NED KELLY
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Type. Raid and Cordon-Breaking. |
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Numbers. Two to four Patrols. |
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Ground. Adaptable. Instructions here refer to Map I. |
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Gear. Nugget; this should be something heavy, (piece of rock, clinker, etc.), too big to conceal on the person or to pass easily. This is concealed in a defined area before the game begins (see Rules below) ; lives; masks for Bushrangers; armlets for Diggers. It should be fairly easy to remove the mask, and the armlet should be easily broken. |
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Time. 2 hours. |
Instructions.
The Yarn.
On February 25th, 1854, as the sun was setting over the Eastern Mountains of Victoria, word was brought by a weary Prospector to the mining township Of PORPUNKAH that another rich reef had been discovered.
As usual such news started another Gold Rush, and the following day witnessed the departure of 15 Diggers, hitting the blazed trail in an Easterly direction.
After two days in the ranges the party eventually located the reef and camped nearby.
In the meantime the Bushrangers were busy, and the Kelly Gang, having also heard the news, were hot upon the trail.
Too late, however, they discovered that the claim was pegged, and so they decided to await an opportunity to attack the first gold escort.
That same afternoon, on hammering a tent peg into the alluvial soil, old Joe Piggins, a perspiring prospector, struck something hard, and on examining it and finding it was a nugget of the yellow metal exclaimed, "Cripes Cobbers, I've struck it rich. This darned thing is gold."
The excitement was intense, and fearing the Bush- rangers might attack the camp it was decided to send the gold under escort to the PORPUNKAH Bank. Little did they know that NED KELLY himself had overheard their plan from behind a nearby gum tree.
And so a few hours later the escort was attacked by Bushrangers. What was the result ???
Rules.
The whole game is confined to the area on Map I. Base (3) is PORPUNKAH.
Half a Troop act as Diggers and the other half as Bushrangers.
The Bushrangers start in the ROUND THICKET and watch the Diggers start from PORPUNKAH, and they must not leave the THICKET until 25 minutes after the Diggers have started. They then track them or find them by Scouting (they do not know where the claim is ; the place has previously been chosen by the Scouters and the Diggers. The Scouters then conceal the "gold" in the agreed area.).
The Diggers search for the nugget in the area where it has previously been hidden. The nugget is quite heavy --about 350 oz.-- and after they have found it they celebrate for about 30 minutes, and examine the roads leading away.
The Escort then starts and is liable to attack.
The Diggers can send decoy escorts or use any strategy they like. The decoy escorts can use dummy nuggets or any ruse they wish.
The Bushrangers endeavor to capture the nugget from the escort returning to PORPUNKAH, where they will be safe.
The Bushrangers wear masks, Diggers armlets.
The capture of mask or armlet puts the former wearer out of the game.
Remember NED KELLY was a gentleman in all his dealings; he was out to rob but not to injure.
