Barampta on the Sre Mela Maidan

Barampta on the Sre Mela Maidan --- Part 1 Defending the Sangar

“Please tell the court what happened next, Sir”, Capt Laughland instructed the Subaltern. Dharma’s mouth wasas dry as a Waziristan nullah, and he tried to clear his throat (note 1). “Yes Sir --- Sepoy Bismallah stoodstraight up in the Sangar and started screaming in a high-pitched voice at the Waziri sheltering on the peak infront of us. Lance-Naik Sita Gohl tried to knock him over, with the butt of his gun to the back of SepoyBismallah’s knees, but by then it was too late . . .” and the walls of the court room faded away, and Lt Dharmawas back in that rain-soaked sangar, out in the Sre Mela, once again (note 2)

Four Jezails gave their characteristic musket-bark! And poor Sepoy Bismallah didn’t stand a chance (note 3).He spun around, hit in the shoulder with the first Jezail musket ball, and the second head-shot just flipped himright over and he collapsed upside-down in a heap, exactly where he was standing. Sepoys Ram Mangal andMakarram Khan returned the fire with their Snyders, and 200 yards away, a pile of rags gave a strangled cry,and momentarily came half-way into view, as the Waziri and his Jezail were flung back away from the rock hewas sheltering behind (note 4).

We were hunkered down on the top of a mossy-gray rain-swept peak, with jagged edges surrounding the toplike so many buttress points. We had levered the big stones out of the ground with our frozen hands last night,to create a waist-high impenetrable wall, but now we were trapped there. Conditions could have been worse,but I don’t know how. It was a sullen, damp 20 degrees above zero, and the cold wormed its way into our veryjoints. The Waziri were still a little ways off, but our natural retreat down the hill and back to the column had alot of rough scrub, which meant it wasn’t so easy to get back to safety. The Waziri would have a field day if wetried --- like shooting fish in a Nabob’s pond! Lance-Naik Sita Gohl was madly waving the signal flags, tryingto let the column know the situation. But could they do anything in time to make a difference? No! We weredefinitely on our own, this time! Moderately close, but off to our right a bit, there was the dilapidated remainsof some sort of old tombs, and the air was filled with the smell of the thick holly-oak scrub, and of musketry.Funny how yer senses sharpen up, when there’s a touch of danger in the air.

First Encounter at the SangarThere were 9 of us from the Punjabi Frontier Force left --- 7 Sepoys, Lance-Naik Sita Gohl, and Lt Dharma.Dharna still couldn’t believe that --- here he was, only his third patrol out here on the Grim, and he was pinneddown and just waiting for the Waziri to attack! (note 5). No sooner had that bitter thought crossed his mind,but the Waziri rose out from among the gray stones like ghosts rising from the very ground! The rest of theKhel! 18 men and their Malik came a-yelling with their sandals slapping out on the wet ground as the distancecloses! “Hold it! . . . Steadyeee! . . . NOW! FIRE!” Lt Dharma yells, as they close to 40 paces and Lt Dharmalets go with his revolver! Five Snyders give out their distinctive bark, and a Jezail man goes over backwards,and a Knife-man slumps to the ground! Blam, Blam! The Webley takes out one more knife-man, who does aback flip and lies there, not moving! (note 6) Not enough! Do we have enough time to mount bayonets? (note7) NO! There’s no time left! We rise up as one behind the Sangar, and Dharma draws his sword! 15 wolf-menand their Malik crash against the Sangar line! (note 8)

With a rising din, the Waziri hit our defenses! A huge rangy Waziri tackles Gobinda Dal on Lt Dharma’s left,Khyber knife against rifle-butt! (Note 9) Gobinda tries a two-handed block against the incoming knife swing!The Waziri fakes him out, and slices on the other side of the rifle! Oh no! Gobinda goes down with a seriouswound! On the other side, Kundrat Ali is trading blows with another 6 foot tall Waziri! Don’t they come in anysmaller size?! He’s whip-cord lean, but Kundrat isn’t giving an inch! The wolf-man lunges (note 10) andKundrat dances out of the way, and comes back with an overhead swing! The wolf-man blocks Kundrat’s riflewith his shield and tries to cut at him with his Khyber knife! The wolf-man makes the mistake of trying to gettoo close, and then Kundrat knocks him down with a rifle-flip and the butt of his rifle hits the wolf-man on thechin, and he falls back, stunned!

There’s a monster in front of Lt Dharma! Bigger than the other two! (note 11) Dharma tries to deflect hisbayonet out of the way, but the wolf-man uses a sweeping block to knock the Dharma’s sword off course!Dharma mis-reads what he intends, and goes for a two-handed block! Instead the wolf-man repostes, and thesnaky S-shaped bayonet gashes Dharma’s arm! NO! He drops his sword and falls back, wounded and in shock,unable to do anything to help his platoon! Kundrat shifts his body, so that he shields Dharma from the wolf-men’s onslaught! Lt Dharma scrabbles for his Webley --- where IS it? Must have dropped it, and the cord istangled up where he can’t seem to get at it! Its all Dharma can do, to staunch the blood with his good hand,and push his way towards the back wall of the Sangar! Disaster! They were on us in a flash! The Waziri havebeaten us! (note 12).

The Gurkhas ArriveTen more silent shadows come over the back wall so fast, that Lt Dharma instinctively cringes! What theJehosephat was that?! Ah, thank Gawd, we’re saved! The 5th Gurkha have arrived! They don’t make any warcry or sound whatever, but go straight to work with bayonets and those curved Kukri knives of theirs! TheWaziri are in as much of a shock over their arrival as Dharma was! The little Green Killing Machine wades intothe fray! From our vantage, all we see is flashes off their knives, and the butt end of rifles with bayonets,jabbing jabbing jabbing! (note 13). In short order, the tide has turned! Three Waziri are dead, including theMalik, their Head man! Ah, no! One of the Gurkhas slumps to the floor of the Sangar, a broken bayonetclutched in his chest! And Kundrat stumbles back, falling beside Lt Dharma, stunned! Dharma tries to grab himand pull him back out of harm’s way! The Gurkhas, however go nuts --- its one thing to wound a Gurkha in afair fight, but if you kill one of them, then no man nor beast is safe from their vengeance! Theirs is a cold rage,precision actions faster than the eye can follow.

Will the Wolf-men break, now that their head-man is dead!? NO! The remainder go berserk as well, and if at allpossible, they seem to have gained some speed! They must be high on something, fighting on like maniacs,when facing the Gurkhas! (note 14)

The wolf-men get their second wind, and its Gurkhas versus Wolf-men! One more wounded Gurkha, but twowounded wolf-men --- and one wolf-man falls out of the flashing melee, dead before he hits the ground! Theycan’t keep up this pace! The Wolf-men HAVE to crack and run! And here it comes! The critical point in thebattle! Morale wavers and then crashes like an avalanche! WHOAH, they’re over the Sangar and beating aretreat! The Wolf-men are beaten! WE SURVIVED! Several of the Gurkhas are still harrying them, chasingthem to the very edge of the cliff, but their short legs are built for covering rough ground, not winning a footrace against ropy giants taller by half than the Gurkhas are! Finally, the Gurkhas stop at the edge, shaking withrage. Its only now, that they let their emotions vent!

We stumble down the mountainside, in twos and threes --- like some crazy entry into a handicap race at theLower Mousewald Church Picnic (note ). Dharma’s arm had started to ache like the very devil, and he wasfully convinced that the snaky bayonet might have been poisoned with something. Then came the shakes, andDharma was convinced he was dying. The Medic gave him a clean-up and matter-of-fact lecture on whathappens when adrenaline wears off, then a dose of Laudinum, and that’s all Dharma remembered . . .

TO BE CONTINUED (but only if its of any interest)

After Action ReportAfter Action ReportThis is the first in a serialized Solo-Mini-Campaign using TSATF rules and Mythic GME (Game MasterEmulator) to add the variety and uncertainty factor. Extra "flavor" comes from lists that are pulled with a deckof cards. These notes show how the whole lot meld together to create the main story line.

The card-pull lists are an important part of maintaining the interest during a long mini-campaign. These arebuilt up from snippets of various favorite fiction books (like Flashman) andmemoires (Like Col Jimmie Stewart). Portable things that I take with me, and work on when I'm waiting forthe wife. Maybe the smell of the pines doesn't matter as much in an over-the-table encounter, but the littledetails make it "come alive" for the solo gamer. I uploaded several of the lists referred to in the notes, into thefiles section.

One of the nice advantages with Mythic GME is that we can play out "mini-scenes", which allows us to useTSATF on much smaller playing surfaces (in this case, about 3 foot square), as we don't have to go waltzing allover the 5 x 8 table, in order to "find" the enemy. A nice advantage for people with not much space, or whojust want to brush up on some part of TSATF rules.

BobSeur D'ArmadilleauxDefender of the cookie jar, sauce-pan firmly on head, broom at port arms, off to defend the N WF

Notes:

Note 1: Hmm? Oh! You must be new to the Frontier, m’boy! A nullah is a dried up old river bed or ravine.Welcome to the North West Frontier! They say you hate it for the first 3 months, then love it for the rest ofyour life, y’know. A Subaltern? Why yes, a Lieutenant IS a Subaltern, m’boy … a Junior Officer, y’see?Note 2 Sangar means a hasty rock circle, usually knee-high or waist-high that the piquets would throw up withavailable material for their overnight watch. This court may be the starting scene, but for us died-in-the-woolTSATF types, THIS is the stuff we live and breath for --- the heart of any mini-solo-campaign. Note 3: two hits, one a Heart, on Bismallah, (so I guess that’s it for him!)Note 4: one hit, J clubs on the Waziri. Time to build the scene, so we go to our list for “Construction of aFrontier Fort” (its in the Files section), ignore the “fort” elements themselves, and pull a card for SurroundingTerrain (7= old tombs nearby); Appearance 2= mossy-gray; Surrounding 6= buttress points (hm, we’ll have toreword that one a bit). Next we get a variable-element from the “Mythic Terrain Generator” --- 35.07.32 (threethrows on decimal dice; we show them as a duey-decimal block xx.xx.xx to save time) and that translates intoSignificant Objective, Disillusions, Scrub so there is some scrub between us and our line of retreat, whichmeans it isn’t easy to get back to the column --- we can work with that! One last pull on the “Mythic Soundsand Smells” chart, (we’re doing it here, “just because we can” and to show what it adds to the scene), and weget 18.56.23 --- which translates as Moderately close, Pine-tree smell, and Musketry. Great! Time to go backand write up that battle scene.Note 5: Hm? Oh! The Grim is what all us old timers call the NWF --- don’t relax yer guard for a second, young‘un, or the Waziri will be down among you like wolves in the fold! Ah, that was the assessment of one of ourColonel --- he said the Afridi were like rangy mountain lions, but the Waziri were the wolves --- and they huntin packs! But is there an attack imminent THIS time? We put the question to the Mythic Fate Chart --- with a“likely” probability of 75, we roll the decimal die and get ---57! Yes! They rise like avenging zombies and herethey come! Oh, the Mythic Fate chart? Well, yes, it’s a clever little bit of stuff that allows a “Yes, No” or“Exceptional Yes” (so TWO Khels charge) or “Exceptional No” (not only DON’T they charge US, but theycharge someone else instead) but more about that later in the campaign.Note 6: Straight TSATF: We roll a 5 on the die (and pull a 3 clubs for the selection of WHO) so a knife-man is

wounded and a 1 on the die (and a K hearts for WHO) for a dead Jezail-man. The Webley throws a 6 and a 3 --- one dead for the 6 --- then we pull a 4 hearts so it’s a knife-man dead.Note 7 We pose the question to the Mythic Fate chart, with a “Somewhat Likely” probability of 65 or under,and we roll 70 --- NO! TOO CLOSE! While we are here, we check on the TSATF close-into-combat chart,where we need a 1-4 on a 1D6 to close, and we roll a 2! They’re comin in!Note 8: We revert to miniatures and TSATF to resolve the combat! Its an even fight, with the Pathans +1 forcharging, and the Indian Infantry defending at +1. We are going to use a new “Hand-to-Hand Battle card-pullchart” that adds color (but doesn’t affect the TSATF battle resolution mechanisms). Its up-loaded to the filessection, tooNote 9: JD= 2 handed block, 2D= parry Waziri rolls 6 and Gobinda rolls 2 and he is wounded and out of thefight!Note 10: 10D= Lunge for the wolf-man; 10C= overhead swing for Kundrat! 2 x 6’s; Followed by 9D= Blockand Knife for the wolf-man; and Kundrat comes back with 10C= overhead swing! ! 4 for the wolf-man toKundrat’s 6! The wolf-man makes the mistake of trying to get too close (QD), and Kundrat knocks him downand he falls back! Kundrat wins!! (Ah! Lemme catch my breath for a minute, then we’ll write it up!)Note 11: Dharma’s 5C= tap & thrust to his 6D= sweeping block; (I actually roll the TSATF combat die at thispoint, a little out of order, but it tells us what we need next; in this case, Dharma makes a Mistake) Dharma’sKD= misread intent to his 3D= riposte; die roll is his 5 to Dharma’s 2 so Lt Dharma is wounded and out of theaction!Note 12 At the end of the first pass of fighting, there is only Kundrat Ali and two others left standing for thePuffers (the Punjabi Frontier Force), versus 4 Waziri plus their Headman. The Puffers have 1 dead, Dharmawounded, and 3 pushed back. The Waziri have 2 wounded and 2 pushed back. Things looking kinda bleak forthis campaign! Might be pretty short-lived at this rate! So we arbitrarily bring in the “Marines” of the NWFNote 13 We resort to TSATF to resolve the combat, as 10 Gurkhas with bayonets fixed (so they get a +1) joinin the fray. In the ensuing struggle, we have 1 dead and 1 wounded Gurkha, plus 2 pushed back, versus 3 dead(including the Malik or head-man) and 1 wounded Waziri, and 3 other Waziri push-backs. Of the remainingPuffers, Kundrat gets pushed back. We decide not to write up a whole lot of detail on the rest of the fight,except for the high-lights. We query Mythic about the Waziri running, with a “very likely” result, so we need toroll under 85 on the percentile die, and we get 86! They stand and fight another turn! Using the Mythic Fatechart gives more possible variations than TSATF in some circumstances (like the stand-n-fight results). Eitherapproach works. Now to write it up.Note 14 The second round of fighting, with the Gurkhas and the Wolf-men! One more wounded Gurkha, buttwo wounded wolf-men, and one dead! They can’t keep up this pace! We go to Mythic, and ask, “Do theWolf-men crack and run?” With the verbally-stated odds “Very Likely” (and a neutral Mythic Chaos level of 5)all we need is below an 85% on the percentage die --- and here it comes! (Drum roll, if you please!)BRRRrrrRRRRrrRRR --- 17! WHOAH, they’re over the Sangar and beating a retreat! AHHhh, good thingthey’re gone! My poor ol’ heart can’t take any more! (Whew, take a gulp of that Chota Peg, an’ then lets get itall down on paper!)Note 15 Hm? Never visited the county fair at Lower Mousewald?! Why that’s absurd! Its strategically locatednear Upper Mousewald, and Mousewald-on-the-water! Dear me, m’boy, yer Victorian England geographicaleducation is sadly lacking! Next thing, you’ll be telling us you’ve never been to Chipping Camden! Harumph!

Chota Peg = two fingers of whiskey and sodaLance-Naik = Native Lance-CorporalMaidan = plane or flat groundMalik = head manNabob = a person of wealth and importancePuffers = members of the PFF --- the Punjabi Frontier ForceSangar = low rocky defensive piquet perimeterWolf-man = nickname for the Waziri Afghans

Barampta on the Sre Mela Maidan, Part II --- Doc Carmichael Plays Through

Lt Dharma was feeling really sick. The world was swaying horribly, the smell was unbelievable, and his headfelt like a couple of canon balls were rolling around in there, trying desperately to bash their way out. He wipedthe rain from his face, as he swam back towards consciousness. WhOOoooah, what was that hooOOOoribletorture he was being subjeeEEEected to? And oooOOOooh the smeEEEEelll . . .

The fuzziness lifted, and Dharma realized he was strapped into some sort of pannier for wounded patients, tiedto the side of a smelly and incredibly sadistic camel! He rolled his head to the outside and tried to dry-wretch,but of course, nothing came up. Then the fire came back in his arm with a vengence! Ooooh that arm hurt likeHADES, and against all military training, he couldn’t help it, “AAAarrh!” he announced to the world --- I’mback! The Medic came walking over, with his Scottish accent, and says “Ach, good morrow Lieutenant, gladto see you could join us this morning. Lovely day for a walk, dee ye ken?” And it was lucky that Dharma wasbound in good, or the Medic would have had his head handed to him on a platter! The Medic did a quick once-over, and then he pronounced Dharma fit to walk, if he so desired, and Dharma couldn’t express his desire towalk fast enough, or loud enough! Camels! Filthy beasts! Sea-sick on land!

And that’s how Lt Dharma came to be in charge of the Invalid Brigade, on the Sre Mela Barampta (note 16).

The first attempt was more like a bad stagger than a walk, but Dharma was determined not to be loaded backinto that swaying torture chamber on the side of the camel, and he forced his feet --- March! Left! (aaah!),Right! (oooh!), Left, Right, left, right . . . and a pause to get his breath. The scabbard jangled against his shin,and Dharma realized someone had recovered and sheathed both his sword and his pistol. He lifted his head, anddrank in his surroundings (note 17). At first, Dharma thought the Medic was just keeping him company, but aquick glance at the Medic’s sturdy walking stick told him otherwise. Like many Medics before him Lt AndrewCarmichael was a bit lame, and that would have kept him out of the front line, but it wouldn’t necessarilydisqualify him for the Medical Corps. The camp was still being torn down, and due to the wet weather,everything and everybody was damp, so it was taking longer than normal. Ahead, a tricky-looking twisty andmountainous trail leads to some sort of village on the far heights. If that’s held by the Waziri it will meanserious danger, so it can’t be ignored.

It looks so peaceful, with a sucker-hole in the clouds, and the sun peaking through to illuminate the village, andoff to one side, there’s even a couple of oorial mountain goats to add to the scene! But you better not let yourguard down, out here on the Grim! One false move, one moment of inattention, and the Waziri come back likewolf-men in the fold, and strike you down with those Khyber knives! Carmichael looks at the scene and sighs“Ach, maybe we get to go visit them in peace, this time?” And no sooner has he spoken, than the hills echowith a Jezail’s bark. Up the line ahead of us, a Mule cries out and dances a bit in alarm (note 18). Dharma turnsto the Medic and quips in a matter-of-fact voice, “He says “no”, Doc”. Carmichael looks back, with a grin, andsays “Ach, I’m noo a Doctor, Lieutenant, just a lowly medical officer”. Dharma smiles and says, “Out here onthe Grim, anyone who can wind a bandage around a head gets called a Doc by me --- Doc! Got any more ofthat Laudinum?” The only answer is a Scottish snort.

A runner comes in from Dharma’s Colonel, “Complements of the Colonel, Lt Dharma, and could you pleaseorganize the defenses for the Invalid Brigade?” Oh, no! Dharma had hoped to get back to his platoon, and herehe is, stuck with the Bandage Buddies! “Certainly Corporal! Tell the Colonel I’ll get right on it!” Cheery voicebelying the gloom that’s settling over Dharma’s thoughts. Still, it has to be done, and Dharma does a quickinventory of his new command, with Doc Carmichael in tow (note 19). “We have 4 men with head-wounds(they can fight, but vision might be a bit blurry at long range), 6 more with assorted arm and leg wounds (theycan fight, but they can’t move very fast), 4 more that may require special attention” and aside from thetheatrical voice, Doc Carmichael’s raised eyebrows suggest these are probably malingerers, happy to stay in an

out-of-the-way warm safe place. “And then we have 14 more who’re not available for dancin’ just as of yet”,continues Carmichael. “Then we have 5 medical orderlies, who might be able to lift a rifle between two ofthem, and you have me and me crutch --- the finest fighting crutch in the whole of Waziristan!” Lt Dharmaadmires Doc’s sense of humor. “So to recap, Doc, we have 10 plus a gimpy Lieutenant who can ALMOSTfight, 9 more fit to reload muskets (but not very fast), 14 men only good for use as extra dead-weight on theSangar-mealy-bags, and Scotland’s Finest Golfer!” Doc Carmichael seems rather surprised at the glint ofhumor coming from a military man. He grins even more “Why Yes, Lieutenant, I think you’ve summed it uprather nicely!”

Some 4 hours later, Lt Dharma and his Invalid Brigade are hobbling up the grade towards the village in thedistance. There’s a sporadic crackle of small arms up ahead, and seems like Dharma’s prediction of resistancehas been proved out. Its hard enough going for the men in GOOD physical condition, and the Bandage Buddiesare finding it especially hard work. Dharma and 5 almost-fit are on one side of the medical mules, Doc and theother 5 almost-fit on the far side. The other 9 (including 5 medical orderlies) are now carrying muskets, butmixed in with the Mule train, the orderlies walking, and the other 4 with the worst of the leg-wounds on thedonkeys. The malingerers have all been sorted out --- Dharma threatened to arm them with Snyders, but nobullets, until they each allowed as how they “weren’t THAT sick” after all. (“No bullets, indeed” one of the ex-malingerers was over-heard, griping, “is he CRAZY?”)

Dharma’s gut-feel is sounding the alarm. “Look alive!” he barks, as they come toward an especially nastyboulder field (note 20). The air is split with 7 Jezails “Carrumphing” at close range! One of the riding-woundedis hit! He flies over the back of the Mule, ooh that doesn’t look good! One of the other walking BandageBuddies cries out and slumps to the ground, wounded! Carnage all around! OH NO! Dharma is woundedAGAIN! He grabs his leg this time, and crumples into a ball! Another of the Bandage Buddies gets flippedover, obviously dead! The remainder of the Puffers return fire! Five Snyders bark back, but there is only oneJezail man killed! The Jezail flies up in the air and out of sight! Disaster! The Bandage Buddies are closing upinto a line! Will they get there in time to protect Dharma!? Yes! BUT ONLY JUST!

The remaining Bandage Buddies form line! There are only 16 men and a gimpy Scot with a golf-stick, but theWaziri take one look at those Snyders and reconsider (note 21). There’s a flurry of movement beyond theboulder-field, and the Jezail tips can be seen retreating into the distance!

Doc Carmichael turns around and straightens out Dharma, unconscious on the ground, with Doc probing thenew leg-wound. Not too bad. At least it’s a through-and through. He calls for his bag, and orders the Camelpannier to come closer, so they can load up the patient, once he’s fixed him up. “Tough nut, that Dharma” DocCarmichael muses to himself. “Did a good job organizing the defenses. Sorted out those malingerers better-n-medicine ever could”. Doc Carmichael picks up his golf stick and his bag, and moves on.

TO BE CONTINUED (but only if its of any interest…)

After Action Report for Barampta, Part II

Well, first I had to check on the History of Golf, to make sure I wasn't committing an anachronism! Turns outGolf is way older than I thought --- in 1744 a club was formed called the "Honourable Company of EdinburghGolfers". And the first rules of golf, (13 in all!), were drawn up for their annual competition! So AndrewCarmichael and his Golf-club-cum-walking-stick is in good stead! While we are looking for those sneakyanachronisms, the Webley revolver would have been their percussion model, circa 1853 (and this scenariowould be around 1865). It's the little things that can trip you up!

Next, we had to draw up a new list for the "NFW Patrol and Road Details" (uploaded to the files area).

Basically, you draw cards as you go across the list (ignore the suit of the cards that you draw -- - just recordthe card "number" until you've pulled everything you need). Don't get too carried away with this --- if a cardyou pull is obviously out of place (like a desert feature in the middle of the mountains), either draw again, or goup one, then down one, until you get something you can use. Mythic GME (Game Master Emulator) just addssome extra "flavor" and surprise to the basic TSATF rules --- not intended to replace TSATF in any way.

As an interesting aside, no one says that you have to "model" ALL of the battle, or even the LARGEST part ofthe battle --- there is obviously some sort of assault on the village going on, but we are just interested in poorol' Lt Dharma's attempts to get out of the Camel's Caress (those wounded side-panniers must have beenbrutal).

Some of the Mythic experimental lists (like the Mythic Terrain Generator) are just that --- not published yet,but a partially-finished pre-publishing sample is available through the Mythic web-site: http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Mythic_Role_Playing/ You have to JOIN that group before you"see" the messages or files, but well worth it. There is a different TSATF report (Face-Off at Tagh Dum Bash)posted there, however this report (Barampta) is currently only published HERE (and probably later on in"chunks" in the Lone Warrior quarterly --- the Journal of the Solo Wargamers Association, which in turnshows up on Magweb about a month or two after thecurrent journal is mailed)

Mythic helps you "develop" a story line --- I don't really "write" the sucker, so much as roll the die, pull thecards, and interpret the results in acceptable English prose (OK I tend to force it alittle, to create MORE TSATF battles, but that's about all). Its easy! Give it a try sometime! Mythic GME is a"Best Buy" at about $7.00 US, and available as an Adobe Download throughNK"http://www.drivethruRPG.com"www.drivethruRPG.com

Bob

Seur D'ArmadilleauxLover of Camels, Defender of small dogs and squirrels, feeder of the pigeons (Well, that was an accident, butthey're bigger than the Cardinal out back, OK?)

Notes:

Note 16 Hm? Barmapta?! Why that’s a punitive expedition, out here on the NWF, m’boy! Got to go and showthe natives who’s boss, y’know! Can’t have them shooting the tax collector, and running off with the friendly’smules and wives, can we? This is the 3rd scene in the mini-solo-campaign (the court was the first, the battle atthe sangar was the second, both handled in Part I). So the first thing we need to do is to adjust the Chaosfactor for the main participants so far, and all the fighting men (which is to say, Dharma, the Gurkhas, and thePuffers --- the Punjabi Frontier Force) that were in battle LAST scene go up from a start point of a Chaos level5 to a Chaos level 6. We uploaded a form to keep track on the officers and any other key (NPC or Non-Playing-Characters) people that we might come across in the Files section. Note 17: Next, we need to lay out THIS scene, which is Dharma in the Invalid Brigade, and some potentialsnipers and/or knife men raiders. First off we need some details, and we go to the “NWF Patrol and RoadDetails” (uploaded to files section) to do some card pulls to start: Weather= 2D (Wet); Clothing= 3D (Damp);Task related = 9D (Camp set up/tear down); trail= AD (twisty and mountainous); Focal point = 9H (Village);Trailside = KD (tricky footing); Color =9D (Ooriel --- a kind of mountain goat); and Danger= A (for ahead).That all makes sense, so now we just throw in a Mythic (wildcard) Scene generator, and we get:95.54.38(remember? This was 3 separate throws on the decimal dice, that get plugged into the Mythic FAS or Focus-Action-Subject charts) and that gives us: NPC (or Non-Playing Character Positive --- don’t freak out, just

means a non-combatant in our case. Hmm, the only NPC we have at the moment is the Medic) and Kill, APath. Hmm, well reversing the order, the Path (which was tricky footing) is Killing the Medic --- Ah! He mustbe lame, somehow! And the scene is ready to transcribe! That wasn’t so hard now, was it?!Note 18: In real life, the Jezail had the same (or a longer) range as the Snyders, but they were much slower toload. Here, we are taking the 24-36 inch range, and simply applying the casualties to the T & S (transport andsupplies). So we have 1 Jezail firing, rolls an 11, and it isn’t effective. A mule gets startled by the bulletricochet, and that’s it.Note 19: So we “roll” up the Invalid Brigade: 1d6= 4 head-wounds, 1D6= 6 arm/leg wounds; 1D6= 4 potentialmalingerers and 1D20= 14 more serious wounded who can’t contribute to the defense, as of yet. Plus Doc andhis 1D6= 5 medical orderlies (who don’t fight worth a bandage! Which is to say, they fight at Indian Infantry -1). So now we write it up.Note 20: Well things have been a little too tame up till now, right? I mean, its supposed to be “Sword andFlame”, not “Bandage and Banter!” So we query Mythic, are there any Waziri hiding in that Rough Ground?With a Chaos Rank of 6 and “Somewhat Likely” as the verbal odds, all we need is to roll under an 80 on adecimal die, and we roll a 71! First we get the shooting out of the way, so 7 Jezails at close range, and we have1 hit (count em as open-order on account of the Mules) and one wounded (A Spades! Oh no! Dharma iswounded AGAIN) and we pull a 7 Hearts --- one dead Puffer! Return fire, and we have 5 Snyders with 1 hit, aJack of Hearts, so a Jezail man is killed! “Write it up” time!Note 21: The Wolf-men failed their close-into-combat roll! They rolled a 5 and needed a 4 to close! What aclose call that was!

