Darkest Africa + Muskets & Tomahawks = Rifles & Spears (update 25MAR16)

[Saucy Jack]

My main focus right now is to try and convert the Mahdist and Anglo-Egyptian army lists from DITDC Army Lists book, which is why I am looking at Skirmishers (for the Ansar and Beja).

My "Roster" so far looks okay, and is based on your Troop Characteristics sheet that you posted on your blog. However on your sheet there is no option for Agile Warriors (fitting the Ansar and Beja) to be armed with SM, so I sort of made my own, which take some ideas from the Ruga-Ruga.

[Happy Wanderer]

Ok.

Here is the list from DITDC converted to R&S as I see it (shown in ALL CAPS brackets);

• Baker’s “Forty Thieves”: Elite Soldiers with breech-loaders (REGULARS - Drilled, BLR @12 points)
• Raw Soldiers with muskets (SOLDIERS - Drilled, Unmotivated @5 points) or (after 1873) breech-loaders (+4 points)
• Dragoons: Heavy Cavalry with breech-loaders (before 1884 only) (MOUNTED REGULARS - Auxiliaries, Cavalry, BLR @14 points)
• Mounted “Bashi-Bazouks”: Untrained Light Horse with muskets (before 1884 only) (MOUNTED MUSKETEERS - Auxiliaries, Cavalry @9 points)
• Sudanese “Bazingers”, dismounted “Bashi-Bazouks”, Acholi or similar auxiliaries: Untrained Soldiers with muskets (SOLDIERS - @8 points) ) or untrained Skirmishers with muskets (MUSKETEERS -  @5 points)
• Sudanese tribal allies: Skirmishers with spears or bows (AGILE SPEARMEN @6 points or ARCHERS @4 points)
• Rifled field gun: light (ARTILLERY 'light rifle' @18 points) or medium (ARTILLERY 'medium rifle' @21 points)
• Machine gun (MACHINE GUN @16 points)
• Rockets (25 points) - special rule. Place the enemy Morale Card in the deck. When drawn, all enemy as noted in the ITHOA 'White Man's Magic' rule (p51) takes a test.
• Gunboat (100 points - as per R&S Gunboat rules)


Hope that helps  

[Saucy Jack]

Ok.

Here is the list from DITDC converted to R&S as I see it (shown in ALL CAPS brackets) as I see it;

• Baker’s “Forty Thieves”: Elite Soldiers with breech-loaders (REGULARS - Drilled, BLR @12 points)
• Raw Soldiers with muskets (SOLDIERS - Drilled, Unmotivated @5 points) or (after 1873) breech-loaders (+4 points)
• Dragoons: Heavy Cavalry with breech-loaders (before 1884 only) (MOUNTED REGULARS - Auxiliaries, Cavalry, BLR @14 points)
• Mounted “Bashi-Bazouks”: Untrained Light Horse with muskets (before 1884 only) (MOUNTED MUSKETEERS - Auxiliaries, Cavalry @9 points)
• Sudanese “Bazingers”, dismounted “Bashi-Bazouks”, Acholi or similar auxiliaries: Untrained Soldiers with muskets (SOLDIERS - @8 points) ) or untrained Skirmishers with muskets (MUSKETEERS -  @5 points)
• Sudanese tribal allies: Skirmishers with spears or bows (AGILE SPEARMEN @6 points or ARCHERS @4 points)
• Rifled field gun: light (ARTILLERY 'light rifle' @18 points) or medium (ARTILLERY 'medium rifle' @21 points)
• Machine gun (MACHINE GUN @16 points)
• Rockets (25 points) - special rule. Place the enemy Morale Card in the deck. When drawn, all enemy as noted item ITHOA 'White Man's Magic' rule p51) takes a test.
• Gunboat (100 points - as per R&S Gunboat rules)


Hope that helps  

That does not look like the lists I am using as a base - I use list No. 14 The Mahdists on p35 and No. 29 The Anglo-Egyptians on page 44

[Happy Wanderer]

Bugger...

Here is that list...IMHO  


Baggara Arabs, “Bashi-Bazouks” or similar Light Horse: up to half untrained with muskets (MOUNTED MUSKETEERS - Auxiliaries, Cavalry @9 points), rest with spears or throwing knives (HORSEMEN - Cavalry @8 points)
• “Bazingers” or similar organised units: Untrained Soldiers with muskets (SOLDIERS - @8 points)
• Tribal Skirmishers, up to half with/without throwing knives (Thrown Weapons +/-1pt), or untrained with muskets (MUSKETEERS -  @5 points), rest with spears or bows (AGILE SPEARMEN @6 points or ARCHERS @4 points)
• Untrained Smoothbore cannon (ARTILLERY 'tribal S'bore' @8 points)

[Saucy Jack]

Not what I came up with - thrown you a mail with a file, as I cannot add the file to this thread.

