Tribal Warfare

       When I play No Brain Wargames, I have in mind some kind of tribal warfare, where warriors fight as individuals. After my last post, I started searching for books on tribal warfare. While I haven't had success yet finding books, I did find an interesting clip on Youtube of "Ritualized Warfare in New Guinea, 1963". Unfortunately, I couldn't find a way to link it. However, it is an interesting video that shows what I visualize  my battles look like.

Refining "No Brain Wargame"

     I wanted to try to get some gaming in. The first game was based on the Azanian Empire that I found a description of in the book "The Dictionary of Imaginary Places". The Azanian Army marched into the Wanda tribal territory. The game ended quickly with the Wanda tribesmen falling on the Azanian Army and almost wiping it out.

    The second game I decided to play a "No Brain Wargame". Except that there were extra rules added. First, using Neil Thomas' idea of rolling for armies as used in "One Hour Wargames", except that I made my own chart of armies, made up of infantry, archers, and cavalry. When I set up the board, the units were placed as infantry, archers and cavalry, instead of mixed up with different playing pieces in each hex, as in other NBW. Once again I rolled a 6D and average dice for both sides. The 6D was for who got initiative, the average dice for how many squares of figures could move. Any figure that could engage in combat could battle, even if they weren't activated. After the game, I decided to put these rules into writing, as I am getting close to a useful game.

The Azanian Army is being flanked by the Wanda tribesmen. I started taking pictures half way through the game.

The Wandas closed quickly, negating the Azanians firepower superiority.

The Azanians lose heavily.

TheAzan center drives off the Wandas.

The Wanda horsemen wipe out one Azanian unit, and the Azanian general finds himself facing the Wandas by himself. The Azanian army breaks and runs.

The No Brain Wargame. The Sudanese on the left has 3 infantry, 2 archer, and 1 cavalry units. The Arabs on the right have  4 infantry, 1 archer, and 1 cavalry units. In other NBW, the figures would be mixed up randomly. However, at the beginning of the game I was using the army chart I had come up with for ancients and deployed the units as picked.

Sudanese archers kill one Arab spearman.

The Sudanese archers kill another spearman, and another spearman retreats.

Between the Arab archers and spearman, they drive off two Sudanese archers.

The Arabs are losing heavily. On the right of the picture can be seen 3 Arabs who have been forced to retreat  joining together to form a unit made up of an archer and two spearmen.

The Arabs at the top of the photo are losing heavily. Meanwhile the newly formed Arab unit attacks an archer unit.

The Arab center collapses.

The Arabs concede the field to the Sudanese.

After this game, I started writing down the rules as used in this game. I feel that I'm close to having a quick, fun game that provides enough variables that the game will be unpredictable. Of course, now the game is moving out of the No Brain category.

Airfix- Comic Book Roman Comparison

     There seemed to be some interest in the comic book Romans. I think anyone who had interest in the comic book toy soldiers at one time owned some Airfix figures. I figured what better way to compare the two different figures than to show them side by side.

Side by side comparison of Airfix and comic book Romans.

I tried to get a good photo of one of the comic book Romans next to a ruler for a more accurate  guess at the scale. The infantry figures are approximately 1 1/2 inches, or 35mm tall.    

Comic Book Toy Soldiers Wargame

     In an email I received, someone mentioned getting some of the dreadful comic book Roman flat toy soldiers in his childhood and the disappointment with them. Surprisingly, several years ago I bought some of these figures; what's more I knew exactly what I was getting! After receiving them they were put away, never to see the light of day, until today.

    I haven't had any interest in wargaming (or anything else) recently. I decided to play a quick game today, using these figures. Both armies had the same units: 2 cavalry, two light infantry, and two medium infantry units.  I was using Battlelore rules and dice.

The blue army has their cavalry on the flanks, their light infantry alternating with  the medium infantry.

The yellow army has their cavalry on the flanks with their light infantry grouped in the center.

Both sides move their light infantry forward. 

The blue army sends a spear unit forward in support.

First blood to the yellow slingers!

The yellow cavalry moves up to support their light infantry.

The yellow light infantry drives off the blue spearmen and slingers. Blue swordsmen move up to back up the archers.

The blue swordsmen move through the gap in the line.

The swordsmen attack the yellow center. Meanwhile, the blue cavalry closes in from both flank.