Puffers = Punjabi Frontier Force (hence, PFF or Puffers)

Barampta on the Sre Mela Maidan, Part III --- Too Many Maharajas

“Oh, Gawd … I’m back on that damnable troop ship”, Dharma thought. Maybe if he kept his eyes squeezedtightly closed, the rotten nightmare would go away.

No. No such luck. Ungh, gotta heave! Dharma came alive with a start, and found that he couldn’t move muchmore than his aching head. “AAAAGH!” WHO THE HELL WAS STICKING KNIVES IN HIS… Oh, back inthe Kajawa-camel-saddle thing again (note 22). OH MY LEG! What in hell was going on? Can’t a guy get anhour’s sleep without getting beat up?!

Dharma finally swam back into full consciousness, and at least one of his eyes focused on Doc Carmichael.“You!” he managed to croak out. And then the world faded away.

It was probably the cold air that did it. Dharma came awake with a start, and tried to rub his eyes, but his handswere still strapped in, down in the camel-basket. Not an auspicious start, that. His nose itched and his ass wassore. What time’s it anyway? Ungh, Fuzzy tongue, too. GET ME OUT OF HERE! So they lifted the Gimp outof his smelly basket, and he swayed there, like a willow in a storm, and had a cautious look around.

Two days later, a much skinnier Lt Dharma was limping along, a bandage on his forearm, another on this thigh,one hand gripping the mule harness, and the other gripping a crude wooden crutch. There was a look of sheerdetermination on his face that would have stopped a Bazaar-alms-beggar at 30 paces! No. More. Camels! Nomore Kajawa! Bad enough he was back in charge of the Bandage Buddies, with more incapacitated men in theInvalid Brigade. Dharma was feeling grim about not having seen any action against that village, several daysback. The minor kafuffle of a skirmish he HAD been involved with hardly rated his gaining the Colonel’s goodgraces! Not good enough! (note 23)

Meanwhile, the weather had deteriorated to the freezing point; the trail footing was slipperier than a Bazaar

clerk; add in the fissures on the trail and that made the mules and the camels REALLY skittish! The roughground ahead just acted like a base that lead the eye to the far crests of the dismal rain-whipped mountains asthe focal point way off in the distance. To the left, there’s the start of a nullah, little more than a fold in theground really, that seems to lead off to some sort of ruin with what might have been some broken Greek pillars(long since overgrown). There’s a sense of danger everywhere, especially for someone already not 100% ---like the wounded. The Grim is not a forgiving place! And now Lt Dharma’s internal alarm bells are starting tojangle!

Three Men and a TigressThe number of wounded had grown, but not the number of semi-able-bodied men. As soon as they could walk(with only minor moans and limps) they got shuffled back to their right spot in the column. Dharma conferredwith Doc Carmichael about his current roster. “Weel, we have 10 walkers, 6 wi’ various head wounds, andanother 3 what think they’re the Maharaja. Oh, an one curious fellow who thinks he’s a Maharani!” (note 24).“Add to that the 4 other medical assistants, and that’s all what can bear arms!”

Dharma goes around and makes sure that everyone in the Bandage Buddies has his own Snyder ready, and thatthey understand the urgency of acting like soldiers, not invalids! His alarm bells keep picking up the tempo, andDharma has learned through some bitter experience to trust his gut reaction. Its that nullah that has himworried --- wolf-men breed in folds in the ground such as those . . . Dharma shuffles his troop between thenullah and the rest of the medical camel and mule train. Surreptitiously, he eases his sword in the scabbard, andunclips the holster.

Off out of the corner of his eye, Doc Carmichael is explaining to the 3 Maharaja that 2 of them have to bephonies, and to the fourth, that if this last REALLY is the Maharani, he better pucker up, cause one of theseugly mugs was his new intended. You could see the gears grinding among the 4 boggle-eyed patients! (note25)

It happened so fast, the Bandage Brigade didn’t even have time to fire, let alone fix bayonets! The Wolf-mencame out of that nullah like grape shot from a canon! They were down on the column in a heart beat! LtDharma had time for two shots with the Webley, but they had absolutely no effect! OH NO! They are falling onthe Invalid Brigade like a scythe going through dry hay! (note 26)

The Grim Earns Its ReputationThings are looking pretty bleak for the Bandage Buddies! Sepoy Kushal Khan is faced with a wolf-man who isa half-head taller than him! The wolf-man comes in at the run, with his Khyber knife coming down in a terribleswing! Kushal Khan takes a step back, trying to avoid the worst of the swing! OH NO, he’s TRIPPED! TheWolf-man is all over him! Kushal Khan takes a terrible slash, before the man behind him can clobber the wolf-man on the noggin! They’re both out of the fight! Dharma faces off against the head-wolf-man! What a fight!Neither is giving an inch! The wolf-man comes in with a sweeping slash! Dharma counters with a 2 handedblock on his sword! Oh oh oh, surely that monster butcher knife will cleave it in two! Dharma Holds! Thehead-wolf-man tries to fake out Dharma with a riposte! He misread Dharma’s intent! DHARMA GETS ASHOT OFF WITH HIS REVOLVER! The wolf-man falls back wounded!! Dharma fires again for goodmeasure --- HE’S DEAD! DHARMA SHOT THEIR LEADER! (note 27)

Dharma stands up in the lull, sure that the wolf-men will turn and run, BUT NO! They are out for BADAL!VENGENCE! THEY’RE ALL CONVERGING ON DHARMA! (note 28). There are knives and swordthrusts flashing everywhere! One wolf man gets it from two different directions! A Punjabi falls back with ascream, holding his arm! Anther wolf-man bites the dust! Surely they can’t keep coming much longer! Theykeep screaming “BADAAAALLLL!”, and their faces are twisted up like the Demons of Haruman! (note 28)Another wolf-man gets clobbered with a musket butt and is dead before he hits the ground! OH NO!

DHARMA HAS BEEN HIT! Dharma falls back through the front line, grabbing his OTHER arm this time!The Puffers crowd in and form a human wall, keeping the wolf-men away from Dharma! This cannot last!

Doc Carmichael and his medics come plowing in on the undefended side of the wolf-men! Bayonets fixed, theycome in “fresh” and the tide turns! You can see the shiver in the remaining wolf-men line! One down, anotherdead! The few remaining wolf-men turn in a flash, and are beating a retreat up the slippery icy path! NoQuarter! Any remaining pile of rags gets a bayonet or two, just in case! There’ll be no faking dead, andstabbing a turned back THIS time! Marquis of Queensbury be damned!

Dharma’s last conscious thought was “Oh no … not that damn Kajawa again”, and then he couldn’t hold onany longer, and he just blacked out.

To Be Continued . . . but only if you haven’t lost interest . . .

After Action Report for Part III --- Too Many Maharajas

Once again, Mythic has managed to take a blend of stock bits that we chopped up from various favorite novels(and put into the component lists), add a dash of spice (has to be a curry in this case, right?) and served upsomething delicious and new. It ain't me! All I do is roll the bones, cut the cards as needed, and interpret theresults. But what a rush!

We used the same Hand-to-Hand charts from Part I (in the files section), and a bit of "NWF Patrol and RoadDetail" (also in the files), and we pulled ONE item off the "NWF Multiple Path Adventure" list (this is one ofmy oldest lists, where I though I could cram everything I'd ever need on one master list. Silly fool me. Still notcompleted after 2 years of workin' on it. Uploaded it to the files section anyway.)

To me, this is Crème-de-la-crème, de-la-TSATF --- it just don't get better than this. Small unit action, andedge-of-yer-seat excitement. All delivered in a neat solo package, so you don't HAVE to wait for the nextconvention to have that near-heart-attack experience!

BobThe Mythic-al Seur D'ArmadilleauxDiet-Chota-peg in hand, Oreo's within arms reach, Sitting on his copy of TSATF, Admiring the little guys withtheir painted on bandages. PRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Notes for Barampta, Part III

Note 22: Of all the fiendish ways of transporting the wounded on the NWF, the worst idea had to be tosuspend them in pairs, lying down and strapped in, on each side of a camel! The rolling gate alone must havebeen awful! (Course it sure would have discouraged the malingerers, a problem Lt Dharma frequently facedwith the Bandage Buddies --- the Invalid Brigade).Note 23: Time to reset the scene. First, the Chaos factor for Lt Dharma goes up by 1 to a 7 (he’s participatedin two successive battles in two successive scenes). By similar logic, Doc Carmichael goes to a Chaos Factor ofa 6 (we only had him in ONE battle, last scene). Now we need to see what’s going on THIS scene. We’regoing to reverse the order of the play, and roll the Mythic Random Scene FAS (Focus-Action-Subject) first, tomake sure that we are going to play-out the proposed scene of “Bandage Buddies (The Sequel)” and we roll:28.05.06 on the three successive percentile die, for NPC action, Recruit, and Reality. OK, so we twist thataround for a minute and come up with Doc Carmichael (he’s the only Non Playing Character or NPC that wehave so far) tries to bring one or more of the Recruits back to Reality. Hm, I can work with that! Next we need

some detail of what the trail is, so we go to our Patrol and Road Detail lists, and pull out Weather= 6D(Freezing); Footing= 6D (Slippery); Task Related= 4D (mules skittish); Trail= 3D (Fissured); Focal point= AH(Mountains); Trailside= QH (Rough ground); Color comes up as JH= (wounded); and Danger= 7H (GutFeeling). Wow. That’s pretty dead on what we wanted! We go to the “NWF Multiple-Path Adventure” andpull a KS= (Broken Greek Pillars in a Crevasse) as a final touch. Now we are ready to write it up!Note 24: Hm? Oh! Maharaja’s are those Indian Prince chaps --- some of them rich as Crossus --- and theyusually have a number of wives, the Maharani. Sorry old chap, though you was an old hand, out here on theNorth West Frontier!Note 25: We check with Mythic --- are there any Waziri in that Nullah that Dharma is eyeing? Its “SomewhatLikely”, and with Dharma’s Chaos Rank now at 7, anything under 85 on the percentile die is going to meantrouble! Drum roll please! RRRRrrrrr RRRrrrrr RRRRrrrrrr --- 67! YES! They come pouring out of thenullah! Dharma is really in for it now! Does he even have time to fix bayonets?! With a probability of only“Unlikely” and a Chaos Rank of 7, he needs a 55 or less, and he rolls 96!! OH NO!! THAT’S ANEXCEPTIONAL NO! They don’t even get a chance to get a shot with the Snyders! Dharma gets two snapshots with his Webley but they both miss! OH HE’S IN TROUBLE NOW!Note 26: We revert to standard TSATF battle resolution --- Pathan/Waziri/Wolf-men roll a 4, so they definitelycharge; the Punjabi/Indian under Dharma roll a 2, so they definitely stand and fight. The Wolf-men come inwith a 1D6 +1 for charging, versus the Punjabi at 1D6 +1 for “defending in road column” so its an even fight!We play out the first two lines of contact and get 4 x PB (push back) and 1 D (dead) for the Bandage Buddies,but Dharma kills the head-wolf-man! On the wolf-men side, we have 2 wounded, 1 PB (push-back) and thehead-man caput! The Wolf-men test to see if they are going to stand and fight, or bug out! YES! THEYWANT BADAL --- VENGENCE!Note 27: We went back to the Hand-to-hand chart to get some of the detail, pulling cards to “explain” theresults that we’d already rolled up with the normal TSATF rules. Dharma didn’t really get another couple of“free” shots --- he killed the leader outright in battle, but we just rolled up some 1D6 (and got two 5’s in arow) to “explain” the combat kill. As for the Badal (the Pathan code of Vengence) it explains the Pathan’ssuccessful roll to stay in the combat, when the leader croaked!Note 28: Results of the second round of fighting! On the Puffer side, there are 1 dead, 1 PB (push-back) and 3wounded INCLUDING DHARMA! I DIDN’T MAKE IT UP! Our intrepid hero gets zipped again!Unbelievable! On the wolf-men side, there are 5 killed in the fray --- we go to Mythic to look at the probabilityof route this time, cause there are SO many dead, that the Fate Chart better reflects their sorry state! With aChaos Rank of 7 (basic is a 5, and they fought 2 “rounds” of battle) it is “Very Unlikely” that they’d hangaround (but never “impossible”) and we need a 65 or under for them to stay. They roll a 40, so they are stillgonna fight it out! BADAAAAALLLLL! (OK, I could have just rolled two D6 for critical morale withoutleader, but this was way more satisfying --- besides, there was a slim possibility of an Extreme Yes, and theywould have gone berserk, maybe adding +1 to their die roll for one turn --- see the advantage?)Note 29: Haruman is the Monkey God, one of the fanatical sects

Kajawa = Camel paniers

Barampta on the Sre Mela, Part IV --- A Spy Among Us

“So he was down, is that right?” Capt Laughland bored in on Lt Dharma’s testimony. “You shot that Wazirileader the first time, and he fell to the ground, that’s what you said.” And Dharma came up from the reverie,and agreed absently, “Yes, that’s what happened”. The military panel seems to twitch and move, uneasy withthe line of the prosecutor’s questions. They’re all alumni of conditions out on the Grim, the North WestFrontier, where the situation is so unforgiving. Still ...

Laughland bored home again, “And then you shot him a second time when he was down, is that right,Lieutenant?” Dharma looked up, slowly recognizing the trap that Laughland was building. “No … no it wasn’t

like THAT, well not exactly,” says Dharma. And he drifted away in his memory, back to the Sre Mela, back tothe nightmare . . .

Funny the way your senses come awake --- almost like a child acquiring interaction with the world, again. Firstcomes the sense of feeling, then taste and sound, and only fourth in line is sight. Then the brain switches on.And Dharma felt like he’d been sat on by a herd of elephants, and then dropped down a well. Every bone in hisbody ached. His mouth tasted awful --- like he’d been kissing a camel. Bleah! What a horrible thought! Andfrom far away, somewhere at the top of the well, he could here that same camel snorting and slobbering allover him. Ungh! That was really disgusting! “Gotta wipe my face off … can’t seem to move”, Dharmathought. THEN, a lone eyeball broke free, and squinted at the sunlight up there at the top of the well. Oooohthat hurt too!

“Mornin’ Lieutenant!”

“Who WAS that, yelling in his ear?!” Dharma thought. Someone’s leaning over him and yelling down the well-hole. Ahhh, it was that pesky Scott. Wait till he gets within range of my … “It’s a brae spring-like mornin’, andtime you was ooot and abooot!” Whaa…? Oh, “out and about” --- why can’t Doc learn to speak decentEnglish?

Another hour, and a very shaky Dharma was sitting up, having the Scottish version of Chota Hazri. Ah, that’sbetter. It’s a wonder what chappatis and hot tea will not cure! (note 30). Dharma still felt weak as a kitten, butat least he had the strength to look around at his surroundings, once more. He drank it all in, the militarytraining assessing and digesting each bit in turn. The fissured trail leads up through the boulder field, the pathsplitting into two and three parallel trails around the larger rocks, and thence over the Kotal, the crest of thepass. Three or for rabbits are at play, staring at the column from between the rocks. Ahead a bit, on the right, issome sort of watchtower, with a bunch of seemingly inaccessible buildings set right into the wall behind thewatchtower. They hang precariously to the edge of the mountain, held in place there with beams and lashingsaround the posts. It might have been something like a Buddhist monastery at one point, but now it just looksdark and menacing, even in the spring-like sunlight. Just another day in paradise, out here on the Grim!

Dharma speaks up in a shaky voice, “So tell me Doc, what did I miss? How long was I out?”, knowing it musthave been a while. “Oooch! Not long, as time goes, around here anyway” replies Doc, laconically. Dharmagives him a hard look. “Ooch, ye needed yer rest, so we gave you a little something to gi’ it to you. Bit of theol’ Laudinum” allows the Doc. “About 5 days noo” he adds, a bit defensively. “Five DAYS!” Dharma weaklyexclaims! “You kept me out of it for FIVE DAYS!?” Doc Carmichael gets all defensive, and says “Weel, yee’dbe noo guide to naebody the way ye were! Yer ol’ body haied to cure itself, so it deed!” Dharma glared at him,but decided to leave it at that.

The Blocking ForceUp ahead, Dharma’s old regiment, the Punjabi Frontier Force, were taking up a defensive position, sheltering behind rocks and facing the watchtower and the cliff-dwelling. To the rear of them, a muletrain with a field battery of 3 mountain guns was hustling into place, a marvel of efficiency and speed. As hewatched, the pieces for the mountain guns came off the mules, lightning-fast, and the barrels were positionedvertically by their gunners, and the breach and barrel on each was screwed into place. Still no sign of life on thecliff or from the watch tower, but the wolf-men knew how to hold position, waiting for the right time to take ashot with those long-barrel Jezails. The dark blue gunner’s uniforms contrast with the bright red turbans ---Dharma thinks he recognizes Jemadar Singh in command, a grizzled veteran of countless small skirmishes, justlike today’s. The assembled barrels are slammed into place, the gunners swarming about both ends, sighting,loading, ramming, and getting the fuses trimmed. All action ceased, and the number two’s held their right armsout sideways, horizontal to the ground --- “Ready!”

The call ripples down the column --- “Open … Order! … Prepare … to Advance!” And the long snake of theBarampta Column trundles on up the pass and over the Kotal. Dharma knows that he has about 10 minutesbefore his Invalid Brigade get underway, and he turns to Doc and asks for specifics --- who’s available fordefenses? Doc allows as how they now have 23 too-wounded-to-fight, another 12 walking-wounded, and 6with head-wounds but poor vision, and 4 that have leg wounds that will keep them from walking, but they canride, load, and pass over the Snyders. “Oh, an’ we hae’ a spy, too, if ye ken how to put him to any guede use!”

“What!?” Dharma turns and faces Doc, shocked at what he must have missed! Doc has a bit of a twinkle in hiseye, and that should have warned Dharma about what was to come. Seems like the confrontation 6 days backbetween the 3 Maharaja and the 4th Maharani had a bit of a sequel. Two of the Maharaja had gone back to theirplatoons (where one stood up and extolled the wolf-men to get out of his kingdom --- he is no longer with us).The remaining Maharaja was still among the wounded, but had to be restrained. The last of the quartet, theMaharani-wanna-be, decided as how he was really an undercover spy, part of the Great Game, and sloughedoff the Maharani “disguise” in favor of skulking around and taking copious notes with an invisible pen and pad.

“So we have 20 wounded, yourself and 4 medics in a pinch, I assume? And 2 nut cases, neither of which soundlike they are fit to hold a weapon” Doc looks at him and allows as how “Aye, an’ yer no paragon of a HighlandWarrior at the moment either, Meester Dharma!” True, but Dharma isn’t about to get back in that Camelpannier!

Advance into ContactThe Doc hands Lt Dharma a tree-limb improvised-crutch, and Dharma hobbles off to set his dispositions.Walking wounded to the right of the camels and the mules! Grab hold of the mules harness, if you think youcan’t keep up! I want those Snyders loaded, and get the bayonets on NOW! No more of this nonsense of Wolf-men closing before we’re ready! You! Straighten that spine! The Waziri aren’t going to wait for you to getready! They’ll come at you when they feel like it!

Up and down the column, hobbling here and tapping over there, instilling order and discipline, Dharma kneadshis command back into shape. And then the lead mule of the Invalid Brigade starts up and over the Kotal!Camels, mules, the Bandage Buddies to the right, Doc Carmichael and his medics buzzing around the middlelike so many flies, the column of the wounded starts up the path.

Would they make it through the Kotal without incident? No. The temptation to attack the weakest link was justtoo great! As the Bandage Buddies come up level with the watch tower, the hidden Jezails speak out! One ofthe Walking Wounded spins around and crumples to the ground, screaming and holding his leg! OH NO! DocCarmichael is hit! (note 32). He’s holding his arm! The medics haul him off behind the mule train! One of theCamels slowly crumples to the ground, dead, and another mule screams and half-dances, half-hobbles, off tothe far side!

The mountain guns dial in a fractional correction and boom out their answer! Three whomps sound out almostas one, deafening in the confined space of the Kotal! Splinters of the wall-palace go flying everywhere! (note33). Bits of clothing, swords and shields, and broken Jezails go flying off into space! It’s a mad rush to see whoreloads first! The column of the wounded race to try and get out of the line of fire! Will they make it!? 100yards to go! 60! Times running out! (note 34!) Dharma stands there at the top of the Kotal, like a traffic cop inTrafalgar square! “Keep moving! Get that ugly brute over the crest! Use your bayonet to prod him, man! Whatare you waiting for!” Dharma screams at man and mule alike! Whipping them into obeying his orders!“Carmichael you rotten DONKEY!” he yells “You GET OVER HERE or so HELP me! Your’re gonna RIDEon the CAMEL PANNIERS! Dharma grabs the Doc’s arm, replacing a medic, and with surprising force for askinny hobble-t-horse, Dharma yanks the Doc over the top of the Kotal and into the lee of the rocks!

Behind, the Whoosh-Crack of the Jezails and the thundering crrRRRBOOOMphth of the mountain gunscontinue their duet, but that’s of no concern to Dharma now! They MADE it through! Dharma collapses on theside of the trail, and Doc lets out a cry of pain! The medical orderlies are all over Doc Carmichael. Someonecalls for a camel kajawa. And Dharma just can’t help it --- he gives out a long low dirty laugh! Doc is gonnaget a taste of his own camel panniers!

To Be Continued . . . but only if there’s any interest

After Action Report for Part IV --- A Spy Among UsInteresting that the "main battle" here, doesn't involve Dharma doing any fighting or firing. He's just therecipient of the Jezail fire! Doesn't seem to detract any from the excitement or heightened-interest. Because thisis done as a Solo campaign, we don't need to have a big battle "every" scene.

Its neat the way that the card-pulls and Mythic "create" the scene that we are going to play out. I honestlystarted this particular Part IV with absolutely no idea of what was in store --- we just rolled them bones, pulledthem cards, looked up the Mythic tables for the interpretation to the numbers we developed, and "voila", herewe are!

There are no "new" charts or lists, this particular turn. Which is kind of a holiday for me, having put so manyhours into developing the 15 or so that I have on hand. However, once the originals are "done" then it shouldbe relatively quick to dress them up and reuse them for different periods and/or different rule sets. Here's whatwe have so far:

Campaign goals The Invalid Brigade Improvised Defense detailPatrol/Road details Hand-to-hand expansion Things go Bump inna NightMountain Pass generator Fort/Strong-point generator Non-Playing CharactersColonial NWF generator Mythic Sounds and Smells Mythic Campaign ColorPersonality Generator NWF Multiple-Path lists Mythic Terrain Generator

Plus we use the TSATF rule set, and the Mythic GME (Game Master Emulator) which sort of adds a couple ofmore charts, tables and lists. In spite of all the “paperwork” the battle episodes play out really quickly.Including the write up (which takes the most time, by the way) each of these episodes takes about 3 to 4 hours.The nice thing is that we can put the time in piece-meal --- in other words, an hour here, 15 minutes there, asand when we find the slivers of time.

BobThe Mythical Seur D’ArmadilleauxA legend for 15 minutes in his own mind (and I have my wife’s permission to daydream for exactly that long,before she puts me back to work!)

Notes for Barampta, Part IV:

Note 30: Hmm? Oh! “Chota Hazri” translates literally as “Little Breakfast” m’Boy! Or “early morning tea” ifyou prefer! New out here on the North West Frontier, are you? Oh, and Chapattis are the Indian version ofscones --- kind of drab and gray little things compared to the “real” scones, but that’s the only way theKhansamah --- the Indian Cook, that is to say --- knows how to make ‘em! Perfectly adequate out here on theGrim, mind, just not quite what the Mem-Sahib likes for HER tea. (Harumph)Note 31: We started off envisioning this scene as Dharma coming back to consciousness and we rolled a scene-seeding with the Mythic FAS (Focus-Action-Subject) chart to be sure we weren’t directed elsewhere, first: 23.64.75 on the three sets of decimal die, so we ARE going ahead with the scene as planned. The seeding gave

us: NPC Action, Spy, and Military. Oooh, that don’t look good! Lets flesh out the scene before we interpretthe FAS. So this time we’ll go directly to the “NWF Multiple Path Adventure” list, and pull up a “Place to bedeveloped” --- and we get 8 Hearts for “Inaccessible place tucked into Hillside”. Now we go to the “Patrol andRoad Details” and pull Weather= 10D (spring like); Footing= QD (we can’t use this …lightning … so we godown one and get “Lashing”); Task Related= 6D (Fortified Camp); 4C= (we can’t use this …Maidan … so wego down one and get Fissured); Trail= 8D (Split Skein); Focal Point= 10H (Watchtower); Trail Side= 9H(boulder field); Color= 10H (Rabbit); and Danger= 2H (to the right). We take one more random seeding fromthe Mythic Terrain Generator and we get: 26.03.47 --- Moderate Obstacle, Menaces (cause we are in HighChaos), Kotal (the top of the pass). Wow, now we have a pretty good picture, and we’re ready to write it upNote 32: The Waziri throw two really low hits on a D20, and pull an 8 Diamonds and an Ace of Diamonds (Ohno! That SHOULD be Dharma hit again, as the key character, but that would just be too unlikely! So we makeDoc Carmichael take one for the team! Two more hits are in the 6 & 7 range (really long range for the Jezails,but not if they were shooting at bigger targets, like the Mules or Camels, so that’s who gets hit). We pull twomore cards for “hits” on the mules, and get a King Hearts (one Camel dead --- they are more serious targets, aseach camel has a double-pannier with wounded slung on either side), and a 2 Diamonds (one mule hit).Note 33: The mountain gun battery score a whopping 10 hits out of a possible 12 hits, including 1 woundedJezail and 1 dead! That still leaves 8 Jezails to reply a second time!Note 34!: We put the question to Mythic --- does the medical column reach safety?! With a probability of only“50/50” and a Chaos rank of 7 (the basic 5 plus two combat turns) they need to roll a 75 or under on thepercentage die! RRRRrrrRRRRrrrRRRrrr…42! They made it over the Kotal! The Bandage Buddies aresaved!!

