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Author Topic: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign  (Read 95996 times)

Offline Umra Khan

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 306
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #435 on: December 06, 2021, 06:10:26 PM »
Excellent installment to Zibbib's tale. That boat and river work are truly inspired Umra. Major Forsyth is a damnable ass and demonstrated his hubris by bring Zibbib and Flashy into his office disclosing a planned military operation and his operational map on the wall for them to see. Not to mention the latest edition of the Pesh Trib laid out for them to read their cyphered messages from.

Haha very witty comments...
You and your brother , the Evil Wazir, are like the fox and the cat

Offline CPT Shanks

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 275
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #436 on: December 07, 2021, 08:04:34 AM »

Gilgit , Swat, Kunar, and Kabul
Kurram, Tochi, and Sohan
Mighty rivers each in their own right
Sweep down from the roof of the world
Feeding the vastness of the Indus
Cutting through mountain and plain alike to join the sea

So too
Afridi, Waziri, Akazai, and Hassanzai
Yusafzai, Bunerwhal, Chitrali, and Hazara
Mighty tribes put aside the vagaries of rules
Bringing their strengths together in times of need
Sweeping the ferenghees from the mountains and plains
Delivering them to the sea from whence they came
"welcome to the world of cascading failure"


Offline JBaumal

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 743
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #437 on: December 07, 2021, 01:23:13 PM »
Well done CPT Shanks

Offline JBaumal

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  • Posts: 743
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #438 on: December 07, 2021, 03:29:25 PM »
I just read through pages 29 & 30, WOW! Great poems, stories, terrain, and reports gents.

Offline JBaumal

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  • Posts: 743
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #439 on: December 07, 2021, 06:39:46 PM »
13 Sept. 1890 - Tirakh Mir - Chitral



The rumors of a large Russian force crossing the border from Zebak into the Chitral Territory have been confirmed. Refugees from the pillaging of Zebak in Badakhshan by the Russian forces have made it to neighboring villages on the south side of the border. It is said that the Russians have Tajik allies with them and have made a strong base in Zebak from which to attack Chitral! Stories of Cossacks pursuing the refugees into the hills has every border village on edge.



Just across the border a village on the road to Tirakh Mir has been occupied by the Russians for a night laager. A young man with ties to Umra Khan and related Ali Razah Khan has left his village before the heathen feringhee made camp. Hidden in the foothills above his vill he made a sketch of the camp and his vill to take to the local Mullah. He told his siblings that it is his duty to report this defilement of his country by these northern feringhees.



Ballah Khan, younger brother of Ali Razah Khan has mobilized his forces intent on attacking the Russians in their forward camp at sunrise on the morrow. Local popular forces of the Regular Afghan Army have a fort on the border close by, will they join in the attack? Every Pashtun is ready to kill these feringhees from the north. The one true rule will protect the faithful.



Hand drawn map made by Bhalla Khan while hiding in the foothills in the southeastern corner of his valley.

This game will be run in person at the SMG - South Florida Miniatures Gamers clubhouse, Das Krieg House in Fort Lauderdale Fl. My buddy Bob who’s running the Russians in this campaign is flying in for a visit to play this game. He’s been sending me troops to use in the game for weeks prior and I’ve been painting Russians to add to the battle as well as making custom game cards for all the forces involved. We will be using my favorite set of rules, THE SWORD AND THE FLAME,
http://www.sergeants3.com/2.html


Here are some of the custom game cards. The front has the movement, fire, and morale charts while the back has the melee stats and mods. They are a half sheet of standard paper in a plastic page protector and kept in a small binder for future operations. The plastic covers also make good coasters for a frosty beer.







                           TO BE CONTINUED:

15 September 1890, On the road to Tirakh Mir, Chitral …



Game table set up as per Ballah Khan’s hand drawn map.

Link to my entry into this campaign on my blog: https://sgtguinness.blogspot.com/2021/07/never-trust-anyone-on-frontier-epic-nwf.html?m=0





Offline Umra Khan

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 306
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #440 on: December 07, 2021, 06:59:58 PM »
Excellent pre-battle report JBaumal

Offline CPT Shanks

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 275
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #441 on: December 07, 2021, 07:33:52 PM »
It will be interesting to see if the Tsar's forces are able to expand their influence further south and gain access to the rich resources of India. It will be interesting to see them stopped cold in the passes and watch their bones bleach in the unrelenting mountain sun, scraped clean of flesh by the goh, jackals, and vultures too. Either way I am keen to see the developments. Great write up Sgt Guinness.

Offline JBaumal

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 743
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #442 on: December 07, 2021, 11:59:17 PM »
Thank you gentlemen!

