Move 1

The Campaign Begins 

Just a few points here and now.  I think that excessive administration is death to a campaign and also an over-slow sense of progression of the game. To this end, I will make every effort to keep the administration side of things in my own hands and as far out of sight as possible. I intend at the moment to run a campaign move every fortnight, currently, although with work pressures this may be faster or slower depending on how we go. I will make every effort to move things briskly along.

So to that end, it's 1882 and the Sudan is simmering with resentment against the "Turks" who have systematically been exploiting the people for decades. But now, the dawn of a new era beckons, the Mahdi has been proclaimed and all the tribes have been summoned to his standard.

The Expected One is charismatic and ruthless and will spare no energy until he has prayed in the Grand Mosques in Cairo, Jerusalem and Mecca!

In the meantime, as the Egyptian players, you must quell this pestiferous rebellion and put these Sudanese layabouts and tax-dogers in their place.

Set-Up

The Anglo-Egyptians have 34 “units” to use in the game. The size of a unit is determined by the rules you’re using - I am assuming TSatF. At least 20, but not more than 24, units must be distributed by the Anglo-Egyptian players among the garrison towns (those marked with a number in a square). Every garrison town must have at least one unit in it. All of these garrisons must be either Egyptian units or gunboats.

Every unit that is not placed in a garrison town is held off-map.

There is no Dervish set-up.

Anglo-Egyptian Order of Battle

Under the Command of General Gordon along with his right-hand men Emin Pasha and Slatin Pasha.

Egyptian Army

1st Egyptian Battalion: 4 Companies infantry

2nd Egyptian Battalion: 4 Companies infantry

3rd Egyptian Battalion: 4 Companies infantry

4th Egyptian Battalion: 4 Companies infantry

Egyptian Artillery: 2 batteries 9-pdr rifled breech-loaders

Nile Flotilla: 2 gunboats each armed with a gun and a Nordenfeldt, plus 1 platoon of soldiers apiece (bluejackets/soldiers, whatever, must accompany gunboats)

British Expeditionary Force: 

Under the Command of Maj-General Sir Garnet Wolseley

6 Platoons Imperial Infantry (ie, a battalion and a half)

2 Troops Anglo-Indian Cavalry

Camel Corps: two platoons camel-mounted infantry

One Battery 15-pdr rifled breech-loaders

One Battery of Nordenfeldt Machine Guns (ie, 1MG)

Any thoughts or feedback are most welcome. In the meantime, I offer you this translation of the script from the Mahdis supporters flags as inspiration:

"Yâ allâh, Yâ Rabman, Yâ Rabîm"
(O God, O Merciful One, O Compassionate One)

"Yâ Hayy, Yâ Qiyyûm, Ya dhil-Jilâl wal-akrâm"
(O Living One, O Subsisting One, O Lord of Majesty and Honor)

"lâ illâh ilâ allâh Muhammad rasûl allâh"
(There is no god but God. Muhammad is the Apostle of God)

"Muhammad al-Mahdi khalîfa rasûl allâh"
(Muhammad al-Mahdi is the Successor of the Apostle of God)

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And So We Begin

The first step in the campaign is ro generate revolt indices.

Each area on the map except Egypt has a "Revolt Index," reflecting how much of the populace has risen against the government and gone over to the Mahdi. The indices vary from 0 to 10.
At the start of the game, their values are determined randomly. Roll 1d6+2 for the Southern Sudan, and roll 1d6 each for the Eastern, Western, and Northern Sudan.

Note that these are the starting Revolt Indices for each region and that they will move up and down depending on game events. Your objective is to pacify each region by pushing the Index to zero or less.

Here we go then. I am using an online dice roll site, very useful if you are out and about!
Southern Sudan, 5
Eastern Sudan, 2
Western Sudan, 6
Northern Sudan, 2

My next step is to roll a d6. If the score is less than or equal to the Revolt Index for that region, then the region is considered to be "In Revolt".

