Back to the Congo

We tried CONGO by Studio Tomahawk last Tues. We all love this innovative system ... but had not played it in months. I decided to try scenario 7 - whose name I don't recall. 

It was Forest Tribes up against a Explorer expedition. The explorers needed to smash the fetishes set up by the witchdoctor. These radiated power having random effects. With only a few turns it was going to be tricky for the explorers. 

Above bundukis trade long range fire with askari. 

In the jungle, spear armed tribesmen wait to charge the explorers. 

Just a little closer ... 

Deadly and violent apes lurked in the depths of the forest. 

Several units of superstitious ruga ruga felt the power of the witchdoctor and their nerve quailed. 

Elsewhere, askari shook off their terror effects and their volleys thinned the tribesman line.

The explorers close on one fetish. 

A savage fight broke out over another ... close range musket shots and brutal hand to hand erupted. 

The forest tribes continued to wage their psychological campaign which amassed stress tokens on the explorers. This limited what they could achieve. 

Turns were slipping by and fetishes still pulsated with sinister forest ju-ju ... 

One fetish was taken!

The tribesmen were losing many warriors in the centre around their hideous statue to their fecund goddess. 

Tribesmen charged. Combat victories adding victory points to the forest tribe total. 

Finally, the turns expired and with the combat wins and - more importantly - the high amount of panic tokens (see the red hand marker below) drawn/inflicted on the explorers ... the Forest people had too many victory points. They had defended their fetishes and the witch doctors magic still radiated throughout the land. More people would fall under his vile influence. 

 

New Year Wizard, Zombies and an Idol

Amid two beach/pool holidays, the Xmas break has seen ‘some’ painting – just not very much. 

I dusted off some more old GW zombies and repainted these. I wanted to paint people who had died from various causes, like a virulent disease that discoloured the skin. Hence, I did olive, grey and yellow zombies.

Next came a Reaper Bones wizard. The result was very pleasing using shades of blue. I wanted to create a weather wizard and think it turned out well. I have no idea what game he will appear in … probably Mord.

Finally, another Reaper Bones model … the Fertility Idol. This will be used in Congo or IHMN games even though she is clearly based off European Neolithic figurines rather than African ones. Oh well, who worries about this sort of thing except me. She’ll be a great basis for a game … I’m sure some muzungu will end up being captured and potentially sacrificed before her.

 

A Return to 'In Her Majesties Name" (1st ed)

 Our first game of the year was ... IHMN. I really couldn't think of anything else to play as I was quite distracted and needed something light, fun and with little reading (to remind me of the rules.) 

My good friend Michael and I fumbled our way through a scenario. Usually we play with 4-6 players with IHMN so having a 1v1 game was a novelty. I chose a scenario from the book which involved killing the opposing leader. 

My company was the cult of Akhenaton and Mick chose 'Abdullah's Slaving Bastard's' - a company of my own concoction. 

The cult ran across the table shouting obsequies to their God and master. They braved the hail of bullets sent by the slavers trying to use the temple pillars for cover. Several fell but it was not the slavers night as dice deserted them and the cultists faith was rewarded. Abdullah fell to the poisoned blades of Sairah - the femme fatale assassin. 

Above Al-Hurun wields his wickedly sharp tulwar slashing at Akhenaton. 

Even the frenzied efforts of Al-Hurun (swordsman extraordinary) could not defeat the risen Pharaoh. Above shows Nectanebo the mummy trying to strangle a Baluchistan warrior with help from cultist Bedlam Bob.

Mongo ... derranged jungle horror!

 From the depths of the jungle comes a force feared by even the cannibals of the M'Bopo river ... Mongo!

A brute reared by malign ju-ju, incest and feasting upon living flesh, Mongo ravages all who comes within his path and sight ... a primeval missile to be aligned and launched to whatever enemy. 

Fed by sucking the marrow from bones or enviscerating a freshly supplied corpse ... Mongo always hungers after new flesh. But if his fearful hunger is not met ... 

... woe to those who awoke this savage. 

African Colonial Wargames Additions

As the virus rages around the world ... and seems to be simmering to a halt on our fair island ... my painting does not abate. I thought i was finished all my miniatures (until the next order arrives) but found several packs of African spearmen for Colonial games - such as the excellent Congo. 

The initial group I painted were warriors from an African tribe around Lake Nyasa - perhaps the Ngoni, Kololo or Barotse. This was painted with close reference to Chris Peers excellent work on "Armies of 19th Central Africa." Well worth the coin - although it may be quite pricey these days? 

I painted two groups ... one being my long awaited cannibals - from an unspecified tribal group. These may be far more from a mythical Darkest Africa than the real place. The skeletal painted marking took much longer than anticipated to paint. I rushed at them. Should have done them in a first watery light grey then a white over the top. But I didn't. The facial markings proved key to a threatening paint scheme. This also was harder than first thought and requires a miniature with more angular features to be more effective. Rounded faces don't look too threatening. 

In any case, here are my cannibals - ready for the jungle around the Congo. 

Please note in the background a drop of the finest craft ales from hereabouts - well about 150 kms away. The 4 Pines brewery produces wonderful craft beer and the Amber Ale is one of the best ... dare I say ... session-able ... tipples on offer. Huzzah Colonial wargames and Huzzah craft beer!

2020 Broken Seal - Congo

The year was kicked off in a spirit that shall hopefully be continued - enthusiasm and a carefree attitude to the constraints of work. I decided - after watching  'Jumanji" - to play Congo written by excellent and innovative Studi Tomahawk. My decision was well rewarded. 

I decided to play Scenario 6 - the Treasure of Makoko Mbe. The forces arrayed were 75pts of Explorers against the Zanzibari traders. Above a sacred warrior can be seen guarding the site of the treasure burial. 

The Zanzibari forces mustered from their diagonal corner of the table. 

Hmmm, I believe this is a tree. A rainforest tree. It is very nice and took a long time to construct. 

This is more like it. Slavers and Bundukis begin to trade long range volleys against Askari. The Zanzibari forces would come off second best in all shooting matches this evening. 

While shooting didn't favor the Arabs, they Zanzibari used their Balucchi troops to approach and eventually steal the treasure. 

European troops - this time German sailors - approached the treasure but too late to stop the balucchi. 

On the flank the Zanzibari forces tried to whittle down the Explorer troops but to no avail. 

Yep, thats the jungle. 

More jungle with sailors running along in the background. 

More volleys followed in turns 3-5 but again the Zanzibari were outmatched. 

The large white hand of the Muzungu - I shot those ones. 

The Zanzibari tried to hold up the pursuit. 

The sailors pressed forward. 

Bereft of his guard the Zanzibari trader stood exposed. 

Arab employed bundukis ran for it. 

Now the remaining Zanzibari forces formed a shield blocking the balucchi with the treasure from harm. The White Men Expedition had suffered very little harm. Speed alone would decide victory or defeat for the Arabs. 

Despite reigning fire upon the Zanzibari they explorers could not stop the flight of the balucchi. It was a victory for Zanzibar even thought they had most certainly lost the firefight. Congo was the winner as its simple system gives tricky command choices which is a preferred theme in our little club. The spirit of Africa rises and lives again in 2020.