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Author Topic: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign  (Read 95926 times)

Offline Umra Khan

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Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #495 on: January 24, 2022, 10:47:20 AM »
Beatiful figures Capt. Shanks both the foot soldiers and the lancers ,I like their shade, the dog minis is very nice, the real one is awesome.

Offline Umra Khan

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Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #496 on: January 26, 2022, 01:33:17 PM »
The Fate

Zarin Khan former Subedar of the 40th Pathans deserts and reaches his friend Umra Khan in Mogala, with him he plans to join the Waziris of the evil Mulehead Khan as a spy and informant of Umra . 

But Zarin khan fought with his conscience for long time then decides to clean his honor (Izzat) and decides to surrender to the Raj ;
In a market in Tank he meet a card player, so following the indications of this  famous card player of the Grim, a certain Ghul “Deck Cards” Akbar, Zarin submits to the card’s test his fate.

Heart      he will be hanged
Diamond           he will be put in jail
Club               Reinstated as sepoy in another regiment
Spade       reinstated as Subedar in the 40th Pathans


The deck of cards gives its response, 10 of Diamonds, so jail for Zarin !



The Subedar Zarin khan of the 40th Pathans  surrenders  himself at  the fort of Dera Ismail Khan to the soldiers of the 24th (Baluchistan) Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry under the command of Major  G.H. Brennan



In jail  he will stay in a humid and dark cell for years…..or…..until a new idea or an unexpected fact is realized.
Nobody knows what could happen on the Frontier…!
« Last Edit: January 26, 2022, 07:59:13 PM by Umra Khan »

Offline Rhingyll

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Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #497 on: January 26, 2022, 09:44:56 PM »
He is a honorable man who made a mistake, The soldiers of the Queen need men like him. Release him!!!

Offline Mad Guru

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Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #498 on: January 26, 2022, 09:57:58 PM »
Your sympathetic sentiment is heartwarming, sir, but a world where laws are bent at whim is a lawless world.  It’s a slippery slope and I fear you have begun your slide into the abyss.
"We shall see what wisdom lies beneath my madness!"

Offline Rhingyll

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Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #499 on: January 26, 2022, 10:19:57 PM »
Yes, but he is on a slippery slope that leads upwards as well as down. It is his destiny to rise above his pain and ascend the slope. He is of the brotherhood of the pure ones and his fate is in the hands of the wondrous enlightener.

Offline giorgio

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Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #500 on: January 27, 2022, 07:39:37 AM »
At this point I have to give a warning to the viewers: very romantic the story of Zarin, how noble his penitence, but….BUT…. only heretics can believe in card deck instead of tossing dice. El Osprey was very sharp on this: Abomination on the heretic wicked who uses card decks and has infantry units of 20 miniatures!
Really you believe Mulehead could trust Zarin without suspecting his loyalty? The South Waziristan army is a perfect gift for his second wife’s young boy, nicknamed “Mini Mule”.
He will be much more reliable and also a potential alley if Muletail ‘s jihad will be too much successful…
« Last Edit: January 27, 2022, 12:35:26 PM by giorgio »

Offline Umra Khan

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Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #501 on: January 27, 2022, 09:27:35 AM »
Zarin Khan  decided to surrender because the proximity of the evil Wazir was ruining him by making him feel guilty.
This pestilent man hiding in the mountains of Waziristan is the offspring of an ominous dynasty of mules discarded from military service, his actions are gross of betrayals and lies.
Better to stay away a mile from this man !

cards are an instrument of faith, dice are the bones of the devil; who plays cards must be good, who uses the dice only lucky !

Offline giorgio

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Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #502 on: January 27, 2022, 12:08:01 PM »
THE BATTLE OF SURANI

The ballad of Gurjas “stonesangar” Khan  and Captain Marmaduke “Tiffin” Gonnester

Gurjas Khan was a warrior bold:
His tulwar and his rifle were bossed with gold,
He shot at Gurkhas and he scared Mackenzies
From ground behind rocks they shouted like frenzies:
While over the Punjab the warriors cried,
"The hero fights for his countryside!"
But little they cared for their own stress,
The worn white soldiers in rifle green dress
They cursed their luck, as the Gurkhas will,
But gave him credit for cunning and skill!



