Sudan Campaign-Dar-Al-Hadi re-played with TMWWBK rules -upd 03/08

[DintheDin]

Hi all,
Yesterday we played one of my colonial Sudan campaign scenarios with Miltiades' Colonial Wars rules.

This AAR is linked with Miltiades Arab Town
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=102542.0

For those interested to see the refight with TMWWBK rules, please jump here:
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=102556.60

[DintheDin]

Mayhem at Dar-Al-Hadi
(A fiction scenario by DintheDin)

The map

[DintheDin]

Map features:
A5-B5: Navigable river, a small tributary of the Nile. A rough rocky hill (rough going for everybody except Ghazi fanatics), two sandy hills (rough going only for horse), D3: A small oasis (rough going for horse). The road doesn't play a significant role in movement. At the East, the British-occupied Town of Dar-Al-Hadi, remotely sieged by the Mahdi forces of the dreaded Ali Ketris Ali, second nephew of the Prophesied Redeemer.

British Order of Battle
1 unit 8xBritish Lancers (+2 fight)
1 unit 12xScots Guards (Veteran, +1 fight)
1 unit 12xBritish Regulars
1 unit 12xEgyptian auxiliaries (Low morale, -1fight and shooting)
1 unit Gatling Gun (fortified with sandbags in front of the city gates)

One paddle steamer and one fortified gunboat. They may send one gun salvo each, then must leave the table.

Mahdi Order of Battle
1 unit 10xLancers (+1 fight)
1 unit 16xFanatic Ghazis (Veteran, +1 fight)
1 unit 10xMusketeers (old rifle, -1 shooting)
3 units 16xSpearmen
1 unit 10xCamelmen (-1 vs foot, +1 vs Horse)

[DintheDin]

British troops positions:
The Gatling is guarding the city gates.
The British have left the Egyptians in the oasis with a wagon for water.
The rest of the British forces are strung on the road, from the river (A4) to the edge of the oasis (C3).

Mahdi troops positions:
The Fanatic Ghazis are hidden behind the rocky hill (C5, D5). They have no movement penalty, as they know the passages well.
The Arab musketeers are hidden behind some rocky outcrops, (E2, F2) in front of the sand hill.
The rest of the Mahdi troops are hidden behind both sand hills (B1, C1, E1, F1).
The foremost Mahdi camp, is at D1.

According to the scenario, the first two units eliminated from each side, will reenter as reinforcements, at any round the player chooses.
The British reinforcements will appear from the city gates.
The Mahdi reinforcements may enter from any long edge of the table.

[DintheDin]

Scenario

Dar-Al-Hadi is surrounded by Mahdi forces. The river makes a curb at the North and East back of the town (sorry dear readers, not shown and not playing role in the game). The town was resupplied freely by riverboats, but now Ali Ketris Ali has tightened the noose. He has posted some good marksmen on a hill at the East, at the other side of the river, constantly sniping at the city. Besides this, dozens of dhows are patrolling up and down the river, endangering the British navigation. The town is out of supplies... Last day, an heliograph message informed the defenders that this early morning, two riverboats will unload food and ammunition at the river curb. The British expedition is accompanied by three wagons. One for loading ammo, one for food and one for water. The task of the British is to escort them safely back to the town. They gain 3 points for ammo, 1 for food, 2 for fresh water, taken from the oasis. The task of the Mahdists is to capture the wagons and guide them to their camp. They don't know which of the two wagons near the river carries the ammunition, but if they guide them to their camp, their content is revealed and they gain the same points. If the British raid the Mahdi camp, they gain one point. The town has adequate defense and cant be taken by assault (besides this, it's not the purpose of the scenario). Each player gains one point for each enemy unit annihilated. The first two of his units annihilated, can reenter the map as reinforcements, but if he decides so, he pays a -1 penalty for each. British reinforcements come into play exiting the town gates, Mahdists enter from any other table edge.       

[DintheDin]

Initial table setup:
The table looking East, South, West and North.

[DintheDin]

The Mahdist camp, in the middle of the South edge.
The tents are metal molds, but so well painted, they look like cloth!

[DintheDin]

The oasis

[DintheDin]

The gates of Dar-Al-Hadi

[DintheDin]

The riverboats have arrived! Miltiades' excellent paintjob, scratcbuilt additions and improvements!

[DintheDin]

...one hour before sunrise, starting to unload supplies...

[DintheDin]

The Egyptians in the oasis are taking fresh water...

[DintheDin]

The rest British troops: The Scots, the regulars, the lancers. The convoy, ready to move!

[DintheDin]

At the gates of Dar-Al-Hadi is the gatling, posted behind sandbags

[DintheDin]

Ali Ketris Ali is cunning!
He retreated his forces out of the defenders' view!
He's hiding, waiting for the right moment to leap, like a lion ambushing an antelope!
He knows that the British must send a sizeable force to take the supplies...
If he annihilates them, the fall of Dar-Al-Hadi, is a matter of days!