Zulu War: Rorke's Drift 22- 23 January 1879, Turn 23 - Conclusion

 Turn 23

3 combats are conducted during the British turn. On the left the Zulu assault on the redoubt is inconclusive and will continue.

Immediately to the right of that combat the British section successfully repels a warband but has left it shaken.

Bad news for the British on the right which saw the destruction of Dalton's section. Dalton himself narrowly escaped and has joined the section at the foot of the redoubt. The victorious Zulu warband is both shaken and disordered preventing any further progress. 

The hospital is engulfed in flames but with all occupants having evacuated there were no casualties.

Continued -

During the Zulu turn fresh attacks are launched.

The morale failed on the warband that had destroyed Dalton's section giving the garrison a brief respite in the middle of the photo. Elsewhere it was getting pretty desperate!

On the right, Bromhead joined a section receiving a warband that had crossed the biscuit box barricade. The attack was thrown back. 

Particularly successful was a neighbouring section at the box barricade who destroyed the warband to the front leading to the loss also of its supporting warband.

Another British section is destroyed at the front wall with the triumphant warband piling into the 3 Commissariat men now joined by Dalton (middle of photo).

The presence of their inspirational Sergeant bolstered the Commissariat troops and they comprehensively destroyed the warband.

Lt Addendorf clambered into the reboubt to reinforce the struggling defenders. They won the combat but did not succeed in repelling the stubborn Zulu attackers.

On the left a fresh Zulu attack was launched on the shaken British section but was successfully held.

An overview at the end of the turn with the Garrison situation looking increasingly dire.

Losses this turn: Zulus 60, British 12. Running total: Zulus 1,620, British 80.5

Turn 24

During the British turn, the biscuit box barricade sections fell back on the redoubt forming a double firing line. 

Those who have seen the film will recall the final action scene where the British fire volleys by rank in succession to leave a pile of Zulu bodies in front of them. This will not be dissimilar apart from the fact that they have suffered much greater casualties and therefore heavily reduced firepower. I have created a rule to allow both ranks to fire but only the first rank for closing fire with the second rank acting as support in combat.

One warband has been destroyed by that firepower and another forced back. The combat for the redoubt has been concluded with the defenders destroying the attacking warband.

It has not been good news though for the British (middle-left of photo). A section that had been battling it out with Zulus that had crossed the front wall was destroyed. The warband made a sweeping charge into the 3 men of the Commissariat and Dalton which can be seen in the photo. Dalton's men succeeded in halting the charge but the combat will continue.

During the Zulu turn more charges have been made including on the redoubt. 

Surgeon Reynolds and his hospital orderlies (next to the stores building) excelled themselves shooting down a warband that had charged them.

Another warband was destroyed by Bromhead's section on the right. 

The Commissariat men were not so lucky. They were destroyed but Dalton escaped albeit having sustained a wound.

The scene at the end of the turn. The occupants of the stores building have been ordered out to join the rest of the garrison and they can just about be seen on the stores veranda. One occupant has remained. The Royal Engineer has remained in the small room on the left to take potshots at the approaching Zulus and to man the only door on that side of the building.

An overview at the end of the turn.

Losses this turn: Zulus 100, British 9. Running total: Zulus 1,720, British 89.5

Turn 25

An overview at the start of the British turn.

Sgt Dalton leads a section in a charge on the warband that was threatening the flank of the British line. The section on the redoubt destroyed the warband assaulting them while the remaining units pours fire into approaching fresh warbands.

Dalton is successful and the Zulu warband is driven back. They prepare to receive the next charge. In the left of the photo the Ferryman Daniels and the Chaplain emerge to support Surgeon Reynolds and the hospital orderlies.

An overview of the Zulu turn as they swarm the shrinking line of the garrison.

Zooming in on the massed attacks.

Mixed results for the British. Taking the combats in turn from the right and moving clockwise:

Bromhead with a section destroys outright an attacking warband.

In the middle left, disaster for Dalton! Both he and his section are killed.

The redoubt has thrown back their attackers with no loss.

At the top of the photo the hospital orderlies put up a spirited defence but they are not as skilled as the line infantry. They succeed in causing their attackers to become shaken and disordered but in the process they are killed along with Surgeon Reynolds.

Losses this turn: Zulus 60, British 11. Running total: Zulus 1,780, British 100.5

It is now virtually over for the British. The next target will be to inflict 2,500 casualties on the Zulus before they are wiped out. An almost impossible target. I will nevertheless play it out and see what happens!

Turn 26

The single soldier of the Royal Engineers has barricaded the door as best as he was able (top left of photo) and joined Daniels and the Chaplain in what felt like a last ditch defence between the stores building and the redoubt. They poured fire into the nearest Zulus inflicting casualties.