Dear Readers, in this special issue the beauty of last ballad written by your beloved Winkie, who has inspired also Kipling  and is published also in the last book of his Peshawar barrack ballads with many other poetic poems.

The column from Bannu is approaching quickly the outskirts of Surani.
For details of the prologue look at: https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=131610.480-
North Waziristan situation is a British nightmare. Mullah Powinda bands of waziris recruited in Khostwal are controlling Tochi Valley.

The thin communication line passes thru Mir Ali Mirali where Col Fullerton is trying to rally disbanded units to stop Abu Zar’s Afridis, where Sher Khan young son Wali is distinguishing with his band of irregular. This is making Rastum Badajur literally crazy; he is Sher Khan first son and he fears the popularity of his brother and the future family fight for the power in the subtribe of their father.
Rastum Badajur designed a foxy trap. He sent Mohammed Khan as a Kattack spy to speak with Br Gen Davenport in Bannu.

The stupid and arrogant Davenport was fouled by the spy and was convinced to detach a column under his best officer, Major Vousden, to raid the area north of Bannu toward Surani and here surprise and capture Rastum Bajadur and use him as an hostage, blackmailing Sher Khan and stopping Afridis attacks.
The idea of Rastum was as simple as genial. He provokes the attack and in the meantime he will call his father for supporting, creating a deathly trap for Anglez and free the road to Bannu.
But Vousden acted quicker than expected without discussing on the involved officers, even about Mac Barnes, notoriously indicated as a flat idiot, and that said by Davenport has his own meaning!
And now Rastum must face alone the ferenghees gaining the time necessary to Sher Khan to arrive.

Out of Surani a solitaire home is a strategic point as it dominates both the road to Thal and from Sher Khan camps.
Rastum Bajadur has a unit of irregular, under his command are artillery under Kartan Khan, fanatic Ghazi under Amar Khan and Gurjas Khan’s veteran, used to get the best from their jezails.

Vousden has his Sam Browne Horses, the “idiot” Mac Barnes with his Seaforth Highlander, the 5th Gurkas under Marmaduke “tiffin” Gonnister and Utterton’s 26th Baluchi under.

The Afridis have built quickly few sangars to protect the fire of artillery and irregulars, the wings are covered by Ghazi and veterans.
Vousden order his units to advance under artillery fire (if any) and fire, ready to exploit any opportunity with a quick charge.
Vousden must keep an eye on the young Mac Barnes, his reputation probably is exaggerated and anyway if he is a complete idiot, his Mackenzies are not, LT Utterton is not a great leader but Cpt “tiffin” Gonnester yes and he must rely on his Gurkha and of course his own unit of Sam Browne’s. The orders are shouted, the battle begins.

First turn Kartar Khan’s gun fire with no results, second they do not fire at all losing time in loading and aiming.
The first kia is scored by Rastum Bajadur’s irregular and is one Gurkha. That is the signal for the Raj troops to start firing on Amir’s Ghazi which are pinned and retreat not rallying.

The fire is redirected on artillery with 2 kia and unit pinned. Rastum suspect betrayal and order his irregulars to aim their allied units. The menace is succesfull and both the Afridis unit rallies, in the mean time Rastum and Gurjas kill 2 baluchis each but Utterton avoid pinning and all kills 2 Gurjas’ tribesmen, even if gone to ground.

6th  turn seems the day is of the Anglez. The ghazi are pinned in open ground trying to attack Vousden and Karat Khan is killed by Baluchis’fire.
 

At this point Vousden charge Amir’Ghazi and pursuit them who fight as tigers but at the end both units are routed.

Rastum irregulars fire takes a toll of 3 gurkha while Gurjas fire send Utterton back home. Only Mackenzies continue their advance to envelope the Afridis line.
Gurkha fire takes one hit and Rastum confirm his father suspects and retreat without rallying, while Gurjas men do not fire, shacken at the view of their leader retreating and take another hit, without pinning; they are all veterans and not an easy nut.

