BC’08 Round 4: Sassanid Persian with Sabir Hun Allies 463AD

Our (winning) Draw (if you can call it that) in the third round put us on 54 VPs and in 2nd place; 5 VPs behind the new leaders (Ivan & Andrew; whom we had played in the first round) and 8 VPs ahead of 3rd place (Brett & Lawrence whom we had just played). As a result our final opponents were John Calnan & Lance Knighton, who were currently in 4th place with 44 VPs; and were running a force of Sassanid’s with lots of Cavalry(S) and (O), Elephants(O), and Knights(X).

Caesennius had not managed to leave home before the Sassanid’s had wandered into the Eastern regions of the Empire! Continue reading “BC’08 Round 4: Sassanid Persian with Sabir Hun Allies 463AD”

BC’08 Round 3: Medieval Germans with Swiss Allies 1478AD

Our big win in the previous round put us on 39 VPs, and top of the table (1st place) at the halfway mark, our next opponents were Brett Preston-Thomas & Lawrence Antill, who were on 36 VPs and currently in 2nd place. Caesennius decided to venture north and wander into the lands of the Germans (not to mention about 14 centuries into the future as well) – what was this obsession he had with invading Germany?! Anyway in true style he found a suitable area to set up camp, and then proceeded to relax, as was his want, and not be too hasty. However he rather unusually camped amongst some woods and vineyards, in front of a fairly open plain, so left his army with less than ideal terrain to deploy in. Continue reading “BC’08 Round 3: Medieval Germans with Swiss Allies 1478AD”

BC’08 Round 2: Kushite Egyptians 700BC

Our Draw in the first round put us slap in the middle of the pack, 14 VPs ranking us 2nd Equal with 2 other teams (so effectively just in the top half of the table), and resulting in Philip Abela & Andrew Hunter (who were similarly ranked 2nd equal) being our afternoon opponents. (If I recall correctly) Caesennius found himself defending Rome’s Eastern environs’ from encroaching invaders this battle! And the dastardly fiends had decided to attack along a River, no less! However this soon suited Caesennius, who found the edge of a suitable plain to encamp on, forcing the Egyptians to deploy in an area thick with Marshes and an Orchard, with the River running through their deployment area, and Vineyard on their flank next to the River. Continue reading “BC’08 Round 2: Kushite Egyptians 700BC”

BC’08 Round 1: Early German Cimbri & Tigurini Gallic Allies 102BC

On the first morning we drew Ivan Truong & Andrew Fergus for our initial game. The morning actually got off to a slow start with some fluffing around, and all 4 games being played in the first round probably lost about 20-30 minutes of game time, plus took excessively long to do terrain placement and deploy. Once underway Caesennius, the Roman C-in-C, soon managed to invade Germany for whatever reasons, we presume in the South-East perhaps? Anyhow, Caesennius managed to encamp on the edge of a German plain forcing the Cimbri to pitch tents in an area of poor terrain that was mostly Marsh (3 features of such in the German deployment area), while the Roman’s deployed on the adjacent open plain – but perhaps the Germans preferred being amongst the wet boggy muck and the joke was on Caesennius?! Continue reading “BC’08 Round 1: Early German Cimbri & Tigurini Gallic Allies 102BC”

BattleCry 2008 Introduction

Well another successful BattleCry has gone by and congratulations to Karen & the AMERICA team for organising a great event, and providing the usual copious amounts of “loot” for people to take home! Also thanks to Benny (Andrew Bennetts) for organising and umpiring the New Zealand 25mm DBMM Doubles – it’s always a trade off and occasionally a thankless task. The DBMM competition was thoroughly enjoyable and went really well in my opinion. Several players were reasonably new to DBMM but picked up things pretty well from what I saw, and the overall standard of army presentation was very good to excellent, and made all the games visually appealing to the greater extent. Continue reading “BattleCry 2008 Introduction”

