After facing down a volley from the Krasnyy Sotnya, the Gentlemen's IX becomes the Gentlemen's IV! Aggers has taken over from Snappers and is still standing, with Lord Flashers, Sergeant Archibald Cutter and Billy Fish. Aggers decides to join forces with the mortar platoon.
As Vaggers roars past on the Enfield, with Bunty still firmly attached to the pillion, the Kaiserlicher Stab decide to charge Honeysuckle and her crew in Genevieve.
Over to the south-west the Tachanka brews-up after the Basmachi get in range.
The P'yanyy Kazaks have got their dander up now! With bloomers and camiknickers adorning their papakhas, the boys are feeling ready for a bit of a dust-up. The small four-man unit decide to charge the Basmachi horde...
...with a rather sad and predictable end to their alcohol-fuelled berserker rage.
Over in Djelibad, the Royal palace is in chaos. Under the command of Jonners, the Gurkhas have moved forward uttering their immortal battle-dry, ‘Ayo Gorkhali!’. Coming under fire from the Emir's court, the Gurkhas return fire with a vengeance. More than half of the Emir's fawning court are down, before the Emir (a notable fence-sitter) panics and decides to surrender. Turning to his former prisoner, Chippy, the Emir pleads for terms. Chippy, sensing his moment of glory has come, leads the Emir and his family down into the courtyard of the Palace and calls to Jonners and his men, who are forcing the gate. "I say old boy, Minton here of the Felpersham Peculiars. I have taken the Emir, Emira and Emirzade into my custody. Be a good chap and stop shooting, would you?", "Good show old stick", replied Jonners, "Gurkhas, cease fire!". This was the secondary objective achieved for Snapforce, the rescue of Chippy Minton. However, it effectively removed the Gurkhas from the game as they were needed to garrison the Djeli Palace in case of insurrection.
So, as we had seen previously, the Kaiserlicher Stab had elected to charge into Snappers' Roller to try and remove the HMG threat to the Zeppelin Korps. On the left can be seen the three men of the Geier Geschwader; Rittmeister Rikard D’Astardly accompanied by Hauptmann Herman von Klunk and Oberleutnant Albrecht Zilly. During the first exchange, the generals are going down like nine-pins and the Gräfin can be seen, trying to recall her errant staff.
As the last of the Kaiserlicher Stab fall to the blood-spattered plain they manage a Parthian shot. Genevieve, after travelling overland from Peshawar, through Kashgar and into Jhamjarhistan catches fire. Honeysuckle and her crew are forced to bale out to avoid the flames. A regretful end to one of Henry Royce and Charles Rolls finest creations. Snappers, nursing his shredded buttocks, watches from afar and cannot stop a tear or two rolling down his dusty cheeks (on his face, that is!).
The slaughter in the Mission Station is finally over. The Zhlobinski Penal battalion have cut down the last of the Warrior Nuns of the Ordo de quod Crucis Gladio.
In the overrun camp site, the Basmachi are getting to grips with the Bolos HMG, supplied by the Red Navy.
The boys from the Penal battalion reform in order to rescue their HMG.
However, the Traktor HMG is surrounded by snarling tribesmen, wielding blood-stained talwars. It looks like curtains for the Krasnyy Flot moryaki.
The Zhlobinskis take casualties as they advance, but the presence of the Bolo 2nd in command, Mikhail Borodin steadies them.
Enver Pasha heads through the dig site, looking for clues as to the location of the Golden Jhamjarh of the Sticky Gods. Carl Rosegger and Charlie Chan really do need to get out of the way!
It's the end for the HMG and the Cheka run as fast as they can for the entrance to the underground workings.
Enver Pasha and his bodyguard are desperate to cut down the Cheka before they reach the safety of the entrance. Will they make it?
Exciting news in Djelibad, as Vaggers and Bunty tear through the market place scattering cows and market produce, left, right and centre. "By 'eck lass, 'a' wor close. Alreight r e?". Bunty looks at Vaggers in adoration and manages to reply in the vernacular "Ah'm gran', me duck!". It looks as if they have made it to safety. The tertiary objective for Snapforce is complete.
Only one more chapter remains now of our thrilling tale. Various forces of the protagonists are entering the entrance to Lord Creosote's underground workings. Who will prevail? Stay tuned.
To be continued...
