Rorke's Drift: a difficult relief
Jul 9, 2022 8:00:00 GMT
ahumahum, contributionreposter, and 1 more like this
Post by paintdog on Jul 9, 2022 8:00:00 GMT
Our annual Show has returned after the Covid years. For the two days of wargaming, we decided on a Rorke's Drift 'what-if?' So we dusted off the Hat (& other figures), assembled some terrain and got down to it.
What if the entire Zulu army had crossed the river into Natal and challenged the relief columns sent to succour Rorke's Drift?
The table had a static Rorke's Drift up one end and 3 relief columns opposite. Each column was commanded by one of my pals, operating as a vainglorious medal-hunter, a staid old regular & and a sour Boer. Each had the goal of reaching Rorke's Drift but each had contrasting & even conflicting attitudes to each other.
Burger's Boers:
McBrasch's column:
Bogey's boys:
We had 690 Zulus representing the 20, 000 strong Zulu army. Most started off table, arriving after a successful dice roll:
Poor rolling meant they were slow to arrive or turned up in the wrong spot:
The game had the usual twists of fate, acerbated by the British & Colonial rivalries.
The day ended with the 17th Lancers from McBrasch's column winning through (yes, I know the 17th were still in England).
Tomorrow, we run the game again. I have some cunning ideas for the Zulus so maybe a different result.
donald
