The "Massacre"

In our continuing Lost Continent: High Adventure, my Italian player with of 9 his men along with 9 Ngoni Askaris have reached the village of the Head Chief of the Ngoni people. After taking part in a raid against nearby a nearby Ila, the Italians were guests at the victory party put on by Chief Ata Wahde, simply called 'the Savage One'. Thye soon learned why he held that title. Later the Italians were invited to join Wahde's men allied with some of Tippu Tip's slavers on an upcoming raid against the Ila. But it was all a ploy. Tippu had convinced the erractic chief to kill his guests and confiscate their guns. It was a quiet night until:

One Italian and one Askaris were on guard duty when they observed a large number of warriors approaching. They opened fire and the fight was on:

The Italians and their Ngoni Askaris put up a heck of a fight, but were overwhelmed eventually. The last four to go down ironically were Ngoni Askaris fighting Ngoni. The 'Savage One' had his guns. But what will happen when the Italians on the coast learn of this treachery?

Sadly, my additional photos turned out unusable and so I continue to learn myself. Further reports will be coming. Hope your luck is better!

The Battle at Crocodile River

Following an unsuccessful attempt to capture The Azande capital during which much of the British column was destroyed, 13 Brits (including one wounded) and aproximately 20 wounded Samburu allies retreated westward towards the coast. Azande forces however raced ahead of them to cut off their retreat as well as following them up from the rear. Initial view showing Azande forces from their capital to the left with additional Azande at the top approaching fords on the River. The Brits will form a thin line on the hill top center while their Samburu musketmen will occupy the hill to the lower right.

The Azande pursuing the Brits in their retreat, readying for their attack:

View from the south as additional Azande close up on the River: 

After two turns of fire brought on advancing Azande (and breaking two of their elements) the Brits have to about face to defend from yet another attack. At the bottom, their Samburu muskets have been overwhelmed in melee combat. One last group of Samburu can be seen renetering the battle from the right:

Two additional waves of Azande have been shot to pieces, although British casualties have left only four men on the hill!

Six Samburu allies survive a melee and break this last Azande element, forcing them to retire!

The thin red line has held again!

We had 120 Azande (utilizing my entire collection as well as dozens of 'genetic' tribesmen) attacking 13 Brits and 20 Samburu allies. Quiet the fight, with early Azande losses/breaking units dooming them to defeat. The battered British force is limping back to their starting point. The campaign will continue.

This is just one part of our continuing campaign set in my fictionalized Africa/Asian Continent. Further explanation can be found earlier in my Blog, so I hope you have some time to check it out. Things got so hectic I wasn't able to provide a more detailed photo rendition of the battle. Will try harder next time. Meanwhile, there was a second, smaller encounter I have called "the Massacre" which you can also view. Enjoy

Tenochititlan

Just a one up. This is a shot of my diarama of the Sacred Temple Complex in the Aztec capital city. Used for for AP World History studing Aztec history several years ago. Have since added several more temples but unfortunately didn't remember to take the updated photos. In the foreground is a portion showing Noche Triste, or the "Night of Sorrows' when the Spanards attempted to sneak out from Tenochtitlan. Unsuccessfuly of course.

The Imperialists

As I have done with the Native Cultures, I will start off alphabeticcaly with the Americans:

Interesting enough, in our campaign, the US has found itself in Hindoostan (India) where they are facing a rising Confederation of Princely states. They have fought Thuggees as well as tibesmen from Khoristan (Afghanistan). It promises to be exciting.

Next up we have a selection of Belgians. They have been working with the US in Hindoostan and had a minor disaster when they left their homebase lightly covered and the garrison of nine Belgians was wiped out by attacking Khuristani! 

Let's take a look at Her Majesty's forces:

As mentioned in my listing of the Azande, the British player suffered the second worst defeat at the hands of natives in our biggest battle yet. The allied Samburu tribe lost over 50 of their warriors and I think a certain witch doctor will not be pleased!

Lost Continent: The Natives

We will start aphalbetically so first up is the Abyssinians. My Portuguese player is sailing up a river to meet personally with the 'Lion of Judah', the Emperor Johannes IV, so here is a Ras with his retainers:


...and I thought I would try an experiment:


Next would be my Arabs but since I have just ordered my first 28mm and all I have right now are old Airfix and Revel so we will skip to the Ashanti:

...and another closeup of the notables. The individual with his 'trophy' is noteworthy. The figure in the center with the fancy hair is a ceremonial swordbearer:

What colonial campaign would there be without the faithful Askaris. I run the whole gamut from the newly formed:

...to the slightly better quality:

...to the even better:

...better yet:

to the highest quality (aka Force Publique)

...and even some French Senegelese:

At lest that's how we rate them. We have also utilized Inidan troops but that will come later.

Take a look at the Azande tribe. We just completed a fight with 240+ Azande against 80 British/Allied Tribe. It was bit of an Isandlwana with 11 Brits escaping towards the coast, pursued by 120+ vengeful Azande! We will take that on at our next meeting tomorrow evening!

