Colonial Games: Point Wytouki, Pt.1

The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
.....Moves on: nor all your Piety nor Wit,
..........Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
...............Nor all your Tears wash out a Word of it.

-- Omar Khayyam, The Rubaiyat,
.........................FitzGerald's translation, 1859

New Year's Action at
...Point Wytouki

This game was played just before New Year's Eve of 1999, because David couldn't bear the thought that civilization might end without his ever getting to play with his new armed dhow. Earlier in the year, David came by a Weapons and Warriors Pirate Battle Game which yielded a number of fine bits of raw material for colonial-era gaming, among them. a small galleon that begged for conversion to an armed dhow, and an appealing little fortified tower. These props suggested a role-reversal game: in which the natives had lots of firepower, and the British had to storm their position. The toys had sat around half-converted for months; the theory that calling a game would hasten their completion worked for the dhow, but the tower went into action with nothing but a coat of spray paint. (As civilization remained intact, it has since received a full paint job).

The rules used were The Sword and the Flame (Twentieth Anniversary edition), with the exceptions noted in the full scenario description (at end of battle). The photos were taken by Steve with his marvelous Sony Mavica.

The Tabletop and Scenario
A railway line connects the canal port of Prince Albert with the inland trading city of Inakan. The PA-I Railway crosses the Blue Ouazu at Point Wytouki, a promontory of hard rock on which sits an ancient signal tower. Late in the year, emir Qarman Mirandhi fortifies the crumbling tower, extracting high tariffs for allowing Her Majesty's commerce to pass by land or water.

Maj. (later, General Sir) Bindon Mudd and Capt. Eugene Crumpudding lead an expedition up the river to capture the strongpoint and reopen the line and the river. Setting out from Firkitoudl on Boxing Day 1889, they reach the tower late in the afternoon of New Year's Eve. Because of reports that native reinforcements will reach the area by the next morning, they must capture the fort before darkness falls.

Table size is 42 x 58" (1.1 x 1.5m), with round ends. Scenery construction details can be found after the battle description.

The Natives The British

Native Forces - The dhow has five cannon but only three gun-crews, plus a handful of riflemen and swordsmen. The fort contains ten rifles and ten spearmen plus two guns and crews, one facing the water, one the land. Ten rifles wait in the hills, ready to drop back to the protection of the fort. Six camel riders secure the riflemen's flank.
British Forces - The steamer carries twenty Sikh sepoys, a gatling-gun and crew, Maj. Mudd, and his command unit.

On land are Capt. Crumpudding, two twenty-man units of infantry and a twelve-horse cavalry squadron.

Native Objectives - Repel the attack, and retain control of the fort. British Objectives - Capture and hold the fort before the fall of darkness.

British View of Tower and Dhow The Battle
A forced march brings the British within site of the tower, and Capt. Crumpudding surveys the field. It is late afternoon. The green banner of Qarman Mirandhi flies from atop the tower. Shoulder-high walls have been built up across the neck of the peninsula and along its near shore. Native riflemen lurk in the palm groves along the shore and in the hills to the right; beyond the hills his field glasses reveal the fast-moving dust-cloud of a unit of native camelry. He orders his infantry to deploy into line, a company of the 27th Dipshire Regt. in the fore, the Highlanders in reserve.

Cavalry Shifts Right
The Lancers shift to the right flank to counter the menacing camels, while, mindful of the sinking sun, the infantry moves briskly up the railway line in close order.

Native Camel Riders

The dhow moves downriver as the steamer chugs up along the near shore. The Sikhs, firing from the steamer's windows, are devastated by the dhow's guns, but the Arab cannons are slow to load, and the Gatling gun in the steamer's bow chatters mercilessly, taking a steady toll on the dhow's crew. Gatling in Steamer Bow Closeup of Dhow Deck

Native Rifles

The native rifles open up on the Dipshires, causing surprisingly heavy casualties on the close-ordered troopers. The Tommies' return volley clears the grove of natives and takes down one shooter from the hills. The khaki line advances steadily up the railway track. The natives consider falling back to the fort, but decide to stay for one more exchange.

PRESS ON to Part Two of New Year's Action at Point Wytouki

RETURN to the Battles Page

The dhow moves downriver as the steamer chugs up along the near shore. The Sikhs, firing from the steamer's windows, are devastated by the dhow's guns, but the Arab cannons are slow to load, and the Gatling gun in the steamer's bow chatters mercilessly, taking a steady toll on the dhow's crew.