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Author Topic: Australian Frontier Wars - 24FEB23 (update) - MANY New AFW books…  (Read 34652 times)

Offline Happy Wanderer

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 918
Chaps,

In this post we expand out the factions in Outback, my conversion of Congo for use in the Australian Frontier wars.

These extra factions are more specific and take the game toward more of a ‘war themed’ game than the original exploration game though off course the two intermix to a degree.

So some added content for you to peruse.

Enjoy

Happy W

https://wp.me/p1YrZG-1nN

« Last Edit: March 07, 2018, 09:11:16 AM by Happy Wanderer »

Offline JasonB

  • Assistant
  • Posts: 26
As a man of some Aboriginal heritage (Worimi) I am loving this project. All that can be asked is that such topics are treated with respect and they have been. As long as we dont reenact massacres like Myall Creek (and why would you want to?) this gives credit to a people who in the popular imagination were seen as at best apathethic to the colonisation when in fact the opposite is true. I have today ordered my own Denisovians to paint as Koori and will be getting some perry brits to oppose them. There are those who say that in reality resistance was not really encountered and they do the first Australians and injustice. If our games dont fully reflect the reality of the conflict but capture the spirit isnt that all we can ask for?
Great project looks really good!

Offline Happy Wanderer

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 918
Hey Jason,

It's great to see you enjoying the AFW content. I've intentionally put a lot of work into this project as I wished to show it in its best possible light and I think I have achieved that goal - there was alot going on and not alot of what most people have heard!

Anything IMHO that sheds light on this subject in a fair and balanced, and historically factual way, is positive and speaks to how we can learn from mini gaming as well as enjoy the other aspects of it as well.

There is as much potential for skirmish gaming AFW clashes as in any other colonial clash and I think that has become apparent from my series of posts. It's fantastic you are going to get yourself a clan together and 'have to'...it'd be great to see any of you handy work or AARs for the rest of us to enjoy...I shall keep an eye out.

There's still a bit more to come down the line so I hope it is of some use.

Great stuff.

Cheers

Happy W


« Last Edit: March 09, 2018, 04:02:43 AM by Happy Wanderer »

Offline JasonB

  • Assistant
  • Posts: 26
I was thinking that I would use the Perry plastic brits for Macquarie 1816 period. Do you think the Belgic is the better choice for shako?

Offline Happy Wanderer

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 918
The 46th (South Devonshire) Regiment of Foot, which formed the troops of Macquarie's expedition were issued Belgic shakos before leaving England for service in Australia - so I'd go with Belgic.

FYI - they were nicknamed the 'Red Feathers' amongst a few other sobriquets, had Light Yellow facing colors, serving in Australia from February 1814 until proceeding to Madras in 1817.

As an aside, the Belgic was in vogue from 1812-16 before the Regency shako was implemented 1816-29, then the Bell Top Shako. I’d use them interchangeably as they both have the ‘bell top' look with the regency shako being a bit higher. I actually think these figures (Oronico Miniatures) would work really well for the post Belgic shako Brits in Australia look…they fit Perry’s size wise as well.


 ;)
« Last Edit: March 09, 2018, 03:45:16 AM by Happy Wanderer »

Offline JasonB

  • Assistant
  • Posts: 26
Thank you! I’m thinking about the Perry carlist wars British legion for later brits

Offline Happy Wanderer

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 918
Perry Carlist War Brits will work fine...that'd be the 1830s look to be accurate but as I say you really can start to get away with it from 1816 onwards if you can overlook the Regency vs Bell Top slight height difference - not a big one IMHO....those Perry's are lovely. Oronico Miniatures have a nice campaign look to them so both offer whichever style you prefer.If you really want a campaign look then the 1st Afghan War brits from Studio Miniatures will also work.
http://www.studiominiatures.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=itemlist&task=category&id=52:british-army&Itemid=508

In this post I had a good chat about minis - maybe worth a read if you missed it  ;)
https://agrabbagofgames.wordpress.com/2018/01/04/

Cheers

Happy W

« Last Edit: March 09, 2018, 04:08:47 AM by Happy Wanderer »

Offline Happy Wanderer

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 918
Gents,

Here is a article on frontier warfare in Tasmania by Australian Frontier Wars historian, John Connor. It's not to long and a very interesting piece going into a good deal of military detail on operations in Van Dieman's Land (Tasmania)....the stuff we like - certainly worth a read with a cuppa.

Enjoy.


https://wp.me/p1YrZG-1gg

Offline Happy Wanderer

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 918
Re: Australian Frontier Wars - update 14MAR18 - Warfare in Van Dieman's Land
« Reply #113 on: March 26, 2018, 02:50:15 PM »
Gents,

In this post we look at using The Men Who Would Be Kings for frontier wars clashes. The higher figure totals in this rule system will allow for a more spectacular game. Alternatively the smaller ‘half kings’ game still allows players to use the game with smaller numbers of figures.

