Saturday, November 6, 2010

Chapter 42: Mountain Pass and Valley

Date: November 6, 1899
Situation: Rescue Party Two Days Later
Location: High Mountain Pass And Valley Below
Quiet Now.  Look to Your Front
And Double Click Your Images

Mountain Pass Two Days From The Imperial Camp
The summit. Look closely in the right center distance for activity. See 'em?

That's Sgt. Davies and two of his 10th Hussars scouting around the corner.

More join them.
Private Thornton: "All clear Sergeant."
Sgt. Davies: "Right. Bring the column forward."

The Rescue Column rides around the bend hugging the side of the  mountain to avoid the dangerous drop to their left. Up ahead....

Two natives appear. One raises his arm in greeting.
Native: "Ram-ram, bhai." (Hello brother)."
Privates Thornton and Jones ride forward to investigate followed by....

Sgt. Davies: "Wot's this, THEN?"
Native: "My name is Aacharappan from the poor village of Bhouratabad."
Davies: "Out for a stroll?"
Aacharappan: "No bhai. My malik (headman) sent us to beg of the Barra-Sahib (great man) Pettygree for help. KHAN destroyed our village not five days ago."
Davies: "Did he have British captives with 'im?"
Aacharappan: "Yes."

Village Of Bhouratabad In The Valley Below
Captain Gill ordered The Column to Bhouratabad to see what KHAN had wrought. His pursuit will hopefully rescue the prisoners - the object of his mission. Sergeant Davies is across the river approaching the village.

While Captain Gill (left) and Lt. Caddy RE (right) observe from high ground.

Sergeant Davies is greeted enthusiastically by a villager. All appears correct. Thus....

The Column is ordered to the village. Officers speak to the headman.

The destroyed village and The Rescue Column. Why did KHAN do this?

Move OUT!   There's Not A Moment To Lose! 
Blast That KHAN!
The Imperials moves out an hour later. Village survivors watch them leave. Some....
Accompany the Imperials as guides and methinks more.


Good luck men!
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While Elsewhere

Others move silently through a forest -- we know not where or why. 

Officer: "Bring our guest forward, Vladimir."
Trooper: "Da Colonel."

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CLOSING REMARKS
1. Miniature Building Authority structures often may be dismantled as shown.
2. 10th Hussars artfully painted by John Preece.
3. Natives skillfully painted by Reinforcements By Post (not the pink-turbaned chap.)
4. Native language taken from Flashman In The Great Game by George MacDonald Fraser, 1989 edition.
5. Comments as always welcome below. Click on Comments, if you please.
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9 comments:

Conrad Kinch said...

I must confess "Quiet now, look to your front and double click your images" had me laughing out loud in the pub.

Dan said...

I recently found your blog and read through your adventures in several days. I very much enjoy the pictures and story you've created. However, my favorite part is your use of scenary and terrain it add so much of an immersive feel to your story. Im looking forward to futher develpments!

Bluebear Jeff said...

I suspect that those Russians had vile Stagonian ancestors.

At least the Japanese will destroy the Russian fleets within a half-dozen years.

Wonderful images (as always), sir.


-- Jeff

Paul´s Bods said...

Brilliant Brilliant !!!
This is right up my street :-)
A continuing story with colonial types..excellent. I tried something like this, but itt was only small episode in the Life of Major brashford and Lt. Tompkins...
This I shall watch with great interest..
Cheers
Paul

Furt said...

Excellent as ever. Nice scenes.

Frank
http://adventuresinlead.blogspot.com/

Steve Gill said...

I'm running out of superlatives I think, as once again I find myself delighted by the terrain and figures and absorbed in the story.

Thank you Bill for another fine instalment.

Steve-the-Wargamer said...

Brilliant stuff, Bill... each episode is much appreciated in this quarter of wargaming land...

Prinz Geoffrey said...

Great job.

Anonymous said...

Squibzy says: You never fail to entertain and illuminate, good Sir!
I read a forum-comment from some young cad that he thought the lack of scenic bases on some troops a poor thing... Not at all! Follow the tale, enjoy the scenery, feel the suspense growing inside your stomach, imagine the probabilities & outcomes... Superb, Bill, as always!