Barampta on the Sre Mela, Part V --- The Code of Pakhtunwali

“AAAaaaargh…”

The Baluchi muleteer snorts in derision. New day; same sound. Funny accent that Doc Carmichael-Sahib hasthough --- not like the other Ferenghi. You can even detect it in his moans --- something a bit more gutteral . ..(note 35). Doc’s head is pounding like a kettle drum! Lt Dharma holds up a bandaged arm, and the medicalcolumn slows to a halt. Must be time for late afternoon Tiffen!

Doc Carmichael has two of his orderlies prying him out of the camel Kajawa and they gently set him down on acollapsible camp chair. Dharma is busy allocating the guard piquet duty, but he still can’t keep that devilish grinoff his lean tanned face. He keeps on thinking, “What’s sauce for the goose, is sauce for the Gander, Doc ---how’d you like that Kajawa?”. Dharma assigns two guards to each of the 4 corners of the Medical Convoy. Hemakes sure that at least one of each pair has sharp enough vision to watch the surrounding hills, andspecifically asks if they can see that rabbit, out on the far hill (note 36). There isn’t one, and the sharp-sightedSepoy better say that, or he’s replaced.

Dharma turns back through the Invalid Brigade to look at the opposite side, and the sounds of the medicalcolumn envelop him with their pain, the wheedling and the gasping. First the Doc, with his lame left foot andnow his right arm in a bandage; over on the Kajawa, Sepoy Khushal Khan is still hallucinating, and has to beheld in with restraints; Lance Naik Sita Gohl is unconscious, wasting away. Medic Dowla Khan is walkingamong the wounded with a canteen, “Water, son?” he asks one of the patients in a quiet voice. Over in thecorner, Medic Ragir Mukhti is shaking a patient anxiously, and Dowla Khan goes to check up. “He’s gone,Ragir” he says softly. Ragir seems on the point of tears, and stifles his emotions, looking down at the deadman. The Grim has claimed another soul. Dharma walks woodenly passed the little scene, eyes ahead.

The Khansamah sets the fire and gets the chapattis going (note 37). Then the water is brought to a boil, andmeanwhile Dharma is still inspecting the surroundings, getting his bearings and testing with his senses for anyelement of impending danger. You never let your guard down, out here on the Grim. Off on the far wall of thecanyon, there is some sort of 80 foot tall Bhudda, with his hands and head defaced (probably by some MuslimGhazi --- they don’t readily tolerate any life-like representations). Near the base, there is a skinny Afghan dog,tied up to a sapling in the stone fence-line. “Strange to see one of these hairy gray-hounds out here, all alone”thinks Dharma. The dog gives out a plaintive little “Yip?!” and Dharma wonders again, “Is it a trap?” Only oneway to find out.

The weather seems to be clearing up a bit, and the footing is rapidly becoming dusty. That’s all we seem to geton the Grim --- dust, or churned-up mud, and precious little between the two extremes. SubconsciouslyDharma checks to make sure the picquets are awake, and details one of the Sepoys to go fetch them tea.There’s a dry nullah or river bed between us and that Buddhist statue, and several dilapidated stone fences onboth sides of the trail. The other side of the broad low nullah, there seems to be some sort of empty box withits lid all askew. There’s still some pools of water in the lowest points of the nullah, with lush green fernsaround them, clinging valiantly to life. There’s a vulture circling up above --- can’t tell if its eyeing up that poorskinny dog, or what, but usually they disappear when the wolf-men are lurking up in the heights. Possibly agood sign.

Offering HospitalityDharma decides to go do a bit of investigation, and grabs a chapatti, dips it in the gravy, and picks up an emptymetal mug. He covers the ground in an effortless loping stride, pauses to get a cup of water from the pool, andsaunters by that box. He gives it a kick on the way, but there doesn’t seem to be anything interesting about it,so he heads off toward that mangy dog. Is it going to be friendly? Most of those Afghan mutts are sight-hounds, and a bit stand-offish of strangers, but this one must be really starving --- you can see its ribs, eventhrough all the matted fur. Dharma holds out the chapatti, and the Afghan dog lunges for the biscuit. “Easythere, fellah --- don’t choke on it!” Two gulps, and the little gray scone has vanished. Dharma puts the cup ofwater down, within reach of the Afghan’s long snout. He sniffs it a couple of times to check it out, and laps itdown to the dregs, finally lying down and licking the inside of the cup. Dharma slowly reaches over and untiesthe dog’s leash.

The dog doesn’t even wait! He lunges and the leash slips free before Dharma can even make a grab for the tailend. Off towards a gap in the hills, the dog streaks like a gray-brown bullet, low to the ground, zigging andzagging between the scrub, that leash strung out behind him! Dharma has second thoughts now --- was thatdog just left here as a signal to its owner? When it appears, does the wolf-man know where the column isstopped? It’s a case of damned if you do (let the dog go) or damned if you don’t (and it starves). He heaves asigh and turns back towards the Medical column. Back across the nullah once more, Dharma assigns a coupleof extra non-walking wounded to keep an eye on that notch, where the dog was last seen. You never know,out here.

About 20 minutes later, the column gets underway again. Doc Carmichael seems to have thrived on the tea andchapattis, and insists he is well enough to walk, although he also winces occasionally from his arm-wound. Itstied up in a sling, but that doesn’t make it any the less painful, and Doc is too parsimonious a Scott to use theLaudanum on himself. Or maybe he just doesn’t want to get hooked into long-term use. Dharma walks besidehis new-found friend, while carefully watching the surrounding hills.

The Trap is Sprung!The rear-guard gives a shout! Tribesmen spotted! Dharma hurries towards the rear of the medical column, andsure enough, there is a small band of men coming from that notch in the hills near the Buddha statue! Dharmacalls up another 4 of the walking wounded to double the number of the rear-guard! Closer by, a couple ofJezails come to bear, over the crest of the nearest hill! The distinctive sound of Jezails firing splits the silence,as 4 of the long-nosed guns speak out! (note 38).

WhooshBladam! One of the wounded is flipped right off the Medical Column mule that he’s riding! A nastyfall, that! Looks like he’s OK, as two of the medics crowd around him, and pick him up and hustle him along!One of the muleteers wasn’t so lucky! He throws his hands up in an ugly way, and gets blown off to the farside of the column --- just the way he fell we can tell he isn’t getting up again! Unlike the soldiers, he’s just leftwhere he fell. None of the other muleteers are brave enough to recover his body! We aren’t through yet!WhooshBladaBladam, and two of the mules slump in their lines! The muleteers are frantic, cutting the leads tothe stricken beasts, stripping the most important of the load, and cursing and chivying along the rest of theanimals! Jezail bullets whiz by like angry bees! There’s no safe place to turn!

Our rear-guard send a prompt reply, with the sharp distinctive crack of the Snyders! 6 of themCarrumpRumpRump almost as one report! The echos off the rock walls come back in ripples down the line!On the heights, there is a single high “AAAaargh”, and one of the Jezails flies back out of sight! “Reload!” yellsDharma. He has his pistol out, but there’s nothing he can do with it at this range! Several of the rear-guardexchange Snyders with the wounded sporting head-bandages --- the wounded may not be able to see straight,but they could load those Snyders even if they were blind and drunk!

One of the rearguard mutters “ungrateful dog” in Pushtu under his breath, and spits in the ground, lifting hisSnyder to aim at the Afghan hound, bounding up and down at the end of a leash, held tight in his master’shand. Lt Dharma puts his hand up and moves the Snyder off course, “Nahin, Bhai! Thy dog is covered byPakhtunwali --- he hath eaten of my chapatti!” (note 39). The Sepoy barks out “Hazoor!”, but gives Dharma aqueer look, as he takes up a different target. It is not his concern if the Pukka-Lieutenant is “touched” (note40). And just as quickly, the opposition fades away. Honor is served --- the wolf-men have made their presenceknown, and can retire to fight another day.

TO BE CONTINUED . . . But Only if there is any interest …

After Action Report, Part VSometimes we get that big battle; sometimes the big battle is illusive. No different when using Mythic, thanwhen we wander around a 12 foot by 9 foot table, looking for the hidden enemy in ambush. But the “little”scenes like Part V here, act as the glue that gives continuity to the campaign, between the “big” battles.

Also keeps the interest alive, and sets up sub-plots for future encounters. And you never know when someinsignificant little side-trip will trigger an avalanche of wolf-men, out here on the Grim! The tension is alwayshigh, when things are this uncertain …

BobThe Mythic-al Seur D’ArmadilleauxPro-Afghan-dogs; anti chapattis; (not too keen on Kajawas, either)

Notes for Part V

Note 35: Time to set the next scene. First, we update the Chaos charts --- Dharma has topped out at 9, andDoc Carmichael isn’t far behind with a Chaos rank of 8. Next we take a look at the Mythic FAS chart for the

variation on the Scene Seeding (see if we get any doubles, signifying either an “interrupt scene” or a “alteredscene”) and we roll RRRrrrrRRRrrrRRR ---- 69.67.33 --- Whoah! A Double! We go into an altered scene ---the next most logical scene we could think of. The triple-percentile-roll gets dialed into Mythic charts, and wecome up with PC Positive, Open, and Stop. Hm…so instead of the proposed continued journey, DocCarmichael gets the benefit (otherwise known as the Player Character Positive) of a Stop in the camel trainride, and gets to sit out in the Open. Gee that wasn’t too hard --- that means its time for Tiffen! We go to theMythic Sounds and Smells chart (just because we can) and we roll: 22.14.47 on the triple percentile die. Now,we already have an Altered scene, so we decide to ignore the second double, and we get: Moderately Close,Pounds, and Kettle Drum.Note 36: We go back to the card pulls to build the scene. First we get a bit of color from the Invalid Brigadelist: Sounds= 4D & QD (Wheedling and Gasping); Defect= 6H & AH (Left foot & a Right Arm); Severity=KH (Hallucinating); Appliances= 8H (Restraints); Long Term Ailments= 3H (Wasting away); Color= 7C(Water, son?); Color= 3C (he’s gone, Sam). Then from Multiple-Path Adventure we draw Places to develop=6 Hearts (Wall of the 100 foot Bhudda); from Objects = AH (Skinny tied-up Afghan dog); change lists, andfrom the NWF Patrol and Road Details we get Weather= 8D (clearing); Footing= AD (dusty); Task-related=3D (piquets active); Trail= 10D (Cross-country …hm, can’t really use that so we go down one, and 9D wouldgive us Dry River Bed; that’s better); Focal Point= JH (stone fence); Trailside= 2H (empty box); Color=4H(Water pool); Danger= 4H (both sides); Vegitation= JC (fern); Other life=7C (Vulture); and we ignore thetravelers this time as extraneous to our needs. Wow, that’s a pretty complete picture. We throw in a MythicTerrain Generator element anyway, just to get some random variation --- 50.62.53 --- Possible Booty,Deteriorates (we use the High-Chaos column) and 53 gives us Hedgerows, which we translate into ratherragged stone fences with strippling trees growing in them. Easy to see how Mythic could be used as a storygenerator, for authors who have NO intention of running miniatures! That’s quite a complete scene that we just“rolled” up out of components! One last thing while we are setting up --- is that Afghan dog friendly? We posethat question to Mythic Fate Chart, with an “unlikely” (still needs 90 or under on percentile die) and we get 80--- yes, he won’t bite.Note 37: Hmm? What’s that, m’boy? Oh! Khansamah is the Indian Cook, and chapattis are those little grayishscones --- more appetizing that they look, m’boy! Especially out here on the Frontier! We always say, aKansamah at home is mediocre at best, but give him a couple of rocks, lousy weather, and a Jezail shot or twoto inspire him, and he can produce culinary miracles!Note 38: We get 2 Jezails plus 1D6 (just an arbitrary choice) for 2 + 5 = 7 Jezails. Now TSATF rules say 1-6on a D20 is a hit at 24 inches, but we are going to use 5 or a 6 on the mules (black card)/muleteers (red card)and 1-4 on the Bandage Buddies --- and we roll a 2 (on the wounded) and 3 hits on the mules/muleteers. Wepull a 4D for the Bandage Buddies, which means one Bandage Buddy wounded, and one 5H plus 2C & 2Swhich means one muleteer dead for the Heart and two mules wounded!Note 39: The Pathan code of honor, or Pakhtunwali, requires that one give food and shelter to any who seekasylum. While this doesn’t normally apply to an animal, it is obvious that Dharma feels strongly about savingthe dog’s life --- “No brother …he ate my scone”.Note 40: “Hazoor!” means “Sir!”; Pukka means great one

Barampta on the Sre Mela, Part VI --- The Wedding PartySgt Major “Westy” Stevens trotted back to the end of the line, his critical eye inspecting the Invalid Brigade,limping along under Lt Dharma. “The Colonel’s complements, Mr Dharma, and are you fit to resume duty?”Westy had his doubts. This ragamuffin with the various bandages on arms and legs didn’t look anything likewhat a professional soldier should be, but the Colonel needed all of his best men at the front, and if a mongrelcould do rear guard duty, then a mongrel would be put to use. Course, Westy didn’t say as much out loud ---man’s got to have some self respect, y’see.

Dharma leapt at the chance, like that starving Afghan dog leapt at a chapatti! “Yes Sgt Major!” and hestraightened up that extra eighth of an inch, as if posture would make any difference to his being considered fit

to return to the column. His various wounds begged to differ, and Dharma almost winced. Almost, not quite.The Sgt Major, his clothes and his horse both parade-ground immaculate, sniffed his doubts. “There have beenmore casualties in the van, and the Colonel is sending a full half-troop of your Punjabi back to reinforce therear guard. The column of march will also be passing our picquets along the way, and you are to assist on theirretiring from the heights. The returning piquets will augment your command, as we continue up towards theSre Mela Maidan.” (note 41). Dharma’s hopes of returning to glory and recognition at the front of the columnslowly evaporate, and he shrinks that eighth of an inch again, but he nevertheless manages to return a cheery“Yes Sir, Sgt Major Sir!” However, privately, from the depths of his own hell, Dharma thinks “Ungh! Morerear-guard duty. How’s a guy get noticed way back here?” There’s no glory to be found at the back of the van!

Over the next 30 minutes, Dharma’s 6 walking wounded are augmented by 9 Punjabi Sepoys, under JemadarSingh. During the same time frame, 6 or 7 stretcher parties arrive at the front of the Bandage Brigade, withanother 20 wounded men for Doc Carmichael to sort out. This slows things down considerably, as some arebandaged, one or two put into the Kajawa camel-panniers, and others are held down while Doc retrieves orrepairs the remains of the Jezail musket balls. The rest of the Bandage Brigade divide and flow through thestretchers with the wounded, and continue to amble along at the back of the column. Pretty soon, there’s a gapopening up between Dharma and the Invalid brigade, and the rest of the column. Not much, but for the wolf-men, any advantage they get, they pounce upon it. And that gap creates a weakness the wolf-men could spotfor miles.

Dharma is nervous, and has all 15 of his polyglot collection of men and Jemadar Singh, on high alert, watchingthe heights. They are far too vulnerable, stopped while Doc does his miracles, and falling too far behind the restof the column! “Lets go, Doc! The wolf-men won’t wait for Tiffen!” he yells over his shoulder. Its an unkindcut, because we can see Doc Carmichael is fairly flying along, from one patient to another, ignoring his ownwounded arm, but Doc knows it’s just Dharma’s nerves that are rattled (note 42).

The Wedding PartyWhen the alert whistle sounds, the sepoy on the heights points to a completely different corner of the quadrant,than where Dharma was searching. He swings around to where the Picquet aimed his finger, and there on theright to the East, crossing a nullah between two high crags, is some sort of native procession. It takes a whileto make out the details, but it looks like … it is! … Its some kind of wedding party! There’s the groom, in hisfinest clothes, there’s the bride’s price, must be at least 30 or 40 goats (that must be some bride, to commandsuch a high price!), and there’s the rest of the tribe, all in their best wedding finery, threading their way across aragged old rope suspension bridge. “Talk about them tempting fate!” Dharma thinks. “If it were MY bride, Iwould have walked the long way around, and ignored that bridge!” And with that, Dharma still feels uneasyabout the whole thing. “Look alive! Could be a diversion! Watch yer corners!” and the sentries all tear theireyes off the party on the rope suspension bridge, and go back to watching their own assigned sectors.

After this morning’s rains, the sun has punched through the clouds and threatens a mini heat wave. Darma canfeel the sweat between his shoulder blades, down his back, and his head still feels like its wrapped in too manytowels --- both heavy and hot. The footing on the trail is still wet, with pools, and the goat-track up to theravine between the ferns looks pretty churned up. On the far North East side, there is an old Moghul tower,something that may once have been foreboding, but is now more of a ruin. The goat bells tell the story --- thewedding party has made it over that dilapidated rope bridge leading North to the Moghul tower, up to the olddead tree on the North side of the nullah, and the wedding party disappears in a measured step. Dharma can’thelp but feel there is still danger! What IS it that’s setting off his internal alarm bells?!

That’s it!!

For Whom The Bells Toll“THE BELLS HAVE STOPPED! I CAN’T HEAR THE GOAT BELLS!” Dharma yells, as he turns aroundand yells up the line at Doc Carmichael “Yer outta time Doc! Get those bastard camels moving! NOW!”Jemadar Singh hasn’t wasted any time, either. He’s told off men to cover the left and the right, and signaled upto the Picquets on the heights to look alive --- they are probably about to come under overwhelming attack!

As if on cue, the Jesails thunder off to the West on the ridge! The Picquets are under attack! It’s a raid, andthere’s no time to reinforce the picquets! Doc and the medics are in a frenzy of activity! “Slap that mule! Get amove on! Grab a mule harness and hold on, son, there’s no time to mount up! Run man! RUN!” It’s a hundredpaces to the end of the column! They’ll never make it! The mules jog-trot in fear, throwing their heads up andaround! The camels are prodded with anything sharp! They bellow their annoyance at the insult to their dignity,but even THEY start to trot up the path!

Up on the cliff, the noise has risen to a storm! A few sharp barks from the Snyders, a faint din of a vicioushand-to-hand battle, metal on metal! And nothing … “Too late! They’re over-run! Common, get yer buttmoving! Run!” Dharma and his little band half-hobble and half-trot up the mountain path! (note 43). They’re60 yards to the next platoon! May as well be 60 furlongs! “RUN!”

Whosh-Karumph! The echo of the Jezails bounces back an forth across the path! Hard to tell --- 5 maybe 6?The shots aren’t distinct enough … Jemadar Singh yells at points toward the Moghul tower! Its that damnwedding party! They must have hidden the Jezails ahead of time, cause they weren’t carrying them! Jezailbullets like angry bees! (note 44) A sepoy stumbles, and his mates grab him and haul him bodily along! A muleis hit! The invalid on the mule tumbles off, does a bit of a summersault, but he’s grabbed by an orderly! ThePuffers fire back at the wedding party, but they are shooting almost on the run! 2 hits! Two of the weddingparty wolf-men on the heights tumble over the sides of the cliff! Not enough! (note 45) Don’t stop! RUN!

45 yards to safety! Keep yer legs pumping! Gotta stop for a rest --- no time! Get up! 20 yards more! TheJezails open up from the West side! More bees! Missed! They all missed! And then we’re into the mass of thenext troop along in the column! Their vengeful Snyders bark back in defiance! No more! Gotta collapse! Doc?Where’s Doc! Zee Alright? Yeah!? Alright! Ah good! Legs burning! Throat on fire!

Not over! “Rear guard! Cover the Picquet withdrawing!” Jemadar Singh signals the next picquet along in theline of march, just to the West, and the picquet-men spill over the sides of the Sangar, and RUN down thesteep sides of the crag! (note 46). They’re gonna make it! Aaargh, one of them has tripped, but he’s up andhobbling along, holding his arm kinda funny! Another goes tumbling forward! The third and 4th Picquet grabhim under his arms, and come hobbling down the too-steep grade! OH THEY’VE ALL gone down! Some ofthe Puffers from the troop beside us go barreling up the scree, grab the piquets, and haul them bodily down theslope! Three out of the four are hobbling along with their various sprains and ripped clothing, and the poorfourth guy looks winded, but otherwise none the worse for wear. One last WhooshKarumph from the Jezails,but they are too far out of range to get effective shots in, and then silence envelops the Grim.

Half an hour later, you wonder what all the fuss was about. Sun shining; pleasantly warm. Just another niceday, and a bit of a brisk walk in the hills. Not a care in the world . . .

To Be Continued… But only if anyone is still interested …

After Action Report, Part VI --- The Wedding Party

Lets see, what did we do that was “new” this time? We used the old the NWF Multiple-Path Adventure list toget the Moghul tower, and the NWF Patrol and Road Detail list is getting a good work-out with this particular

mini-campaign. We simulated damage done by running down a too-steep hill by using Jezail-fire, and then re-describing it in terms of twisted limbs and tumbles.

This was actually a fairly accurate reflection of the picquet duty, covering a column, with the Rear Guardstarting the day mighty slim, and then “collecting” the picquets that they passed by along the way, and swellingthe ranks of the rear guard as the day progressed. And the down-hill run was an aquired skill, out on the Grim.You didn’t so much “aim” as “bounce”, and hope you didn’t break anything on the down-hill rush! Gurkhaswere supposed to excel at this sport, being the last to leave, and the first to arrive, passing all others on theboulder-strewn courses.

This was a pretty LONG write-up, for relatively little action, but quite satisfying none-the-less. And Dharmawasn’t stuck in the Kajawa for once!

Notes

Note 41: Hm? Oh, Maidan!? Why that’s a nice flat plateau, m’boy --- the place where the Waziri traditionallygo for their winter pastures! While we are here, we reset for the next scene. First we roll the Mythic FAS(Focus-Action-Subject) triple-percentile-die, and get 39.84.74 --- Move toward a Thread (just means resumethe major quest, the Barampta or punishment-patrol), Care, and Liberty. Hm … Dharma is released from theDoc’s “Care”, and is at “Liberty” to continue as an active participant in the Barampta. That’s sort of the scenewe wanted to set, anyway! Note 42: Next we go back to the NWF Patrol and Road Detail list to get more detail on the current scene. Sowe go to the NWF Multiple-Path Adventure list, and get Place to Develop= A S (old Moghul tower). Then wego to Patrol and Road Details list, and we get --- Weather= 5D (Heatwave); Footing=9D (Wet, pools); Taskrelated= 10D (Raid! Oh that looks like fun!); Trail=7D (Goat-trail); Focal point= KH (Dead tree); Trailside=QH (Rough Ground); Color= 10H (Churned path); Danger= AH (Ahead); Vegetation= JC (Fern, but we’vehad that last scene, so we pull again --- AC = goat-herder). OK, we can work with that --- but lets pull aMythic Terrain Generator variable (just because we can) and we get 88.39.45 (oooh a double AND its evens)so we get Possible Partisans, Dampens, and Rope Bridge! So the low-number even-doubles means we have aninterrupt scene --- something else happens to pre-empt our planned attack on the rear-guard! We go back tothe NWF Patrol and Road Details and pull a card for the Travelers part, and we get a Wedding Party!Note 43: The Sangar is out of sight, out of mind. Its logical that 4 sepoys couldn’t outlast a whole tribe ofwolf-men, so we don’t try and model it. They’re gone --- that’s itNote 44 Straight TSATF --- 6 Jezail shots, the first a 2 on a D20 and the second is a 5 (and a 5 or 6 is countedagainst the mule train, bigger targets, y’see)Note 45: two hits; two hearts very lucky shooting --- I penalized the shooters, too. Gave them only 1-3 odds ofhitting “on the fly”Note 46: Figure the odds of the guys running down the hill are about the same as if they were shot at in theopen with the Jezails --- just that the “wounds” would come from a bad fall. So, 4 picquets, 4 shots fromJezails --- rrrrRRRRrrrRRRrrRRRRrrr --- Aaargh no! 3 hits! But no kills --- three of the 4 picquets stumbleand fall in their haste, and suffer minor wounds!

Barampta on the Sre Mela, Part VII --- Naja Sardi

Lt Dharma was not a happy man. All he wanted was to be at the front, leading the charge, seen and appreciatedby the Colonel, and well-remembered when the talk of promotions and medals came around. Who gets anynotice, here the back of the column? Good as forgotten back here. Might as well have stayed home at thedepot, for all the notice people would take of you. Oh sure, the Colonel had given Dharma a full half-troop ofPuffers (note 47), and he could still draw on any of the walking wounded in Doc Carmichael’s Invalid Brigade

(which was steadily growing in numbers as the current campaign wound along), but that’s still not exactly theplum job in the circus, is it.

Off to their right, they are passing the burning remains of what used to be the village of Naja Sardi. At onepoint it must have had 20 or so huts, but the column is in no mood to be lenient, and the locals have beencollected, the Colonel read them the Barampta edict (Reprisals for killing the local Tax Man --- How manyJezails were due as the price of settling up the blood-feud with the Raj), and the village put to the torch. That’seasier to say than do, as the village is mostly mud and dust. Significantly, there are no men here between theages of 16 to 60. They are probably all out in a Lashkar party, likely one that we have already encountered.The wind has picked up, and the pitiful refugees from the village wrap their ragged clothes about them as theywarble and wail like some alien bird call, and collectively head off toward one of the nearby ravines, halfcovered with a landslide. At least its bright and dry, so they aren’t really suffering with the clothes they arecurrently wearing. And they probably moved out most of their valuable stuff an hour before the column cameknocking at the village door. Typical wolf-man trick, that.

Most of the Barampta has already passed the village by, and as Dharma comes up to the side path leading offtowards the village, the 4 scouts in skirmish order, detailed to watch the fire and make sure it is destroying thevillage, come trotting back down the twisty mountainous trail to join in the rear-guard. One of them reports toDharma with a salute, holding out a brass long-rifle scope. Might have come off a Jezail, but the look of thefittings suggests otherwise --- more like from a Snyder, but that’s not standard issue in these parts. “Bit of apuzzle” thinks Dharma. Some old village codger is following the scouts, coming down the path from thevillage. He’s shaking his arm like he’s throwing a spear, and giving them curse heaped upon curse in a high-pitched quavering Pushtu, the language of the local Waziri. The scouts threaten him with their rifles, andgrowl, but the game old duck just keeps coming. Ranting away in that high quavering voice. “Not very bright,but he’s a brave ol’ codger” thinks Dharma.

“Curses Upon Thee, Infidel Dogs!”The village trailside is littered with unidentifiable bones, and Dharma steps forward, lest the old man go too far,and join the bone pile at the side of the village path. He gets close to one Scout, who is yelling back by now,and Dharma puts his hand, calmingly, on the Scout’s shoulder. The old man turns to Dharma, and in a stagewhisper says, “Bout time you fellah’s got your act together! I thought I’d have to chase you right through theSre Mela before someone in authority noticed me! Now, pretend to knock me out, sonny, and carry me over tothe Invalid Brigade!” Dharma froze for half a second, and then threw a round house punch, that only halfconnected, and then ordered the Scout to bind the old man (loosely) and take him back to the column. Thelocal Political Agent had made it through the portal between the Waziri and the Barampta column, and back tosafety!

