In Darkest Africa (Homebrew Rules)

So, after lots of playing around with rules for the display game I am doing at our Wargames Show, I've decided on a mix of rulesets - I am using most of the "Congo" rules and mechanisms, but am also using the activation system from Donnybrook/Sharp Practice.

We've had three test games so far, and it has been very successful...photos from the latest game are at the bottom of the page, and the rule amendments used are below.

The Main Rule

Use the Congo rules as written, except as noted below (by section).

General

Increase Measuring Sticks, so instead of 4, 6 and 12 inches, they will be 6, 12 and 18 inches.

Add artillery as a unit:

• Range is L x3
• No. of Dice as per Figures in Unit (start with 4)
• Dice is d8 within 1L, 1L-2L d6, 2L-3L Half d6;
• Reload
• Cannons have a 45 degree arc of fire (from the barrel), they need a move action to turn
• Units targeted by cannon fire draw 2 stress tokens

Characters now have there own shoot/combat/morale dice where applicable;

Unit cohesion changes to 1";

Line of sight - because units now have a cohesion of 1", units have an arc of fire of 45 degrees. If units fire to their side and rear, use half dice, as if it was an obscured target.

Unit/Character Activation

Remove section, and replace with Donnybrook card activation. There will be a card for each unit/character, and they will activate on the turn of that card;

Characters can join/leave units on their card; As in Donnybrook, they are simply placed 2" away from the unit and can take a turn if not already activated with the unit; They cannot leave and joing a unit in the same turn; they can be targeted if they leave a unit...so don't do it when in line of sight!!!

There is no reload card (this is now an order), but there IS a Turn End card, just to add unpredictability!

On the turn of your units card, it gives one action:

• Move
• Fire
• Load
• Charge
• Rally
• Opportunity
• Terror Attack (performed only by units with a character only)

Opportunity Fire - a unit may be placed on opportunity as an order, it will remain on opportunity until its next activation. It can shoot at half dice in reaction to another units movement;

Movement

As written, other than references to the Congo Card Deck

Shooting

Revised Weapon Ranges:

• Rifle/Jezzail Range should be L x2, i.e. 36" (d6 to hit at more than 18"; if the unit has d6 ability, then half dice);
• Spear Range changes to S, i.e. 6"
• Pistol Range is M, i.e. 12"
• Others remain the same;

Melee

As written, other than references to the Congo Card Deck.

Running Away

As written, other than references to the Congo Card Deck.

Totems

Revised Totem Cards:

• DICE: Add dice to any roll;
  ACTION: Gives the unit activated an extra action;
  STRESS: Lose a stress token;
  MOVE: Move x units 'S';
  STICK: Add S to any distance;
  INITIATIVE: Cancel a units activation;

The Game Photos

Didn't get chance to do a write up, but the game itself was played with a 120 point attacker force, and a 80 point defender force. We have played two games like this so far, and it was one win each, so is well balanced.

 

Darkest Africa: Donnybrook

Another week, another set of rules - this week it was Donnybrook, from the League of Augsburg team - http://leagueofaugsburg.blogspot.co.uk/

I'm looking for a set of rules (a) to use for a display game at our clubs show (http://www.durhamwargames.co.uk/show/index.htm), and (b) to use as a generic skirmish set that we can dip into from time to time without having to spend time re-learning a complex set of rules every time we play.

I'd heard good things about Donnybrook, which seems to me to be a cross between Sharp Practice and Bolt Act action, with a mechanic that I particularly like which is the different dice sizes to match different abilities (d6, d8, d10, d12). Though it is period specific, apparently it started out life as a Darkest Africa set, and is readily amendable in true toolkit fashion!

I have added some more terrain and figures to my setup this week, including some native villagers, a corral and animals, a campfire and an extra foot of table (making 5' x 3') complete with dedicated village tile.

 



The game itself used some amendments I'd knocked up (liberally borrowing some ideas from the Chris Peers set 'In the Heart of Africa'.

The Forces

Natives:

1 x Native Chief (Character)
1 x Witchdoctor (Character)
1 x Warriors (in 5s)
3 x Spearmen (in 5s)
1 x Musketeers (in 5s)
2 x Archers (in 6s)
1 x Pygmy Archers (in 6s)

Explorers:

1 x Explorer (Character)
1 x Allied Zanzibari Sheik (Character)
1 x White Men (in 3s)
1 x Soldiers (in 4s)
1 x Heavily Armed Askari (in 4s)
2 x Askari (in 5s)
2 x Allied Zanzibari Askari (in 5s)