They fire is ineffective, and Gurkha kill other 2 warriors while MacBunes send a devasting fire on Rastum’s retreating unit sendng other 4 hits and completing their rout.

But time is running fast and already at horizon the avanguard of Sher Khan are appearing, at the very last available turn the situation is still positive for the Raj troops as the only Afridis unit is pinned and the Mackenzies could charge and destroy them, supported by Gurkha’s fire but

Captain Marmaduke “Tiffin” Gonnester, keeping a stiff upper lip, cannot believe what he sees: while his brave Gurkha kill another warrior the unit of that completely idiot Mac Brnes,,,simply retreats!!! After 11 turns where he passed the test , in the very last toll a dramatic “1” means that he believed he was too late and ordered the retreat. He scored an impressive 10 hits with no loss…but he lost the day….

Sergent Fish pointed his kukri towards the Mackenzies shouting “come back, you damn’d cowards”
“Stop it sarge” Tiffin said “that is not cowardy…just plain idiocy!”

Last opportunity for Vousden is the toll for rallying of Afridis with 2 pinned tokens…but veteran and fierce warriors gained to their leader the nickname of stonesangar Gurjas and like a solid sangar scored two “6” which meant rally and victory!

While first troops of Sher Khan’s army arrive and consolidate the position, Vousden rallies his units and drive them back to Bannu. He has more than half of his men and that means no immediate risks for the entrenched garrison. The trap did not work and Rastum Bajadur can only console himself in his loneliness showing to his father a tactical victory but it is spotted by the infamy of his retreat in the end.

What next? Reinforcements are arriving to Bannu from Peshawar and Vousden will be able to prepare his revenge, but Sjer Khan could decide to exploit the partial victory of his son, forcing the road towards Bannu or intercepting the new reinforcements…or change scenario and support Abu Zar and his young son Wali against colonel Fullerton rallied units.
And what about Mullah Powinda bandits / martyrs?

Will he come from Tochi Valley to destroy Fullerton and stop Afridis’ expansion? And what about Mulhead? When Powinda was in Tajikistan he was a holy man, when he passed into Khost he was a great alley, now in Tochi Valley he is a good Waziri, but expanding to past Mulehead’s land could make him another enemy to kill. A new great Hujra will be called in Wana…also to discuss the news arrived from Mir Zakah: Muletail, the young heir, the prophet of the New Rule is alive and soon will return to Wana to lead a great jihad. So what to do with Powinda Mullah? Push him to a great battle or keep him in his guerrilla? The Pashtun proverb teaches “A chicken you eat only once — eggs a hundred times…”. And in a jihad a mighty Mullah might be essential…

Next fights where Fully will have to rely on his artillery more than his cavalry charges (well I’ve just finished painting few Foundry artillerymen…) … But will Abu Zar accept to wait for Sher Khan’s order? He is the unbeatable, ever winner leader of his Thal and Spinwam districts sub tribes; the famigerate Kuri Khel Afridis and they do not follow rules, the rules follow them!!!

And the feud between Wali and Rastum Bajadur? Both are pushing their Khan (Abu Zar and Sher) to advance, fight and conquer glory and the supremacy on their father’s heritage…

And what about Zarin? Will he return to lead his army or a new emerging khan whill be the new leader, the young son of Mulehead, nicknamed Mini Mule? And when Muletail will return to raise a new jihad?
How many questions…and we are speaking only of a little part of North Waziristan…further North many other actions and battles are happening / going to happen…

To be continued
« Last Edit: January 27, 2022, 01:19:57 PM by giorgio »

Offline Umra Khan

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Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #503 on: January 27, 2022, 12:55:56 PM »
leaving 50% of the casualties on the battlefield during a retreat is equivalent to a heavy defeat...
as the Great Poet wrote...
"When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains, and the women come out to cut up what remains, jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains and go to your gawd like a soldier."

Offline Mad Guru

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Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #504 on: February 01, 2022, 09:40:12 AM »
SHAKHOT PASS (& Fail)

WE BEGIN WITH A PICTORIAL ESSAY OF THE ATTACK ON THE DARGAI CANTONMENTS, AUGUST 18, 1890...