Pretending to inspect his wounds, the old man was stripped by the medics, and his native clothing exchangedwith that of another wounded soldier, who was still unconscious. The spy staggered up, wearing a khaki Pufferuniform and with his “bandaged” arm in a sling, and reported over to Dharma, and no one could have noticedthe switch. “Well done, Lieutenant, but next time, please don’t hit me quite so hard! I’m Laughland, by theway.” (note 49). Dharma sees that the “old man” is just an act, and that Laughland is 30-ish.

“Say, you didn’t happen to come across my spotting scope did you?” Laughland continued. Dharma pulled itfrom his pouch and handed it over. “Be a bit more careful with that, Lieutenant” says Laughland. “Its got athorn inside, poisoned with Krait venom. Wouldn’t want to have you fall off that horse on us, would we!”Dharma went a bit pale! Krait! Those were the most deadly snakes out here on the frontier, aside from the two-legged kind! Laughland screwed off one end of the scope, and carefully extracted a rolled piece of paper,covered in Pushtu, from within the barrel. “Copy of the call to arms --- its another Jihad --- a holy war”, headded, matter-of-factly. “When’ll they ever learn”. Dharma doesn’t know quite what to make of this strange

duck.

“With yer permission, Lieutenant, I’ll just wander up the line and give this to the Colonel, so he knows whatrock to look under!” says Laughland, and Dharma can’t do much but salute this man, ostensibly his superior,and Laughland starts the long dog-trot up towards the Colonel. “Spys”, thinks Dharma with a bit of disgust.“Not like they were REAL gentlemen, or whatever”. And with that, he turns back to his duties with the RearGuard.

A runner from the Colonel, and would Lt Dharma please present himself to the Colonel at his earliestconvenience? Please take this horse, sir, and the runner will walk back. That doesn’t sound too good. Dharmapasses command to Jemadar Singh, and mounts up.

“Ah, Mr Dharma”, says the Colonel, with Political Agent Laughland walking beside the Colonel’s horse.“Seems like Laughland here has a job to do, and asked particularly for you and a troop of the Punjabi FrontierForce. It’s a volunteer mission, so you can pick the men you want.” In spite of the bluff tone, Dharma noticesthe Colonel has trouble looking him in the eye. Oh no. Not more of this cloak and dagger stuff! Its notdignified. Not suitable for an Officer and a Gentleman. And with that, Dharma snaps off a salute and a cheery“Yes sir!” as if it’s the best thing he’s ever been offered to undertake. The Colonel eyes his enthusiasm a bitsuspiciously. “Yes, well … Laughland here’ll bring you up to speed, Mr Dharma. Good luck with it. Couldhelp speed the job of pacifying these blighters”. A salute, a “Sir!” and Dharma became a dirty low-down spy.

“Get your men together Dharma, and we’ll leave the column an hour after dark”, says Laughland. “We aregoing cross-country, and if we’re lucky we’ll catch that Fakir that’s been inciting all this unrest. One of theWaziri sub-commanders a bit of a lush and let slip a bit of a hole in their defenses. We go set a nice little trap,have a nice little firefight, and then we can all go home” Laughland made it sound like a walk in the park.

Dharma knew better. Nothing is a walk in the park, out here on the Grim.

TO BE CONTINUED (maybe in Pushtu)

After Action Report for Part VII --- Naja SardiThis may sound like an adventure story, but many a Victorian Englishman started off their skyrocket to fameand fortune by similar efforts, out on the Grim --- the North West Frontier. It was the making of men, and thebreaking of men. Far too many of the heroes died young, often under 35. These officers provided the Victorianera with a remarkable phenototype --- they were handsome, dashing, bold, charismatic, and often killed on dutyin the prime of their lives (like Burnes, Nicholson, Mackeson and Cavagnari). The North-West Frontier was(and remains) one of the most fascinating areas in the memories of the British Empire. Myth, legend and realityoverlap here and one is never quite sure where the one stops and the other begins. The Grim was the anvil fromwhich many a career (including those of much-vaunted Indian Viceroys and future British Prime Ministers likeChurchill) could be tempered like the finest steel, made and unmade; and where a seemingly simple incidentcould escalate rapidly into a full-blown international crisis.

Quite apart from soldiers, the Frontier has absorbed the best efforts of generations of able-bodiedadministrators, politicians, and great statesmen; famous names ring out like Palmerston, Disraeli, Gladstone,Dalhousie, Lawrence, Lytton, Curzon, Gandhi, Nehru, Attlee, Jinnah, and Mountbatten who have all eithercome to power, or fallen from grace, because of their North West Frontier policies and politics.

Notes for Part VII

Note 47: Puffers came from the initials of the Punjabi Frontier Force

Note 48: The Mythic FAS (Focus Action Subject) seeder number is 32.64.89 on three percentile dice, so nodouble numbers means no Modified or Altered scenes, here. And the translation of that number gives us ---Introduce a New NPC (Non Playing Character, or someone ostensibly not a soldier, and peripheral to theaction), Spy, and Portals. Hm… lets pull some other details before we jump to conclusions, here. So we go tothe NWF Multiple-Path Adventure list, and pull a Places to Develop= 5D (Walled Village with 20 huts);Objects= 9C (Brass long-rifle scope). Then we go to NWF Patrol and Road Details and we get Weather= JD(Windy); Footing= 8D (Bright, so reasonable footing); Task Related= AD (scouts skirmishing); Trail= AD(Twisty and mountainous --- notice that this isn’t a mistake, 2 aces of diamonds, we’re just zipping along thetop line of the list, and don’t really care what the pulled-suit actually is, while we fill in this particular list); Focal Point= 3H (Ravine); Trailside= 6H (Bones); Color= 8D (dust and mud); Danger= 2H (to the right);Vegitation= 6C (Landslide); Other life= 8C (bird calls); and Travelers= KC (Courier). OK, we can work withthat! Lets write it up.Note 49: Ah! We get a chance to try out the NWF Enemy Intelligence list! And we draw Source= 3D (Escapedprisoner); Info= 10D (Sub commander of the Waziri is a lush); Reliability= KD (Inferred facts); EnemyWeakness 4D (Defenses); Language= 5H (Pushtu); Media= 5H (Copy of a treaty); Hiding place= 4H(Hollowed umbrella --- we’ll substitute the Rifle Scope for this); Protection= 4C (Poison Thorn). And wethrow in a Mythic Campaign Peripheral Color (just because we can) with a triple decimal roll ofrrrRRRRrrrRrrrrRRR --- 61.40.09 which gives us Enemy Agitators, Terrified, and Temple --- so the enemyagitators are terrifying the people into a Jihad, or holy war, against the Ferenghi. That fits! Write it up!

Barampta on the Sre Mela, Part VIII --- Just A Walk in the Park

Dharma looked back over his little column (note 50). They’d never move as quietly as the local Waziri (whowere in their own element, after all), but they were damned good, for all of that. They kept to the little folds inthe nullah, and flitted along like khaki ghosts. Most of the Punjabi Frontier Force were recruited from thePathans to start, and this little column of volunteers were some of the best. Tall ropy men, who could maintaina really blistering pace of alternating half-jog, half-walk, all day long. Dharma’s various wounds werereminding him that he was not in the best of shape, just yet. Still, the pursuit of old Laughland’s nefarious littleraid was better than the Invalid Brigade, or rear-guard duty!

The early morning weather was wicked. It had dropped below freezing overnight, and the footing on thevarious goat-trails was anvil-hard. About half-way through the morning, Laughland pauses and points to acrest in the distance. “See that dead tree that’s taller than the rest of the casuarina-thorn bushes? We get a greatview from up there, near the cairn.” It took another 3 hours to get across the Nullah, making sure they weren’tseen, before the little troop reached that dead tree on the skyline. They settled down to wait.

About an hour later, a hunting party of Waziri wolf-men came into view. They dithered over to the right, thenwandered over the other side of the goat-path. One had a tamed hunting hawk of some sort, and Dharma wasnervous of it giving away their position, but Laughland said it only went after small game and rabbits. In thesummer, this must be quite a nice valley, with the grasses and flowers populating every little nook and crack,but today, its all dry browns and frozen shadows. There’s a couple of furry rabbits down below, trying to findsomething to eat. The hunting party edges closer, and the hawk circles above our heads. “Easy” saysLaughland in Pushtu, for the sepoys to hear. “We are waiting for bigger prey, my Brothers!” Some of thesepoys chuckle under their breath, and we all relax and keep well away from the skyline. Don’t tempt fate.

Hawk-EyesThe damned hawk lands right in the dead tree! Right above our heads! He’s screeching and looking right at us!Laughlin waves his hand downward, to make sure nobody else moves! The hawk looks down, left, right, down.Surly the hunting party will realize that something’s up! The hawk handler yells a command at the bird, andpoints to the field with the rabbits in it. The hawk slowly flaps its wings and lifts off into the air, reaching foraltitude. Some 2 minutes go by, and he plunges from the sky like a brown bullet! Surely he’s going to smashhimself on the rocks! NO! He’s landed on some poor rabbit! There’s fur all over the place! That’s it for thatlittle guy! He’s for the cooking pot, for sure! The hawk looks out at their hiding spot on the craig, as if to say“You’re next!”

Another hour of tortuously waiting, and the hunting party drifts on down the Nullah.

Two more hours go by. Nothing. Dharma gets restless --- maybe the intelligence was wrong? Laughland sayswait. So they wait. Still cold. Sunny but no heat. Wait some more. How long? Must be mid afternoon. Wait.Shin’s aching. How much longer?

A low murmur from one of the Sepoys right on the ridge line! Something’s coming! Is it them? (note 51).Excitement builds, as everybody shifts muscles that have been unused for the last 5 hours! Check yerpercussion caps! Primed and loaded? Pull the rags off the firing mechanism! Com’on you old goat! The QueenRaj has a message for yer!

The irregular horse trot closer along the trail! Dharma’s stage whisper only reaches out 5 yards “Steady! …Hold on! …” His hand signal is seen to either end of the line of khaki men lying down on the ridge, a few feetback of the edge! Laughland wiggles forward to the edge, taking the responsibility of springing the trap, as ishis right. He holds his hand back --- “Wait!” The rumble of the horses on the goat-track is clear now! They’rehere! Its time! Why doesn’t he signal!? Com’on! They’re gonna get away!

Pounce …“NOW!” The bark comes and the men erupt! Down below, pandemonium reigns! They heard Laughland’scommand, and don’t wait a second to check it out! You survive on your instincts out here on the Grim! Ride!Ride like the wind! Yer life depends on it!

The ragged line of Snyders speak out! Bladam BladaBlaBladam! Badam-am! Both Laughland and Dharmaempty their service revolvers, although there is no way they get aimed shots at this range! It’s a river of brownand dusty beiges down there! There must be 40 riders or more! (note 52) NO! Missed him! There are 6wounded and 2 more lying dead down there, but the Fakir and his buddies are getting away! Reload! NO!They’re out of range! Too late! AAAaaargh! And the river of horses disappears into the distance, over onefoothill, up for a bit on the far knoll, and down and out of sight! Gone!

But its not over! The Hunter has become the Prey! Get up! Move! We gotta get out of here! Leave nothingbehind! RUN! The little khaki column picks themselves up, and starts the long hard jog-trot back to safety,knowing the wolf-men will be on their trail, eager for Badal --- for vengence! No one takes a shot at the Fakirand gets away free! Down the ridge, across the road, heading for that crack on the other side of the nullah!There will be no rest until they get back to safety, or lie in their graves!

Now the Grim is hunting THEM!

TO BE CONTINUED . . . But only if it is still interesting …

After Action Report, Part VIII --- Just a Walk in the ParkTruth! We set out with every episode, looking for that big battle, but they don’t always cooperate andmaterialize! That doesn’t mean the little skirmishes aren’t as much fun, just that we set out looking for onething, and get absorbed with another.

We’ve been looking for a running-fight, or maybe a fighting retreat, for several weeks now, and it LOOKS likethat’s what is coming up next (but ya never knows, out here on the Grim). That’s the beauty of a randomizersystem like Mythic GME (Game Master Emulator). You get MOST of what you expected, but a little tweakcan send you off in an entirely unexpected line of enquiry. Fun stuff!

Notes for Part VIII --- Just a Walk in the Park

Note 50: First we reset the scene, and roll the Mythic FAS (Function, Action, Subject) to see if we get aModified or an Altered scene, and we get 20.31.01 on the three percentile die rolls --- NPC Positive, Heal,Goals --- which we decipher as Laughland’s quest (goals) lets Dharma stretch out his healing muscles. Next wego to the NWF Patrol and Road Detail and pull: Weather= 6D (Freezing); Footing= 5D (anvil hard); TaskRelated= 10D (raid! That sure fits); Trail= 7D (Goat-Trail); Focal Point= KH (Dead Tree); Trailside= 7H(Cairn); Color= 5H (great view); Danger= 10H (Nervous); Vegetation= 3C (cracked); Other Life= 6C (Rabbit)and Travelers= 4C (hunting party). And we throw in a Mythic Terrain Generator element, just because we can,and we get --- 27.47.19 --- a moderate obstacle Entangles the Skyline. We can work with that!Note 51: We pose the question to Mythic Fate Chart --- is it the Fakir? 56 --- we don’t even HAVE to look atthe chart, to know that’s dead in the middle of Yes ground! He’s coming!Note 52: we handle this with standard TSATF mechanics --- 6 hits for the Snyders but only one dead, and noAce! Two x 1D6 for the two officer’s handguns One dead, one wounded (we turn over 2 cards to see who ---both face cards, but not the Ace! --- two sub commanders are hit, one of them dead, but the Fakir gets away!

Barampta on the Sre Mela, Part IX --- PursuitCan’t breathe.

Legs on fire. Gasping for breath. Sword in scabbard keeps getting inna way. Pistol too heavy. Too tired toholster it. Gawd, another cliff. Never keep up. Eyes feel like sandpaper. Don’t look back. They’re commin’.Y’know they’re commin’. Lef’ right; ten more; lef’ right; almos’ to the ridge; muscles screamin’; over the top.Collapse! Done in!

“Ten minutes! NO MORE!” Laughland calls for a short rest.

“Get up! MOVE!” Wha’? I just lay down!? S’not fair! Oh. Must have dozed off to sleep. Dharma painfullyrolls over on the rock, and surveys the back trail (note 53). Something on the far horizon, but can’t tell what.The men have been on the run for 2 hours, and they look beat, even after that 10-minute rest. But notLaughland.

Laughland looks like he slept well all night! Not even breathing hard! He’s looking through his brass scope atthe back-trail where we’ve just crossed. It’s a rocky field of jagged boulders, like teeth baying up at the sky.Laughland turns on Dharma and says “Gimme yer revolver and yer boots!” Dharma looks at him in shock ---wha’? Laughland barks it out this time, no delays “REVOLVER AND BOOTS, RIGHT NOW!” And from therecesses of his Poshteen, Laughland pulls out a pair of floppy Afghan soft shoes and throws them at Dharma’sfeet. Laughland points to a distinctive mountain with a double peak, some 60 miles away. “See that notchedmountain? You take the rest of the men and head for that! Cover your tracks well! Brush them with a cut tree-branch. There’s no time to waste. 30 miles out you’re going to come to the trail again. If I’m not back by then,turn left, and that should take you back to the column.” And with that, Laughland grabs Dharma’s boots and

his pistol, and goes over the rock and down the back-trail.

Laughland pulls off a thorn-tree branch on the run, and starts sweeping the little column’s prints away, and 100yards out, there he is stomping on the tops of Dharma’s boots, marking an obvious path off their trail, veeringaway to the left. He’s pulling something from his pocket, and placing it in the middle of the trail. A uniformbutton maybe? Too far to tell. And 2 minutes later, Laughland has disappeared into the scrub. He’s gone.

Dharma knows its just a reprieve, not a guarantee of no pursuit! Best hope is that it’ll split the pursuing partyin two. He’s got the Pathan slippers on his feet, and gets the rest of the men up and stumbling along in asemblance of a drunken trot (note 54)

Hounds and HareLaughland is taking no chances. He’s no newcomer to this game of Hounds and Hare, and he makes quick timejogging along the path, bending a branch, scuffing some lichen or moss beside the trail, stomping on poorDharma’s boot in the mud near a water puddle. “Those boots won’t be good for much, when Dharma getsthem back!” he thinks with a grin. Another 10 feet, another clue. No way for the wolf-men to loose the scent.He’s not exactly a new kid at this game, and Laughland’s smile fades, as he remembers that time, some 8 yearsago, when things didn’t go so smoothly.

He’d been scared, not as thorough, and the pack of chasers had split up. Half followed Laughland up theNullah, shouting out as the clues were spotted. But the other half didn’t get pulled off the main scent.Laughland never did find out why. It got ugly, fast. Never could shake the screams when the wolf-men foundthe travelers. Still wake up every once in a while in a cold sweat. Failed that time. They trusted him and hefailed them. Made Laughland a bit of a loner, that did. Couldn’t go back to a regular command, see? Not rightthat the rest of the men hear him badgered by ghosts in the middle of the night.

Laughland snaps back to the present. Ah! Some old camp site! Not British, but we can make the fire-pit lookbigger, set up some small branches and light them again to give some heat, roll on the lichen over here to makeit look like men slept there last night. And a precious 10 minutes later, it looked like 20 men spent the nighthere! Even made Tiffen! Some loose tea in the fire pit for the smell. And Laughland was off at the lope, withDharma’s boots, marking the mud trails again. Thank gawd it was getting wet and drizzly! Much easier toleave nice deep boot heel prints!

What’s that by the trailside? Bones? Pick a couple up, never know when they might be useful. Doesn’t takemuch space in the haversack! Up toward that long low cliff. Then we make the whole 20 men into ghosts!“First we better lead them on a bit” he thinks. Then Laughland puts a cupped hand to his face, and yells out tothe left “Jemadar Azful!” And turning the other way, with a clever change of inflection, Laughland “answershimself”, with Jemadar Azful calling back “Hazoor Sahib!” He knows the pursuers have heard him! Won’t belong now!

The CavesThe trail splits into a skein of smaller goat trails, off to the various low caves in the cliff in front of him.Laughland heads into the largest, and quickly unloads some bones and throws down a forage cap on top ofthem. Let the wolf-men figure THAT out! The bats in the cave set up a chit-chit-chit in their high-pitchedvoice. Good! Laughland hopes the wolf-men dislike Bats as much as he does!

Out of the cave on the run, and off to the right. “We need a bit of theater here!” thinks Laughland. There’s aford over the stream, and a darker sandy area to one side, looks almost like mire. “Zat quicksand?” he thinks,but there’s no time!. A shout has gone up from the caves behind him! “Sorry Dharma” he thinks, as he castsone of Dharma’s boots out over the dark sandy area. Hm, good throw. Looks like Dharma went down in the

quick-sand with only one of his boots on! Laughland wades into the little mountain stream --- Gawd that’scold! --- and then he turns up-stream at a crouch, looking for someplace to hide. Hopefully the Hounds willthink he went down-stream.

And the game is heating up!

The Khaki Puffer ShuffleMeanwhile Dharma and the rest of the Punjabi Frontier Force are staggering on, hoping to put some distancebetween them and their pursuers. Dharma glances along the back-trail --- not all of them went after Laughland(note 55). The weather is still cold, with wet pools along the hard track they are following --- must have beensome mule or camel train path at one point, all muddy and slippery corduroy, up and down, endlessly. Off onone side there is some sort of an old tomb up on a table rock, a couple of crows circling it and cawing theiroutrage, but there’s no time or energy to investigate it. They come to a little mountain stream, and splashthrough to the rapids to other side, trying not to break any of the ferns, not to leave any extra traces for thechasers to find. Its not easy.

Most of them are past the point of muscles hurting --- they’ve come to that spiritual place that long distancerunners know, where they get their second wind. and try and think about getting back in one piece, in spite ofthe danger all around them (note 56). As Dharma looks back, a couple of kids pop their heads above theboulders, and the cry goes up! They’ve been spotted! More kids pop up, searching to catch a glimpse of theirprey. Its all a game to them at the moment, and they call out “Chi chi chi chi” as if they are hunting rabbits orground squirrels, but then the women with the knives start their ululations, and a cold shiver goes downDharma’s spine! He’s heard about the wolf-men’s women, and if they get near, you better save that last bulletfor yourself!

Almost as one, the Punjabi force sluff’s off unneeded equipment like belts or empty pouches --- its time theyrun for their lives, and they set out in a purposefully strong punishing trot, knowing their pursuers will showabsolutely no mercy (note 57).

No room for error! Watch yer feet! If you go down, yer good as dead! RUN MAN! Sepoy Amjad Khan looseshis footing! Jemadar Afzul is right there, grabbing his arm! No time for talk! Back on yer feet! Run man, RUN!The women and kids are still wailing in the background! Not getting any closer! Got to hold them off! Lungsburning, legs really feel it! No place to stop that isn’t death! Head uphill and keep to the Stones! Run! (note58)

Dowla and the UmbellahpegAround the corner on the run! Watch it! Watch it! But they’re too tired! A quick tumble and its all over! LanceNaik Sita Gohl and two others collide! Sita Gohl gets up, he’s favoring his arm, but it clear that Sepoy DowlaSardi isn’t going anywhere! His leg sprawls out at an obscene angle! We can’t take him! He’s done for! (note59!)

There’s no tolerance! No time! Dowla Sardi and Lance Naik Sita Gohl rush through the ritual exchange forthose that are left behind --- Dowla gets the Hashish pipe and the Umbellah peg; Dowla gives over a packageto Sita to go to his family. His friends touch Dowla’s shoulder once, and have to trot off up the trail! Thebaying of the mob is coming closer and its madness to stay! Jemadar Afzul light’s the man’s pipe, and leaves aburning taper to light the umbella peg! Afzul smashes his Snyder against the rocks, one last touch, and DowlaSardi is left alone! Maybe 5 minutes, maybe less! They’re coming!

Dharma is having trouble seeing straight. He’s angry and rubs the worst from his eyes. Not the way to go.Don’t stop. Nothing back there. One hundred yards. Keep pumping. No time for the pain. Two hundred yards.

Off to the left on a dog leg. Try and throw the pursuers off. Gawd I’m tired. Can’t breath. Throat on fire.Three hundred --- and the air behind him resounds with the triumphant yells of the women and children thathave found Dowla Sardi! Dharma can’t help it! He turns back! Dowla, set it off! Dowla light the fuse! Dowla… !

whooOOOOOSHBLADAAAaaam …

…and for that awful moment, the Frontier is silent.

To Be Continued . . . But Not for the Faint of Heart!

After Action Report for Part IX --- PursuitThe easiest way to translate the “notes” and build the scene, is to simply copy all the card-pulls from thespecific note, and deposit them right at the end of the write-up. Next we go through and prune any extraneousstuff, leaving just the things like “Weather = 3D (Cold) and so on. As each element gets woven into the tale, itgets deleted from the list. Sometimes we end up with one or two items from the 20 or so that we “chose” thatjust don’t seem to fit, and if so, we just discard them. Sometimes if we “need” that item but the drawn carddoesn’t fit, we either go up one or down one, or just draw another card. No point in getting to Anal-Retentiveabout it --- its just a game. (“Oh yeah?” pipes up the wife. “Then why were you up till 2 AM in the morning,typing up that silly thing!” Oops).

This is the first time we have used the North West Frontier Running Pursuit card-pull, and it turned out reallywell! There’s only 8 columns to chose from at the moment, and we may need to add more, but it got the jobdone admirably. Perhaps not as flashy, I’ve put together a list of common names for the NWF, and each time Iuse one of the names (like Dowla Sardi) then it gets logged into the list. No point in having the same name popup TOO often, although they will undoubtedly get recycled from time to time.

NotesNote 53: We set up the next scene. First we roll the Mythic FAS (Focus-Action-Subject) triple decimal dice, tosee if we get any Modified or Altered scenes (doubles) and we get: rrrrRRRrrrRRRRrrrr---23.44.34 --- yes!That low (lower than the Chaos value of 9) doubles (44 or a unit value of 4) means we get an Interrupt scene.So we go to the Mythic chart, and see if we can figure out what it is --- NPC Action, Release, andExpectations. Hmmm. Like our grim Expectations are Released by something the NPC (Laughland) does? Ah!Laughland is intending to lead the wolf-men off our trail! A diversion!Note 54: Technically we should be following the interrupt scene with Laughland, so that’s what we do ---leave Dharma behind. We need to build the scene for Laughland’s Hound and Hare game! First we go get aPlace to Develop= 2C Drainage tunnel off the shaft --- hm, that’s for a mine, so we may have to twist it a bit.Next we go to the NWF Patrol and Road Details, and pull: Weather= 2D (wet); Footing= 9D (Wet withpools); Task Related= 5D (Pause for Tiffen?!) Trail= 8D (Split Skein); Focal Point= 7H (Ford Stream);Trailside= 6H (bones); Color= 9H (Sand/Mire); Danger= 9H (Saw him!); Vegetation= 10C (Lichen); OtherLife= 10C (Bats); and that’s all we need here. We pull a Mythic Terrain Generator element (just cause we can)and get: 77.80.49 --- now that double is below the current Chaos level (of 8 for Laughland), so it SHOULD bea Modified scene --- the next most obvious scene to Laughland leading the pack astray. And the numberscorrespond to: Ambiguous event, Trust, and Failure. Wow! We can work with that.Note 55: This is the start of a new scene, so we roll the Mythic FAS (Focus-Action-Subject) triple decimaldice, to see if we get any Modified or Altered scenes (because of rolling any doubles) and we get --- 94.79.17 --- NPC Positive, Intolerance, The Spiritual. (Hm, have to think on that for a moment). Second, we figurearbitrarily that there are around 100 chasers, but we then need to know how many of the wolf-men are chasingDharma, so we just role a decimal die, and we get 59 --- so 60 men are chasing Dharma, and only 40 werepulled away to follow Laughland. How many of them are warriors, we wonder? So we throw another decimal

dice and get --- 54 percent (lets say 31 men) are wolf men, and the balance of 29 are women and children (stillbad enough). We can do this again and we get 19 percent of the 29 are women (so that makes 6 women withknives, and 23 kids that still act as a potent scouting force). Next we build the trail scene by going back to theNFW Patrol and Road Details: Weather = 3D (Cold); Footing = 9D (Wet with pools); Task-related = KD(mule/camel train); Trail = QD (Corduroy up/down); Focal Point = 2H (Table-rock); Trailside = 8H (OldTomb); Color = 7H (but we’ve used that recently, so we go to 8H = Dust/Mud and we use the Mud part);Danger = 4H (Both sides); Vegetation = JC (Fern); Other Life = 5C (Ravens); and we ignore the Travelerscolumn as something we don’t need. Just because we can, we add a Mythic Terrain Generator element ---50.68.62 --- Minor Objective, Billeted, Rapids. OK, we can work with that! Time to build the scene. (see theAfter Action Report for some short-cuts).Note 56: Do the pursuers spot them? We pose the question to the Mythic Fate chart, with rather highprobability and sky-high chaos. The decimal dice is at 105 so almost not worth rolling, but there is a chance ofsomething else happening so --- rrrrRRRrrrRRR --- and the percentile dice gives us: 54, so yes the pursuers seeus. Ah! Now we get to use the new NWF Running Pursuit card-pull for the first time! Pursuers = 7D(purposeful); Noise = 9D (Women with knives); Sluffed off = 9D (Equipment belts); Name Calling = 6H(Taunting Chi chi chi chi). We skipped the columns we didn’t need yet.Note 57: We treat crippling injuries as if we had some portion of the Wolf-men firing at the Puffers. With 30men, there aught to be 15 rifles, but the TSATF requirements mean only half of those could fire, so 7 Jezails atlong range, aiming at the Puffers (Punjabi Frontier Force) on the run through rough ground --- figure its 1-3 ona D20 to hit, and we roll rrrRRRRrrrRRRrrrRRrrr! --- a miss! A Clean miss with ALL of them! Back to thestory line! Note 58: Time to test for people falling out! 7 more “Jezail” shots! 3 hits! One dead outright, one key figurewounded (not a leader figure) and one more wounded!Note 59: We go back to the Running Pursuit list, and draw for the other cards --- The Caught = 6D (Bayingmob); Last Exchange = 5H (Umbellah peg, a crude grenade); Goodbyes = 8H Toddy which is inappropriate sowe go up on to Hashish pipe.

