Kweeziland Campaign

[pbjunky1]

Several of us at Wigan Wargames, using  the highly enjoyable TMWWBK  rules,  have dipped our toes into colonial gaming. Rather than having a series of one-off, unconnected,  games we   decided to have a campaign in which we could set our games. Its just for context you understand, nothing to do with several members being fiercely competitive at the slightest hint of a league type approach to games. We used basic campaign mechanisms from Chris Peers El Dorado  for the campaign.
We’ve also enjoyed Pulp games so we thought the colonial period lent itself to bigger battles  using TMWWBK rules alongside actions featuring individuals from the  respective forces operating in the same setting but as Pulp leagues.
Hopefully it won’t be as complicated as it may sound.
As we have plenty of forces for colonial Africa we are setting our campaign in that well known  central African  province of Kweeziland. The colonial powers of France, Britain, Germany and Arab empire/state of Zanzibar are about to collide for control of  the areas  resources.
The campaign revolves around fighting TMWWBK battles or Pulp actions with  winning  sides gathering Resource Points (RPs).
Kweeziland Campaign (late 1800’s)
Indigenous forces  :  
Tribals  3 main tribes  the Mungo Jerri tribe, Baka Daqu tribe, Kaka Enlacama tribe.  Farmers and hunters. Won’t co-operate but do have a truce so don’t attack each other.  Resent the encroachment of colonials at the edges of their lands and presence of Zanzibaris .  These essentially provide the opposition for the active  forces. If a tribe loses three games in succession (to anyone) it is subdued and won’t fight again.
Zanzibari:  Now a strong presence headed by the self styled Amir Quecumba  Salad. Trade and raid for gold, rubber, ivory & slaves. Established trading outposts and a few thriving towns.  There is now a challenge from the Europeans for the lucrative trade routes.  If it loses  three successive games to one colonial power it is destroyed, note it can lose any number to different attackers and not be destroyed.
Ruga Ruga: Innocent Jambutti, a charismatic leader has gathered a bunch of bandits, deserter askari and wannabe bad boy young thugs together and formed  gangster cultured  settlements. Will fight anyone but also hire out muscle to anyone . Again these are essentially opposition  for the colonials. If the Ruga  loose 3 games in succession (to anyone) its power is broken and  it won’t fight again.
Colonials:
British, French, German. This is pre the Berlin Accord, there is a possibility that a European conflict could break out in Africa. Initially each come from different directions so can’t fight each other until they’ve overcome one of the tribes or  the Zanzibari or Ruga. Once they’ve done this they can choose to  start attacking each other. After this point there is time for 6 more battles between Europeans before their masters in Europe call a halt to negotiate a settlement  - and more importantly our league winners are determined at this point.
A word about the points system,  army points (& reserve points) are the points from TMWWBK rules. Resource Points (RPs) are what players win in their games.
One Army/ reserve point = one RP.
RPs can be changed into  Army/ reserve points to increase size of army fielded  in TMWWBK games from the initial 22pts up to 32pts.
Army/ reserve points can’t be changed back into RPs.
RPs are needed to be spent  to keep larger sized armies in the field.
The winner at the end of the campaign is the side with the most RPs.
In this way the game involves a resource management element keeping RPs unconverted to win the league (particularly towards the end of the campaign)or converting them into  Army points to (hopefully) beat the opposition in games.
Initial RPs  represent supplies from Europe to start the game. Initial Army and reserve points are what forces start with in the first game.  Then after they juggle RPs with army/reserve points as they see fit .
Reserve points allows forces to have a ‘subs bench’ of units so that they can  change their army composition from game to game .
The maximum  points are the greatest value that forces can be built up to which can be fielded or act as reserves in a game.

Tribals aren’t interested in RPs
   
 Zanzibaris are a good source of RPs but have a larger initial army- representing them being longer established in the area. Tribals may be a good source of RPs, each  tribe is a different composition of forces. Ruga  aren’t a good source of RPs but may make useful  (aggressive) auxiliaries.

I would have posted fuller details of the campaign but the few tables we are using wouldn't post intact.

We'll post details of results as we go along.

