NWF game using TSATF rules at "Desert Wars" con in Mesa, AZ, USA - 19 March 2022

[Mad Guru]

On Saturday March 19th a buddy and I will be running a North-West Frontier game using The Sword And The Flame colonial rules at the first-ever DESERT WARS con at the Convention Center in Mesa, Arizona, being held on Saturday March 19 and Sunday March 20th.

Here's the scenario from the Schedule of Events:

1st Brigade Peshawar Field Force has orders to defeat the army of Gul Akbar Khan, which sits camped in the valley on the far side of the Elephant Paw Pass. Will the Anglo-Indian mixed-brigade of Infantry, Cavalry & Artillery push through the bottleneck and defeat the enemy on their own terms… or will the Rebel Tribesmen use their home-court knowledge of the rough terrain and the presence of Ghazi fanatics in their ranks to defeat the Farangi, despite their advantage in modern weaponry? Co-command the forces of The Raj or the Rebel Tribesmen in this miniature extravaganza fought with high-quality 28mm armies over 10'x6' of custom terrain, utilizing the classic colonial rules-set: The Sword And The Flame.



Follow this link to register for this and/or other games at the convention, or to submit a game of your own as GM:

https://tabletop.events/conventions

This "Bloody Elephant's Paw" scenario was created as part of an ongoing North-West Frontier campaign. Here's a LINK to a Battle Report I recently posted towards the bottom of the 35th page of the "Never Trust Anyone on the Frontier -- an Epic NWF Campaign" thread here on LAF:

https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=131610.510



The first time it was a close-fought match, and as we all know, every time you play a game, it turns out at least a little differently, so who knows what the results will be when it's transported from my home in Los Angeles, California, 400 miles East to the convention site in Mesa, Arizona???



We have room for up to 3 British and 3 Pathan commanders, so if you will be within reach of Mesa, AZ on Saturday March 19th I invite you to register and put your military genius to work for or against the Raj by pushing some lead,… rolling some dice,… watching the GMs flip some cards… and enjoying the tragedy or triumph that results!

[Mad Guru]

Just did a blog post on my visit to the "DESERT WARS 2022" convention, available here: https://maiwandday.blogspot.com/2022/03/desert-wars-2022-good-stuff.html

The convention seemed like a big success and our game was kind of a triumph.  Everyone involved -- all 6 players, myself and my fellow GM Shawn AKA: CAPT SHANKS here on LAF -- had a great time, and we also won a prize, which was a very cool surprise.  Our game ran about 5-1/2 hrs. and lasted... I think it was 11 turns, before the last remaining British commander conceded to all 3 Pathan players.  For the first 8 or 9 turns it seemed like the British would definitely be victorious, but... out on the Frontier, you never can tell.  In this case, the Pathan C-in-C executed a masterful hidden movement flank march via a contiguous rocky mountain ridge over the course of 4 or 5 turns, restraining the urge to fire on or charge down at various enemy units, until he reached the Hathi Dara -- AKA: Elephant's Paw -- pass, which the British had used to enter the valley.  That's when his hidden unit emerged from hiding and brought the hammer of the Faithful down, blazing away at the Dejarat Mountain Battery, and turning things upside-down for the entire 1st Brigade, Peshawar Field Force.  It was one of the best-executed tabletop tactical maneuvers I've seen over the course of more than four decades of miniature wargaming!

It was a great weekend, and I'm glad I made the 400 mile drive to get there and meet up with CAPT SHANKS, who made a similar length drive West from Texas.  The crazy thing is our convention game in Mesa, Arizona would never have happened if not for LAF, as he and I met here, a little less than a year ago.  Maybe next time we can meet up in person with the other gamers from our campaign on the LAF Colonial board and all enjoy a game together.

Here's some pics of the convention and our LAF-inspired game:

Some day soon I will post a full-blown AAR on the game itself over on the “Never Trust Anyone on the Frontier” thread on the LAF Colonial Adventures board, here:

https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=131610.540

[Umra Khan]

Great scenario Mad Guru and CPT Shanks, you've kept our thread high
NEVER TRUST ANYONE ON THE FRONTIER
Great work brothers !