Bungwalliland A Misguided African Expedition

[CapnJim]

If that pic is indeed Lady Esmeralda, ,methinks she can take care of herself.

Looking forward to dispatches from their northward trek...   

[Johnny Boy]

Great inspiration for one of my favourite gaming periods, Colonial Imagi-nation. I shall be another following the expedition with interest.

[sir_shvantselot]

Beautifully painted.

[CC2IC]

A Rider on the Road

The Second Bottomly Expedition was up early this morning. The men were pitching the tents, amid the rumble of hammers, rope lines and folding canvas. The voices of the NCO’s worked the men into a frenzy, with the goal of getting them on the road before the rays of the veldt sun could overheat the fur on the yoked ox teams.

The thoroughness and ability of the soldiers to tear down the camp and proceed out on a long day's march in such a positive and fastidious manner brings a joy to this writer's heart. The splendour of the English Colonial Empire marched forth into the raging wilderness of the hostile infidel with the single-minded purpose of a nest of ants, to find and bring home the missing brother of the Bottomly family. Let us not forget the intendedly purposeful mission and absolute dedication of the loving sister of Sir Harry Bottomly, who all will remember is the acting honorary secretary of the Charity Organisation Society led by Helen Bosanquet and Octavia Hill which was founded in London in 1869 and supported the concept of self-help and limited government intervention to deal with the effects of poverty. For the last years he has been performing his duties in absentia. 

It was about mid-day, the slopes of the craggy hills leading to the far-off escarpment providing a beautiful back drop for marching across the heat stroked veldt. The men had finished up a fine little marching tune, a rendition of the British Grenadiers played on the fife and drum no more than a minute or two before a rider came galloping forward out of the swirling heat of the plains. 

It was Major Ripperton and his colour party that trundled out to meet the incoming rider. The Major reigned in not more than a thousand feet from the rider who abruptly stopped and signed to our fearless officer with a bow of the head and reached out his hand with a letter. The Major opened the letter before trotting his stallion to the where the other officers awaited his arrival. The colour party remained with the rider at stiff attention and warded the man.

I was able to catch parts of the conversation amongthe officer corps as I moved to the scene.

“He is obviously a Pashwan tribesman but he brings a letter sealed with the stamp of His Majesty’s Army,” Major Ripperton was telling the officers.

“Well, don’t keep it as a surprise man, what does it say?” Blundered Major General Percival Pinwheel Flunderton, a man as you all know is known for his crisp, to the point, action-oriented stance in many situations.

“It’s from a Lieutenant Arnold Chelmsly Helmsford of the 8th Dragoons. He claims elements of a religious group have invested the Fort at Peni Pal!” Ripperton snorted out.

“Peni Pal, why that’s no more than a goat path surrounded by boulders. Why would anyone want to take that dung heap?” Major Royce Adelbert Connaught, of the Munster Connaught’s informed the lot.

“Likely because we are there,” thundered Flunderton back. “Lady, we must relieve the fort.”

“Oh you chaps, wanting to go off to war so easily, tusk tusk.” The Lady crowed.

“It does hold the top of the pass we are travelling up and basically keeps a watch on that entrance to Bungwalli Province. We our going that way anyway Dame Bottomly.” Flunderton protested.
“Right. Let’s see what is up when we get a foot up the bluff,” replied the Lady.

With those final words the men stopped for a quick lunch of salted meat and hard bread, and of course a rum to forestall their thirst. They would continue the march after all was put in order.

[CapnJim]

Very interesting.  And now, we all wait for news from Peni Pal....

[CC2IC]

Into the Peni Pal Pass 

It was with a hop in their step and a song on their lips that the men and woman of the Second Bottomly Expedition started up the Peni Pal Pass this day. The heat of the veldt dwindled behind them as they moved into the higher climes of the Pass. Lady Esmeralda, as our readers will remember is known for leading British troops into the fight at the battle of Ulundi. Today she was leading her men into the pass, following close on behind the mounts of the scouts and the scouts who advanced at the lead of the column.

