'Carry On up the Nile!': The opposing armies and the terrain

Each side was allocated troops as follows.

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Anglo-Egyptian ForcesInside Khartoum:

• General Charles Gordon, commanding:
• 1st Battalion, Egyptian Infantry
• 2nd Battalion, Egyptian Infantry
• 1st Battery, Egyptian Artillery
• Machine Gun Battery, Egyptian Army
• General Sir Garnet Wolseley, commanding:
• 1st Battalion, the Queen’s Rifles
• 1st Battalion, the Guides
• A Battery, Royal Artillery

Second Gordon Relief Column (moving up the River Nile):

• General Sir Sydney Ruff-Diamond, commanding:
• 3rd Foot and Mouth (The Devils in Skirts)
• The Princess Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen-Anspach's Merther-Tydfilshire Own Royal Loyal Light Infantry (The Fore and Aft)
• B Battery, Royal Artillery
• Machine Gun Battery, Prince of Wales’ Own South Essex
• HM Gunboat El Tub
• HM Steam Transport Thomas Cook

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Mahdist Forces (and their allies)In the area surrounding Khartoum:

• The (slightly Mad) Mahdi, commanding:
• Three bands of Jihadi Riflemen
• A battery of captured Egyptian artillery
• The Khalif, commanding:
• Three bands of Jihadi Riflemen
• A battery of captured Egyptian artillery
• The Khasi of Kalabar, commanding:
• The Bhurpa tribesmen
• Two batteries of captured Egyptian artillery, crewed by loyal Bhurpas

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The area around Khartoum

At the commencement of the game, the area within Khartoum's fortifications was occupied by Anglo-Egyptian forces.

The rest of the area around Khartoum (including the fort at Omdurman) was in the hands of the Mahdists and their allies.

The Second Gordon Relief Column was approaching along the River Nile from the north (i.e. the top of the map).

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• The 3rd Foot and Mouth (The Devils in Skirts) are the Highland regiment whose exploits on the North West Frontier of India are retold in the famous drama-documentary, CARRY ON UP THE KHYBER! OR THE BRITISH POSITION IN INDIA.
• The Princess Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen-Anspach's Merther-Tydfilshire Own Royal Loyal Light Infantry (The Fore and Aft) also served on the North West Frontier of India, and tales of their exploits are mentioned in several stories written by Rudyard Kipling.
• The Prince of Wales’ Own South Essex Regiment performed distinguished service during the Napoleonic Wars, including the Battle of Waterloo. One of their most distinguished officers was Major (later Lieutenant Colonel) Richard Sharpe, who captured a French Eagle at the Battle of Talavera (27th to 28th July 1809).