The Battle of El Tikka Marsala: The Battle using Black Powder Rules.

The British Army crested the ridge in battle formation to find that El Tikka Marsala was something of a disappoint, consisting of half a dozen mud huts and a well. Nevertheless this vital objective was well and truly captured. At least it was until the Ansar Army crested the opposite ridge.

The Ansar along the Red Sea coast was commanded by Osama Dogma, a Beja chieftan. Dogma had been a slave trader and financial advisor who fell out with the British authorities in Egypt when it was discovered that he had saddled Bearings Bank with a stack of sub-prime mortgages on mud huts.

The British Governor was one Cecil Bearing.

Dogma's spies in the Soddit Stevedores Union had watched the British arrival with great interest and ta great army of Beja and Sudanese warriors were assembled to meet them.

The game was played using Warlord's black powder rules.

The British were slow to respond to the Whirling Dervish charge [I failed all my damn die rolls]. The Ansar occupied the hill with Jihadya slave-soldier riflemen who opened with a furious fusillade on the British centre. Otherwise both army's wings advanced in battle formation.

The Hussars and Camelry met in a furious charge and a confused melee ensued.

The Abyssinian mounted were pushed back. Blue markers indicate a fatigued unit that can no longer attack.

The Jihadya lost the firefight with the British infantry and were driven from the hill in disarray.

Having marched the Camel Corps down the hill into the village, Bulley fell prey to indecisiveness and marched them back again.

The British left flank stabilised with both sides exhausted.

Fairley-Rusk moved his artillery to the square's corners as he suspected a dervish charge was coming.

The Dervish finally charged the British right and a blood bath ensued. A Camel Battalion broke and fled but the pursuing Jihadya were blasted and destroyed by the Naval artillery.

On the left flank a Fuzzy Wuzzy column broke into the square by overrunning a cannon battery.

Things were looking decidedly dodgy when the Ansar suddenly sounded the retreat and retired for prayers. Farley-Rusk took the opportunity to slip away during the night.

Honour had been satisfied and both sides were in shock.

Shaun and I declared a draw.