From NoelW - Rocket Man : Benito’s Brook: (35 points)

As we’re winding our way through the forest surrounding Benito's Brook, a wild phoenix of light and fire crashes overhead, scattering our little column. There’s an explosion somewhere in the rear. Pardon me – it’s the stress. Behind us trees are aflame.

I take a quick roll-call. Only the sergeant missing – although his still-smoking boots are all present and correct. Apparently he saw a pretty sparkly missile rushing overhead so reached up to catch it. Typical – and that’s him all over. (*)

Strangely, no-one wants to fill his shoes, even after we’ve put out all the flames.

“Duck!” comes an unexpected cry from within the undergrowth.

A little hoisin-oriented brunch would actually be quite welcome just about now, so we keep a sharp eye out for the apparent mallard – when an erratic, fizzing snake of flame shoots overhead and immolates a clump of innocent coconuts.

That’s a shame. It will definitely have scared the duck away.

“Get down!” comes the cry again. “Lieutenant Benito’s having target practice and he’s lost his glasses."

Two men emerge from the trees, dragging a box of what I hope is pancakes and shredded onion. 

But it’s not. It’s filled with rockets.

“We’ve pinched his ammo,” they say, keeping their heads low. “He’ll run out in a few minutes. Just keep low till the trees stop exploding and with luck most of us will be fine.”

A banana palm shatters about us and roast bananas descend around us in a rain of scorched green and yellow.

Ah well, if you can’t get duck, make the best of passing bananas, as I’m sure some old saying has it. Blowing on my fingers, I carefully peel a singed fruit.

(* See The Wizard of Oz, 1939)

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So I decided this time to stick with the Zulu War for “insurmountable odds”, as with my previous visit here, because I’d two vignettes awaiting work: a rocket troop and a pair of beleaguered soldiers making their rounds behind the lines, despite their wounds, heroically doling out ammunition. The rocket troop is a Warlord model,

and I think the two soldiers are Redoubt – I’ve certainly had them for many years, deep within the lead pile, awaiting both a brush with the Zulus and a brush with paint on it.

Points: 5 x 28mm foot = 25, 1 artillery piece =10: TOTAL 35 pts

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By Paul:
Well thats a snazzy whoosh-bang and no mistake! I dont blame young Lieutenant Benito for his enthusiasm - its what subalterns are for after all, they certainly aren't there for their sensibilities and experience!

The Hales Rocket is, for me, a must have for the Zulu War. Not very effective usually, but it was quite the innovation for the time. Then again, so was the Gatling gun and that was quite the success in the hand of the Naval landing parties - cant have one without the other!  And who can forget their appearance in Zulu Dawn? 

So well done that man - 65 points in total. Here are some matches for young Mr Benito to play with...

Edited by TamsinP - the location bonus points were added by mistake (this is Noel's 2nd visit to the location) and have now been removed. 

From NoelW: Benito’s Brook: Zulu wars (70 points)

Travelling west we come to an impassable brook. If we could get across we could turn south, where there might be a path taking us closer to the SnowLord’s Peak. But if we can’t cross the brook, we’ll have to carry on our way west, travelling even further from the Peak.

On the opposite bank is a man with a (very) small boat. He doesn’t look happy. Next to his boat are a fox, a duck and a bag of grain.

“I’d come and fetch you,” he shouts, “but my fox wants to eat my duck, and my duck wants to eat my grain, so I can’t leave them unsupervised. If I could bring them over to you, you could look after them for me, and I’d ferry you back here one by one, but I’ve only room in the boat for one item or passenger at a time. If you could figure out a safe way to help me, I’d be happy to ferry you.”

No problem. The solution seems obvious. We could simply – no, that wouldn’t work. How about if he leaves the – no, that wouldn’t work, either. Shaking our heads, we realise the problem is insoluble, at least for our militarily acute brains, so we have to accept it’s impossible, and head once more the wrong way, towards the western coast.

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The submission is rather obvious for the “impossible odds” requirement: Isandlwana. I’ve had a Rorke’s Drift setup for some while, and last year decided I’d enough Zulus to extend the project to the disaster which preceded it. Conveniently, the Perrys have been producing suitable figures in their Victoria’s Little Wars range, so I’ve been building up the collection, and they’re getting their paint a few figures at a time.

This submission consists of Lieutenant-Colonel Anthony William Durnford, who commanded No 2 column, and a small unit of dismounted Natal Carbineers, of whom there were 28 in No 1 column. All died.

Here’s Durnford:

and the Carbineers:

The blue here is rather brighter than in real life, due to the use of flash. They still look pretty good, I think.

Points: 1 mounted 28mm =10, 6 foot = 30, Benito’s Brook =30: TOTAL 70 pts