Unit Statistics

Units	Ability	Shooting	Combat	Morale	Weapon	Special
Native Chief	d12	d10	d12	d12	Assegai: Heavy Weapon; Shield: Parry	Reroll misses in combat
Witchdoctor	d10	d10	d10	d10	Staff: Heavy Weapon	Curse
Warriors	d8	-	d8	d8	Assegai: Heavy Weapon; Shield: Parry
Spearmen	d8	-	d8	d8	Spear: Martial; Shield: Parry
Musketeers	d6	d6	d6	d6	Old Musket: Range 16"; Reload; Misfire; Hand Weapon
Archers	d6	d6	d6	d6	Bow: Range 12"; Move and Fire
Pygmy Archers	d8	d8	d6	d8	Pygmy Bow: Range 10"; Move and Fire	Treat soft cover as hard cover
Units	Ability	Shooting	Combat	Morale	Weapon	Special
Henry Morton Stanley	d12	d12	d12	d12	Rifle: Range 30"; Hand Weapon	Disciplinarian
Shiek Y'Aboute	d10	-	d10	d10	Big Chopper: Heavy Weapon	Re-roll misses in combat
White men	d10	d10	d8	d10	Rifle: Range 30" OR Pistol: Range 10", Move and Fire;
Soldiers	d10	d10	d10	d10	Rifle: Range 30"; Hand Weapon
Askari	d8	d8	d8	d8	Musket: Range 24"; Reload, Hand Weapon
Heavily Armed Askari	d8	d8	d8	d8	Rifle: Range 30"; Hand Weapon

I decide to drop some of the dice a grade, to reflect some of the ideas I had about ability. The differences between Warriors and Spearmen in the native faction are there to reflect different styles of fighting...something I may tweak in future. Also, because the muskets were mainly modern, I judged that Misfire wouldn't be appropriate. We kept it for the poorly maintained native musketeers though, and reduced their range accordingly.

I made up a set of cards using a double-sided colour printer, and some Ultra Pro Regular Toploaders (set of 25) which were excellent for the purpose.

The Scenario

The scenario was essentially a rules learning exercise.

The explorers were looking for safe passage for their caravan, and a group of Zanzibar Merchants had offered to show them the way.....of course, the Zanzibar player had a side mission, in that they were really slavers, and had to capture some of the villagers.

The natives were aware of the slavers presence, and simply had to defend their village.

The Game

 

The natives deployed across a broad front, archers on the wings, with pygmy archers in ambush.

 

The Explorers and their Zanzibar allies entered the table in line, just in case their was trouble!

 

Stanley, and the group of white men (2 x pistols & 1 x rifle) accompanied the booty!

 

This is where the rules came as a bit of a surprise to one of the players - he had expected to get a shot off with his elite soldiers, but the random unit activation meant the natives were on him (they can really get a lick on, moving 12" - 6" move, and a further 6" in their charge phase)...three kills on contact (units charging fight first, a la Games Workshop/Bolt Action etc. Combat is simultaneous in future turns) before any response could be made, and the soldiers immediately routed...!

 

Progress for the natives wasn't as good on the other flank, and ta unit found itself surrounded by Zanzibaris.

 

Meanwhile, the supporting archers advanced into terrain, using their "move and shoot" ability to good effect.

 

On the other flank, the Zanzibari Sheik saw off all comers...

 

The villagers were oblivious to their impending peril!

 

The Sheik was finally cut down by the Warriors...specifically designed as character killers, with their heavy weapons.

 

The Pygmys sprung their ambush, advancing to shoot Stanley and the white men...

 

...and cutting down the white men with their fire!

 

Stanley faced the charge, as the Pygmys moved in for the kill!

 

The booty tried to get out of the way, not seeing the Witchdoctor in the forest...!

 

Meanwhile, Stanley beat off the pygmy attack...

 

The pygmys got their revenge by shooting Stanley down....he died peppered with arrows!

 

The Warriors, having cut their way through everything in front of them, killed the last remaining askari...

 

...and the booty was theirs...!!!

 

Conclusion

 

An excellent game overall, Donnybrook is fast, furious and exciting...like any character based game, you get out of it what you put into it. I thought that the Explorers firepower would give them an edge, but by failing to form a decent fire line, and allowing the natives to get into combat, they blew their advantage. It was brutal...!

 

Definitely a game we will play again!

 

Darkest Africa

Recently, I've been painting up figures for a Darkest Africa project - figures are from Wargames Foundry, and are the "Congo" packs to go with the rules of the same name.

Though I do intend to play Congo, it doesn't seem to me to be suitable for a multi-player club game, because it is "card" based...there are elements of a board game in the way it is structured. I'll probably end up using a variation of either Donnybrook or Legends of the Old West for club games, and Congo for 1-on-1.

Anyhoo, first unit finished....Young African Warriors!