The Battle of Shendi 1885, 15mm Sudan Game Report Part 1.

The Sudan, a dry harsh country where only mad dogs and Englishmen would go looking for a fight or in our case Postie's Rejects.
A British patrol has made it's way through the desert looking for any enemy forces or activity in the area. The patrol had seen nothing on it's search of the region and is now heading for Shendi, a small village and supply depot on the banks of the Nile where supplies and a rest can be had.
Shendi is garrisoned by Egyptian troops under British officers.
The battle starts with the patrol only a few miles from Shendi and the rest is history.
British orders: Survive if possible.
Dervish orders: Kill the enemy, all of them.

British Player:
Corporal Jones:"Sir"
Colonel Lurker:"Yes Jones"
Corporal Jones:"Dervishes"
Colonel Lurker:"Where?"
Corporal Jones:"Everywhere"
Colonel Lurker: "Splendid"

Above prose supplied by Postie, the rules used were his own called "UP EM".

The Rejects met up on Saturday for the game, John, Surjit, Dave, Postie (Umpire) and myself (Lee was ill, Ray had to go shopping, Smithy was at War and Peace and Richard was on holiday). Myself and John were the British (I was the CO and John was in command of the patrol), Dave and Surjit commanded the Dervishes with Dave in overall control. I will give a description of units and elements in the pictures and the second part of this post.

The Mahdist War (also called the Mahdist revolt)  was a colonial war of the 19th century. It was fought between the Mahdist Sudanese and Egyptian and later British forces. It has also been called the Anglo-Sudan War or the Sudanese Mahdist Revolt. The British called their part in the conflict the Sudan Campaign. It was vividly described by Winston Churchill (who took part in the concluding stages) in the book The River War.
Following the invasion by Muhammed Ali in 1819, Sudan was governed by an Egyptian administration, the Mahdist War ran from 1881-1899 and resulted in a British/Egyptian victory, far more information cam be found here The Mahdist War.

Table set up at beginning of game, John and Surjit or British and Dervish survey the scene.

Had rang Postie during the week about who was going and some other stuff, I told him I wanted loads of figures and he said I only had one, he wasn't joking!

The British patrol heads back to Shendi.

Mahdist forces, the riflemen in front represent 500 men, the massed infantry represents 1,000 men.

Mahdist camelry.

The gallant patrol of 4 battalions of British regulars and an artillery piece plus an ammunition (essential we would find out) and supply stand. 

Colonel Lurker surveys his Egyptian allies (all one stand of them!).

The patrol deploys to face oncoming Mahdist cavalry.....

.........and the rest coming up from behind.

This card has a number on it and represents nothing (sand storm) or Mahdist forces who are approaching, you have to roll to spot them (not easy) and they then reveal their composition, there were a lot of these.

Obligatory Postie contractual shot.