Compound, with outer perimeter approx. 6 feet; 60 Anglo-Egyptian figures; 120 Mahdist figures; 24 casualty markers (dervish shields work very well).

There are two types of turns: sniping turns and assault turns. The Mahdist commander chooses which type of turn to use. Each type of turn represents one day of the siege; the siege lasts 12 days. The game ends at the conclusion of the 12^th day/turn.

During a sniping turn, the Mahdist commander flips cards from the sniping deck. This is made from a standard deck and contains the following 12 cards:

1, 2, 3 of diamonds

4 of hearts

J, Q, K of spades

J, Q, K of clubs

2 Jokers

These cards are shuffled at the beginning of every sniping turn and then flipped up one at a time.

A diamond card wounds one defender (AE players' choice) and increases the Mahdists' casualty marker total by the number shown on the card (1, 2, or 3).

A heart kills one defender (AE players' choice) and increases the Mahdists' casualty marker total by the number on the card (4).

A club or spade has no effect whatsoever.

Flipping up one joker has no effect. If both jokers are flipped in the same turn, however, then the next turn must be an assault (the subchiefs have pressured the emir into attacking or the omens are right). The Mahdist commander can stop flipping cards whenever he wants in order to avoid risking being forced into a premature assault by drawing both jokers.

Assault turns follow this sequence. Each complete pass through the sequence is one round. An assault turn can last any number of rounds; it ends only when all Mahdist figures have been killed or withdrawn.

1. Mahdists form new waves and announce their targets.
2. The AE commander selects a zone.
3. Whichever side has initiative in that zone moves, then attacks.
4. The side without initiative moves, then attacks.
5. The AE commander selects another zone, and so on, until all zones have been dealt with.

The Anglo-Egyptians have initiative in each zone as long as Anglo-Egyptians at the barrier are not outnumbered by Mahdists inside the zone. Otherwise, both sides roll a die and the highest roll has initiative for the turn.

The zones are: the small zeriba; the hasty barricades; the large zeriba; the redoubt; and the walled yard.

At the start of every turn during an assault, any uncommitted Mahdists can form a wave and attack one or more unengaged wall sections. The Mahdist players announce how many figures are in the wave and which wall section they are assaulting.

There are nine wall sections:

• the entire small zeriba;
• each of the three outer walls of the large zeriba;
• each of the two hasty barricades;
• each of the three outer walls of the tomb yard.

Advancing: Each wave spends three rounds "off the table," then reaches the barrier and attacks on its fourth move. During this time, Anglo-Egyptian figures along the wall section being attacked can fire into the advancing wave, and men from other wall sections can move to reinforce the threatened wall. Only those men whose wall section is being rushed can fire, and only into the wave that is advancing toward their wall section. Men on the upper floor, roof, or watch tower of the redoubt can fire into any advancing wave.

Zones: The compound is divided into five zones: The small zeriba, the large zeriba, the hasty barricade, the walled yard, and the redoubt. The old Arab tomb is in use as a hospital and is not considered a zone.

Moving within zones: A figure in a zone can move to any other place in that zone in one movement phase.

Movement restrictions: Normally, dervishes can only attack the zone that they rushed. Once inside the compound, however, dervishes can move and attack wherever they want, subject to the normal rules on movement. The Anglo-Egyptian defenders can never move outside the compound.

Moving and Firing: A figure can move and fire, or move and attack in melee, in the same turn.

Crossing zeribas, walls, and barricades: To cross a barrier into another zone, the figure moves to the barrier and stops. On the next round, it crosses the barrier and stops with its base touching the barrier. On the third round it may proceed normally.

Entering the redoubt: To enter or exit the redoubt, the figure moves to the door and stops. On the next round, it proceeds normally. Four figures per round can enter or exit.

An Anglo-Egyptian soldier or officer shooting at a Mahdist scores a kill on a roll of 2-6 on 1d6.

Figures at the edge of a zone can fire into the next zone. If the next zone is unoccupied, they can fire beyond the next zone. For example, Egyptians lining the main zeriba where it adjoins the hasty barricades can fire into the hasty barricades area. If the hasty barricades are empty, they can fire into the small zeriba.

Reloading: After firing, a soldier needs one complete round to reload. If the soldier attacks or is attacked during that round, he does not reload.

