Friday 17 July 2015

Mud and Blood 28mm African Colonial Report

Continuing with Mud and the Blood ... 28mm Africa approx 1880's.
 This game was firmly set on including my new scratch built steam boat. The scenario involved a semi fortified port at the mouth of the M'Bopo river and the ability to either storm or relieve this site. The forces of Tippu Tib attempted to storm down the length of the table while the Europeans attempted to arrive before this could occur.

The African and Arab forces struggled to make good progress down from the rocky hills and over the redoubt that guarded the approaches to the port town.

 In conclusion the German colonial forces reached the town by forcing the steam boat forward at full pace while raining rifle fire down upon the advancing African units. 

In this game we suspended my special events table and became completely assured that each turn only ended once a second snifter card had been drawn. The core mud and blood rules are very good undoubtedly. I will instill a rule that native African troops will move through terrain at a lesser reductiont to other troops. I would play this game again with less European troops and a delay to the steam boat to allow a real struggle over the port fort to add a sense of real suspense to the game.
 Finally the forces of Tippu Tib were unable to make significant advances upon the town but neither did they take significant losses. They are sure to lurk into the rocky hills to inhabit strong points were they will sell their lives dearly before being driven away from sources of slaves and gun trading routes. 

Wednesday 15 July 2015

IHMN Egyptian Adventure Wargaming 28mm

These are currently the only pictures i have of my Egyptian ruins. This wasn't from a game but instead from a 30 sec movie i made to raise interest in African and Egyptian adventure gaming. It didn't take much before gamers were lining up to play. Needless to say i just love mixing my two passions of archaeology and wargaming ... a little colonial, Lovecraft and Indiana Jones.


Speaking of my favourite things below is Al-Hurun. I refer to him as the 'Arabic Superhero' simply because of his phenomenal combat record on the table. The image shows him in a bad situation ... but Al-Hurun has faced far worse odds before. 

Why not? One of my scratch built village. I made this from cardboard and foam-card ... very cheap. Removeable roofs. Buildings lift off bases for separate use. Has been under-utilised as yet. 

Mud and Blood in Africa

Looking for larger more historical and unit based games than IHMN was providing I wax led to "In the mud and blood" by the Lardies. I already was very pleased with their Dux Britanniarum and ACW rules and had recently had pleasant experiences as my good friends had begun playing Chain of Command. Thereforce it was a large step to play Mud and Blood. I used the core rules and modified the troop types and some weapon stars to give the game i wanted. Minor changes are still to be made but yhe system works very well. I additionally added a special event card with a D66 table inspired by muskets and tomahawks but all original and African themed ideas.


Just two snaps of the first game. The wagon contained theobjective that was secured by the German marines. This was completed to ensure a draw as the cannibals had previously torched the outpost of the Europeans.  
 Hang on ... have i posted these picys before?

African Colonial Wargames 28mm Riverboat

There is a new power on the M'Bopo river .... a yet to be named steamship was launched to curb the string of recent incursions by the cannibals under the command of Big Chief B'Donga.

Soon orders will arrive to take fire and sword into the heartland of the M'Bopo river. 

True, I'm not the best of scratch-builders but I'm pleased with the product. It is practical and the price was right ... about 20-30 at most. Look for it in future battle reports to be sure. (In addition, the river shown is made from cheap vinyl floor tiles, sand + PVA, a little paint and a scattering of flock.) 

Thursday 9 July 2015

"In Her Majesties Name Goes Piratical" Wargame

Just to prove what a great set of skirmish rules Osprey's IHMN really is we took it (for the second time) into the 18th century and the world of pirates.  

 This game followed from our previous where a lone pirate, known as One-eyed Mick, made off with the treasure. This time several companies followed Mick as he returned to the island with a new crew. Little did anyone know that the indigenous tribe, the Cayman tribe led by a distant relative of our old pal Big Chief B'Donga, had moved the treasure and only needed a boat to make fools out of all the Europeans by stealing it. This however was not to be as the Cayman people were annihilated. Mick too was struck down and his crew killed. Only the two main folonial powers remained in any force - the British and French. The only pirates to survive lost their leader (Captain Buxom) but sailed off in their ship before either imperialist company could hang them. As all natives died knowledge of the actual where-abouts of the treasure also died vanished. Another game is certain.
 This game once again showed the versatility of IHMN especially in a game with five players. Many rule systems struggle under the weight of that type of player and respective army point increase. We modify things slightly by making muskets reload for one turn. We also added aggressive cayman who probably were the top killers of the evening - notably claiming Chief B'Donga early. Different objectives or misions were also secretly distributed - both minor and major objectives (no one secured their major objective.) Active imaginations also help as each player was eager to feed into the saga of One-eyed Mick. Even at the end of the game talk focussed on how he could have survived to return to the island. It was good to see the rise of two more legends - one ,Colonel Rochambeau, was already infamous for dying without a whimper and he did not disappoint further a new star, Serge Pissoit, proved indomitable as the French second in command. In the next game he may well be promoted.