Random photoshoot

Its been a while since I had these guys out of their boxes. Wasn't in the mood to use them in a solo game so I decided to just put some of them down for a photoshoot.

All the terrain is scratch-built except for some of the buildings which are printouts from Paper Tiger Armaments.

The Infantry are a mix of ESCI, Italeri, Ceasar miniatures, Plastic Soldier Company, Armoufast and Pegasus Hobbies.

The vehicles are from Armourfast, Italeri, Plastic Soldier Company and Pegasus Hobbies.

German defenders deployed somewhere in the Soviet Union

Soviet juggernaught incoming

Faux fur thatched roof.

Couple of thatched roofs made from hand towels.

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

HGA - September 25th 2011

September 25th, 2011: I ran a game of the 'Sword and the Flame' for my local gaming group (Historical Gaming Association of London [Ontario]). I decided to run one from a Scenario book. The book I chose was 'Colonial Campaigns: Ethiopia' and the scenario was 'Adowa: The Centre Brigades'.

Five players showed up which was perfect, the scenario seems to work best with that many (three Ethiopian and two Italian). I ran it once with six, three a side, the actual Italians enter on turn 2 and either take three to four turns to reach the fighting, which is desperate by that time, or they move to the West hill and see no fighting til near turn 9 or 10.

I made one change to the scenario to make it closer, I moved up all Ethiopian reinforcements by one turn, otherwise the Italians have to try very hard to lose.

To win the Italians must accrue more victory point than the Ethiopians, each side gets one point for solely occupying each victory hill.

The game is supposed to be 12 turns long, but you can determine by about turn 8 if the Ethiopians are going to win, which is where we got to.

By turn 8 the Italians had lost control of 2 of the the 3 hills and even if they kept the 3rd hill, the Ethiopians would accumulate enough victory point to win, the Italians didn't have enough troops to contest one of the hills, they used their reserves to hold the second hill as long as possible, if they could have contested it for one more turn we would have had to play til turn 12.

Turn 2: The Askari (Eritrean fighting for the Italians) move onto occupy 2 of the 3 victory hills, but Ethiopians cavalry is already on North hill at top of picture.

North hill being assaulted.

Last stand on North hill, the only survior will be general Albertone (on horse near South edge of the hill). The markers denote that a unit has moved  and the different colors which player is commanding said unit.

Italians reinforcements arrive to contest the South hill, constant sniping and rushes have reduced the defending askari to 3 figures.

Turn 8: Italians just about to be pushed off the South hill. Ethiopians assault the reserve to prevent if from counter attacking.

For the most part we played The Sword and the Flame' rules as written except melee resoloution and officer casualties.

Melee: I had each side start with1d6 per figure, or 1d8 per leader then add or subtract for various factors. Roll the dice with any result of 5+ inflicting a kill, the side with the most kills win, ties go to defender.  

Officer Casualties: when a unit takes casualties for each casualty roll 1d12 on a 1 unit suffers an officer casualty.

Gallery - Generic Colonial Natives

When I was last into colonial wargaming there wasn't a lot of selection in my preferred scale (1/72), I had to make do with what I could get my hands on.

It was easy for the Europeans as ESCI Zulu wars British infantry would work for most Europeans armies. I used them as Italians in my Ethiopian games, the gunners are from a Napoleonic artillery set with head swaps, the artillery is from a Crimean War set, the Machine gun is from a Revell WWI German infantry set with a head swap.

These were all painted years ago and  if (when) I repaint them they will hopefullly look a whole lot better. Considering how I stored (Ziplock baggies scrunched into a big plastic bag) them they look to mostly be in still good shape.

ESCI's Zulu War Brish Infantry

The askari required a bit more work they all started off as ESCI French Napoleonic Infantry. Some Knife work to reshape the shako into Fez like hats and cutting away the turn backs on their tunics.

Were originally going to stand in for Egyptians

My attempt at Sudanese askari

These are HAT ACW Zouves standing in for some Native bigshots Household troops

The natives were harder and easier to deal with, mainly they would require spears, swords or rifle, so quick search on PSR revealed some useful sets, HAT miniatures: Alexander's Light Infantry,  Hannibal's Carthaginians - African Infantry and ESCI's Arab warriors.

HAT minatures, with a bit more work these would have looked much better.

ESCI arab warriors

ESCI's Arab warriors

ESCI arab warriors

ESCI's Arab warriors, this pose not too useful as a generic native though.

 Native armies usuallyhave mounted elements so I had to find some, I made due with more from HAT, Napoleonic Mameluks and Numidian Cavalry.

Numidian Cavalry

Mameluks

AAR - Adowa the Center Brigades

   As noted in previous postings its been a few (7+) years since I GMed or even played a colonial game, I decided to re familiarize myself with "The Sword and the Flame" in preparation of running a few games.

  I suck at scenario design (I can create and eventually balance one, after a few  playtests, but off the cuff they are usually quite unbalanced), but fortunately I have some of Mark Fastoso's Colonial Campaigns books, so I decided to play one from the Ethiopian book, "Adowa the Center Brigades".

For those unfamiliar with the scenario the Italo-Eritrean force have to accrue more Victory points than the Abyssinian. Victory points are earned at the end of each turn by solely occupying the 3 of the 4 hills.

Eritrean askari set up

Abyssinian slowly advance towards the Eritreans.

The Abyssinians were plagued by low movement dice, it took them four turns to reach the first 2 victory hills, by then the Italians had accumulated 7 VPs.

Abyssinian Snyder-yaji (riflemen) driving askari from the first Victory point hill.

Cavalry rush forward to prevent the Italians from garnering more VP from this hill.

At this point it looked like it as going well for the Abyssinian, they should be able to clear the hills in 1 or 2 turns and start gathering VPs, but more low movement rolls, abysmal shooting and cowardice meant the Askari held on for another 5 turns and while they held the Italians to only 1 VP a turn, after 8 turns the count was 10 to 0.

Turn nine, Askari tenaciously still cling to one of the victory hills...

and threatening another victory hill, if they get first move back up they'll go.

At this point I called the game, even if the Abyssinians cleared and held both hills, they would not be able to accrue enough points to overcome the Italian's lead, and they were nowhere near the third hill.

Italians holding the third hill, they were engaged in fire fight with some Neftenya (rifle musket armed) Abyssinian warriors, but reduced them to two figures which failed their Critical Morale check.

The rest of the Italian force behind the second victory hill supporting the askari.

 There are additional pictures located at my Picassa Album .

   For those that are curious about the figures used.
The Abysinianss are all from HAT miniatures Alexander's Light Infantry,  Hannibal's Carthaginians - African Infantry, the cavalry are Napoleonic French Mamelukes. 

The Italians are ESCI's Zulu wars British infantry, the Machine gunner is from a Revell WWI German infantry set with a head swap, the Eritrean askari are ESCI's Napoleonic French infantry modified (shakos carved into fez and turn backs carved away).

Last picture of Italian General Albertoni (mounted, back to camera, left side).