 ochoin  | 02 Oct 2020 11:43 p.m. PST |
Something different in the way of the Zulu Wars….. Hlobane
Scenario: Colonel Wood has despatched Colonel Buller & his mounted force to harass & destroy Mbilini & his people on Hlobane mountain (a plateau). Just after arrival, they are surprised by an impi (fresh from Islandlewana) on their way to attack Wood at Khambula.
The British must escape as best they are able, but this should not be a precipitate retreat as they desire to do as much damage as possible to their Zulu enemies.
Buller's men ride in:
(forgive the Lancers & Dragoon Guards: I only have so many AZW Horsemen!
Mbilini's abaQulusi try to defend their kraal
Shoot to kill…. The impi is not far away….
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| Durban Gamer | 03 Oct 2020 3:39 a.m. PST |
A very interesting "race against time" action. One challenge is the big mountain that needs to take up most of the table. Brits should have a unit of Swazis and a rocket section. A few oxen on top of the hill make a nice capture objective for the Brits, but good luck getting them successfully off table! |
| ochoin | 03 Oct 2020 4:46 a.m. PST |
Thank you for your kind & historically accurate suggestions. There are actually cattle in the kraal. The game's outcome will be decided on a point system based on Imperial casualties & those who escape, cattle "rustled" and Zulu units destroyed. I thought about adding the Swazis (just fancy Zulus?) but the nature of the game I've set up would mean their relative slowness would merely see them overwhelmed & killed if they stayed for any time. As I'm sure you know, the real story was the hair-raising plunge off the plateau & the pursuit. (My layout is to represent merely the plateau). This would make a great "skirmish" game but this is not what I'm after…..and the terrain would be difficult to set up. I'm guessing you're an old Zulu-gaming hand? Have you gamed Hlobane? If so, I'd like to hear a description. BTW if we get enough time, a second game is planned for tomorrow: Dartnell's recce before Islandlewana. Again, a force of Mounted would be used. |
John Leahy  | 03 Oct 2020 5:00 a.m. PST |
Oh yeah, I'm REALLY liking this! Are some of the dismounted troopers metal figs? Is that Natal Native Horse dismounted officer a conversion? There's a vent on YouTube who covers Too babe and the battles of the AZW called Redcoat history of similar who walks the battlefields. Very interesting. He also does podcasts about them which are more in depth. He does cover this battle. Your figs look great. But that's nothing unusual. You know that Hat makes wagons for the war. I need to pick some up. Very nicely done!  Thanks John |
| Dave Jackson | 03 Oct 2020 5:13 a.m. PST |
I also have a large (WIP) AZ war force…making a kraal too…with few 20mm colonial selections from Sarissa. Check out Musket Miniatures…they have some 1/72 ACW items that are useful for thia conflict…a camp diorama and a field hospital set. In addition to Hat wagons…check out the IMEX line for wagons…settlers etc. |
| jurgenation | 03 Oct 2020 5:43 a.m. PST |
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| ochoin | 03 Oct 2020 6:22 a.m. PST |
Thanks, gentlemen. Dave: I will follow up your suggestions.Also those podcasts might be instructive. John, you are sharp! The NMP are, of course, metal Newlines but the rest are all Hat (mostly)….except a couple of the dismounted Native Horse who are also Newline. The White officer is a Waterloo1815 Sudan officer with a HaT Colonial head. I agonised over the Sam Brown rig but found some Imperial officers did wear it at this early stage in S. Africa. The same figure is the dismounted officer of the Mounted Rifles. The AZW is a great period. |
| Bashytubits | 03 Oct 2020 10:24 a.m. PST |
Ochoin, you do 1/72nd right. Now I regret all the 1/72 Colonials I sold off a couple of years ago. |
| Col Durnford | 03 Oct 2020 11:26 a.m. PST |
Great looking game. I'm looking forward to part 2: "Dartnell's recce before Islandlewana. Again, a force of Mounted would be used." I ran something similar quite a few years ago Called "Durnford was right". I included Dartnell's column (with the NNC) as well as Chelmsford"s relief column being attacked from the rear by the Zulu army. The Royal Artillery and Natal Native Pioneers at the end of the column did not last long and the entire column did not fair well. |
| ochoin | 03 Oct 2020 3:37 p.m. PST |
Some bonus pics:
donald BTW Col. Durnford: cracking idea for a game. I'll undoubtedly use it. Thanks. |
| Durban Gamer | 04 Oct 2020 3:52 a.m. PST |
Representing only the plateau is a really clever way to simplify the terrain.
Dartnell's recce before Isandlwana sounds like a great idea for a game as well! |
| Dave Jackson | 04 Oct 2020 7:39 a.m. PST |
Ochoin, do you have a website? Somehow I thought you did. |
| ochoin | 04 Oct 2020 1:06 p.m. PST |
Nope. I just infest a couple of forums such as this one. |
| John Leahy | 05 Oct 2020 12:15 p.m. PST |
I went looking for Hat unmarried warriors over the weekend after seeing all your pics! Went to Newline's site too. Need some of those dismounted horse holder stands. Lots of good stuff there! Thanks. John |
| FearAndLoathing | 05 Oct 2020 2:42 p.m. PST |
Was just re-reading The Washing of the Spears and I thought what a great battle this would be to recreate, something different from the usual Isandlwana, Rorke's Drift and Ulundi games. Plus it's one where there's a great opportunity for the Zulus. Very difficult to get down off that plateau. A unit of Native Horse was wiped out when exited on the wrong side. Buller was a real hero getting his wounded out. Great idea, plus gotta love those 1/72s! |
takes another stab at building a more perfect flight stand.
