Heart of Africa & DitDC [Chris Peers' rules]

[Dr. Kevin Moon III esq.]

This is one bit I struggled with, if there was another -1 modifier, (i.e. target starts or ends move in cover), does that mean there is no chance of hitting? (Mathmatically there isn't of course, but I wondered if I've missed a rule somewhere).

We've always played it that if there are too many minus' then you can't hit them (it makes pygmies in terrain a real pest, which by all accounts, they were!)

[H.M.Stanley]

I can't recommend HoA enough, I've played lots of games down the club with all sorts of forces.

Most games we play involve a force with between 4 and 8 units a side plus commanders, scouts, witchdoctors, standard bearers and the odd machine gun. Colonial armies tend to clock in around the 30 figure mark, Arabs and Ruga Ruga armies around the 50-60 figure mark and natives come in around 100 figures.

The game is very simple to grasp but there are a few nuances which give it a good depth.

Its alternate unit activation for movement (which is based on one or two D6 plus a modifier, for example askari's move D6+3" per turn in the open, while spearmen move 2D6" in the open - usually leaving regular troops slower but more reliable and natives are a bit more unpredictable)

Then everyone shoots simultaneously (1D6 per figure - 5 or 6 kills - with a few modifiers e.g. my stationary Ruga Ruga add +1 but they are shooting at some dispersed spearmen (-1) at over half range (-1) so need 6's to kill)

Then close combat (opposed D6 roll per combat, with modifiers such as warriors adding 3 and askaris taking away 1, needing a difference of 2 or more to kill). Very brutal.

Morale checks are usually a simple 3+ or 4+ dice roll to pass (checks for casualties, ambushes, commander losses e.t.c.). One fail and you get a marker, the second marker is a rout. A nearby commander allows a player to rally off their marker, while a standard bearer cancels one test per turn.

The terrain rules are very neat, I've not tried the campaign rules but I think they would provide a good framework if you had 4 or more players at a club all playing.

I haven't played DitDC so I can't really compare unfortunately.

I hope thats of some help?

That is very helpful. Thank you Sir

[H.M.Stanley]

Right, I've finally got my head around this. There are 3 variants:

1. In Darkest Africa ["IDA"] (available from WI as a download and is a small scale skirmisher game)

2. In the Heart of Africa ["HoA] (a larger skirmish game than IDA and ".. a step up in complexity" - Chris Peer's words)

3. Death in the Dark Continent ["DitDC"] (small battles etc)

Up to recently i've only been familiar with DitDC. But as you know, my real interest is campaigning with Explorers, especially in the Congo.

I've had a read of IDA and i like the small scale action with the unique Encouragement rules. I will certainly try these out.

But i think i've [well, you guys have ..] found my gaming home for Africa with HoA. Its perfect for what i want to do. I've ordered the rules from Northstar but in the meantime i'm looking at a set i've been loaned by a friend.

So using some of the figures i have, Explorers would look something like this in 300pts (to be going on with).

* Standard Bearer
* Whiteman [with attendants]
* Gun-Bearer
* 2 x Soldiers
* 2 x 12 Askari
* [4 x Baggage/Bearers]
* Scout

Now to think about my Cannibals

[raminad]

Do believe you are on the right path here.  Well done.

[H.M.Stanley]

Do believe you are on the right path here.  Well done.

Thank you. I'm light on Askari and only have the two units. I have the Schuttenruppe (Sp? I'll go check later) but trying to stay away from too many Soldiers.

I thought the Bearer and Scout may be overkill but it would be a simple way of putting the Stars and Stripes or Flag of the Republique of Congo(?) in Front of Stanley or just about everything before Charles Stokes 

[H.M.Stanley]

Ok, covering the compulsory choices from the HoA Cannibal list, 300pts would give me this:

* Witch-Doctor

* War Leader

* 1 x 12 Warriors

* 3 x 9 Spearmen

* 1 x 12 Archers

I may have been a tad premature selling off my Foundry Pygmies. Not to worry, I have more than enough Soku