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Author Topic: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign  (Read 96051 times)

Offline elcondottieri

  • Schoolboy
  • Posts: 7
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #450 on: December 10, 2021, 01:29:37 PM »
Thank you very much to all the participants.

Wonderful story.

 :-* :-*
"NO HAY UN PEDAZO DE TIERRA SIN UNA TUMBA ESPAÑOLA"

Offline giorgio

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 356
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #451 on: December 10, 2021, 07:05:44 PM »
Elcondottieri, muchas gracias por tus amables palabras de aliento :-*

Offline JBaumal

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 743
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #452 on: December 12, 2021, 06:05:29 PM »
Great job Giorgio! Very exciting. I’m working on my AAR for our battle in the  north.

Offline Umra Khan

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 306
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #453 on: December 13, 2021, 11:28:42 AM »
TANK 23 September 1890
From Gen. John C. Aubrey-Smith Mandrake
to
Jandola Outpost
Col. Frederich Murchison

Dear Murchie
carefully check the movements of the Southern Waziri, I have information that there may be unrest... Zarin has not yet turned his card and Powinda is moving against Stockfish, and you know that these tribesmen are easy to excite...
Stay well my friend
John


« Last Edit: December 13, 2021, 11:34:01 AM by Umra Khan »

Offline Shikari Sahib

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 640
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #454 on: December 15, 2021, 02:16:02 PM »
great posts men, carry on with other news please  :-*

Offline giorgio

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 356
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #455 on: December 16, 2021, 09:36:33 AM »
Ghuam Khan Kalay Battle


Muletail and his friend had been instruments of  fate or, if you prefer, the True Ruler had established since the beginning that he had to start his long journey from Khost to be in Kajeray just in time to free Mullah Powanda (see link https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=131610.420 Powanda “the goat”).

While Muletail and his friend are continuing their journey towards Mir Zakah, Mullah Powanda takes the leadership of tribesmen rallied under his flag for a great jihad and the army increases with Waziris and allies joining his column directed from North West to the Tochi Valley.

After a long quick journey through the waziris subtribes in Khost, Powanda warriors reach the North Waziristan, green hills alternate with rocky arid dusts

Different is the perception of the British officers and Lt Wootsy is not exception. He is a real Hero, the only valuable officer that Stockfish has under his command. He is scouting the area north of Ghuam Khan Kalay to intercept and escort an artillery mule train sent by Gen Davenport just before the fateful end of Fullerton advancing towards Spinwam and his defeats and units annihilation.(see link https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=131610.435 the battle of Mir Ali Mirali)

A unit of 1st Bombay mountain battery is escorting the train and cpt Riley Sikhs and LT Firestone are marching to meet them and to support and prevent any coup de man of Waziris.
A lot of ruffians’ movements and rumours of the riot have been detected and Stockfish wants to regroup all his unit to entrench and wait for Fullerton’s return with the Poona cavalry sent to support his advance in Afridis’s lands. (see link https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=131610.435 the battle of Mir Ali Mirali)
Opposite to Wootsy, the other officers are not at sufficient standard: Cpt Riley can be defined a yellow belled, but anyway better than the drunkard LT Firestone or the coward nervous LT Tameron, whom Gen Davenport was very keen to send out of his HQ and who got his rank thanks the good offices of his uncle Br Gen Marmaduke Tameron, who anyway didn’t take him in his highlander regiment.
Suddenly a dusty cloud behind the hills is announcing an incoming danger: Cpt Riley must be informed immediately to accelerate the march to support Tameron and assure the safe arrival of the train with the necessary guns and ammunitions. They are already here, much before the expected arrival time!
“Crazy mountain artillerymen, they well deserve their reputation!” Wootsy said turning his horse “Better we accelerate, RInsaldar at the double, quick! But before send a Sowar to Captain Riley to inform him!”.

