British Operations In darfur 1916
A wargamer's Guide
Darfur Scenario 2:
Beringia
Situation: 22
May 1916. The Sultan, Ali Dinar,
has sided with the Ottoman Turks and so is in open rebellion against the
Governor of Sudan. He is assembling
his main forcesat his capital, el Fasher in Darfur.
A British led column, the western or Darfur Field Force has been
despatched to deal with this threat. The
Sultan’s forces have been withdrawing in front of the British for days
skirmishing to buy time for the main army to assemble.
The British led column is moving on El Fasher by way of the Wells at
Mellit and the village of Beringia.
Ground: The ground is undulating
with a few ridges and wadis. In the
centre is the village of Beringia and a track of sorts leads from the table edge
to the village.
There are a few trees and a well at the village.
British Forces:
Named characters count as staff commanders.
Col Kelly, escort & HQ
flag; 3 staff officers, each with
escort; 2 Companies XIIIth
Sudanese; 1 Company XIVth Sudanese ; 1 Company IVth Egyptian–; 1 Company Arab
Battalion (baggage escort); A Battery 2 Mountain guns; No2 Battery 2 Mountain
guns; 5 Maxims; Medical and Departmental detachments; 36 x baggage camels and
drivers in three companies.
Maj Huddlestone; Camel
Corps – 3 Companies; Mounted Infantry – 1 Company
British Mission: to march off the south edge of the field
with sufficient forces to capture El Fasher.
Execution: The
troops enter along the track on the north edge of the table in marching Open
Square formation and halt for midday rest.
You may deploy cavalry and/or camelry vedettes.
Only 25% of each infantry unit is alert while stationary.
They take one turn to form before doing anything.
The baggage camels are essential if you lose 50% of them the column must
retire.
Sultan’s Forces:
Main Force: 2 command figures, 2 banners, 3 bands of cavalry or
camelry, 7 bands of spear armed foot, 2 bands of rifle armed foot.
Reserve: 1 command figure, 2 bands of cavalry or camelry, 3 bands of
spear armed foot, 1 band of rifle armed foot.
Sultan’s Mission:
to stop the British from reaching El Fasher by inflicting heavy
casualties (50%) on the fighting elements or destroying 75% of the baggage
camels.
Execution: The
infantry may be dug in or in fortified houses.
Any troops occupying the wadis and entrenchments or concealed
must be marked on the map.
Your troops (except cavalry and camelry) may be in the entrenched wadis
and you may give the front line riflemen strong stone works.
The reserve is also in wadis.
Playing the game:
·
Set
up the playing area as shown.
·
The Sultan’s forces write their plan and mark the
location of their concealed troops on their map
·
The British write their plan and order of arrival then deploy their forces.
·
The Sultan’s forces then deploy any of their forces in sight of the British.
Special Rules:
·
When the British are within 18” of the Sultan’s forces those within sight roll
d6 needing 5 or 6 not to charge.
Winning the game:
The British win if they can march off the south side of
the table with at least 65% of their forces.
The British may claim a marginal victory if they destroy
the Sultan’s forces and but have lost more than 50% troops and baggage.
The Sultan’s forces win if they stop the British.
They may claim a partial victory if they prevent the
British from advancing by killing or capturing 50% of the baggage camels.