The start of the autumn term of toy soldiering, with the Friends of General Haig, started with two club favourites; Zulus (thousands of ’em) and Polish (Winged) Hussars.
28mm Battle of Isandlwana 1879 – Black Powder with the Zulu! Supplement
The game followed the scenario in the Zulu! supplement from Warlord Games, with the addition of some Imperial units, just because the Friends always like to use every unit in the box! Massed, fearsome Impis of Zulu warriors stormed towards the British camp, scattering the Imperial horsemen but in a surprise result were initially repulsed by the Natal Native Contingent. With this initial set back, and the right horn of the buffalo seeming somewhat reluctant to close with the red-coats, it was down to the left horn to threaten the Imperial camp. The doughty Zulus made it in amongst the tents but were repulsed by some determined bayonet charges by the even more doughty 24th (no doubt singing in close harmony!).
In a surprise result the Imperial forces claimed the day, Bob Hoskins didn’t even need to get his sash out, the Regimental Colours were never in danger, and the young Prince Louis Napoleon survived the day. What a turn up for the books!
28mm Battle of Górzno 1629 – Pike & Shotte
The Swedes and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth clashed in this engagement from the end phase of the 1626-29 war in Prussia. In this engagement, based on the historical clash near Górzno, the Swedes were audaciously advancing through swampy ground and entering the battlefield in two columns. The Poles were gathering forces to meet them and prevent the Swedish held town of Górzno from being relieved.
The Poles began well and came on very gamely, while the Swedes were somewhat sluggish in deploying from their march through the marsh. This allowed the Poles to get their Hussars in to good positions to put in some devastating charges against the lighter Swedish horse as they tried to deploy from column of march. The battle was another historical turnaround, ending in a decisive Polish victory.
