Talking Shop Five Wargames
Part I

The Third Wargame: Fort Cleese

by Gary Richard

This was a 'relieve the besieged fort' scenario. Fort Cleese (named for the NNH sergeant wounded at Mara's Drift and later killed at isiKala-inTaba) is an advanced supply depot. To win, the British column simply has to get into the fort before the Zulus do.

BRITISH FORCES:

    Garrison 1st Plat., Co. B, Rifle Bgd. 20
    Gatling Gun, RA (only 4 turns 4 of fire remaining)

    Relief Column
    'A' Troop, 17th Lancers 12
    "A' Company, 24th Foot 42
    Two Field Guns, RA 8
    Two oxcarts and drivers 2
    Commanding officer 1
    TOTAL 65

ZULU FORCES

    uNokenke Regiment 61
    inGobamakhosi Regt. 61
    uMbonaebi Regiment 61
    uihulwana Regiment 61 (8 instead of 4 riflemen per iviyo)
    Commanding Induna 1
    TOTAL 245

The Zulu commander's orders were to destroy Ft. Cleese, but the approach of the relief column has complicated this. As the map shows, the Zulu commander (same as at Mara's Drift) decided to attack the fort immediately with three regiments. The uihulwana, with its greater number of rifles and the gatling would try to slow down the relief column.

The game was a little too big for the players and the referee to handle. There were only 3 Zulu players and two British - 5 people to move 334 figures each turn. Fort Cleese was simply two rectangles made out of dominoes.

The battle began with three Zulu regiments rushing Fort Cleese. At the same time, the 17th Lancers lost their Sergeant wounded while scouting the first clump of woods. The 1st platoon formed line and advanced, firing blind. They continued, inflicting casualties on the uihulwana while losing none themselves, until the Zulu unit finally left the field. The Zulu gatling gun was unable to fire. The 17th Lancers and the 2nd platoon took off overland toward Fort Cleese, but the infantry did not arrive in time.

Meanwhile, the Rifle Brigade fought a furious but futile battle. Of the nine iviyos attacking, only one was broken by fire, and that was the one opposite the gatling gun. The rest of the Zulus pressed home, and more than enough managed to get over the wall. The British fell back to the building, leaving their lieutenant and the other wounded.

The 17th Lancers finally came charging over the hill. They attacked two iviyos of the uMbonaebi Regiment (killing the Regimental induna) from the rear, broke both, and then pounded through the fort's gate.

The battle ended at this point. As far as I was concerned, the Zulus in the fort didn't know what was going on outside, and wiped out the Riflemen. Yet the British insisted there were some survivors. I didn't dispute it - I just wanted to pick up my soldiers and go home and sleep.

Before this game I wondered why lance-armed cavalry didn't have an extra +1 melee modifier for reach. This game made it plain that they didn't need it. Any Imperial cavalry troop that catches any native basic unit from the rear has no excuse if they don't destroy it.

    FORT CLEESE CASUALTIES
    Garrison: 24(?)Dead, 1 Wounded
    Relief Column: 2Dead, 1 Wounded
    Zulus: 100+ Dead and Wounded

Talking Shop Five Wargames Part I

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© Copyright 2004 by Milton Soong.
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