[pbjunky1]

First round games:
In gaming this campaign we made a few adjustments to the rules which I’ll post up later but briefly we are just using a CinC & 2iC rather than a leader for every unit and  more pinning markers are suffered if  a unit takes a disproportionately larger number of casualties.
We allowed points to be spent on a few  extras  as well as actual units:
Bugles and Flags- helps rallying, Scouts- helps colonials in close terrain, Barricades -helps colonials against larger irregular forces and Extra Ammo  - avoids colonials running short of ammo.
The first round of games saw the British take on the Ruga, the French attack the Zanzibaris and the Germans launch a strike into the Baka Duqu tribal areas.
We fought all these games as encounter battles, we may have a go at some scenarios later.
Firstly the British at 22pts  against the Ruga at 24pts. Reports from this action are fleeting (I didn’t witness much of the game as I was fighting as the Zanzibaris against the French) whilst it was on. The British had a force of Indian troops of varying quality (Sikhs - good quality regulars, Punjabis- average quality regulars and Bombay- poor quality regulars) and an HMG. The Ruga had a poor quality mountain gun and a mixture of poor and good quality irregular units.
Action was fought over possession of a village in the centre of the table.  From what I gathered the Ruga moved forward in a rather incautious manner and were significantly outgunned by the Indian Army units. By the end of the game most of the Ruga units had fled or been destroyed. For this gallant action the  British earned 1 RP.
Sikh troops taking advantage of cover in a very professional manner.

Members of Her Majesties finest demonstrating to their opponents  the benefits of parade ground training, target practice and not smoking mind altering substances before battle.

In a text book conclusion to the action the Punjabis occupy the village unopposed. Colonel Fanshawe will no doubt regale his fellow officers with tales of his exploits  and +5 leadership over a G&T in the officers mess.

Meanwhile the nefarious French (22pts)were taking on the Zanzibaris (26pts) for possession of a trading post situated on strategic high ground again in the centre of the table. The French had one unit of good quality regulars, some tiralieurs (irregulars) and a couple of poorer quality tribal levy irregular units. The Zanzibari had a unit of Baluchi jezzails, a mix of average and poor quality zanzibari irregulars and a poor quality mountain gun.

The battlefield:

Quecumba Salad’s motley forces:


The Republic’s finest:


And their not so finest:

Action started with a race for the dominating high ground, the French regulars took up the part of bullet magnates and trading volleys with a couple of Zanzibari units definitely saw them come off the worst.
Meanwhile the Baluchis reached the compound on the hill first, several of their companion units failed activation rolls meaning they were rather isolated and facing La Republique’s finest (and not so finest) with little support.

The French regulars lined up ready for the assault but accurate sniping pinned them at the base of the hill. Next it was the turn of the Tirallieurs.
They managed their assault but were  repulsed.  

So having thrown their finest and next to finest into action to no avail the French lined up one of their  not so finest tribal irregulars.

And lo and behold they succeeded where their comrades had failed. The tribal irregulars threw the Baluchi off the hill and withstood  several rounds of shooting from the ineffective cannon and more effective musketry to hold the objective for La France.

Meanwhile the French tiralleurs  and other tribal irregulars got the better of the Zanzibari units forcing them back off the table, the game ending in a clear French victory earning them 2 RPs from rolling on the victory results table.

No doubt the  French commander  was conveying details of his forces superior élan ( and his +5 leadership) to French colonial authorities but these pictures clearly show the truth of the matter, that it was the unfancied tribal irregulars who carried the day.

[Bryanbowdell]

It was French superiority in planning and tactics that won the day!!!

Commandant Rene Renault expects champagne and medals from France.

[pbjunky1]

Round 1 continued Germans v Tribals.
The table was again set in a random manner with one side heavily forested  and a scrub covered hill in the centre  but the other side open apart from a hill on the flank. The Germans went with two good quality regulars, an HMG and a scout. The scout is able to move varying amounts of  terrain around the table  (of particular help against tribals) representing the colonials using local knowledge to choose a better battle ground. This particular scout however had obviously oversold his local knowledge and could only move the flanking  hill which was moved away from the flank towards the centre of the colonial position.
The Baka Duqu tribe had two good units, two average units and one poor unit.
Action or rather activity started with the tribals moving forward under cover and the Germans forming a smart looking firing line – but not on the hill.