9th Gurkhas pickets atop Malkakand Pass attacked by Akazai Tribesmen...







...who are hauling their tricked-out mountain gun up the pass behind them:



On the flats below, Sgt. Crood, Bugler Dirka Grimm & a handful of Yorks & Lancs occupy
the only British post located "outside the wire" -- the remains of a house in the ruins of Dargai village:





Which lies in the path of Gul Akbar's Bunerwal allies -- who are about to charge across the Swat River...









Ghazis join the Bunerwals and advance to the riverbank...





Mayank Jan, agent of Yusufzai rebel leader Sarban Khan,
waits on the West bank to guide Gul Akbar Khan's
Bunerwhal allies across the Swat River...



Gul Akbar's Akazai Warriors launch his main attack
from the Malakand heights to the North...



Screw Guns open fire on the attackers as they charge across the plain...











Gul Akbar's Akazai Cavalry charge from the South...











Action to the East...





Where former Yorks & Lancs bhisti Dirka Grimm -- recently promoted to bugler -- stands in the gap as Sgt. Crood and his comrades (his fellow refugees from Chakdara Outpost) are killed or wounded or fall-back...





But the former bhisti manages to single-handedly defeat all the remaining attackers...



Action to the North...



Action to the South...



East...



North...





The Cantonments now under simultaneous attack from North, East and South...







Apologies but this post was just TOO BIG, so if you want to see the rest you'll have to proceed to the next page.........
« Last Edit: February 01, 2022, 11:02:32 PM by Mad Guru »

Offline Mad Guru

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Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #505 on: February 01, 2022, 10:28:07 AM »
SHAKHOT PASS (& Fail) -- PART II

WE PICK UP THE ACTION OF THE AUGUST 18, 1890 ATTACK ON 1st BRIGADE, PESHAWAR FIELD FORCE IN THE DARGAI CANTONMENTS WHERE WE SO RECENTLY LEFT OFF...

Writer Neville Crisp, late of London's "HORSE & HOUND" magazine, now out to make a name for himself as a correspondent with "literary flair" arrives with the 3 limbered guns of E/B RHA, straight from having fought their way out of an ambush the night before...

(CLICK HERE to read all about it in "Ambushed on the Road to Dargai": https://maiwandday.blogspot.com/2021/10/ambush-on-road-to-dargai.html)



At the South wall Gul Akbar engages the renowned
Jemadar Jai Ho Singh, 2nd Punjab Cavalry, retired, in melee...



Gul Akbar cuts Jemadar Jai Ho Singh down, KIA...



The tragic end to an honorable life.



(CLICK HERE for a LINK to "JAI HO SING'S RIDE": https://maiwandday.blogspot.com/2021/09/jai-ho-singhs-ride.html)

But the next thing he knows...



...Gul Akbar himself falls wounded, and
is abandoned by his routing minions...



The incapacitation of Gul Akbar Khan had a terrible effect on his army writ large, causing virtually all of his units of every type to lose their will to fight.  Earlier during the fight the British had been hard-pressed on multiple fronts and the opportunity to take a breath seemed to overcome any desire to pursue the tattered remnants of the attacking force as it withdrew to the North, South, and East.  They had beaten back the foe, and that was enough... or so they thought at the time.

One stalwart Akazai horseman did ride back onto the field, RESCUED his wounded leader and rode away unscathed -- courtesy of some good die-rolling on the part of Gul Akbar/CAPT SHANKS...



Despite the above two images perhaps being just a bit strange, now we come to an even stranger sight to behold in a British Army camp on the frontier: the Brom Sisters, Christine & Lorelai, daughters of legendary Sgt. Major Lawrence Brom, of 72nd Highlanders, now down-range in Chitral.  They travelled from Glasgow to Peshawar, then left that relatively safe and civilized border town in hopes of surprising their father in time to celebrate his fast-approaching 50th birthday together with him -- but hadn't planned on their holiday being interrupted by an armed rebellion...







Captain Elliot Hardigan, RHA (in dark blue patrol jacket with his back to camera) leads his newly-arrived battery -- which helped save the day -- into the Cantonments and is happily greeted by Brigadier Ruff-Husband...



