|
Battle Report: 18th January 1991 Late
British
~vs~
Mahdist (Robert
Avery ~vs~ Richard Avery & Nog Norgren) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| . | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| . | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| . | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Report The
two forces quickly deployed: with the British forming a long firing line
opposite the Mahdists, who were screened by skirmishers. The Mahdist General
put his Henandoah tribesmen on the right flank, supported by the Horse;
and his Ansar tribesmen on the left, supported by the guns. The
Mahdist skirmishers quickly moved up and began exchanging fire with the
British line. After two volleys, five companies of the 90th Foot ran out of
ammo, and dropped out of line in order to replenish supplies. The reserve of
three companies of Naval Brigade took their place. On
the British left flank, half the Lancers charged the Mahdist fanatical tribal
horse: both sides effectively ruling themselves out of any further action. The
rest of the Lancers and the Camel Corps began moving to their right:
trying to outflank the Mahdist left flank. Meanwhile,
an artillery duel had developed and, horror of horrors, the British guns were
put out of action by the Mahdist artillery! With
their artillery destroyed, one third of their infantry out of ammo, and having
survived one Henandoah assault, the British had to advance: or face
gradual annihilation from the enemy guns. The situation was exasperated when
the Lancers and the Camel Corps were thrown into confusion by the Mahdist
artillery during their outflanking manoveur, and had to retreat from the
field. So
the British infantry line went forward. On their left and centre, the Naval
Brigade and 90th Foot were halted by skirmisher and artillery fire, and the
renewed threat of another Henandoah assault. On the right, however,
with skirling pipes and swirling kilts, the Highlanders inexorably on: closing
with the tribal infantry and routing them off the field. As
the Highlanders began to swing round and roll up the Mahdist battle line, the
Mahdists realised that the day was lost, and broke and fled. Casualties The
Mahdist force had most of its units shaken or routed at the end of the battle.
Total Mahdist casualties were about 1800. The
Highlanders lost 139 men. The 90th Foot took 40% casualties to companies A, D
and E, but were otherwise relatively unscathed. The Lancers took 240
casualties out of 320 men. The Camel Corps was largely wiped out. The Naval
Brigade lost about 60 men from companies A, B and C. Results A victory, hard fought, for the British. Analysis The British were most unlucky to lose their artillery, and thus be forced to advance rather than volley fire a charging enemy. However, once the two Henandoah units had made their charges and been recoiled, it was merely a matter of time before the British won. It should be noted that the Mahdist player complained that the British had been too cautious throughout...damn right! |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||