[Happy Wanderer]

OK 

[Happy Wanderer]

OK. We are getting confused. For the folks reading this...you are using the DITDC original rules list I am using the expanded lists from Northstar...hence the above list if for the Turkish Slavers (LIST #14), not the Mahdists which are now LIST #16 in the DITDC supplement which is what I use (which is very comprehensive)....confusion sorted!


So, the Mahdist list #16 (DITDC supplement) is;

• Heavy Cavalry with close combat weapons only (MOUNTED REGULARS - Cavalry @10 points)
• Baggara Arabs: Light Horse, up to half untrained with muskets (MOUNTED MUSKETEERS - Cavalry @9 points), rest with spears (HORSEMEN - Cavalry @8 points)
• “Jihadiyya”: Soldiers, up to half with breech-loaders (HEAVILY ARMED ASKARIS - @8 points), rest with muskets (ASKARIS - @4 points)
• “Ansar”: Skirmishers with spears or bows (AGILE SPEARMEN @6 points or ARCHERS @4 points) or untrained with muskets (MUSKETEERS -  @5 points)
• Untrained Smoothbore cannon (ARTILLERY 'Obsolete S'bore' @10 points) or (after 1883) untrained light rifled field gun (ARTILLERY 'Obsolete S'bore' @Breech-loading rifled gun @14 points)
• Untrained Gunboat (after 1885) (GUNBOAT - considered to have Obsolete  S'bore artillery @60 points or Breech loading @ 80 points)

[Happy Wanderer]

Gents,

Part V of the series on the Masai and using them in a Darkest Africa setting  is up on the blog.

http://wp.me/p1YrZG-m2

In this post we have a detailed coverage using a battle report highlighting aspects of Rifles & Spears, a modified colonial version of Studio Tomahawk Muskets and Tomahawks system, specifically set in Darkest Africa.

Once again, there is much to ponder and hopefully enjoy in the battle report that has its fair share of twists and turns…a feature of most Muskets and Tomahawks games. There’s info on the units, and a play sheet so you can get playing straight away if you have the rules and suitable minis.

It's worth pointing out that even though I’ve aimed this series at the Masai and Darkest Africa, comments and ideas will work just as well for the Zulu or Mahdist wars so there are plenty of options to use Colonial forces for in virtually any setting. Looking further afield R&S can be used for the Indian Mutiny and other sub continent actions…lots of choice…

Hope you like it…

Cheers

Happy W

[Malamute]

Very interesting reading, we are considering adapting M&T and you have given us some great ideas.

The game looks great as well, smashing painting especially the Masai. A really tense well balacned scenario, it cetainly could have gone either way.

[Arundel]

A beautiful looking game in every way. The work you've done on the figures as well as the local flora and fauna is all extremely impressive--I especially love your tribal hidden movement markers: it's little touches like that that can make a game memorable!

Thank you for sharing!

[VonAkers]

Happy Wanderer
Wow that is a lot of good work , all very detailed , beautiful figures and terrain to boot.
I particularly liked the after Action Report, on your Blog...epic.
You are like the Hemingway of Battle reporters.!!!!
I really enjoyed the actual story , which seamlessly included examples and references back to the rules , very subtle , very Professional , rarely seen a Commercial Rules set that does this half as well.
Well done .
Look forward to the new Reports .
Cheers
Ps Any one else who hasn't logged on to HP 's Blog ...well you are missing out !!!!!..big time...Its message Icon Time ..

[dhtandco]

Nice figures must get ours done!

[Happy Wanderer]

Gents,

In this post I go into some depth describing Rifles & Spears and how it handles the musket, breechloader and repeating rifle vs spear equation in Darkest Africa.

Lots of details on how the game works and its likely outcomes and possibilities for gaming this period using the Muskets & Tomahawks system  - certainly some food for thought.

Hope you enjoy a closer look under the hood of Rifles & Spears.

Cheers

Happy W

http://wp.me/p1YrZG-wA

[Atheling]

Nice to see them in action and to see those slavers getting it up 'em!

Darrell.

[Happy Wanderer]

Gents,

A pretty big game of Rifles & Spears - 750pts and the blooding (literally) of the Germans in Masailand. AAR link is on the blog.

https://agrabbagofgames.wordpress.com/2016/03/25/german-punitive-attack-on-the-masai-steppe/

Cheers

HW