Writer Neville Crisp makes quick
work of introducing himself to the Brom Sisters...



Dirka Grimm, Sgt. Crood, and survivors from detachment of 9th Gurkhas who moved to support them during the battle breath a sigh of relief and raise a cheer as the enemy withdraws...



...and the Union Jack remains flying high above the camp:



Meanwhile the tribal spy Mayank Jan scrambles away into the
heights above the pass and watches the aftermath of the battle...



Gul Akbar Khan's multiple attacks were all repulsed and the British victory complete -- until it was discovered that the family of High Value Target prisoners had escaped from their captivity in the Cantonments.  Turns out that a TEAM OF TIBETAN WARRIOR MONKS with ... CLOAKING ABILITY ... CLOAKING ABILITY ... CLOAKING ABILITY ... CLOAKING ABILITY ... CLOAKING ABILITY ... (Perhaps they were visiting from a Steampunk Parallel Universe?) slipped into their tent and led them to freedom (!?!?).***

The sinister characters in question:

***If you wish to you can read all about it at the LINK below, in the CAPT SHANKS post labelled, "THE GREAT CHARGE" -- though "Great Disinformation Campaign" might be a more accurate title: https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=131610.375***

AND NOW ON TO PART III, CONCERNING THE AFTERMATH OF THE BATTLE...
« Last Edit: February 02, 2022, 05:22:25 AM by Mad Guru »

Offline Mad Guru

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Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #506 on: February 01, 2022, 11:07:05 AM »
SHAKHOT PASS (& Fail) -- PART III

"Once I saw the signal... I would call for the retreat of my cavalry, signaling the fallback of the army, and we would return by separate routes to the fortress tower near Shakhot Pass."

--Gul Akbar Khan

ON AUGUST 19th, 1890 -- THE DAY AFTER GUL AKBAR KHAN'S ATTACK ON DARGAI CANTONMENTS -- THE ABOVE COMMUNICATION FROM HIM TO HIS SUB-COMMANDERS WAS INTERCEPTED BY THE INTELLIGENCE STAFF OF BRIGADIER GENERAL STEWART RUFF-HUSBAND, COMMANDER 1ST BRIGADE, PESHAWAR FIELD FORCE.

The one thing Gul Akbar Khan and his forces had managed to accomplish -- by whatever questionable means necessary -- was to steal away with his sister FARAH AKBAR, her husband NAZIM GUL (the last Headman of Dargai prior to its warranted destruction) and their three sons, RAZA MUHAMMAD, BABA MUHAMMAD, & GAZA MUHAMMAD.

Immediately upon receiving the intercepted message, Brig. Gnl. Ruff-Husband ordered his entire Brigade to prepare for a forced march through the Malakand Pass to the Shakhot Valley, which they would enter from the South via the Hathi Dara AKA: the Elephant's Paw (the only other route into the valley besides Shakhot Pass traversable by formed units, horses or carts) after which they would RECAPTURE the prisoners freed by Gul Akbar Khan, alive if possible.  If circumstances required direct assault on the Tower in order to achieve the objective, then it would be attacked, and if necessary destroyed.

In preparation for this fight, 1st Brigade's 2 Mountain Batteries with 6 Screw-Guns would be joined by E/B RHA's 3 x 9-pounders, which reached Dargai on August 18th just in time to help defeat the attack on the Cantonments.

Almost all of the units of 1st brigade suffered casualties during the attack, but most were WIA and -- thanks to some good die rolls -- nearly all returned to active duty over the intervening days.  Total Anglo-Indian KIA were 13 (an admittedly unlucky number), with the hardest hit unit being 9th Gurkhas, who alone suffered 5 KIA. Despite these losses, in Brigadier General Ruff-Husband's judgement his Brigade remained strong enough to launch this new operation.  His men had inflicted significant losses on the enemy, and there was no reason to think Gul Akbar's recent defeat would result in more tribesmen flocking to his banner -- indeed, the opposite would more likely be the case.

