Episode Four: "Clear the Pass!" A Mr. Babbage Adventure

Mr. Amir Saiad Akbar Babbage

Recap: Well sometimes we pull Defeat out the jaws of Victory - at least that is what happened at the end of Turn 5 with the brave Highlanders of the Gordons were reduced to just their command element (okay, only the officer survived). But with a Leadership of Brave, they are not going to give up! The Subedar Major of the 20th Punjabis, though isolated, has fought a great action in the rear of the British Column. And let's not forget the Bengal Lancers, even though the leader has the Leadership Trait of "Unlucky" (increases his chances of being a casualty) the lancers have been putting out one fire after another. But Mr. Amir Saiad Akbar Babbage and his tribesmen are far from defeated.

The situation does not look good. Tribesmen everywhere, the Gordons have been virtually wiped out, and the 20th Punjabis are isolated though in Close Order.

In the finest traditions of Hollywood, the 10th Bengal Lancers charge the Tribesmen who happen to be caught out in the open.

"Run Away!" In addition they are pinned.

And the lancers continue to follow up . . .

. . . putting a world of hurt, and another pin marker on the enemy.

"Volley Fire!"

The Volley Fire proves effective against the shooters in hard cover.

Now the Gordons. The Leader (Bless his heart) has the Leadership of Brave which allows the unit (of one figure!) two remove a pin marker for free.

And our officer in kilt decides to get the heck out of there and get closer to the 1st Madras Sappers (which conveniently decide not to move).

And now what will the Tribesmen do?

"We are out of here!"

The shooters on the high ground must also attempt to rally. Keeping Mr. Babbages' tribesmen pinned takes away their flexibility since they must attempt to rally.

And they successfully rally.

The tribesmen on the left flank that had overrun the Gordons Goes to Ground. I use moveable "rough terrain and rocks" to show when a unit goes to ground.

"Hmmm . . . even thought they have gone to ground and are hard to see, they are still within Short Range our our modern rifles allowing us to target and fire at them.

"Okay we missed - where the heck did that other group come from!!!"

"Oh bloody crayola."

"All right men, you know the drill: Volley Fire!!!'

That's what I'm talking about.

And the tribesmen with the Red Flag do nothing (whew!).

The shooters with the Black Flag also go to ground . . .

. . . while the last shooter holding up the 20th Punjabis also goes to ground.

Could this be mission success?

Next: No. It's not mission success . . .

 

Favorite Units I Painted in 2023

 Well this should be easy to list and I will do it in chronological order as I had an abbreviated plan this year due to Operat Big Move.

1. Second unit of Pashtun Shooters using Perry Miniatures Hard plastics mounted for The Men Who Would be Kings.

2. Third unit of Pashtun/Afghan Tribal Infantry (The 3rd (The Mad Mullah's Own) Afridi Musketeers) using Perry Miniatures Hard Plastics mounted for The Men Who Would be Kings.

3. The 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders using metal Perry Miniatures mounted for The Men Who Would be Kings (are we seeing a pattern here?).

4. Hard plastic Necrons from Games Workshop.

5. My second unit of Tribal Infantry (the up close and personal guys) using Perry Miniatures Hard Plastics mounted for The Men Who Would be Kings.

I have purchased most of the figures that I am going to paint in 2024 so get ready for the plan sometime after New Years!

Afghan Tribal Force Update #14: Pashtun Tribal Unit #2 is Ready for Action

Sometimes to have to look back (humbly) and look at what you have created. With Tribal Unit #2 completed using Perry hard plastic infantry, my "core" force of Pashtun/Afghan tribesmen are ready for the Northwest Frontier using (of course!) the Hollywood style of gaming using The Men Who Would be Kings.

I started the army in early 2022 and it is great to see the fruits of my efforts ready for battle in 2024. I will eventually add some other Afghan forces, both tribal and Afghan Regular Army, but I think this will do nicely for now.

Afghan Tribal Force Update #13c: The Second half of Pashtun Tribal Unit #2

(Trumpet fanfare in the background . . . or should it be tribal drums?) The last 8 figures of my Pashtun/Afghan field force is complete. There will be some additions in the future but now I have enough units to start the Northwest Frontier uprising of 1897 - 1898 using The Men Who Would be Kings. Expect some serious action in 2024.

As the Indian Army forces start to withdraw, the tribesmen are quick to pursue from the high ground.

I'm a big fan of the "3", "2", "1", mounting of figures for Tribal and Irregular units - though I must admit I have done it with some Regular Cavalry and Infantry. I like the ability to only move them quicker but to build mini - vignettes. The Perry Miniatures hard plastic Afghan Tribesmen are perfect for this.

I'm really proud of the drummer I did this time. It really compliments the animation of the other figures and shows what is possible with the box of hard plastics from the Perrys'.

Yep - you guessed it. This is the base with two figures mounted and do they look ready to deal with infidels - or their own cousins!

There are lots of extra scabbards, shields, jezails, etc. to give some pizzaz.

And now the single figures. Beware the old man in a young man's profession.

I did not realize until I started basing that the shield had slipped down when I glued it on the figure. Instead of redoing and repainting I just decided to leave it where it is.

As mentioned in the Princess Bride, beware the man in black.

The classic Pashtun/Afghan tribal warrior in mostly white armed with tulwar and shield.

One last look as they move to rendezvous with the rest of the tribal gathering.