Jackson Gamers' 15mm Colonial Battle The Search
The Jackson gamers played a 15mm Colonial battle using Larry Brom's "The Sword and The Flame" rules. We used this scenario from the TSATF Scenario Pack 2000 which is named "The Search".
Six members of the local Boer provisional government were moving to Petoria and had stopped for the day hiding in one of the houses on the game table. The British got wind of this and were searching the area. The Boers called up off-table reserves and the battle was on! At the Start of the game, three Boer units on foot (one 'Commando) and the six government leaders were on the table. Four more mounted Boer units were to come on the table later, as reinforcements. We allowed the Boers to add an artillery piece to the starting forces.
A Boer unit enters the table, late in the game.
Map of the Battlefield
The three farmhouses are visible as gray rectangles. The one with the blue spot in it is where the members of the Boer government were resting. The British are trying to find their hiding place so they can arrest them. The boers (starting positions in Blue) naturally wish to protect them. Red arrows show the British columns entering the board. The British did not quite pull off "converging columns". The two at the top came in on turn one and were thorughly shot up by hidden boer marksmen and a gun on the hill at left. The other two columns came on during turns 2 and 3. They never even got close to searching the correct house!
British Infantry from the turn 2 column.
The British searchers came on in four columns. Together the four counted 3 mounted units and four infantry units. We added two British artillery pieces to the force - for emphasis! The British had to dice for entry times, and they were very lucky, getting two columns on the field on turn 1, another on turn 2, and the last on turn 4.
The British High command!
Left to right, Larry Reeves, Sean Pitts, and Jay Ainsworth. Sean's command was one of the first two columns and he was severely shot up, never reaching any of the houses.
The Boer commanders!
Left To right, Field-coronets, Bryan Thompson, Jim Pitts, Fred Diamond.
Sunnybrook Farm!
This placid farmstead was the one closest to the bottom on the map above. The British made a major effort and finally took it, pursuing the occupying boer forces up the hill behind, driving them with fixed bayonets! The Boers would not stand for close combat, but all the British effort was for naught! Their prey was not in that house.
A British commander (Larry Reeves) looks askance at one of his opponents.
Fortunately for the Boers, looks could not kill. However Boer rifle bullets could, and their marksmanship was very good during the entire game. They managed to always outgun the British, concentrating the fire of more than one commando onto a British unit.
The Map from TSATF Portofolio 2000 for this scenario.
The Scenario Portfolio 2000 is a great source of game scenarios and we will be playing more of them. Jay Stribling's Boer War army which had languished for years, will see action again!
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