Sunday 1 October 2017

Battle of Fort MacKenzie

I've been really busy for the last month, lost of house guests and start of new term at work so I've done nothing for 2 weeks, although it feels much longer. Yesterday was my first chance for some proper hobby time and as my painting mojo is off (figures on my paint table are poor quality and uninspiring) I fought a solo battle.
1882, NW frontier. Fort MacKenzie guards the entrance to a mountain pass and is held by a battalion of British infantry. The Afghans are restless and a force has been spotted approaching the fort. A messenger has been sent to send for reinforcements who will arrive through the pass to the left of the fort.

Afghans approach

British sentries keep watch

The Afghans cross a wadi

The Afghans launch a general advance

Fire from the fort disperses a small unit of Afghans but incoming fire is whittling down the British

The 1st British reinforcements arrive

Afghans ready to assualt

A mad charge and they burst through the gates. Devastating fire from the Brits stops them but they don't rout 

Activation failures cause a traffic jam and the Brits pour withering fire into the Afghans

The 1st British reinforcements have been decimated by enemy fire, advancing down the pass is going to make deployment difficult. However the next unit is advancing behind

A 3rd unit arrives as the Afghans are still stalled at the fort

Brits deploy but will it be in time

The Afghans are in and are attacking the Brits in the fort

Afghan cavalry charge the survivors of the 1st unit of British reinforcements. They hold

This give the Brits time to deploy and hold the mouth of the pass

With units in the fort the Afghans turn to attack the Brits

THey charge the line and clash with a unit of Highlanders. The Afghans win just but the Highlanders rout from the field.

Back in the fort it's all gone a bit General Gordon as the Colour party of the Brits hold the roof

The rout of the Highlanders has shocked the Brits and they form a square as the next unit arrives and clears out the Afghan infnatry

The Afghan force has been almost destroyed but the colour party has been killed 

The Afghans torch the fort and leg it. The British will have to retreat back down the pass to safety and shelter - but that is for another day.

I really enjoyed this battle, played using a variation of Dave Docherty's Imperial Steel rules which are very simple but well balanced and cinematc. I will play the retreat today and post later.

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