Deep in the pass, the ascent is difficult, and the hills are monotonous grey stone. My eyes continually scan the tops of the ridges, looking for what I do not know. But the men say the hills are alive and moving. Surely, they refer to the local tribesmen, but as so far, I have not seen any peoples. 

Major General Percival Pinwheel Flunderton, who you all will remember won the prestigious Top Score of 1869 at the Oxfordshire Shooting Club, told me about the local Pashwan tribes in his own inimitable way.

“You should know, brummm, hmmmm or in the very least let your readers know that the Pashwan, or as we call them Pathans, believe in two things greatly. Meaning their life is reflected on the hills of the highlands by these recalcitrant traits. And I list, Mmmm, Mmmm, Number one, and important to our little colony is that of hospitality which allows us to join with them in their territory. The second is swift revenge, which is where we fall afoul of these peoples. You can imagine that we as Englishmen, being the ham-handed sots we are, can be found sometimes at fault in how we deal with them. Brrrrmm, base, the resulting toxic mix is a volatile situation which is only one mad guru away from being a bing bong. You can imagine.”

I have of course cleaned up the Generals comments, but I believe this is the jist of what he was trying to enunciate.

“Furthermore, brmmm, booo this Chelmsly Helmsford fellow up there at top must have done something to stir up the Pashwan types. I mean you can’t just be a madman and lead a bunch of local types into revolt unless you are given something to latch onto. Mmmmm, what that would be is beyond me and likely really pffft worthy, but enough for them.”

During our march to the top, we could see tribesmen lurking in the hills above us. They 

seemed to march their goats up the ridge and then march them back down again. Surely these fine folks were just making a living by herding their livestock.

It was at this point that a large horned wild ram made an appearance on the crown of a ridge. Major Ripperton, who you will remember is an avid big game hunter and noted avant-garde guard poet, took up his Sharps Model 1874 rifle and charged up the bluff. It didn’t take long for the wild Billy goat to come charging down the near cliff face at the recalcitrant hunter. Ripperton dispatched the beast with one booming shot from his rifle.

“It was a dead easy shot I say, I could have made it in my sleep and now we will have roast mutton for dinner this evening,” Ripperton pointed out with practiced ease as the men trussed the ram to bring it down the hill.

Life on the expedition could not get any more glamorous than this.

[CapnJim]

...Life on the expedition could not get any more glamorous than this.

Yes, well, I suspect it may get a bit less glamorous as events transpire...

[Johnny Boy]

Looks like great fun, can't wait to get my wargames room in a liveable state and do stuff like this.

[CC2IC]

Sorry my posts have slowed down. I am busily painting Afghans, Pulp Thuggee and Dervishes for the battle at Peni Pal. In the Bungwalliland universe the British have brought workers from India to mine King Solomon’s mine. These peoples are of course subject to the rallying of the Mad Guru from Pulp Figures. So these peoples can be worked into a frenzy and encouraged to rebel against the British administration. This is what is occurring at Peni Pal, thus setting up a relief of the garrison scenario. We will be playing this out once I have enough figures painted.
We have also been playtesting the Bungwalliland rules. They are in much better shape then from the last game.
They are a mix of the Rugged Adventure rules, using ten sided dice and the combat system from that rule set. I have mixed it in with our Flint and Feather rules, for activation and Unit creation.
Both systems have been slimmed down so you can play 50-150 figures per side and get a result in a few hours.
We will also be producing a scenario book that will cover the scenarios from the first and second Bottomly expeditions.
I am at the point where I feel comfortable offering these books as a new release KS build.
Stay tuned for the Relief of Peni Pal play through.

[CC2IC]

So here are some pics of the Mad Guru and his henchmen that I have been painting for the Peni Pal scenario. They represent our Thuggee cult which has come to Bungwalliland with miners to work King Solomon's mines for the British government.
These figures are all Pulp Figures from the PBT line.

[Tom Dulski]

Well done.