"Drums of the Fore and Aft TMWWBK version." Topic

My quest to play the TMWWBK in order to really learn the rules and being further inspired by the Madguru of the Miniatures Page, I played out the battle scenario described in Kipling's story "Drums of the Fore and Aft". I do not have the boy drummers, Jakin and Lew, and ignored them for this battle, although they are the main characters in the story and their role in the battle was significant.
For my re-creation, the British forces consisted of a regiment (two wings each of Highlanders, Gurkhas, the 59th, a screw gun and Bengal lancers. The opposing Afghan force was composed of Afghan regulars, tribal foot and cavalry and fanatical Ghazis.
The 59th enter the valley through the central of three gorges. The Highlanders enter from a gorge on their right flank (with the lancers in reserve behind them) and the Gurkhas from a gorge on the 59th's left flank. Per the story, the screw gun's progress is slowed when it encounters a mud fort. I arbitrarily said that the screw gun had to score 12 hits on the mud fort before it could move past it. The mud fort could not inflict any casualties upon the screw gun crew, only delay its participation in the main battle.
The 59th enter the valley ahead of schedule (as per Kipling's story) and are immediately attacked by the Ghazis' The Highlanders and Gurkhas in my game must wait until the Ghazi attack is resolved before they can enter the valley. This is to simulate the story line that the 59th were inexperienced and making an extreme blunder with their premature move. Surprisingly they held up quite well under the Ghazi assault losing one half of their right wing and the left wing remaining fully intact.
The Gurkhas clambered down the rocks and joined the fray and faced several Afghan regular units as well as tribal foot and cavalry. The Highlanders were up against a similar force minus the cavalry but also face Afghan regular infantry fire from the center of the Afghan line. The screw gun was delayed and didn't get into the action until the very end of the battle and it served at that point as covering fire for the retreating Highlanders. The Bengal lancers should have deployed earlier against the tribal infantry advancing against the Highlanders. The outnumbered Highlanders could only hold out so long and the cavalry, like the screw gun, ended up shielding the Highlander retreat.
The Gurkhas were remarkable and after a slight set-back at the hands of the Afghan tribal cavalry rebounded to solidly control the left flank with no Afghan units wanting to advance against them again.
In the end, only the screw gun on the far right flank and the Gurkhas on the left flank had any fight left in them. It was the goal of the British to control the valley and soundly defeat the Afghans. This did not happen and I would have to give the day to the Afghans.
For those familiar with TMWWBK system I counted up the British army and it totaled 48 points. Not knowing exactly the strength of the Afghans, I gave them a force with a total of 48 points.

Gorgeous!

Very, very cool. I'm envious.

You beat me to it, Bob, and well done, it looks pretty great!!!

Seems that in your game, it was the Highlanders who needed Jakin & Lew to rescue their morale, rather than their comrades in their own "greenhorn" line infantry unit. Perhaps they could've been replaced with one of your pipers? (I'm pretty sure you have a few!)

I am doing my best to finish my mud fort and then play virtually the same game. Also, I think your tower looks great! Is it homemade or comercially available…?

Thanks for the comments. Ethan: The tower is a commercial product from Magister Militum called Arabic Tower 28mm. It is made of a heavy resin. I got it unpainted on ebay. The Highlanders just didn't shoot very well. One of the wings routed. In TMWWBK, if the natives can close and melee,it is anybody's fight to win. Best keep them at bay with Martini Henrys as long as possible.

Bob, that's a terrific looking game!

Thanks Ragbones!! It was fun to play.I know they weren't designed for it but i think TMWWBK works great for larger battles. Play is fast and units aren't as resilient as in TSATF. I prefer TSATF for more of a closer more personal feel. I have given names to soldiers in TSATF and kept rosters but in TMWWBK prorbaly only the leader would ever get a name.

A great looking game. That is what wargaming is all about!

I can only hope that at some point the commander of the Gurkhas was able to say "This is the real attack as it should have been delivered. Come on, my children."

LT

Well played, brass1, well played!!!

Great looking game Bob!!! Funny thing that you and MG are doing the same scenario at the same time. I know he converted figs just for this battle.

Cheers,
JB

Jeff – It is no coincidence that Madguru and are doing the same scenario. I read about his efforts and saw his Jakin & Lew conversion. That's all it took and I was copying his idea (except I didn't have his fantastic Jakin & Lew conversions nor the cool mud fort). I thought it would be interesting to compare his results using his Mashed-up 800 Fighting Englishmen/TSATF rules and those of TMMWBK which I have been recently learning to play. The Madguru has inspired me on many an occasion and the Drums of the Fore & Aft scenario is no exception. Can hardly wait for his AAR once he plays the game. He is definitely a more talented writer than I.

Excellent looking game.