Barampta on the Sre Mela, Part X --- Quiet as the TombThe umbella-peg explosion changed everything (note 60). In the span of seconds, the pursuers lost theirholiday-bright attitude, and became grim reapers instead. Laughland turned mid-stream where he was standing,like a rabbit sniffing the air, trying to assess the pursuer’s state of mind. That’s when he heard the faint yelp ofthe dogs, against the background of the wild birdcalls around him. Not good. Not good at all …

Now Afghan dogs are more of a sight-hound, and as long as he kept low, they probably wouldn’t cause himmuch concern, but a dog was a dog. That made things a bit more dicey. Laughland continued to slog his wayupstream, over the slippery footing. Off to the North West (on the far left) there is some sort of a small watchtower, so he couldn’t go in that direction, but he needed someplace to go to ground, and soon. The little creekis petering out, and turned into more of a trickle in the middle of a rough dry river bed, all rocks and scrub. Hetook his wet shoes off, in an effort to change his “Ferenghi” tracks, but what about the dogs?

It won’t be long until they catch up to him, and when the dogs arrive, it’ll be all over if he hasn’t found cover!Already, he can hear the Wolf-men, with their leaders screaming for blood! The bird calls quiet down, whichmeans they must be close! Laughland hunkers down behind the low cover, knowing that too sneak a peak is tobe spotted by those Afghan hounds! Things are getting pretty desperate. He hunts around him among thenearest large rocks. Ah! A hole! Its barely enough to squeeze into, but Laughland doesn’t hesitate, and squirmsin head first, hoping not to meet any snakes or other unfriendly wild life. This is it --- the best he can find. Nowhis fate is with the gods, Inshallah. He cracks a wry smile at his own use of the Muslim phrase, as he falls intothe dank recesses.

Laughland takes a minute to catch his breath, while he pats his clothing looking for a flint and steel. Still bent

over double, he strikes the two above his head in the rather cramped quarters, and nearly gasps at the snap shotview of his surroundings! More wary now, he pats his supplies for tinder, locates a boulder that is chest high,and carefully arranges some tinder on the boulder so he can start a little flame . The little flickering lightdoesn’t go far, but what he sees is enough. This isn’t just a cave --- its some sort of ancient tomb, possiblyMacedonian (or Bactrian?). There’s a cage in the foreground, with the skeletons of 3 bound prisoners --- somesort of votive offering to the deceased? Laughland doesn’t hesitate --- he whips off his turbin wrap and thrustsit through the bars of the cage, artistically draping the thing over the nearest skeleton. Khaki on disintegratingdirt, it’s the best he can do. Leaving the flame, Laughland tip-toes to the recesses of the cave, where it petersout into a tapered hole. He eases his feet into the gap of the tube, and pulls the largest stones after him, likesome hermit crab, sealing off the little pipe that he’s backed into. Not great, but no time. The flicker of thedying tinder’s light reinforces the fact, as it struggles and wanes, and finally goes out. Claustrophobia reignssupreme. As if he were buried alive …

Take a deep breath. Nothing to do now but wait. What he wouldn’t do, for a nice hot cup of tea. Laughlandtries to take his mind off the chase, and consciously, purposefully, he daydreams about Tiffen in the RegimentalMess, with all the white linen and Regimental silver. Scones. Real marmalade. Fine bone china …

Sensing victory is close at hand, the wolf-men scour the ground, but can’t seem to see anything. The dogs arelooking to the far corners of the earth, one of the few animals with a sense of sight that is more acute than thewolf-men themselves. Nothing. Losing interest some of the dogs start sniffing around, looking more for rabbitsthan Ferenghi.

Sniffing … sniffing …

Meanwhile, Dharma is shepherding his flock along, trying to resist the urge to look back at any potentialpursuers. He knows that his ears will be the first to let him know when the Puffers have been spotted again.After that umbella-peg went off, there was a dreadful silence for at least 30 seconds, although it seemed to last30 minutes. Then the first lone keening cry of a woman’s despair went up --- some mother must have found therags that once were her child, where that umbella-peg bomb had gone off. Not pretty.

Another keening voice, and another. Six, no a dozen, weaving in an eerie choir, now topped with those highululations. Must have gone on for at least 5 minutes, before it topples over of its own weight, and turns intosomething lower, darker, and much more ugly. No holiday party noise now --- its more like something from thevery gates of hell! The ragged Furies have all been released! They’re coming! No quarter! No room for anymisinterpretation this time! The sound is enough to give the Puffer’s new wings for their feet. Grimdetermination grips the mountain side (note 61).

Through the barren rock field, there is a significant ridgeline ahead, and Dharma nips the heels of his tiredflock, driving them towards the lone notch in the ridge. The light streaks in at an angle, and the fading sunwashes the rocks in grays and dark purples. How high? Maybe 40 feet of near-shear cliff. Must be the only wayup for quite a ways on either side, or at least, that’s what Dharma is hoping for. The Puffers clamber up theloose rock fall on all fours, and as the last of them scrambles towards the top with Dharma on his heels, thefirst Jezail shot drowns out the Pushtu catcalling of the pursuing women --- “Come to me, you bold Ferenghi!Be a man, my lovely Ferenghi! Are you afraid of a lowly woman, Ferenghi?” Followed bywhooOOshblaDAAaaam … We can hear the flat slap of the Jezail bullets on the rocks, ricocheting off into theblue. Lt Dharma brooks absolutely no nonsense. He slaps any wayward Puffer with his tongue, and even theside of his sword, driving them on. No time to gawk. No time to look back. Get up there!

Finally they crown the heights around the rock-fall they just scaled. The pursuit has melted away, but we cansense the movement out of the corners of our eyes --- kids and women scattering left and right, looking for a

way up, while the Wolf-men proper creep closer and take up positions where they can use their deadly Jezailson any unwary head that pops over the horizon. Its almost surreal --- from a full hue and cry to a field of silentghosts in less than 10 minutes. Dharma motions for the Puffers to keep their heads down.

Dharma takes a couple of steps back from the ridge and surveys the horizon beyond them, the next part of thejourney. Way in the distance there’s something moving, but Dharma threw his binoculars away as uselessweight several miles back. He calls out to one of the sharp-eyed Puffers, “Sita Gohl what is that movement onthe horizon, can thee see it?” The Lance Naik rises up on all fours, and peers over the boulder. “Hazoor,Lieutenant! It is a couple of Angrezi officers, and they look to be chasing a Soors-pig with their lances!”Dharma thinks for a moment. “Can you signal them Sita Gohl?” and then realizes when the Lance Naik shrugs,that the signal flags were among the first things discarded in the mad flight. So near, and yet those lancersmight just as well be miles away, or on the other side of the Hindu Kush.

The exchange of fire draws Dharma back to the reality of the ridge line. A party of 20 wolf-men break coverand rush towards the rock fall! About 10 snyders give out their characteristic bark before Dharma can stopthem! “Hold, brothers, for we know not how much ammunition we have left!” One of the wolf-men lies in aheap, while the others fade left and right into the boulder field. A lone hand, like a detached puppet, reachesout from behind a boulder to retrieve his Jezail. Before Dharma can stop him, a Puffer half stands to take a shotat the arm! Before Dharma can reach him, 5 more Jezails speak out from their hidden places in the rocks! ThePuffer realizes his mistake and collapses in sheer fright! Just as well! The Jezail shots splatter and bouncearound his retreating head, but miraculously none of the Jezail-shot-bees sting him! (note 62).

Things quiet down, and Dharma risks another look towards where the Pig-sticking party was last seen, butnow there is only an empty horizon, as the last of the sun leaches away in the West. Nightfall on the SreMaidan … Quiet as the tomb …

To Be Continued … But only if it isn’t putting everyone to sleep …

After Action Notes for Part X --- Quiet as the Tomb

This was surprisingly difficult to write up, and took a lot more out of me compared to some of the “action”sequences. Umbella-Pegs were a sort of hand-made grenade, made by packing explosives into an empty sodabottle, with a wick.. Sort of like a Molotov cocktail. Not very portable, and hard to throw or to time the fusecorrectly, but quite effective in close quarters.

Knew a breeder with Afghan dogs, and learned a lot about them by accident. Sort of like a furry equivalent of afull size grayhound, and very fast. They are far-sighted, and can spot a mouse in a field, 400 yards away.Amazing broken-field runners, they have a cat-like paw that acts just like radial tires. The Bactrian detail comesfrom a couple of old National Geographic magazines. I paw through the article index whenever I spot them atgarage sales. Afghanistan hasn’t changed that dramatically in 150 years --- the mountains and the poor roadsand the fiercely independent tribesmen. The write up on the stony escarpment was something I remember fromgold-panning in the Eastern Townships, where there was only one very steep way up and over a 30 foot cliffface, which had to be navigated on all fours. A lot of the rocky scenery detail is similar to that in the NorthernLabrador, where we get fields of giant boulders.

So much of what we put together comes from within, that it “vibrates” because it “feels real” --- and it is real,just transplanted from different (but similar) venues.

BobSeur D’Armadilleaux

Scrunched down in the bottom of the fur-lined fox-hole, hiding with his Oreos from the dreaded Wolf-men.And their ravenous Afghan Dogs …

Notes

Note 60: An umbella-peg was a crude grenade, made from a soda bottle filled with gunpowder, and lit with aslow-match. It was cumbersome, and the variable time on those fuses meant it didn’t go off when we wantedthem to. This is the start of the next scene, so we go back and roll three percentile dice to see if we get anydoubles that would affect the scene (either with Modifying the scene or with an Altered Scene, per MythicGME rules). And we roll --- 91.72.81, (NPC negative, Arrive, and Victory --- oh oh). So we are going ahead,picking up Laughland’s story. Next we need to seed the scene, so we go to the Multiple Path Adventure andpull a Place to Develop, and we get 10 Hearts (which we recently used, so we go up one or down one, and themost interesting option of J Hearts which is a Macedonian Tomb. Because we can, we pick up an “object”from the same list, and pull 4H (Cage with 3 bound prisoners). Next we go to the NWF Patrol and Roaddetails to get some local color, and we get: Weather =KD (Dank); Footing = 6D (slippery); Task related = 5D(Pause for Tiffen); Trail = 9D (Dry river bed); Focal point = 10H (Watch tower); Trailside = QH (RoughGround); Color = KH (NCO Chivvying); Danger = QH (Too much cover?); Vegetation = 2C (Low scrub);Other life = 8C (Bird calls); and that’s all we need from that page. We go back to Running Pursuit, and pick offa couple of extra bits: Pursuers = 4D (Dogs); Noise = KD (which hasn’t been populated yet! So we go to thelast item we DID add to the list, Screamers). And that’s all we need to create the scene.Note 61: This is really a parallel scene, so we set it up as such. That means we need to roll 3 more percentiledice: 26.08.06 --- NPC action (just means Non-Playing Character or a non-combattant), Oppose, and Reality.Hmmm, lets think about that for a minute while we build the rest of the scene. Back to Places to Develop, andwe pull a J Clubs = (Rock fall behind us); and we go to Deus Ex Machina (an old Greek term for SavingGrace) and we get a 3 Spades (pig sticking party). We change lists and from the Running Pursuit list, we getPursuers = AD (Hue and cry); Noise = 7D (Women); and Name Calling = 4H (“Come out, be a man”). Wethrough in a Mythic Terrain Generator (just because we can) and we get: 35.65.12 for Significant Objective,Salted Fields, and Ridge.Note 62: This is standard TSATF mechanics --- one Jack of Hearts on the Jezail man, and all high D20 rolls onthe return fire on the Puffer.

Barampta on the Sre Mela Maidan, Part XI --- The ConundrumThe final goodbye to a Brother is never easy, and even though we know his warts, and his less than admirableways, in the final analysis, he is our brother, a part of us that makes us whole. Dharma was in a pickle (note63). One look was all it took to see they could not go on running without somehow securing that access up theescarpment. It was very steep here, and couldn’t be negotiated except on all fours, but while it slowed, itcouldn’t simply be barricaded. There’s the carcass of an abandoned wagon over there, but its of no use, just adistraction. Dharma stares at the initials scratched into the rock he’s hiding behind. And while this accesslooked pretty secure for the moment, the rocks marched off on either side, and didn’t seem to get any higher,so we’d have to assume there’d be other steep pathways to the top, on one or either side. It’s muggy withhumidity, but that still doesn’t blanket the cries of the extra hunters down below, who now filter into the stonymeadow in ones and twos. Can’t stay here.

Jemadar Afzul notes the lines on his brow, and the way Lt Dharma chews on his lip. “He is good, this Angrezi”thinks Afzul, “but he wasn’t born a Pathan like most of the rest of us. He doesn’t come from a background ofBadal --- of a life of revenge that lasts for generations. He doesn’t understand when its time to run, and whenits imperative that you cut the weak ones free, or the strong ones will not survive, either”.

The Magician“Perhaps you were thinking of Sepoy Ilderim Gul, Sahib?” Enquires Jemadar Sher Afzul with an innocent lookat Lt Dharma. “What!?” Dharma starts, but then stares blankly back at Jemadar Afzul, whom the rest of thetroop refer to as the “magician”, in part because he seems to read their minds. After 15 years on the Frontier,its as if the rocks and the scrub and the very breeze, they all talk to Afzul and tell him secrets that none of theothers would have guessed.

Patiently, Jemadar Afzul explains, “Iderim Gul is the fastest runner in rough ground, Sahib, and perhaps itshould be him that is chosen to go ahead for help, Sahib”. Dharma snaps out of his funk, and visiblystraightens, “Yes of course”. Afzul gives the merest flick of a hand, and one of the Kakhi shapeless formsdetaches from a rock, and works its way off toward the distinctive twin hills on the horizon behind them. Afzulturns again to face Lt Dharma. “Perhaps it would be better if I was to ask for the three volunteers that mustneed stay behind, Sahib? It would be accepted better by the rest of the troop, if I present the need to the meninvolved. Is that your decision, Sahib?”

Once more, Dharma is shocked at the surgical decision that Jemadar Afzul has presented while he knows in hisheart that it is the only possible choice. Three men must stay behind, one to hold the only way up theescarpment, and two to guard his flanks, left and right. A lone man would fall in minutes, and any more menwould simply take away from the fighting effectiveness of the rest of the troop. Meanwhile, the rest of the menhave to get back on their feet and run for their lives, or none of them will live to see another sunset. That is theway of the Frontier. “Yes. Yes of course, Jemadar Afzul, if you would arrange for it.” And immediatelyDharma was struck with the twin chords of relief, that the decision had been made, and taken out of his hands,and guilt, that it would be the Magician who would have to present the news to the 3 sepoys involved. AsAfzul melted away to make the arrangements, Dharma knew that he just couldn’t do it. He couldn’t ask themen to volunteer on what would surely be a suicide mission. That decision would give him nightmares for therest of his days. He winced, as something bit his hand. Fire ant? Dharma crushed it and still crouching, movedaway from the edge of the escarpment.

On the RunThe men were already on the run, half-shuffle half-trot in a furtive column, into the setting sun. Dharma neversaw that last exchange of packages, between Afzul and the volunteers who stayed behind. Six bullets each, nomore. Four for the Wolfmen, and a double-rammed load as the last round. And when your time has come, rollon your own musket, and kiss it goodnight. You don’t want to be taken alive by those hags in pursuit. Thevolunteers were mostly the tall and heavy-set men (as much as a Pathan could ever be called such a thing).Those who stayed were those who well knew they could not keep up the blistering pace.

Dharma brought up the end of the little column, chivying on the men in front of him, trying to keep one foot infront of the other. Light failing. Hard to find the will to keep going. Lungs on fire. Back of the legs gonerubbery, as if they are flailing like a separate tail, not part of the leg at all. Pounding in the head. Blood must begetting thin. Throat like an ashtray. Don’t stop. Keep going. Watch it, watch it! Grab the man in front, oneyank on his arm to bring him to his feet again. Fall an you’ll never get up. The sound of ragged breathingcomes back like some demented mechanical saw, the functions of which are not quite in the aligned sequence.

Wha? Oh its YOU Afzul. Bloody magician. Scare me witless. Can’t go on. How far’ve we come? A mile?Two? Feels like hours (note 64). In the moonlight, the footing’s ALL treacherous --- along the half-seen trails,they split and reform, the shadows of the ravines, exactly like wet pools, the path’s a mess. The nullahs to thesides, dark and murky, and the nerves strung taut, hard to concentrate, almost like nullah’s, fighting us as well.More like a stagger, can’t really run, weaving to the right, ‘n stagger back left, mile after mile. Can’t keep upthe pace.

Last ReportsAnd that’s when we heard the shots. Indistinct in the humid air, and hard to tell exactly what direction theycame from. That’s a Snyder, those are Jezails. That sounded like a pistol, and our men had none of them. Along pause. Another Snyeder, and again, but maybe from a different direction? Another long pause. And just aswe turn to the trail again, there’s that ominous caRUMp, could have been a double-packed round, don’t know.The men half-trot, half-stagger, as if a few more feet might make the difference, and that’s when Sepoy MehrDar fell again. Jemadar Afzul was right there, lifting him up, and Lance Naik Sita Gohl grabbed his other arm.Dharma picked up the weapon, and they tried to stagger on, but it was no use, the flame had finally gone out,and no one had any more energy. They looked around hopelessly, trying to find some rocky crag or boulder-strewn high ground. This was it. They couldn’t go any further.

Jemadar Afzul had a talk with a couple of the men, and they rose again, like ghosts, staggering and weaving,and climbed the sides of the nullah to look for some defensible place for a last stand. Dharma had never felt sodown. All the fight had been run out of him. The life force drained, and the will to survive crushed. Notunhappy or sad, just drained and stoic about what was to come. Oh, they’d sell themselves dearly, but the hopeof seeing tomorrow’s sunset seemed nothing if not ironic, now. Gambled and lost. In the moonlight the menlooked like shadows of their former selves.

Afzul back again, like a damned magician. One minute there’s no one there, next minute there’s this form,nagging him again. Too tired to feel irritated, Dharma half turns to listen to what Jemadar Afzul is saying.Something about a bunch of stones off to the right. All right, all right, go away, leave me alone, whatever youwant, nag nag nag. In ones and twos the Kakhai ghosts rise up, and painfully climb the side of the nullah.Dharma looks at them, and in the moonlight, its as if so many souls are ascending towards … towards what?Mecca? Oh gawd, the nag is back. Yes yes, of course he’s coming, and Dharma negotiates what feels likebroken glass, up the side and over the top. Less than 100 feet to a gentle rise, and the Kakhi ghosts are mullingaround a rocky little rise. Two of them are trying to move a boulder, and Dharma puts his shoulder to it, halfhelping, half keeping himself erect.

This is what its all come down to. A ragged stone circle, not 20 feet across. One last night in the moonlight,and then the final rush. Despair, cloying like soft pudding in the back of the throat. And then the training takesover, and with it, the steely determination to sell each boulder of ground with a bullet. No one gets into thissangar for free!

To Be Continued. (Maybe in Pushtu)

After Action Report for Part XI --- The ConundrumThis was one of the most difficult episodes to write. Not the actual write-up itself, but getting my head aroundthe decision to leave a volunteer rear guard, that had no hope of survival. In a sense, it was MY conundrum,too. And it was something that Lt Dharma couldn’t really “order”, nor could he ask for some volunteers,because he’d loose too much face if no one stepped forward. In the end, it became clear that the Magician,Jemadar Afzul, was the right man to take charge, where he knew the men, and would also know who wasbushed anyway, and unable to keep up the blistering pace away from the escarpment.

At first, I’d intended to detail the fight at the escarpment, but it was really a numbers game, and a foregoneconclusion, so this became more of a bridge episode to the fight at the sangar, expected shortly.

The writing gets short and choppy at some points, but this is on purpose, trying to mirror the men-on-the-run,out of breath, out of time.

Bob

Seur D’ArmadilleauxOuta hope, outa Oreos … desperation setting in …

Notes for Part XI --- The ConundrumNote 63: We start this session with the usual triple-percentile die roll, and get: 56.55.38 That double (and 5being below the Chaos value) means we have an Altered Scene, or the next most logical scene idea. The actualF-A-S read-out is PC-negative, Disrupt, and A Path, which we translate as Dharma (the Principal Character orPC) cannot go on running without somehow securing that access up the escarpment. We go to the MountainPass generator (being the closest thing to that escarpment) and pick off some details with the cards: Markers=JD (Initials on the rock); Surrounding=6D (broken cart); Hill Description= 2D (Receding hill line); Weather=KD (Avalanche conditions, which doesn’t fit, so we drop down to the next line which is Heavy and Humid);Trail=10H (Steep --- all fours); problems= (Avalanche incoming, which we translate into MORE Pathanscoming); Other Life= (Fire Ants?) That’s enough to build the scene.Note 64: We reset the scene for the moonlit run, so this time we go to the NWF Patrol and Road details.Footing= 9D (wet, pools); Trail=8D (Split skein); Focal point=3H (ravine); Trailside= 10H (Nullahs); Danger=10H (Nervous)

Baramta on the Sre Mela, Part XII --- The Three-Step Mamba“So you just ABANDONED those men? You knew they didn’t stand a chance against the Waziri, what youeuphemistically call the “Wolf-Men”, but you still abandoned them anyway!?” The Court-Martial Lawyer,Captain Strictland, bored in like a screw-vise, tightening down on poor Dharma’s head, driving the point intothe back of his skull (note 65). Dharma sat there in silence, his face getting more and more red. “And accordingto your OWN report, at least one of these men subsequently committed suicide, isn’t that right!” Another twistof the screw, piercing the skin on the back of Dharma’s head.

“So we seem to have a pattern here, of bad decisions at the Sangar, of setting a bad example to the men withthe bayoneting of helpless prisoners after that Wedding Party fiasco, and NOW,” the lawyer puffs himself up,ready to deliver the Coup de Grace, “Now, we ABANDON those same men, to some RANDOM, grizzly fate!What have you got to say for yourself that might ASSIST us in coming to a decision about what to DO withyou, Lieutenant Dharma!?”

Colonel Carruthers, the senior man heading up the Court-Martial panel with one other Junior Colonel, and aBrigadier-Major, shifted uncomfortably on his stiff wooden seat (note 66). Col Carruthers is just putting in histime, before they invalid him out. His left arm is permanently weakened with a cut from a Khyber knife fromseveral years back, and his vision is starting to get too blurry for active command, so he gets stuck on thesenuisance Courts Martial cases, much to his disgust. That and the bowels rumbling, makes him a rather irritablelistener, always sighing when he thinks that Strictland is off-track. “Young Puppy! Snapping at the heels of theREAL men who RUN the Frontier! Not worthy to carry their papers, really!” Carruthers takes himself in hand.“Easy … easy. Can’t say that out loud. Harrumph!”

How long until its time for a Chota Peg? Check the pocket watch (note 67). Heave a big Sigh. He hums a bitof the local dance-hall tunes under his breath, keeping time with his tapping fingers … “Marching for theQueen, m’boys … We are Soldiers Of The Queeeeeen.” Quite right.

“Why HE remembers when …” and all of Strictland’s droning on and on means nothing, as Col Carruther’sgoes back (in spirit at least) to patrols along the Waziristan border. Good times. Exciting times … no blitheringlawyers allowed … And the walls of the court room slowly fade away …

Three-Step MambaLaughland awake with a start, to the symphony of the pre-dawn crickets (note 68). Heart going like one ofthose new-fangled steam-powered trip-hammers, that they use to make bayonets! But it wasn’t the cricketsthat woke him up. Something was crawling up his pant leg! Gawd it better not be one of those asps! Or a 3-Step Mamba snake! If it bites us, popular legend is we get 3 steps away before keeling over, stone-cold dead!Bloody thing looking for somewhere warm to sleep, perhaps? Talk about coming awake, and quick! Laughlandcarefully loosens his belt, hoping the horrible thing will wriggle out at go away! From just outside but stillwithin the cave a hoot owl gives his mournful cry, and Laughland tenses in surprise, and then truly believes thismight be the last lament he hears! He tries to breath calmly, looking out through the rocks piled in front of him,but all he sees is a pair of monster luminescent owl eyes (reflecting the moon?) looking back at him. His heartis racing like an Afghan Buz Kashi pony! (note 69)

The hoot owl must have woken a sentry, cause now someone’s blocking the moonlight at the cave entrance,demanding “Who’s there?!” in Pushtu! The Wolf-man sentry cocks his rifle! The hoot owl has had enough, andlaunches himself into the air, where the sentry yells in surprise! Off in the background some other authoritativevoice tells the sentry to “pipe down”, in rather graphic Pushtu.

That cold track of the slithering thing winds its way forward, out of Laughland’s waist band, and toward theentrance. Laughland tries to think of other places, other things, anything but this horror that is crawling passedhis armpit, then over his ear. Too dark. Can’t see. Could be something benign. Better not take any chances.

Stirring the PotA branch cracks outside the cave, as the sentry pokes it down the hole to see what’s there in the dark. Again,he asks in Pushtu: “Who’s there?” but not as vehemently as before. A querulous voice from the sleeping mentells him to go back to bed with his favorite sheep, and quit making such a clamor. There’s a hiss, and a suddensoft snap, as if the snake has struck at the stick! The sentry cries out in alarm, and yanks back from the mouthof the cave! “A mamba! It’s a monster mamba!” The voice in the background mutters that “perhaps his sheepmight care, but the rest of them are trying to sleep”. And there is another muffled chortle from the background,and a comment that “Swab Gul, you look white as the ghost of your last love-sheep!”

Laughland’s heart is beating like an express train. He tries to calm himself. He can’t go anywhere, and thatsnake (whatever it is) has just saved his life. Calmly, calmly …

Time drags by.

