Battle of Chokoti

Gaming notes. Green caps refer to elements which have fired and are reloading. Red cap designates a figure that is pinned but may shoot if loaded, while a yellow cap refers to a figure that is shaken and cannot move or shoot and who will surrender if brought to hand-to-hand. To shoot  one measures range; 1x6d per figure who must make on-target roll. If hit, a defender rolls his 1x6d to compare to the attacker's rolls (one for each hit). If the attacker beats the defensive roll, he gains a "casualty". If the attacker roll is equal, then a shaken, and less then one a pin. My system targets a group not usually a single figure (unless very close and small number of figures). Usually 6 to ten figures may be included. If there are three hits, three die are rolled and if any similar number comes up, then that figure is "hit" numerous times. Eliminates the god-like gaming effect that would allow each figure to quickly select his target in the confusion of a real battle. It seems to work and we joke about the poor fellow who gets hit numerous times! Hand-hand is simple. First a roll of inititive with 1x6d per figure involved. Winner rolls x6d first and if he gets a 4-6, he has "killed" the opponent. Hand to hand continues until one survives.

Turn 1: Brits win inititive and he selects elements on his right wall to fire. There are 4 hits resulting in 2 casaulties! But the first Sulistani element blazes away at the wall and gets 7 hits resulting in 2 kills and 3 Shaken! Bloody good shooting after moving! Sepoys on the towers range in and add another 2 kills and a shaken. The cannon blasts and gets two more (one poor bloke took a double blast!) while the left wall and gate guards sees the Brits and Sepoys add yet 4 more kills! Maybe they can stop the Sulistani after all! Return fire from the hillsmen drop 2 sepoys and pin a third. Some defensive rolls went as high as 7 or 8 (counting +2 for wall cover) Total for the first turn: 11 Sulistani and only 3 Sepoy. Photo illustrating the end of Turn 1:

Turn 2: 

Sulistani win the inititive and bring fire on the towers but to no effect. Under their covering fire, Sulistani rush forward with ladders against the right wall. British fire drop only 1 and add a Shaken. Not good as they'll reach the wall with those damn ladders! Sulistani cover fire then turn around and kill 2 Sepoys! Ouch! The British and Sepoy on the left wall get 1 Kill and 1 more Shaken, but it doesn't stop those tribesmen from reaching the wall with their ladders. Four Sepoys at the gate fire a round at long range and are rewarded with 2 kills and a Shaken! Hurrah! Remaining forces on both sides spend the turn reloading. Casualties for Turn 2: 4 Sulistani and 2 Sepoys. End of Turn 2:

Turn 3:

British win inititive. The Sepoys in the towers now attempt to sweep the Sulistani away from the base of the wall. Their shooting results in 4 Kills but there are more Sulistani pressing forward! The men on the walls add only 1 Kill and another Shaken, but the cannon crew score another Kill! Sensing the wall is going to fall, the Major (Errol Flynn of course) orders the remaining men to begin to fall back to the barracks (white building at end of parade ground. But will they make it? The Sulistani return fire only gets one Kill but it is the first British soldier. Some of the Sulistani are close to the top of the ladders! Casualites for Turn 3: 5 Sulistani, 1 Sepot and 1 Brit. End of Turn 3:

View from inside Chokoti:

Turn 4:

Winning the inititive the British player contiues to move some elements towards the barracks. Two Sulistani who reach the top of the wall are shot off to fall inside the parapet! Two more at another section however both survive point-blank fire from the Sepoys! But a brave Sepoy remains behind to give cover for his mates and cooly bayonets the Sulistani in the game's first hand-hand! Everyone else is reloading. Casualties for Turn 4: 3 Sulistani and 0 Brits! End of Turn 4:

The fighting on the wall is getting close!

Turn 5:

Sullistani win this inititive and more ladders hit the wall, this time on the left. The tribesmen's firing accounts for 6 Kills and a Pinned, including some in the towers, and 2 more Brits. That one hurt! Return fire get 3 Kills and a Shaken while some men retiring on the barracks get a long range Kill! But the best occurs when a Sulistani appears at the top of the wall right in front of the cannon...the gunner fires...and there is one less Sulistani! Casualties for Turn 5: 4 Sulistani, 2 Sepoy and 2 Brit. 

End of Turn 5: (note cannon blast)

Turn 6:

Bloody hell, the Sulistani win the inititive! 2 tribesmen on the wall shoot and kill one Sepoy, but miss the other! One British soldier remains to cover his mates and attacks a tribesman but falls to his sword! The wall has fallen! Sepoys from the towers are now withdrawing but one is killed, and two are shaken or stopped in place. It will make their successful withdrawal more difficult! Flynn is withdrawing with his men from the gate but can't get down the closest ladder. It's the artillerists! Move to the next ladder. His gun is the only one loaded...he fires...drops one Sulistani (naturally). The courageous gunner who blasted the Sulistani to pieces is unfortunately cut down by a tribesman's sword! Casualites for Turn 6: 3 Sulistani, 1 Gunner, and 2 Sepoys. End of Turn 6:

There is Flynn in center with his dead Sulistani at base of wall!

The Brits and Sepoys falling back to the barracks with the lone Brit in center on the wall soon to fallen under the tribesmen blades!

Turn 7:

Brits win inititive and the new firing line blazes away at the Sulistani who are atop the right wall. They only get 1 Kill and 1 Pin. The Sulistani return fire and get 2 Kills (and one was a double shot). The  unfortunate Sepoy in the tower is shaken yet again. It doesn't look good for him. Flynn covers for his men and stays at the top of the ladder to the parade ground. Casualties for Turn 7: 1 Sulistani and 2 Sepoys. End of Turn 7:

Flynn's rearguard stand:

Turn 8:

Sulistani get inititive and charge two tribesmen at our hero, Major Flynn! A meele occurs that goes 4 incredible rounds with neither side succeeding in dropping anyone although Flynn is wounded (and being a hero, I gave him an extra-strong constitution)! But, on the last try, the Sulistani pierce the brave heart of Flynn! After some initial poor shooting, the Sulistani finally get another Sepoy and 2 of the artillerists falling back towards the barracks. Return fire by the Brits/Sepoys gets 2 of the tribesmen. The Sepoy in the tower finally gets down to make his dash for safety! Casualties for Turn 8: 2 Sulistani, 1 Sepoy and 2 Artillerists. End of Turn 8: (Sorry I forgot to catch the end of Flynn on camera...I know...excitement and all. He lies at the base of the wall out of photo on left, while above, one of the Sulistani who got him lies "dead".

Turn 9:

With the majority of the British forces safe (at least for the moment) in the barracks we had both sides get one final blast at each other. The Brits must have been shaken by the loss of their beloved Major as they got 6 hits...but they all were inefffective! The Sulistani however dropped no less then five! Awful bad luck...so close to the barracks. 

Final Results: 

34 Sulistani out of 73 present

16 Sepoys/44

3 Artillerists/4

4 Brits/9

and of course Major Errol Flynn,

well I guess he won't be charging the Russinas at Balaklava Heights!

For those who have not viewed the film "Charge of the Light Brigade", the British were holed up in the barracks with little water. The tried to get word out during the night, but Captain David Niven was shot down boarding a native boat in the nearby river (that you must just make out in one of my original photos). The garrison surrendered but were treacherously shot down on orders of the Emir of Sulistan. I decided to end our game before all that came to pass. A 'jolly good fight' though. Hope you enjoyed it. Leave any comments you might have, I would appreciate it. If you happen to be in the Denver area, Feb 13, 2014, then come on by the Red Lion Inn where the Battle of Chokoti will rise again! May your die rolls always win out!