Small Action - Gunboat Giza Running the Guns (Sudan Campaign)

We fought another small action this time with the Giza running the guns after the 5th cataract in order to get to Berber in time for Major Elder's Assault.  We used the excellent ruleset Boilers and Breechloaders (B&B).  This is the first time I have used any gunboat rules so this was a good learning experience for me.  Thanks to Patrick Wilson who answered some preliminary questions that helped me setup the battle.  I would also like to thank Andrew and Matt for helping me fight the battle.  Andrew took the place of Capt. Owen in this one and Matt ran the Dervish side while I was game master.  

If you remember the Battle for Berber the Giza made it in time to support the assault.  What was left out was how the Giza made it there.  This is the run the Giza made.  I wanted to make it interesting and not using any gunboat rules before I think I got the balance right.  But who says it has to be balanced anyway?  

So in B&B each gun and boat is assigned a number or a card.  And then I used cards as I would a TSAF battle to run through the sequence of moving and firing.  I had some scenario modifiers:  The emplaced Dervish guns had a rate of fire (ROF) of 2.  They also suffered as improvised crewmen but the target was large (Giza 17" long) and they were a small target.  You roll 3D6 to beat a number after the modifiers are added to the To Hit base number for Short, Medium and Long ranges.  I like the way it played.  The Giza came on with a 6pd QF so I left it as stated in the rules to a ROF of 3.  The fact that they are British increases their chances of hitting their target.  You really should get a copy of B&B from TVAG and give them a try,  you will not be disappointed. 

So on to the battle from the Dervish point or View.  The gun emplacements were in perfect locations. The first emplacement of two guns took on the Giza right away and started peppering the gunboat without many jams.  Once the Giza trained her 6 pdr on a target it was usually with devastating effect.  While the Giza suffered many hits including a Bridge hit from this battery, the battery suffered some heavy damage itself.  The Crew of one gun was killed off once and allowed a 2nd improvised crew to take their place after one turn.  The 2nd gun received an ammunition hit and was out for 3 turns.  I allowed them to displace and move the gun to a different vantage point.  The Island battery was pretty much ignored because the Giza gun was trained on more threatening targets like the first battery and then a couple of Dhows coming downriver.  It was pretty exciting to watch this battle unfold.  The Giza increasing speed, taking hits, water spouts from missed shots, the Captain maneuvering in closer to shore to get the Nordenfeldts into action.  Beautiful!  And I can say that a wooden dhow taking any kind of gun hits is going to hurt.  They are Wooden unprotected vessels so suffer 2 points of damage per hit where the Giza, a protected boat was taking only one damage per hit. The biggest one time hit the Giza took was getting rammed but I may or may not have done the rules right.  The Giza suffered 3 ADs damage on the ram.  I will figure these out the more I play them.   

So on to the battle, again I hope you are enjoying the campaign.  The next big land battle will be at Atbara. Our club meetings and upcoming convention has thrown off my scheduling but looking for dates to get that done because it seems that a Omdurman/Khartoum battle is upcoming along with more gunboat battles. I hope to complete the Campaign over the next two months.  

So with all that said here it is.

(Reference Elder at Berber: http://laststanddan.blogspot.com/2014/05/small-action-major-elder-takes-berber.html)

DBN Battle of Abundancia (15mm)

So my French opponent Mr. Matt V. brought over his French for a practice DBN battle.  We came up with 36 points using the minimums as stated in the DBN 2.1 with some minor variations.  If you take a look at my blog you will see a Black Powder battle of the same Abundancia scenario.  For this battle I reduced the size to conform to the the DBN format of a 2 x 4 foot battle area.  This an interesting battle because you really have to think of your force composition in order to attack and take as many objectives to get the 55 points of the 100 available to win.  Both sides start with their main entry and baggage area (10 pts) and a hill (10 pts) that are within the 6" deployment zone.  Then the battle for the main hill, woods and a race to the farm which is worth 25 points.

We each split into three commands and each commander had their own die roll to get their command pips.  The French had their 1812 era "chrome" of a +3 to their attack columns and +1 to all Command rolls.  The British "chrome" is that their light cavalry must pursue and British fire with a +1.

I won the setup roll so was the attacker.  Matt setup his French then I setup my British and moved first.  The battle went 8 turns but we plan a 10 turn battle for a competition battle against our rival club in Colorado Springs.

I will say no more enjoy the battle.

Last Stand Dan

Small Action - Major Elder takes Berber

So the battle for Berber.  Major Elder was sent over the far right of Manley’s column to attack Berber with the support of Lt. Cmdr. Owen commanding the Gunboat Giza.  The campaign is not going too well for our dervish because the entire Euro Force are colliding at these points.  The Gunboats Giza and Cairo are on the hunt commanding the river up to this point.  The Giza was ordered to support the assault at Berber while the Cairo steamed past Berber to get to Atbara.  The Giza’s journey to get here will be told in the next AAR.  So let’s talk about Berber... 

The premise here was that our dervish forces are falling back toward Khartoum.  Berber was going to fall but the Dervish still accumulated the points for one turn which helps the overall campaign cause.  More specifically to this battle was that I thought I had a good defensive force to cope with Elder’s Battalion.  Two Guns and Riflemen behind a zareba making them Class III targets.  I also had two fuzzie rubs in support to counter the British breaking through the zareba or flanking Berber to the east.  That made it 287 points to the British 262 (w/o Giza).  As all TSAF battles you never know what is going to happen.  And using these event cards, well it makes it that much more entertaining.  Well, entertaining for one of us.  Not me this time.  As in all the one on one battles it was scheduled for 8 turns.  That is just about right and it always comes down to the last turn or two.  

The most notable failures on my part were not putting my dervish in the buildings which would have made it tougher for the British.  But at the same time knowing the Giza was steaming up river to join the battle I wanted to start causing some casualties.  Those casualties would effect the next battle.  But to only wound about 3 or 4 Camel Corps for the whole battle was a dismal performance.  My guns kept jamming and I got the “Did you bring the ammunition card” so one of my guns was running out of ammunition.  We did manage to put some holes in the Giza.  Nothing significant but an interesting gun duel.  I am not sure how our Dhows are going to fare against these Gunboats, but we shall see very soon!

So with that, another British report, this time from Major Elder.  

To: Lt. Colonel Manley

SIR, - The detachment of Grenadier Guards and Camel Corps, supported by a 6pdr gun and the sternwheeler Giza has fought a decisive battle at Berber.  On arrival on the outskirts of Berber, the Grenadier Guards and Camel Corps advanced at a steady pace stopping at regular intervals firing volleys into the zareba surrounding Berber.  The Giza commanded by Lt. Cmdr. Owen arrived to provide support in the form of a 6pdr Quick Fire and a Nordenfeldt.  A group of Dervishes mysteriously sortied from Berber parallel to the Grenadier Guards.  It quickly returned to Berber after receiving major casualties.  The 6pdr field gun crew must be commended for their quick movement throughout the battlefield supporting all units.

The final assault had the Grenadier Guards advancing into Berber via the entrance and the Camel Corps breaking through the zareba.  A final charge by the Dervishes towards the Grenadier Guards failed.  Berber was captured with few Dervish escaping.  The Grenadier Guards and the 6pdr field gun sustained no casualties.  The Giza received only light hull damage.  The Camel Corps detachment has four lightly wounded infantry.  Two enemy guns have been captured.

Major E. Elder