Offline Mad Guru

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 711
    • Maiwand Day blog
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #443 on: December 08, 2021, 08:02:23 AM »
I’m late to the complementing squad but that doesn’t decrease my sincerity, great post brother Jeff, & you now have us all on the edge of our seats ‘round the tabletop, waiting for news from the front!!!
« Last Edit: December 09, 2021, 09:36:22 AM by Mad Guru »
"We shall see what wisdom lies beneath my madness!"

Offline miltiades

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 534
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #444 on: December 08, 2021, 10:25:22 AM »
I am fascinated by this fantastic and colorful story!. Excellent! I keep wondering ... what comes next? And everything has a feeling and a touch of the period.  :o :-*

Offline JBaumal

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 743
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #445 on: December 08, 2021, 10:15:44 PM »
Thank you Miltiades my friend!

Offline JBaumal

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 743
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #446 on: December 09, 2021, 01:35:41 AM »
MG, thank you my brother. A great battle it was! You and I should be battling it out soon in your territory. I will be working on my AAR between all my kids events.

Offline giorgio

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 356
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #447 on: December 09, 2021, 01:03:23 PM »
Mir Ali Mirali -  The battle Scenario C “to the last battle”
AbuZar saved the village and is the flag around whom dispersed tribesmen rally with new volunteers willing to avenge the past sufferance inflicted by Fullerton’s previous campaigns. He wants to run to intercept Fullerton column before reaching the safe entrenched camp in Mir Ali Mirali and new Poona squadrons released by Major Stockfish, happy to remain safely in Tochi Valley devasting and looting the last untouched villages.

One of the last but not least khan to join Abu Zar Khan was Wali Khan, the second son of Sher Khan, with supplies and animals raided during his journey. A new alley or a spy, ready to report everything to his father?

Fullerton before turning the head of his horse roared his menace: he will ride with the sole purpose to cause immense suffering among Afridis civilian population, indiscriminately killing farmers, cutting trees and destroying Mir Khan Khel.
But in this way he only showed his great weakness, as once Umra Khan teached to Wali khan :
“When you’re not strong enough to punish the camel, then go and beat the basket carried by the donkey.”

 “The orders by my father are very simple. With the mounted throat cutters hired by my father we will be able to harass the devils running back and we’ll intercet and destroy them before entrenching in Mir Ali Mirali. They are from Wardak, directly from the capital Chaki and are mercenaries offered by the Amir as an alliance gift to Umra Khan, who deployed them to my father and that I bring with me to ensure no Ferenghees will return alive.”
 
“My own unit is formed by the cream of the army of my father and will show you how to fight” Wali Khan said proudly among the other nodding khans, all new arrived and more than willing to be Ferenghees avengers and show to Wali their loyalty to his father, the mighty Sher Khan.
 
“You cannot teach a Kuki Khel Afridi how fighting ferenghees, none of you were in Mir Khan Khel where the pride of Afridis was enhanced by our value!” roared Abu Zar “we start immediately!”
 
Waiting more reinforcement should have been the wisest option but he should show to all the khans who was the boldest khan and the chief of the army-“Let’s pass thru the hills on the right and arrive on the routed enemies to complete their butchery”.
 
Mmmh the troops sent by Sher Khan are fine but their khans two complete idiot, one bald as a coot and the other a forgettable fellow, whose only valuable intellectual property are his moustaches. They both are as sharp as a buzkashi ball…
 
Captain Liver run to the head of the column and informed Fullerton “Sir, may I beg you pardon but it seems many ruffians are trying to cut our path, many hundreds of them if you don’t mind”
 
“Captain we cannot lose a second, let us direct towards those houses to create a rock where their waves will splash ineffectively”
 “Sir yes sir” and then shouting, “column follow me!”
 
At second turn the inept Shakor Khan did not manage to coordinate the possible attack at double and his mounted warriors remained standing while all the tribesmen were running shortening the distance.
Like wolfes, the pashtuns try to envelope the flying devils but must stop to take the breath, only the veterans driven by Naag Khan continue to run looking for the opportunity to attack the rearguard of Best’s guides, but they are also cautious because they know the bloody effective job the Sikh can do with their bayonets,
 
Liver’s baluchis sent a devasting fire on Naag khan killing 5 pathans, then the exceptional Liver raises his cry “At the double!” and his baluchis manage to accelerate at the double reaching the protection of few houses in the outskirts of Mir Ali Mirali
Shakor Khan toss 11 and his mounted warriors charge at double with a further 5, but the Sikh are really lions and stop them in a draw that avoid any pinning or pursuing.
 