An happy, melodic, rhythming tune is song in the valley by the bold artillerymen of the 1st Bombay mountain artillery:
 For you all love the screw-guns — the screw-guns they all love you!
So when we call round with a few guns, o’ course you will know what to do.
Jest send in Powanda an’ surrender — it’s worse if you fights or you runs:
You can go where you please, you can skid up the trees, but you don’t get away from the guns.


“Tenant tenant” the halvidar shouted running “Sir many pathans are behind those hills aiming at our mules”

“Well they will enjoy the knowledge of our lead, Havildar be ready to repulse the attack and let us gain time to be rescued” answer the Tenant while his nerves started to collapse after fighting with his mind generously helped by a robust liquor to pass the hours of this interminable journey. But he feels a presence, an oppression on his breast cutting the breath, as an evil curse, a prophecy of dead…

“The mountain gunners’ boast is that we can go anywhere, where a man and a mule could put a foot.we have  kept  up a steady clip of up to four and a half mile per hour, mile after mile and day after day and now we are here unexpected to keep this area under strict control.”
For Lt Wootsy it was a remarkable sight to see a good mountain battery coming into ‘crash’ action. What would appear to the uninitiated eye to be a disorderly assembly of mules and soldiers would suddenly stream into position, there would be a brief pause with much exertion and the heaving of lumps of metal and in a minute or two, the animals would be led off at a run leaving six or four sturdy guns with their detachments kneeling smartly round them.
Powanda looked at the column, surprised that they were already arrived, just before all the trap settings were completed. He had many inexperienced khans, but the view of the mules and guns boosted the warriors enthusiasm. Powanda spoke to his men:

“Glory to True Ruler generosity! Here our award, the prize of our faith is coming before than expected!
On the poor dusty road, utter carnage awaits you and I see what they will be in few hours: Maimed bodies will be rotting where they had been thrown. Shards of broken weapons and pieces of guns have been scattered across the highway like autumn leaves. The carriage is lying on its side, wood split open like a rotten pumpkin. With those guns we will free all Tochi Valley. Raise your tulwars sons and give the due bloody sacrifice to the True Ruler!”

“Glory to the True Rule” the waziris roared and when Mullah Powanda lowered his arms they exit in the main valley and run towards the train.
But LT Tameron feels a presence, an oppression on his breast cutting the breath, as an evil curse, a prophecy of dead, someone as a sort of supernatural power, looking over him and he trembles…
 
At Powanda's signal all the tribesmen advance running like wolfes, all but Khostwal cavalry which, under the inexpert leadership of  Mursalin Khan, stay under the rocks where Powanda made his speech, until he, exasperated, push them to charging thanks also the stones and rocks he threw on them, so that they fear more him than the artillery fire...
Tameron Bombay artillerymen keep high their reputation, they first missed at long distance fire on foot Pashtun but replied with a devasting volley on Mursalin’s cavalry. In the meantime Wootsie appears and is activated.
 
Tameron guns hit other 2 waziri but they undeterred are not pinned and contact killing all the Bombay artillerymen and Tameron himself, his bad omen of doom materialized in the tulwar of a fine swordsman such as Sobha Khan. Glorious is the meaning of his name, and glory fell upon his turban when he butchered LT Tameron and left all Bombay crew dead without the time to spike the guns.

While all the pastun advance, but Kaashif Khan and his irregular who has been left well behind under the furious sight of Powanda, Wootsy attacks gallantly and destroy all the cavalry including Musalin Khan, a not very regretted Khan.
 
Sobha attacks Wootsy but is repulsed with heavy losses and pinned; while also Kabir must retreat but Wootsy unit is now only half of his original strenght.
Riley fire hits 2 Poya’s warriors but the elite troops doesn’t wave under the fire,
At this point Wootsie rallies his lancers and charge Kabir’s fanatics.

He wins the first fight, but they feint to rout and under the strong command of Kabir attend the lancers charge, losing a lot of men but succeeding in killing all the chargers, Wootsie included.

Poya contacts Riley and kills half of the British but Riley succeeds in rallying them while Firestone Sikhs hit 2 Ghazi and pin Kabir before he can contact Riley.
Poya insists attacking Riley butchering half of the British, but he is able to not be pinned and fires back.
 