Some of the Chiefs/Leaders:

The Lost Continent: High Adventure

 I have been running a colonial-era campaign for the last 32 weeks or so based on historical background commencing in 1884 but in a fictional Africa/Asian setting. In otherwords, I have drawn a vast map of a world with actual African and Asian cultures but on a continent of my own creation. This allows me to place all of the non-west into this fictional setting. These native cultures include: Abyssinian, Arabs, Ashanti, Azande, Balluchis, Berbers, Bokharia, Burmese, Cannibals, Chinese, Dahomey, Dervish, Egyptian/Sudanese, Generic African tribes, Gurkha, Ila, Indian, Masai, Matabele, Ngoni, Pathan, Moro, Pygmy, Ruga Ruga, Sikh, Taureg, Turkomen, Western Sudan, Zanzibar, and...Zulu! The list may grow as I continue to locate additonal manufacturers who may supply that 'new' culture. Those creators of the mass lead armies include: Askaris, AW, Blaze Away, Bicorne, Copplestone, Castaway Arts, Dixon, Eureka, Foundry, Indus, Mutineers, Pontoonier, Old Glory, Perry, Pulp, Ral Partha, Redoubt, Tiger, and Perry! We have even used some of my very old (1970s!) Airfix, Revell and other Plastic figures for 'cannon fodder' when necessary.

We have eleven players representing all of the colonial powers: America, Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Russia, and Spain. They received a start-up budget to purchase men and equipment, given a steamship and a glance at the mapped coastline to select a starting point. To keep things rolling along, we count 6 turns as one year and then the players receive a new budget based on population controlled, resources located, additonal government support, and colonial development. We've seen numerous adventures and 'legendary' conflicts and accomplishments. These have ranged from freeing a missionary family from an immediate cannibal 'cookout'; an unexpected marriage into a local Africa tribal family; a massacre of a European column by hordes of Mongols! The encounters have involved role playing, small engagements of 5-10 minitures to our last major fight that involved some 96 British and native allies vs 240 Azande! It has been great fun and is still on-going. I plan on loading  photos of the miniatures we are using as well as the occasional 'battle'.

The first entry (because I'm have been fevorishly painting up hordes of Indians this last month for a possible upcoming major confrontation) consists of an Indian Army:

Here is our Maharana Zorawar Khanji of Sitapur along with his Silaposh bodyguard. He is in the process of organizing a great confederaton of Moslem and Hindu Princely States to oppose the rising intrusion of Americans, Belgians and Russians (!) (that's right...no Brits!) on their land. 

Above and below we see some of the Maharana's artillery units, including rocketmen!

The following two photos illustrate some of his crack Maratha and Rajput cavalry. This is a good example of how I can use different historical forces since mine is a 'fictional' world and in this case there was no British Raj yet, allowing me to utilize Inidan forces from the early to late 19th Century!

Some of the Maharana's more mundane cavalry:

Oh, and yes there are Elephants but waiting on some riflemen before I post those troops.

Now on to the infantry. First we have a selection of his choice Maratha troops:

Got to have fanatics for any war,so here are some Ghazi's (my Hindus are in the mail):

Well that's it for now. As I said earlier, my goal is to enter example of the entire collection as we move along. Hope all your die rolls are the right ones!

Pearl Harbor

The following are photos of a diarama that I initially put together for the 50th Anniversary back in 1991. I've used it every year during a 90 minute presentation at Green Mountain High School in Lakewood Colorado. There are over 100 1/700 scale models representing virtually every ship found in the harbor on 12/7/41. This includes Battleships down to Garbage Scows! Need to complete about 4 small minesweepers to complete the entire fleet. Ironically nearly all of the original models I used were made in Japan. With plastic and balsa, modifications were made using Janes Fighting Ships 1939. Finally in the last ten years I have located some new companies here in the states to complete more. It has grown over the years to this present version:

Ford Island is in the center with the sub base in the upper right corner; battleship row top center and naval yard right center

Battleship Row from the NW. BB Nevada is at the left end followed l-r by Arizona, Tenneesee, West Virginia, Maryland and Oklahoma. The tanker Neosho is to the right with the Naval Yard at the top and Sub Base/Cincpac upper left corner

Closer view of Battleship Row

Floating Drydock with DD Shaw and to the right, Dry Dock #1 with BB Pennsylvania and DDs Cassin and Downes. The odd looking objct to the left was a dreging platform

The Naval Yard with numerous Cruisers, Destroyers and assorted Auxliaries

Submarine Base with Cincpac located in large building to the right. If you watched the film Pearl Harbor, you may recognize the large tower seen in the upper right. This was used for drive training.

Sorry about the lack of clarity here; you can make out the first Japanese Kate torpedo planes in the foreground making theri final approach on BB Row. That's Oklahoma in a terrible location, soon to be struck by at least 5 torpedoes leading to her early capsizing

View of Navy Yard from the east with BB California top center

 Luke Field on the west side of Ford Island. None of these aircraft made it into the air during the attack. 

Final shot again of BB Row. The large building seen just below BB Arizona was the Officer Bachelor's Quarters.