Liver’s Baluchi kill other 2 mounted Wardak included Shakor Khan and they are pinned, just in time to avoid the joint attack with Wali, but the irregulars fire a devasting volley and then other 2 Sikhs are butchered by Naag veterans, killing one.
 
While Best rallied his guides, Liver and Dawes sent devasting fire on Naag Khan and on Kaalindi Khan with 4 dead each and pinning both and only the second succeded in rallying. It seems that Raj units can safely retreat.
But at this point Abdul Haq, the young Afridi emerging leader, advances and then passes the test for a second action , being an hero, and said “Brothers Remember Spinwam, the harvest destroyed, the wells polluted” and the Afridis unsheated their
 
tulwars “Remember Qaabiz’s wifes raped and killed” and the Afridis advanced “Remember Gaarwine’sons all killed” and the Afridis raised their tulwars “remember the beautiful Spinwam’s tower burnt and destroyed “ and the Afridis charged the British “Remember Eada’s goats stolen and devoured!” at the thought of the lost goats the tulwars hit ruthlessly and all Yorkshire unit but Dawes is cancelled!
 
Impressive and decisive…

Now only Tommie Liver’s Baluchi are between the Pashtun hordes and the safe defenes of Mir Ali Mirali.
Liver’s Baluchi regroup in close order and kills 4 Abdul Hag men pinning his unit, now this is the situation:

The fire of Wali’s irregular hits another guide and Lt Best with another guide join Dawes in his rout towards Mir Ali Minari. Now also Fullerton join them to organize the reinforcements sent to Mir Ali Mirali and rally the routed, only Tommie Liver stay entrenched in hard cover provided by the village against the 4 remained units, two battered but two fresh new.

Liver’s Baluchi fought like lions but nobody survived, last one being Liver himself that rallied once again his men without routing but were despatched by the man of Abu Zar,
 
who personally killed the heroic Cpt Liver who, with his sacrifice, allowed the safe retreat of the other officers.

In the mean time 10 miles west…

“Sir I’m LT Jaybrick, Paul Jaybrick, I’ve been sent with my Poona unit to join your column during the march to Thal. May I ask where the rest of your units is, Sir?”

“This is all my column, Tenant, or what is remained of it. You arrived just in time to escort us safely to Mir Ali Mirali and from there we’ll have to move quickly away, before those heathens arrive pursuing us! Thanks the mounted ruffians were routed, and this gives us the possibility to escape,”

LT Jaybrick looked to the horizon but no other troops were in sight; of 4 gallant and flamboyant units who left Tochi Valley only 3 officers and 1 private were marching Southwards. And now something was in view on the horizion, but they were not Raj soldiers…


To be continued

Offline giorgio

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 356
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #448 on: December 10, 2021, 12:10:47 PM »
Mir Ali Mirali Aftermath
In the Sher Khan camp in the outskirts of Surani a messenger arrives on his galloping chestnut gelding, is a man or…it looks like a mirage… .

Sher khan noticed immediately the dusty clouds on the horizon and the indistinct approaching figure
“mmmh it seems a Wardak tribesman, only a stupid Wardak could raise all that cloud to announce his arrival for miles around”

“Khan I have a message from your son, he said me to show you a letter sent by Abu Zar to the mighty Umra Khan and he asked me to deliver at maximum speed. We wanted returning home after the death of our Khan in the big battle!”
“is Shakor Khan died? And my son? And the army? All lost?”

“No it was a great victory and only our Khan was killed, but he acted as bravely as only Wardak can do” said proudly the messenger

Unfortunately, he was hit by a long distance lucky shot of those damned ferenghees, he was assisted by his young brother, our actual leader Saadam Khan. If I think to that moment it is curious that the wound that killed Shakor was on his side and seemed more inflicted by a tulwar, like the bloody one brought by his brother, but these are some of the mysteries hidden in the great battles…

