21 October 1899 - Turn 4

Intelligence

News of Yule's defeat at Glencoe has reached White in Ladysmith where it has caused much consternation both there and around the world. At the same time a rumour has arrived that the enemy have occupied Harrismith.

Orders

White orders Penn Symons to send French's brigade north to make contact with Yule and help him to extract his force from Dundee and fall back to either Ladysmith or Helpmakaar depending on the dispositions and intent of the enemy. White fails his command die roll (I'm now only testing when orders are sent and not when receiving them) so the movement does not occur this turn.

White orders Colonel Chisholm to take the Imperial Light Horse from Ladysmith along the line of the railway towards Harrismith to reconnoitre for the enemy.

Yule decides that he should retreat through the Biggarsberg Mountain pass to circumvent Joubert's force at Glencoe. 

Joubert orders Kock to probe south towards Wessels Nek where he will be in a position to intercept any movement of British troops from Helpmakaar towards Ladysmith.

Movement

Yule moves 2 hexes but is stopped at hex 1506

King moves 2 hexes to Wessels Nek

Chisholm moves 1 hex to hex 0909

Kock moves 2 hexes to Wessels Nek

De Wet moves 3 hexes to Harrismith

The situation at the end of turn 4

There are two contacts this turn, the first is between Yule and Meyer at hex 1506. These are the options:

1 = Yule is alerted that Meyer's force is blocking the mountain pass and retires back to Dundee.

2, 3, 4 or 5 = Yule's column is ambushed in the Biggarsberg Mountains pass.

6 = Meyer withdraws to hex 1407 and allows Yule to pass.

The die roll is a 3 so there will be an ambush game.

The second is an encounter contact between King and Kock at Wessels Nek and these are the options I came up with:

1 or 2 = King retires to Elandslaagte

3 or 4 = Skirmish game fought out on the table.

5 or 6 = Kock retires to Washbank

The die roll was a 6 so Kock retires in the face of pressure from the 5th Lancers.