The Bad Mahdi...

 aka the Mad Mahdi's lesser known cousin, two times removed.

A tale of dust, thirst and Bob Cordery on the square (get it?).

This was a rare occasion when I was facing a real opponent on the tabletop, in the shape of my grandson who nobly took the part of the Bad Mahdi. We were using Bob Cordery's '"The Gatling's Jammed..." simple Colonial Wargame Rules'. And it was to be another re-fight of the attack on Morobad, seen below:

The British, supported by elements of the Egyptian camelry:

They had a combined strength point total of 46, which gave them an exhaustion point of 15. The Mahdi's men had a strength point total of 37 (though, of course, they had the town walls), with exhaustion point of 12. The exhaustion point marks the point when offensive action is no longer possible.

Being a spirited sort of fellow, the Bad Mahdi decided to defend Morobad with his rifle equipped units, while throwing the rest of his force into an attack designed to stop the Infidels getting anywhere near the town.

Compelled by their want of rifles and muskets, the Mahdi's lads took some heavy fire on their way to contact.

The field gun battery, along with the Nordenfelt did some fine work, but still the crazed Fuzz came on:

Realising that the affair would be decided on the field, the Bad Mahdi sent out his rifle armed units to support the attack. Below we see the hand of Mars (are we getting our religious references mixed here?) moving the riflemen up in support:

The attackers, horse (rather, camel) and foot, closed with the infidel, and some hot dice were thrown, both sides taking casualties:

But the stalwarts of the British Empire held firm: 

The upshot was that just as the Mahdi's riflemen began to close, their entire force hit their exhaustion point.  At that, Col. Bufton and the Bad Mahdi decided to call it a day. Morobad hadn't fallen, but the Mahdi's force had been stopped in its tracks.

Before we go,

Plant of the moment:

Encrusted saxifrage, currently sheltering from the rain in my greenhouse:

Finally, don't forget to visit my other bloggy-website thing:

Stephen M. Cullen – History, books & booklets from Allotment Hut. (stephenmcullenallotmenthutbooks.org)