In the moment to strike the fatal blow the fierce waziris of Jammas do not close and Poya’s ones are beaten even if 3 time more numerous than Riley’s, and Poya Khan himself is killed;  but no time to breath and the fanatics Ghazi close on Riley and butcher all the Brits and for Kabir is the first personal triumph and cpt Riley’s head a nice present for Uncle Powanda. The first and the last…
Firestone with a devasting volley destroy the unit of Sobha Khan who routs. Kabir’s Ghazi are tigers and in 5 kill 4 Sikhs but these are lions and roll 5 “6” on 12 dice. Kabir Khan is killed, a great loss for Powanda’s army, a step forward for civilization!
 
The depleted Sikhs pin Poya Khan elite warriors but are hit by fierce waziris of Jammas Khan and all killed in a ferocious carnage taking with them 3 waziris.
 
The battle math says 3 Khans KIA and a total of 10 cavalry and 37 tribesmen versus 24 infantry and 4 artilleryman including all 4 officers.

Now guns are taken, Powanda is happy because his nephew  is in the Heaven of True Rule martyrs and Tochi Valley soon will be free, but the losing of Kiber Khan have depleted the strength of his force. Time to go North and recruit new warriors for his jihad, before pointing to Tank and South Waziristan. And perhaps to meet again the young son of Mulehead that he recognized on the way to Mir Zakah, but that of Muletail is a different story…
 
« Last Edit: December 16, 2021, 01:05:42 PM by giorgio »

Offline JBaumal

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 743
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #456 on: December 16, 2021, 12:37:42 PM »
Giorgio, another great battle report to start the day with.

Loosing those guns is a hard blow to the imperial forces.

Offline CPT Shanks

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 275
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #457 on: December 16, 2021, 03:40:30 PM »
What a fantastic battle.  A great victory against the ferenghees and a great prize of guns. The families of those martyred will be well cared for and their names and deeds will be immortalized in poems.
"welcome to the world of cascading failure"


Offline Umra Khan

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 306
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #458 on: December 16, 2021, 05:26:11 PM »
Great AAR Giorgio
Beautiful maps
Another great battle...but the followers of the false Rule will pay soon for their miscredent behaviour.

Offline Rhingyll

  • Supporting Adventurer
  • Assistant
  • *
  • Posts: 49
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #459 on: December 16, 2021, 06:50:32 PM »
Great battle report Giogio!! Very interesting to read.

Offline Umra Khan

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 306
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #460 on: December 21, 2021, 02:29:50 PM »
The Enlistmen
After the capture and imprisonment Zibbib and his men spent days in the prisons of Gilgit, when one morning….

Good morning Gentlemen, you may remember me, I am  Lt. Kennedy of the 5th Gurkhas, the Maj. Forsyth wants to talk to you... Come with me please!


Zibbib
Well ! our credentials came from Rawalpindi...

In the office of Maj. Forsyth
Lt. Kennedy
Major here the two men you  ordered me to take…


Maj. Forsyth
Gentlemen, we are taking military action against the Kanjutis of Hunza, the Thum has refused to submit to our agreements, and I have been instructed to organize a punitive expedition.
The area now is under Military law, by virtue of my power I must enlist you among the irregulars of Spedding, even if you are the scummest ruffians who ever passed thru this pass and you better deserve to hang from a rope; anyway you seem to be well skilled on mastering a rifle. You will be provided with a rifle and ammunition and you will be under the command of Lt. John Fitzpatrick, and don't dare to create any trouble or you will respond of it directly to me, and I'm not used to provide second opportunities.



Zibbib
We are not military, I am an agent of the British Secret Service... I do not want to participate in your military maneuvers ... did you telegraph to Rawalpindi ?


