Monday 27 January 2020
Rorke's Drift Game in 54mm
Last year at this time we played a Rorke's Drift game using The Men Who Would Be Kings. This year we tried The Sword and the Flame. The rules provided an exciting, but lengthy game, in fact we only got through one and a half of the three scenario "Waves" in five hours. When we stopped the game, the hospital was on fire, and the Zulus had just broken into the storehouse and were on the roof and the British were hard pressed on both the north and south walls. It would take a miracle for them to survive to the end of the second wave and then survive a third wave with even more (15) fresh Zulu units. Below are some photos. The first is of me in my new mustache.
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Nice to see you Nick! Very impressive game! Ready to go to convention for a demo. You could try the "About Bonaparte" extention for colonial wars.
ReplyDeleteHi Dirk, I just had another look at the colonial rules for "About Bonaparte". I do need a quick playing set of rules for my game at the convention in April. "The Sword and the Flame" are good fun, but they take too long, especially for a multiplayer game. I will try out "About Bonaparte". How would you apply the rules for the fighting inside the hospital, where they fight one room at a time, individually and not by four man units?
DeleteHi Nick, if a Brittsh soldier is isolated in the building, I would treat him as an individual "unit". 1D + 1D for veteran. The Zulu unit, if still outside the walls -2D for being the cover. Once inside (no flags thrown by the British soldier and him surviving the first round, the Zulu can enter with 4 figures = 2D+ 1D : the Zulu units should have a +1D for close combat, they are trained for such kind of fights. Also, certainly because you have many British figures, limit the ammo. We did that for our Zulu games. A unit can fire 6 times before being out of ammo (place a 6 six beside the unit), but can be resupplied. a few designated figures can carry ammo arround. A resupply = 3 shots.
DeleteThis will result in the first wave being repulsed easly. But with dwindled ammo, it will become veryyyy tuff. Also with limited ammo, the British soldiers will have to fire at close range to have maximum effect.
Dirk, thank you - excellent suggestions! I will try them out and let you know how it goes.
DeleteSo good to see my favourite ACTA Colonial Brits well covered in paints and doing their jobs propper. My first swarms of zulu figures are currently on the painting table. Quite a challenge to make them look divers and not have too much colours in the pallet. Did you option for the volley fire command?
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DeleteNaab, thanks for you kind words. I like the ACTA British set too, but I wish there were fewer "Stabbing down with the bayonet" poses. I am not sure what you mean by the volley fire command. Are you thinking of The Men Who Would Be Kings rules? I used The Sword and Flame which allow firing in two ranks if the unit has not moved that turn, and it's very deadly and the British players used it to great effect.
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