Action At Malakand

23^rd July, 1890

We pick up the action right where it left off, with Detachment Bhisti Dirka Grim of the Yorks & Lancs having alerted the nearby 9th Gurkhas to the presence of survivors from the fall of Chakdara Outpost on the far side of the Malakand Pass...

TURN 1

Sgt. Crood (Regt. No. 201) & his 4 survivors move towards the Pass, Dirka Grim rejoining them en route…

9th Gurkhas advance through the Pass to secure the route for the returning Yorks & Lancs...

Suddenly Sgt. Crood & Co. are CHARGED from the rear by a clan of sword-&-shield-armed Ghazis (20 figs) who were hiding in the rocks at the North end of the Pass…

 

At the start of the FIRE PHASE a BLACK CARD is drawn and a clan of Pathan Tribesmen (20 figs, 10 w/rifles) pop out of hiding in the scrub-brush along the South bank of the Swat River and FIRE at them from across the river…

The 10 Pathan rifles inflict 1 WIA on their Class II “Open Order” targets...

The 4 remaining British rifles fire back at their Class III “Rough Terrain” targets and also inflict 1 WIA...

The Gurkhas atop Malakand Pass pepper the charging Ghazis with FIRE, scoring 1 WIA + 1 KIA (total 2 casualties)...

MELEE PHASE:

The Ghazis roll to “Close Into Combat” & pass their morale check...

The Brits roll to “Stand & Fight” & also pass...

Melee is joined…

Ghazis suffer 2 WIA, 1 KIA (running total 5 casualties)

Brits suffer 2 WIA, 1 KIA, 3 Fall Backs - incl. Sgt. Crood + Dirka Grim (running total 4 casualties)

British LOSE the melee and retreat 6”...

Ghazis WIN the melee and occupy enemy’s former position...

 

TURN 2

 

RED MOVEMENT CARD is flipped first...

Gurkhas atop Malakand Pass CHARGE down at the Ghazis.  Gurkhas roll 4 movement dice...

 

Their 19” result allows 12 of them to reach the Ghazis & potentially engage them in melee...

Ghazis attempt to countercharge -- in order to do so they must first pass Critical Morale check -- as per the Holy Text (aka: TSATF) low morale die-rolls are good, but the Ghazis roll 12 on 2 x D6...

A MISERABLE FAIL that forces them to remain in place...

Pathans across the river fire at the Gurkhas as they charge thru the pass down at the Ghazis and score 2 HITS: 2 x WIA...

MELEE PHASE:

 

Gurkhas get +1 modifier for higher ground.

Charging Gurkhas & Charging Ghazis both get “win ties” -- these modifiers cancel each other out so ties will simply be re-rolled.

 

The Ghazi Leader focuses on the Gurkha Officer, hoping to set a victorious tone from the start -- but rolls a "1" and is left KIA by the Gurkha Officer.

The Gurkhas carve up the Ghazis and WIN the melee, suffering 1 WIA, 1 KIA (running total 4 casualties), while the Ghazis LOSE, suffering 4 WIA, 6 KIA, (running total of 15 casualties). 

The 5 surviving Ghazis who "Fell Back" from the lost melee now ROUTE 6"…

TURN 3:

 

British RED MOVEMENT CARD flipped first, GURKHAS move to take up a firing position on the routing Ghazis who are headed for cover in the rocky rough terrain…

 

Routing GHAZIS move 16” into the rocky ROUGH TERRAIN (In the One True Text AKA: TSATF,  Native forces suffer no movement penalty in Rough Terrain).

GURKHAS fire at routing Ghazis – land 5 hits on 1-4 CLASS III Rough Terrain targets, 2 WIA, 3 KIA, wiping out remaining Ghazis (final total 20 casualties)...

TURN 4

Gurkhas move to take a firing position on the Pathan Tribesmen across the river, while the Pathans remain in place in the scrub-brush Rough Terrain...

FIRE PHASE:

 

RED card drawn first (on this day the cards seemed to favor the Farangis)...

Gurkhas FIRE on Pathans, score 1 x Rifleman WIA; 3 x Swordsmen WIA...

Remaining 8 Pathan Rifles FIRE back at the Gurkhas: score 2 x hits - Gurkha LDR WIA, 1 x Gurkha rifleman WIA (running total 6 casualties)...

TURN 5

 

BLACK Pathan movement card flipped first (FINALLY the Baraka swings to the Faithful) -- the Pathan Leader decides discretion is the better part of valor and his unit DISAPPEAR INTO THE SCRUB-BRUSH & move off the table, ending the fight...

CASUALTIES: 

 

Chakdara Garrison (6 figs to start): 1 KIA + 2 WIA = 3 CASUALTIES

9th Gurkhas (20 figs to start): 1 KIA + 5 WIA (including Officer) = 6 CASUALTIES

 

Ghazis (20 figs to start): 9 WIA + 11 KIA = 20 CASUALTIES

 

Pathan Tribesmen: (20 figs to start): 5 WIA = 5 CASUALTIES

TOTAL BRITISH CASUALTIES =  9

TOTAL PATHAN CASUALTIES = 25

 

After the Pathan withdrawal, the Gurkhas stand fast as Sgt. Crood, Dirka Grim & Co. head over the Pass...

At the crest of the Malakand Pass it's not just the village of Dargai visible below, but also the newly-erected cantonments of 1st Brigade Peshawar Field Force, which somewhat takes what's left of their breath away...

On the last stretch of road they are met by a small detachment of 23^rd Sikh Pioneers, Dhoolies for the wounded, and a Troop of 12^thBengal Cavalry who escort them down the road to the recently-erected Cantonments of 1^stBrigade, Peshawar Field Force...

All of this is keenly watched -- not only by the Officer & NCO of 92nd Gordon Highlancers standing watch atop one of the Guard Towers...

But also by a sharp pair of eyes beneath a familiar BLUE TURBAN.

None other than MAYANK JAN, "True Son  & Loyal Devotee of Sarban Khan the Light of the Yusufzais, Defender of the Faithful, Enemy of Infidels" -- who apparently decamped from the walled city & followed in the wake of 1st Brigade, Peshawar Field Force...