Maj. Forsyth
ENOUGH! WE ARE IN A MILITARY ZONE AND MARTIAL LAW APPLIES! If you don't obey my orders I can have you shot... I need all the men available, and you two ruffians seem to me to be good shooters.
Havildar, escort these men and also take those other two brigands who were with them, take them to the office of the quatermaster to equip them, with rifles and ammunition, and now OUT OF HERE !!!


Zibbib
One last thing Maj. Forsyth, I have another man here prisoner, Nasrullah Khan, I would like him to come with us, and here there should also be a young guy who was with Nasrullah...


Maj. Forsyth
You will also have that bandit, as for the boy are things that do not concern you ... and now OUT !!!


Going out of the Maj Forsyth’s office
Zibbib
Flashy, we found the young guy, we have to find a way to take him with us...... a bit of mathematics on the Frontier,
 how can two thieves get rid of a military troops and stay with a young boy in hand?...
Well it seems that we will be enlisted again  in the army of His Majesty'... and after all  we are going in the right direction hahaha


Flashy
A return to the origins, always better than staying in that cold and smelly cell!


The Punitive Expedition against the Kanjutis,  the Hunza Field Force “HFF” consists of:
1 Platoon of the 5th Gurkhas 20 figs, under the command of Lt. Kennedy
1 Platoon of the 1st Imperial Kashmir Rifles 20 figs. under the command of Lt. Kidd
1 Wing of the Bengal Sappers & Miners 10 figs,. under the command of Lt. Julian of the RE
1  Platoon of Irregular Pathans 14 figs, under the command of Lt. Fitzpatrick
1 Section of Hazara mountain artillery  under the command of Lt. Mc Cormick
Command of operations is assigned to Capt. McKenzie of the Seaforth Highlanders
2nd in Command Capt. Tennyson of the 2nd Sikhs PFF…..


Attached to the military column a strange person with a cloak , covering colorful robes  …


To be continued…..

« Last Edit: December 21, 2021, 03:42:47 PM by Umra Khan »

Offline CPT Shanks

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 275
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #461 on: December 21, 2021, 02:46:33 PM »
What's this then? Press ganged old Flashy and his cohorts tsk tsk. Is there no end to the diabolic reasoning of these ferenghee?  And who is this cloaked figure? Another agent of the queen perhaps?

Offline Umra Khan

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 306
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #462 on: December 21, 2021, 03:07:18 PM »
What's this then? Press ganged old Flashy and his cohorts tsk tsk. Is there no end to the diabolic reasoning of these ferenghee?  And who is this cloaked figure? Another agent of the queen perhaps?

I gave some clues about this strange figure.... ;) ;)
other intrigues... Russian? Dad Mahomed with his  long moustaches from Quetta ?...time to discover more

Offline giorgio

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 356
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #463 on: December 30, 2021, 03:27:23 PM »
“Kismet” the destiny

“A demon, a goat demon?”Yamad was terrorized but much more fascinated. “Perhaps generated by Tajik wizards?”
“Shut up and run if you do not want be captured by other bandits and if they catch us you will regret the demon did not kill you”” said sharply Muletail and the trio run again towards Mir Zaleh…
Running cautiously, keeping a strict silence, all three are thinking: but who was the “goat demon”? An old shepherd? A master of camouflage? Will our heroes meet him again? Probably sooner than they think…
 
Our friends run quickly towards the white wall of the houses announcing Mir Zakah, a new step of their long road towards Peiwar Pass-


Muletail opened the silent run of the Pashtuns along the old caravan route from Ghazni to Gandhara, their sandals were retracing the same steps that were made by the legendary Sikander more than two thousand years before
 
And suddenly after a last turn Mir Zakah appeared in all his shabby appearance of some mud brick houses with few larger buildings, probably a market, and some bazaars and stalls facing a dirty dusty road, just looking less depressing thanks to the last sunsetting rays of lights, which embellished the village, creating nice contrasts of deep shadow and lights from fires in the houses. Out of the village an ancient tower, a resemblance of the past power, seemed to look at the new arriving Pashtuns with suspicious curiosity. After Mir Zakah huge rocky mountains were showing their imposing horrid hugeness, as a last warning for the incoming travellers.