ON AUGUST 20, 1890, 2nd Brigade reached Dargai. Preparations for 1st Brigade's departure being complete, Brig. Gnl. Ruff-Husband briefed 2nd Brigade C.O. Brig. Gnl. McGilligan on current conditions, handed over command of the Cantonments and control of the vital Malakand Pass to the North, and bid adieu -- but Brig. McGilligan strenuously argued for a change of plan.  In his opinion 1st Brigade advancing to Shakhot alone would invite trouble and risk reversal.  Instead he suggested most of his own 2nd Brigade join them in pursuit of Gul Akbar Khan and the escaped prisoners, and proposed only a small force consisting of the remnants of Sgt. Crood's garrison from Chakdara, and one Infantry battalion (basic unit of 20 figs.), with one RHA gun in support, remain as garrison.  There was no intelligence pointing to a follow-up attack on the camp, and hadn't 1st Brigade just delivered a resounding defeat to the enemy a mere 2 days ago?  Indeed, the bodies of some tribesmen still littered the ground in front of the North wall, where the screw guns had made a terrible impression on the enemy as he tried to cross the dead ground between the mountain and the camp.

Brigadier Ruff-Husband thanks Brigadier McGilligan's for his offer of support and acknowledged the ever-so-slight possibility of a reversal if his brigade crossed the Malakand and advanced to attack Shakhot on its own -- but with large portions of the Frontier currently in armed rebellion, he was hesitant to leave the vital pass without a significant Imperial presence nearby.

And so, in keeping with tried and true TSATF tradition,  a card deck was consulted (of course!).........

CARD DRAW RESULTS CHART:

RED ACE OR FACE CARD = Entire 2nd Brigade joins 1st Brigade's operation.

RED 2 THRU 10 = 1st Batt/2nd Sikhs + 1 gun of #3 (Peshawar) Mt. Battery remain at Dargai, other elements of 2nd Brigade join the operation.

BLACK 2 THRU 10 = 9th Queen's Royal Lancers + 1st batt/2nd Gurkha Rifles are detached to join the operation, all other elements of 2nd Brigade remain at Dargai.

BLACK ACE OR FACE CARD = Entire 2nd Brigade remains at Dargai.

RED JOKER = Havildar-Major Kunara of the 127th Baluchis convinces Major General Whitsend to countermand his previous order and send the 127th Baluchs from Peshawar to the front!  Remove Red Joker from deck and flip again for further result (if "entire 2nd Brigade joins 1st Brigade's operation" they go as well; otherwise they remain at Dargai).


-Havildar-Major Kunara -- he'd rather be at the front than reading the Trib in Peshawar!-

BLACK JOKER = Gul Akbar Khan receives word from spies in the Malakand informing him of results of the card flip -- the quantity of troops -- if any -- preparing to move on Shakhot Valley!  Remove Black Joker from deck and flip again for further result.


-Mayank Jan -- the notorious "Blue Turban" spy-

DRUM ROLL PLEASE..........





And so the chance for Imperial reinforcements ended before it could begin.*

(*This is the "Fail" mentioned in the title of this post.)

Despite the punishing heat, 1st Brigade set off right after noon that same day -- August 20th, 1890 -- with 9th Gurkhas taking point, followed by 12th Bengal Cavalry, 23rd Sikh Pioneers, No. 2 (Derajat) & No. 3 (Peshawar) Mt. Batteries, and 17th Punjabis, with 92nd Highlanders bringing up the rear.

MEANWHILE OFF TO THE EAST, IN SHAKHOT VALLEY ITSELF...



The retreating lashkar of Gul Akbar impatiently awaits delivery of their TENTS -- which remain overdue, despite qualifying for: "HOLY WAR RUSH ORDER STATUS" in the PUKKA PAVILION PALACE workshop of Lewanay Hasim (AKA: "Crazy Hasim")...

Part of the Pukka Pavilion Palace's Sample Showroom:


Some tools of the tent-makers trade...


Some pages from the PPP catalogue...









Crazy Hasim's Kyrgyz workshop in Badakhshan...



Crazy Hasim's Baluchi workshop in Qetta...



COLORIZED PHOTO FROM THE PUKKA PAVILION WORKSHOP FLOOR...



