Newsflash -- Peter out of Surgery

Good news . . . I just heard that Peter has successfully come out of quadruple bypass heart surgery and is now resting in the hospital's CVU* recovery.

UPDATE -- Peter will still be unconscious likely for another 8 hours or more. He will likely be in the CVU* post operative ward until Wednesday, then if he is breathing well he will be moved to the Patient Care Center for some days depending upon his condition.

A sincere "Thank You" to all who sent prayers or other forms of positive energy.

-- Jeff

* CVU stands for Cardio-Vascular Unit

Pete's Surgery -- Time Corrected

Gentlemen,

While Pete (one of the players in my Afristan Campaign) is scheduled to have heart surgery on Monday, November 11, I had the time wrong.

He will be going into his surgical pre-op at 10:00 am PST . . . but the actual surgery won't begin until about 1:00 pm PST.

So please send your prayers and positive energy to Pete and his surgical team in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada at that time on Monday.

-- Jeff

Campaign on Hiatus

We have had a series of "real life" interruptions to my Afristan Campaign. And while up until now they have not been too serious (family visits and some ill health); we are now going to have to put our campaign on the shelf for a bit.

One of our players, Pete, is now scheduled for a heart bypass next Monday, November 14 at 10am Pacific Standard Time in Victoria, BC, Canada. The operation is expected to last four to five hours . . . and under the circumstances I think it best to place the campaign on hiatus until Pete is back on his feet and feels up to continuing.

Now while this sort of operation has become fairly routine, it is still serious. So any prayers or healing energy, etc. that you can send toward Pete and the surgical team doing the operation will be most welcome.

-- Jeff

More Delay

We had family visiting which threw a spanner into the works as far as gaming went. And their visit was very nice . . . but I did have to delay the two games which were to be played.

Yesterday my wife started feeling funny things about her heartbeat, so I planned to take her to Emergency . . . but then she got a dizzy spell so we had to call an ambulance. While we ended up spending several hours in the hospital, she was sent home after many tests.

She's okay now. She was suffering from PVCs (premature vascular contractions) . . . meaning that her heart was beating too soon (before it had filled with blood) so it felt like it was missing beats . . . it wasn't, it was having some too early. So she is to see her regular doctor (who, of course, is on vacation right now).

Anyway, while I had planned on painting troops necessary for the next games last night, I most obviously did not get to do so . . . and I'm sort of keeping an eye on my bride (which isn't conducive to painting either). I suspect that I will have to put the games off yet again . . . *sigh* . . . I hate it when "real life" gets in the way of gaming . . . don't you?

But at least my wife is okay despite yesterday's scare.

-- Jeff

A First Look at May

Everyone has their May moves in and the dice have been rolled . . . and we have two battles to fight. One in the Cango River District of Derf; and one in the Tyger District of Ta'ish. In addition there are reports of dangerous levels of rebellion building in some outlying districts. (As always, click on map to see larger image):


Please note that due to visiting house guests we probably won't get to play these this coming weekend . . . so stay tuned for future scheduling.


Following are the current Rebellion Index for the various districts:

• Alex's Cango River districts are in red
• Pete's Tyger River districts are in green
• Murdock's Vile River districts are in purple
• Jeff's Wazu River districts are in blue

The following "codes" will be in effect -- and the die roll in parentheses indicate how many points the Rebellion Index will rise each month if not visited:

• Home Districts are marked with * (d6-4)
  
• Mission Districts are marked # (d6-2)
  
• Trading Post Districts have a $ (d8-4)
  
• Normal Districts are unmarked (d6-3)
  
• "Beja" Districts are marked -- (B)
• "Dervish" Districts are marked -- (D)
  
• "Egyptian" Districts are marked -- (E)
• "Pathan" Districts are marked -- (P)
• "Zulu" Districts are marked -- (Z)

CANGO RIVER:

Tewfiq * -- (E) ---- 3
Derf # -- (B) ------- 9 => ?
Jadu $ -- (P) ------- 2
Zirak $ -- (P) ------ 3
Anwak -- (D) ------8
Bele -- (Z) ---------- 10
Noair -- (D) -------3
Quett -- (P) -------- 4
W'tut -- (Z) -------- 2

TYGER RIVER:

Nukar * -- (E) ---- 4
Ta'ish # -- (D) ---- 8 => ?
Afridi $ -- (P) ---- 6
Swati $ -- (P) ----- 2
Dendoa -- (B) ---- 12
G'umb -- (Z) ------ 2
Luni -- (P) --------- 2
M'wez -- (Z) ------ 5
Umma -- (D) ----- 8

VILE RIVER:

Urabbi * -- (E) --- 2
M'tubel # -- (Z) -- 5
Bejj $ -- (B) -------- 5
Dinqa $ -- (D) ---- 10 @ 16 => 2
Alghaz -- (D) ----- 7
Ghilz -- (P) -------- 6
Tarqa -- (P) -------- 8
J'ele -- (Z) ---------- 3
Z'ooli -- (Z) -------- 3

WAZU RIVER:
Kamel * -- (E) ----- 4
Baqqar # -- (D) --- 7
Fuziwa $ -- (B) ---- 3
Shluk $ -- (D) ----- 9
Dwari -- (P) ------- 5
Likaz -- (Z) -------- 9 @ 16 => 2
Mazood -- (P) ---- 2
Ngoon -- (Z) ------ 8
Wazri -- (P) ------- 2

Reinforcements:

All commands got 7 Sowars (lancer cavalrymen) delivered to their home ports. These have been added to your permanent records.

Situation -- end of April, 1876

Well, April is now at an end and it is time to let me know where you are headed next. Here is our "end of April" map (click for larger image):


Murdock's Field Force is "on the river" so that it can go to any District that the river touches. Everyone else can move to an adjacent District from their current position OR move through on hex of an intervening District into another district (without pacifying the District whose hex they passed through).

=================

Following are the current Rebellion Index for the various districts:

• Alex's Cango River districts are in red
• Pete's Tyger River districts are in green
• Murdock's Vile River districts are in purple
• Jeff's Wazu River districts are in blue

The following "codes" will be in effect -- and the die roll in parentheses indicate how many points the Rebellion Index will rise each month if not visited:

• Home Districts are marked with * (d6-4)
  
• Mission Districts are marked # (d6-2)
  
• Trading Post Districts have a $ (d8-4)
  
• Normal Districts are unmarked (d6-3)
  
• "Beja" Districts are marked -- (B)
• "Dervish" Districts are marked -- (D)
  
• "Egyptian" Districts are marked -- (E)
• "Pathan" Districts are marked -- (P)
• "Zulu" Districts are marked -- (Z)

CANGO RIVER:

Tewfiq * -- (E) ---- 3
Derf # -- (B) ------- 9
Jadu $ -- (P) ------- 2
Zirak $ -- (P) ------ 3
Anwak -- (D) ------6
Bele -- (Z) ---------- 8
Noair -- (D) -------3
Quett -- (P) -------- 4
W'tut -- (Z) -------- 2

TYGER RIVER:

Nukar * -- (E) ---- 4
Ta'ish # -- (D) ---- 8
Afridi $ -- (P) ---- 5
Swati $ -- (P) ----- 2
Dendoa -- (B) ---- 9
G'umb -- (Z) ------ 2
Luni -- (P) --------- 2
M'wez -- (Z) ------ 5
Umma -- (D) ----- 8

VILE RIVER:

Urabbi * -- (E) --- 2
M'tubel # -- (Z) -- 2
Bejj $ -- (B) -------- 5
Dinqa $ -- (D) ---- 10
Alghaz -- (D) ----- 6
Ghilz -- (P) -------- 6
Tarqa -- (P) -------- 5
J'ele -- (Z) ---------- 3
Z'ooli -- (Z) -------- 2

WAZU RIVER:
Kamel * -- (E) ----- 4
Baqqar # -- (D) --- 4
Fuziwa $ -- (B) ---- 3
Shluk $ -- (D) ----- 9
Dwari -- (P) ------- 5
Likaz -- (Z) -------- 9
Mazood -- (P) ---- 2
Ngoon -- (Z) ------ 5
Wazri -- (P) ------- 2

Reinforcements:

All commands got 7 Sowars (lancer cavalrymen) delivered to their home ports. These have been added to your permanent records.

