24 April 2014

Random Event Cards Vignettes - "Friendly Natives"...with a twist!


The Sudan Campaign equivalent of telemarketing and door to door
 salesmen..."Have you got a picture of your sister meester?  Do you want one?".

The vignettes continue along as this one is a particular favourite.  It is a collection of the lovely Connoisseur Sudan natives in their Extras range that are available through Bicorne Miniatures.  These are grouped to represent a flock of locals with an eye for profit and little concern for what dangers may be surrounding them upon the potential or actual field of battle.


All castings from Connoisseur Sudan range and I think capturing the period wonderfully well. 

The card was initially a thought of the very clever Gerry Webb at Castaway Arts in our first Sudan campaign all those many years ago and was expanded upon in the many games since.


1 x Friendly Natives

The column encounters a travelling menagerie of carpet merchants, orange sellers, camp followers and purveyors of filthy dirty pictures that impede movement to half speed for 1d6 turns unless aggressively swept aside.  The latter action however could effect relations with the locals however – see below.

1 x Town Uprising
The native inhabitants of any village or town on the board decide to throw in their lot with the Mahdi and start sewing coloured patches all over their clothing whilst shouting “Death to the British”.  Roll 1 x d6 (2d6 if the friendly natives card has been drawn earlier in the battle and they were swept aside violently) to determine how many bases of hostiles appear in the centre of the randomly determined town/village or built-up area.

This fellow in front looks determined to share his
collection of fine photographs and etchings in the Sudanese version of the proverbial brown paper bag!!

I distinctly remember in one of the Wargames World the line from the Doyen of Sudan games Peter Gilder where he describes a particular event where the locals who up to that point in the battle had been quite peaceful and passive suddenly throwing in their lot with the Mahdists and frantically sewing coloured patches on their clothes yelling rather rude and threatening things to the Imperials in the vicinity.

Another view from the rear.

The Town Uprising card is a direct inspiration from that recalled story from Gilder which I distinctly recall brought an enormous smile to my face as I imagined the look on the Town garrisons commander in a game at the WHC when that event was announced!


"Here they come sir - you know what happened last time we said no thank you - Gordon lost bloody Khartoum!".


15 comments:

  1. A very nice vignette Carlo. I might have to gather in the lads and do one the same...that is if you don't mind?

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    1. Thanks Nathan and please mate would love to see your interpretation on the mob of peddlers as I am sure it would look fantastic. They are a nice grouping of figures IMHO.

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  2. A great vignette! It'll add lots of colour to the tabletop. I like the Native Peddlars idea.

    You know, I'd almost forgotten the Native Uprising card... Take it from me, it's very nasty! On one occasion at Peter's, the player commanding the Egyptian garrison of the town used as the British base got bored. Not good. He decided to fire from the walls upon a large Mahdist band that happened to wander past on its way to scout the column, which by then was well on its way. Enraged, the band assaulted the walls and swept over the hapless Egyptian fellahs - an act compounded by the drawing of that very Native Uprising card the next move. The town was lost, only one company of Egyptian infantry escaped the massacre, and the column had to clear the town on its return. Happy days! =)

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  3. Idea duly nicked.. Thanks.

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    1. That's the beauty if Wargaming Dave - ideas are passed on and improved upon ad infinitum and Wargaming is the better for it! Loving your latest work btw!

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  4. Nice vigneete. Testing this to get my reply in!
    Gerry

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    1. I understand what you mean Gerry - did you still play any Sudan Games when you and Mike first took over the Wargames Holiday Centre or had Peter already sold that collection off?

      Keen on your recollections.

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  5. Replies
    1. Spell check lets me down far too often Ged.

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    1. Thanks Juan - looks great on the table. Quite a mix of figure poses from Connoisseur and the mules etc. look very much the part. With a bit of imagination they can be perceived to be up to all kinds of mischief!

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  7. I like it mate!

    finally added you to the Valiant Stormers blog group!

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    1. Thanks Matty - appreciate your comments and support buddy.

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