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Author Topic: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign  (Read 95971 times)

Offline giorgio

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Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #330 on: October 23, 2021, 07:38:33 AM »
THAL SIEGE PART 1 The Prologue

After the battle of Thal ,which both parts claimed as a victory (see link in this topic: https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=131610.285), Abu Zar Khan remained with a great dilemma.
At the end of the battle his men refused to charge the Khyber rifles Afridis brothers,
 

 and Sher Khan was sure it was not a coincidence the discussion in the previous night about some goats contended between their tribes, Kuki Khel and Qambar Khel, allied against ferenghees but ready to kill each other at the first opportunity.
Sher, capturing capt Townsend and bringing him to Umra’s fortress, had scored a great victory.
 

Abu Zar knew that the battle technically was lost, but Sher could tell his version of the story and results as a winner, furthermore, bringing a precious gift, a British officer.
 

Umra gave him a new army to stop the flying devils of Fullerton coming from Tochi Valley to save the units sieged in Thal, after the unexpected battle between Bunerwals and relief column of Vousden who had to run back to Bannu.
 
In the best option he had to face a winning Fullerton remaining between his Hammer and Thal units anvil. In the worse one he had the face the revenge of a triumphant Sher Khan.
 

Quit was not an option because Umra’s fury for allowing the entrenched Ferenghees to return to Bannu should be terrific at least.
The only solution might be an attack to storm the defences. The fire of their Lee Metford seems to make it unpracticable but… he had “forgotten” to give to Sher Khan the powder barrels looted after Townsend rout.
“Jammas Zada Khan, you failed with your Zakha Khel tribesmen to stop Ferenghees “Sam Browne” cavalry and Major Vousden run away alive to alert and return with reinforcements and only the meeting with Bunerwals column avoided our destructon.”
 



Abu Zar hissed to the poor Khan of the Zakha Khel unit., continuing eating his lamb Karahi portion “It is better for you, and for me, that we have Thal to present to Umra with the head of the entrenched officers”
Jammas Zada was always more and more uneasy

“You will have the opportunity to show your value bringing the powder under the main tower, the key of the defensive works,, and explode it at dawn. My three units of devoted Kuki Khel warriors will be ready to exploit the opportunity to attack when it blows and we’ll kill all the defensors.”
Jammas Zada whitened in his face, he was a fine swordsman not fearing a close fight, but this seemed a suicide task.Abu Zar insisted:
You have no choice: or you follow my plan either u’ll explain to Umra and Sher how Vousden could escape”
“The tower will be destroyed” said Jammas Zada and silently went back to his faithful Zakha Khel warriors, still unaware of their impossible tomorrow suicidal job.”
 

Abu Zar stared for one interminable minute the sad Khan going back and then returned to his dinner, no reason to waste his tasty lamb karahi curry.
 

After all he was always a lucky Khan, able to reroll once an entire set of dice!
In the mean time in Thal a harsh discussion was fought between Lt Hatton and Lt Frock.
“The tower will be occupied by my Hampshire” said arrogantly Hatton, used to benefit of all available privileges.
 

Frock tried to answer timidly but at the end conceded the tower because he thought that the fire wall made by his Afridis Khyber rifles breech loading Martini Henry and British sharpshooters Lee Metford was effective enough to abort any attempt of Pathans to charge into Thal defences.
 

 Hatton was a stupid arrogant selfish officer, but he knows very well how to fight and showed it in the previous battle.
 

Lt Hatton didn’t know that, if Abu Zar plan succeeded, that tower could become the grave of many of his precious Hampshire sharpshooters.
 

Tomorrow many Afridis will die on both sides and many tribes will mourn their dead…
 

 


TO BE CONTINUED
« Last Edit: October 23, 2021, 08:02:20 AM by giorgio »

Offline giorgio

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 356
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #331 on: October 23, 2021, 07:56:15 AM »
Agreed!
I'm blown away by this, it's everything I love about the hobby; inspiring, engrossing and captivating.
It's as though the ink of Archibold Forbes of the late 19th century has possessed the LAF writers of today, not in prose but definitely in performance...it's a wonderful read.
Probably the best thread I've had the good fortune to see since I joined the hobby.
It's really something.
Thank you for committing to this.
Cheers
Ry

Thank you Ranthony! "Probably the best thread I've had the good fortune to see since I joined the hobby." I hope you didn't join just yesterday  lol  ;) 

Offline Umra Khan

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  • Posts: 306
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #332 on: October 23, 2021, 09:10:09 AM »
Agreed!

