Help with Cannibals please and Death in the Dark Continent

[H.M.Stanley]

I'm wanting Cannibals to provide the erm, interest, for my Explorers using DITDC (or possibly TS&TF)

Now bearing in mind i've not played using Peers' rules as yet, does this make sense:

Tribal Chief with Elite Bodyguard [8pts x 6 bases]
Elite Warriors** [8pts x 6 bases]  
Elite Warriors** [8pts x 6 bases]
Skirmishers with spears [4pts x 7 bases]
Skirmishers          "        [4pts x 7 bases]
Skirmishers       "           [4pts x 7 bases]
Skirmishers       "           [4pts x 7 bases]
Pygmies with bows         [7pts x 6 bases]

** i THINK that i can add throwing knives to the Warriors and if so lose the Pygmies. The rule says "add throwing knives to Skirmishers" but does that work as they already have spears/bows, which are missile weapons for skirmishers under the rules? I believe that Warriors don't have missile weapons generally, so throwing knives for them may be an exception [as this list variant doesn't have access to firearms]? [EDIT: WRONG WRONG WRONG - THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPEARS/BOWS AND THROWING KNIVES AND ONLY THE SOKO SKIRMISHERS HAVE ACCES TO THEM]

I'm basing them on the Soko

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

[James Morris]

Hmm, it looks like you're right, I can't find any difference between throwing spears and knives in the rules.

Death in the Dark Continent is a very good game - my group has played a number of games and is hooked - it's ideal for mid-size African/Colonial encounters.  It has a few features that take getting used to, and it would really benefit from some diagrams, but we've found it an excellent gaming experience.

Worth a game or two if you can get round to it.

Cheers

James

[H.M.Stanley]

I found it. Throwing Knives:

1. you don't subtract the 2 for shooting at Warriors, and
2. Target units test the first time Throwing Knives are thrown at them

I can now see why you can upgrade the Soko Skirmishers with these.

We played Nick's Matabele on Thurs  at the WH - the first time i've played the DitDC rules although i've sat in, briefly, on a couple of games. They were great fun,  although some things did indeed take some getting used to, and i'll probably be using them for my African adventures as a rule (with a little Sword in Africa for variety). I only have room for so many rulesets in my head so unless there's some complelling reason i should choose T&T over DitDC ... both look great fun but, for me, the fact that Dark Continent is designed for Africa and the 19thC swings it

[H.M.Stanley]

I invested in some jungle terrain at Triples yesterday ....

[pictures of terrain and cannibal/pygmy terrain bases to follow]

[H.M.Stanley]

[a decent start ...

3 x 6 Base Elite Warriors with Chief,  4 x 7 Base Skirmishers & 1 x 6 Pygmies]



[Soko Skirmishers]



[Soko close-up]

So, just the 50 Soko to get painted up and on those "terrain movement" bases rather than the 150+ figures this army would normally need. It tickles me that there'll be jungle moving Macbeth style towards the enemy!

[James Morris]

I found it. Throwing Knives:

1. you don't subtract the 2 for shooting at Warriors, and
2. Target units test the first time Throwing Knives are thrown at them

I can now see why you can upgrade the Soko Skirmishers with these.

We played Nick's Matabele on Thurs  at the WH - the first time i've played the DitDC rules although i've sat in, briefly, on a couple of games. They were great fun,  although some things did indeed take some getting used to, and i'll probably be using them for my African adventures as a rule (with a little Sword in Africa for variety). I only have room for so many rulesets in my head so unless there's some complelling reason i should choose T&T over DitDC ... both look great fun but, for me, the fact that Dark Continent is designed for Africa and the 19thC swings it

That explains it!  I've found that DitDC sometimes needs some careful poring over to find the answer.  Having just finished the relevant chapter in Mr Peers' African Wars book, I am sorely tempted by some Azande...

BTW is that you James?  I hate internet pseudonyms!

