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Elessar2590 in the Sudan
Recommendations: 188
About the Project
Too Fat Lardies released in their 2021 Magazine a set of rules for playing Sharp Practice in the Sudan. I'm a huge fan of the period and have a friend who is keen to try it out, but first I need a Gatling Gun...
Related Game: Sharp Practice
Related Company: Too Fat Lardies
Related Genre: Historical
This Project is Active
Defend the Landing
We played two games of Sharp Practice: Go Sharp into the Desert over the past few days both razor thing Mahdi wins. Both games were similar with the British defending a village along the Nile waiting for a steamship to come and pick them up while the vanguard of the Mahdist forces try to overwhelm them.
More details here
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Two Groups of Two Regulars, One Group of Sailors and a Gattling Gun vs Seven Mobs, Two Skirmishing Groups and some Camels
The Sailors managed to get into position just in time to be thrown back down the streets while the Regulars took to the rooftops and formed a skirmish line to counter the Mahdi flankers.
While they lost a lot of men including the Officer being wounded twice they took very little shock so managed to retreat in good order luring the Mahdists down the alley
At this point it's best to just find a nice place to hide.
Twice the Gattling Gun fired with all Twelve Dice and both times hit with Ten. Kind of hard to miss with a Gatling Gun at this range and with such a nice corridor.
The Regulars on the Flank formed up just in time and although they took massive casualties including a leader knocked unconscious they managed to just hold on.
Both sides had a single point of Force Moral left when a random event meant my British ran out of the houses and got hit in the rear, losing the Force Commander and a lot of guys which ended the game.
The Sailors First Game
A Trading Post on the Nile, imagine a river behind the near table edge. The Mahdists want to burn it down because they're just like that.
Her Majesty's Royal Navy rallies to defend the position, the river to their back. The Gatling Gun takes up point in the Sandbag emplacement. 
Right after this picture it all went bad. I got one burst of the Gatling Gun off and one round of shooting before a horde of Mahdists swarmed the Left Flank of Sailors, the others split to cover the gun but the Mahdists burned the trading post and massacred the garrison to a man.
Half the Sailors Finished
Caledor Blue highlights on all the Jackets and Trousers followed by a Kislev Flesh Skin Highlight
Only the sailors with hats have canteens, apparently sun safety and hydration go hand in hand.
The beard was a Khorne Red basecoat, Black Wash followed by a highlight of Jokaero Orange. I was worried it would be too bright but I'm pretty happy with it.
The Neckerchiefs were Lothern Blue
The finished half of my Sailors
The white lines were a major painThe Naval Brigade
The Victorian Royal Navy spent much more time fighting on shore than they did in enemy boarding actions. Outfitted with the same .577/450 Martini-Henry Rifle and bringing along some of the most modern crewed weapons of the period the Royal Navy is a pretty cool and multi purpose force especially for conflicts in Africa. These aren't Marines they're ordinary sailors.
I picked up four groups of eight for a total of 32 Sailors, 2 NCO's and 2 Officers. Miniatures are Empress from Elite Miniatures here in Australia.
Two Groups advancing, 12 with Caps and 4 with hats. I split the force in half to make painting a bit easier and focused on this half first. 
Not a lot of webbing and most of it is covered by the neckerchief and the way the arms are held.
Lieutenant on the Left, Petty Officer on the Right. 
Blocking out the colours. Barbarian Flesh, Platemail Metal and Mournfang Brown
I decided to give the Officers white trousers to mix them up a bit
I also wanted to make this one an Irish/Scottish Officer so tried out a red/orange beard colourscheme
Quickly did the hair, even the miniatures without facial hair got a moustache, can't be a Victorian sailor without facial hair. My standard Army Painted Black Wash
The Uniform gets a Caledor Sky highlight.
The first half of the first half, the miniatures are finished and I'll post them later this week.The First Game
The British Force, All the miniatures are mine and painted by me most many years ago and in need of a touch up.I didn’t get a picture of the Mahdists but the forces were
| Leader Status II |
| Two Groups of Regulars |
| Leader Status II |
| Two Groups of Regulars |
| Leader Status I |
| Two Groups of Bashi Bazouks |
| Leader Status I |
| Gattling Gun |
| Two Groups of Regulars |
| Two Supre Numeraries |
| The Regimental Sergeant Major |
The Mahdists
| Leader Status III |
| Leader Status I |
| Three Groups of 10 Beja Spearmen |
| Leader Status II |
| Three Groups of 10 Beja Spearmen |
| Leader Status I |
| Two Groups of 6 Beja Skirmishers |
| Leader Status I |
| Two Groups of 6 Beja Skirmishers |
| Leader Status II |
| Three Groups of 10 Beja Spearmen |
| Supre Numerary |
| One Group of Camel Riders |
| Moveable Deployment Point |
| Level 2 Mullah |
| Musician |
| Two Dummy Deployment Points |
The Bashi Bazouks were a bit of a “I painted them and they look cool so I ran them” ended up being pretty effective especially for muzzle loaders in a breech loading era.
THe Bashi Bazouks and the Gattling Gun held my Right flank with some Regulars
The Commander took the rest around the rocky terrain only for the Mahdists to run full speed through it, cutting my force in half.
Completely surrounded the skirmishing troops form up and "Form Triangle" spending about 4-5 turns of brutal melee before both sides are so exhausted neither can really do anything.
It started like this and that whole flank ended up with a wounded Officer and 8 men left standingSome Jump Off Points
I painted these years ago but never finished basing them
Perry Miniatures
My British in the Sudan are all dressed in the new Grey Uniform. This was used very briefly in between the Red and Khaki we are used to
The Bases are Painted with Army Painter Desert Yellow
The base on the left was dry brushed with Vallejo Deck Tan
Both Finished. I'll add some tufts 
The Final Thing
Your Move 
Oh Man Please Don't Roll a One
With the Camera Focus those Lines Almost Look Straight
This Sensible Chap has Decided to Wear a Hat in the Desert Sun. That's Why He's the Leader
Lloyd Shot
The Paint
Everything was undercoated with Grey Seer, I lightly glued the Gunner to a stick for ease of painting.
The gun itself was fairly straightforward. 
I really appreciated the sculpting skill that went into the wheels, all I needed to do was drybrush them and it naturally picked out all the detail I wanted.
Everything else was fairly basic, along with a metallic drybrush to pick out the detail
The Crew Post Wash. Painted in my usual style, block out the main areas then work down to more detailed stuff.
The Neckerchiefs had me a little worried but I managed to get a semi straight line
The skin was Army Painter Barbarian Flesh washed black with Kislev Flesh highlights then washed with Guilliman Contrast for a sunburnt look
It's blurry but here's a before and after
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