I'm blown away by this, it's everything I love about the hobby; inspiring, engrossing and captivating.
It's as though the ink of Archibold Forbes of the late 19th century has possessed the LAF writers of today, not in prose but definitely in performance...it's a wonderful read.

Probably the best thread I've had the good fortune to see since I joined the hobby.

It's really something.

Thank you for committing to this.

Cheers

Ry

Ranthony
Thanks for your kind words.

Offline Ranthony

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 240
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #333 on: October 23, 2021, 11:31:44 AM »
Relatively new, 18 months or so ago I was dragged kicking and screaming into it by a dear friend who used to frequent this site.

I do honestly think it's a wonderful thread and could easily see this taken on and with a little editing, published as a stand alone and sold at shows, alongside a game using your figures.
Or, give Nick a nudge and have it posted as a running theme at wargames illustrated?

Thanks again

Ry
Exodus 1:10 KJV
Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.

Offline Mad Guru

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Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #334 on: October 24, 2021, 05:43:13 AM »
Ranthony,

Just piling on with my campaign colleagues to say thanks for your very kind words, which are very much appreciated!
"We shall see what wisdom lies beneath my madness!"

Offline giorgio

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 356
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #335 on: October 24, 2021, 04:49:22 PM »
THAL SIEGE 2 THE STORM

Jammas Zada Khan explained the plan to hìs warriors and choosed four “volunteers”.



“Kumar, Rashid just confessed to me u spoke with Sher Khan’s men about my goats”
“No Khan I just told them that their goats..”
“MY GOATS. You‘d deserve a severe punishment for that but…” No sounds, you could hear distinctively the heavy breath of Kumar “ if u will fulfil this task you will get my pardon and this story will be closed in a way…or in the other. Three cousins of yours will help you in the task, so the honour of your family will be spared”.
 
 

The rules are inspired and sometimes copied from “Five minutes with EDNA” appeared last century on W.I: n.38 by Graham Hockley.
For EDNA understanding you can refer in this topic to following link: https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=131610.210

The 4 volunteers have 1 barrel with the powder to use to explode the tower.
The owner of the barrel and the other 3 start with EDNA value of 8 and must run in the night before dawn for 60 cm. Every turn the pathans roll a d10: 1 to 8 they move 8  every point more they decrease accordingly their EDNA. E.G. you roll 5 and move 8, roll 9 decrease edna to 8-1 and move 7, roll 6 move 7 , roll 10 move 7-3 4 etc. at 0 you are dead. Every 10 is a wound to decrease future fight ability by 1.
If Kumar, the barrel owner, dies one friend goes back to take the barrel, pass 1 roll without moving and continues. This procedure can be done also before dying if u want to accelerate the process and fear he is going to be killed anyway.
 

3 Pathans arrive to the tower, their Edna reduced to 2, 7 and 8. One was killed half way (33 cm run).
Now the 3 survived must place the barrel preparing and packing it with gun cotton, and it takes two full turns to be passed. To pass the turn each roll a d10: 2-9 ok , 1 is killed, 10 wounded and EDNA less 1.
All 3 pass but the barrel owner gets 1 wound and decrease his EDNA to only 1.



Having placed the barrel now they must light the fuse: must roll his Edna value or less, with 10 wounded, repeating the rolls util lights the fuse or die.
With an outstanding 1 also  Kumar survives but now they must dive for cover, hoping the fuse has not gone out and he must repeat the process.
The 3 Pathans roll as in the first part against their EDNA, safety is 4 cm away and Kumar fails losing his last Edna value, and falls shot by the sentinels fire..
Last step is to check if the tower blows up. On the 10 on 1 2 3 the fuse has gone out and they must repeat the process rolling versus actual Edna, otherwise it works… and it worked!.
 


At this point Abu Zar gave the signal firing dozens of torches and the 3 units advanced, Shahid more cautiously moves without doubling while Abu Zar and Ajab doubled at 15 and 14 inches respectively.. On the opposite side the Zakha khel remained paralyzed by the explosion, watching the burning tower.
 