Is it Safe?The shadows from the morning sun at the entrance hole are well slanted over when Laughland finally movesthe stones, and achingly crawls out of his hiding hole and into the small cave. No sign of that slithery friend,thank gawd. Laughland tries to get his aching body to respond, but it is all just one 6 foot ordenance map ofpain, from having lain in that tapering stone pipe at the back of the cave, for so long. He moves over to thecave entrance, and listens for the longest time … nothing to hear. But is it safe? (note 70).

The Wolf men crouch on the highest knoll, about a half-mile away (note 71). They face out in a rough half-circle, looking over the rugged and rocky landscape, with their fierce Afghan dogs restrained at their feet. Onedog gives a low growl, and the Wolf-man owner looks out the same direction as the dog’s snout, but it is onlya coyote or a fox, about a mile away. Those dogs see everything, and long before their Wolf-man masters.

Another gives that high-pitched keening “Yipe! YeeeEEEeeeEEEeeeEEEeeee … Yipe yipe yipe!” and hisowner looks out towards last-night’s campground, but doesn’t see anything. Meanwhile the Afghan dog hasleft claw marks all over the hard-packed earth in front of him, trying to scrabble away and make a dash for that

“rabbit”. Swab Gul turns and asks “What is it, Brother?” but the response is just “That’s his Rabbit call,nothing more”. And the poor Afghan dog just gets thumped for his pains.

But half a mile away, Laughland clearly hears the dog’s alarm call! He is wearing his disreputable dirty graylamb skin hat, curly side out, and his head is just out of the hole, so his eyes just clear the rim, and that wasenough for the dog to see him! Laughland carefully, and just as slowly, inches back down into the burrow.There’ll be no moving out until nightfall, now. He stretches his aching limbs, rubbing his legs, trying to get thefeeling back. Damn snake. Wherever it is. He looks around him cautiously, knowing it could be still withinstriking distance. Hate snakes.

Nothing to do but wait. Hate just waiting. Much rather have some action.

To Be Continued … But only if you haven’t got a dog to walk …

After Action Report, Part XII --- Three Step Mamba

We needed to find out a bit more about the Court Martial, and a bit about the people involved with it. Thatleads into more research on areas that are not normally associated with wargaming, but that’s the beauty ofSolo Wargaming --- we get the time and the impetus to go chase down red herrings like this one!

Poor old Col Carruthers, we pull some cards to get an NPC (Non Playing Character or in other words, a non-combatant) profile on the Colonel, and looks like he is slowly fading into Dementia! Lots of serving Colonelson the North West Frontier were well into their seventies before they retired from “active” duty. Some had tobe helped up on their horse, and others were functionally almost blind, and had to have younger eyes explainthe lay of the land, and where the various troops were, relative to the Waziri.

As a second storyline thread for this episode, we wanted to follow the other half of the Wolf-man posse (inpursuit of Dharma and Laughland), so that’s why we were investigating what happened with Laughland. Hisantics from a previous episode had split the Lashkar (or warband), so they must have been kept away fromDharma for some period, thinking they had chased a goodly number of Ferenghi, and not “just” Laughland.

More stuff on Afghan dogs --- they aren’t called “sight-hounds” for nothing! If someone they DON’T knowgets up close, they actually rear back a bit, so they get a better look at you! Almost like they need readingglasses for up close. Better than having a pair of binoculars, cause they sweep larger areas of ground, and thentheir muzzle points straight at whatever caused the alarm. And what a keening they put up! That plus the four-wheel drive of all 4 paws scrabbling to get away and chase down whatever-it-was that they saw! Amazinganimals. Nothing goes faster over rough ground! They jink and weave through the rocks, pulling high-G turnsthat take your breath away. A poor old rabbit in the open doesn’t stand a chance!

BobSeur D’ArmadilleauxLooking around his Fur Lined Foxhole, making sure no snakes are after his Oreos …

Odd Tracks= KC (Claw marks and Blood).

Note 65: We need to go back and pick up the traces on the Court case that Dharma is involved with, but thatconstitutes a new scene, so first we have to roll the F-A-S (Focus-Action-Subject) triple percentile die, to seewhere we are at, and we get 38.83.59 (no doubles) so we look up the interpretation, and we come up with“Move toward a Thread”, “Assist”, and “Randomness”. Hm, gonna have to think about that --- Randomness(eventually) Assists (our) Moving toward a thread?

Note 66: We need some details on the court and Colonel Carruthers, so we go to the Invalid Brigade table(there’s a reason!) and pull off: “Kind of Wound”=5D (Blurry Vision); 6D (Mean, but I can’t use that so Iarbitrarily go up one, and get Irritable); Sounds= JD (Sighing); Defect=2H (Left arm); Severity= 7H (Invalidout!); skip over to Long Term Ailment= (Dementia!!); And that gives me what I hoped to get for the SeniorOfficer of the Court Marshal! Funny how the cards roll in our favor, some times!Note 67: Chota Peg? Don’t mind if I do, M’Boy! Nice of you to offer. OH! You meant what does Chota PegMEAN? Well its about 2 fingers of Whiskey and Soda, m’Boy, but the mess-hall Khitmagar (er, “waiter”), usesrather generous fingers. Ah! You will? Why thank you m’Boy! Too kind, too kind. (Kitmagar! Make that aDOUBLE!)Note 68: New scene, so we roll again, and get: 67.56.03 --- PC Negative, Usurp, and Environment. Ha!Fooled you! You thought we were going back to Dharma, but we’re really going back to Laughland in theCave! And something is going to usurp the environment, to the detriment of Laughland’s well being! But weneed some more details, so we go to the “Things That go Bump in the Night” table, just because we can, andwe pull out: Sounds=3D (hoot owl); Who’s there=2D (Sleeping sentry); Reaction= QD (wide awake, fastA);Resolution= 10D (white as a ghost); Sights= 6H (monster eyes); More who’s there= JH (big wingspan owl);Reaction= AH (Sentry cocks rifle); Resolution= AH (Officer “Don’t Fire”); Flighty stuff= 10C (branch cracks);Odd Tracks= KC (Claw marks and Blood). We just read across the table, and pull cards without any mind ofthe suit, and just take the next “one of 13 choices” that presents itself. The tale unfolds, almost as if it wroteitself.Note 69: What’s that m’Boy? Oh! Buz Kashi! That’s the primitive “Polo” that the Afghans all play, using aheadless goat. Sometimes you get 100 players on the field at a time, in two teams. No holds barred! Brutal!Barbaric! But the horsemen, Lad, they are amazing to watch! Never seen anything like it! Back and forth forhours! (Harrumph. Yes. Mustn’t let the Memsahib know we like to watch that sort of stuff! Don’t Approve!)Note 70: This is really the start of a new scene, so we roll the triple percentile die again, and this time we get01.61.32 (no doubles) so we get :Remote Event, Oppress, and Plans, so something the Wolf-men are doing isinterfering with Laughland’s plans, and we are going to explore that a bit. The logical thing is that they haven’tcompletely left the area.Note 71:. There are lots of in-period drawings from the NWF that depict this exact scene, with a half-dozenAfghans on informal picquet duty. There are also several with Afghan dogs and their owners, where the doglooks much the same as a modern Afghan dog --- a long flowing coat, with very little hair on the curly tail, oralong the spine of the back.

Barampta on the Sre Mela, Part XIII --- The Moonlight RideJimmy-the-Grote was cleaning his standard-issue Colonial bugle until it shone like lightning (note 72). First weget a little sand and any old cloth to get the grime off, then we use some fine abrasive dust, then the secretformula for getting brass to really shine like lightning --- a little vinegar from Cookie, and an old piece of suedelether. That’s the only way Jimmy-the-Grote could get Drum Major “Billy” Haggarty off his back. See, Billy’sterm of service went back to when they had fife and drum, and “Billy” still seems to resent these new-fangled“bugles”. May of Billy’s mess-mates were Fifers, and when the Bugle was introduced, the Fifers naturallyresisted the change. So they didn’t re-enlist, and instead, the Army sent these pip-squeak Bugle boys, barelyable to shave! So Drum Major Haggarty had a chip on his shoulder about dirty bugles, and Jimmy knew he hadto buckle under, or suffer the Drum Major’s displaced wrath!

Now there were a couple of bandsmen with the first name of Jimmy under Drum Major Haggarty, so they werereferred to by their mates as Jimmy-the-snake (who hated anything that slithered, and was the butt of no end ofpractical jokes), and Jimmy-the-Grote (because of his home on Isle of Grote) and so on. And this evening waslike any other, with the younger bandsmen out in the late day sun, cleaning the brass and the drums, so theywould be spotless for whatever tomorrow would bring. Drum Major Billy insisted on that cause he felt a cleaninstrument carried further. No point in having an instrument that couldn’t call the charge from half a mile away, now, was there!

And Billy liked to keep them on their toes, making the young ‘uns whistle different calls while they polishedtheir instruments. “To Horse!” Billy would intone, and Hayden’s composition for that command would driftover the little group. Almost like Fife’s they were. “Very good, Gentlemen. Now “To the colors” if youplease!” and the whistling would straggle a bit, on these less-common tunes. “That was a bit raggedGentlemen, and Ragged. Just. Won’t … Do! Now, AGAIN!” and this time it would start off a little stronger,as the youngsters would puff-n-buff, puff-n-buff (note 73). Sometimes Billy would try and trick them by justholding up a couple of fingers, to see if they would key in on the Bugle call that he wanted. Some of these weremarches, and woe betide the youngster who mixed up his marches with his bugle calls! If it was a really badgaffe, then the offender had to double time around the camp, whistling the right tune all the way! They rarelymade the same mistake twice.

Scout IncomingThe galloping stopped everything! In came Capt Fitzroy, with Lt’s Fischer and Simpson hard on his heels. Aragged group of mounted “beaters and fetchers” from the lower cavalry ranks came last. Their horses were alllathered up, and Capt Fitzroy threw down the young boar he had over the front of his saddle, as his scyce ranup to grab the horses’ reigns. Capt Fitzroy came striding past, on his way to the Colonel’s tent, “Standby for“First Officer’s Call” if you please, Drum Major Haggarty!” he said in a conversational tone as he passed.“Sir!” Snapped Drum Major Haggarty, and turned to point and hook his finger at Jimmy-the-Grote, to getready. The youngsters all craned their necks, trying to look around Drum Major Haggarty’s significant frame.“Oy! Did I tell you to STOP polishing, Mr Perkins!?” cries out Billy, and one of the youngsters sits boltupright, close as can be to parade-stance while still sitting “No Drum Major Haggarty, Sir!” he squeaks. “Wellthen, Let me hear them polishing cloths!” barks Billy, and the youngsters bend back to their work, all butJimmy-the-Grote. Drum Major Haggarty ran over some 30 or so bugle calls in his mind, trying to pick the mostobscure of the lot …

Missing PatrolMeanwhile Capt Fitzroy was outlining his verbal report to Colonel Featherstonehaugh (note 74). “Yes sir, Isaw the bayonets glinting on the horizon, Colonel, about here on the map, I would say, Sir. No question but itwas bayonets, and about 30 or 40 of them, far as we could tell, Sir” The Colonel looked worried, and pulled onone side of his mustache, the other hand behind his back, as he looked at the map in question. “No signals? Didyou hear any firing, man?” the Colonel queried. “Wind was against us, Sir, but what else would cause that sortof a glint out there? And it wasn’t far from the proposed path” replied Fitzroy. “Hm, well maybe a small patrolof mounted rifles, say the Frontier Force, might be in order”, the Colonel mused aloud, but not with muchconviction.

Fitzroy knew in his heart this wasn’t enough, but that was all he was likely to get from the Colonel, withoutsignificant proof of what caused that twinkling on the horizon. “Sir, Yes sir, Colonel, and if I may sir, could wehave a couple of extra bugle boys, to confound the natives into thinking there are more of us?” Fitzroy cast hisdie, knowing that it would be all they could budge the Colonel into giving up. “Well, yes, I suppose it wouldn’tharm to have another bugler or two” the Colonel admitted grudgingly. Better send in the other Captains so wecan appraise them of what we are doing. Probably all stuff and nonsense, but you never know …” the Colonellet it hang in the air, as Fitzroy saluted and was already on his way out of the tent flaps. Soon after, the“Officer’s Call” bugle rang out, loud and clear, and Jimmy-the-Grote received a nod from Drum MajorHaggarty. Workmanlike. Not a great delivery, but workmanlike.

ScrambleStrange thing about Bugle calls. Every company bugler has a slightly different “accent”, and when the FrontierForce bugler sounded “To Horse”, and shortly after, “Mount Up”, everybody around recognized that it wasintended for the Punjabi Frontier Force, and not for “them”. Private Jimmy-the-Grote and a fellow bugler,Private Ewan Perkins, soon found themselves astride a couple of nags for the first time, and holding on for dearlife. The rest of the Punjabi Frontier Force spurred on ahead, while Sowar Jalad Khan was left to nursemaid thetwo young buglers, and make as best time as he could. They were to get as far as they could in the dark, sleepa few hours, and be ready to strike out at dawn to try and find the rest of the Puffers (note 75).

Moonlight RideJimmy-the-Grote thought the pain would never end. Oh, it started off as a bit of a lark, with him and Ewanbouncing along on the nags, but after a couple of miles, everything was on fire --- back of the legs, small of thebacks, tense neck muscles cause they couldn’t see the trail, everything! And the bugs were eating them alive!Didn’t seem to matter what they tried to say to that Sowar Jalad Khan, all he did was give them an evil grin inthe moonlight, and keep dragging on the lead-ropes between his horse and theirs (note 76). It was a wickedtrot. Ewan was the younger of the two, and he was on the point of tears, he was so tired and sore.

Three hours later, and in spite of the continued thumping, the two youngsters were nodding off to sleep, tooexhausted to care where they were, or where they were headed. Not enough energy left over to swat a horse-fly. Jalad Khan gave a snort, when he looked back at his charges. If they had been Pushtun lads, they would bemarried men by now. Probably with their own blood feuds, and a price on their heads, to boot. He kept up asteady trot, unable to go faster over the slippery ground, wet and dank with the drop in temperature comingon. On the horizon the watchtower off to the right, out on the Maidan (or plane) let Kushal Khan know exactlywhere he was, as he slipped through the thistle along the trail, winding his way through the nullah, headingtowards the designated rendezvous with the rest of the Troop.

A sudden feral howl up ahead startled his horse, and Kushal Khan spoke to him quietly in Pushtu, “Easy, myBrother, it is not for us!”. The two bugle boys came awake with a start, but had enough sense not to cry outloud. A panther up ahead roared his ownership of this part of the Maidan, and the horses tossed their heads,reacting skittishly to the challenge. Jimmy-the-Grote could feel every bristle on the back of his neck standingbolt upright! Ewan looked across at Jimmy, his eyes wide as saucers! There’d be no more nodding off untilthey hit the campsite!

Ghosts in the DarkKushal Khan’s sharp night vision saw the other Puffer on the near horizon, and he raised his carbine in silentacknowlegement. The silhouette on the hill responded with two pumps of his raised carbine, and Kushal turnedthe little troop towards the look-out. They exchanged low-voiced greetings in Pushtu, and Kushal turned to thebugle boys, and said, “Camp in next Nullah. Sleep for two hours”. Jimmy and Randy were too sore to argue,even if they felt like sleeping for a week. Once in camp, they tumbled off their horses like sacks of potatoes,and were asleep before they hit the ground. Bugs biting or no bugs, they were just plumb exhausted.

They were up before dawn, one of the picquets having spotted Sepoy Iderim Gul, staggering over the Maidan,weaving this way and that, dead on his feet. They had hoisted him up in front of a Sowar, and brought his limpand bedraggled body back to camp. A few drops of brandy, everyone pretending it was just strong tea, and notunclean, and Iderim managed to cough up his lungs, and whisper the barest details, but it was enough. KushalKhan and several of the others knew the place of which Iderim Gul spoke, and they all made signs behind theirback, to ward off the evil that dwelt there.

No bugles this time, just terse commands in Pushtu, a soft scuffle of men, and a few snickers from the horses,and they were off in the predawn light, before the ravens had a chance to claim the sky. They picked their way

along a secondary trail, keeping clear of the skyline, a grim line of Puffers and their closest friends, out toreclaim their own. A rusty old musket pointed its accusing finger skyward at the side of the trail.

To Be Continued, but only if you’re still interested (and if they don’t get there too late)

After Action Report Part XIIIThe camp scene sort of came about because of some questions about Bandsmen, and what they did, on one ofthe Yahoo groups. That led to a red-herring chase about Bugles and Bugle calls, and cleaning Bugles. AndTHAT lead to an experimental list of calls (which we are still researching and massaging so won’t getpublished in the files for another week or so). There must have been a lot of other bugle calls, for variousCavalry Skirmisher (I’ve found mention of 24 for skirmishers alone) and Artillery functions, but I haven’tfound specifics on more than 60 of them as of writing this AAR (After Action Report). Things like “ToMounts”, “Mount up”, “Form Line”, or “Limber up”, “Unlimber”, “Bring up Caissons”, that sort of thing.Possibly some of these were “informal”, and likely when these orders were no longer needed, the relevantbugle calls were forgotten, too. (Who knows). I rather like to think there were bugle calls for “MountElephants”, and “There’s the Boar!” too.

Notes:

Note 72: This is the start of the next episode, so we roll the triple percentile dice and get 08.30.04 for NPCAction (so some secondary or “Non-Playing Character” comes into play), Break, and Outside. So someonenot-central-to-the-action was having a break outside. Right! The Bugle boy, back at Camp!Note 73: Turns out there were more than 50 different bugle calls, and while there were some differencesbetween British and American versions, they all covered roughly the same territory. Seehttp://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/bugle.htm for more, or herehttp://www.fmaalumni.org/bugle_calls.html Both are interesting sites.Note 74: “NO, no, no, no! Its pronounced FANSHAW, man! What school did YOU drop out of? (Harrumph.The very idea! Fea-Ther-Stone-Haw indeed!). Fanshaw! Its always been pronounced Fanshaw! (Harrumph.Recruits these days.) Note 75: Hmm? Oh! Puffers! That’s the Punjabi Frontier Force, m’boy! Forerunners to the Corps of Guides.They had a couple of foot platoons and one or two troops of mounted rifles at that time. Yes. Fine chaps. Notquite up to British standards, but they could move like the wind. Recruited from the Pathans in the TribalTerritories, y’see.Note 76: Start of a new scene, really, so we roll the triple percentile dice again: 51.18.53 So we move awayfrom the main story line (or thread), Move, and Home. Next we go to the Patrol and Road Details lists, and weget: Weather=KD (Dank); Footing=6D (Slippery); Task Related=9D (Camp setup); Trail=4D (Maidan); FocalPoint=10H (Watchtower); Trailside=2H (Empty Box, but we’ve had that so we go up one for Rusty Musket);Color=AH (Bugs Biting); Danger=AH (Ahead); Vegetation=QC (Thistle); Other Life=5C (Ravens) andTravelers=KC (courier). Then just for fun, we go to Things that go Bump in the Night and pull: Sounds=JD(Feral howl); Who’s there=4D (panther); Reaction=JD (hackles up); resolution=6D Sentry wide awake. Thatshould be enough to paint the scene!

Barampta on the Sre Mela, Part XIV --- Here’s to Carruthers!The rumble of pleasant conversation and camaraderie, the clink of the wine glasses, the ladies’ silver-bell-likelaughter at the other end of the table, the reflection of candlelight on polished Regimental silver (an integralpart of the whole tradition) --- these are the glue that makes men brothers, and loyal unto death (note 77). Wewould ride into the very gates of hell, to rescue any one of our mess-mates, with only the hope that they wouldtoast us, too --- “Here’s to Carruthers, he was a fine officer, and a great chap for the Pig Sticking”. And thefar-off thunder of Valhalla would resound, with a “Here here!”, and “Great Chap”, and “Sorely missed!” and“Carruthers, Bless him”. And an appreciative burble would echo round the table. No one mentioned that heoccasionally cheated at cards (looking askance at our cards, when he thought we were well in our cups, and wedidn’t hold our cards close to our spotless Mess Jacket), or that Carruthers was so uncoordinated on a horse,that he was usually more of a danger to his fellow officers, than he ever was to the blessed boar! (note 78)“Good old Boy!” Harrumph.

Because when the jig’s gone South, and we’ve finally run our last score of paces, and we are counting thepitifully few cartridges as we hand them out and fixing bayonets, then its brothers at arms like Carruthers, thatare the only ones who might still come out of the blue to save our bacon, even at the expense of jumpingthrough the flames to get to us. And if not, well, we will be missed. and there will still be those who raise atoast! You don’t want to live forever, do you? (note 79).

Foggy PerchBut there were no brave band of brothers to be found that morning. In fact the sun hadn’t even crested thehorizon --- it was cold, damp and foggy and it was Laughland who was on his last legs. He’d been up all night,circumventing those damn Wolf-men and their rotten dogs (note 79). Put a pebble in your cheek and suck itup. Soon the sun would be up, burning away this pre-dawn confusing and icy-cold fog, and then maybe wemight find some morning dew to slake our thirst, at least. Cold as hades, and can’t feel yer cheeks after a while.Rub the circulation back into them. Watch yer step! Ignore the squelch from boots about to fall apart! Forgetthe rotten little bugs! There’s so many of the little fleas and no-see-ums that you’ll never swat them all anyway--- they’re just another part of the miserable boulder-strewn landscape. Ten more paces! Don’t stop! Get tothat little hillock, climb up to get a vantage point, and then we have a bit of a rest, and a look around once thefog lifted a bit (note 80).

A short inspection, and Laughland found a dry waterfall course going up the side of the little hill. It was allboulders and a bit of scrub, but less likely to have loose rocks that might avalanche down the sides --- soundslike pebbles and stones carry for miles on this foggy plane, and act just like an arrow, pointing every Wolf-mantowards our general vicinity, and that we don’t need! Carefully, hand over hand, mitts soaked to the skin, hemade his way up, testing every handhold to make sure nothing was loose that would act as a give-away.

What was that! Laughland freezes in the middle of hauling himself up the next step, as he recognizes the soundof a Jezail flint-lock’s characteristic snick! The hair on the back of Laughland’s neck stands straight up like ahyena’s bristle! Must be awfully close to be able to hear something that soft, so clearly! More small snicks andtinks, almost as if the hidden Wolf-man is fiddling with the flint and striker on his Jezail --- that has to be atricky job to keep it all dry in this pea-soup of a fog!

There! Off to the left! Another soft clunk, like a biscuit tin lid closing! Must be putting away the flints and thestriker material! Gawd, to come so far, and have this ghost standing in the way of Liberty and freedom! Goingto have to take him before the sun comes up and burns off the fog! Slowly now. Hand over hand Inch by inch.Back of the legs protesting. Every muscle aching. Tension. Almost there. Don’t blow it now. Slow.

Over-the-top-with-a-rock! Hear pumping like a trip-hammer! Wolf-man-wriggles-like-greased-eel! (note 81!)Jezail falls as if in slow motion, and clunk …clunk … hits the ground! Both men launch out in a long dive, but

Laughland has the advantage of surprise, and a higher starting vantage point! The rock connects with the Wolf-man’s skull, and he goes limp! Got ‘im! Laughland lands on the body, and is too weak to even move. Catch yerbreath! Try and listen! Any one else up here on this crag? Nothing. No alarms. Post adrenaline rush shivers.Got away with it. Gawd, but I’m too old for this work!

Lucky that damn Jezail didn’t go off. Hopefully it still fires, and won’t blow up in my face. Hm, think I’ll justborrow this guys woolen poshteen coat --- he certainly won’t be needing it any more. And if we turn thatturban wrap inside out, the bloodstains won’t be quite so obvious. Gawd I could do with a hot bath! Here’s abit of torn clothing to clean off the flint-lock on the Jezail. Ah, there’s a condor of some sort overhead. Lookitthat! Won’t be long ‘til the fog starts to burn off, and then maybe we’ll see where we’re at. Map in my pocket,but a bit useless without some landmarks to refer to. Meanwhile lets just sit here with the Jezail held vertical,and make like we’re a Wolf-man. Sleepy …

The First WaveDharma and the other exhausted Puffers lay inside their low-rock sangar, or breast-works. Half slept while theother half kept the vigil. No telling when the Wolf-men would come out of the murky early morning. Now thatthe sun was trying to burn through the fog, the first wave of the bugs was having a field-day. There wasnothing you could do to stop them. Couldn’t even see the little monsters. Swat one, and 10 more climbed upyour pant legs, into your clothing. May as well be fatalistic, and accept that they were going to win on the flea-level. Ah, but the Wolf-men, that was a different battle. No room to negotiate there. They’d played out theirbest hand, and lost --- the troublemaker had gotten away, and now they were the hunted, but the men weredetermined to give a good final account of themselves. Time to go out as heroes.

Dharma looked around at what was left of the platoon of volunteers. They had started off with 21 men,including Laughland, and now they were down to 14 in addition to Lt Dharma, and 4 of those were effectivelycripples, who couldn’t even walk another mile without significant help. And who knew where Laughland hadgone --- ended up as Afghan dog-bait most likely. Less than 20 rounds per man of the 40 rounds they allstarted off with. It was supposed to have been so easy --- clip off the head of the snake, kill the Fakir, and wecan walk merrily away. What a lark! Still, that was the Army for you --- it dreams big and impersonal inanother man’s boots, but when the dice are down …

“Snap out of it, Dharma!” he tells himself, “The men will need leadership today, even if its to show them howan Officer fights to the bitter end”. There’s some sort of bird hovering up there, so the fog must be lifting. ACondor? Maybe a Vulture? Too hazy yet to tell. Ah well, enough lolly-gagging --- time to get back to work!Dharma rolls over to try and locate the Magician, Jemadar Afzul. There he is on the opposite side of thesangar, and just as Dharma half-rises and is about to call out, “Twang-kabboOOOsh ptweee” and the Jezailbullet bounces off the nearest rock, and off into the sky!

The rock splinters hit Dharma’s cheek like reinforcements for the gnats --- not painful so much as startling, atsuch close quarters. “Stand TOO!” yells Dharma, and the men crouch up, bayonets at the ready, expecting tobe rushed at any moment! A general yell, and the Wolf-men emerge from the dawn vapor, coming in fromseveral sides at once! The women are keening with that high ululating voice in the background, with theoccasional the chirp of the kids punctuating the air! This is it!

The Far Focal PointToo late! A minute too late, and a pound shy! The mounted Puffers have a horrible moment when they hear thestart of the shooting and the screams, somewhere on the far horizon, and know it will take them another 5minutes to get there! All this rush, and they were too late by 5 minutes? NO! Spurs and reins are appliedvigorously, and the little troop vault into full gallop, to hell with the stones! (note 83).

Sowar Maldeo Raj is down! His horse goes head over heels and Maldeo Raj is thrown a good 10 feet beyondthat, sliding in a heap into a boulder! Oh, that doesn’t look good! No time to stop and check! Otherwise itsgoing to be lights-out for the rest of the Puffers on foot, for sure! Drumbeats hammer across the rock strewnMaidan, with Jimmy-the-Grote and Ewan bringing up the rear! No need for bugles at the moment --- ride! Ridefor all yer worth! And if ya can’t ride, at least hang on!

