting with more updates.

well done

what are its manufacturer figurines ?

many thanks

Vanier, the Egyptian and Sudanese infantry and mounted cavalry are Mike's Models while the mounted Egyptian camelry and dismounted Egyptian cavalry are Gallia. The Egyptian artillerymen are a mix of Essex and Peter Pig. Khartoum's civilians are also from Peter Pig.

The Ansar and Hadendowah are a mixture of Mike's Models, Gallia and Peter Pig.