Second Training Game

Well we re-played our earlier "Training Game" on Sunday (July 10). Only this time we switched sides . . . because Alex and Ian (who had the Brits last time) felt that the scenario was slanted in favor of the Pashtun.

Pictured at left is an early scene from the action in the village.

The Sepoys with blue turbans (house a left and on the walls) are Rattray's Sikhs; the 78th Scots are in the whiter building and also in front of the building at right with the civilians.

(Click on photo above for a larger image -- however a setting was mistakenly changed in my camera and sadly the other photos do not enlarge).

Anyway this time Alex and Ian took the Natives; and David led the relief column. But since Pete was able to play this time, he took the part of the units pinned in the village (and I umpired).

Well, history did NOT repeat itself.

This time the relief column was quite successful. (Photo shows an early scene where the Sepoys of the Madras Pioneers and 4th Gurkhas have surrounded the few survivors of a Pashtun jezail unit. Note that the leader of the Pioneers, Lt. Neil Cosgrove, lies wounded next to his men).

Indeed, the defense of the village and the rifles of the relief column were so successful that very few Pashtun returned safely to their villages in the hills of the Northwest Frontier.

A dozen Imperial natives died (eleven Sepoys and one Gurkha). Many wounded Sepoys (Rattray's Sikhs -- light blue turbans) had their throats cut after the mobs of Pashtun swarmed the village.

Fortunately there were only five British casualties.

Two dead Scots -- Pvt. Kenneth MacTaggart and Pvt. Donald MacDonald, both of the 78th Regiment of Foot. Poor Pvt. MacDonald had been wounded in the earlier battle and was fresh from hospital (obviously he was released too soon).

In addition the British officer in charge of the Madras Pioneers (21st NMI), Lt. Neil Cosgrove, was wounded while leading his men in battle, but is expected to make a full recovery.

Also wounded were pair of Scots from the 78th -- Pvt. Graham Shaw and Pvt. Lewis Duncan (the latter had recently replaced the previously slain Pvt. Douglas Gordon).

However it should be noted that the "red sword" unit of Pashtuns (run by Ian) made successful test after test after test. They were finally reduced to a single hillman . . . who passed the final test and walked away from the village . . . mooning the defenders as he crested a hill. (note that he was practically the only survivor other than a few scattered routers and Alex's Jezailmen, who spent most of the battle outside of British rifle range as the sniped away at the village's defenders).

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Now that Pete has had a chance to learn the rules, we can finally start the Afristan Campaign . . . so posts should come more often now.

-- Jeff