Colonial Wars by Two Hour Wargames

[twrchtrwyth]

Posted on their Yahoo group:

"Here's a chance for group members to contribute to the lists that will
be online.
Currently I have the list but am limited to enemies but haven't any
descriptions. So if any of you want to jump on board and submit
something it would be greatly appreciated.
The armies are-
Italy
Austria
Spain
Portugal
Netherlands
Ottoman Empire
Belgium
Bulgarians, Serbs, Greeks,and Romanians
US
Mexico
Japan
Egypt after 1882
Ethiopia
Arab Tribesmen
Equatorial Africans
Burmese
Malaysia and the Spice Islands
Moro and Sulu Seas
Cambodia, Laos, Cochin and Annam
China
Forrest American Indians – Northwest Tribes
Plains American Indians –
Sioux, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Blackfoot, Crow, Nez Perce, Comanche and others.
Desert American Indians –
Navaho, Apache, Hopi, Yanqui, Zuni and others.
Mexican Rebels and Bandits
Central American Rebels

thanks!"

Basically, in support of their new rules they are putting up free army lists on the Yahoo group and want some help with number and type of troops in these armies. This was the first place that came to mind when I read the post.

The Yahoo group:http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/twohourwargames/

[Gluteus Maximus]

Interesting - this is the first I've heard of these rules, although I have several other 2HW sets and am a 2HW YahooGroup member  .

I really should visit YahooGroups more often 

Has anyone played these? If so, what is the "scale" [individual skirmish or unit-based] and how do they compare to other 2HW games, eg 5150 or CR2, as I use those and am familiar with their mechanics etc?

[mahon]

Has anyone played these? If so, what is the "scale" [individual skirmish or unit-based] and how do they compare to other 2HW games, eg 5150 or CR2, as I use those and am familiar with their mechanics etc?

I played "Colonial Adventures" and enjoyed them immensely.

The rules are unit-based and individual skirmish will be described in book 2, to be published in 2009.

Like other THW rulesets these are excellent for cooperative or solo play, too. They have big replayability factor thanks to the way scenarios are generated. You have to like the new patrol rules, scouting rules - close to what we know from WH:AA.

Many things are handled in a different way than in previous THW rules (shooting and melee to name just the two), formations are introduced, volley fire is there too.

Campaign rules are included, not much background information though.

I am not an expert in colonial warfare, but I can say the game felt different to other THW games I played before, so it's worth checking out - it's not just a clone of previous rulesets. Does it represent the period accurately - I don't know and can't really say.

[Gluteus Maximus]

Has anyone played these? If so, what is the "scale" [individual skirmish or unit-based] and how do they compare to other 2HW games, eg 5150 or CR2, as I use those and am familiar with their mechanics etc?

I played "Colonial Adventures" and enjoyed them immensely.

The rules are unit-based and individual skirmish will be described in book 2, to be published in 2009.

Like other THW rulesets these are excellent for cooperative or solo play, too. They have big replayability factor thanks to the way scenarios are generated. You have to like the new patrol rules, scouting rules - close to what we know from WH:AA.

Many things are handled in a different way than in previous THW rules (shooting and melee to name just the two), formations are introduced, volley fire is there too.

Campaign rules are included, not much background information though.

I am not an expert in colonial warfare, but I can say the game felt different to other THW games I played before, so it's worth checking out - it's not just a clone of previous rulesets. Does it represent the period accurately - I don't know and can't really say.

Mahon,

thanks very much. The rules certainly seem to be worth getting. I like the other THW rules I've tried, ,so I'm sure I'll like these too   

[itchy]

sounds good any idea of unit sizes and basing requirements

[mahon]

The basic size of infantry unit is 20 by default, but it can be understrength (you know, you are not sure to get the unit in its full paper strength). Cavalry - 16 models IIRC. Machineguns have crew of 2 and artillery - of 4.

There are rules for using units of other sizes (the most useful being 10 for infantry, as it is useful as a 'block' from which you can arrange larger units if you wish so).

From these basic units you can detach detachments or scouts.

You can use as many units per side as you wish - thus balancing the size of your army.

Armies can be hand-picked, randomly determined by rolling on tables for particular armies, or defined by scenarios (expecially historical ones).

As for basing - the basic way would be to mount miniatures individually. Square bases seem to be optimal, but using round ones is no problem. You can also base several models per base and count each base as an individual model (simply using a base whenever the rules refer to a model) - for example you would have units of 20 bases instead of 20 models, and this could mean more models - 80 or more if you wish

I think I will base mine individually though

[itchy]

thanks for that ive tried a few colonial sets for the zulu war and not really found my ideal one yet ,ive got my empress models based individually with a few zulus on multiple bases i will give these rules a try now,thanks again.

[mahon]

As I said - I really liked my game with "count as" Zulus vs "count as" Brits. But I am no expert in colonials so I can't say if the ruleset is what you are looking for.

[fastolfrus]

Is it my eyesight or does the list lack anything for the Raj ?
Indian/Afghan/Pathan/Tibet etc

Would equatorial Africa include Ashanti/Dahomey/Masai ?

[Le matou rouge]

I'm not convinced by the gameplay, but to get your own idea yourself, you could find a battle report here :

http://www.geocities.com/nbattler/ngululand_patrol.html

and another one from the author, there, in PDF :


http://www.angelfire.com/az3/twohourwargames/batreps/CA/ColAdevnturesPatrolBatRep.pdf

meow,
Matt

[aecurtis]

Is it my eyesight or does the list lack anything for the Raj ?
Indian/Afghan/Pathan/Tibet etc

The ruleset includes over a dozen army lists; the ones listed above are more obscure or less popular subjects, and have been posted free on the THW Yahoo group.  The ruleset lists include the Indian Army (under the British Empire), and Afghans and Pathans; its Central Asian list could be used for Tibetans.

Would equatorial Africa include Ashanti/Dahomey/Masai ?

It's more a catchall list for tribes along the Congo.  Masai are included in the rulebook, as is a generic Sub-Saharan African list.  The latter is suitable for Ashanti and Dahomey.

Allen