Heliograph Kopje an object lesson in over-weaning ambition.

[Danger]

In my first ever attempt at employing the IHMN I decided on a fairly simple scenario revolving around attempts by Prussia and Britain to extract an eminent professor currently searching for diamond bearing rocks in the Heliograph Kopje area which lay in a neutral zone. . Both sides wanted to 'persuade' him....in the name of science of course... to centre his research in THEIR area of control. Local tribes were known to be developing a dislike for the Su-za-la-hin-bi ( roughly translated as 'elderly white haired oik who scratches the earth' ) So the  European powers decided to 'rescue' him. Each sent a fighting patrol of 12 askaris commanded by a European Captain , Ensign and a Sergeant. The Prussians to enter on the North East  or North West side of the board, The British from either the South East or South West ( dice to decide) . On the Kopje Professor Dewsbury with his assistant, Stanton, his Manservant, Lady Davinia Morgan (Ward of the financial backer of the expedition}, her maid Mildred, 2 Great White Hunter chappies, and 3 camp guards were carrying on as normal. 4 warbands of indignant locals were also in the area, the time of their appearance ( if at all ) and entry location to be decided randomly. 

The European forces were very lucky. Unaware of the others presence they both arrived at the Kopje somewhat breathlessly as they strove to warn the Professor of teh imminent arrival of a warband nearing the camp. The Prussians aware of one to the North West and the British aware of one to the East, They manged to form defensive lines just as the Eastern Warband ( who had spotted the Prussians and had avoided them,) started racing up the difficult Terrain to be fired upon by the GWHs and an askari ( who had been out hunting leopard ) assisted by Feldwebel Sprung and a Prussian askari who had been sent to warn the hunters of the impending attack.  and the redoubtable Sgt Borrage ( no less) and 6 of the British askaris.  The tribesmen bravely charged the guns, bayonets and good drill  ( not to mention amazingly lucky dice for the Europeans) Resulted in 30%+ casualties for the tribesmen and the decided to head off home and think about what to do next. The Europeans, somewhat shaken by having faced nearly twice their number, and neither of them having an advantage over the other... and not wanting to see any more spears in the near future, persuaded the Professor to leave and he accepted their escort but insisted on heading for a neutral port.

Lessons learnt. Make sure you have prepared the paperwork you need, The numbers involved were way to big.Do not try and run before you can walk. Learn the basics THEN get ambitious, So... although I made mistakes all over the place in confusing SV with FV at moments of high Drama, I did have a jolly good time.

[Craig]

I did have a jolly good time.

Which, when all is said and done, is the objective 

Sounds like a fascinating encounter. Were the natives controlled by a player or working to a simple set of AI type rules?

[Danger]

A simple  AI. The warbands were charged with the task of clearing the expedition off the kopje either singly (huge kudos) or in concert with others (less kudos but still being a 'good sort' and 'one of the boys'. ) Although the natives were repulsed with heavy casualties, strategically they won, as the expedition left and neither of the military contingents achieved their goal. Decisions determined by dice roll