IHMN Into the Desert or The Case of the Urchin

IHMN Into the Desert or The Case of the Urchin

The companies used were as follows. Please note that I believe in keeping armour low and only having a 2 characters per side with low pluck. Everyone should have a chance at killing everyone else and we all love an underdog. Players always cheer heartily when a lowly askari or bandit can rise to greatness through shrugging off attacks or felling a hero.

On the evening in question one of our usual players sickened with plague so the Cult did not enter the fray.

17 The Case of the Urchin’s Arse

Professor Hardwig’s Archaeological Dig
Name	FV	SV	Speed	Pluck	Talents	Equipment
Hardwig	+2	+2		4+		Sword, Pistol
O’Connell	+4	+2	+2	3+	Martial Arts, Tough, Duellist	Pistols, Combat Knife, Lined Coat
Old Tom	+2	+2		4+	Numb (Age)	Carbine, Combat Knife, Lined Coat
Timbo	+1	+2	+1	4+	Bayonet Drill	Military Rifle, Bayonet
8 Askari	+1	+2		5+		Carbine, Knife
The role of the Dig Team is to secure crates by dragging them to safety and keeping Hardwig alive. +2 VP per crate secured AND +5 VP if Hardwig survives. May not shoot Klinck, Dias or the porters.

Desert Bandits 1
Name	FV	SV	Speed	Pluck	Talents	Equipment
Tippu Tib	+4	+1	+2	3+	Tough	Sabre, Blunderbuss, Lined Coat
Kibonge	+3	+1	+1	4+	Terrifying, Fanatic	Halberd, Combat Knife, Pistol
8 Bandits	+2	+2		5+		Rifle, Sabre, Combat Knife
Klinck	+2	-	-	4+	May only defend.	Camera
2 Porters	+1	-	+2	5+
The role of the Bandits is to shoot Dig and Expeditionary forces. +1 VP per kill. +5 VP for Hardwig or Savage. (On the evening I removed the VP's for Savage's survival.)  Additionally to capture photographs of British forces fighting Bandits. +5 VP per photo from table.

Desert Bandits 2
Name	FV	SV	Speed	Pluck	Talents	Equipment
Rabeh Zubair	+3	+2	+1	3+	Tough, Fanatic	Two Handed Sabre, Pistol, Knife, Lined Coat
Al Hurun	+3	+1	+1	4+	Tough, Numb	Sabre, Buckler, Lined Coat, Pistol, Knife
8 Bandits	+2	+2		5+		Rifle, Sabre, Combat Knife
Dias	+2	-		4+	May only defend.	Camera
2 Porters	+1	-	+2	5+
The role of the Bandits is to shoot Dig and Expeditionary forces. +1 VP per kill. +5 VP for Hardwig or Savage. Additionally to capture photographs of British forces fighting Bandits. +5 VP per photo from table.

	Scotland Yard
Name	FV	SV	Speed	Pluck	Talents	Equipment
The Detective	+4	+1	+2	3+	Erudite Wit, Duelist	Sabre, Pistol, Lined Coat
His Chum	+2	+2	+1	4+	Bayonet Drill, Medic	Military Rifle, Lined Coat, Pistol, Bayonet
Officers (4)	+2	+1		4+		Lined Coat, Pistol, Baton
Officers (4)	+1	+2		4+		Lined Coat, Baton, Military Rifle
NB: No member of the Yard may shoot at any Desert Bandit. The role of the guard is to render unconscious to Expeditionary force. +1 VP per man. The Detective and his Chum may engage Klinck, Dias or the porters in hand to hand only. At this close range their disguises are revealed. +5 VP for Klinck or Dias or +1 per porter (+2 if has photo.) Deploys in Turn 2 via the Tunneller. May not surface within 6” of ruins (the Detective won’t do it.)

British Egyptian Expeditionary Force
Name	FV	SV	Speed	Pluck	Talents	Equipment
Savage	+3	+2	+1	3+	Inspirational, Numb	Lined Coat, Pistol, Knife, Sabre
Lacoste	+2	+2		4+	Fanatic
Boy	+1	+0	+2	5+	Numb	A Decanter
10 Askari	+1	+2		5+		Rifle, Knife
The role of the Force is to protect Professor Hardwig at all costs and shoot as many Bandits as feasible. Need to keep Savage alive - + 5 VP. (MINUS) -1 VP per bandit shot. May not shoot Klinck, Dias or the porters.

