Revenge for Bentley?

This game took place on 14th May 2011. It was a follow up to the first - disastrous- game!


(The report for the last game can be seen at Death-or-Glory )



Lawrence Sutherland had returned empty handed to the Cape Colony, alone.
Dick Bentley, his friend, now lay in a grave nearby....


The place he died still remained - the temple at Dhietree at the head of the Intayk river, where supposedly lay the Kalari Kunter -a magical artifact bestowing long life on anyone brave enough to use it.

Sutherland, of course, had to go back......

However, the new colleagues of Sutherland knew nothing of this, they were on a treasure hunt! - money was all the incitement they needed!
Between them they had managed to raise a force of 24 Askaris and several porters, and so equipped, they set out from Cape Colony.



The main party soon reached the stream where the last expedition they had been ambushed... but the only surprise was from a flock of birds leaving a nearby wood.

(NB - we mixed the dummy markers with SG2 suppression markers, when spotted, the spotting unit ducked for a turn - in ambush games, this represents caution and spooking of the players!)

An American adventurer, Omar Gott,  leading the column, decided to leave his colleagues and move round the right, alone.

The rest of the column consisted of  Sutherland, followed by Callum Waite, and finally Ivor (known as Nobby) Rolls, (who was tasked with guarding the porters.)

Sutherland and Waite, with their Askaris, waded across the stream, keeping a keen eye out for hostiles...

Gott, (who had from his own purse armed his Askaris with Winchester Rifles) confidently moved to the columns right, down the stream.

The coast being clear, Waite, led his Askaris and porters across the ford.

Sutherland and waite moved round the small knoll to their front.

On the right, Gott was attempting to cross the stream too, but was shot at by native archers.

One of Gotts Askaris fell dead, an arrow through his neck!

Seeing what was happening, Sutherland and waite threw caution to the wind and crossed the knoll to engage the natives with their Martini-Henrys.

Gotts men added their fire..

Rolls stayed in cover. His men only had a mixture of muzzle loading Enfield and Springfield rifles to shoot with.

The enemy archers fled, leaving 4 dead, Cautiously, the Askaris advanced.

Back on the right, Gott cautiously advanced too, looking for ambushes.

Then formed a skirmish line...

Sutherland and Waite advanced warily to the river bank, opposite the forbidding temple!

Sutherland and Waite then moved to cross the river...

Gott, meanwhile, advanced on a suspicious hill, and saw some natives hiding. They fired...

..but only hit a couple of them! -the Winchesters shorter range told! - the enraged natives stormed down the hill and attacked Gotts men! 

Gott killed his opponent in the ensuing melee, but 2 of his Askaris fell.

 Gott fought a fighting retreat, but their shooting caused no further casualties. Despite this, the  weight of  fire briefly halted the natives!

The natives charged again while Gott's men desperately fired.

Meanwhile.. Sutherland and Waite saw a large group of natives hiding in a wood behind them!

Waite's askaris opened fire!

The natives charged, splitting between Waite's men and Rolls' baggage guard, who desperately fired at the oncoming storm!

Waites men held their own, but one of his askaris dropped with a spear in his belly!

The battle seemed to be going against the askaris, but Sutherland's men turned and began shooting down the natives as they attacked.

Rolls men drove back their enemies too, but not before they lost an askari killed and one wounded, Rolls himself was also wounded in the fierce melee.

Gott was still fighting, but now had only one man left...

Roll's men, having beaten their opponents...

 ...turned and fired in support of Gott..

..and killed several of the natives, scattering them.

In the confusion though, the last of Gott's askaris deserted his employer!

Meanwhile, Sutherland and Waite moved across the River..

..eventually followed by Rolls, and a rather crestfallen Gott..

Sutherland, meanwhile,  had spotted a group of natives guarding the temple..

..who, despite taking losses seemed reticent to attack..

However - a second group charged round the side of the temple, the first group of natives then charging - that's why they were waiting!!

Roll's men by now had joined the firing line...

..and the slaughter commenced!

Roll's men and Gott engaged the flank force..

..while Sutherland and Waite's men massacred the first group.

The survivors fled...

Sutherland and Waite's victorious men turned to fight the flank force..

.. who soon turned and fled as well as they fell in droves.

The way to the temple was clear....

So .. what did they find?

After several hours searching, Sutherland found the Kalari Kunter hidden deep in a cavern. Unable to decypher the text on the parchment it contained, he hid it and took it back to Cape Colony.

They found a few jewels and treasure as well, but only enough to cover the cost of the expedition.

The Kalari Kunter turned out to be a simple list of foodstuffs, each allocated a magical symbol, and not a magical artifact!

Perhaps the British Museum would be interested!

Players:

Sutherland : Lawrence

Gott             : Ian

Waite           : Phil

Rolls             : Me!

The rules - as usual -were our own -Freely available at: Tyneside wargames: downloads

Hope you enjoyed this - sorry it was Veeery long!