Sunday, April 22, 2012

First Hunt

Following the departure of the Jutlander’s, from their base in Dakkla leaving the field open for the Mitteland troops due to arrive in about six weeks, Princess Louise Marie, Sofia, Gertrude, and Helena leave for their first hunt with Percy Quartermain. Quartermain leads the group towards an established camp for the hunt tomorrow.



The lead tracker halts to column to avoid a small herd of elephants.

The following morning a small group lead by the tracker and Quartermain head into the bush to bag game for the troops. Unknown to the group a pride of lions sees them moving through the bush and being hungry they move to hunt the hunters.


Unaware of quickly approaching trouble Quartermain’s group advances and three of the pride attack from the bush. Caught unaware the tracker freezes, the lionesses get closer. Quartermain does not react, Sofia next to Louise fires and misses, Louise freezes, Gertrude behind Sofia steps to the left and fires past Sofia hitting one lioness in the foreleg, she fires again and hit’s the rear leg tumbling the lioness to the ground. Unfortunately, the other lioness leaps and hits the tracker in the chest and bites down on his head and begins to drag him in the brush.

 
The big male closes with Quartermain’s number two who does react and fires one barrel and misses. His finger squeezes the trigger again and hits the male right in the chest just as he reaches his springing point.
Two more lionesses charge from the brush toward Sofia, she reacts and fires two shots hitting both, but only killing one and grazing the other. The gun bearer fires and misses with both barrels. Gertrude fires again and hits the wounded lioness killing her with a head shot.

Finally reacting Quartermain fires at the lioness dragging his tracker into the brush, killing it. He rushes to the tracker but it’s too late and he dispatches the wounded lioness.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Jutlander's Depart

"Well, Princess there goes the Jutlander's Konig Christian IV with the King's Highlanders."
"Those bagpipes sounds like someone is killing cats"
"Cute dresses they wear."
"I don't want to be around if you say that to there faces."
"They must have received cablegram informing them of the fleet's anchoring in Kafia Bay.  That means the diplomats will be handing the Jutlander's the formal papers of exchange.  The river boats should get to Kaffia about the same time the fleet arrives here, three weeks?"
"Ja."


"Here comes Konig Frederick VII, married a Mecklenburg didn't he?"
"Ja, und that is the 2nd Battalion King's Rangers, along with their wounded from battle near Kasba."
"Where are their cavalry?"
"They left yesterday morning following the Dakkla River up to Effendi, where they will embark on the Dronninge Charlotte coming from Sodiri."


"Princess it is time to leave for the hunt!"
"The pack mules are ready to go and we will pick up the porters at the first village to the north."


Next time, this weekend, the hunt begins.

Note:
The riverboat is scratch built from balsa and a Lindburgh riverboat kit.  The highlanders are Scruby (now Historifigs) 30mm British Colonial; the King's Rangers are Space 1889 (Rafm) figs, the princess and her companions are Brigade Game figs; the wounded are from Tradition; and the pack mules are from Tiger Miniatures.