Tag: Sudan

June 1883: Unrest in the Sudan

Our correspondent reports that the tribes of the Southern Sudan have risen in response to the call by the so-called Mahdi and Prophet, Mohammed Ahmed, a carpenter originally from Dongola, for a jihad against the Egyptian occupation of the Sudan. The towns of El Dueim, Jebelein and Fashoda in the far south of the country are believed to have fallen to rebel forces, their garrisons massacred or gone over to swell the ranks of the enemy.

Continue reading “Fire & Sword in the Sudan: June-August 1883”

Colonel (Brevet General) William Hicks Pasha

Aged 53, you retired from the Indian army in 1880 after a largely uneventful career, despite being mentioned in despatches for good conduct at the action of Sitka Ghaut during the mutiny and acting as brigade major in the Abyssinian expedition. Life in Brighton was rather more expensive than you anticipated (Mrs Hicks having expensive tastes) and the damp weather made your arthritis worse, so you took the opportunity to enter the Khedive’s service after the Egyptian war of 1882.

Continue reading “Fire & Sword in the Sudan: Player Briefings”

The following is the account of a Fire & Sword Campaign played by The Essex Warriors, near Chelmsford, in the UK. The campaign was organised and umpired by Simon Walker who also acted as the Mahdist C-in-C for table-top battles, while the key personalities were played by club members Richard (Gen. Graham), Tim (Gen. Wolseley), Mike (Valentine Baker), & John (Col. Hicks). Each player was given a briefing and an outline of their personal objectives for the campaign.

Continue reading “Fire & Sword in the Sudan: The Essex Version”