It is rare that one plays a premier wargame with some eight or so experienced wargamers to “show off” to those who make our beloved figures. So it was that Bob Duncan made welcome Al Maurer, owner of Askari Miniatures of Colorado Springs , to spend an evening fighting in the wilds of Africa in the Nashville, Tennessee area. Actually Columbia, Tennessee. There were some eight experienced hands about the table. We had Bob’s pastor who had never played a game. SO we determined he should start out small and we had him command a band of pygmies. To set the tone I will rewind with the invitation, some banter beforehand and then the game description followed by more banter and then the photos.  David Raybin

I am sorry to report that an American citizen hunting in Africa is feared captured by some Arab slavers. T Roosevelt, a prominent American is seen here having his photograph taken amid the coastal forest before making his way inland on his hunt. It is unclear what has happened. A native reports the only thing heard was yells of “bully !! “ when the American rounded a bend. There were multiple guns shots, more yells of “bully!! “ and then silence. Reports will be filed when more is learned.

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Gents,
In honor of a visit by Al Maurer, owner of Askari Miniatures of Colorado Springs, we are hosting an unusual (for us) game on Wednesday evening, December 9th at 6PM sharp! That is just a week away.
The scenario is Colonial Darkest Africa, with the fortified Rusanga British science station under siege from Arab Slavers, based in the town of Duruma. In order to reach the station, the lands of the Masai must be crossed, and they might not welcome the intervention. The lands between the Slavers and the Masai is the Lunga, and it might be crossed at the bridge near Duruma. The Arabs and Masai are old enemies, but they stay on their respective sides of the river.
In any case, the Naval Landing force, augmented by local Askaris, must move quickly as they are lightly equipped and only carry supplies for a few days. There are also British missionaries sheltering at Rusanga, including women, and all these are terribly low on supplies.
Bring them out alive.

I hope to see you all next Wednesday. – bd

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The Relief of Rusanga Science Station
British East Africa – Long Ago

Arab slavers (Neel Woodall, Tony Staggs), in a move to protest British interference in their slave trade, blockaded the Rusanga Station and attacked various mission posts and safari camps in southern BEA. Several parties of refugees joined the scientists at the station (Mike Randles), including a small body of adventurers led by a minor politician from New York named Teddy Roosevelt (David Raybin). They barricaded themselves inside the station, and waited for a promised rescue mission that was being hastily organized by the Royal Navy (Mike Peccolo, Al Maurer) on the coast.
The rescue mission, consisting of one company of British Marines, five companies of Askaris, a section of 12pdrs and a couple of old Nordenfeldt volley guns discovered in the armory of a cruiser, quickly marched the sixty miles in two days toward Rusanga. Unfortunately their route crossed the lands of the Maasai (Don Crownover, Tom Price, Albert Domm), who took a dim view of the intrusion, especially considering that the commander of the relief force did not even attempt to consult with the local tribal chief. The relief force just marched right past his krall without even a “by-your-leave.”
In the meantime, the besieged party at Rusanga, now led by the redoubtable Roosevelt, had determined that the best way to be rescued was to fight their way out past the Arabs and attempt to meet their relief at the bridge over the Bangoro River. Duruma, a small walled town infested with armed and angry Arab slavers, was sited hard by the bridge. The old soldiers and adventurers of the party would have to keep the Arabs busy while the missionaries, civilians and their pack train slipped by to cross the bridge, which was the only possible escape route, the lower river area being in the territory of hostile pygmies (Roger Nicholson.)
Drummed messages began to echo off the hills among the Maasai villages, and small bodies of splendidly attired Maasai warriors began to assemble in the bush as the relief column marched nervously by. The trickle became a flood as the Maasai, now in greater numbers, began to close in on the rear guard. In an attempt to frighten the Maasai away, the Askaris rear-guard fired a round of canister into the encroaching ranks of the Maasai. That was when all hell broke loose, and the Maasai shouted their battle cries and pitched into the rear guard. More Maasai poured from the northern village area to attack the head of the British column. It was here that a large body of fanatic witch doctors attacked the only company of disciplined British Marines, and were slaughtered in a bloody repulse. While the rear guard of the Askaris were nearly wiped off the map (along with a bucket load of Maasai,) the advanced guard poured highly effective fire into the Maasai attack and stopped it cold, loosing only one man of the three companies. Even the old Nordenfeldt volley guns did good service in hammering the Maasai ranks.
At Duruma, the Rusanga party, now running in the open beneath the walls of the town, stopped now and again to rake the rooftops of Arabs. The women scientists and missionaries were screened from several Arab charges from the town, these being narrowly defeated by the rapidly dwindling bodyguard of the refugees. With the refugees now flooding across the bridge, an Arab cannonball slammed into a bush preacher’s horse-drawn carriage, but it plunged into the river rather than blocking the bridge. It was at this moment, as Roosevelt and his small rearguard covered the retreat across the bridge that a last swarm of Arabs emerged from the buildings to charge the bridge. They were raked by fire from the rear guard (with great dice rolling) and the remnant was shattered and fled. This broke the spirit of the Arabs and, leaving many bodies in the town, they sullenly slunk away.
The refugees now joined the much diminished relief force, and they quickly turned their backs on Maasai territory and headed quickly back to the coast. Still, the reports coming from this fight would reach the newspapers back home. No sane person now wished to tangle with the dreaded Maasai nation. From the top of a hill, the Pygmy king smiled. The battle was over, the British were going, the Arabs driven out and the Maasai were humbled. He had not fired a shot, nor lost even a man. The King knew that he was the only winner of this battle. – Bob Duncan, GM
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NEWS FLASH
Africa.

A far more detailed report ( and more photographs) will follow. However it has been reported that the American T. Roosevelt has been rescued by Her Majesties’ forces from the hostile slavers and assorted other natives. It appears that Roosevelt is the hero of the day and proclaimed he didn’t need rescuing since he was able to extract himself from the predicament “quite nicely.” He was , however, thankful for the transport since several mules had been killed or stolen. He saved a group of missionaries who were instructing the natives as to new methods of procreation. Our reporter managed a photograph of TR leading his flock to safety over the water. Everyone agrees that this photograph is reminiscent of Moses leading the host as they were fleeing the Pharaoh. Roosevelt showed great leadership and now — with the recent demise of Colonel Custer — is the new national hero and there is talk of him perhaps running for President one day.

David L. Raybin