Talking Shop Five Wargames
Part I

The First Wargame: Mara's Drift

by Gary Richard

Our 'club' meets in a member's garage once a month. Most of our games are WWII armor-infantry games in 1/76-1/72 scale. Nevertheless we have had a variety of other games over the years; Napoleonics, Naval, Ancients, Micro-Armor, Skirmish, etc.... This was our first experience with Colonials and THE SWORD AND THE FLAME.

THE BATTLE OF MARA'S DRIFT

The British orders were to cross the river, march to the other end of the board, build and garrison a supply depot and return to Mara's Drift. The Zulu orders were to destroy any British force north of the river, but not to cross the river themselves. Each Zulu Regiment has three iviyos. Each iviyo has 1 leader, 4 riflemen with stabbing spear, and 15 men with throwing spears (2 throws per iviyo) and stabbing spears.

There were 3 British players, 5 Zulus and a referee. Just over 100 square feet of playing surface was available, but we used less than 20. The Zulu commander decided to ambush the British as soon as they crossed the river.

Turn by turn the game went as follows:

Turn 1. The NNH crossed the river, climbed the hill, found a Zulu Regiment there, and fell back to the foot of the hill where they were meleed by one iviyo. After a mutually costly fight the Zulus broke and ran. The NNH fell back across the river. (A on map)

Turns 2 through 6. The British column crossed the river covered by the gatling. (Bi1 on map)

Turn 7. The NNH remnant uncovers an iviyo behind the southwest hill. This is the tip of the right horn of the Zulu formation. (B on map)

Turn 8. The British infantry form their first line. Two Zulu regiments advance. (C on map)

Turn 9. A third Zulu regiment rushes the British center. Fire and melees all along the line. (D, E, and F on map)

Turn 10. Second platoon of 24th falls back. Six shotup iviyos again close into melee with the British. Despite heavy losses, the 24th line holds, but has much ore air than men left in it.

Turn 11. The British fall back and form their final line while most of the Zulus are also reorganizing. The gatling gun jams, and the last two surviving NNH try to take on two iviyos of the in6obamakhosi while covering the gun's withdrawal. They lose. (6#2,H,on map)

Turn 12. The gatling crew get their lick in, but perish under a shower of throwing spears. The British 'win' the melee. However, as there are still 89 Zulus on their feet and only 6 British, the game is ended. (6#3, 1 on map)

Excerpt from the A Company, 24th Foot BASIC UNIT HISTORY. 'on the morning of (21 May, 1983) 'A' Company formed up on the south side of the Buffalo River preparatory to crossing and building a supply fort some miles to the northeast in Zululand. Also in the column were a troop of the Natal Native Horse and a Royal Artillery gatling gun. Shortly after dawn 'A' Company witnessed the fight between the NNH troop and a single Zulu iviyo (later identified as part of the uNokenke Regiment) on the north side of the river. Nonplussed, 'A' Company crossed; Ist platoon leading, then 2nd platoon, the two supply carts, the NNH remnant (4), all covered by the gatling, which crossed last. Before the gatling crossed, a group of Zulu riflemen showed themselves on the ridge and performed an ineffective fire. The 2nd platoon and the gatling returned fire and did great execution (they hit 3 of 7).

Ahead and to the southwest, the 1st platoon witnessed the attack of an iviyo of the uMbonambi Regiment upon the NNH patrol. Extending to the left, the 1st platoon climbed the southwest hill and beat off two charges by this same iviyo with steady volleys.

By the time the gatling was across, the remaining iviyos of the uMbonambi were advancing from the northwest, and the entire inGobamakhosi Regiment was streaming over the ridge from the northeast. There was scarcely time for one volley at these units when the entire uNokenke Regiment burst over the ridge and headed directly for the British center (the left half of the 2nd platoon). The uNokenke closed into melee with the 2nd platoon, while the uMbonambi and the in6obamakhosi had to content themselves with spear throws.

Amazingly, the 2nd platoon fought off the uNokenke, though it suffered high casualties (25X). However the uNokenke reformed and charged 2nd platoon again, reinforced by an iviyo of the in6obamakhosi. At the same time two iviyos of the uNbonambi attacked 1st platoon (and the western end of 2nd platoon). The 2nd platoon had fallen back to the carts, having abandoned its wounded, when the new attack struck. When this melee was over the British had again won, but there were only four of them still holding the line and they had fallen back to regroup, abandoning the supply carts. The gatling jammed, and the NNH remnant perished defending its withdrawal to the new line. The gatling got off one more burst before its crew was killed by a hail of spears. The British commanding officer was wounded, but continued to direct the defense.

The Zulus too suffered heavy losses, but were able to attack again. Finally the British were down to 5 unhurt infantrymen and a wounded colonel. Faced with another Zulu attack, the British survivors flung themselves into the river and swam to safety on the southern bank.

    MARA'S DRIFT CASUALTIES
    British: 52 Dead, 4 Wounded (3 of these were NNH sent back after the first melee.
    Zulu 95 dead

The game went on from about 7:00 PM to 12:30 AM, and was a lot of fun, even for the referee. The British were hurt worst by not being able to get enough long range rifle fire before melee, especially in the center. The gatling was also hard pressed to deal with two iviyos by itself. In their orders the British were told to guard the ox carts because the oxen were so hard to come by. The Zulu players mis-interpreted this solicitude as meaning that the carts had more gatling guns in them.

Talking Shop Five Wargames Part I

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