Colonial Games: Lassenwelt Station, Part 2

Lassenwelt Station
Part 2
Continued from Part One

The second rocket scores a direct hit on the blockhouse, blasting riflemen from the roof and sending flaming wreckage careening across the yard. "Ought to make the honors list for that one," murmers aerohussar Lt. Chauncy Ware-Crinoline.

Meanwhile, two canoes slip silently away from the Ouazulu village, making for the steamer.

As the Highlanders' steam launch nears the shore, the Ouazulu warriors prepare to break cover.

Behind them are the Fellahin and the Naval Brigade.

Lt. von Strickland orders more men to the blockhouse roof as the Ouazulu rush from the undergrowth, cutting the rail line, just as the last scientist is located. Though he has been warned not to risk the flying machine unnecessarily, the cavalry spirit burns too brightly in Ware-Crinoline's bosom and he applies full forward thrust into a hail of Gatling fire, casually tossing a hand-bomb onto the blockhouse as he passes over, once again clearing the roof of riflemen.
"Rather good, if I say so myself."

The Scots begin the advance to the gate, as the second company of redcoats puts out from the steamer.

Lt. von Strickland orders reserve troopers to the blockhouse, only to have them thinned drastically by rifle fire from the Fellahin at the jungle's edge. The Ornithopter circles to attack the barracks, whose Gatling- and rifle-fire follows it everywhere, but the next bomb goes wild against the mountainside, causing no damage.

Von Swann packs the north wall with rifles as the Ouazulu flow around the vehicles and surge against the stone rampart, but Mauser and bayonet are not enough to stop the fierce tribesmen and in a few frantic moments the shaken survivors fall back into the courtyard as the first of the spearmen pour over the wall.

The German defenders at the east gate are suddenly caught between the Scots' ponderous advance and a hail of spears from behind, as the first iviyo fans out across the courtyard.

The band of scientists en route to the mine building in hopes of reaching the train, now beats a hasty retreat to the barracks.

Most of the German reserves have been sent to the north and east walls. Von Strickland hastily strips the south wall of men and moves forward to bolster the shaken survivors of the Ouazulu rush, personally using his best Heidelberg swordsmanship against the oncoming tribesmen in the middle of the courtyard. The second Ouazulu iviyo vaults the wall as the slow-moving Scots rush the gate.

On the barracks roof, the Gatling gunner's attention has been fixated on the flying machine. Now the Kommandant himself, by judicious use of his riding crop and boot, redirects it to the situation at the north wall.

The machine-gun clears the courtyard of charging natives, and the rear ranks of the second iviyo hesitate, huddling behind the wall as protection from the deadly storm of bullets.

Just as they reach the gate, the Highlanders lose their nerve and fall back in the face of the east wall's Mausers. The pressure momentarily off, the Germans will be able to bayonet the surviving natives in the courtyard, but with the second British unit already on the shore, and the Naval Brigade prying at the blockhouse windows, it is clear that the brave Teutons will have a desperate time holding the base. The black-coated figure of the Laboratory Director moves toward the palisade at the cave.

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Lassenwelt Station

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