From the tower emerged Hatton with his NCO and 4 privates, while other 2 remained stubborn for 2 turns, 4 died in the explosion. The fire of the Hampshire despatched the 2 survived afridis , who had fired the tower.
 


On the opposite side Frock’s rifles killed 5 warriors pinning Abu Zar’s unit, which successfully rallied.
Ajab closed on Khyber rifles in an Afridis carnage,  the eclectic Khan fights as a tiger under opium effect and the result are 5 KIA each side, even if Khyber riflemen were under cover. Then the fight involves also rallied Abu Zar, but Khyber rifles win both fight, even if penalized by Shahid's fire.

.


In the meantime, Hatton rallies also the 2 stunned privates and pin Jammas Zada nailed on the ground and victim of a devastating fire.

A last firing kills 2 Khyber riflemen and Lt Frock and his Havildar rout and leave the town just before the loop from North is tied.
Hatton   fights against arriving   Abu Zar losing 1 private and win the melee with Ajab pinning his unit, but losing another man, now only 5 men are with Lt Hatton who shot a killing devastating fire on Abu Zar killing 4 and pinning them but in the mean time Jaddam Zaid succeeds in attacking at double .
 


Lt Frock routed with his Afridi rifleman: 1 they are shot, 2 captured, 3-4 join Khiber tribes where his soldier can have support, 5 go towards Bannu and 6 towards Fullerton’s relief column..
 


LT Hatton was not so lucky and after repulsing Jamas Zada attack fell under the thirsty tulwars of the Zhaka Khel leaving  his last 4 men at their destiny. In the final carnage two other  British were killed by Abu Zar warriors, and last 2 tried to escape.
 

What a pity, he had all the virtues for a shining career, included the right friendships and protections.
 

This picture is the artist’s  interpretation, on specific input by Reginald Winkie, to have a more dramatic picture to be included in his article on Peshawar Tribune. Actually, LT Hatton fell at the head of his men repulsing the attack by Jamas Zsada’s Zhaka Khel Afridis. As was written in another poem by our Winkie: many thousand pounds education frustrated by few sharp cheap tulwars.
The last 2 private roll for their destiny: 1 is killed by Jamas Zada, 2 by Abu Zar, 3 by Ajab Khan, 4 shot by Shahid’s unit, 5 they join LT Frock and 6 Southwards to join Col Fullerton column and alert him.
 

 

First private is shot by the jezail of Shahid’s Khan but the second one disappears with the help of the shadows and confusion generated by the tower fire.


Abu Zar has taken Thal and saved his life and Jammas Zada’s one. Now he can be an actor in the next battle between Col. Fullerton flying devils  and Sher Khan’s Kambar Khel warriors with few Orakzai units received by Umra himself for this important task..
 

Now it is time to celebrate with his khans in a special jirga, enlightened by the still burning tower ruins, where chicken tamarind and lamb kahari will be given with abundance, a well deserved dinner after weeks of Periki filled only with pies flour and water.
Tomorrow they will march to join Sher's army and together destroy once and forever Fullerton, the terror of Afridis, and then conquer all north Waziristan for the great Umra Khan and re establish also in those lands the True Rule.
 

21 Raj KIA including LT Hatton. The Pathans losses were: 13 Jammas Zada (9 + 4 in the forlorn hope), 12 Ajal and 9 Abu Zar for a total of 34 warriors-
Frock will arrive to Bannu to alert Gen Davenport, while Fullerton is proceeding Northward for a mission already failed, but nor him neither the waiting Sher Khan are aware of that…Will the private Williams arrive in time to alert him?. But this is another story and we will read it later on…

Z FOTO Fullerton map

« Last Edit: October 24, 2021, 05:20:11 PM by giorgio »

Offline CPT Shanks

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  • Posts: 275
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #336 on: October 24, 2021, 06:15:12 PM »
Excellent reporting from the NWF. Another solid victory against the khaki tide using the One True Rule. I like how the EDNA worked. Good idea to use four brave warriors to ensure success. Their tribe will be honoured.
"welcome to the world of cascading failure"


Offline Mad Guru

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Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #337 on: October 24, 2021, 06:44:43 PM »
While the above Battle Report detailing Imperial defeat was perhaps suffered on too small a scale to merit, "An awful row at home about this," nonetheless, when word of it reaches home, notice may be taken at Horse Guards and perhaps even in Parliament.  Unless perhaps it can be balanced out in short order by an Imperial victory yet-to-come...
« Last Edit: October 24, 2021, 06:52:04 PM by Mad Guru »

Offline Umra Khan

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  • Posts: 306
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #338 on: October 25, 2021, 09:34:28 AM »
Mister 13.500

BURZILL PASS 13,500 ft
Zibbib Khan, Percival Flashy and their retinue have left Srinagar and start their journey to the North Territories.

