The Battle of Partoum! or Return of the Cephlipods.

Saturday the gang gathered for our Quarterly Martian Empires bash. Well it's suppose to be quarterly but sometimes life and other interests get in the way. I did manage to paint a new Cephlipod army, the old one is now in Indiana with Dan, and a few new large rock formations and a new ruin, actually designated for an eventual Egyptian Campaign.
 So the scenario called for a coalition of 2 Cephlipod, 2 Green tribe and an Imperial Martian command, besieging a German outpost. 6500 points.
 Three Earth forces, 2 British and one German, were on their way to save the day. 4500points
 von Redd was saddled with  holding out against overwhelming forces, a responsibility that he took with great humor! 1500 points
There was also a chance that a gunboat may arrive down the canal in time to support the besieged force. von Redd was to roll a die every turn, when the total of the pips reached 20 the ship would appear.
Sadly the gunboat appeared on the last turn after von Redd's demise. 
The colonial forces fought hard but barely made half way to the old fort. In hindsight, the defending force should have had more points or the gunboat at start.

Out of the Desert, the Hoodin!

So it was finally time for our first big battle of 2012. And with the release of  the John Carter movie, it was decided that we just had to have all the Green Tribesmen on the table. Unbeknownst to me, there had been a lot of Greenmen being painted recently. In fact so many showed up that I declared that there had to be some great leader on the scene. That's when Dan showed me his Green tribesman in the Hat and Suit. Well, obviously a great leader trained in the ways of the Earthmen and determined to lead his people to greatness and loot. The Hoo-din!

Out of the desert came the great host threatening one of the key religious shrines of the red martians. Decades of offerings sat ready to pillage. Just had that 'new' canal to cross.
Guarding that holy shrine was the Despot! "Always me" he moaned as opened up his coffers to call in the Irish Legion. Smythe seems to also have appeared, with British funds? And a local Jeddak sent a small mobile force of gaurdsmen.

A view from the North (shrine area) You can see the Despot's forces and the Legion arriving. Smythe takes the right.

Lone gun towers guard the far side of the canal, while the troops take up positions on the canal.

One from the South (desert tribe area) The Tribes gather!

Before the battle can even begin, the left flank of the Despot's is hit by a flanking tribe of Hendoons! The thunder of cavalry charging!

The fight on the flank is well matched on goes on for several turns while both forces rush to the canal.
The constant groan of bad command rolls is universal!
Views of the battle as it takes shape.

The tribes have begun to assault the towers and threaten the bridges.

The Despot desperately defends the bridge while Smythe prepares his gun line and defense.

Smythe settles into position calmly. "No worries here" he thinks "We'll have this lot beaten and running in no time. Probably won't even need those Native nobles or that Irish rabble." But then his Martian steed suddenly bucks as a great noise is heard over the battlefield.
"ULLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"
"They've allied with the Devil Himself!"
The Hoodin has many allies.

 The Cephlipods march quickly and begin to spray the field with black smoke.

  A frightening sight as the alien machines approach the canal.

The Legion and Martian Guard rush to hold the line as the Despot begins to collapse.

As all fire is concentrated on the Cephlipods, the Green Tribal cav pours across the canal and relentlessly smashes into Smythe!

Before all is completely lost the Despot calls for a withdraw.
The Hoodin is across the canal!
More to come