along with these stalwarts:
British Army, Jack Tars, and Egyptian unfortunates, plus poor old camels.
Last year I bought a set of Peter Pig's RFCM Patrols in the Desert. I've had some reasonable games in the past with RFCM's Bayonet and Ideology (odd title, which doesn't reflect the rules at all), and much better fun with Hammerin' Iron (first version). Given that history, I thought that Patrols might be worth a gander - and they are. The RFCM team came up with some very interesting ideas to give the Mad Mahdi's men all the benefit of playing on their home ground. That gives the British, Imperial and Egyptian forces tricky scouting tasks, and helps offset the benefits of training, discipline and fire power. But, after much thought, I decided that I couldn't expect a decent solo game with them. So, I turned to the classical model, in the shape of Morschauser's Frontier War. I'm quite a fan of the gridded concept which is just the ticket for a time short solo gamer, but the Frontier set lacks a certain dusty, gritty, deserty, hellish feel - in other words it would need some amendments and thought to make it more 'Sudan'. But Morschauser and gridded thoughts took me to the leading contemporary proponent of this approach - Bob Cordery, and his Redcoats and Dervishes. Mr. Cordery's rules look very nice, and there is plenty to think about in them, along with some useful scenarios. But I didn't feel like making a card set for the game; although I might in future. All that cogitation led me back to where I'd started from:
So, I've taken, in a random, haphazard fashion, ideas regarding random terrain generation, hidden Fuzzies (and pals), other bits and pieces from the different rule sets, and added them in to Hordes of Dervishes.
So, the old school terrain is set, the armies are counted out (24 Army Points apiece, as per Hordes), and tomorrow night I'll roll the dice:
There's obviously something colonial in the water - I took delivery of a set of Sikh War scenarios for TSATF yesterday. About time I got to play that set.
ReplyDeleteI see that you've just blogged about TSATF - I'll pop over and read. Odd, isn't it, how the old school/decent chaps brigade often seem to think in unison? Is it in the genes? Or is there a particular Saint that gives us a nudge in certain directions??
DeleteYears ago there used to be a set of rules called Pony Wars (Or B Troop Isn't coming back), from Tabletop Games. I remember someone converting it for the Sudan and it seemed like a lot of fun and very solo-possible. They might pop up on e-bay, or in the bring and buy at a show, they may even be downloadable somewhere.
ReplyDeleteConrad has a point... I have been looking into 'Darkest Africa' recently... well reading a few Wilbur Smith books anyway. The Sudan has however always been on the to-do list, which isn't quite as long as you might think!
Thanks for this, Jim. I rather like the sound of 'B Troop isn't coming back'. As a boy I was rather pro-Plains Indians, my father having been shocked by Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee, so 'B Troop...' sounds interesting.
DeleteDarkest Africa - now that was a craze! I didn't really go for it, but I have figures (Belgian Force Publique) that are waiting for a Lettow Vorbeck outing.
The lure of colonial gaming lingers around here too but I will resist or perhaps paint up my 1930s Afghans/Gurkhas...
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy the game and look forward to hearing how it went!
Now you're talking! Armoured cars and biplanes!! Funnily enough, I'm currently reading a book about a 1939 road trip from Switzerland to India, via Iran and Afghan, by the famous Swiss writer and photographer, Ella Maillart: The Cruel Way (Heinemann, London, 1947).
DeleteYes, I'll look forward to the result. Nice figures, Hinchcliffe?
ReplyDeleteA combination of Hat plastics and Spencer Smith - the marvellous 'chest out!' British being the latter.
DeleteLooks good, are those 1/72 plastics in the pictures?
ReplyDeleteThe rather dashing camel fellows are Hat plastics - Hat are a real godsend in lots of periods. My favourites are the IIWW Romanians.
DeleteThe Peter Pig sets of rules are always fun. Bob Cordery's set of Colonial rules are also very good. One day I might persuade him to publish them.
ReplyDeleteKeep piling the pressure on Bob. He deserves the immortality of paper - when the internet has dissolved and updates and even newer technology has cut off the electronic past, the book will survive. M. Cordery needs to lurk in antiquarian bookshops in the future.
Delete