Author Topic: LOOKING FOR COLONIAL INSPIRATION (Read 3619 times)

miltiades · « **on:** 30 December 2015, 11:43:02 AM »

Hi guys.
I love colonial wargaming but it seems I am out of inspiration. I am looking for "realistic" scenarios [especially in Sudan or India, or any oriental place] with many troops involved and rich terain. Some friends gave me ideas and a few links but I still need some more... Has anybody anything in mind?
Thank you
Miltiades

General_Pettygree · « **Reply #1 on:** 30 December 2015, 12:15:10 PM »

http://generalpettygree.blogspot.com/
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Lots of scenery, battles and stories.
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Good Luck,
Bill P.

Dr DeAth · « **Reply #2 on:** 30 December 2015, 12:52:30 PM »

Great blog! lots of inspiration there.

Kommando_J · « **Reply #3 on:** 30 December 2015, 11:03:29 PM »

Try some colonial literature Rudyard Kipling springs to mind as do the writings of Samuel Baker and the collected letters of Charles Gordon.

Rob Herrick · « **Reply #4 on:** 31 December 2015, 01:51:56 AM »

Any of Colonel Snook's books are good, especially if you want the British to lose.

Lives of a Bengal Lancer is a good one for some fictional inspiration, as is that rogue Flashman.

Mad Guru · « **Reply #5 on:** 31 December 2015, 05:08:58 AM »

Miltiades,

Not sure if you've ever visited my Maiwand Day blog, which is mostly focused on terrain and gaming for the Second Afghan War of 1878-1880.

Here's a sample pic & link to an AAR of the first play-test of my 1879 Battle of Charasiab scenario, from a few months ago:

http://maiwandday.blogspot.com/2015/09/charasiab-play-test-10.html

And here's the same for a more recent blog entry with pics of my terrain set-up and brief army lists for a "What If?" version of the First Afghan War 1841-'42 Christmas/New Years retreat of the Anglo-Indian army from Kabul, in which the British commanders choose to try and fight their way from their Cantonments to the Bala Hissar fortress, 1.5 miles away, rather than accepting an Afghan gaurantee of "Safe Conduct," as they actually did, and attempting to march 90 miles South to the border of British India, which sadly led to the complete destruction of the Anglo-Indian army of 4,500 and its 12,000 camp followers:

http://maiwandday.blogspot.com/2015/12/bala-hissar-or-bust-preliminaries.html

And finally here's a sample pic & link to the first of a somewhat epic 7-part AAR on an 1880 Battle of Maiwand game I ran at the first "Colonial Barracks" convention back in November 2011. It's long, but has a ton of pics of troops and terrain, taken by a good photographer with a good camera (not me!):

http://maiwandday.blogspot.com/2012/01/maiwand-saturday-colonial-barracks-1-of_22.html

Hope you find them to be of some use!

miltiades · « **Reply #6 on:** 31 December 2015, 08:43:47 AM »

Thank you all so much for your replies !
I am a fan of General Pettygree's blog and it is really very very inspiring. But I was looking for something suitable for very big battles since it is the beginning of the Year and since I am the only one who plays Colonials in Athens ... all my friends ask me to prepare them the BIG game of the New Year[...meaning a BIG BATTLE with lots of killings and many players involved]. Therefore I am looking for a scenario including a big City [like Khartum, Khabul, or something like that] and perhaps 2 or 3 "oriental" armies . One or two may be the attackers, while the other one may try to delay the reinforcements. On the other side there will be the defenders and the reinforcements. I do have many terain features [including a fort and a city, even a small steamboat, and a table of 2,40 X2,00 meters]. The problem is that I am not sure how this whole thing may work... Up to now we played smaller actions [with simple house rules] and had a lot of fun... General Pettygree is very very inspiring.
Unfortunately I have not read the books you mentioned [except Kipling of course], but I will order them -that's for sure. Thanks. But Bob, I don't want the British to lose [I actually want them to win !] so I don't think I would buy Colonel Snook's books [is it a rule set? does it have any scenarios?]
Maiwand Day Blog is a Fantastic Blog, very inspiring, amazing terain and of course I will get much inspiration from it.
Well, if any of you have a scenario [tested?] that fits my standards, or any ideas, that would be very much appreciated

May all we have a really HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!