Battle of Bergendal 21-27 August 1900, Second Anglo-Boer War.

The Boer Wars were two wars fought during 1880-1881 and 1899-1902 by the British Empire and the Dutch settlers of two independent republics, the Orange Free State and Transvaal Republic. They are sometimes referred to as the "South African War" since the black population of South Africa was also involved or as the "Anglo-Boer War" as it's more known now.

The Rejects met up last Sunday for the second game of the year at Posties but umpired by John "The Teacher" Fazarakely (I hope that's how it's spelt?), there are other reports out there BigLee (good) and Ray (fecking lies), which was a 10mm Boer war game with the plucky Boers facing the heartless British Empire.

Ray, myself (commander and no Ray doesn't do as he's told in wargaming any more than he does at work!) and David as the Boers and 5 other Rejects playing the bad guys, it was a good game that just got away from us due to overwhelming forces and bad dice rolls, the game followed the historical outcome with a loss for the Boers but David having to go early and Ray abandoning the game before the end to go sulk in Posties kitchen...I ended up having to concede!

Some pictures to follow, I've never been drawn to the Boer war before but I remember the foundry miniatures and I always thought it was a period for skirmish games which after this battle that's what it became......all I remembered as well was the use of concentration camps by the British and Winston Churchill!

Initial set up with the Boer positions on the left......

Johannesburg Commando.....

ZARP's..basically South African Republic police.....

Hilltop positions with Long Toms ready to open up......

Cavalry which could fire from the saddle, redeploy as infantry, remount and be on their way again.....

The town which is hand made by John as is most of the scenery........

Imperialist forces, Smithy is actually on our side of the table.........

Tents, made from paper......

David's initial set up.......

The train track which was blocked at the end.......

Contractual shot of John the umpire......

Lee is caught fiddling with himself.....again!

Things are desperate and the table is mounted..........

You can see how close things were getting.........

Very close.......

I think the glare was getting to us...........

The British focus their attack on Dave's position........

British troops attempt to flank the hill but run into rough ground which cuts movement by two thirds......

British artillery combined to take out the barricades and defences......

....and they were in!

I had come off my hilltop and along with Ray had set up a second defensive position....

Our backs are literally to the hill......

This is were we would end our battle.....

The British reaction to Ray's farting.........

On my own I witness the British final charges and positioning of forces for 8-9 minutes and then I conceded:D

I couldn't help it!

Good game with a fair result!

Early War 10mm WW1 Game and Pictures.

Last Sunday some of the Rejects gathered for a quiet game (no Ray!) of early war WW1 action (Mons I believe) featuring a German breakthrough and the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) defence of the area, the game was hosted by John with Lee and myself playing the British, Richard and Postie (good umpire, terrible figure mover) played the Germans, Lee was on the right flank and I the left (Lee covered his part of the battle on his blog).

The rules were John's own, I believe the figures are mostly Pendraken and most of the scenery is scratch built, it was a fast, good game but ended in a draw...I believe we were robbed!

Poor old Ray was much maligned during the game and none of it from me either......excellent!

Initial map and deployment.

I liked the regiment tags.......

The columns racing to the bridges and river crossings......

This is our artillery observer and scratch built!

Scratch built houses and gardens.......

The genial host John, seemingly my blog sometimes make John swear!!!!

2 of the three crossings, yet again scratch built!

This didn't go well for my cavalry to begin with.....

The Germans had a lot of cavalry and artillery and it was a bit rampant but ultimately foolish....

The fighting at the bridge, each stand represented about 200 figures and could take 4 hits before being destroyed.....

The British had better shooting but were heavily outnumbered as was the case at the time....13 on a D20 to the Germans usual 16 on a D20.

My cavalry still surviving but now dismounted and skirting the woods....

My observer observing the stalemate at the bridge, the Germans were in trouble with the losses inflicted but the game was called and a draw offered up which we agreed to in the spirit of wargaming! 

One of my units that was based outside my home town of Dublin and founded in 1881 and disbanded in 1922.

A draw is a win in my book!