So:

Southern Sudan, 2
Eastern Sudan, 2
Western Sudan, 4
Northern Sudan, 5

Comparing the two sets of numbers, we then find that every region except that of the Northern Sudan has erupted in revolt!
Surprise Attacks
Or:
A Sticky Situation
The horror, the horror.
In the wake of the Mahdist uprising the following towns have fallen to surprise attacks:
In South Sudan, Jebeleirl and Fashoda have fallen;
In the Eastern Sudan, both Trinkitat and Kassala have been lost and;
In the West, disaster has likewise befallen El Fasher, Dara and El Obeid.

The garrisons of each of these towns were massacred wholesale.

The towns of Khartoum, El Dueim and Suakin remain to you. All are beseiged.
Khartoum and El Duiem retain three moves of rations before they too must submit.
Suakin has five.

You retain full freedom of action in the Northern Sudan.

And the response

A Despatch from the Field:

I think for the moment our first priority should be to start lifting the sieges where we can.

Shall we make a start my moving the forces at Wadi Halfa (the gunboat, naval infantry, and infantry platoon) South as a formation towards Dongola for the moment.

The infantry at Abu Hamed and Berber should move to Atbara.

And the forces at Khartoum and Suakin should each sally out to initially get the measure of the forces attacking them and try to seize the initiative.

Regards,

Maj-Gen Gordon..wait Cameron....*Note the second map on the Maps Page.

The Sally of the Khartoum Garrison

A Report from the Field by Emin Pasha (EH).

The garrison of Khartoum sallied out in fine style with the chaps advancing in march column until just outside rifle range.  The Madhist gun opened fire, but caused only two wounded before before comprehensively savaged by the Egyptian gun team.  With the Fuzzies main source of fire power dealt with, the infantry deployed in to line and moved forward to clear the zareba.  Unfortunately, some poor movement rolls separated the two lines and disaster struck.  The madhist riflemen exchanged fire with the advancing Fez's, suffering heavy casualties, but downing both the officers in both units, who were wounded. 

With only one officer each (oh how I missed my Royal Mallows), the Egyptians suddenly had to roll each turn to keep acting and the wheels began to come off the wagon. After two turns of inactivity and realising that I'd inadvertently masked the Egyptian gun the Ansar had a rush of blood to the head and charged out of the Zareba lead by their tribal leader. 

It was looking pretty grim for the Sirdar.  

They rallied like guardsmen and hammered rounds in the advancing Ansar, using independent fire.  It was a holocaust. Both Ansar units were reduced from full strength to single digits in a single turn turn.  The larger of the two (I think it had nine lads left) tried to close, but they were blasted to pieces by the reinvigorated Fezs, who counter charged and  wiped out the remaining Ansar and took the tribal leader captive. 

I imagine Horne Pasha lying like Inglis at Albhuera crying out "Die hard boys! Die hard"

The Egyptians withdrew out of rifle range to allow the gun to slosh the remaining riflemen until they melted away, then they moved forward, destroyed the zareba and looted the Mahdist camp. 

Casualties 

Mahdist - near total annihilation; four of the Ansar managed to get away and six of the riflemen. Tribal leader taken captive. 

Egyptian - 6 casualties total, both infantry officers wounded, 1 lad from the first company killed and two wounded. 1 lad from the second company killed in hand to hand at the end. All wounded removed to safety.

Actually it occurred to me that I should have deployed a mounted "general" with the Khartoum garrison. Will remember that next time.  I was surprised at the turn out, I really thought it would be over once the Ansar stated to charge.

And to Wrap up the First Turn:

Here's the situation.

Suakin is now down to two turns supply due to consumption. It'll be the rats, dogs and cats soon.

As a result of winning the battle of Khartoum, the Garrison there is able to loot an extra two Turns' supply from the Dervish camp. Presumably you are now down merely to the goats, so you're rather better off than the Garrison of Suakin!

The Garrison of Khartoum may settle back into its defenses or it can abandon the Town, moving one space immediately (and risking another battle). If the garrison town is later reoccupied while the region is still in revolt, the siege resumes.
The wounded are recovered at the start of the next Turn.
Looking now at Revolt Indices:
North Sudan is at 4;West Sudan is an absolute hotbed of rebellion at 10;South Sudan is at 7 and;The East bubbles along at 5.
The running tally for Dervish Victory points is currently at 33. Should they reach 400, they will win.
In my next email (probably this evening), Turn 2 will begin. I will start by checking whether the North has revolted and whether any reinforcements arrive.