One of the advantages of one's own Soldier Shack is that you can leave games set up. This week finding myself once again without the company of either Steve or General Ballroom I decided to take advantage of this and begin playing through a solo The Men Who Would Be Kings campaign.
I've worked out a simple set of rules that follow a colonial force as they advance (by one of three routes) to come to the aid of some of their beleaguered fellows.
A common enough scenario for Colonial powers, easily transferred to the Sudan or elsewhere, but in my case the action was taking place in the late 19th Century in the far flung province of Ilkestaan high in the North West Frontier.
My first choice as commander of the relief force was whether to take the shorter bud more deadly pass through the high mountains, the wide open spaces of the plains (that would take longer to traverse), or the compromise middle road. I plumped for the middle way - give the system a trial under it's default setting.
And so, under Captain Maurice Micklewhite, a mixed force of the first and second companies of the 99th Humberside Regiment together with the Sikhs of the Royal Dilshad Rifles and a mountain gun crewed by more stout Sikh fellows set forth to relieve Fort Ookinall which had been cut off by the wily (is there any other kind) Pathan Warlord Al-Bhabij.
The first two day's travel passed relatively peacefully. A minor act of valour saw young lieutenant Wiseman much praised by Captain Micklewhite and his reputation rise in the eyes of the men. However during the night three men snuck away from the column and deserted!
Soon after the column set out on the third day Micklewhite spotted something high up in the surrounding hills. Anxious to get on but fearful of an ambush he arrayed the men into a fighting line....
As the Humbersiders nervously began to advance a sudden cry went up and tribesmen emerged from their hiding places!
Disaster then struck as whilst the British were distracted a force of fierce swordsmen appeared from nowhere and fell on the rear of the unprepared
Sikhs.
The Dilshad rifles were cut down in large numbers and the two survivors fled for their lives. Scenting blood more Pathans appeared.
At this point the mountain gun remembered crew how to work the levers and poured shot into the rampaging Pathans.
Te Sikhs stoutly stood their ground and their fire held back the Pathans.
The 1/99th were, in their turn attacked.
And further Afghans appeared and took cover from which they poured forth fire.
Stout defensive work by 1/99th (with assistance from the mountain gun) largely drove off the attackers, but still more poured on from the nearby hillsides.
Eventually cold British steel swept away the central Pathan menace.
Much to the relief of the stoic survivors of the Dilshad rifles.
Another attack in the centre was met with volley fire and driven back.
A final desperate charge by the attacking Afghans once more failed on the bayonets of the British.
And with that Al-Bhabij snuck off ready to fight another day.
A good fun game. Solo play does sometimes feel a bit of a dice rolling exercise but the campaign system means I've got a bit more of a story gig on in my head (and some casualties to take in to account. TMWWBK is a good, fast and fun set of rules.
The column now has four more days to make it to the Fort before things turn very bad for the defenders!
