"Stalking & Co" is one of those boys' books which can live on in your memory if read as a boy or be interesting if found as an adult. The book is a "period piece" of course echoed by Billy Bunter's Greyfiars. "chums annual", or even "The Wizard" and "The Rover" comics that I read as a boy -- columns of tightly-packed print with a drawing heading the long-awaited (a week!) next installment. The last chapter of the book, which I've recently re-read, came to mind on looking at Paul Grace's rules called "Slaves of the Lamp II." Here are forces, situation, etc. if you to use as a Solo scenario.

"Our" Forces

1. Road patrol: Dick Fout Capt I/c, Lt. Tertius, 1 Jemadar, 29 ORs Patham Regt.

2. In the fort (erstwhile roadbuilders): Stalky Capt. I/c (Corkoran); Sub: Everett (already dead): Havildar Rulton Singh: 39 ORs Sikh Regt

Enemy Forces: 60 Malot Hillmen; 60 Khyekeen Hillman.

Terrain: A deep valley with a stone fort with a watchtower at one corner, halfway down one side of above the road which stops there (road newly blasted) (see map). In the watchtower is an underground passage leading down to the ultimate bit of road (known only to Stalky, who may tell whom he likes).

Weather: Snow and wind.

Situation: Stalky force in the stone fort is besieged by Malots, all round, and Khye-Keens across the valley in sangars below the skyline, all sniping at the fort. Sub. Everett and one-half dozen Ors ambushed previously. Everett's body rescued, with a Malot sign on his chest now lying in the base of the watchtower (all over the mouth of the secret passage!) Dick Fout force rush into the fort. Wily Malots encourage them in order to help deplete whatever food Stalky force has, and better to keep tabs on all of the feringhees.

Objective: british troops to defeat the besiegers by breaking out and making away down the valley to base camp. Cmdr Capt. MacNamara, RE. In the book, Koran Safrib (Stalky) works out an ingenious plan to outwit the enemy and have it away. You can read what he did in Stalky & Co or come at it on your own, with your own strategy and tactics.

Victory for the British is to escape somehow. Victory for the Hillmen is to snipe and starve the troops, and collect all those lovely Martini- Henrys. To read about the real Stalky, who was at school with Rudyard Kipling at the Combined Services College, westward Ho! Get a hold of Stalky's Adventures, by Major Gen. LC Dusterville (published by Jonathan Cape, originally in 1928 under the title Stalky's Reminiscenes (1933)).

Important: The malots don't really trust the Khyekeens and vice-versa.

Stalky & Co. Large Map (Slow Download--111K)