Editor in Chief Bill | 05 Jul 2021 5:28 p.m. PST |
Which battle from the Sudan would you recommend as a scenario for the tabletop miniature wargamer? |
DisasterWargamer | 05 Jul 2021 5:47 p.m. PST |
|
ColCampbell | 05 Jul 2021 6:12 p.m. PST |
Abu-Klea would be a good choice. Another one is the Battle of Tamai link So 'ere's to you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, at your 'ome in the Soudan; You're a pore benighted 'eathen but a first-class fightin' man; An' 'ere's to you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, with your 'ayrick 'ead of 'air -- You big black boundin' beggar -- for you broke a British square! From "Fuzzy Wuzzy" by Rudyard Kipling; attributed to the action at Abu-Klea but could also be illustrative of Tamai. Jim |
etotheipi | 05 Jul 2021 6:42 p.m. PST |
What-If Battle of Fashoda. Fashoda ended up being a negotiation, possibly because half the French got lost on the way. I believe the Brits didn't think they could defeat (or last after victory over) the full French contingent and the French didn't want to admit they had lost a huge bunch of forces to navigation, disease, and other travel hazards. So they negotiated. But it is a tactically interesting place to have a battle and a strategically interesting context in which to place a battle. I am also a fan of the 19th Century transition from ranged weapons as weaker than close combat to ranged weapons dominating the battlefield. So maybe not a real one, but you do have real OOB and terrain to work from, as well as reasonable force objectives. |
John the OFM | 05 Jul 2021 6:44 p.m. PST |
I've said before that there's a huge problem if the players are familiar with the battle. The GM should set up a battle "sort of similar". |
Greylegion | 05 Jul 2021 7:03 p.m. PST |
Nice link and interesting read. |
Prince Rupert of the Rhine | 06 Jul 2021 1:09 a.m. PST |
Battle of Rejaf. Congo free state and Azande allies Vs the Mahdists. Forces are small and you get to use all those cool foundry darkest Africa miniatures. link The good thing about the Mahdists is in the short time their state existed they got around to fighting everyone with range not just the British empire. |
45thdiv | 06 Jul 2021 2:25 a.m. PST |
I like generic battle, thinking along the same line as John. To pick one, I would have to say Khartoum. So many different types of battles from. Matthew |
aegiscg47 | 06 Jul 2021 6:47 a.m. PST |
Khartoum was more of a siege than a battle. The final attack was more of a sure thing for the Mahdists than a desperate defense as they quickly overran the various positions. Also, gamers don't represent Khartoum correctly as there's always walls, towers, etc., surrounding their miniature city. An interesting era is before the British arrive. Slatin's book, Fire & Sword in the Sudan, details all kinds of actions with Egyptian, Sudanese, and local forces, which are always fun to use on the tabletop. |
DisasterWargamer | 06 Jul 2021 1:36 p.m. PST |
Slatin's book Fire and Sword in the Sudan is available online free of charge as part of the Gutenberg Project (all works are legally available or there with permission) link Loved this illustration
|
Durban Gamer | 07 Jul 2021 4:44 a.m. PST |
Very true that the pre-Brit era has lots of great potential to have African tribal forces allied and opposed to Egyptians and slaver armies that tended to be well equipped. Congreve rockets used to try to set zaribas alight. Besides Slatin's book, google Romolo Gessi. Once the Brits arrive, Ginnis is a great one: red coats, white coats, camel guns, gunboat, and Ansar now in the patched jibbas! |
John the Greater | 07 Jul 2021 10:52 a.m. PST |
Ah, where to start with the various battles featuring Abyssinians? I would start with Adwa. |