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Author Topic: Anglo-Zulu War - Sihayo's Kraal engagement ~ 12th Jan 1879  (Read 2608 times)

Offline skirmisher

  • Librarian
  • Posts: 164
Anglo-Zulu War - Sihayo's Kraal engagement ~ 12th Jan 1879
« on: October 07, 2016, 12:29:57 AM »
Greetings fellow adventurers for Empire. I recently acquired a 15mm Anglo-Zulu force and have had 3 enjoyable forays into Zululand so far, using Black Powder. The most recent was based on the opening action at Sihayo's Kraal on 12th January 1879. This saw General Chelmsford attacking a Zulu stronghold with 4 companies of the 1/24th, 1/3rd NNC battalion, plus mounted troops. The British outnumbered the defenders but the latter held broken, high ground and their fire at one stage broke the lines and forced the NNC to flee until rallied (see "In Zululand with the British Throughout the War of 1879" by Charles L. Norris-Newman, Chapter V, for a detailed account).

My game saw the British regulars on the left-flank  roll a 'blunder' right away and charge forward spiritedly, revealing a hidden unit defending the kraal. The lead compamy became repeatedly disorderd under fire from the Zulus on the cliffs above, whilst the Mtd Infantry got into trouble on the right-flank. The NNC resolutely refused to advance at first, but eventually joined in the assault up the mountain.

There was lots of spirited close-quarter action along the whole battle-front, for the kraal, cliffs and main mountain track. Eventually the British infantry stormed the kraal and left cliff-top, capturing half the Zulu cattle-herd. But meanwhile the NNC had been pushed back and the Mtd Infantry had broken. This left both sides overall forces army-morale 'broken' and inclined to mutual retirement. with the Zulus escaping with the remaining cattle.

I found 'Black Powder' did a great job of capturing the shifting morale states of the forces and the drama of a close-quarter assault. Plus the fact that casaulties are abstracted into morale results means losses for this level of historiacal action are not off the scale of realism.

Zulus: 
Brigade #1 of 5 skirmisher units
British:
Brigade #1 of 4 regular infantry, Steady rule (I did not use Stubborn rule as I felt this is more appropriate to defending against the odds situation, not one where they were in superior force and attacking)
Brigade #2 of 1 NNC skirmish unit + 4 NNC warbands, with Unreliable and morale 5 /stamina 2 (though one warband were exiled Zulus, so had standard morale)
Brigade #3 of 1 Mtd Infantry Unit, Steady when dismounted (alas they got into a right pickle and never got to deploy properly before retiring...Doubtless bad ground...officer killed...several horses shot and a number of wounded).

The cliffs and the ground below were described as very broken and caused the British difficulty maintaining their formed lines so I had a roll of 'D6 giving a disorder result on a '6' anytime a unit moved in non-skirmish formation.

Usuthu! 

Offline vodkafan

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3510
Re: Anglo-Zulu War - Sihayo's Kraal engagement ~ 12th Jan 1879
« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2016, 08:38:46 AM »
Looks like a really interesting choice for an action, the sort that makes for a good game which could go either way. Horrible ground to move/fight over.
Thanks for the pics and report, nice looking units.
I am going to build a wargames army, a big beautiful wargames army, and Mexico is going to pay for it.

2019 Painting Challenge :
figures bought: 500+
figures painted: 57
9 vehicles painted
4 terrain pieces scratchbuilt

Offline LordSpode1879

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 320
Re: Anglo-Zulu War - Sihayo's Kraal engagement ~ 12th Jan 1879
« Reply #2 on: October 08, 2016, 10:56:32 AM »
There is so much more to this conflict than the Rorke's Drift-Isandlwana-Ulundi triumvirate of battles mostly seen on the tabletop!

Nice AAR sir! For me the terrain really made the game!
Now listen to me you benighted muckers. We're going to teach you soldiering. The world's noblest profession. When we're done with you, you'll be able to slaughter your enemies like civilized men.

Offline Hillman

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Re: Anglo-Zulu War - Sihayo's Kraal engagement ~ 12th Jan 1879
« Reply #3 on: October 08, 2016, 12:57:43 PM »
Great stuff, yep, it's nice to see attention on other actions in the war other than the famous two.
Really nicely done.

Offline skirmisher

  • Librarian
  • Posts: 164
Re: Anglo-Zulu War - Sihayo's Kraal engagement ~ 12th Jan 1879
« Reply #4 on: October 08, 2016, 07:59:02 PM »
Thanks very much folks for the comments. Re: terrain, the cork, cat-litter, moss and some clothes stuffed under the battle-mat all helped to create a rugged, raised ground affect.

I fully agree on the range of engagements for AZW wargaming being broader than just the (rightly) famous battles. I am just itching to do Inzeyane, which for me offers lots of possibilities (what if the ambush goes off as planned?).

Also the cavalry action at Erzungayan Hill, 5th June 1879 and Buller's many raids/patrols. I have already fought the F.L.H's 20th January recon that encountered a strong Zulu force and was hotly engaged as they tried to entrap them in a classic 'horns of the buffalo' envelopment.

My first game was actually the action by Gen. Wood's northern column on 22nd January at the foot of Zungwini Mountain, a 'short but sharp' engagement by 500 of the 90th Light Infantry against a Zulu force several thousand strong. What makes it a good colonial wargame battle is the fact that the British infantry advanced when the Zulu fell back under its fire, but had left their wagon-train undefended, while an unseen 200 strong flanking Zulu force were set to descend on it from the mountain. Only the unscheduled arrival of Colonel Wood, Lt-Colonel Buller and the Frontier Light Horse. prevented a set-back.

I had 5 books on the AZW awaiting the day I got an army plus have discovered a treasure throve of online material (memoirs, dispatches, 19th c. history books, etc) and so have enjoyed discovering/researching actions like Sihayo's Kraal and Zungwini Mountain.

Offline vodkafan

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3510
Re: Anglo-Zulu War - Sihayo's Kraal engagement ~ 12th Jan 1879
« Reply #5 on: October 08, 2016, 08:59:31 PM »
Zungwini Mountain sounds very interesting indeed. A bit like Agincourt !

Offline Hillman

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  • Posts: 2
Re: Anglo-Zulu War - Sihayo's Kraal engagement ~ 12th Jan 1879
« Reply #6 on: October 09, 2016, 12:04:50 PM »
Sounds like a plan  :)
For background on the lesser known engagements I'd recommend  two books by Ian Knight... The national army museum book on the Zulu war which covers Inyezane in some detail and should stir you into action and also Adrian Greaves' Forgotten battles of the Zulu war which touches on that particular fight with more recent research.

Offline skirmisher

  • Librarian
  • Posts: 164
Re: Anglo-Zulu War - Sihayo's Kraal engagement ~ 12th Jan 1879
« Reply #7 on: October 09, 2016, 10:53:58 PM »
Thanks for the extra reading tips Hillman: just checked out the contents for Adrian Greaves book and definitely of interest.

Offline LordSpode1879

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 320
Re: Anglo-Zulu War - Sihayo's Kraal engagement ~ 12th Jan 1879
« Reply #8 on: October 11, 2016, 12:07:41 PM »
Thanks for the extra reading tips Hillman: just checked out the contents for Adrian Greaves book and definitely of interest.

Agreed.....more books to add to the wishlist! Oh well  ;)

 

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