Colonial & 19th Century Wars & Battles

Darkest Africa Zanzibari
Darkest African Zanzibari

The following is a brief list of all the main wars and conflicts in the 19th Century after the end of the Napoleonic Wars…While the earlier ones were fought little differently to the Napoleonic Wars, from around 1850 or so onwards they steadily changed as modern technology intervened in the form of Rifled & Breech loading guns, improved artillery, machine-guns, railways, the telegraph, steam powered ships, armoured ships, early torpedoes, battleships with centralised rotating guns instead of broadsides, and so on… By the end of the century the new rifles, machine-guns, indirect quick-fire fire artillery, dreadnought battleships with rotating armoured gun turrets, early motor vehicles, and more were in use, or about to enter production, and would eventually be the mainstay of the armies involved in the First World War 14 years later…

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Fire & Sword in the Sudan: Epilogue

Dervishes for Africa!
Dervishes for Africa!

The campaign was concluded at this point. Although the Mahdists still hold a few towns in the west and south, their spirit and manpower is broken. On the other hand, the serious casualties suffered by Graham will limit his offensive capabilities until Herbert Stewart and John McNeill are able to bring their forces to bear on Kassala and the Western Sudan. By then, a General Election and growing Russian pressure on Afghanistan will justify the withdrawal of British forces from the region.

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Fire & Sword in the Sudan: April 1884

Illustrated London News

April 1884: A Damn Close Run Thing!

The capture of Abu Hamed by the Berber Field Force (commanded by Baker and Hicks) was something on an anti-climax. Most of the rebels fled the town as the expeditionary force approached. Less than 1000 desperate fanatics, lacking rifles or artillery support, sallied out to engage the Egyptians and were routed without delay. Imperial casualties were less than 30 men killed and wounded. The Northern District can now be considered at peace, and the threat of an attack on Egypt lifted.

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Fire & Sword in the Sudan: February-March 1884

Illustrated London News

February 1884: “Graham Saves the Day”

The combined Anglo-Egyptian relief expedition, numbering approximately 7700 regulars and supported by another 800 native levies, and now under the command of General Wolseley advanced south from Wad Hamed following the banks of the Nile upstream towards Khartoum. On the 21st February, with their objective in sight on the far horizon, the army decamped from its defensive zeriba at dawn, intending to be at the city in time for tiffin.

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Fire & Sword in the Sudan: January-February 1884

Illustrated London News

January 1884: “There will be an awful fuss about this at home”

Baker’s relief column advanced up-river in an open square to break the siege of Khartoum, with its open flank guarded by Egyptian cavalry. For several hours Gordon, anxiously watching for the relief column from the roof of the Residency, was unconvinced that the troops advancing towards him through the dust clouds were friendly – the presence of local scouts alongside the European police persuading him that this might be an enemy ruse. As a result, Hicks was ordered not to advance beyond the fortifications, which they held with some success throughout the battle, despite repeated assaults by fierce Hadendowa tribesmen.

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Fire & Sword in the Sudan: December 1883-January 1884

Illustrated London News

December 1883: “Chinese Gordon” Pulls it Off!

General Baker advanced upriver from Atbara, encountering little resistance from the local tribes until a determined effort was made by about 1500 insurgents to contest his traversing of the 6th cataract north of Wad Hamed. The enemy position was carried with only minor casualties and the town occupied shortly thereafter. Baker’s Abyssinian scouts pushed forward to reconnoitre the situation at Khartoum, returning to report a fierce battle, taking place around the northeast gate of the city.

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Fire & Sword in the Sudan: September-November 1883

Illustrated London News

September 1883: Baker Advances

As predicted, General Baker has advanced from Trinkitat to subdue the rebellious Hadendowa tribes of the Eastern Sudan. His expedition, some 4000 strong and well provided with artillery, met with no opposition as it advanced across the salt marshes that surround the town, the enemy melting away into the hills as they came on. Scouts sent out to reconnoitre the ‘road’ to Sinkat by Lieutenant Commander Moncrief, British Consul at Suakin, report that the enemy also appears to have withdrawn from here as well.

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