Officers: Officers are armed with revolvers. They can fire two shots per round, six shots total. Reloading takes one complete, uninterrupted round.

Cannons can fire into any wave that is rushing toward the side of the compound that they face, not just those that are targeted toward their wall section. Once the cannon's wall section is engaged, however, the cannon can't fire any more.

When a cannon fires, roll two dice; that's the number of casualties caused if the cannon has a full crew of four. Subtract one casualty for each missing crew member.

Reloading a cannon takes three uninterrupted turns with a full crew of four (a cannon can fire every fourth turn). Each missing crewman adds one turn to the reload time.

Gunners that aren't manning their gun fight normally in melee, but they don't shoot.

Each figure rolls two dice. Consult the Melee Table for results.

Advancing as a combat result: If a Mahdist rolls one less than the number needed to kill his opponent, the attacking Mahdist bypasses the defender and moves behind him. A Mahdist who kills his opponent occupies that figure's space. This does not happen, however, when fighting in the redoubt unless the defender is blocking the door.

Spill-over attacks: Normally, the attackers are restricted to attacking the wall section that they rushed. However, if the defenders fire into a mass of dervishes that are attacking the adjacent zone (they can do this once the dervishes reach the barrier), then those dervishes can "spill over" and attack the zone where the fire came from, too.

Fighting into the redoubt: The only way for Mahdists to get inside the redoubt is to fight their way through the door. One AE figure can defend the doorway. Two Mahdists can attack the doorway. If the first attacker kills the defender, the second attacker can also enter.

The upper floors: Mahdists can fight their way up to the second floor and roof of the redoubt the same way that they fight through the door; that is, one AE figure can defend the ladder and two Mahdists can attack. The defender, however, gets a +1 on his attack roll because of the height advantage.

Sniping from the roof: If a rifle-armed Mahdist reaches the second floor or the roof of the redoubt and all AE figures are cleared from that level, he can snipe. The figure can fire every other round (reloading between shots). A target in the open is hit on a roll of 4+, a target with cover is hit on 6. AE figures shooting back at snipers hit on rolls of 5+.

Sniping into the redoubt: Any number of Mahdist figures that are armed with rifles can be held back and hidden among rocks and brush. These figures can snipe at AE figures on the upper floor or roof of the redoubt, firing every other round and hitting on a roll of 6. AE figures in the upper floor or roof of the redoubt can also fire back, hitting on rolls of 5 or 6.

Each Mahdist wave must check morale when it reaches 25 percent casualties and again when it reaches 60 percent casualties. Mahdists represented by casualty markers must be taken into account when determining casualty levels. To check morale, roll two dice:

Mahdist casualty markers are used to "resurrect" dead Mahdist figures. Five dead Mahdist figures can be returned to play (at the back of their original wave) in exchange for one casualty marker. Casualty markers must be assigned to a wave when it is launched.

Between assaults, one-third (rounded up) of Anglo-Egyptian casualties from the previous assault return to play (these are wounded men who return to the fight). Figures that were previously wounded and then were removed as casualties during an assault are not counted when determining the one-third that return after an assault; only figures that were previously unwounded are counted. A wounded figure has a one-point penalty on all its firing and melee die rolls. A wounded figure that is wounded again is dead.

The Mahdists win a major victory if all Anglo-Egyptians are killed. They win a minor victory if they manage to tear down the water tower, disable the guns, or massacre the wounded in hospital.

The Anglo-Egyptians win a major victory if Mahdist casualties exceed 250 and some of the defenders survive. They win a minor victory if they fulfil only one of those conditions.

If both sides achieve equal victories, the game is a draw.

Tearing down the water tower: If the Mahdists take control of the small zeriba (they are the sole occupants), they can try to tear down the tower. Roll one die per four Mahdists that are involved (and doing nothing else that round). Each roll of 1 or 2 causes that number of points of damage. When six points of damage are accumulated, the tower crashes down.

Disabling the guns: If Mahdists are in contact with the guns, they can try to disable them. Two figures are required for the attempt per gun; extra figures don't allow extra attempts or add any modifiers. On a roll of 5 or 6, the gun is disabled. Once disabled, a gun is out of action for the rest of the game.

Slaughtering hospital patients: The old tomb is being used as a hospital. If Mahdists capture the walled yard and hold it for two rounds, all patients in the hospital are automatically slain.

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