Battle Report: 31st December 2001

Egyptian ~vs~ Mahdist

(Dave Lancaster ~vs~ Robert Avery) .

Egyptian
Brigade	Unit	Fig.'s	Org.	Class	Weapons	Pts/Fig	Points
.	CinC	1	.	..	.	100	100
1st	2inC	1				50	50
Brigade	1st Battalion	20	4x5	RegC	blr	10	240
	2nd Battalion	24	4x6	RegC	blr	10	280
	3rd Battalion	24	4x6	RegC	blr	10	280
	Attach'd Cavalry	12	2x6	RegC	s, l, blc	15	200
	Attach'd Artillery	2	2x1	RegC	light blrb FA	89	198
2nd	2inC	1				50	50
Brigade	1st Battalion	24	4x6	RegC	blr	10	280
	2nd Battalion	24	4x6	RegC	blr	10	280
	3rd Battalion	24	4x6	RegC	blr	10	280
	Attach'd Cavalry	12	2x6	RegC	s, l, blc	15	200
	Attach'd Artillery	2	2x1	RegC	light blrb FA	89	198
							2618

.

Mahdist
Brigade	Unit	Fig.'s	Org.	Class	Weapons	Pts/Fig	Points
	CinC	1				100	100
1st	2inC	1				50	50
Tribal	Brown Henandoah	36	1x36	FanA	sw/sp, sh	8	303
Group	White Henandoah	36	1x36	FanB	sw/sp, sh	7	267
2nd	2inC	1				50	50
Tribal	Blue Flag	32	1x32	IrregB	sw/sp, sh, blr	10	335
Group	Green Flag	32	1x32	IrregB	sw/sp, sh, blr	10	335
	Purple Flag	32	1x32	IrregC	sw/sp, sh	4	143
	Red Flag	32	1x32	IrregC	sw/sp, sh	4	143
	Yellow Flag	32	1x32	IrregC	sw/sp, sh	4	143
Horse	1st Unit	10	1x10	IrregA	l, sw, sh, arm., mlr	14	155
	2nd Unit	10	1x10	IrregA	l, sw, sh, arm., mlr	14	155
Artillery	Tribal Guns	3	1x3	IrregC	light blrb FA	107	336
	Ammo Wagon	1				50	50
							2615

.

.	Egyptian	Mahdist
Foot	2800	4640
Horse	480	400
Guns	8	6

Report  

This battle was an exact re-fight of the previous battle:  with the terrain and forces exactly the same.  The Mahdists set up in the same start positions as last time too, but the Egyptians were allowed to set up as they pleased.

The battle opened with the Egyptians marching forwards quickly towards the more cautiously advancing Dervishes.  An exchange of artillery fire saw one battery of Egyptians guns and all the Mahdist guns blown from the field and.

The Egyptians, careful not to repeat the same mistake as the last encounter, then deployed into line.  The Mahdists were now faced with a deployed line of six battalions all armed with breech-loading rifles!

The Dervish commander, realising that a frontal charge would have little success, doubled his reserve of one infantry warband and all the cavalry to his right flank, where he had noticed an opportunity to overlap his Egyptian opponent.

As the Egyptian line came within rifle range, they opened fire on the waiting Mahdists, causing enough casualties to make the Mahdist commander order his men to lie prone:  something that protected them whilst he attempted his outflanking "hook".

The cavalry and infantry warband thundered towards the Egyptian left flank.  One of the Mahdist cavalry warbands dashed two squadrons of Egyptian lancers from the field and penetrated behind the Egyptian line but, unfortunately, the other cavalry and single foot warband were stopped by fire from the remaining Egyptian artillery battery and the single foot battalion that protected that end of the Egyptian line.

Still, there was hope yet, and the penetrating cavalry warband pulled up their horses, turned, and charged towards the rear of the Egyptian infantry.  Now shaken, the Egyptian troops, headed by their CinC, rushed into square, barely having time to form up before the horsemen were upon them.  Form up they did, however, and used their breechloaders to devastating effect:  even with the CinC ordering them to fire at a distance of 60 yards instead of the usual point blank.  The Mahdist outflanking manoeuvre was over!

Meanwhile in the centre the Egyptian line had continued to pour fire into the waiting, prone, Mahdists:  most of whom had no guns.  The end was now in sight and an attempt at a final glorious charge died even before it got off the ground.  The Mahdists retreated, harassed by the Egyptians all the way!

Casualties

The Egyptians lost one battery of artillery; two squadrons of cavalry; and around 280 infantry:  a total of around 500 men.

The Mahdists lost 20 Henandoah tribesmen; 880 other tribesmen; 220 horse; and all the artillerymen:  a total of around 1300 casualties.

Result

An easy victory for the Egyptians.

Analysis

The Egyptian commander learnt the lessons from the previous battle well...or at least he had plenty of notes to remind him of what to and not to do!

His regulars deployed into firing lines before the Mahdists were in any danger of contacting him, and his artillery was massed rather than dispersed.  

Possibly his only weakness was a lack of reserve:  something that would have cost him dearly had the Mahdist outflanking manoeuvre succeeded as had the final cavalry charge succeeded the Dervishes would have rolled up the battalion attempting to stop them, his artillery, and another infantry battalion before running out of steam!

Still, a nice solid performance:  the boy done good!