Assault on Izzat Akhazi
After a long hiatus for shipbuilding the campaign got going again with the British assault on the Zanzibari pirates nest at Izzat Akhazi. As it had been for the other imperial powers it was a naval fight and amphibious assault in one game.
We rolled for the officer traits. The RN fleet was led by Captain Gladstone Harbottle unfortunately a Bullet proof Bumbler (9+ leadership).
His subordinates were however better Lieutenant Horace Spanker Crabtree was Musketry Buff and Major Blunder was Brave.
The Zanzibari’s were a bad lot and that was just the leadership rolls. Sheikh Yahbooti had the Idiot trait though was 5+ leadership. Mustafa Khazi was a Bag of Nerves and Kamel Achmed Kamel was Yellow Bellied.
Some shots of the vipers nest at Izzat Akhazi nestling on the shore of Lake Kweezi; with neighbours like these the ‘How safe is your neighbourhood’ score had tanked.
We used the naval rules
https://daftrica.blogspot.co.u…t-v-vessels-upon-sea.html
for the ships stats, combat movement etc.
Some shots of the rather splendid RN contingent led by the danceclass gunboat HMS Gay Gordon.
Unfortunately they were under the command of Captain Harbottle who enjoyed a tipple- before action started. Pyms anyone?
With Harbottle’s dubious leadership governing shipboard activity the Brits decided to get the troop transports a shore early and then leave the Gay Gordon to dish out the punishment to the Zanzibari vessels or failing that act as a block to stop the Zanzibais getting to the more vulnerable transports.
The Gay Gordon making a better door than a window to the Zanzibari vessels as sailors and Sikhs go ashore.
The marines and askari storm the shore
The Gay Gordon sank two of the Zanzibari fleet whilst suffering a few scratches to the paintwork in return. Harbottle detailed a work party to break out the paint and effect repairs.
As the transports had dropped off the troops they then joined the Gay Gordon in the naval battle.
After two more turns another Zanzibari was sent the bottom of the lake.
However perhaps affected by consumption of Pyms Harbottle directed the gunfire in a rather random manner so that though damaged three Zanzibari vessels were able to fire on the sailors and Sikhs as they landed causing considerable casualties.
The Baluchi jezzails joined in targeting these units and after a couple of rounds they became combat ineffective.
The Baluchi Jezzails proved to be the usual thorn in the side of the enemy though under Mustafa Khazi’s dubious Bag of Nerves leadership they departed the battle early.
The Zanzibaris had hired some Ruga, unfortunately their habit of smoking mind altering substances caused them to charge headlong into the British firepower and depart the game early.
The sailors take the Zanzibari shore battery but it was to be their last action
The Sikhs on the dockside. If the photo was taken next round it wouldn’t have looked so impressive, numbers thinned by Zanzibari gunfire.
Meanwhile as the marines and second sikh unit failed activation crossing open ground they took casualties which was to prove telling.
British infantry forces take shelter under the fortress wall. This was made more hair raising by Harbottle switch targets and firing on the compound causing part of it to collapse.
The marines and askari prepare for a final assault on the compound. It was safer getting out of Harbottle’s erratic line of fire.
The British efforts had reduced the Zanzibaris to one guard unit but the marines and Sikhs were themselves low on numbers and the askari were a low quality irregular unit.
In a stirring climax three combats were fought between the Zanzibari and the marines, Sikhs and finally askari.
The Zanzibari beat the depleted Sikhs but literally held on by the skin of their teeth with 3 v 3 draws against the marines (who had lost too many to rally by this stage) and the askari who also failed to rally.
With that the game was over. The British had won the naval encounter but just come up short in the land assault.
