We gathered again to finish the Isandlwana scenario we started a couple of weeks ago.
With the Natal Native Contingent forces both retreating Alan quickly ripped off his “red headband” and quickly took control of one of the Zulu forces as one of the other players was unavailable.
The situation was looking bleak for the British with the Natal Natives missing and 5 turns to survive, flanks were waving in the air.
Five units of foot, two artillery pieces and the supply wagons were grimly holding on while Zulu’s “thousands of them” prepared to complete their attacks.
The initial attacks thundered in and the British lines held – just but both sides were taking casualties.
After surviving the first set of charges my British were hold but there was no respite as another wave of Zulus charged the line and it’s supporting gun.
The Infantry fell back after losing the combat and the gun was destroyed, we now had a “bit of a gap” in the lines that “Broken Dice” started to poor forces into.
While the unit that had retreated took cover behind the donga with the supply wagons, the Zulu attacks continued. Attacks were launched on my surviving infantry unit and Paul’s forces on the left by “Uncle Albert” right horn.
My unit on the left was already shaken and when another force of Zulu’s charged this time they had had enough and broke. This meant that I was one unit away from breaking the battalia.
To make matters worse one of the units on the left flank also gave way under pressure from “Uncle Albert’s” Impi.
At last we managed to get the mounted units into the action and the mounted infantry came up to plug the gap on the right flank.
While the Mounted Constabulary attempted to “arrest” well shoot some of the Zulu’s from Nigel’s impi that were trying to seal off “survivors pass”.
The situation was getting grim with both surviving British battalia only needing one more unit to break at the start of turn 10 (2 more turns to last).
Another Zulu charge on the troops defending the donga was launched.
but this time it was “shot” away and the charge didn’t contact. This was critical as the unit defending the donga only needed to take one more casualty to go “shaken” and break the brigade.
The peace didn’t last for long as another unit of Zulus charged and this time made it into contact.
This time there was no saving the unit, additional casualties meant that the unit was already shaken and it failed the “break test” so it was off and the ammunition wagon was captured.
That left one unit of infantry and the mounted infantry surviving.
The Mounted Infantry were putting in a “man of the match” performance and had managed to “shake” the unit of Zulus to their front.
While the infantry managed to break a unit of Zulus that charged them and in doing so break “Uncle Albert” Impi of the right horn.
It was now the last turn and the Zulus needed to try and break the last British brigade. First up the “left horn” launched a charge against the mounted infantry who elected to stand and volley the Zulus as they charged. This not only managed to “shake” the unit and stop the charge but also break the left horn impi.
In a desperate last attempt to break the last of the British one of the Zulu chieftains attempted to join a unit and lead it into a last charge before darkness fell. Fortunately for the British the attempt failed and the game ended.
So when the dust settled it was time to consider how the British had lost their colours (but these seem to have distracted Nigel’s Impi who basically refused to move after they captured them), captured the ammunition wagons and destroyed the artillery. But they had not managed to break all the British brigades. So at the end it was declared as a “minor victory” for the Zulus. As for the British we managed to break two of the Zulu Impis so at least me and Paul considered it a moral victory for the British.
A brilliant game and scenario put together by Dave B and really enjoyable (despite being wiped out) and a visual spectacle.
The Uncivil Servant 