Relief of Wadi Zoum-Zoum - 2nd Play Test

I conducted the 2nd and final play test of my Bayou Wars convention game on Saturday, May 15.  I had made a few troop changes and included some supply objectives for the attacking native forces to destroy.  Here are some pictures of the game, which ended in a significant Imperial victory even though all of the Egyptian cavalry, one Egyptian infantry platoon, and one Egyptian gun were destroyed.

Please click on the pictures for a larger version.

An overview of the battlefield with the zariba and supply base on the center right and the Baja, Dervish, and Arab forces arrayed around it from center left through upper right.

The initial advance of the Dervish and Beja warriors against the zariba.  In the background, the two Arab clans also advance.

The initial attack by Dervish (on left) and Arab (center) warriors against the zariba.

The Dervish warriors attack the zariba and, in the background, the Arabs prepare to assault the gate area.  In the foreground, a unit of Beja warriors await their turn to make an assault.

The Egyptian platoon has fled from the gate area after taking heavy casualties.  A gun lies abandoned while its gunners man another gun in the artillery emplacement to the left of the gate.  Arab  warriors stand ready to attack the abandoned gate.

A view of the riverine relief force as it prepares to turn into the landing and disembark its Royal Marines and Naval infantry.  Some of the Beja and Dervish warriors got a little to close to the water's edge and were punished severely by the Gatling and Nordenfeldt machineguns on the gunboat and the steam launches.

A unit of Arabs has penetrated through the gate, followed by a second unit which is trying to attack the rear of the Sudanese defenders.  In the background, the lead transport turns into the landing to disembark its infantry.  You can also note that the Dervish and Beja units in the previous picture have been sent fleeing.

A slightly different view of the Arab penetration of the zariba gate.  The Sudanese have successfully turned to face their attackers and will repulse them after some hard fighting.  To the far left, the remnants of the Egyptian platoon have been rallied by the garrison sergeant major and are forming to engage the lead Arab unit.

While all the fighting is going on around the zariba, the Egyptian cavalry arrives on the battlefield.  Although the Egyptian lancer troop was destroyed by the fire of the Dervish guns, the mercenary Baluchis and Bashi-Bazouks are attempting to avenge their comrades and overrun the guns.  The Baluchis will get right up to the muzzle of one of the guns before they are blown from their saddles by the unusually accurate fire of the pressed gunners.  The Bashis also will not be able to stand the severe pounding and will withdraw.

Captain Harrington, the commander of the riverine force, gazes into the fighting within the zariba as his gunners search for lucrative targets.

For the actual convention game, I will adjust the native deployment, simplify the boats movement and turning characteristics, and make a few other minor adjustments.  The game will be a race between the natives trying to break into the zariba and destroy the defenders and supplies and the riverine force trying to get their Royal Marines, Naval infantry, and Gatling guns landed to come to the rescue.  It should be a fun game that will go right down to the wire.