Though We'd Stop By...
Bird eye view.
British force as it approaches the last hurdle before the french fort.
Looks deserted...
Whole board...
Sleepy French garrison.
Turns 1 & 2
The left flank squad listens and watches intently...
The Ensign and MG crew cover the rear and right flank while the second squad of British begin to enter a defile to
their front. Exeter (at left) keeps a calm grip on the whole of the operation as things are far too quiet...
... and who knows what could be watching and waiting in those jungle splashed hills.
Turn 3
Exeter gives the order to move but the second squad is still attempting to fit into the defile when the first squad arrives.
A bit perturbed the squad leader is forced to set up to the left of where he would like to be. The hills to the front are dead.
Exeter sees the traffic jam and hurries over to quietly rebuff the last of the second squad into the defile. The Ensign and
machine gun crew in the foreground quietly watch to the right flank and rear of the patrol. All is dead.
The second squad leader emerges from the defile and spots the fort across the plain...
...but does anyone see them?
Turn 4
The second squad forms up to the left of the defile where it empties out onto the plain. The machine gun is ordered by
Exeter to advance next and then is then able to clear the defile with ease.
The French piquet appear at the edge of the fort and one gives the British a welcoming wave.
Exeter finds himself bogged down with the mud from the previous occupants of the defile. His poor progress allows
the first squad to catch up to him.
Turn 5
Exeter manages to extricate himself and the trailing squad from the confines of the defile. The Ensign moves his
machine gun team out to the right flank as ordered. More waving French appear on the walls and give a friendly cheer.
Turn 6 & 7
Exeter senses that something is not quite right and orders the men into square. Slowly the formation advances closer
to the fort searching out a possible gate way to the left.
Suddenly the French in the fort give a native war cry and fire
into the British! A soldier in the ranks and both machine
gunners fall mortally wounded! It's an ambush!
In shock Exeter watches the native riflemen dressed in the uniforms of
fallen Legionnaires! Worst still the firing of the
ambush has signaled the lightning charge of warriors armed with
swords and shields! In a flash the center of both
enemy lines falls upon the British soldiers and fierce hand to hand
battle ensues!
The ends of the sword warrior lines begins to envelope the British square searching for, but not finding a rear!
As the melee resolves around Exeter he can only stare in furious anger at the enemy who would sink to such a trick!
The Privates of the British army show their metal as they defeat a good number of their enemies in hand to hand!
One poor Tommy who flees his crumbling line runs head long into the other crumbling line of the square!
But the square is far from finished as the senior men regroup and prepare for a second assault! The Ensign now just
behind the ranks realizes
that he left the machine gun when his two gunners fell and is paralyzed with indecision.
The much compressed square as the over lap of warriors begin to turn inward!
View from the jungle where the attackers hid themselves from their enemy until the time was right!
With evil grins the hills men begin to remove the French rags from their bodies as they watch the British fate below.
Turn 8
As Exeter roars for the Ensign to get the machine gun into action the young officer falls wounded from another volley
of the hill tribes men. The British in that corner of the square break and head back the way they had come leaving a
gaping hole in the ranks!
Exeter being the only person near the machine gun charges the handle and blazes away at the enemy on the fort!
Machine gun bullets dance across the entire length of the defenses felling a good number of their targets!
The retreating British squad leader suddenly gets himself together and brings the rout to a halt. The men take careful
aim and
begin to knock down the scattered enemy around them!
The second British squad follows suit and fells a good number of the wild savages as they close to melee with swords!
The Chieftain orders the swords to press their attack and kill all the British before them!
Which they attempt to do with tremendous zeal setting themselves on Exeter and his men!
But British skill and pistol fell most of the attackers with minimal loss!
With a second round of grappling the attacking enemy are no more and the British finally have room to breathe!
The hill tribes men seek cover and fill the gaps of their lines before firing a wild volley towards the British.
The last batch of swordsmen come under accurate rifle fire and are laid to rest before they can advance any further.
More British bullets sweep over the fort and only a pair of stunned enemy remain.
Just before the last enemy musket falls he sights a column approaching in the far distance ( top left)!
With all visible enemy disposed of the British form themselves into an tighter square and await orders.
The Chieftain listens for the advance of the enemy and plots his next move.
All appears quiet - but the British have just had a harsh lesson in things not appearing as they really are!
Turn 9
The French approach! ( "Vwat en ze 'ell iz gohing ohn?!?")
The wily Chieftain can hear the British forming up outside the for and decides to jump the back wall to fight another day!
After a little coaxing from Exeter Pvt. Small creeps into the fortress awaiting any moment to meet his maker...
...but much to his great relief he finds it as dead as the men who now inhabit it. Tea anybody?
THE END
Outcome was a British Victory!
British Casualties:
Wounded - Returned to Duty: 2 (including the Ensign)
Wounded - Held Over Night: 1
Wounded - Released from Service: 1
Wounded - Released Invalid: 3
Wounded - Later Dies From Wounds: 1
Dead - God Save The Queen!: 3
Native Casualties:
Captured :22 including 2 sub chiefs
Killed: 21 including 1 sub chief