April Battle and Medical/Reinforcement Report

Pete came over and we fought out the Wazu Field Force vs Wazri skirmish. As expected, the Imperials (who outnumbered them) defeated the Wazri on the veldt. (As usual, click on photos below for larger images.)

As can be seen in the photo above, Captain Ellis' command faced a treeless valley with brush on the sides and a series of hills. Then (below) a squad of Wazri rifles fired from the brush on Ellis' left.


And more Wazri rifles opened up on the Gurkhas from a hill on the right, killing Gurkha Lama (#2) before the Gurkhas returned a devastation fire (along with some 15th Sikhs from the Gurkha's left).


Leaving a devastated "Wazri Death Hill" . . . from which the few survivors routed.


Meanwhile some of the Wazri Jezailmen discovered that they had inferior powder that halved their effective range, so they ventured out to close the range. But they faced overwhelming odds and soon after the photo below was taken, routed like their fellows who can be seen in the background fleeing from the "death hill".


Shortly after this, with two thirds of his forces dead on the field, and most of the rest routing, the Wazri Hill Chief ordered a precipitous withdrawal and the rebellion in Wazri was successfully suppressed.

Sadly, before the final show was fired, Pvt. Elliot Cook of the 72nd Foot was slain by a jezail ball. In addition, the 15th Sikhs suffered two wounded . . . Sepoy Rasgur was seriously wounded while Sepoy Darvesh was lucky enought to only received a light wound.

========================

Notes on the battle. As usual we used "The Sword and the Flame 20th Anniversary" rules and the generic TSATF action and event decks from The Virtual Armchair General.

Pete managed to get a couple of unfortunate events; while I was the recipient of one good one. In addition Pete threw very poor dice (while I had better than average rolls). He certainly should have scored many more that just four hits in all of his volleys.

========================

Medical Report for April, 1876

Lt. Neil Cosgrove (#1) commander of the 21st Madras Pioneers (Vile River Command) has seen his condition improve to "stable" in Kyro Hospital.

Lt. Pete Kipling of the Tyger River Command recovered from his wound and was returned to duty.

Pvt. Elliot Cook (#4) of the 72nd Foot (Wazu River Command) was killed in battle.

Pvt. Clayton Brooks (#3) of the 88th Foot (Tyger River Command) worsened as his broken arm festered and he is now listed in "serious" condition.

Pvt. Owen Wilson (#6) of the 24th Foot (Cango River Command) also saw his wound fester and his case is now listed as "serious".

Pvt. Elliot O'Neill (#6) of the 88th Foot (Tyger River Command) seems to have turned the corner and his leg wound has improved enough so that his condition is now "stable".

Pvt. Gordon Ogilvy (#8) of the 72nd Foot (Wazu River Command) remains in "stable" condition.

Havildar Sonam (#1) of the 4th Gurkhas (Vile River Command) has seen his condition improve to "stable" in Kyro Hospital.

Gurkha Lama (#2) of the 2nd Gurkhas (Wazu River Command) was killed in battle.

Gurkha Gurung (#5) of the 4th Gurkhas (Vile River Command) remains in stable condition in Kyro Hospital.

Gurkha Rai (#3) of the 4th Gurkhas (Vile River Command) has been returned to duty from Kyro Hospital.

Sepoy Rasgur (#16) of the (Wazu River Command) sustained a serious wound.

Sepoy Jairaj (#18) of the 2nd PFF (Cango River Command) remains in "serious" condition.

Sepoy Kulbir (#19) of the 45 BNI (Tyger River Command) has returned to duty.

Sepoy Darvesh (#17) of the (Wazu River Command) was wounded in battle.

Sepoy Gauri (#3) of the 21st Madras Pioneers (Vile River Command) has been returned to duty from Kyro Hospital.

Sepoy Bhanu (#20) of the 21st Madras Pioneers (Vile River Command) has been returned to duty from Kyro Hospital.

========================

Reinforcements:

I had both Pete and Murdock roll for reinforcements and both resulted in the same thing. Each of us will receive seven lancers.

While none of us have the required troops for a unit of lancers, we are all a lot closer. We need a British officer, a duffadar and 10 sowars (i.e., native sergeant and ten troopers) before the unit can be ready for deployment . . . and remember that we all need an officer to remain at headquarters.

-- Jeff