Author Topic: Battle of Dhoub-el-Decka (Read 5908 times)

Volleyfire! · « **on:** January 21, 2012, 10:11:52 AM »

With a nod to Paul for the inspiration on the place names I present for your delectation and delight a Ripping Yarn of the Battle of Dhoub-el-Decka in the region of Khandibar, S E Sudan. This was gamed last Monday evening by our club in windswept Skeggy.
As usual I presented the combatants with pages detailing the background to the battle, and as usual they were complete with some awful puns, so brace yourselves! The members have still to recover from a Wild West game featuring the US cavalry led by Capt Jacques Coustarde and Sgt 'Roo' Barbe, so that tells you what to expect!

The garrison of Dhoub-el-Decka (referred to as DeD henceforth) is commanded by Arubi Pasha,a General in the Egyptian Army. Morale is very low due in DeD due to poor sanitary conditions, lack of food and even worse no pay for the troops for several weeks. This situation was partly the fault of Arubi Pasha's wife, who several weeks ago decided to 'borrow' his personal Steam gunboat and go shopping in the Port of Dimebar. The reason for this trip? The spittoon in Arubi's office didn't match the rug, and she wanted some new sandals.

Unfortunately she asked (ordered?) the Capt of the Steam gunboat to let her dock the vessel in Dimebar since she thought she was as good a sailor as he. In the process of this maneouvre she managed to reverse through a jetty and sink the Governor's brand new steam launch 'The Bonny Bunty'. The Governor, Sir Toby le Rhone MBE (Calcutta Horse Retd) was incensed and demanded that Arubi pay for the damage caused and also replace his fine and jolly steam launch. This was something Arubi could scarely afford.

To compound matters the General's wife returned from shopping bearing most of the contents of the Dimebar Bazarr, having assured the traders that her husband would foot the bill. Arubi saw ruin and disgrace looming, so he 'borrowed' the garrison's pay to pay all these debts off, and then covered his tracks by informing the troops that the despicable Imperials had neglected to pay his troops. Naturally the men were incensed and vowed to fight the British and their allies, and the garrison henceforth mutinied. Arubi had no choice but to join them and promise to lead them to victory. (oops!) With the garrison up in arms the local Bazingers and Bashi Bazouks came to join them as they too hadn't been paid nor fed properly in weeks. Fortifications were added to DeD in the form of sandbags as word reached the town of the British assault on nearby Khit-Khat which had also risen up in support. It took two goes for the British to subdue that town, and the result of their handling and treatment of the defeated Egyptians meant that their Sudanese regulars fled and came to bolster Arubi's force too.

Meanwhile Arubi had received assistance in command in the form of two foreigners who had arrived by chance in DeD. The first was Count Meeowt, an Austro Hungarian Gentleman adventurer who was travelling across Africa when word reached him via telegraph that his familie's Flugelhorn and Lederhausen empire had crashed leaving him penniless. With him having some military training with the Austro Hungarian army and sporting a monocle to boot Arubi was suitably impressed and made him an Hon Col with command of the cavalry, promising rich rewards should they defeat the British.

The other was a certain Col von Armin, late of the Prussian Army, an expert drill instructor who was cashiered following a Court Martiall after being caught in a compromising position involving Gen von Hatatime's pet Dachsund Diego and allegedly a fine bratwurst sausage. Von Armin was found guilty, but the charges against Diego were dropped after the General's personal intervention. Von Armin fled in disgrace, fleeing to Sudan to seek his cousin, Col von Armout lately of the Cairo Gendarmerie, with a view to heading together to Okikoki in W Africa to seek the Portugeuse who he knew were recruiting foreign help and weren't too fussy who they took on. Von Armout had vanished too however, last rumoured to be in the region of Wonquebar somewhere around Tofek Risp. von Armin travelled down the River Fleck looking for him until he found himself in DeD. Here he met Arubi who promised him help in finding his cousin, provided von Armin first helped organize the infantry and defeat the British. Since von Armin had no love for the British (it wasn't actually a bratwurst that had caused his fall from grace but a Cumberland sausage so he bore a hatred of all things British as a result) so he readily agreed.
The British approached, battle commenced...............

The view as battle commenced. Looking from th left flank of the Egyptians across the R Fleck towards DeD. Arubi's steam gunboat in foreground. Egyptian left held by Bashi Baazouks and Bazingers whilst inside the town are 3 units of Sudanese regulars and 2 units Egyptians.

The garrison awaits.

The Egyptian right flank. Bashi Bazouk cavalry at the front, Cuirassiers behind, and Gendarmerie at the rear.

The British right flank moves across the river having knocked out the gun crew aboard the steanboat. 9th and 13th Bengal Lancers with Black Watch and 5th Sikhs.

And again. Forward chaps!!

The ill-fated charge of the Bashi Bazouks into the Heavy Camel Corps

Volleyfire! · « **Reply #1 on:** January 21, 2012, 11:12:07 AM »

The Bashi Bazuks and Bazingers on garrison's left flank.

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The Black Watch, 5th Sikhs and 9th and 13th Bengal Lancers ford the Fleck

Bengal Lancers move around the British right flank and prepare to cross the river Fleck.

[/img]& Lancs.
The British order a general advance. Egyptian left is crumbling, Bashi remnant taking cover in broken ground bottom right trying to cover the river. Reinforcements leave the town to bolster them.Bazingers take cover in the dry wadi bed and pick off the Naval Brigade and RMLI who are on the NB's left flank. Behind the NB are the Yorks & Lancs .

