"Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign

[CPT Shanks]

The Torghar welcoming committee awaits your arrival on the frontier Mirza Ghulam Ahmad with your false prophecies.

Fifteen thousand rupees of false prophecies
  Drops to two ten-rupee jezail —

...and the camel you road in on.

[Mad Guru]

Ah, yes, how truly splendid!  Tommy Atkins, Johnny Gurkha & Sepoy Raj all love to see the Frontier Heathens engaged in mutual recriminations, to be followed -- one hopes -- most rapidly by mutually assured destruction...

Have at it, boyos!

[CPT Shanks]

Dark rumours are late to reach the Torghar range of fakirs from the west proselytizing false claims and teachings. One can stomach one false rule, as it is a great source of entertainment,  of testing one's warriors, and is so ridiculous as to be thought a child's game. Further it all falls under the internecine conflicts of one people. Even though our squabbles be great, they are always set aside in the face of interlopers; englisi, roos, and their lackey hindustani, Sikh, and kafir dogs. We have banded together to fight them all.
Now a new threat arises from the west, already the Waziris have fallen under their spell. I, Ghul Akbar Khan, implore you Malik Nagial Sahi to assemble a small force to collect as much information on this foe as you can that we may be better suited to battle them, if not just their teachings, then to defeat them in the plains, valleys, and mountains.
Already the hour has passed as they gather to cross the Indus and Khyber spreading their lies and false teachings. Find their agents where they lurk and slink like vipers and smite them.

Search for an Imam traveling by camel from the west. He is accompanied by fakirs adopting the dress of the Baluchi.


Use as much guile as you see fit in the land of the Raj to avoid them and deter them from their own nefarious undertakings. Be wary of Mulehead and his followers, I fear they are already lost.

[giorgio]

Ghul Akbar Khan, poor scum of jackals, how can you dare doubting Mulehead’s pure faith?
I’m the first follower of the True Rule, the only warrior divinely inspired directly by El Osprey, blessed his prints. I know things you poor servants cannot even imagine! But my warriors know very well how restore the order and discipline.


An ancient Pashtun proverb says that a jackal cannot guess fox’s thoughts, not even understanding.
Just obey! You last of the followers, that dare to be doubtful about your Leader.


Obey before my wrath fall on you to provide a new head for my next bushwali game.
But now it is not time for fighting between us (that day will come, be sure); we must stay together against the heretics!


Anyway, three friends of mine are ready to solve any problem between me and my future deserved role of Amir.

[CPT Shanks]

Mulehead, withered flower of Wana, my brother in El Osprey, you lead your sheep down a path I cannot follow. Your empty promises have turned to the very dust itself, your teachings corrupted by your own avarice. My people alone are the true followers of the One Rule, while you dabble in darkness from the west.
I accept your challenge. Once you make it through Umra Khan's Afridis, and the Britishers with their lick spittle dogs, join me in Torghar where we shall have a spirited game of buzkashi. If your namesake mount can keep up.

Mulehead on his favorite nag.

Even now my emmisaries inform me you have departed for Baluchistan to consort with those from the west and swear allegiance to their book of lies. May the desert devour you.

Mulehead and his retainers enroute to receive the false word

The fox cannot survivewhere the wolf resides, and jackals only come from the west...Ghul Akbar

[giorgio]

Shewa’s Slash

But now, dear readers, it is time to return to the battlefield to monitor what’s happening to Col. Furlingh’s reserve column.
As you may want to remember the Colonel detached column has been lost somewhere without providing support to the main one.
For more details of this section please refer to previous episodes of:
1891 North West Frontier “New Faith” Battle Scenarios:
Episode 01: “It's never the dog's fault!” a Reconnaissance Force Combat
Episode 02: “If you want something good, get it from yourself.” a Tactical Withdrawal under Furtinghs Lead
Episode 03: “Meanwhile at Kurram Pass” a fights for priority objectives (part 1) (part 2)
Today Episode 04 prologue: “Where the hell did the others go?”  bad encounter in the middle of nowhere for the British Reserve Force: Shewa’s Slash
Spoiler about next episodes:
Episode 05: “Nightmare in the street of Shewa” battle in the village streets.
Episode 06: “Unexpected Help” rightful Pashtuns against unlawful Pashtuns.
Episode 07: “Enfield bad timing” the arrive of the 2nd Brigade.