The 4 patients of the 1/24th have taken up position behind Sgt Mabin and his section on the left. The double rank of British infantry pour volleys into the nearest Zulus and succeed in destroying one warband.

Lt Bromhead has joined Addendorf in the redoubt to oversee the defence.

All British troops find themselves in combats during the Zulu turn. In the middle of the photo, the 4 men of the 1/24th fight the Zulus to the flank.

The turn proves to be reasonably successful for the garrison. On the left the Engineer and his new companions fire off highly effective closing fire forcing an attacking Zulu warband to retreat shaken.

The redoubt defenders destroy their attacking warband with ease.

On the right, Mabin's section destroy a warband while their supporting men from the 1/24th struggle against a flanking warband but succeed in holding them.

Sgt Bourne's section at the top of the photo is embroiled in a tightly fought contest which will continue for another turn.  

Losses this turn: Zulus 60, British 0. Running total: Zulus 1,840, British 100.5 (33 remaining).

Turn 27

During the British turn they successfully fought off most of the attacks with only the 4 men of the 1/24th struggling (middle right).

Any respite is short-lived as the Zulus once again swarm the defenders. 

Alarm within the sections defending the biscuit box barricade side of the redoubt when Zulus appear within the stores veranda attacking their left flank. That can only mean one thing. They have overrun and killed Ferryman Daniels, the Chaplain and the Royal Engineer.

2 Zulu warbands have been destroyed in combats but several continue.

Losses this turn: Zulus 40, British 3. Running total: Zulus 1,880, British 103.5 (30 remaining).

Turn 28

During the British turn all attacks are beaten off allowing a brief period to reorganise their defence. One section took up the position previously held by the 2 civilians and the engineer. The rest attempted to cover as much of the redoubt as possible.

All sections became involved in combats apart from Sgt Bourne's who held off their attackers through effective fire.

All survived although the 4 patients of the 1/24th were naturally struggling the most (middle of photo).

Losses this turn: Zulus 80, British 0. Running total: Zulus 1,960, British 103.5 (30 remaining).

Turn 29

The increasingly battered British line reeled under another attack. The 4 men of the 1/24th finally succumbed after putting up a creditable performance under the circumstances. 

The section holding the stores side of the redoubt were defeated in combat but succeeding in holding the attack.

Sad news for the British. Bourne's section on the right destroyed their attackers but came at a heavy cost. Bourne himself, already injured, was killed in combat. The British were now resigned to the fact that they were not going to survive this but would go down fighting.

Losses this turn: Zulus 60, British 3. Running total: Zulus 2,020, British 106.5 (27 remaining).

Turn 30

Zulus immediately renew the attack.

The section holding the area around the stores lose their fight and are all killed.

What had been Bourne's section has also been destroyed with the victorious warband charging Mabin's section.

Mabin gets his revenge destroying the Zulus while the redoubt defenders hold another attack.

Losses this turn: Zulus 40, British 12. Running total: Zulus 2,060, British 118.5 (15 remaining).

Turn 31

The dire situation for what is left of the garrison during the British turn.

Both surviving sections are attacked on 2 fronts splitting their fire combat ability.

An overview of their gallant last stand.

Sgt Mabin and his section are wiped out just leaving the 8 men in the redoubt. This consist of a section of the 2/24th, a lightly wounded Lt Bromhead, and a more seriously wounded Lt Addendorf (shaken). A small crumb of comfort when they destroyed 2 warbands attacking the redoubt.

Losses this turn: Zulus 80, British 7. Running total: Zulus 2,140, British 125.5 (8 remaining).

Turn 32

The last of the garrison fires into the great mass of Zulus causing some casualties but failing to destroy any warbands.

Zulus attack from all directions. The 8 defenders are now reduced to 2 fighting each of the 4 attacks. 

A warband is destroyed and another fails to rally but the defenders are reduced yet again by the loss of Lt Addendorf. The other 3 combats will continue with the defenders now in a shaken and disordered state. 

Losses this turn: Zulus 40, British 1. Running total: Zulus 2,180, British 126.5 (7 remaining).

Turn 33

The defenders were determined to go down fighting and 2 more warbands were destroyed in combat.

It was not enough though as sheer numbers proved too much overwhelming the last of the British. Lt Bromhead was the last to fall signalling the end of the Rorkes Drift garrison.

Losses this turn: Zulus 40, British 7. Running total: Zulus 2,220, British 133.5.

A Zulu victory but at significant cost with casualties amounting to half their force. 

The rule amendments appeared to work well allowing for a tightly fought game. On several occasions it could have gone either way. There is something to be said for using single casualty removal rules when playing Rorkes Drift but this demonstrated the flexibility of Black Powder. They will remain my rules of choice for future Zulu Wars games and very probably using the same or similar unit sizes.