The Cult of Akhenaten
Name	FV	SV	Speed	Pluck	Talents	Equipment
Abir	+1	+1	+1	3+	Intuitive	Lined Coat, Pistol Ray of Ra (Spitfire) + Water Bullets
Sairah	+3	+3	+2	4+	Fanatic, Stealthy	Combat Knives + Throwing Knives (Poison)
4 Nubian Guardsmen	+3	+1		4+	Fanatic	Lined Coat, Scimitar, Muzzle Loading Rifle
5 Cultists	+1	+1		5+		Club or Pistol (see model)
Mummified Priest	+3	-	-	3+	Hands are clubs.	Wrappings (lined coat), Harden spell.
The role of the cult is to kill everyone. Can’t win – just here to wreck stuff. Cultists may deploy in Turn 2 within 3” of any sphinx on the table.

Last Tues evening saw a 5 player game of IHMN occur. Please read the written precursor to the game in the previous post as to what it was all about. We modify the rules slightly by moving two figures at a time per player to speed things up with so many and also by moving clockwise about the table from the person that rolled the highest initiative. 

The table was set out with rocky hills, scattered stands of palms, a hamlet and many Egyptian ruins. I really like the look of my desert terrain and one of the reasons I designed this scenario was to use it all once more. The companies were all designed by me. I tried to be reasonably fair - but rarely do I use the point system.I like armies that are dominated by "poor" troops - Pluck 5 was average. 

The Hardwig archaeologist expedition. They were vulnerable in the centre of the table but had good cover. The red counters represent boxes of treasure to be dragged off the table. 

The British Egyptian colonial force. They took to the table quickly eager to find and secure the Hardwig expedition and eradicate any threats. 

The Bandits of Rabeh Zubair deployed from the flank. Dias is shown here with two porters. His aim was to take pictures of the British aggressively attacking. We treated the photography as a missile attack needed 7+. 

The men of Scotland Yard arrived in a dramatic fashion and in disguise. 

Here are the bobbies of the Yard in mufti. Once combat was joined their wigs would fall off and their poor burnt cork blackening would be revealed. 

Other bandits crept between the ruins eager to set up a firing position to snipe the British. 

These bandits quickly engaged. The British proved only too willing attempting to overwhelm this attack with their superior numbers. 

The bandits relied on the Arabic superhero - Al Hurun - whose cutlass whirled about him cutting soldiers down. 

Dias tried again and again for a picture. 

The other Belgian agent - Klinck - approached with his camera and porters too. These swift natives were ready to run once an incriminating negative was secured. 

Here too, alas, a photo was not forthcoming. 

The Yard were now revealed and pounced on the British forces, not to kill but to subdue. This would prevent an international incident. 

Major Savage, British commander was beset by the Consulting Detective and Watson. His men fell quickly but his servant, Boy, held on with grit and determination. 

The Bandit leader, Kibonge, wielded his spear with deadly effect. 

Al Hurun continued to swing his sabre but was beginning to tire. Savage repeatedly threw men toward the Arabic superhero. 

Hardwig's men seemed paralysed for much of the game until a sudden burst of enthusiasm drove them from behind the hill they cowered behind. By this time the Bandit leader, Rabeh Zubair, has charged recklessly and did battle with a lone askari - who somehow managed to fend of the blows of his enormous curved blade. 

In a display of insurmountable courage - Boy (who has just smashed his only weapon - a decanter of scotch - over Watson's head without effect) - then used his drinks tray in a improvised fashion. He struck down Dr Watson to the delight of his master - Savage. (And resounding cheers from all players!) 

Bandits battled askari. The hero - O'Connell - proved a dangerous opponent once more with both pistols and fists. 

Dias lined up yet another attempted photo. 

Battle raged across the table as four companies engaged in bitter melee. 

At last! Dias secured a picture. But two of the Yard's finest were in pursuit. 

O'Connell safeguards the Egyptian artefacts but none are securely taken from the table. 

The posthumous hero of the hour - Boy. For his fortitude and exceptional bravery his was awarded the highest accolade for a man of colour - the Tin Watermelon. (I can't remember who won our other player award for best in game heroics - the Iron Turban. This can only be won by a figure with poor pluck, few weapons and no skills.) 

Dias urges on his porter to run for the table edge with the precious negative plate. The next game would see the British trying to secure this before it leaves the Dark continent. 

No doubt the men of the Yard will be playing a key role. Although Watson will have a ringing headache and a large indent in his forehead from a silver drinks platter. 

Maurice Wargame 15mm

Just a couple of snaps of my beloved Austrians performing an enormous flank attack on my good friend Ian's Russians in Maurice. I had so many flankers I got in a bit of a muddle before ironing out my lines and pouring fire on from front and flank and launching cavalry around the rear. Huzzah!