The Niazi are very good scout, they found the fresh track of a caravan of carts and foot infantry. The order was just to find a strong point to set the artillery piece, but now we are not alone in this valley… the presence of the Russian advisor doesn’t help with is look of disapproval… I need to talk to Sardar Abdul. “Where the hell did the others go?”


Nothing but two broken wheels, we lost time and lost connection with the advanced column. … all these val-leys seem the same, my Gurkhas insist on saying that they heard the sound of rifles fire. Where the hell are the horsemen when you need them. “Where the hell did the others go?”

In the meantime a bunch of Mulehead’s ruffians is ready to exploit any possible opportunity to reinforce their leader’s leadership in the region
Do not forget to renew your Pesh trib subscription if you don’t want to miss a single issue!

[CPT Shanks]

After departing Ghul Akbar's shura, having been told only to find the heretics and smite them, Malik Nangial Sahi gathered his most trusted cousins Rostum Mahsud and Sharim Rizui and traveled south towards Maidan. Here they met two other cousins Zorak Sahi and Gul Sabani both fine marksmen with the most accurate jezzails ever crafted east of the Indus. They recommended two of their cousins armed with matchlocks and chora, Zarghi and Zarin, who brought their youngest brother Gul along for good measure. After gathering supplies the party left Maidan crossing deep into the Torghar, in search of heresy and the proselytizing of false rules.  After the third night they made their camp, surrounded by thick woods, they lit a roaring fire to stave off the darkness.



Soon they heard the howling of wolves on the mountain winds, and something else, something older, something sinister...


Glowing eyes encircled the camp, and the low growls could be heard from the wolves, communicating their intent. Zarghi shoulder his matchlock and fire into the dark, aiming for the fierce glowing eyes, hearing yelp, he charged into the darkness to finish off the beast. To the north Gul Sarbani fired his jezzail, his round finding it's mark as the wolf cried out and dropped dead on the forest floor. Zorak Sahi too, fired his jezzail into the darkness, hearing the thud followed by a yelp he drew his chora and descended on the beast and struck it down with one mighty thrust into its heart. Rostum, not to be outdone, charged after him finding only darkness.



The wolves set upon their prey. Running at full speed from the shadows, they pulled up short in the face of the fire and the armed warriors. Malik Nangial fired his pistol at a wolf charging on Rostum, finding his mark, then charged after the wolf cutting it down with his tulwar. Zarhin fired on the wolf to the west, killing it with a well aimed shot.

Sharim caught a glint of yellow in the firelight,  he closed on his target, tulwar drawn. El Osprey what was this beast? It's fur shone red in the firelight and it was twice the size of the other wolves, HASMATI!  Fabled beast or not, he drove his blade deep into the monster, striking it down with cold steel.





He felt another wolf's dank breath on his neck, turning he cut this second beast down with deft skill.





From the east a loud crashing came from woods and a second hasmati thundered out of the trees pouncing on Rostum. Raising his tulwar at the last second, he was barely able to stop the beast, but not before being grazed by it's enormous fangs. Falling back he cleared the line of fire for Nagial and Zarak, the two cousins both fired steel shot into the beast dropping it.






To the south a large black wolf charged into Sharim, biting deep into arm and driving him back. The space allowed him to bring the full arc of his tulwar down on the beast's neck, lopping it's head off with a single blow, his third kill of the night.





Spent, Sharim failed to notice the fourth wolf charging at him. Fortunately, from across the clearing, Gul Sarbani sighted down his jezzail and put a steel ball in the beast's skull.



A third hasmati appeared on the western bluff. This was totally unheard of, as they tended to be solitary creatures, and it had never been known that any more than one ever appeared.



Zarghi and Zarin turned the matchlocks on the monster, both finding their mark and sending the beast back to Chitral.



The fight over, the bloodied warriors returned to the fire. A scream echoed into the night a a last wolf that had been lurking in the pass sprang from the darkness and sank it's fangs deep into Gul Sarbani before running off into the darkness.



Zarghi grabbed his cousin, and dragging him back to the fire found the wolf had only bit deep into Gul's leather shot bag tearing it from around his neck, the strap ripping deep into his flesh. The warriors threw more wood on the fire, cleaned and loaded their weapons,  and waited for the dawn.

[JBaumal]

Capt Shanks, I was riveted to the story of this encounter. Will they survive till the dawn…..?

