Battle of Magersfontein of 11 December 1899 , refight played in 54mm on 1st of February 2026

Steven has collected colonial Brtish figures and recently added Boers figures to his collection.

He asked to mount a game and we ended up at the Battle of Magersfontein of 11 December 1899

It was a battle of the Second Boers war in South-Africa, 11 October 1899 – 31 May 1902),  a conflict fought between the British Empire and the Boer republics (the South African Republic and Orange Free State) .

This is the second of the three battles of the Black Week, all defeats with many casualties on the British side, due to tactics not adapted to the fastly evolving technology and the Boers armies strategy.

You can find more on this war on wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Boer_War

As this battle was in reality one sided, with the Boers rifle fire pinning down the British troops, replaying this battle  aiming for the same result would nog be a pleasant game for neither side.

Therefor, the firepower of the Boers units was limited, and for the British troops a better firing then displayed in the real thing.

In normal colonial rule, wetern armed units would receive a die per figure, and possibility to fire twice in a turn, with short/long range of 40/80cm.  We gave the units a die per stand (1 stand = 2 figures) instead of per figure. I would still be an impressive firepower , but less telling.

Also the number of shots was limited to 10 per unit, replenishing ammunition needed after that, by a seperate unit, with limited capacity.

The navel gun had no limit in range, but could only fire once every two turns.  (5 dice)

The British howitser battery could fire 3x 3 dice.  Cover of the trench/parapet and the redoubts would give a -2 dice on all fire. The Boers guns was 3 dice up to 80cm, 2 up to 160 cm.

To cross the barbed wire it would take a full turn, but was not covering the whole frontline.

About 200 British figures, inculding a  local tribesmen unit.

The Boers units received an additional -1 die in close combat.

4 players on each side, and 2 referees.

The (britains) Naval gun

The houwitser battery

The Boers.

The parapet

The battle didn't start well for the British units of the Highland Brigade. Losing a unit right away, others taking casualties.

On the Britsh right, the guard brigade made some progress

On the Britsh left, the marines figures, didn't make it to the parapet. The guides cavalry chared, and wasn't able to get a foothold, had to fall back and was shot to pieces.

It went better for the lansers unit on the right, destoying a Boers unit.

The Boers left flank was in trouble.

In the centre , the remaining Highland Brigade units made it to the parapet, driving off the Boers, who 

fell back on the hill. The latter now having less or even no cover.  As the parapet gave less cover on the Birtish side, it resulted in only -1D of cover when fired upon. The Highlanders didn 't have enough reserves to continue and charge uphill. After a few turn of firefight, retreat the only way.

The Guard units on the right were making progress, but by now, the British army was in full retreat on the left and centre.  No other option for the guards then pull back also.

The game came closer to a draw then expected, giving it a satisfying game for all participants.

 

 Preview: Vaagsö Raid, Norway 1941

May 4, 1941 Norwegian and British commando forces attacked settlements on the Lofoten Islands.

Their main goal was to frustrate the German high command by demonstrating their vulnerability and at the same time rise the British public morale.

Objectives were the destruction of fish-oil producing facilities (fish-oil was used to make glycerine), take out the lighthouse as an observationpost/radiostation and possibly gather vital information.

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Higgins boats (3) nearing the shoreline and piers. The boats were improvised milkcartons, rinsed, dried and spraypainted. BMC's are on my wishlist.

This is only an advanced short publication of a more extensive publication following later.

I used all sorts of material and toys to mimic the Vaagsö surroundings. Figures are Airfix, Britains, Forces of Valour, Timmee, Italeri and Mars. 

To be continued!

Happy New Year

 

Mexican (1861-67) adventure (fictional) campaign, battle of Cuatlapanga

 

Our campaign is played on a fictional map, with fictional forces present.  See earlier posts for more information. The campaign is played by mail, and (large) battles are fought on the tabletop.

After failing to take the Fort of San Hernandes, the Leader of the Federal force,  Colonel Luis Enrique Emilio Celestial (Thomas) was in a difficult situation.  Guerrillero leader, Rio Antonio Zuavo "El General de las montañas" (Ronny), which little army had suffered heavily in the battle for the fort, had retreated into the mountains. Fearing being caught between on one side, the forces of Col Peters and from the east  Col Stevin (Steven) (on the way from la Buffa to Cuatlapanga) and Major De Brand (Patrick) (In Cuatlapanga) Thomas had to make a choice on trying another attempt on taking the fort or, to try to defeat Patrick and Steven.

He chose the latter.

To hamper the concentration of French and Belgian-Austrian-Imperial forces, the other guerrilla leader, “Capitán Fuego" (Siefried) to made night attacks on the several parts of Stevens force.

Spread to thin, his attacking forces, received heavy blows. Two of his guerilla units destroyed, and after recovering, the French had suffered minor casualties. Far more important was that all the French units were now fatigued, implicating lesser fighting and firing power.  Part of the force (cavalry, artillery and one unit of zouaves) retreated towards the supply column behind Cuatlapanga. The “fatigued” marker is only removed after contact with a supply column.  The other infantry unis in the hills had no supplies nearby.

Due to al the moves of the 8^th turn, contact was made over 4 squares, making it a big battlefield.

The attack of Thomas was concentrated on the 2 squares of Cuatlapanga.

The major part of the French infnatry was moving from the Noth towards Cuatlapanga.

The Austrian Jägers and Mexican imperial infantry had taken up positions in the village.

The building occupied by the Austrians were assailed by the federal regulars while the Federal cavalry, including 2 units of cuirassiers, advanced on the Imperial dragoons. 

The latter against all expectations swept from the field on first contact.  The imperial forces were in problems from the start.

The Austrians in the village kept the assailants at bay for almost the whole game.

Fearing first the guerrilla cavalry, Steven kept the biggest part of is force, deployed in the North.

With the 4 militia and 6 regular units of the federal army coming up near the centre, Steven saw his error and did send more troops towards this new threat.  This federal concentration of troops only moved slowly through the hills; Steven was able to deploy a few units to counter this advance.

Isolated and fatigued, one unit only was able to slow them down for one turn and was destroyed.  One constant in the game was Thomas’ luck in dicing, in contrast with the throws of Steven. The fatige for almost French units was their undoing.  Moreover, Steven veteran cavalry (not fatigued) had 2 units destroyed by the federal cuirassiers.  The last French cavalry and infantry fire finished of the cuirassiers, but the French cavalry force had lost to much to still have impact on the game. The resistance of the Austrians in the village was finally broken.

With two more French units pushed of table, Steven didn’t see the possibility to turn this into a victory.  With the high French/Imperial losses, this was the end of the campaign.   The federals victorious. Peters’ troops in the fort now isolated, and no possibility of relief in a short time, no option but surrender.