Play testing the new Khartoum sand berm and ditch terrain made for me by Bill Daniel, using, "The Men Who Would Be Kings," (TMWWBK). I'd used the rules for an Isandlwana scenario and wanted more time on the table top to better learn and remember the rules for when I run a game for my friends. Stuff doesn't stick in the old grey matter like it used to.
One of the ideas I wanted to test was modeling the effects of General Gordon's 'outer works' on the Mahdist units. By 'outer works' I mean the hundreds of yards of broken glass and possible pits buttressed by fougasse mines that preceded the berm and ditch. Borrowing an idea from Avalon Hills's old "Caesar at Alesia" board game, I decided that Mahdist units would have to stop upon reaching the berm and roll 1D6. At first I thought that the number rolled would be the number of casualties inflicted on the unit by the outer works. However, when reflecting on the smaller size of the units in TMWWBK compared to other rules I use I decided to reduce the effect. On a roll of 1D6: 1-2 = 1 hit; 3-4 = 2 hits; 5-6= 3 hits. As the game has progressed this seems to be working out well, although my Pinning rolls for the Dervish have been, on the whole, terrible.
I created an exception for the outer works at the entrances to both gates. The defensive works for Khartoum were begun by Ala' al-din Pasha Siddiq, carried on by his successor Henry de Coetlogon Pasha, and then expanded on by Gordon Pasha. For years, however, trade and travel continued to flow through the southern entrances to the city. For my game I decided that the narrow cuts through the berm at each gate would not have such defenses. After all, Gordon allowed (encouraged) Mahdist sympathizers to leave the city during the siege. I figured Dervish infantry units are too big to take advantage of this 'weakness' but I allowed the smaller Mahdist cavalry units to do so. A cinematic weakness on my part perhaps.
Desultory long range cannon fire resulted in a surprising number of pinned Dervish units. Eventually, the Mahdi's faithful began to close the distance. Two units of cavalry tried to rush the Kalakala Gate:
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But the defenders succeeded in shooting down a couple horsemen, momentarily clogging the gap with flailing horses and falling riders:
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The first cavalry unit became Pinned as the result of it's casualties and prevented the second unit from passing through. However, on the next turn the Pinned unit failed it's Rally test and retreated half a move, clearing the way for the second cavalry unit to attempt to rush the gap. Getting a 6 on it's At the Double roll, the Dervish cavalry unit easily passed through the gap and charged up the slope towards the Sudanese manning the ramparts.
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The Sudanese must have been unnerved by the sight of the charging cavalry because their rifle fire failed to bring down any of the attackers. On the next Mahdist turn the cavalry, wearing chainmail under their Jibbehs and crusader helmets, defeated the infantry, pushing them down the reverse slope of the defenses.
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A subsequent melee also went against the Sudanese infantrymen, pushing them them back towards the outskirts of Khartoum.
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Meanwhile, on the other end of the entrenchments, several units of Mahdist infantry succeeded in crossing the outer works and ditch and attacking a redoubt held by a unit of Egyptian infantry and two artillery pieces.
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Wretched die rolls for the Egyptians and terrific die rolls for the Dervish resulted in the redoubt being overrun by the attackers. The Egyptian infantry was pushed out while the artillery crews were butchered.
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More Dervish have reached the berm and hope to exploit the breakthrough beside the Kalakala Gate:
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That's all for now. Time to do some yard work.
