ORDERS FOR 2nd BRIGADE

We return to HQ Peshawar Division, where CO Major-General Whitsend has decided on orders for his 2nd Brigade and is about to share them with his Political Officer Captain "Teetotaler" Crane and 2nd Brigade CO Brigadier-General "Magpie" McGilligan... 

GENERAL WHITSEND: "Gentlemen, I have reached my decision.  Brigadier McGilligan, you and 2nd Brigade shall top off commissariat and proceed at once to Dargai to support 1st Brigade, and you shall take Hardigan's Royal Horse Artillery battery with you."

BRIGADIER MCGILLIGAN: "Very good, sir!  We'll be ready to march by sun-up."

Captain Crane considers voicing his opposition to this decision... but decides to keep his powder dry, unlike his lips, which he uses to take a long sip of his now rather cold Irish Breakfast tea...

* * * * * 

How was the decision made???

In the 40+ year tradition of TSATF game mechanics a standard card deck was used.  Red and Black JOKERS were added to the deck, which was shuffled, then cut, then the top card was flipped and compared to the following CHART:

RED CARD = 2nd Brigade marches for Dargai

BLACK CARD = 2nd Brigade remains in Peshawar

RED JOKER = En route to Dargai 2nd Brigade UNCOVERS & APPREHENDS Sarban Khan's Peshawar SPY(!!!)

BLACK JOKER = While remaining in Peshawar, members of 2nd Brigade CONTRACT CHOLERA, which may then spread throughout the regt. & rest of garrison (!!!)

So reinforcements are headed to Dargai, or rather, the charred remnants of that village at the foot of the Malakand Pass, burned in punitive retribution for the vile effrontery of a mockery of a sham (AKA: crimes against humanity) committed by Sardar Gul Akbar in the vicinity of Serai.