The Hadendowah burst from their hiding place amongst the thorn bushes to the Highlanders immediate front. The blades of the warrior's long swords flashed above the charging throng as they rushed like a torrent at the startled Soldiers. Callow youths in khaki wavered in the ranks as older men, inured to such sights by years of campaigning in the far corners of the Widow's Empire, steadied them with muttered oaths. Officers gave their orders, echoed by the coarse bellowing tirades of grizzled sergeants and corporals. Fingers fumbled in cartridge pouches. Rifles pressed firmly into shoulders. Eyes blinked against the glare of the desert and grit of clinging dust. The Handedowah rushed on, those with rifles firing them wildly at their foe. The ebony wave rolled up to the breakwater of the soldier's line. Then the first volley rang out. Scores of warriors went down, a tangle of punctured flesh and mangled limbs. Another volley followed, and another. Yet the Handendowah came on. The first swords struck khaki. Bayonets plunged and spears stabbed wildly. The line buckled. The Major fell shouting curses cut to pieces beneath the flashing blades….then the party pies arrived! Thank God for the pies, piping hot and smothered in Thai Sweet-Chili sauce. The chance for a breather for all concerned. An opportunity to look at the table and take in the simulation of bloody carnage taking place in miniature. Maybe take a photo or two, or just try to work out what the hell to do next. A chance to put on the kettle or open a can. A chance to enjoy what has become over the years a tradition as sacred for the Darwin Wargames Club as any religious ritual could be. There aren't a lot of us, nowhere near as many as we wish there were. Four at last count, but there were up to six at one stage. No one really knows whatever happened to the other two but there were rumors of a particularly well-fed crocodile lurking in a nearby creek. We didn't pay much heed to that but up this way you never can tell. Despite our depleted ranks we do play a lot of games. We are keen and our interests are eclectic. We are just as comfortable in a biplane over the Western Front, a Man O War off the coast of Spain or a Panzer on the snow swept steppes of Russia. We love playing section tactics in Vietnam, company attacks at Amiens in 1918 or massed Horse and Musket battles. In short we are completely besotted with our hobby and willing to give anything reasonable a go. We are lucky with those who fill the ranks of our half section as it is. John O'Connell's house is a Wargamer's paradise. His wargames room is something to be seen. A cabinet of lovingly painted and prepared miniatures stands guard in the corner. An enviable collection of militaria adorns the walls. Music appropriate to every occasion wafts, and sometimes thumps, from a CD player in the corner. John's modeling skills are legendary. His beautifully detailed hand made 25mm scale colonial naval vessels need to be seen to be believed. The scenarios for games are endlessly varied. They run smoothly, every aspect of them crafted by Peter William's encyclopedic knowledge of and appreciation for military history. Whether it be the forests of Gaul or the rugged foothills of India's North-West Frontier Peter is able to put together an enjoyable and well-balanced game. Bill Bacon came to us as a refugee from Star Grunt or something similar. He craved for games in which reflected his love for history. His real passion is for the wilds of the Afghan hills and the ferocious battles that took place there during the 19thC. Every game he organizes is sure to be a bloodcurdling thrill. For myself, I write rules. Its not that we don't like commercial rules, we just like to think for ourselves. I'm guilty of chronic "Wargamitits". I've suffered from it for decades. I paint, I model, I buy too many figures, and I can't help buying books. There's no hope for me. So what's new? If you're ever up in the Top End and want a game, or just to munch on a party pie in the company of like minded fanatics give us a call. You can reach me: gregoryblake@bigpond.com Back to Table of Contents -- Kriegspieler #6 To Kriegspieler List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1999 by Kriegspieler Publications. 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