Tribals in cover behind the central hill feature


Other tribals moved forward working their way towards flanking positions, the Germans shuffled their lines a bit.
Fast forwarding to the tribals reaching the edge of the cover they were reluctant to move into the open until it was explained that if they didn’t they’d lose the game as the Germans had invaded their territory. Not really blood thirsty types the Baka Duqu.
The hill the Germans had moved  nearer to them and then failed to occupy did provide some further cover for a couple of tribal units however.

As the tribals broke cover for a final attack the expected hail of bullets  gunning them down didn’t materialise. German shooting was desultory with a couple of the tribals being pinned but easily unpinning. The HMG jammed a couple of times.
Things came to a crunch on the German right where the Seebatallion  formed  close order and delivered a volley. One tribal unit was pinned the second threw itself on the line  and even though it’d taken some casualties earlier and had less men it outfought the ineffectual colonials in hand to hand.
The greater number of tribal units was beginning to tell as the HMG jammed again and the Reichsmarine were overrun.


The not so well ordered colonial firing line at the end of the game.

The HMG  inflicted as many casualties fighting as it had shooting! It did however succumb  to the tribal assault.
No doubt there will be a thorough investigation into the string of errors that resulted in the debacle with Colonel Haidenfahrt having to answer some tough questions.
The Germans lost 1 RP from this debacle.

[Traveler Man]

Great stuff!  I look forward to more reports. 

[guitarheroandy]

Absolutely splendid!! Stirring stuff indeed!
Looking forward to round 2...

[skirmisher]

Spiffing reading. Hilarious about the French tribal irregulars. My monocle nearly fell into my breakfast champagne glass chortling at that 

[MaleGriffin]

Excellent after action reports! I'm curious to see if the Baka duqu are emboldened by their victory!

Nicely done!

Cheers!

[Bryanbowdell]

Link to our Pulp games in Kweeziland


http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=96667.0

[pbjunky1]

Round 2 game 1
Safeguarding Le Pew's mission

For the second round games we set up with the colonial force in the central one foot square of the board around some feature, in some instances there was a relief column joining the  colonials after a number of turns. The colonials were attacked by one of the ‘native forces’ who were deployed according to Mr Babbage rules surrounding them. Once deployment had taken place a player ran the natives as a normal force (ie Babbage was only used for set up).
In the first game the French took on the Ruga who lost their last game against the British. The Ruga don’t yield many Resource Points if defeated but the French chose them as opponents anyway.
The French took 4 units on table including Senegalese Tirallieurs and native irregulars with Spahi irregular cav & a unit of tribal inf coming on as a relief column.
Innocent Jambutti fielded has best Ruga irregular infantry units along with a unit of tribal inf.
The French were detailed with protecting the small church established by  the missionary  Gaston Le Pew deep in the jungle and vulnerable to the hostile intentions of the Ruga. They had to  successfully protect the missionaries for 6 turns.

The French posted one unit on each side of the mission.

The Ruga were positioned all around the building, all at long range apart from one unit at charge distance from the tribal irregulars. We have the Ruga as fierce with some being veteran  but all being armed with antiquated musket and some being poor shots. They are a force which needs to get into melee as soon as possible  unfortunately the French won the initiative. And thus began a very painful game for Jambutti’s forces.
[
The unit poised to charge home received a volley from the irregular tribals and were pinned, although the French didn’t roll great shooting dice they did manage to pin all but two of the Ruga units not all of which rallied.
A unit of Ruga arrived late but again was pinned before it could get into contact.
After receiving three of rounds of painful shooting the Ruga tried to consolidate on two side of the church and the French irregular troops felt confident enough to advance sandwiching one Ruga unit between itself and the relief column and destroying it.
The French tribals making sure a Ruga unit gets the point.

The French tribal levy flushed with confidence having destroyed the Ruga unit linked up with Tirallieurs who pinned another  Ruga unit just in time for the tribals to charge home and destroy them in two rounds of combat.


On the other side of the mission Rene Renault ordered the tirallieurs to soften up a Ruga unit and the Spahi cavalry into a glorious charge to drive them from the field. His dreams of a dashing victory somewhat stalled however as the Ruga held their own in combat throwing the Spahis back.