“ oh well” said Sher, relieved by the news “I mean I’m sorry for Shakor but…oh well give me the letter and go to get a soup, you should be wearied after this long ride and the battle” and took the letter reading it avidly:
From Abu Zar Khan to Umra Khan:
The war against the devils flying column, which the Afridis warriors, inferior in number and equipment, began under the leadership of Sher Khan and supreme leader you mighty Umra Khan and conducted with unwavering faith and tenacious bravery without rest for many weeks, is won.
The gigantic battle, which opened last month and in which the Afridis of many subtribes under Sher Khan joined against different Ferenghees armies, is over.
The lightning-fast and most audacious advance of my troops on Mir Ali Mirali, blocking the retreat of the enemy army, as they were overwhelmed from the North by the troops sent by you mighty Umra  and from the east by those of Sher Khan, led to the utter collapse of the enemy's front. From Thal to the Tochi Valley, the fleeing enemy is pushed ever further back by the irresistible onslaught of the regrouped local Pashtun rallied under your flags and of the cavalry tribesmen that you sent to us to complete the triumph..
In the mountains, Sher Khan is advancing at the head of his undefeated tribes, eager to return to the previously successfully conquered positions, which they had never lost.
The Ferenghee Army is vanquished: it suffered terrible losses in the dogged resistance of the last days, and during the pursuit it lost an enormous quantity of materials of every kind as well as almost all its stockpiles and supply depots. The Ferenghee’s Army only today has so far left about 3 whole units and no prisoners of war are left in our hands along with multiple entire officer booties and at least 500 new rifles.
The remnants of what was one of the world's most powerful armies are returning in hopelessness and chaos up the valleys from which they had ascended with boastful confidence to spread famine and death.
All my Khans fought bravely but I want to mention especially Abdul Haq Khan, who I put in charge of all the lands south of Mir Khel Khesh, who destroyed alone in only one turn a whole British unit, Wali Khan the second son of Sher Khan who showed great bravery and skill in firing with his irregular troops and Khalidi Khan whose Ghazi warriors kept the ground without routing also when losing two third of their fanatics.
Now the road to Mir Ali Mirali is open and from there we can think to encircle General Davenport in Bannu or pursuit and destroy Fullerton remained troops in Tochi Valley, in a great alliance with Waziris or…from there aiming directly Wana and the heretic ruffian goats lover who will soon be part of our buzkashi games.
As a preliminary gift, please mighty Umra accept the head of a British Captain who fought as a lion allowing the escape of the other officers, and that I butchered personally with my tulwar.
Your triumphant Abu Zar

“And now what your next moves?” Asked Sher to the Waldek mumbling on the letter content
“Abu Zar closed an eye about the stories on our Khan death and has promoted Saadam khan of the Waldek cavalry, so Sadaam is proud of it and faithful to Abu Zar and we remain with him with all the winning Khans who see the opportunity to gain honour and booty, included your son Wali Khan.

The strategic situation shows Fullerton in Mir Ali Mirali with the reinforcement sent from Tochi Valley, his request for other units will be probably rejected by Gen Davenport who has cancelled the delivery of a new column under Major Vousden to retake Thal and is concerned about Bannu itself , menaced by Sher Khan, whose Afridi have been reported to be already around Surani.

Furthermore, sending other troops to Fullerton is under the risk of being intercepted before arriving and the Army defeated piecemeal. If Abu Zar will push southwards Mir Ali Mirali will fall and Fullerton will have to decide between trying to return to Bannu or organizing a last defence in Tochi Valley waiting for help from South, by Gen. Sir John Percival "Mandrake" Aubrey-Smith in Tank, but still with some units consolidating the presence around Jandola.

In the meantime a unit of Hodson Horse under Major Rawson, who got the mission to capture the adventurer false merchant Zibbib, but failed, and is arrived in Bannu as false clues directed him to the wrong way, and now is a lucky coincidence as could be part of a new column to go west to Fullerton or north to clean the Surani district to ensure the Bannu safe.

And new units are coming from Rawalpindi to turn the tide. Among them a 1st mountain artillery Kohat unit, willing to use their devasting guns, supported by ghurka and highlanders still under painting.

Abu Zar has a formidable army, but he is well aware that his power is due to Umra benevolence and Sher forced alliance. Now Sher Khan seems forgot the past feud as the Abu Zar victories produce indirect success also for Sher who is in charge of all the area. And Abu Zar is indispensable if Sher wants to try something more ambitious against Anglez, and the last victory gave glory also to his second son Wali Khan, and Abu Zar reported his name to Umra.

But Umra could decide to send Abu Zar to Tochi Valey. And if so why? To expand Afridis’ power or free it for Mulehead and assure credits for future battles against Anglez or…perhaps against new  Ferenghees from North? And the first son of Sher Khan, Bahadur, will accept happily the glory of his younger brother Wali? Will he search a battlefield to show his value? Or does he think that a well-used tulwar could close the problem much more easily? Will Sher Khan give an irregular infantry unit to him too?

But Bahadur is the first son and he says among other khans he deserves a whole army! But his leadership value is 9+ and Sher Khan, a good men judge, probably will not risk more than a single unit…as for that bald coot of Wali…


To Be Continued

Offline Umra Khan

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 306
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #449 on: December 10, 2021, 12:33:22 PM »
Excellent Giorgo !!

Umra in his great wisdom wants to avoid trespassing to the south, in the land of the Waziri.
Sher Khan is the Choosed One he will engages Ferenghees troops in the north, and cuts any renforcement for Fullerton!
so be written, so be done !

 

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