Sudan Games in 30mm & 54mm

[Mike Blake]

Some photos of the four games we played based on the scenarios from Thud & Blunder, a set of campaign rules for Black Powder, are at
http://s654.photobucket.com/user/MikeBlake/library/Black%20Powder%20Sudan%20Wargames%20in%2030mm

and
 
http://s654.photobucket.com/user/MikeBlake/library/Black%20Powder%20and%20TODD%20Sudan%20Wargames
 
The first 2 game  were with 30mm figures not used for 30 years of more, and it was a delight to see such old friends in action again.





The other two were 54mm, a chase game with a small patrol of British Lancers and Hussars being chased and indeed surrounded by Mahadists, using our TODD rules. The finale was the classic of a British square attacked by a larger Mahdist force, using Black Powder.

All played well, almost as if scripted to go the way they didway.
 
The chase featured a single  handed charge by Trooper Bell into a wadi full of Fuzzy-wuzzies which saved the rest of the patrol and earned him a VC. The attack on the square saw the Ansar actually push the defenders (Black Watch and RMLI) back in two places, over run the guns and get into the square, but lack the forces to follow up the advantage allowing the Scots Guards to plug the gap on one side and the RMLI to rally on the other.
 
Some tasters:
 

 

 

[Arundel]

I'm another lover of the big scale. While I haven't written off the smaller figures entirely, they always seem to be missing something when compared to their larger brethren. Your games look incredible (the 30's do as well). Really, eye candy doesn't get better than those. Can't thank you enough for sharing.

I asked this on TMP also: I'm curious how you handle a game with a large square like you show in some of the photos. Do you track incoming bands of hostiles? Just curious.

[Mike Blake]

Thanks for the kind words.

Arundal, not sure quite what you mean by 'tracking' units attacking the square? Turns are alternate in BP, and there is a potential for a 3 move turn - giving the Navites the chance to reach a square before the Imperialists can stop them. If they dont get enough movement they are stuck there taking a withering fire on the next turn and will probably fall back or even break.

54mm does make for a good looking game, and Colonial has to be one of the best represented periods in the scale. and it is really all thanks to Armies In Plastic (https://www.armiesinplastic.com). Their fantastic Colonial 54mm range provided the vast majority of the figures, infantry, cavalry and artillery! Until they came along the Sudan in 54mm was a pipe dream.

[Arundel]

Hi Mike,

Sorry if I was unclear. I was curious how native formations approaching the square were handled with the relatively small amount of space around the square, so you actually answered my question. You're quite right, Mahdists and other native forces did have the ability to appear as if by magic; reminds me of Abu Klea and Tofrek! Thanks again,  Daryl

[Mike Blake]

Daryl

Got it. Yes, the narrow edges would seem to give the square too great an advantage but we would allow the attackers moves to take them around onto that side too. This stops the British moving units to expose gaps, though they did risk it on one side with the HLI, who came out in order to fire on some Mahdists. Had we (the Mahdists) had another unit we could have tried going for the gap.

It was a great game, with it all in the balance untill the final rounds of melee. If Madhists had passed done just a little better in the melees (our dice were terrible) and the British just a little worse...it would have been a clear Mahdist victory.

[James Morris]

Super shots of proper toy soldiers in action!  Thank you.  I know I will paint more 54mms one day...

[Stu]

Ahhh... the one true scale, l feel inspired to dig mine out for a game today 

[Mike Blake]

Thanks chaps, glad you enjoyed them.

[Deedles]

Excellent stuff

[Mike Blake]

Tx Deedles. It was a lot of fun.

The 'setting' for all the games was a set of campaign rules for Black Powder called Thud & Blunder which are  a hoot to read and have some cracking scenarios for games. We played them with different size figures and at different levels ie true 1:1 skirmish and larger skirmish too.