Introduction Skirmish Wargamers, UK has held a game every year for 23 years, to commemorate a founder member, "Long Haired" Steve Curtis, who died tragically young from muscular dystrophy. In 1998, it was held at Colours, one of the premier wargames shows in the UK, as it has been for some 15 years or so. Our games always attract a lot of attention, because they are different! We game in 54mm rather than the more conventional 15 or 25mm, and the sheer scale of our games turns heads. More that that though, we try to make them visually interesting, and take a great deal of trouble with the terrain and figures. The figures we all do, and this year we were able to draw on ones we'd done for previous games for most of the Zulus and some of the fugitives, just adding the odd special characters like Vereker, Coghill and Melvill. The special rules were put together by Al Winsbury, who's something of a Zulu War buff, and has a special thing about Fugitive's Drift for some reason. The terrain usually falls to our master builder, Les Tipping, who once again produced a masterpiece for us. 16 feet long by 6 feet wide, it had all the rugged appearance of the original situation, complete with a raging torrent at one end for the drift itself. Ted Herbert took some notes of the game as it progressed and took some photographs. Mike Blake knocked all the material into this article, took some more of the photos, and did the illustrations, including the map. Anyway, all the hard work sure paid off, because we won the Wargames Illustrated Trophy for the Best Demonstration Game. Given that our games are in 54mm, it takes a bit of doing because the smaller scale games are more what's expected and the standard is high. We always put up lots of display material, have handouts etc, and that helps to catch the judges' eye. We must be doing something right - it's the 3rd time we've won! The Historical Situation On the 22nd of January 1879, the center column of the British force invading Zululand stumbled upon the Zulu impi in the Ngwebeni valley. The British misinterpretation of the situation and failure to prepare field defences combined with the impetuosity of the Zulu warriors lead to one of the greatest disasters ever to strike the British army. In less than three hours the Zulu impi, engulfed and annihilated a major part of the invasion force composed of British regular and native troops. The result rocked the British Empire and inspired the Zulu nation. The battle was called ISANDLHWANA. After breaking through the Imperial lines, the Zulus wrought havoc in the camp. Small groups of men made last stands in the camp and on the neck of Isandlwana and the Mahlabamkhosi hills. As these groups were overcome, what remained of the British force and it's camp, streamed down the slopes and dongas towards the Manzimyama river and from there on over the heights of Mpethe and down to Sothondose's Drift, all the time pursued by the impetuous Zulus. The game represents the very last stages of the fugitives flight. The game starts with the fugitives having crossed the Manzimyama river and the heights of Mpethe. They are now desperately making their way down Mpethe towards Sothondose's (Fugitive's) drift on the Mzinyathi (Buffalo) river. The fugitives hope to cross the Mzinyathi and escape to the safety of Helpmekaar via Rorke's Drift (that's another story and another game!), but they still have some difficult terrain to traverse. The mount of Mpethe gives rise to several springs and here and there the ground is marshy. In other places it is treacherously strewn with rocks and dense scrub. Many of the camp animals are caught up in the flight. Their movement is unpredictable and they may hamper progress or trample the fugitives. The fastest runners of the iNdluyengwe regiment are coming around the slopes of Mpethe to cut the fugitives off (arriving on the back of the table length as it was viewed by the audience) and worse still the fugitives are being relentlessly pursued by tenacious warriors from the iNgobamakhosi & uVe regiments. (These will appear on the shorter back table end as viewed and possibly on the table length nearest the audience). The fugitives have run and/or ridden over six miles already. They are exhausted and their movement is slow. To add to their troubles some of them are out of ammunition and others have just a few shots left after the heavy firing of the battle. At this time of year the Mzinyathi river is in full flood; a 7 feet deep torrent, flowing at 6 - 7 miles per hour (from the back table edge towards the front). It is unlikely even the strongest swimmers amongst them can swim it without the help of a larger animal or buoyant log. To survive, the characters must 'leave the table in the river, without having drowned'. Only