Tel El Kebiresque Battle

This weekend it's the turn of the colonial forces to get a game. Another Portable Wargame scenario that Bob has posted (see HERE) is the Battle of Tel El Kebir. This looked like a nice game for my Imagination forces. In the real battle there is a canal defining one side of the battlefield; in this game there is a large river (not shown). 

The new king of Uqbalistan has made another incursion into Albionian Uqbal. The last time he did this, his force suffered defeat (see HERE). Will he be more successful this time? 

The Uqbali force sent into Albionian territory was small. Its Commanding Officer, an experienced soldier, knew he was going to face a strong retaliation from the enemy so ordered his men to build earthwork defences at the first settlement they found, and await the inevitable onslaught.

General Carbuncle Wolsley-Hornet (Albionian Commanding Officer) has recently arrived from Indra with some of his own personnel guard. Taking immediate command of a force of Albionia's large military presence, that includes elite infantry from the Hibernian and Caledonian regiments, the General has marched through the night. Arriving in column just before dawn, the Albionians form ranks and move towards the Uqbali defences.

(Game mechanic - The Uqbal side was to throw a dice each turn for the first 3 turns to determine whether or not the oncoming enemy were spotted as it was still dark - a 6 was required on turn 1, 5 or 6 on turn 2 and 4,5 or 6 on turn 3.)

Turn 1

Turn 4 and the defenders finally realise they are under attack

Wolsley-Hornet encourages his men to get stuck in with a bayonet

Turn 9 and the defenders reach Exhaustion point

The Uqbali guns are over-run

The end is near but the defenders bravely fight on 

The Uqbali General surrenders to save what's left of his men

Outnumbered and out classed, the defence was in doubt from the start (and the attackers didn't even have the machine gun called for in the Order of Battle), though the earthworks helped the Uqbali Army keep fighting until Turn 14 when it seemed only kind to stop.

The Battle for Two Hills Farm

Back in February of this year, Bob posted a scenario for The Portable Wargame (see HERE) that I've played a couple of times, though not reported. Here's another attempt.

A quick apology for being absent without comments; I have been reading many splendid blog posts but have been suffering from 2021 and found it hard to get my words together!

 In my game Army Grey is led by General Moturez and Army Blue by General Fiasco. Otherwise the Order of Battle is as Bob describes. The Elite unit on each side is marked with a token (Tiddlywink). I surmised that both sides would sent their cavalry on first to scout ahead - after that a unit arrives on each turn 2-6 in a random order.

The Battlefield

Blue and Grey Horse spot each other 

Both forces are arriving and the battle is underway

Grey holds the objective. General Fiasco leads the Elite Blue Guard South looking to punch through the enemy line at its furthest point

Disaster!! General Fiasco falls and Army Blue reaches Exhaustion Point

Two turns later, and Grey has also reached EP but still holds the objective.

This is a well balanced scenario that could swing either way and would make a nice starting point to a Mini-Campaign.