The Men Who Would Be Kings game at HRGG

"Just Passing By"

That is the name of  Scenario A from "The Men Who Would Be Kings" rules book.

The objective of this scenario is to accumulate more victory points than your opponent. Both sides receive points for exiting off the opponents edge, the more figures the unit has the more points it is worth, they also get points for destroying enemy units, but more points for exiting. there is also a big bonus for the first unit to exit off the opponents edge.

British table edge

Zulu Table edge.

Both players (Stephen and Bob) had not played these rules before, one of the players started war gaming a mere 6 month ago.

The attacker sets up no farther than 2' from table corner along the short table edge, his opponent on the opposite side.

Both sides initially had the same strategy, exit as many units as quickly as possible from the table edge opposite their start positions, and hope to get the first unit off the table, the Zulu changed their plan as soon as the saw how rapidly the NNH were covering ground and opted to hit the British on their side of the road, get points for killing and then exiting some full strength units (which are worth more VPs). The turn after the Zulu changed the axis of their attack the NNH failed to move for 2 consecutive turns. The Natal Native Horse thereafter never again failed an orders test and were the first to exit, and the Zulu failed more than a few actions test and stalled just inside long range of the British rifles, but eventually got moving and easily destroyed on unit, and charged the other but surprisingly lost the melee. The British formed close order line got a volley off, but were down to 6 figures when a full strength impi hit them 16 -8, but wait since the Brits were close order only 8 fierce Zulu could fight, the close order line won, but was reduced in numbers so could no longer get the benefit of a close order, and next Zulu turn were wiped out, causing pin tests on the NNC and the British behind them, the NNC passed whereas the Brits failed, it was around this point the NNH  point exited they table (the first to do so). The Brits recovered an eventually started firing on the Zulu remnants, eliminating most of them, the Zulu exits a full strength impi and the game was called at this point. A British victory 9-4.

Midway through the game Zulu have crossed the stream, the Natal Native horse have been watering their horses for 2 turns, due to failed move actions

The NNH has exited, 2 British units have been destroyed as have 2 Zulu units, but 3 Other Zulus units have been shot up pretty badly.

The remaining unit of Red Shirts hiding behind the the Natal Native Contingent....er I mean the Red Coats are offering close support for the NNC. A Full strength unit is leaving the table at the top of the picture.

This picture is at game end, the Zulu unit at the top left, exits in its next turn.

Anglo-Zulu war game prep

I got these rules in September and have been itching to give them a try.

"The Men Who Would Be Kings" from Osprey Games.

Some of the guys at at the Hamilton Road Gaming Group, here in London, Ontario, Canada, were going to be playing some "Disposable Heroes and coffin for seven Brothers" which I wasn't in the mood for. I offered to run a game of these if anyone was interested.

The book suggests Scenario A "Just passing By " as the first game.

In preparation for this game I had to once again dig out my Brits and Zulu, which I have not used in about a 5 years. I thought I had enough painted to run it right away, but alas I didn't. I had to paint my NNH. Which I proceeded to do in a few evenings, and since I was working on the mounted guys, I figured I should finish basing the dismounted figures which have been waiting 5+ years for me to do so.

Then I dugout 3 units of Redcoats. They needed a bit of repainting, as the paint had flaked off where the left hand grasps the rifle, on almost every figure. That done I then resealed the touched up areas in white glue.

And I finished re basing the dismounted NNH figures.

Then it was dealing the Zulu. opened 6 baggies of them and chose the best 16 figures from each bag.

Pictures of the Zulu coming soon(tm)

I noticed as I was  dealing with the figures that the bases are really light (they are just #26 Illustration board) but I don't want to re base every figure (over 400 Zulu and nearly 100 Britons), I grabbed a couple of my Magnetic Sheets, and stuck the figures to them, it gives the bases just enough weigh.

Ignore those 6mm Napoleonics, they have nothing to do with Zulu wars.

 Then grabbed a table clothe and some almost suitable terrain. The tables at the library are 7.5x5' I marked a 6x4 area, I did eventually remember to remove 9" from each short edge as well

The British side of the table.

The Zulus table edge