'Africa Day' Death in the Dark Continent gaming event - October 19th, Nottingham

[H.M.Stanley]

Just tweaking my list for the game against Nick's Ila tomorrow evening ...

IAA Explorers 300pts

[Chief] Muzungo with Breech Loader
Muzungo with Breech Loader
Untrained Soldiers with Breech Loaders [6 x bases]
Untrained Soldiers with Muskets [6 bases]
Untrained Soldiers with Muskets [6 bases]
Armed Porters: Untrained Skirmishers with Muskets [4 bases]
Armed Porters: Untrained Skirmishers with Muskets [4 bases]
Armed Porters: Untrained Skirmishers with Muskets [3 bases]
Armed Porters: Untrained Skirmishers with Muskets [3 bases]

I've not faced Elite Skirmishers before; this could be eye-opening and not in a good way. Let's see if the IAA are as poor as they look on paper 

[H.M.Stanley]

A good fun game against Nick yesterday.

We rolled a Raid Scenario with the IAA being down to 225pts but the Ila only having 100pts on the table and all his other units (remaining 200pts) being Late Arrivals (a 6 on a D6 is required for each Native unit from T4)

My force did for the Ila's Matabele mercenary Warriors due to superior numbers but the Soldiers just didn't have the legs to get over there and tackle the boma/confiscate the cattle in 8 turns with the Ila's reserves starting to appear.

I now have an appreciation as to just how rubbish the IAA are and what Untrained means regardless of breech-loaders (4" max range for shooting)  

Great fun though ...

J

[Atheling]

A good fun game against Nick yesterday.

We rolled a Raid Scenario with the IAA being down to 225pts but the Ila only having 100pts on the table and all his other units (remaining 200pts) being Late Arrivals (a 6 on a D6 is required for each Native unit from T4)

My force did for the Ila's Matabele mercenary Warriors due to superior numbers but the Soldiers just didn't have the legs to get over there and tackle the boma/confiscate the cattle in 8 turns with the Ila's reserves starting to appear.

I now have an appreciation as to just how rubbish the IAA are and what Untrained means regardless of breech-loaders (4" max range for shooting)  

Great fun though ...

J

I think I'm going to give this one a miss as I've got no-one to learn the rules with 

I'll drop James a line to let him know...

Darrell.

[H.M.Stanley]

Bah! Don't do that.

Borrow my Soko Cannibals and have fun with them. They're horrible  - Elite Warriors plus Skirmishers with Throwing Knives. No muskets mind

I'll send you a QRS which is all you'll need.

It'll be a fun event. Trust me i'm a .... 

James



 

[Atheling]

It's not that James.

The last thing folk want at a campaign day thing is for someone to be in the dark and out of practice etc. It would just spoil other folks games  . wouldn't be fair on the other players mate.

Darrell.

Bah! Don't do that.

Borrow my Soko Cannibals and have fun with them. They're horrible  - Elite Warriors plus Skirmishers with Throwing Knives. No muskets mind

I'll send you a QRS which is all you'll need.

It'll be a fun event. Trust me i'm a .... 

James



 

[H.M.Stanley]

ok, fair play chap

[Engel]

I do hope to see some pictures of this event later on. 

[Atheling]

I do hope to see some pictures of this event later on. 

Yep, seeing as I'm being a true gent and bowing out..... I want to see plenty of 'em!! 

Darrell.

[H.M.Stanley]

Oh i expect Messrs Morris/Eyre will stick up a few .. 

[Atheling]

Oh i expect Messrs Morris/Eyre will stick up a few .. 

True.

Darrell.

[H.M.Stanley]

Rematch v Nick's Ila yesterday ...

Pitched Battle with a similar result. The IAA got mullahed!! 

They can't shoot and they can't fight. This calls for careful planning at the event. Or tea.

Yes, I think i shall mostly be drinking tea during Africa Day and watching the Explorers get their come 'uppence  against various Native armies

Not that there's a part of me that's considering switching to a more , lets say, Stanleyesque version. No no no, that would just be wrong [ahem] 

[H.M.Stanley]

These might be a little less "wet" ... 

"Stanley" Explorers 300pts

[Chief] Muzungo with Breech Loader
Muzungo with Breech Loader
Soldiers with Breech Loaders [4 x bases]
Soldiers with Breech Loaders [4 x bases]
Armed Porters: Untrained Skirmishers with Muskets [4 bases]
Armed Porters: Untrained Skirmishers with Muskets [4 bases]
Armed Porters: Untrained Skirmishers with Muskets [3 bases]
Armed Porters: Untrained Skirmishers with Muskets [3 bases]

[H.M.Stanley]

A huge thanks to Messrs Morris & Eyre for organising this and to Danny at WI for hosting (and any/all other organisers). Also to Laurence's*good lady for providing fabulous Gambian fare at lunch, to my opponents for three great/fun games [the wonderfully named Rage (Pygmies) who hails from Norway, Dave (Ruga-Ruga) and Wayne (Ethiopians)] and of course to the man himself, Chris Peers, for the original rules and a fascinating speech on an actual ambush by gorillas.

Not that it really matters, but my Explorers did me proud (ahem) with 2 Minor wins and a Major win (over the Ruga-Ruga - while defending their camp).

I received a very nice vignette/award, painted by Darren, of two Explorers - "taking the three C's to Africa - Carbines, Cartridges & Cordite" for, as Mr Morris archly put it  , "taking German Allies with Repeaters". I like to think it was for the fetching, if i say so myself, shorts, long socks, brogues and pith-helmet outfit ...

My final list, and i maintain it was because i had all the figures painted and didn't want to use proxies (using Bearers as Armed Skirmishers, rather than Baggage types, confused my opponents in practice games as well as myself):

"Stokes" Explorers 300pts

[Chief] Muzungo with Breech Loader
Muzungo with Breech Loader
Baluchi: Trained Soldiers with Breech Loaders [2 x bases]
Armed Porters: Untrained Skirmishers with Muskets [2 bases]
German Allies:
Schutztruppe: Elite Soldiers with Repeaters [2 x 3 bases]

* a worthy winner of the Niam Niam ["meat, meat" cry used by cannibals and referred to by Stanley in his memoires]! vignette/award (mind you, his Chief was also eaten by crocodiles in the river crossing scenario)

More of those lovely vignettes went to:

Rage: "a fine specimen of native manhood" (Best looking Native Army)
Matt (Italians) "caught with his pants down" (Got spanked repeatedly in the games)
Dave [alas memory fails ...]

Mr Peers was given a splendid 1st edition book on the Italian/Ethiopian War by James M from his personal collection.

A top event and i can't wait for the next. I'm thinking Force Publique and Cannibal allies. Quite ...