IHMN To the Desert Once More

The following blurb I wrote for what I envisage to be a two or three part IHMN adventure series set in the desert of Libya. My motives were twofold: one to use my much beloved Egyptian ruin terrain and two to seek a positive way forward from the wargaming funk that has currently engulfed me. I am quite pleased with the plot and most of the writing but - as I am oft quoted as saying - it is not my best work. Rarely does one have time for one's absolute best.

“Zounds!” bellowed Col. Radcliffe. “That’s twice this week.”

“But, sir,” stammered Major Winterbottom apologetically, “it’s happened again.”

“That’s exactly my point you gutter snipe! Interrupting my 10 am snifter once is unforgiveable enough … but twice!? Fetch my rattan.”

“Surely sir you understand the import of the scenario? It’s the second time this week that an urchin has been found on the docks rectally impaled by a 4^th Dynasty ushabti. It must mean something?”

“The club has gone to hell is what it means to me. Once if you hadn’t played in the firsts, conquered a kingdom, discovered a continent or been rogered by a duke you weren’t allow to darken the portal of this hallowed ground. Now every snide and lowly pleb can seemingly glide in.”

“But Colonel, my family owns most of Devon.” Winterbottom tried feebly to defend himself.

The Colonel’s eyes glinted as a raptor may once have eyed its prey. “Barbarian.”

But another sat in the Privvy chamber who had not missed the import of the intelligence, even though he appeared to be the least observant. The man, who lounged in a fireside chair, had heard everything although he appeared asleep. In fact, his sleep, gentle snore, hair, moustache, garments and, if he had arisen, even his peculiar amble were but affectations – for this man was none other than the Consulting Detective.

It was but pure serendipity that had led him to overhear the fate of the urchin - that and his yearning for spotted dick (for he admired the portion offered here better than any in London) – but this happy chance unlocked a hidden cornucopia to the Detective.

For days he had been tracking misplaced crates of British rifles and ammunition. The path led to the Canary Wharf docks and here intersected with cargo vessels bound to Libya. But until the violated urchin, the links were obtuse. Only one man in the world had the yen for such an assault – the vile confederate of Leopold – the miscreant King of Belgian – Professor Kuntz.

And Kuntz’s involvement now made the jigsaw fall into place. To smear the Empire of Victoria, Kuntz intended to paint Britain as the aggressors in Northern Africa – just as Leopold had been so accused in the Congo. The archaeologist, Hardwig, would be daubed as an agent, using precious artefacts to fund the plot. British rifles would be smuggled to Libyan bandits who would be unable resist the target of a lone European archaeological expedition in their territory. In response the British colonial forces would leap to their defence and Kuntz would have all he needed to show the world Britain had invaded the sovereign nation of Libya.

The Detective had no time to spare. He sprang from the chair, hurrying for the door, his mind awhirl with travel calculations and steps necessary to avoid an international goosing. He and his men must reach the desert and stop British forces from shooting darkies – a near impossible task. But Hardwig must also be protected from the looming, and now ferociously armed, bandits. A quick but falsified telegram to his American nephew O’Connell – both boxing champion and renowned mercenary – should supply a bold bulwark. Haste compelled the Consulting Detective to take risks in regard to other forces possibly embroiled – Kuntz himself and the nefarious and increasingly belligerent Cult of Akhetaton. Their involvement might tear all his best plans asunder.

“To Baker Street, sir?” enquired Gordon Fulsom, his faithful cabby.

The Detective swung into his hansom carriage and rapped loudly on the roof. “A quick stop at the Yard and then straight to the Arsenal,” he cried excitedly. “I’m in need of subterranean egress.”  

(A Battle report with images to follow ... game held tomorrow evening.) 

Napoleonic Late War French

Napoleonic Wargame 15mm

Here are some more snaps.

The French tried to surge forward while holding back one flank. Whether they stood, shot, went forward or charged the result was the same ... everyone died. Guess in this manner there was some accuracy.

I'm not going to talk about the rules ... if you can't say anything nice then ....

General d'Armee Rules

After 10 months of painting French Napoleonics - putting countless hours of effort into a project that I have wanted to do for 30 years ... I'm finally at a place to put figures on the table and I can play with my army. Not the best army as I don't yet have quite enough infantry but it is workable.

Here are some snaps of my French embroiled in a game of General d'Armee.

All I can currently say about those rules are .... I don't like them much.

I'm really hoping they grow on me as I paid a lot for them and I really don't want to start searching for Napoleonic rules again ... that is truly a pain in the arse.