[CPT Shanks]

Lieutenant Peters took a long draw off of his cheroot and blew it across his brandy, letting the smoke coil across its oily surface before taking a drink.
"You know Winky, there are rumours of a new movement in the south. Another new prophet claiming to be the one, Priestley Khan or some such, Black Powder or something. It wasnt a month ago they were all cheering Blood and Steel would free them from the ferenghees, the simple buggers. Anyway, the Waziri are going crazy for it down there, so we are mounting a show of force patrol through Wana to ensure they don't get too enlightened. Should be a quick round up of the leaders and i guarantee you an exclusive story when we return, for the right price."
"By jove you may be on to something Peters." This wasnt the first that Winky had heard these rumours. Just yesterday he'd paid three rupees to a Naik in the 5th Ghurkas for information that involved Mulehead Khan finding a new path, and his former benefactors of B&S finding a cobra in their bed. 
"Do you think it would be possible for me to accompany the patrol riding with the supply trains? I could still give you a fair price for any exclusive story."
Lieutenant Peters eyed Winky before taking another sip of his brandy.
"Of course old boy, as long as you have a healthy advance."

[Umra Khan]

The vague search for a new Faith pushes peoples into the arms of charlatans and unbelievers, in times when many proclaim themselves the Messiah, only one Creed remains strong and anchored to the principles of justice and charity. This Creed roars from Baluchistan to Hunza, from Peshawar to Kabul and will wipe out, like the wind that carries away the weak shrubs, false faiths and false prophets.
Pashtuns believers swear faith to the True Creed, swear faith to The Sword and The Flame, and your sins will be cleansed.


Umra Khan the Great, the Defender of the True Faith.

[Mad Guru]

Preach, brother Umra!!!!!!

Indeed, the devout Umra Khan & my humble self attended a recent conclave of true believers, where we shed tears for our woefully misbegotten cousins on the Frontier, those who go from belief to belief, like so many flies buzzing from dung-heap to dung-heap, and call it their faith.

We shed tears and — as it is the Frontier — sharpen our blades & reload our new-fangled brass cartridges as we pray that these buzzing flies will see the light of True Faith AKA: The Creed of Brom AKA: TSATF… in this world or the next — where we shall surely send them if they fail to do so.

So let it be written,
So let it be done,
The sun never sets on the rules of Brom!

A pair of pics showing the Blessed Umra...



...and my humble self...



...at the aforementioned conclave of True Believers.  We invite all Colonial gamers to join our ranks there!

[giorgio]

Dark shadows encircle the fire which enlightens a group of waziris, but they seem do not care the cold night and the goats recovered by the old sheperd and are more concerned about last voices flying from caravan to caravan, from villages to campfires.

“You see Abdullah, things are different now with all these new prophecies, TMWWBK and even Blood and Steel… I remember the good times, when I was young and we were chasing and pursuing ferenghees with old good rule…”
“Close your mouth, Babrak. Also the night has ears and some speeches are very dangerous”

“I remember very well those time, when our honor was safe and respected even by Ferenghees and their dogs, but now nobody speaks anymore about Black Powder, it is said it is only for big battles…”
“Abdullah, remember you are Abdullah Yaqta Malik, Khan of the powerful Lodi tribe. Pashtunwali teach us that main value, main treasure we have is our honor. And it means also that for his honor a man will sacrifice everything”
“Yes, is also written  you must protect your Khan against any disgrace, even laying down for me and I remember very well when we killed all the ferenghees during their retreat in the snow, but too many caravans have trespassed these lands since those glorious times when we were kids…”
“Your voice is as pure as crystal water, I’m ready to gift my life and with me all your tribe followers. Furthermore, consider that Rick Priestley Khan has renewed the rules with new teaches directly from El Warlord, may be always blessed his name” . Suddenly a third figure appeared from the darkness unheard as a desert spirit


“And Niazi clan too is ready to return to the old true rules” at the sound of this voice both the Lodi warriors stand up putting their hands to their weapons, but the figure continued
“We must return to the old Waziris faith, tomorrow we will be alone here, Mulehead is very far and even Sardar seems disappeared. We will be alone and we will fight with new old rules, for the honour of Lodi and Niazi tribes and of Pashtunwali!”

The old shepherd vanished with his goats while darkness was covering everything and only 3 shadows remained among the rocks: tomorrow their destiny will be revealed : victory, glory or terrible revenge by orthodox faith?
No hope to avoid your proper fate, no friends you can rely on in the moment of betraying, but remember…never trust anyone on the frontier…