It was a barmy night when we unloaded our equipment onto the filthy, mosquito ridden docks of Nokando. Here to meet us for the first time, complete with batman, was our brand new commanding officer Major Reginald Frothchild the Third.

The town of Nokando

Born with the proverbial silver spoon, the only military training he had was pushing his toy soldiers around playing that new-fangled game “Little Wars” bought to prominence by the famous author HG Wells.

Why was it always us “Colonials” who had to break in these adventure seeking rich kids who had no knowledge of the local dangers or customs and even less about soldiering?

Our task was to rid the local town of a small group of bandits who were terrifying the local inhabitants and bringing the dock trade to a standstill. The vast tomb complexes and associated cemeteries were a great source of mummies and naptha essential for the production of the “mummia” powder used in the more fashionable London medical clinics.

Rumour had it that the bandits were being funded by “the Hun” who was trying to deny the Empire of this lucrative if somewhat ineffective commodity.

The trade was to be protected at any cost.

How were we ever going to succeed when we were being led by Major Reginald Frothchild the Third…………………..and so it began the game was afoot.”

The bandits were being used by Andrew W. and consisted of 3 groups of five unenthusiastic bandits, 2 experienced Lewis gun teams and a veteran German officer.

The Australians consisted of the “green” Major Frothchild, 2 ten man veteran sections, a veteran Vickers Heavy machine gun, the veteran “pommy” medic, Jack Fitzpatrick and his donkey.

The author commanded the “Curse of Nokando” which will be revealed later on.

The F.U.B.A.R. 20^th century rules with the casualty supplement were being used with both sides being armed with standard rifles and pistols. The Lewis guns counted as MMG’s and the Vickers as a HMG.

As the town of NoKando was a teeming metropolis the streets were full of civilians, and traders going about their day-to-day business. Special rules were introduced to add complexity to the both players. When shooting at your opponent with civilians in line of sight, any misses had to be rolled as shots against the civilians. The quality difference in the troops meant that the Australians were less likely to miss, but more likely that any misses would result in a civilian casualty whereas the bandits were likely to miss both.

Any civilian casualties were treated as a victory point for the bandits!!! The rationale was that if the bandits inflicted any civilian casualties it just gave them any easy target to rob whereas the “Empire” troops did not want to appear on the front page of the “Times” for “shooting up the natives”.

The Australians won the initiative for the first turn (and for most of the others it should be said) and moved as quickly as possible running across the table. Major Frothchild was sent to interrogate the owners of the local tea house, because unlike the bandits his troops actually fought better without him.

The only bandits to move were those being led by “Fritz”, and the Lewis gunners who were moving into position to shoot at the advancing Australians. When the Australians took up a position on the roof of a local mosque the bandits opened up. Although not successful they wounded “Sharma the Snake Charmer”. Instantly the earth began to rumble as the “Curse of Nokando” reared up to protect its owner.

Quickly a message was sent to Major Reginald Frothchild the Third that a trophy befitting his stately manor house was there for the taking. Sprinting towards “the Curse”, pistol in hand, the clumsy Major tripped and fell with the massive cobra rearing and weaving its huge head over the top of him.

The author rolled for the cobra’s four attacks and with three sixes, each an instant kill in their own right, the Colonials no longer had to worry about the “Major”.

The Colonials returned the fire of the Bandit Lewis gun killing the crew, but to their amazement the “Curse of Nokando” slithered with extreme speed toward them.

Before they could regain their senses the curse attacked, but being more adept on their feet than the Major they were able to avoid the weaving and lunging head.

The bandits had now moved into the “Old Fort” which provided excellent fields of fire on the advancing Aussies, but several turns shooting from their Lewis gun in the tower and the group on the parapet had no effect.

Despite realising that it was their shooting that was causing the “Curse of Nokando” to attack the Australians continued shooting at the fort gradually wearing down those on the wall. The “Curse” attacked again this time bringing down another victim.

The bandits decided to charge the Australians moving through the Bazaar with first one unit and then a second, but the brave Aussies held on despite being heavily suppressed.

A few turns later the hand to hand combat was still going on with the Aussies finally destroying their opponents, but not before the “Curse” brought down two more victims. When “Fritz” fell soon after the bandits were finally destroyed with only a Lewis gun team surviving.

All that was left was to count the cost.

The result was a minor victory to the Bandits with 14 victory points, the “Colonials” on 13 with the “Curse of Nokando” proving the decider with 4 victory points, all from the Australians.

Another great game that proves the system is robust across a number of periods.