Leave Them on the Lurch(Aw, you KNOW what comes next … that’s right, time for “to be continued, but only if you’re pop-eyed andwide awake like that cringing armadilleaux feller …”)

BobSeur D’ArmadilleauxAble to bayonet Oreo’s from 6 mm away, As long as they’re soggy enough with the milk, and aren’t movingtoo fast! (lessee, 6mm, that’s oh, about, lets say, ¼ of an inch?)

After Action Report --- Here’s to Carruthers

This was sort of a setting-up-the-battle episode, where we had to bring all the major participants within thesame general arena. It wasn’t all that sure they’d all make it, either! (Using Mythic GME with our favorite ruleset, and the unpredictability of dice rolls see to that).

We indulged ourselves and had a bit of fun with the Characterization (and that’s a big part of the attraction ofSolo Wargaming --- we have the time to explore other elements and to figure out the motivation behind whysome guys act the way that they do). Solo gaming NEEDS as much of a “hook” as we can develop, to buildand maintain the interest that keeps us coming back to the wargames table, and working out the next littleepisode. In Solo gaming there’s no one else to hoot and holler and carry on, and generally spread the laughterand enjoyment, ‘cept for us.

The amazing thing is, when we make the whole script so “personal” (all those lists, that are data-mined fromour favorite stories, movies, and comic books), then it becomes really addictive, to the point that I’m workingthis up, rather than watching prime-time TV. (Oh, and for future generations that might read this 10 yearsdown the road, that’s still an Analog TV, delivered by Cable-not-laser, and there’s still a VCR under the TV.Any extra budget went into little guys and rule sets). And remember, “Here’s to Carruthers!”

(Harrumph)

Notes for Part XIV --- Here’s to Carruthers

Note 77: Start of a new scene, so we roll the Mythic triple percentile die: 10.82.53 (no doubles, so we go onwith our scene as set). NPC Action, Activity, and Home (and that’s where the mess-scene came from, Ladiesand Gentlemen!).Note 78: Comes from the Personality Generator applied to CarruthersNote 79: Attributed to Fredrick the Great, leading his men into battleNote 80: Start of a new scene, so we have another go at the Mythic triple percentile die, thrown from theRegimental Cup (OK so it’s a 1950’s stainless steel kids drinking cup, but it will HAVE to DO, old Chap). Andwe get: 48.50.74 which gives us Close a thread, Debase, and Liberty. Hmm, have to think about that for amoment, so we go and pull a card for Places to be Developed, and we get: “Drainage tunnel off the shaft”.Now, we had envisioned Laughland climbing some knoll to look around, so this gets translated into a drywaterfall course, up the side of the mound. Although the upcoming battle is on a plane, it has more in commonwith the Mountain Pass Generator than the Patrol and Roads Details list, so we draw some cards against the

former (MPG). And we get: Marker= KD (Stone arrow); Surrounding=JD (Empty Biscuit tin); Hilldescription= 10D (Confusing Icy Fog); Trail= 2H (Boulder Field); Guide Source= AH (Explorer’s map);Equipment= 9H (Flint and Striker); Problems= 7H (Avalanche incoming); Found things= KC (SmallTarpaulin); Other life= 3C (Condor out and below); Weather related= 7C (Can’t feel cheeks); Clothing= JC(mitts soaked). Then for fun (cause we are feeling lazy and need the extra kick-in-the-pants to get motivated)we go to the Mythic experimental Sounds and Smells tables, and get: 16.85.15 --- Moderately close, (now, 85is off the experimental list, so we just reroll and get) 61, Covert, and 15 gives us Breach load, so we hear thecovert sound of a breach-load, moderately close! Getting interesting now! And now we go to the Mythicexperimental Campaign Peripheral Color, and we get: 20.83.27 for General Population, Colors wavering(again, the highest item populated on this newish list), and Undertaker. Wow --- Well, I guess that could be theWolf Men (General Population) think twice (colors wavering) when they see the Puffer Cavalry (theUndertakers). OK, the story is half-written, and now all we have to do is string it together. From a mechanicspoint of view, we just copy this note, strip out all the unnecessary verbiage, and post the bare bones at thebottom of the story, so far. As we use up one of the “bones”, we delete that part, and keep picking away, untilwe ate the whole thing. So 25 “lines” of rambling in this note get reduced to 9 ½ compressed lines that have tobe translated into text.Note 81! Laughland comes over the top with a rock and springs at the Wolf-man! TSATF (the Sword and theFlame) gives him automatic close-into-contact, and a fighting advantage of +1 for leader, -1 for scrabbling overthe rocks, and +2 for attacking from the Wolf-man’s rear, or a total DRM (dice role modifier) of +2.Laughland rolls a 3 (+2=5) to the Wolf-man’s 1 (automatic kill).Note 82: We have 10 fit, 4 invalid (this was an arbitrary dice roll on a 1D6, taking into account sprainedankles, exhausted, and other non-battlle-related problems), and Dharma with a rifle (cause he gave his pistolover to Laughland, remember?).Note 83: We treat this just like a “charge”, in that there will be 1D6 of stragglers who won’t make it to themelee on time, and we roll rrrrRRRRrrrRRRRrrr: 1! We roll a 1! Man those Puffers can ride!

Barampta Part XV --- The Circle of HeroesThere are so man ways in which a man could die, out here in Waziristan, when beyond the reach of a camp oran English doctor. And before long, the heat, the vultures, and the jackals reduce whats left to just the rags,hanging off a skeleton. “Yesss” thought Colonel Carruthers, his mind drifting off from that boring Court-Martial, his old sausage-like fingers beating a pudgy tattoo, “That’s what all lawyers should be made to do …drop them off on foot some 8 hours from camp, with one canteen of water and 6 rounds for the Martini Henry,and let the blighter’s find their own way home. Serve them right! Picking on their betters for whimsicalreasons. Whimsical, I say”. (Harrumph!)

Captain Strictland was in fine form. He was rocking up and down in his officer’s boots, tasting the resoundingphrases that he’d practiced outside his tent, while he had been shaving in the pre-dawn hours. “So youorchestrated this “attempt” on Fakir Ipi, and not only FIRED upon the native population, but you incited thewomen and children into a trap! Using this, what is it called again? An Umbella Peg! An unauthorized weaponof war!!” Strictland had the bit well in his teeth, and intended to run with it hard and fast, not realizing thatmost of the panel of judges had all-of-a-sudden discovered that their collective back-sides ached, as theyshifted about uncomfortably.

A subaltern came through the side door, and made his way over to the presiding judge, and gave a folded pieceof paper to Colonel Carruthers. He blew his mustaches up, as he read the letter through reuhmy eyes, andturned to the other members of the panel. “Yes, well gentlemen! Seems like the Fakir has burned down anotherfrontier post. Our young friend’s suspicions of him must have been right!” This said, looking pointedly at LtDharma in the hot seat. Standing, the Colonel continues, “Under the circumstances, I think we’ll adjourn theproceedings!”

Poor Strictland stands there with his mouth open, like someone just popped his balloon, and nobody wants toassign any blame to the culprit! The whole court is filing out toward the doors, as Carruthers turns and opines,“Postponed indefinitely! (Harumph) Quite rightly, too!” It isn’t quite “legal”, but who is going to go up againstsuch an august body as Colonel Carruthers? No one left but the court clerk and Strictland, and the clerk putsthe “decision” into the more usually-accepted court legaleese. “Case Dismissed for lack of evidence”.(note 85).

Back and GrimOut on the maidan, the mounted Puffer’s mad dash ended with Sowar Jalad Khan neatly dropping BuglerJimmy-the-Grote off with his horse, some 500 yards West from the sangar that the Wolf-men were trying toover-run! No time for niceties! Jalad kneed his mount on the run, and veered off with Bugler Ewan Perkinsbleating and holding on for dear life! Passed the dismounting carbines! Off to the North and East! Ride!

Meanwhile, Dharma rises from the flea-ridden dust of the sangar, with his bayonet to the fore! Whheeuph! Thenearest Wolf-man’s Khyber knife flashed over his head. Squelch! The bayonet collapses the bag of white ragsin front of him, the Wolf-man’s face all a grimace of bad teeth and worse breath! Yank …YANK! … Damnbayonet’s stuck! BLADAAAAM! If we can’t pull the bayonet out, pull the trigger and blast it free! (note 86).Dharma tries to bring the rifle up to block the next Wolf-man’s swing --- TOO LATE! Time slows down, andDharma sees the Khyber knife falling, fall … ing … in … slow … time … too … late … and the Wolf-man’shead seems to explode into space! Someone shot him! From Behind! Time snaps back, and Dharma is too busywith the next threat to solve the puzzle --- where did the shot come from?

Out on the craig, 400 yards away, Laughland is clumsily trying to reload the Jezail. He’d been aiming for theguy two down from Dharma, but wasn’t familiar with the sights on this old basket case of a musket! Ah well,our secret! Who’s that pair of fools galloping toward his rock? Fingers reload automatically by themselves, asLaughland squints at the cloud of dust. A Puffer, carbine in hand, with something else in tow … Ewan falls tothe ground in a clump, and slowly tries to rise.

Bugle NonsenseJimmy-the-grote’s bugle call splits the air! Infantry mount bayonets!? What infantry? Laughland is momentarilydistracted, as are most of the Wolf-men trying to swamp the sangar. The Puffer on the horse belowLaughland’s perch, having droped his charge, gallops back to the west. What the hades is going on!?Laughland completes his tamping on the Jezail, and has a hard look out on the horizon. There’s the sangar,there’s some dirty Khaki guys, who must be the rest of the Mounted Carbines of the Punjabi Frontier Force.They are firing sporadically, but they are still a long ways from the sangar.

Way out there, there’s a lone bugler and he’s now blowing complete nonsense, Pay Call!? What is that strangeduck up to? He’s gonna get his head shot, and if not, he’s gonna get his back tanned! Wha … Second Call forLunch!? Is he OUT OF HIS MIND? From down near the base of his rock, the second Bugler has lost hissenses, too! --- Church Call!? They’re blowing sheer non-sense! And now one of the lunatics on the bugle isannouncing Swimming Call!

There’s a rustle behind Jimmy-the-Grote, and before he even gets a chance to completely turn around, a pair ofWolf-man kids are springing at him with snake-blade knives! Jimmy completes his turn with the bugle in hishand, his only weapon! (note 86). The two wolf-man-kids rise from behind a boulder, snarling as only wolf-cubs can, feral as they come! Jimmy takes a swipe with his bugle, but the wolf-cub curves out of the way, asthe other slashes with his knife! Terrified, Jimmy back-pedals, and stumbles over one of the rocks! They are onhim in an instant! Curved snakey blades flash up and down, and Jimmy back-pedals some more! There’s afunny whine, and a bullet ricochets off the rocks and nicks one of the wolf-cubs in the shoulder! He spinsaround and he’s out of it! But Jimmy has taken several superficial cuts to his arms and jacket! A brief mis-stepby the wolf-cub, and Jimmy spins around and makes a dash for it, with the wiry little wolf-cub not more than 4

paces behind him! Jimmy bleats as he runs toward the line of dismounted Puffers, and one turns his rifle aroundto take aim! Jimmy trips! He’s down! The wolf-cub comes staggering forward on sheer momentum, before hecan see the carbine pointed straight at him! He drops his knife and spins around and runs! Wolf-cub tofrightened boy in 1 second flat! The Sowar lifts his carbine a bit, decides not to shoot this one, and turns backtowards the melee at the Sangar. (note 87).

The Circle of HeroesOut on the Grim, the Sre Mela, the Plains of the Heroes, we have Lt Dharma, Jemadar Afzul, and 10 effectives,with 4 more wounded in the center circle, barely able to lift a bayonet, let alone a musket. They instinctivelysplit into the two quadrants, each determined to face-down the wave of Wolf-men, one of them waving theblack triangle flag for no quarter, that comes at them like a runaway steam train. Wolf-men to the fore, asprinkling of women with knives behind, and a rabble of kids with snaky daggers, not a threat head on, butdeadly and remorseless to the fallen. The two dirty-white waves hit the break-water of the Sangar, and Pufferversus Wolf-man, they rise up where they clash, clawing for the sky, as if for life itself!

Bang, thwump, Ungh, whup! --- the noise of combat is visceral and unbelievable. No Quarter! Thump! Reversebutt smack! Suck it up! Head butt! Bodies start falling out of the scrimmage line! 2 Puffers wounded besideDharma! 3 Puffers on Afzul’s quadrant fall like pole-axed oxen! Wolf-men fall back wounded, one obviouslydead with a dramatic back flip! But there’s so many in that white foam of Wolf-men, that it doesn’t seem tomake any impact! With quiet professionalism, the reserve of 4 wounded men split up, and purposefully walkinto the break-water of death! The true mark of a Hero, that he embraces his brother’s fate as his own!

Laughland and the dismounted riders try to take aim, but the fighting is so close, that there is no guarantee theywon’t hit their friends, and not the wolf-men! The dismounted riders are staggering forward through the stonyfield, dragging their carbine-bayonets from their scabbards as they go! But will they make it on time? Its goingto be an awfully close call! Bugler Ewan is sounding the Charge, over and over, his refrains squeak where heruns out of breath, but he won’t stop. Every man gives every ounce of whatever he has available.

Back in the Circle of Heroes, the fight to the death continues! (note 88).Things are getting really desperate!The pace picks up! Jemadar Afzul fights with a cold precision, and 3 Wolf-men go to their god, one morepushed back. One of the Puffers near Afzul is wounded, and writhes on the ground! No time to help him. OnDharma’s quadrant, the fighting is very hot, with 2 of the Puffer reinforcements from the Bandage Buddiesstabbed again, and finally succumbing to their wounds! A 3rd Puffer from the line near Dharma, falls away, deadbefore he hits the ground! On the Wolf-man side 3 of the women with knives are pushed back, although thereis a suspicion that the Puffers pulled their blows. Dharma has no such illusions, and he stabs another screamingwoman in the shin. The Wolf-men are taking a real beating, but is it going to be enough? The lashkar facingAfzul is still grinding onto the breakwater of the Sangar, although the lashkar facing Dharma is wavering a bit.The kiddies have enough sense to hold back, although the women with knives are as rabid as their men! Onegrabs the fallen black triangle flag, and waves it over her head, yelling encouragement to the Wolf-men! TheBugle in the background continues to call “Charge!” and the Circle of Heroes convenes for another bash ateach other!

The Carbine-bayonets close in on the Circle, but they are just one furlong too far to affect the outcome!Laughand stands up and cheers till he’s hoarse, but there’s nothing more he can do, either! Ewan is squeakingmore than he’s playing, but the clarion call is clear! Once more into the breach! Charge!

Dharma’s arms like anchors, weighed down by tons of rifle, throat like a dry rasp, head splitting and bloodpounding in his ears. Never get the rifle up in time to … UNGH! Spin that butt around and get him out of my…THWACK. Half a second of space to lunge at that OOOsh! Woman! (note 89) Makes no never mind ---woman with a knife is just another Wolf-man, only not quite as big, and maybe a little more aggressive! And

things just can’t last much longer! Dharma, Jemadar Afzul, 4 Puffers and 2 Bandage Buddies line up at thestone circle wall of the Sangar, against 4 Wolf-men, 2 women, and 3 kids with snake-knives, and a horde ofsmaller ones snarling and yapping back there, with those vicious little knives the kids always pull whensomeone’s down! Eight able-bodies for the Puffers versus Nine adults for the Wolf-men! But this time there isno fight left in the wolf-men, one eye on the sangar, and the other on the Undertakers --- the carbine-bayonetshoming in on them, and after a token renewal of the attack, they are uniformly beaten back, away from thesangar. A momentary shiver of indecision, and that’s it --- the triangular black flag flutters to the stony ground,and Wolf-men are gone!

The 8 men inside the Circle of Heroes collapse where they stand, eyes glazed, mouths agape like so manybeached fish, hands too numb to hold on to their weapons, yet the hands in almost a rigor-mortis grip, so tightthe weapons slide out of their clenched paws.

Its finally over.

(Well, only if you don’t want to hear about the next bit …)

After Action Report --- Circle of HeroesThere’s something really intoxicating about surviving a good fight --- whether it’s a “real” one, or simply aTSATF set-to with our favorite little guys. Afterwards colors are more vivid, we actually SMELL all the goodstuff in the air as we walk around, and little things like birds and insects seem to jump out at us. We canidentify every little snick of clothing, coins in our pockets, fabric rubbing on our arm. And all those little achesand pains disappear, if only for a while. It’s a “high” unlike any other. Its an adrenaline rush that lasts for hours.(Course, afterwards there’s this come-down, and we need to stoke ourselves up with Oreos to counteract thelow-bloodsugar).

There’s a tricky little undercurrent of humor, that has to be down-played a bit, and treated with a light touch,but this humor adds a lot to the dramatic bits. Almost like we (as the reader) need to have a quick laugh, beforewe get ratcheted up a notch by our emotional bootstraps, and taken to some new level of higher anxiety. Havea look at any good action flick (like the Terminator series, or Alien series, or almost any Clint Eastwood movieor similar), and there’s that little bit of black humor, that’s flickering around the edges. The humor is actually“called up” (if we let it) by the Mythic GME elements, and all we have to do is be receptive to it, when itcomes along, and give it a bit of leash to come out and do its thing.

Others have mentioned that they “see” favorite screen actors and persona when they do their Characterization --- and that’s a valid way of drawing from our experience. My Characters are put together with card-pulls, todevelop their own unique personality, and then I go searching through my memory for WHO that combinationis describing. They may be a combination of two or more obscure work-mates from 30 years ago, but findingthem (again) helps me to flesh-out someone like Col Carruthers, for example, and get a better feel for what thatcombination of characteristics would look like.

Rewrite! Nothing comes out of the noggin fully formed. I try and get a couple of episodes ahead of the currentPart, so I can go back and smooth the edges a time or two “with new eyes”, before the current serial episodegets popped into the torpedo tubes. Nothing drastic; don’t change the outcome of the battles. Just clean up therough edges, and add a bit more flavor, where it seems a bit dry.

BobSeur D’Armadilleaux

Notes for Part XV --- the Circle of Heroes

Note 84: we start off by rolling the Triple Percentile Mythic die: 55.40.35, so that double (where 5 is lowerthan the Chaos Rank of 8) means we have an altered scene, not starting with Dharma, as we had planned. Letssee, that code means: Close a thread, Postpone, and Legal matters. Ah, We are back at the trial!Note 85: New scene! Change the triple percentile die (I take a different “pair” each time, and that way we aresure we get different results for the charts): 16.49.27 and that translates into: NPC action, Harm, and AProject. Ooooh! So some “project” leads to harm coming or threatened against a Non-Playing-Character (likeJimmy-the-Grote!)Note 86: Jimmy counts as an officer, defending open order, but attacked from the rear, for a total DRM (diceroll modifier) of -1. The two wolf-man-kids count as Pathans, charging without leader, with a die roll modifierof +1, but they have to pass their charge-into combat chart (3 or less) AND THEY ROLL A 3! Hand-to-handensues according to standard TSATF rules, and we get: Jimmy 4 to Pathan One 3 (so jimmy pushed back);Jimmy rolls 4 to Pathan Two rolls a 4 (so jimmy pushed back a second time, and we are going to count theresult of this sort of micro-hand-to-hand as wounded, and in rout), so Jimmy takes off running! Meanwhile,Laughland is trying to shoot at the two attackers with his Jezail, and he gets ONE shot --- IT’S A HIT! WHATA SHOT! IT’S A THREE, and we pull a Jack of Spades, so one of the two boys chasing Jimmy is hit! We rollfor morale for the other boy, and get a 6, so he keeps on chasing Jimmy! Write it up!Note 87: Back to the main fight! This is the one we were waiting for! We have Lt Dharma, Jemadar Afzul, and10 effectives, with 4 more wounded in the center circle, barely able to lift a bayonet, let alone a musket (asreported in Part XIV). Against that, there are now 30 men (Laughland shot the one battling Dharma), 6 womenwith knives and 21 kids (last detailed in note 55). Figure they lost a couple of kids and none of the women withthe Umbella-peg explosion, and that leaves 30 men 6 women, and 18 kids, probably in the equivalent of 2lashkars or warbands. Next, we figure that the 4 wounded Puffers and the 18 kids probably fight about thesame, with a -2 DRM (dice roll modifier). We set this up, and play out one round. First thing we need to do isestablish if the two Wolf-Man Lashkars are going to charge --- and we roll a 1 and a 2 (definite charges) thenwe start to roll for the first round. On Afzul’s quadrant, 3 Puffers are pushed back out of 5, and only 4 Wolf-men are pushed back. On Dharma’s quadrant, 2 Puffers are wounded, and 3 WM pushed back, one dead andone wounded. Two of the reserve (wounded) Puffers go to each of the two quadrants, to try and hold out.Write it up!Note 88: Round 2 and things are getting really tense! The pace picks up! Afzul fights with cold precision, and 3wolf-men go to their god, one more pushed back. One of the Puffers is wounded. On Dharma’s side, thefighting is very hot, with 2 of the Puffer reinforcements from the Bandage Buddies succumbing to theirwounds, and a 3rd Puffer from the line, dead. On the Wolf-man side 3 of the women with knives are pushedback, and Dharma stabs another in the shin. But is it enough? The lashkar facing Afzul is still over 50 %,although the lashkar facing Dharma is not. Kiddies don’t count toward the totals for morale purposes, althoughthe women with knives do. We roll Morale for Dharma’s opponents, and they JUST pass (roll a 7). Write it up!Note 89: Third round, and things can’t last much longer! Dharma, Jemadar Afzul, 4 Puffers and 2 BandageBuddies line up against 4 Wolf-men, 2 women, and 3 kids with snake-knives. 8 for the Puffers versus 9 for theWolf-men! But this time there is no fight left in the wolf-men, and they are uniformly pushed back.. We go tothe Mythic Fate chart and ask “Do they take off?” and with a roll of 68, the Wolf-men are gone!

Barampta on the Sre Mela, Part XVI --- Ripples in the EtherThe Waziristan desert is still a place of limitless horizons and little shade, where the light seems somehowharsher, the land for the most part flat and featureless. The sandy and rock-strewn country by no means barrenof life --- chinkara, partridge and quail abound, as do deadly scorpions and snakes. There is a harsh andunforgiving majesty about the place, that makes us feel much closer to the gods. Its easy to understand how,when the ancients of Waziristan were worried, they looked to the heavens for help in divining what the futurewould hold for them (note 90).

Laughland lay back for a moment after the battle, and looked up at the golden dawn, streaming in and blowingaway the last of the fog, and strengthening moment by moment as the sun kissed the Eastern horizon goodbye.Up there above him, that Condor did great lazy circles, his wing feathers barely twisting, feeling out the future,picking up threads that mere mortals would never know. No wonder the Condor with its spread wings was apart of the symbol of Ahura-Mazda, the ancient’s religion. A couple of vultures join on the periphery, tightercircles lower down, a respectful distance from the all-seeing Condor that still hovers almost straight overhead.The gods are benign this morning, as if sensing that their playthings, these little rags called humans, had hadenough.

Dropping In on the BuglerA few crows are winging off to the East, a minor ruckus, voices plying the dissenting position --- all is notwell! All is NOT well! Something is niggling like a tick at the back of Laughland’s brain, and all of a sudden hestruggles to stand up. Where? There’s nothing there … Wait! The far horizon is a-shimmer! Like Ripples in theEther! He’s only seen this once before, where the hard lines of the early morning hills seem to ripple anddissolve and reform --- Wolf-men! Lots of them, covering most of the whole horizon! Laughland grabs hisJezail, turns around toward the little victory circle, and slides down the rough hill-slope on his bum, to land in abruised and battered heap, almost on top of Ewan the bugler. Poor Ewan’s heart just about explodes with thesurprise of what looks like a Wolf-man descending upon him from the heavens, and he falls over and his bowelsbetray him as he lets out a rip of gas in his near panic! The bugle bangs against a rock, with a sound likecrushing a tin mug with a rock. “Oh, no!” Ewan thinks in a haze, “Drum Major Haggarty will tan me hide forthat one!”

Laughland doesn’t have time to laugh. “Stand up you little Gasser, and sound the alarm!” he yells, as he grabsEwan by the coat and yanks him to his feet. Ewan’s jaw drops, but years of responding to Drum MajorHaggarty’s barked orders supercedes his personal fears, and the dented bugle gets pointed to the heavens! Tatada taDa taDa ta da-dada! “Again!” The red-eyed demon waves his wicked looking Jezail! Ta tada taDAtaDA ta da-dada! “First Officers!” barks Laughland, and the new call goes out: ta ta DA, ta ta da, ta ta da-tadaaa! “Very good --- now we need Mount Up!” Ewan was so wide-eyed in shock, in fear of this apparition,in awe of what was being asked, that he simply responded as ordered: ta ta DA, ta ta DA, ta ta DA dat daaa!The field in front of them explodes into action! The Punjabi who were half-heartedly scouring for ammo andfood, now mounting up, and doubling up with their walking brothers from the Circle of Heroes. Jemadar Afzultakes the last personal property from the dead in the Circle of Heroes, and catches a lift-up on the arm of afellow Punjabi on a big horse. Afzul is so slim and ropy that the horse doesn’t mind the minor extra weight.

High DudgeonLts Fischer and Simpson, along with Capt Hollis and Jemadar Swab Gul of the Punjabi Mounted Rifles,converge, pistols drawn, on the stranger and Ewan. The four of them galloping up, look just like some piece ofart, hanging in the National Army Museum. Laughland swells with the pride of belonging to such a martialtradition. Lt “Bobbie” Fischer recognizes him first, and yells out “Laughland, you Afghan dog! So you gotaway again!?” and laughing as he approaches, he holsters his weapon. Technically Laughland (as the PoliticalOfficer) is a Brevet Major, but he’s hardly dressed as the part, in his grubby poshteen and grungy turban. Theothers also ease the hammers back on their weapons, and the tension visibly ebbs away. Captain Edgar Hollisof the Punjabi Mounted Rifles Squadron trots up within conversation range, with an ironic smile on his face,and addresses Laughlin. “Morning “Laughie”. Nice day for a bit of a jaunt.”

Laughland went to the same public school, back in Ol’ Briny, and eyes up Edgar on his personal bay horse.“Why “Bunny” Hollis, as I live and breathe! --- I see you haven’t improved your taste in nags.” The two smile,as “Bunny” Hollis leans over and shakes hands with “Laughie”. Ewan looks on pop-eyed and slack-jawed asthe giants of his world perform their little personal ceremonies with private nicknames, right out there in frontof him. “Gaw, wait till Jimmie-the-Grote and t’others get a load of this!” he thinks, drinking it in, trying to

remember every pose, every nuance of tone. What a day!

