After action report

Our latest skirmish took place on Mars in the rough deserts several days ride from the city of Syrtis Major, the capital of Englands Martian colony. A band of Martian hill bandits have captured the Governor's niece to hold for ransom. Headed back to their village in a stolen flyer, they are shot down by a band of Thark warriors also intent upon securing the woman. The tharks mean to kill her to avenge the deaths of their own int the on going war with the earth men.

A royal intelligence officer on a secret mission is also aware of the kidnapping and is making chase across the desert with his own loyal thark warriors and a small band of native miltia. They hope to cut the bandits off before they get into the deep desert and make their escape.

Alerted to the abduction by heliograph, a young lieutenant of her majesty's reconnaiscence forces is also making chase with a small squad of riflemen and a steam powered coach. The hillmen have gone to ground in a natural fortress in desert and are most likely awaiting reinforcements or rescue from the own tribesmen.

Dramatis Personae

Miss Gloria Cavendish
Niece to the Governor of Her Majesty’s martian colonial city state Syrtis Major

Chief Ourn
Leader of a small band of Red Martian hill bandits

Captain Stanley Doffish
Doffish is a secret liaison officer between Syrtis City and several renegade green tribes

Lt Nigel Bunburghie

Pad Parthas
Jamedar in the Syrtis Major Native Militia

Tars Batarkas
Jed of the Wind Valley tharks

The battle

The red martians are occupying the rock formation in the center. Captain Doffish and his loyal tharks have engaged the red men in melee. The native militia is moving up on the left, and the british recon group is in the upper right. Hidden by the rock formation are the forces of Tars Batarkas, who are trading volleys with the recon troops across the top of the board. Batarkas himself and two of his men are charging into the melee as well. Fighting through to the woman Bartakas, gets there first and manages to strike the young lady with his sword before she can get a shot off with the hussar's pistol she had secreted in her walking skirt. Thinking her dead, Captain Doffish charges Batarkas and his men. Doffish kills one of the tharks and his men account for another. Batarkas fless with the body of the girl, right into a crossfire from the native troops and English recon force, who have just finished off the major portion of Batarkas' band. Rushing to what he assumes is the dead girl, Doffish finds she still lives and was only knocked breathless, her whalebone stays having taken the brunt of the damage from Batarkas' sword blow.

Photos from the battle:

Here's a long shot of the table. Great terrain provided by the store where we run our Friday night games. We're well into the battle by now.

Native militia troops form a firing line to take the enemy green men in the flank.

Loyal Tharks overrun the hillmen's position.

Proud members of her majety's reconnaiscence forces fire into the charging tharks of Tars Batarkas.

Seeing Miss Cavendish struck to the ground is more than this Englishman can stand.