[H.M.Stanley]

C'mon in the jungle is lovely chap!

Sorry, i thought you knew  what with my reference to one of your threads re T&T Italians in Ethiopia and sole survivors etc

James

[H.M.Stanley]

My cannibals are coming on and i settled on this for Dark Continent at 300pts

Tribal Chief with Elite Bodyguard [6 x bases]
plus
Elite Warriors 2 x [6 x bases]
Skirmishers with spears/bows  6 units x [6 x bases*]

* one unit only with Throwing Knives

So, 9 x units incl 3 x Elite Warriors. Up close and personal is where it wants to be.

I'm also doing a seperate Pygmie force

[H.M.Stanley]

Time to get back to the Soko Cannibals methinks ...

[H.M.Stanley]

They're finished and its their first outing this evening in our Campaign. I've used Nick Eyre's/Northstar Matabele with non-standard shields

I have some "Eurotrash" renegade officers [a couple of bases of Elite Soldiers with breech-loaders] with their cannibal allies searching for gold! First up, Zulu types.

I'm warming the pot  

Photos of the game to follow but here's one of the Chief with his bodyguard and the Witchdoctor

[H.M.Stanley]

[H.M.Stanley]

So, 150 points of Zulu faced off against a Muzungo and his Cannibal Allies [not strictly permitted under DITDC but hey i just did what i was asked & there is precedent]. The Zulu had been hired by the Gold Mining Co to seek out and destroy the incursion from the North.

The Cannibals' objective was to get as many figures off the Zulu's table edge as possible. I had the Explorer with a repeater rifle, one unit of Elite Soku Warriors and three units of Skirmishers. It was pointed out to me that the Skirmishers perform better in small units of 3 or 4 so i suddenly had six units of the nippy fellows.

Facing me was a Zulu War Captain, 2 units of Elite Warriors, 2 units of Warriors and a small Skirmisher unit.

My plan was to try to lure the Warriors into terrain and then get the hell out of there leaving them in my dust ..! It was settled that i had to get > 50% bases off the table to win.

Like all foolproof plans, it didn't quite work like that. Terrain isn't as kind to Skirmishers as i thought it would be. I put most of the skirmishers on my right, a small section on the left and the Soku Warriors in the middle with the Muzungo. The Zulu matched up similarly with my opponents skirmishers on his right.

Surprisingly my skirmishers escaped on the left thanks mostly to a failed moral test on the Warriors from rifle fire over there plus the effect of missile fire from the spears & arrows from the skirmishers. The Warriors were forced to withdraw leaving the way clear as his skirmishers were unable to block the way [NB. only Elite Skirmishers may charge].

On my right, 3 of the 4 skirmishers were caught and wiped out by the Zulu but thankfully one section did limp off with 4 disruption markers; making 9 bases off thus far.

In the centre, my Warriors sensed their moment and charged towards the Zulu Captain's Elite Warriors, bouyed by the shooting of the Explorer. The Zulu skirmisher unit raced over to support having tired of chasing the Cannibal skirmishers. The Zulu misjudged the strength of the Soku who were their equal in ability and were fresher. The Zulu were wiped out to a man much to the dismay of their skirmishers. The depleted Zulu Warrior unit fled off the table at the sight. The Soku Warriors promptly turned on the skirmishers with the same result!

[NB. being the attacker i went first each turn on a IGOUGO basis for each unit - this proved to be a boon for me]

The Suko Warriors outdistanced the remaining Zulu taking the odd Zulu limb with them for snacks on the way to the Gold Mine.

Meanwhile, it suddenly occured to the Muzungo that it was all very well hanging back and taking pot-shots with his new fancy rifle while all his natives were doing the work ... but ... he was now alone with two Zulu units who were considering his extremeties as possible jewellery. A sudden mad dash for the left hand side corner was brought to an abrupt end. Anyone for earings?

[H.M.Stanley]

[H.M.Stanley]

[H.M.Stanley]