This proved to be only a temporary respite; Renault  reassured Le Pew and his charming daughter  that everything was really under control despite appearances. He  ordered the Tirallieurs to open fire again. After two more rounds of shooting the depleted and pinned Ruga were hit by the Spahis and destroyed. Jambutti fled ignominiously to the remaining Ruga unit.
Meanwhile the  Ruga second in command witchdoctor, Luv N’more was performing somewhat better (it wasn’t difficult) than his inglorious leader . He took charge of the Ruga tribals and charged the rampant French tribals in the hope of evening up the casualties but it wasn’t to be as the combat was a draw and the Ruga  slunk from the field defeated.

So the game came to a close with Renault reassuring Father Le Pew that he and his charming daughter Genevieve could carry on with their work safe in the newly controlled French area.
Commandant  Renault  tries to look impressed as Genevieve rewards his efforts with a stirring biblical quote or two.

However despite his outstanding success in the field rolling a 1 on the victory chart gained the French  zero RPs in the campaign.

[Bryanbowdell]

Another good write up Pete, I do feel I was robbed of victory points though!!!  Rene will take solace from the stirring despatches that are sure to be printed in the Paris press!!

[pbjunky1]

Leaves on the line
For their game the British decided to also attack  the Ruga. Clearly they were looking the knock them out of the campaign and at the same time demonstrate  their  tactical superiority  over the French, who had defeated the Ruga in their  game, by trouncing them even more fully.
For their part the Ruga were now clearly very jittery after their previous colonial encounter, Innocent Jambutti rolling a 8+ for his leadership and Bag of Nerves for his trait. At least 2iC witchdoctor Luv n’More maintained his 7+ leadership and had the  Lucky trait.
Colonel  Chips Fanshawe  was escorting the 6.30 mail train  to Haka Jumba.
Below a gratuitous picture of a train.

He was charged with clearing the tracks of the blockage and holding off any enemy for 6 turns. He took  good, ave & poor quality Indian units (Sikhs, Punjabis & Bombay inf) and an HMG. The British units set up along the length of the train. The Ruga deployed  spread fairly evenly all round according to Babbage’s rules but then after were run by a player. They had  a couple of poorer quality units compared to last time and took an irregular mountain gun.
Another gratuitous picture of a train (well having bought it from a bargin store and repainted it it was going in as many shots as possible).

All the Ruga set up at long rifle range and the British levelled their rifles, set their sights and took aim relishing some target practice opportunities however the Ruga won initiative. All their units passed to move at the double and had certainly got their running shoes on as they  all rolled high to move rapidly towards the train.
Those leaves on the line, ok so maybe the fact they are still attached to their trees is sufficient reason to cause delay.

In their turn the British let fire and caused casualties with all their shooting but only one Ruga unit pinned.
The Ruga who could move  doubled again and were now within charge range, more to the point they outnumbered the British by 6 units to 4 so they couldn’t all be targeted. The field gun managed to shoot each turn despite Jambutti’s poor leadership and caused a casualty each turn –but no pinning results though the one pinned unit  which was under his  command remained so until the last turn of the game, his shaken  leadership was clearly communicating itself to them.
Those expert Ruga gunners you’ll hear about in Colonel Fanshawe’s report:

Another round of British shooting saw  casualties caused but  only one more unit was pinned. Things were looking decidedly different from the previous game.
The Ruga tribals commanded by Luv N’More charged home scattering the  workers who’d been clearing the track and hit the Sikhs.  Carnage ensued  as the Sikhs took almost half their unit as casualties in one turn of combat and recoiled pinned.

This left the Ruga tribals exposed to the HMG at short range. An ominous ‘click’ was heard as the gun jammed.
Those Ruga  near enough decided (ill advisedly) to try to shoot at the British the next turn  as their units at greater distance  caught up but  no pinning  occurred.
This gave the British another chance with the HMG, another ominous clicking occurred! The rest of their shooting was ineffectual.
There was no third chance, those Ruga units that could charged and the HMG and Punjabi s were overrun.