Zibbib the road to Gurais was easy , then we met patrols of soldiers and teams of workers, but no one noticed us ... the Old Gurkha had a very good idea by making us pass as workers ...
Now we re facing the first danger in our journey…Men that's the Burzill Pass... scares ... the storm of two days ago has left its mark, it's all snowy.


While our heroes are watching the Burzill pass , suddenly the wind of a new storm rises...
We must move quickly, by this afternoon we must have passed it ... otherwise it will be the end for all of us.The wind that brings snow is starting again ...a blizzard is coming … Move!




Our heroes move under  terrible condition…


MOVEEEE, MOVE !
COME OOOONNN ! COME ON  !


MOVE COME OOOONNNNNN





Zibbib Khan
"Old Gurkha Machede how did it go?"


Gurkha Machede Maranda Gurung
" We lost 4 coolies and 3 yaks unfortunately... but the rest of the men have passed…"

Zibbib Khan
"Well, it could have been worse, let's continue and look for shelter for the night and light a fire to warm us up..."


To be continued…
« Last Edit: October 28, 2021, 11:45:25 AM by Umra Khan »

Offline giorgio

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  • Posts: 356
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #339 on: October 25, 2021, 09:44:10 AM »
Amazing pictures! I must be getting a bad cold just reading them!

Offline CPT Shanks

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  • Posts: 275
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #340 on: October 25, 2021, 06:04:45 PM »
Thank goodness there were no crazed Tibetan bandits about to set upon them in their vulnerable state. Excellent post.

Offline Umra Khan

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  • Posts: 306
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #341 on: October 25, 2021, 07:35:40 PM »
Thanks bros for your kind words, very appreciated .

Offline Mad Guru

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Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #342 on: October 26, 2021, 06:52:27 AM »
You had my teeth chattering as well, brother Umra!

Offline Umra Khan

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 306
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #343 on: October 27, 2021, 08:08:12 AM »
Where Three Empire Meet 1

Capt. Skoboleff after meeting Zibbib Khan made a long journey to the Pamir, and entering from the Killik Pass reached Hunza.
General map of the area

Map showing route of Cat. Skoboleff through the Pamir Mountains to Hunza


Hunza village Thum Dauf Khan  stronghold


Capt. Skoboleff
"Hoosor Dauf Khan Thum of Hunza is a pleasure to meet you …I vould propose you an agreement…"


Thum of Hunza
"Capt. Skoboleff, here again ? you have passed the Killik pass, the Anglizi will come to know and look for you... what is your new proposal now?"


Capt. Skoboleff
"Mighty Thum of Hunza my Cszar vill send you 100 Winchester mod. 1866 rifles and ammunitions and a revolver gold plated for His Highness…this important gift just to attack the British and especially capture tvo men, Zibbib Khan and Percival Flash…"


Thum of Hunza
"Zibbib Khan ? a coveted prey... everyone is looking for him on the Frontier... and Percival Flash ... still alive... Captain Skoboleff are you still looking for the lost village of Sust ? the village where El osprey lives...  only those who believe find it... and you don't seem to me to be the kind of Sahib who believes in a Faith..."


Capt. Skoboleff
"Thum I am a very believer, and my strength vill allov me to find him…"


Thum of Hunza
"Captain Skoboleff  bring me the weapons that do not recharge and that kill from afar and I will wage war on the British... Zibbib and Flash will be captured if they enter the valley of Hunza and they will be the gift for you... so I said! "


Capt. Skoboleff
"You vill have the veapons Mighty Thum…Dasvidania !"


To be continued...

Offline miltiades

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Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #344 on: October 27, 2021, 10:20:12 AM »
So wonderful scenes!  Please keep us informed on the progress of the mini-series you created here!

 

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