Laughland continues, “Seems like we have company coming from the East, gentlemen, and they are in ratherhigh dudgeon. Not happy at all. I’d suggest we don’t want to dawdle around and invite them for breakfast,what? I doubt we have enough victuals to go around, and some of them might get a tad slighted to be left out”.In spite of the bantering tone, the relaxed smiles on the mounted officers faces vanish, and all hang onLaughland’s words. “Now, I doubt that we can get away from their horsemen, but there’s a village off to theNorth West a few miles, and we might be able to hole up there, while someone goes for help.” Capt Edgarnods to Jemadar Swab Gul, who turns and flicks his fingers towards the Punjabi Mounted Rifles. One of them,Sowar Hadji Wakil, turns and trots over on his horse, an unimpressive native mount, kind of bony and stringylooking, but like many Afghan mounts, capable of running at a ground-eating lope all day long.

The Courier is Dispatched“We are heading to Karijkote, you know of it Brother?” asks Laughland of Sowar Hadji Wakil in faultlessPushtu. “Huzoor! I know of this place! My uncle’s second cousin used to trade there!” replies the mountedScout. Funny that, thinks Laughland, how a place exists only as part of the Pathan’s extended family tree. “Gothee back to camp, Brother, and tell them of our plight. There are many lashkars of Wolf-men on the horizon,and they seem unhappy with the world. They will not wait until tomorrow to feast, Brother, so do not spareyour horse to smell the flowers” Sowar Hadji Wakil stiffens in his saddle, and repeats, “Huzoor!” Laughlandtakes a moment, and says “Very well Sowar, we place our lives in thy hands. Go!” and salutes exchanged,Sowar Hadji Wakil spins his mount and digs in, headed back to camp. Laughland stares after the man, and saysin a low voice “I hope he’s dependable …” then looks at Jemadar Swab Gul with an inquiring eyebrow.Encouraged to speak, Jemadar Gul opines, “Hadji Wakil is but a lowly Durrani, Bahadur Laughland, but I havenever seen a better or more reliable courier.” (note 91).

Again, Jemadar Swab Gul turns and flicks his fingers, and in the mid-distance, there is a shuffle among thePunjabi Mounted Rifles riders, as one Sowar dismounts and gives up his horse for Laughland. The rest of themen absorb the change, as the spare horse is lead over for Laughland’s use. Capt Hollis points to Ewan, andthe Punjabi trooper lifts the Bugle-boy up in front of him. The leaders fan out, as Capt Hollis gives theuniversal hand signal for “Forward”, and breaks into an easy light gait, with Laughland close off his right handside.

Running Before the StormLt “Bobbie” Fischer fills in Lt Dharma on what’s going on, back in the center of the Cavalry Squadron.Dharma is grumpy about being left out of the meeting, but Bobbie tells him he’s in no shape to argue --- thefew survivors of the Circle of Heroes are completely done in, and barely able to ride, most of them. The terraindoesn’t help --- it’s a jagged field of boulders almost as far as the eye can see, and the horses are all jigging tothe right, jagging to the left. Its exhausting work, hard on the kidneys, and even Dharma is keeping upright onthe horse out of sheer determination. Twist, Turn, Twist again --- 33 men, crammed onto 26 weary mounts,heading off to the little village of Karajkote, West by North West, hoping they can still move fast enough tofind some sort of a refuge before the onslaught of the Wolf-man’s storm (note 92).

Jemadar Swab Gul drops back and supervises the rear guard. Eight of the best Mounted Rifles, on the soundesthorses. No one gets left behind (note 93). Oh no, watch it! There’s a horse gone down! Two men collide andtake a terrible tumble, but the rear-guard manage to get them both up and doubled-up onto other horses! SwabGul dispatches the one horse with a single shot from his revolver. No point in trying to hide it --- the Wolf-menknow where they are now. The little column takes a slight course correction off to the North West. Woah!Look out! Another horse goes head-over-heels cracking on a stone! Neither man nor beast rises from this one.A Sowar dismounts on the run, checks the pulse of the Puffer and shakes his head at Jemadar Swab Gul, thenpicks up the carbine and ammo belt. A running mount, and the Sowar is back in the saddle. No time to pay

respects for the downed man. “Sowar Lal Mast”, thinks Jemadar Swab Gul. “Forgive me, Brother”. He left awife and a family behind him, too. What will happen to them now? No time for ceremony --- have to thinkabout that later. Hup Hup, ride!

KarajkoteBy now, the wave of the Wolf-men were discernable behind us. Perhaps a mile or two away? Not more than ahalf-hour lead, if that. Across the stony broken fields, around a corner of a low-bluff, and there it is ---Karajkote (note 93). Not much for size, only 20 rooms or so, but well situated at the top of a grassy knoll. Thewalls are thick, made of good strong river stone, and faced with a mud wattle cover that is hard and smooth ---not something you can climb without ladders, and there are no trees for miles around. There are only rifle slotshigh up in the walls, no windows.

Karajkote is bleak and uninviting, with a few tall round towers in the corners, topped with plain non-descriptdomes. As we near the gates, we notice the doors are hanging on their hinges, open and ajar. What’s happenedhere? No choice but to proceed --- the little expedition pounds up the path and through the gates, weapons atthe ready, but there are no signs of life. A gibbet high on the back wall --- a metal cage where prisoners arestarved to death, adds a macabre touch, with its skeletal remains, but there is no one home. Inside, the ivy-likevines add a bit of greenery to the tall 2 ½ story walls. Several Sowars dismount and do a cursory search, butthere are only 20 or so rooms, and no one there. In the silence, we can hear water trickling into the well, but noother sounds.

SurroundedCapt Edgar confers briefly with Jemadar Swab Gul, and 6 men are detailed to go and see to closing the gate,while another dozen are sent to the walls to watch for the Wolf-men. The rest of the Puffers from the Circle ofHeroes tumble from their saddles, while the balance of the Mounted Rifles do a more thorough search of thelittle walled village. There’s something amiss here. Less that half an hour goes by, and the gate has beenrepaired, and just in time, as the first wave of the Wolf-men arrives in the plains below. They line up, about ahalf-mile away, and the wave of the lashkars sweeps around the open plain. There must be the better part ofthree hundred of them! Yet they aren’t coming forward, just holding back in a great circle, with an almostinaudible low growl of voices. The men fan out on the walls, and man the rifle-slots. The few officers head forthe highest spots. Lt Dharma takes the tallest tower, and he’s the first to spot the bodies.

“Capt Edgar, you better come and look at this!” Dharma calls out in a dead-pan voice. Edgar climbs up theinterior stairs, and pops his head through the top-hatch. “What have we got, Dharma?” he asks. Dharma points,mutely, over the back wall. There, out in the grassy knoll behind the little walled city, is the communalgraveyard. A raised metal frame on which the bodies of the dead are normally wrapped and then burned in theirfuneral pyre. But not this time. A dozen or more rag-doll shapes lie in haphazard manner around the remains ofthe last pyre. “That’s what’s happened to the village” says Dharma, although it isn’t clear what felled them.Some sort of plague? Whatever it was, the Wolf-men know, and they are not in a hurry to come anywherenear.

The Enemy WithinDharma feels the hairs on the back of his neck bristling. They may have escaped from the Wolf-men, but whatterrifying affliction could have struck the whole village down so suddenly? Is there some deadly and silent killerout there that is even more fearsome than the Wolf-men? If we fear the Wolf-men, what is it that the Wolf-menfear, that they are holding back, indecisive, unwilling to come into Karajkote to face?

(To Be Continued … but only if there is anyone still concerned with the fate of our little band of adventurers… )

After Action Report Part XVI --- Ripples on the EtherNot all enemies that we face are necessarily Lashkars of Pathans, although we can often use the same Swordand the Flame mechanics to “solve” the attacks. Whether we are dealing with slip-n-falls, or disease, or acts ofnature (like storms), this sort of “attack” is quite commonly modeled in Modern Solo wargaming (as analternative enemy, where 20 straight Solo “battles” with the same troops might get kinda stale). The point is,Solo TSATF is a fun way to build our own little world --- not better or worse than face-to-face TSATF games,just “different”. And it uses the same TSATF combat-resolution and unit-organizational mechanisms, so webecome that much more comfortable with the rules.

We have to find something to replace the “excitement” of a face-to-face opponent (and lets not forget thosewonderful scenarios at the various conventions!) and in Modern Solo we opt for Variability andUnpredictability (along with building scenes with the card files) to do that. Its actually easy to do --- all weneed is our base rule set, a Narrative Enabling rule set (like Mythic Game Master Emulator) and a bit ofimagination. Part of the reason for this whole epic serial adventure, was to act as a bit of a “lab” to try outdifferent Solo gaming mechanisms, and show how the various bits were done, on a step-by-step basis. So thenext time we can’t get our regular “fix” of going out and playing Sword and Flame, we can actually set up alittle Solo campaign, and give it a whirl.

The other big advantage with Solo campaigns, of course, is that we can pursue them in little slivers of time, 15minutes here, half-an-hour before bed, and so on. With our hectic lifestyles, sometimes that’s the ONLY waywe get to do any gaming. And sometimes, we seem to come full circle --- these mini-episodes have spawned acouple of ideas that are now going into scenarios for future conventions. (Thanks, guys!)

BobSeur D’ArmadilleauxWishing he had a camper (well-stocked with Oreos of course), so he could go to all those other TSATFconventions …

Notes for Barampta Part XVI --- Ripples in the EtherNote 90: Start of a new scene, so we roll the triple Mythic GME percentile dice, and see what the day isoffering to us: 95.16, 80 so that gives NPC Positive, Inquire, and Art. We go to our old friend, the NWFMultiple Path Adventure lists, and pull a card --- the 5 of Diamonds which gives us “Walled Villiage with 20huts” as the next Place to Develop. We look at the Battles column from the same list, and pull: the 10 ofSpades for a “Running Battle” (OK, so I cheated a bit --- there WAS no 10 Spades, and 9 Spades was the lastentry. I could have used that, but had this niggling thought that I’d like to do a running battle, and that wasn’ton the list so far, so that’s what we decided that the invisible ink in spot “10 S” turned up! Add it to the list!).Note 91: What’s that m’boy? Eh!? Speak up! Don’t just dawdle there, blocking my light! Hazoor? Why itmeans “Sir!”. Eh? Duirrani?? That’s a tribe of Pathans. What? Bahadur?! Means “Your excellency” (or nearenough). Where’s the damn Khitmagar with my Chotapeg? (Oh honestly, you REALLY ARE new to “theGrim” --- the Frontier! --- Get the Waiter to fetch me another 2 fingers of whiskey and soda!). Babies! They’resending raw babies out to the Grim! Hardly out of Diapers, so they are. Harrumph!Note 92: We have one Squadron of Punjabi Mounted Rifles, less the one fatality who hit the rock, thedispatched courier and one other dispatched to take care of the extra mounts back at last night’s camp (so 22left including the Capt). Plus the two Lt’s that came to help, and the two bugle boys (makes 4 more).Presumably they left any extraneous help and mules and such there. There are only 8 survivors from the Circleof Heroes, plus Laughland. So that makes 33 men on 26 mounts, heading toward Karajkote.Note 93 We have a look at horses dropping out from the overload. Arbitrarily we decide that we have 1D6 androll a huge 6 --- that’s not good! We check to see if the men on these horses are OK. We decide that there are3 with double-riders and 3 others. We treat them as long-range shots from Jezails, on 3 close order targets (forthe doubles, and we roll 16-miss a 6-hits horse only and a 1-draw 2 cards, 8 Clubs and 4 Diamonds, so both are

only lightly wounded); and 3 on the single-riders for 1 hit, 4 Spades, killed outright.Note 94: This is the start of a new scene, so we roll the Mythic triple-percentile die and get: 76.40.79 forAmbiguous event, Postpone, and Vehicle. What? So some Ambiguous event acts as a Vehicle to Postpone theWolf-men?? Hm. Something like a plague? We go on and pull together a description of Karajkote itself. So wego to the Construction of a Frontier Fort or Strong Point generator, and we get: Wall Construction=6D (MudWattle); Doors=KD (Hanging from Hinges); Windows=5D (Rifle holes); Surrounding Terrain=KD (Highgrassy meadow); Appearance=6H (Bleak); Layout=8H (Strong Vines); Water Supply=3H (Aquaduct); Signsof Life=5H (Calling Someone); Color=JC (River Stones); Surrounding=3C (Broken-field); Towers=10C(round); and Details= 4C (Gibbet). Wow. All starting to fit together. Creepy the way that works, sometimes!Copy the note, strip the comments and paste it below the text.

Barampta on the Sre Mela, Part XVII --- The Unseen Pestilence“Get the hell off the line!” The imperious reply came stinging like bees over the heliograph (note 94).Laughland and Dharma were taken aback, as if they’d been physically slapped, and then they simultaneouslybroke out in hysterical laughter, that had them both doubled up on the floor of the minaret. Hearing the sound,the rest of the little troop of Puffers (the Punjabi Frontier Forces) glanced up at the turret, wondering if the twoSahib-log had taken leave of their senses. But we are getting ahead of ourselves …

Within the Karajkote WallsThe previous afternoon, the little column had joggled into the walled town of Karajkote, a bare 15 minutesbefore the Waziri tribesmen had surrounded the place with some 300 or more wolf-men (note 95). The placewas abandoned, with indications that the villagers had all left abruptly, almost with no warning. Dishes wereleft on the hearth, the meager belongings (bags, tools, a cleaning kit for a Jezail) were still scattered around the20 or so dwellings of the little walled town, but there was absolutely no sign of the populace at large. Dharmafinally spotted the pitiful remains of half a dozen bodies some 50 feet outside of the back wall, near what musthave been the traditional spot for the town’s funeral pyre. No one knew what had happened, but whatever hadstruck the town, it had been sudden and deadly. Some sort of plague? There was no telling. Word goes outamong the men --- don’t eat anything or drink anything, unless you brought it with you!

The front gate had been closed, propped up with whatever beams and boxes were at hand, and the rest of thePuffers manned the walls, awaiting the surge of wolf-men who had followed them. But the great mob of wolf-men must have known something about what befell the town, because they stopped some 300 yards out,spreading into a great crescent on the stony Sre Mela plane, without attempting to close. Angry fists and angrywords punched the air, but it was as if the wolf-men knew the Puffers were facing a more ambiguous butmenacing enemy. Inside the walls, the Puffers tried to calm their fears, taking shallow breaths, as if that wouldprevent inhaling the unseen pestilence.

But Laughland is having none of it. He calls the two bugle boys over and instructs them in no uncertain termsthat they are going to sound off, once every 30 minutes during daylight. Doesn’t matter what nonsense theyblow, but the Wolf-men are to be impressed enough to think there are double their numbers, inside the littlefort. And so it goes. Church call goes out at 4:30. Second Mess sounds at 5:00. The men in the know all smilewhen they hear the non sequitur calls.

The Wolf-man’s Tender Mercies Finally, in the dying sun, one of the Maliks or leaders of the wolfmen wraps the tail of his black Lungri (theturban wrap) across his nose, and approaches, waving a tree branch, the universal sign of parley. Word goesout in a low voice, and every Puffer rifle is assembled looking out over the front wall of the little village. Mayas well try and look impressive, with lots of rifles sticking over the wall. As the wolf-man representativeapproaches, Laughland stumps up the stairs to the parapet near the gate. “Angresi!” the wolf-man cries out.Laughland makes a judicious decision, and saunters into the open, as if he hasn’t a care in the world. Theblack-turbaned leader looks up into the dying sun, squinting to try and make out Laughland’s features.“Angresi!?” he repeats.

Laughland replies in perfect Pushtu, “Chup! Who is it that bleats like a lamb, disturbing me from my supper?”The fluent insult causes the wolf-man to stand up straighter, the anger evident in his stance. “I came to offerthee succor from the ravages of the plague, but thy tongue replies like a mamba to my offer of graciousnessand mercy”.

Laughland gives out a low staged belly-laugh at this, “What possible tender mercies does my Bhai (my brother)the Wolf-man offer, that he needs to disturb our rest? And why does he come with his head wrapped, like aKlifti-wallah, a common thief?” The wolf-man rips his lungri aside, his face suffuses with red, and not becauseof the setting sun. A few seconds pass, while he regains his composure. “Dost thou not know the terribleplague that visited Karajkote? Art thou not afraid of Allah’s vengeance, coming as it will upon the souls of thetrespassers and the unbelievers?”

Laughland doesn’t miss a beat, pitching his voice so that it can be heard by the crescent of wolf-men in thedistance --- “Oh, you mean the plague that only affects the Wolf-men? Those who are reported throughoutWaziristan as being without any honor nor any record of mercy? This plague thee mention has no effect onSahib-log or the men of the Frontier Force. Hast thou heard of one case where the soldiers of the Raj have everfallen to this ambiguous cloud? Nay, brother, they are immune to the scourge of Allah”. Brave words, butbehind his back, Laughland has his fingers crossed.

The wolf-man tries one more time, “We mean no harm, Sahib. We only meant to escort you back to yourcolumn, so that thee might have the benefit of thine own wise Angrezi Hakim, thy mendicant of healing artsand medicines”. This rings hollow even to the wolf-man’s ears, but he has to try to save face. Laughland looksout over the horizon, as if admiring the view, and replies “Nay, brother, we like the clean mountain air, here onthis little knoll. Many thanks for thy kind thought, but methinks we will camp here for a few more days, andrecover our strength, so that we may go hunting for chinkara once more.”

The gauntlet well and truly thrown down, the wolf-man’s eyes turns ugly, as he spins on his heel, throwing thebranch down in frustration, and tromps back to the crescent of the wolf-man campfires in the gathering gloom.The die is cast. The hated Angresi cannot be tricked out of the pestilential town (note 96). The quavering wailof a Waziri flute raises up among the wolf-man’s camp fires. Laughland recognizes the tune --- it’s the one thattells the tale of the slaughter of the column retreating from Kabul, at the end of the first Afghan War. It’s goingto be a long night.

Late that night the silent alarm goes out --- Jemadar Afzul has heard something out back in the graveyard, anda dozen Puffers man the parapet. There is a half-hearted attempt to rush the south wall, and a dozen Snyder’sgive their characteristic bark! Screams, cries of pain, and the unseen menace shuffles off into the darkness.Stand down. They won’t be back tonight.

Jalad Khan Goes Over the WallDawn breaks clear and cold. Jemadar Afzul is up in the tallest minaret, keeping watch while he’s poking in thebottom of his tobacco pouch, a habit he’s picked up from the Sahib-log. He tamps the tobacco into the long-stemmed pipe, looks out towards the wolf-men lines, and stiffens. What’s that!? Through the dawn mist, hesees there’s someone staked to a post! The Puffer uniform is unmistakable, although with his head hangingdown, it isn’t clear just who it is. With a low curse, Afzul is off down the tower stairs at the half-run, to do acheck on the remaining men, to see who the idiot is, out there beyond the walls. Doesn’t take long to realizethat it’s Sowar Jalad Khan that’s missing. Bloody fool --- what got into him? A quick questioning of his mates,and the truth comes out --- he ran out of water for his horse, and tried to slip over the back wall to find astream! “Stupid stupid man!” thinks Afzul. “Why if he was here right now, he’d be put on permanent latrineduty!” With a fierce scowl he goes to find Lt Dharma to report in.

Shiny PrismsMeanwhile, Dharma and Laughland have been scouring the little fort, looking for anything shiny. They settleon a pewter mug, and an old brass shield. Laughland starts madly polishing the bottom of the mug, whileDharma does his best to recover the luster on the old shield. Sand, rough cloth, a bit of spit, and lots of elbowgrease. “D’you think this is going to work?” asks Dharma. Laughland gives him a sour look, as if to say, “Whydo you think we’re trying, you bone head”. They keep on polishing. Laughland collects the other bits they’vefound --- a couple of pieces of leather rope, a 3 foot long board from a door, some nails and a rock to act as acrude hammer. They’re just about to leave, when Afzul comes in and gives them the news.

The three are off at the trot, up the long winding staircase, to the top of the tower. Sure enough, there’s thebody on the post. Laughland curses half under his breath. “Stupid idiot! There’s absolutely nothing we can doto help”. A couple of minutes of frustrated inaction, and Laughland turns to the task at hand. First, the nail istapped into the end of the board, with the head still 3 inches upright, acting like a gun-sight. Next, the pewtermug gets strapped to the other end of the board. Dharma holds the shield beside the sighting nail, to reflect thesun’s rays onto the bottom of the pewter mug. Its crude, but now they have a sort of Heliotrope (a fixed-mirrorearlier version of the heliograph). Laughland hauls out his compass, takes a sighting, and they line up for thefirst try.

Laughland uses his hat as the slat to block the transmission of the light. R…T…R, wait for a space, R…T…R.(Ready to Receive). Nothing. Slight shift to the left, and try again. Nothing. A few more frustrating tries, andsuddenly, there is a flash on the horizon! Laughland grabs the binoculars from Afzul, and strains to make it out!Q…R…U Yes! Its shorthand from the signals crew asking who they are! (note 97). A wicked gleam pops intoLaughland’s eye, as he laboriously starts to code out the answer: “Oh Lizzy, Dear, did you forgot me?” Not 5seconds after Laughland stops, back comes the snappy curt reply, “Get the hell off the line!”

Afzul can’t quite make out what’s happened to the two Sahib-logs, and he ducks in self-preservation, in casethere is a sniper or something. They are rolling around the floor, holding their sides, as if they’ve been shot, butthey are laughing. Whatever it is, Afzul figures they aren’t under attack from the wolf-men, so he settles downand waits for the Ferenghi to recover their senses. Sometimes Sahib-logs are touched by the sun.

Thirty minutes of laborious coding on Laughland’s part, and the situation becomes a little clearer. They aretalking to the signals crew in the elevated crows nest back at main camp (a portable tower, some 15 feet high,that accommodates 3 men at the top --- the signaler, the sighting scope, and the codes officer). Laughlandmade the situation clear, and asked for a reply, to which came the shorthand for “Technical Difficulty”, thesignals crew code for Commander and staff couldn’t make up their mind. Stand by. And some 30 minutes lateragain, the note that Mixed Relief Column Dispatched. Ah, good. The Colonel and crew had made up theircollective minds, and decided to retrieve their wayward sons. Now it was just a matter of holding out for awhile. Easier said than done, sometimes.

The Sword of AllahThe first of the men to fall sick was Bugler Jimmy-the-Grote (note 98). His forehead was shinny as a newpenny with sweat, and Bugler Ewan had to take over his duties. There was really nothing much that anyonecould do, other than segregate the sick, and try and make them comfortable. In short order, another 6 mencame down with the same symptoms --- high fever, shakes, near-coma. The worst of the lot was Capt EdgarHollis, who had been wiping the sweat from young Jimmy-the-Grote’s brow. When he hadn’t been seen for abit, someone went looking for him, and found the Captain slumped over Jimmy-the-Grote, both of them quiteunconscious. That meant that Laughland was now the ranking officer in charge.

Dharma had one of the Sepoys boil the water from the well inside the walled town, and while he wouldn’t letany of the active men drink from this source, at least it gave some relief to the sick men. Dharma figured therewas little more that they could contract, from drinking that boiled water.

Capt Hollis never came out of his coma, and passed away sometime that night. They wrapped his remains in athin gray blanket, and placed it against the back wall of the compound. They had started out with 31 effectives,and now were down to 24. How much longer could they hold out?

Stay tuned for the denouement --- assuming you’re still concerned

After Action Report, Barampta Part XVII --- The Unseen Pestilence

Well, I set out with two vague ideas I wanted to pursue --- the pestilence angle and the heliograph angle.Heliographs popped up because my friend Robin emailed me this week with a picture of a fabulously paintedColonial Helio crew, castings from Peter Pig done in 15mm. And on-line research into the Heliographs lead toMorse Code research, and Morse Code short-hand (Q-talk), all quite interesting and time absorbing. Youcouldn’t meander off into all these side-bar things during a normal Face-to-face game, but during a ModernSolo game, the red-herrings are all just part of the fun. (Let me hasten to add that Solo isn’t better or worsethan Face-to-face; just “different”)

The pestilence is handled just like a Sword and Flame battle, but the bugs take the place of the warbands. Samerule set, different protagonist. We risk the lives of all our favorite characters, each time they get thrown intobattle. Never know if today Dharma’s turn is up, or “only” Capt Hollis’s turn. And the twists and turns thatMythic GME adds to the storyline are equally unforeseen.

The various card-drawn lists keep the story quite grounded. They add detail and spice to the wickerwork, butthat detail is (in a sense) pre-vetted to be within the realms of the probable, for the North West Frontier.

The actual battle itself took about 30 minutes, tops. The first pass at the write up (done on the fly, as the actiontakes place) was about another hour. The research on the Helio and Morse and Pestilence in general tookanother 2 hours. Final polish on this episode was fairly quick, at about an hour. So 4 ½ hours spread over alazy Sunday. Bliss.

All time enjoyably spent. Hope that it still holds your interest too. Modern Solo is an intensely personalexperience, loaded as it is, with names that mean something to me (people I know, some thinly veiled, somejust characters from favorite books I’ve read). Never quite sure if the same resonance extends to other readers,but I hope so.

BobSeur D’Armadilleaux

Basking in the late October sun, shining into his Fur-lined Foxhole, Diet Oreo in one hand, Tea and crumpetsby the other. Life is grand.

Notes for Part XVII:Note 94: Senator Barry Goldwater’s father answered the first unofficial Army telegraph transmission, cominginto the Phoenix Arizona around 1922, and received this infamous reply. As late as 1922 the US Army stillpracticed with a Heliograph station on 12,000 ft Navaho Mountain in Arizona. This is the start of a new scene,so we roll the Mythic triple percentile die, and we get: 80.73.71 which translates as Ambiguous event, Propose,and A Representative. There are no doubles, so the scene procedes as planned. The Heliograph replaced theearlier Heliostat (with a fixed mirror) and as used on the NWF came in a couple of sizes, and the smaller 7 inchmirror could reach out some 30 miles with the naked eye, and 50 miles under good conditions with somebinoculars, while the larger 14 inch model could punch up to 90 miles on a good day (see HowardWhitehouse’s Battle in Africa, Page 17). The record (mountain top to mountain top) was 183 miles, accordingto Wikepedia.Note 95 Worth repeating, that one of the Colonels had said the Afridi were like rangy mountain lions, but theWaziri were like a pack of wolves, and more dangerous because of that.Note 96: Time to develop the scene a little. We go to one of the older NWF Event Generator lists, simplybecause we haven’t used it for a while. We pull a 2 Hearts (“Smitty spots something”, but we need a Puffername instead of Smitty); 4 Hearts (Gunga Din defects); 4 Diamonds (Found clean water spring); 6 spades (heara native flute). Then we go to the NWF Multiple Path Adventure list, where we get 9H (small watchtower onthe heights); KS (Tobacco pouch). We still feel like adding something to the mix, so we go to the newexperimental Mythic Sounds and Smells and get: 49.40.80 for Behind us, Alarm, and Prisoner Stocks (80actually exceeds the last entry of the list, so we go back and use item 67 where we last left off). OK, that’senough --- copy this note and plug it into the text.Note 97: Although the full Q code wasn’t developed until after 1900, there were various shorthand versionsused in the field, such as this one QRU for Question Are You, or who are you?Note 98: We did the pestilential attack just like we’d have done any other TSATF fight, except Push-backs orwounded were sick, and deaths from fighting correspond to deaths from the plague. We aren’t going to detailthe whole lot here, just report as it impacts the story line.