The Men Who Would Be Kings: Run the Gauntlet

We played a game of The Men Who Would be Kings today, featuring a force of British infantry and imperial cavalry trying to run a gauntlet of Zulus. I had originally intended to run this game at Millennium Con, but had to cancel my trip, so we played it at Myth Adventures instead.

Pics and a game summary below. Short version: The British lost, badly!

The set-up: 6x4 table, with 4 units of British infantry and 2 of irregular cavalry (Natal Native Horse and Frontier Light Horse).  Zulu forces would arrive from the side table edge AND from behind the British.  A difficult creek runs through the middle.

The Zulus approach! Part of a married regiment seen here.

The imperial horse units take the hill and form a loose firing line. Overall in the game, the cavalry units performed better than the thin red line.

The perimeter. So neat and tidy. A shame considering what happens to it later!

Zulus cresting the hill opposite the imperial horse.

My favorite unit, the Natal Native Horse, open fire at long range.

The Frontier Light Horse were the stars of the battle. They'll ultimately inflict at least a dozen casualties on the Zulus, survive several assaults, and be some of the few survivors to ride out.

The Zulu pursuit forces approaching from behind.

The Natal Native Horse redeploy to face the new threat.

The Zulu assault goes splendidly. Four units of British infantry barely managed to inflict 5 or 6 casualties, at effective 12" range, and only pin a single attacker. The Zulu assault crashed into the British lines and smashed them.

Not all was over, however.  The Frontier Light Horse held against Zulu attacks and the damaged British units managed some effective fire that slowed the Zulu follow-up charges.

The end approaches.  The Zulus started to pick off British infantry units.  The NNH on the left were able to make a run for it. 

Falling back through volleys of spears and musketry, the Frontier Light Horse roughly handled one more Zulu assault and managed to fall back through a ring of enemy units.

The only survivors of the British force, running for their lives.

Thanks for looking!