In subsequent turns only the Sikhs,  now much reduced, managed to  reverse the trend of Ruga combat victories in one round of fighting  before they were subsequently wiped out.
At the end of the last turn a depleted  double pinned Bombay unit managed to survive with the workers and passengers cowering behind them  and Ruga units poised to strike.

With that the game  was over and the British claimed victory! From the foregoing  readers may be forgiven for mixing this up with that other result that sometimes occurs – defeat however as the last officer standing Colonel Chips Fanshawe wrote in his report of how the enemy outnumbered his forces significantly, of how they have somehow obtained and could use accurate artillery and of how in the face of overwhelming odds he took command of a much reduced poor quality rearguard and holding off attacks escorted the civilians from the field of battle as darkness fell.  There, even I think it was a British victory reading  that.
As they had in fact survived and guarded the civilians , though not cleared the track I thought it was at least a draw and allowed the British to roll for RPs. They gained one, it was worth it for the upset it caused to the French who gained  no RPs despite trouncing the Ruga.

[Sunjester]

Excellent reports, thanks for sharing! I really want to get a TMWWBK campaign of some sort going now! Unfortunately I'm still waiting for the other guys at the club to get their armies painted.

[Ste long 1971]

The write up was obviously written by a dastardly Frenchmen. Trying to do an injustice, to a hard fought and stubborn defensive actions of the gallant Indian service troops! Who's bravery enarned a valuable point

[pbjunky1]

Round 2 Game 3 A Camping Disaster
For the final second round game the  German Empire forces took on the Zanzibaris. After their rough handling by the tribals in round one the Germans sought to make up ground by  going for the resource rich Zanzibaris - all they had to do was win the game.
Colonel Haidenfahrt took good, ave & poor quality regulars (Seebatalion, Reichsmarine & Askari) with an HMG. They were charged with guarding the campsite for 6 turns. So long as they survived and kept the Zanzibaris out of the camp they won the game.

The Zanzibaris took 3 units of poor quality irregular infantry, a unit of Baluchi Jezzails ( counted as modern rifle  for range, expert shots but only half shoot each turn)a poor quality mountain gun and a unit of irregular cav.
Things started to go wrong for Colonel Haidenfahrt as he rolled for leadership, he was 8+ and ‘Bag of Nerves’ trait, clearly  the debacle which befell him last game left him feeling fragile.
Fortunately his 2iC Captain Shottemup’s  leadership 7+  but his trait was the less than helpful ‘bald as a coot’.
Quecumba Salad’s  leadership was 7+ but he had ‘retreat full move’ which actually  helped him in the game. His 2iC Abdul Mustafa Fag was clearly  on his game though with leadership 5+ and ‘keen shot’.
Zanzibari  Baluchis & irregulars who deployed as per Babbage rules.


The Zanzibaris  won initiative and the jezzails immediately caused casualties and pinning on the HMG which had to fall back. The rest of their forces moved forward to get in range for shooting next turn.
The Germans managed to pin a unit of  irregulars but that was all, they couldn’t rally the HMG.
Worse was to follow as the Reichsmarine took casualties and Haidenfahrt  tested on ‘Bag of Nerves’ deserted his men and hid in a tent.  This saw them pinned and un-rallied allowing the Zanzibaris to advance without fear of shooting from this unit.
Haidenfahrt realising he’s left something important in his tent.

Schottemup took command and things looked marginally better with his 7+ leadership but in round 4 disaster struck. A cannon ball from the Zanzibari gun ploughed through the Askaris  and a double 1 was rolled mangling the gallant 2ic. This was the first snake eyes anyone has rolled in any TMWWBK game so far and the German player knew his luck was out.
Quecumba Salad sensed the moment was right and charged home with the cavalry. As usual he was over optimistic  and the Seebatalion fought a tough draw causing him to retreat, however his retreat full move served Salad well as he went back into cover so couldn’t be shot at by the Seebatalion in their move.
A couple more shooting casualties on the Seebatalion   from the Jezzails stiffened Salad’s resolve and he charged home again with the cavalry. This time they won the combat drove the Germans back into the camp and  with pinned markers being thicker on the ground than troops  and with Haidenfahrt peeping out of his tent the Germans had lost the game.
As the gallant Captain Schottemup lies motionless on the ground the Zanzibari cavalry finish off the game.