Saturday, 21 December 2024

Hobbs End Gazette - Blockhouse Attacked, local man prisoner of the Boers! - A table Top Game In 28mm.

             

                                SPECIAL EDITION:                          12th September 1901


                        Royal Fusiliers in action, local man wounded.


Our South Africa correspondent Tarquine Squears reports;  
An isolated blockhouse of the "Rice" variety was attacked by a party of Boers last week in what has been described as a serious setback for the operations of the Royal Fusiliers in that area. The Boers approached very stealthily and rushed the position with reckless abandon.




The blockhouse crew fought back bravely, preferring to fight outside at first and causing several Boers to fall, the superior numbers of the Boers was beginning to be felt and the mauser fire soon began to take its toll.




The survivors gave a good account of themselves from within the blockhouse, but the assault was too much for them. Following threats to blow them to kingdom come the last of the small garrison surrendered to the Boers, they were stripped of everything useful and the blockhouse was destroyed.





Local soldier Private Thompson is reported wounded and a prisoner of the Boers, we wish him well and hope for a speedy recovery and repatriation.

Sunday, 15 December 2024

The Village Must Burn! - Wallachia 1462. A table Top Game In 28mm.

                                       The Village Must Burn! - Wallachia 1462.

A detachment of the Ottoman army is given the task of protecting the main army's flank, in their way is a small Wallachian village, the name of which is of no importance to the Turks and lost in the mists of time.


Most of the civilian population has already fled, those left are the local militia and some fighting monks, brave and unswervingly loyal to Prince Vlad, their chances are not good.


There is no negotiation with the Ottomans, the attack is pressed home with ruthless efficiency, arrows fly and men die.



The village is soon taken, the Sipahi and Janissaries were too much for the local militia who are put to flight.



One of the fighting monks has been taken prisoner, his fate is sealed and his end will be grisly. The village is put to the torch and the Ottomans lick their wounds, the Wallachians fought hard and they too took many casualties.


The survivors are hunted by the Sipahi but they slip away, looking for the Voivode's army, determined to fight another day and exact righteous vengeance on their sworn enemies.