The British close in for the kill. At this point the garrison finallt woke up and began causing heavy casualties on the British, but too late.

Volleyfire! · « **Reply #2 on:** January 21, 2012, 11:35:17 AM »

The battle began with the Black Watch firing upon the steam gunboat and succeeding in wiping out the gun crew, a major blow for Arubi Pasha who was relying on it to support his Bashi Bazouks and Bazingers on his left flank.The Scots along with the Bengal cavalry and 5th Sikhs began a slow advance around the Egyptian left flank hoping to ford the river Fleck and hit the left wall of DeD. One unit of BB took heavy fire from the NB and had to withdraw to reform before moving to take cover in the rocks overlooking the river ford, where they hoped to stall the BW.
On the opposite flank the mounted BB were ordered to charge the HCC, but refused, they're not so daft after all! The cuirassiers behind then also refused to move in support. Twice the order was sent by an increasingly frustrated Arubi, but Count Meeowt couldn't or wouldn't move his men forward. Eventually after being slowly picked off by the Berks the BB were goaded into charging the HCC, a move they regretted when they took casualties at a ratio of 3:1 and have to withdraw. The cuirassiers still refused to support them, and their reward was to be shot to pieces where they stood by the Berks. The Gendarmes to the rear refused to join in whatsoever and waited to see whether they should flee or change sides.
Meanwhile the British centre advanced after trading fire with the 2 Krupps guns in the town and some of the Sudanese. After knocking out one Krupps and weakening the rebel infantry the British began to advance.
On the rebel left the BB and Bazingers were having a bit more success having managed to knock out the NB Gatling gun and eventually the Gardner too. however they were themselves virtually wiped out in the process and reinforcements had to climb out of the town and wheel to cover their rear. These troops however managed to pin down the RMLI who were forced to take cover in the dry wadi bed after suffering several casualties.
The Egyptian resistance had been pretty lacklustre up to this point (Egyptian commanders blaming thier dice!!) but as the British drew near the town walls they finally got their troops going and started to inflict some casualites amongst the British especially the HCC which began to suffer. However the KRRC moved into the centre to join their sniper and link up with the RMLI ready for the final push. The BW and Sikhs finally crossed the river and closed in, at which point Arubi Pasha decided to run up the white flag and call it a day.

Just to add myapologies about the quality of the pictures, was forced to use phone camera after my camera refused to work on the night

Paul · « **Reply #3 on:** January 21, 2012, 02:13:28 PM »

Nice one. Did the troops get a break after the battle of khit khat ?

Volleyfire! · « **Reply #4 on:** January 21, 2012, 02:36:13 PM »

Thank you Paul,

yes the troop did have a break after Khit Khat, we wouldn't want them to flake out in the heat would we?

War In 15MM · « **Reply #5 on:** January 21, 2012, 03:00:04 PM »

Beautiful table layout. Thank you for posting. Richard

Trooper · « **Reply #6 on:** January 21, 2012, 03:18:52 PM »

First rate stuff sir! I liked the back story and congrats on some pretty good puns. Nice terrain, simple (in a good way) but darn effective. One teensy request, please get the camera fixed or replaced and can we have some close up shots of the troops next time. Ta awfully, some good ideas there which I will steal shamelessly.

mattblackgod · « **Reply #7 on:** January 21, 2012, 04:05:36 PM »

Great report. Loving the place names in the fluff.

Volleyfire! · « **Reply #8 on:** January 21, 2012, 04:07:12 PM »

Thank you Trooper, steal away to your hearts content!
If I don't put on another Colonial in the near future (not started on the 400 Mahdists I have to paint yet) then I shall endeavour to parade the troops for the camera, or a camera if I can't get it to go. The memory card is full and no-one can get it to delete the contents so I can start again. Won't download into computer, won't do anything in fact.So might just get another card. The joys of technology eh!
I think before we have another Colonial the troublesome twosome of 'Roo' Barbe and Coustarde will be making an appearance for a Wild West adventure.

Paul · « **Reply #9 on:** January 21, 2012, 05:17:35 PM »

Quote from: Volleyfire! on January 21, 2012, 02:36:13 PM

Thank you Paul, yes the troop did have a break after Khit Khat, we wouldn't want them to flake out in the heat would we?

OH Groan!!!

Volleyfire! · « **Reply #10 on:** January 21, 2012, 06:46:12 PM »

Sudanese regulars in their box.

Bazingers just after being painted and based.

More of the same.

1 of 2 Krupps and crew with brigade officer.

1 of 2 units of Bashi Bazouks

Colonel Tubby · « **Reply #11 on:** January 21, 2012, 06:56:53 PM »

Very nice game. A great collection you have there!

raminad · « **Reply #12 on:** January 21, 2012, 07:30:49 PM »

Splendid presentation. Simply splendid.

Furt · « **Reply #13 on:** January 22, 2012, 12:19:07 AM »

Great report and a most enjoyable looking game.

A very nice collection!! Got to love the Bengal Lancers.

Very effective looking terrain as well, I particularly like the dry wadi.

I know it can be difficult, but please some clearer pics next time.

Volleyfire! · « **Reply #14 on:** January 22, 2012, 11:40:36 AM »

Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement. Of course it's Sods Law that this morning the camera decided to work properly, don't ask me which button I pressed! I haven't a clue! Anyway I took some pics of the troops back at Barracks which are much much clearer given the limitations of the zoom on the camera. So here they are;