the strongest and luckiest of them are likely to get out with our lives. The Fugitives Capt. Edward 'Lucky' Essex, 75th Regiment (one of only five Imperial officers to survive). Left his sword in the tent at camp. Mr. James A. Brickhill, Interpreter, Spoke Zulu. Mounted. Long dark beard, flecked grey. Reliant on spectacles which he lost during the flight. Private Samuel Wassall, 80th regiment serving with Mounted Infantry, droopy moustache, awarded VC for turning back to rescue Private Westwood at Sothondose's (Fugitive's) drift. Tied his horse to a tree, rescued Westwood and then untied horse, rode off with assegai's and bullets after him. Smith-Dorrien, a junior transport officer under Essex's command, mounted, loses horse. Walked 20 miles to Helpmekaar. (one of only five Imperial officers to survive). Dubois, a civilian wagon driver, spoke Zulu. Separated from Brickhill in the flight. Mounted. James Hamer, a friend of Shepstone's [?]. With 4 other men [probably officers "We used our revolvers freely...". Mounted. Lt. Harry Davies, Edendale Troop. The Edendale troop were the only body to make an organised retreat. Fired on a group of Zulus with a carbineer. Both mounted but Davies had to dismount due to the broken ground. He was carrying a carbine with fixed bayonet. He met Stafford about the time he dismounted. Trooper Barker, Carbineers, Went searching with Tarboton for Tarboton's brother and Barker's friend Hawkins (all Carbineers). Trooper W. Tarboton, Carbineers, Lost sight of his brother who was also at Isandlwana. Went searching with Barker. Captain Stafford, E company, 1/1st Natal Native Contingent, a bit of a hero by all accounts, combining compassion & ruthlessness during his escape. Lt. Wally Erskine, of Stafford's E company 1/1st NNC, met Stafford on route. Stafford captured him a horse. Before this Erskine was on foot. Lt. William FD Cochrane attached to Durnford's staff as transport officer (one of only five Imperial officers to survive). Mounted of course. Major Stuart Smith, Royal Artillery, died on route, his horse was called Black Eagle. Sgt. Costello, Royal Artillery, took Black eagle after Smith's death. Helped Trooper's Gascoigne and Dorehill get Trooper Hayes from out of the reeds at the drift. Lt. Curling, Royal Artillery. One of only five Imperial officers to survive. Lt Neville Coghill, ADC to Colonel Pulleine. Lt Teignmouth Melvill, Red jacket, cased colour of 24th Regt - black with brass top. The Honourable Standish William Prendergast-Vereker, Lt, 5th company NNC, Zikali Horse, reputed to have given up his horse [so obviously mounted at the start] to a trooper. An expert rider and shot, spoke Zulu. Trooper W. Dorehill, Natal Mounted Police, Mounted, - 3 Zulu's two young, one elder approached, two shotgun blasts from older Zulu kill younger Zulu's….'Jump in the water' cries the elder Zulu and Dorehill escapes. Trooper Hayes, Natal Mounted Police, tent mate of Dorehill. Mounted? Private John Power, 1/24th serving with Mounted Infantry, Later awarded DCM for Hlobane action. Trooper Gascoigne, Mounted Infantry. Helped Sgt Costello and Trooper Dorehill get Hayes out of muddy reeds. NNC private steals Hayes horse whilst he is being pulled from reeds, Gascoigne knocked him of to return it to Hayes. Jabez Molife, a Hlubi. Lt. Wyatt Vause, 3rd Troop, Zikhali's Horse, with a young African boy 'voorlooper' on same horse. These were the characters we used, in 9 groups as described below, but there are some others who could also be used if there are enough players: Captain Alan Gardner, 14th Hussars, assigned to staff. One of only five Imperial officers to survive. Quartermaster Macphail, Buffalo Border Guard. Pvt Frederick Bickley, bandsman [?], started on foot and caught a riderless horse. Band Sgt Gamble, on foot, pleaded with a lift from Melvill, who refused. Gamble was killed. Cpl Richardson, 1/24th, fell off horse exhausted and was unable to remount. Pvt Westwood [?], rescued by Samuel Wassell. Trooper Muirhead [?], survived. Lt Young, bad stab wound under arm, unhorsed whilst traversing a donga. Stafford didn't go back for him. [there were 2 Young, brothers, HC and LD, both officers 2/3rd NNC. HC survived, LD died - its unclear as to which one Stafford met. Lt Higginson [?] met Cochrane en route. Lt Anstey, 24th Foot, killed on the banks of the Manzimyama, 2 miles from the camp, in a group of Redcoats. More Fugitive's Drift Aftermath of Isandlhwana: Introduction and Historical Situation Aftermath of Isandlhwana: Character and Special Rules Aftermath of Isandlhwana: The Refight Game Back to Table of Contents -- Courier #77 To Courier List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1999 by The Courier Publishing Company. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com