Muletail was the first to break the silence “we are safe now, or at least we are safe from those bandits”
“Let us hope that the Tajik and the new arrived ones killed themselves each other” said Mustafà
“Yes, but what about the old bhishti?” Yamad asked with a faint voice, looking behind him as expecting to see a goat demon running following their traces
“we have no time for him, let’s go for his road” Muletail said sharply “now we need a safe place to sleep and rest few days before entering in the mountain area and in one week we will enter into Paiwar.”
 
The village Malik with some guards awaits them at the entrance of the village, Muletail is the first to speak:
"I am Hussain and with my two brothers we are headed to Kabul for a pilgrimage to the tomb of our father who is buried there. Outside the village it is dangerous due to wild animals and especially for those armed with tulwar "
"You also are well armed, perhaps too much to be simple pilgrims” said the Malik “where do you come from?"
 
We are armed to survive the long journey, we come from Buner but the war with the Anglez forced us to take a long detour and now we only ask for some food, and that the great Ruler may bless you…”
“well if possible, some rice with dry fish” Mustafà interrupted “green curry, few fried flour and acid tamarind marmalade and…”
“Stop it” said Muletail
“Oh sure, we can pay, we have a lot of money” Mustafa replied, and at these words the Tajiks smiled
 
“You are welcome, I am Kismet Khan, the malik of Mir Zakah and no matter how much zar, gold, you have. We will provide food and a house to rest, you are my guests, according the Pashtunwali, the rule we all are subjected” said the Malik, who continued commanding one of his men “Rashtun provide all for our Bunerwal guests” And Rashtun started to provide orders for accommodation, followed closely by Mustafà.
 
Kismet mumbled “Mmmmh they come from south, probably waziri spies sent from Mullah Powanda to see our forces, well let us control they movement and perhaps we could issue fake information and prepare a nice trap for those bastard ruffians.”
 
In the meantime, Muletail was whispering to Yamad “I do not like their sudden hospitality after you spoke about our money. Let us be ready to catch any warning signal “
They were interrupted by the return of Mustafà:
 
“Do not worry brothers, I have discovered that Rashtun is my 4th grade cousin, a friend of an uncle of his fought under my father command against the anglez; he told me I was very similar to my father that he met when he went to Wana for the wedding of  common relatives,   and I obtained to be invited by Rashtun to his home for some dinner, of course only to have the possibility to get some intelligence, he told me that many old tribesmen fought with his uncle’s friend and still remember the glorious days fighting under El Growly’s command when looty was ready available. El Grungy Khan is a name who has many past followers and their only pain is that his killer El Scavenger was killed by a Poona’s officer at Gomal river battle. They could not have their revenge, but are more than willing to help his son Abdul Kareem aka Mustafa aka me”said Mustafa and then loudly, speaking to Rashtun:
“So my brother, show me your home and may the Ruler provide to your family ten times the food you will share! Muletail and Yamad, you can wait for me in the house next to that camel, where food and straw to sleep are already prepared”
“Ten times the food you eat?”said Muletail with a tongue in the cheek smile ”That means hard time for the Ruler!”
 

Which plan is designing Kismet Khan for our friends? Will he be their kismet, “destiny”? And which information will Mustafa discover during the dinner? And which is the tremendous secret that the Tajiks are defending so strenuously against the raid of Mullah Powanda’s bandits/patriots? And what is defending the imposing tower out of the village…?
Only the future (and dice) will tell us…
 

To be continued

Offline Mad Guru

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 711
    • Maiwand Day blog
Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #464 on: December 30, 2021, 09:00:39 PM »
Most excellent and intriguing post, oh Evil One, and the map is quite charming indeed!  And yet... it does raise one nagging question: since when did Tajiks start pledging allegiance to Pashtunwali???  Hmmmmm -- mayhaps this be a clue to the true intentions of Kismet Khan.  BTW, handsome goat, and exceedingly well-photographed!
"We shall see what wisdom lies beneath my madness!"

 

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