When I fought my recent play-test of Steve Parker’s DOMINION OF THE SPEAR AND BAYONET rules I used the Mahdist and Egyptian Army Lists that are included in the booklet. These were as follows:

Mahdist War (1881 – 1899 AD)

• Mahdist (1881 to 1899):
• 1 x Skirmishers (Baggara Arab cavalry armed with muskets and spears)
• 1 x Elite spearmen (Hadendowah Beja tribesmen)
• 1 x Elite line infantry (Jihadiyya riflemen)
• 1 x Ambushers (Ansar spearmen on foot)
• 1 x Skirmishers (Ansar with bows or old firearms on foot)
• Egyptians (1882 to 1885):
• 1 x Cavalry (Dragoons)
• 1 x Line infantry (Sudanese)
• 2 x Line infantry (Conscripts)
• 1 x Spearmen (Sudanese native levies or auxiliaries)
• 1 x Artillery (old cannons)

In the DOMINION OF THE SPEAR AND BAYONET SUPPLEMENT the Army Lists for the Battle of El Obeid – which saw the Mahdists defeat an Egyptian force led by Hicks Pasha – were as follows:

Battle of El Obeid (1883)

• Mahdist:
• 1 x Cavalry
• 3 x Skirmishers (Armed with spears and swords)
• 2 x Spearmen (Armed with spears and swords)
• Egyptians:
• 1 x Cavalry
• 4 x Line infantry
• 1 x Artillery

Interestingly, in the latter Army Lists there are no Elite troops on either side.

At some point I may well re-fight the Battle of El Obeid to see if Hicks Pasha will do better than Higgs Pasha, who commanded the Egyptians in my play-test.