Not a single building was harmed and the raid was repulsed. Jelani, the chief’s son, proposed that they immediately sweep the jungle and drive any Niambo back across the border. With the rest of the village’s men still away, Jelani’s force consisted of one unit of men and four units of women warriors.
They set out on patrol with Isawannayu’s and Ode’s groups on the left, Jelani’s men in the center and Delu’s and Akua’s groups on the right.
Isawannayu remembered how badly her last patrol fared and knew the Niambo would be especially fierce as they approached the border.
The Game
This is the fourth encounter in my Fortunes Won and Lost campaign. Winning the last encounter raised my major morale to five, while the Niambo’s major morale is reduced to a three. The next encounter chart indicates that this encounter will be a Patrol.
In addition to changes in major morale, Isawannayu and her allies captured 10 Niambo warriors, all of the OOF warriors recovered and Ode’s OD rifle woman was replaced by a Rep 4 warrior. The extra point in major morale meant that I could now raise a fifth group.
The fifth group is led by Akua, who is Rep 5. Her group consists of a Rep 5 warrior, two Rep 4 warriors and two Rep 3 warriors with rifles.
The table is divided into 9 sections with all sections covered in woods. Isawannayu’s and Ode’s groups start in section 7, Jelani’s group starts in section 8 and Delu’s and Akau’s groups start in section 9. The Niambo start with 3 PEFs – PEF A is in section 2, PEF B is in section 6 and PEF C is in section 2.
Turn 1 – both sides activate, I go first. Isawannayu and Ode move to the center of section 7. Jelani moves to the center of section 8. Delu and Akua move to the center of section 9.
In previous THW games, the PEFs moved the same distance as a regular group. In Fortunes Won and Lost, the PEFs move an entire section. PEF A moves into section 5, PEF C moves into section 3 and PEF B moves into section 9 and in sight of Delu and Akua. PEF B resolves into “Something is Out There,” which means all future PEFs are resolved with 3d6.
Turn 2 – PEFs fail to activate. Isawannayu and Ode move to the edge of section 4. Jelani moves to the edge of section 5. Delu and Akua move to the edge of section 6.
Turn 3 – PEFs fail to activate again. Isawannayu and Ode move to the center of section 4. Delu and Akua move to the center of section 6. However, when Jelani moves to the center of section 5, he comes in sight of PEF A.
PEF A resolves into 2 Rep 5 warriors and 6 Rep 6 warriors. Jelani’s group consists of Jelani at Rep 5 armed with a rifle, 1 Rep 5 warrior, 3 Rep 4 warriors and 1 Rep 3 warrior with a rifle.
The Niambo win on the action table and charge. As they charge, Jelani and his rifleman both fire. Jelani drops one Niambo Rep 4 warrior OOF, while his rifleman misses.
The melee between tribal natives is brutal. The Niambo have both Rep 5 warriors go OOF, 2 Rep 4 warriors go OOF and one Rep 4 is OD. Jelani’s group fares better, one Rep 4 warrior is OD and Jelani, himself, goes OOF. However, both sides pass the Will to Fight.
Turn 4 – Both sides activate, I go first. Isawannayu and Ode move to the edge of section 1. Delu and Akua move to the edge of section 3.
In section 5, the fight continues between the Niambo and Jelani’s group. The Niambo began the previous turn outnumbering Jelani’s group 8 to 6. At the start of this turn, Jelani’s group outnumbers the Niambo 4 to 2. After one quick round of melee, Jelani’s Rep 3 rifleman goes OOF while both of the Niambo are OD.
Jelani’s group has won the section, but they are too battered to continue the patrol. They collect their wounded, one Niambo prisoner and prepare to head back to the village.
Now, the Niambo side activates and its remaining PEF, PEF C, moves in sight of Delu’s and Akua’s groups. I decide to resolve the PEF into a force the size of the two Nobelongga groups combined. The Niambo force consists of 3 Rep 5 warriors, 9 Rep 4 warriors and 2 Rep 3 riflemen.
Delu and Akua win the action table. Delu’s warriors armed with bows fire and miss. The Niambo get to fire back and also miss. Akua’s rifle armed warriors fire and hit. One Niambo Rep 5 warrior goes OD while a Rep 3 rifleman ducks back. The women charge.
After both sides exchanged fire, the sides were evenly matched when they collided in melee. The results of this turn’s melee found 2 Niambo OD and 3 OOF. Delu, herself, went OOF. Akua had 2 warriors go OOF. Both sides passed the Will to Fight.
Turn 5 – Isawannayu and Ode move to the center of section 1. Jelani’s group moves to the edge of section 8.
The melee continues in section 3. The Niambo rifleman recovers from duck back and joins the melee. The Niambo have 4 warriors go OOF and 1 go OD. Delu’s group has 2 warriors go OOF. Akua’s group likewise has 2 warriors go OOF. Again, both sides pass the Will to Fight.
Turn 6 – Isawannayu and Ode move to the edge of section 2. Jelani’s group moves to the center of section 8.
The melee in section 3 reached its conclusion. The Niambo have 2 warriors go OD and the last remaining warrior go OOF. Delu’s group has one warrior go OOF.
The Niambo have no forces left on the table. Delu’s group and Akua’s group recover their wounded and hold section 3. Isawannayu and Ode take section 2. The patrol is a success.
In the first game and the third game, the Niambo would lose the Will to Fight, but not this one. The second game saw Isawannayu losing the Will to Fight. When no one loses the will to fight, melees are bloody affairs fought until only one side remains standing.
Next time, Isawannayu raids the Niambo.
All figures are from Wargames Foundry. Photography was done with my iPad.
Atomic Floozy Adventures 