Yellow army starts pushing all their remaining troops forward.

The yellow light infantry drives off the swordsmen, and the blue cavalry on the right loses two men.

The blue swordsmen and slingers rally.

Blue cavalry kills one yellow cavalryman on their left flank.

The blue army launches a strong attack on the left.

They kill one slinger, forces the archers to retreat, and kill one cavalry.

The yellow spearmen move forward.

The yellow army kills one cavalryman, a swordsman, and pushes back the slingers  and one cavalryman.

The yellow army continues their attack, wiping out the blue right cavalry unit. The right cavalry loses another man, and the swordsmen loses two men.

The blue swordsman kills one archer, and the slingers drive back the yellow spearmen.

The blue cavalry kills one swordsman, the blue spearmen kills two of the slingers, and the archers kill a cavalryman.

The yellow swordsmen kill the last cavalryman on the left; the spearmen  finishes off the last of the swordsman.

If the blue army loses one more unit, they have lost the battle. The yellow army focus their attack on the slingers...

... and succeed in wiping them out.

The blue army flees, with their general leading the way. The yellow general charges forward in his chariot, his presence sounded by his trumpeter.

Using these figures can be tricky, with their thin stands. I can image all the disappointed kids, trying to use them, only to have them fall like dominoes, like they did to me a couple of times. It was a fun game, although I think these figures will end up back in the drawer where they were for all those years.

New Books and an Austrian- Ottoman Wargame

     Yesterday I went to the used bookstore that at the last visit had received a good selection of British Army books. Below you will see the volumes I bought. The book on "Records of the Scottish Volunteer Force 1859-1908" was a great find that I almost missed. The plates are filling my head with visions of Peter Laing and 40mm figures painted toy soldier style with the uniforms in this book.

    I made it a point to leave myself time for a wargame. I had decided to use my Peter Laing Ottomans and WSS Austrians. After buying these books, I almost brought out my Peter Laing Victorian Parade figures, but in the end went with the Ottomans. For rules I used The Stronghold Rebuilt GNW version of "See the Elephant". I tried to use the rules as written, even using regular 6d dice instead of Battle Cry dice. I proved an enjoyable game, with some of his rules that I normally don't use playing a big part in this game.

The best find of the day. A large collection of color plates to give plenty of inspiration. Below is three pages of the plates.

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Another great book with the regimental badges and history  through WW2.

I finally saw most of the movie "Lawrence of Arabia". That, and a Man of Tin  wargame  based on a train ambush in the desert made me want to find out more about this part of WW1 history.

The two armies deployed. The Turks have three cavalry and three infantry units.  The Austrians have two cavalry and four infantry units.  I used the same size forces as I used in the last game.

The deployed Ottomans.

The Austrians deployed.

The Turkish cavalry kills two infantry, and the janissaries kill another Austrian.

With these rules, you roll 1 dice for each unit on the board . If you roll 4-6, you can activate one unit.  If you roll  1-3, the unit isn't activated, but if it has suffered losses, you roll 1 dice for each lost piece. For each  5 or 6 you roll, the piece "rallies" and the unit gets that piece back. One of the Austrian units has one piece rally, and it rejoins its unit.

The Austrian cavalry has no success against the Turks, but infantry fire kills two  janissaries.

The janissaries rally. The Turkish cavalry hits the Austrian cavalry in it's front.

The Austrian cavalry retreats.

The Austrian infantry push forward to try to divide the Turks.

The blue janissaries lose 2 men, but hold fast. One Turk cavalryman is lost and the unit falls back.

The Turks push their forces forward. The blue janissaries don't move, but rallies. In the upper right of the picture a Turkish cavalry unit can be seen. This unit eliminated one of the Austrian cavalry units.

The Austrian general sends his cavalry reserve across the back of the army. to protect again the Turkish cavalry that is now behind his line.

The Turkish cavalry behind the Austrian line attacks the Austrian cavalry, while all the janissaries push forward.

The Turkish cavalry drives es off the Austrian horse.

What's worse, the janissaries force one infantry unit to retreat, eliminates another infantry unit, and kills  an Austrian in the other unit.

The situation facing the Austrian general after this move. The Turks have yet to lose a unit. The Austrians flee the field.

The victorious Ottomans.  An army that needs to see more action. I am thinking of making a GNW Russian army, that could also engage the Turks.