TMWWBKs provides a unique style of play and the many tweakable rules allows enough variation and combinations that a frontier wars game can be had in the spirit of the original rules.

The post includes full rules for each force type and army lists for the entire period - there should be something useful in there for anyone interested in the topic.

Enjoy

https://wp.me/p1YrZG-11m


Offline Happy Wanderer

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 918
Re: Australian Frontier Wars - update 27MAR18 - TMWWBKs for AFW
« Reply #114 on: April 30, 2018, 06:21:58 AM »
Gents,

In my final instalment on the use of different rule systems for the Australian Frontier Wars, we take a look at the ‘small battle scale’. For this we use (the re released) Death in the Dark Continent.

This post includes rules and army lists for both sides. Whilst Death in the Dark Continent seems too large a scale for AFW clashes, if the rules are taken to be a 1:1 scale, which they often are for Darkest Africa clashes for which they are intended, then they fit rather well. Also, the new version of DITDC includes a skirmish scale game which may be appropriate for some minor clashes as well.

All in all they are eminently usable for AFW engagements if DITDC is to your taste.

Cheers

Happy W

https://wp.me/p1YrZG-18a



« Last Edit: July 30, 2018, 08:12:17 AM by Happy Wanderer »

Offline Happy Wanderer

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 918
Resistance - a campaign for the Australian Frontier Wars


Gents,

Wrapping up our series of posts on the Australian Frontier Wars I provide a simple campaign system for use that should be very easy to implement and can easily be converted to any colonial setting - so it might well be off use to any game setting.

Campaigns often come to an inconclusive end due to the requirements of planning and bookkeeping and sometimes the services of an umpire, but this campaign, Resistance!, requires only the keeping of one number to keep track of the action!

Before each battle players set up the campaign dynamics which should take little more than 10 mins and then they may conduct a campaign, in a setting of their choosing. They may use a map to locate fictional encounters with some creative thinking which can provide some element of creative campaign narrative and theme, but it is not required.

I hope you have enjoyed this series and there will certainly be additions made as time goes by…

Happy Wanderer

https://wp.me/p1YrZG-16O

« Last Edit: May 19, 2018, 06:38:46 AM by Happy Wanderer »

Offline Plynkes

  • The Royal Bastard
  • Moderator
  • Elder God
  • Posts: 10212
  • I killed Mufasa!
    • http://misterplynkes.blogspot.com/
I'm increasingly drawn to the Perry Brothers' Cape Wars range (which, by the way, I wish they'd go back to and do the rest of the stuff they said they were going to). Seems like it would be a good fit with your campaign system, it also being a settlers, soldiers and warrior natives kind of deal.

I shall keep this in mind if and when I ever get around to such a project. Thanks!

With Cat-Like Tread
Upon our prey we steal...

Offline Captain Blood

  • Global Moderator
  • Elder God
  • Posts: 19305
I’ve enjoyed your series very much. Great figures, nice terrain, and a lot of useful history I didn’t know.

And so much better without the interruptions and attempted derailments. Well done for seeing it through. A very well researched and presented wargames project. Looking forward to future additions  :)

Offline Happy Wanderer

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 918
Gents,

Thanks so much for lasting the distance!

Your comments are much appreciated and I trust there will be a good body of information for people to use as a resource should they wish to try something different or delve into some further research of their own. Whilst certainly not as 'sexy' as some colonial topics it has an appeal all of its own in many respects.

I think my stated aim of portraying the period in a positive way has been achieved.


@Plynkes
I very much had the Cape Wars in mind as an alternative setting for this campaign system...and yes, more form the Perry's on this one please!

The Operations used in the Resistance campaign could easily be converted to more conventional military operations by regular forces or campaign specific operations by one military force or tribal people.

I think it will work rather well for Africa which I intend on using it for as well...it's nice and simple and you can add the chrome to make it campaign specific.

 ;)
« Last Edit: May 19, 2018, 01:30:50 PM by Happy Wanderer »

Offline TacticalPainter

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 590
    • The Tactical Painter
Agree with all previous comments. My children had alerted me to some of this, although being the passionate, activist young people that they are, the language has always been loaded with terms like ‘genocide’ and ‘massacre’.  I’ve always told them that traditional British military history seems devoid of histories of any conflict on this scale, so I doubted how much was real, as opposed to rhetoric.  Your posts and blogs have not only opened my eyes, but helped me understand why these conflicts are absent from the traditional British military historiography. 

Hats off to you - good history, good wargaming and good figure painting - the three things that keep me in the hobby!

 

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