On 6 November, 1897, while operating in the Kurram Valley on the Northwest Frontier, a piquet of the Kapurthala Infantry (5th Punjab Infantry) consisting of 35 men under a Subadar were ordered to rejoin the main column which was returning to base. Apparently disappointed that they had seen no action, the men took a defile different from the one they had been ordered to use in the hopes of encountering the Afrides (actually the Alassuzais and Chankannis sub-tribes). They got far more than they bargained for they found the defile they had taken was blocked and they were forced to retrace their steps. This movement was noticed by the Afrides who gathered in increasing numbers on the sides of the defile. From here they were able to snipe at the small detachment until it was weakened enough to be finished off by a rush to melee. It appears that five men plus the signalers did take the right route, but, for reasons that were never explained, the commanding officer, a Col. Hill, was not informed that the entire piquet had not come in. Consequently, the column returned to base without them. Their loss was not noted until the next morning at which time it was, of course, far too late.

This situation should make a good TSATF scenario:

Set up a defile running East-West, as long as six normal moves over clear terrain. Of course, this is broken terrain, with loose boulders, scrub and the like, so actual movement will be slower. Thirty sepoys and a Subadar begin at the western end and must exit of the eastern end. In doing this they must attempt to bring out their wounded and, preferably their dead as well to prevent looting. They are not allowed to climb up the sides of the defile. The defile itself should be wide enough to allow five men to march abreast, again assuming there were no obstacles.

Every turn, the Afridi receive 1d6+1 tribesmen anywhere along the north and/or south edge. Every tenth tribesman is a leader. It takes one entire movement for a tribesman to climb up or down and they cannot do this on the turn of entry. Tribesmen who leave the playing area do not return. Play continues until the sepoys exit or are wiped out. If the sepoys seem to have too easy a time of it, and remember, they did lose historically, try bringing on 1d6+3 tribesmen.

The burden of decision is on the Afridi to either start sniping right away in the hope of attriting the sepoys or assembling at the end of the defile. If this tactic is used, there will be a large force of tribesmen but the sepoys will be an intact force and not encumbered by their wounded.

Source

"Campaigns on the North-West Frontier" by Capt. H.L. Nevill, DSO, 1912.