Unfortunately for Gul Akbar, it seems the Pukka Pavilion artisans were less interested in tent-making and more interested in the latest edition of the Peshawar Tribune...



This is easy to understand, as it features both journalistic and poetical gems from everyone's favorite frontier scribbler: the eminently vainglorious Reginald Winkie, Esq...



(Lucky for them, Crazy Hasim's weavers counted one fluent
reader of English amongst their ranks -- which was good for
Winkie's legendary fame... but bad for Hasim's customer service)

CLICK the handy LINK to learn more about Crazy Hasim's proprietary fabrication process for 28mm Afghan/Arab/Bedouin tents:

https://maiwandday.blogspot.com/2022/01/pukka-pavilions-walis-walls.html



After some pointed urging -- at the tip of Gul Akbar Khan's Tulwar -- the tents were delivered lickety-split to him and his Lashkar at the foot of Shakhot Fortress Tower...

Here Gul Akbar is seen taking issue with Crazy Hasim's "AS-IS" policy & demanding the Pukka Pavilion delivery crew
find the missing decorative panel for his own personal tent.  After being forced to wait so long for delivery, the least they could do was get his order right...




It seems Gul Akbar convinced them to improve their customer service, as the improved version of his tent can be seen together with the rest of his order in this series of photographs taken by the renowned Kodak Effendi, Turkey's first itinerant photographer, during his 1890-91 epic trek from Anatolia to Kashgar...









The self-portrait below is intriguing, as it seems to prove that in addition to his pair of faithful Turkish manservants, Kodak trusted someone else on the North West Frontier to take this photograph...



And here we save Kodak Effendi's best for last: his first successful attempt at a "PANORAMA" photo, showing a west-facing view of the Shakhot Valley which includes the camp of Gul Akbar Khan's lashkar, after their tents had been delivered by Lewanay Hasim's workers.  It is believed to have been taken on or about August 20th, 1890, shortly before Anglo-Indian forces arrived and the Battle of Shakhot Valley commenced...



NEXT UP: With tents & walls in place, the last terrain
pieces needed for the Battle of Shakhot Valley arrive...

SOME PARTING IMAGES OF SHAKHOT PASS...






« Last Edit: March 04, 2022, 05:26:38 AM by Mad Guru »

Offline ColCampbell

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Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #507 on: February 01, 2022, 03:10:01 PM »
Ethan,

A cracking great story!  I like the inclusion of my "sisters from another mister" in your account.

Jim
« Last Edit: February 01, 2022, 03:12:06 PM by ColCampbell »

Offline CPT Shanks

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Re: "Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign
« Reply #508 on: February 01, 2022, 10:36:47 PM »
More of a mystical "cloud minds" effect than a "cloaking device" . What a great tale so far Mad Guru. I am afraid the retribution paid on Ghul Akbar and his followers will be another example of the callousness of the Raj, not unlike the unprovoked destruction of Dargai. A fact which you conveniently left out of your telling.
"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 #509 on: February 02, 2022, 09:02:03 AM »
Colonel,

Great to hear from you, and many thanks for the compliment!  I saw the email you sent RE: the Brom Sisters... to the REAL BROM SISTERS!  Maybe if we're lucky, some day in the not-too-distant future we can all gather around a table and "push lead" together, along with Sgt. Guinness!  Of course needless to say it will be a Colonial game -- and you know what rules will be played -- by unanimous choice!

CAPT SHANKS,

Now that you mention it, the mystical "cloud minds" effect is certainly the lesser of two evils!

RE: Brigadier Ruff-Husband's "unprovoked destruction" of Dargai, it seems you are experiencing some memory loss, as you yourself were the original PROVOKER, in a post on PAGE 14 of this very thread, in which you mockingly compared the One True Rules and Holy Text to "toilet paper" and "musket wadding" and threatened the blinding and death of British officers held as your prisoners.  Does that not qualify as "provocation" in your world?

For any who question the accuracy of my own memory, here's a LINK to the evidence, which can be found near the bottom of the page in question: https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=131610.195
« Last Edit: February 02, 2022, 11:52:16 AM by Mad Guru »

 

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