Tag Archives: The Men Who Would Be Kings

The Men Who Would Be Kings – Some Observations

Colonials, Miniatures, Review

I refrained from any review-type comments about this rule set in my initial post.

Changed my mind.

This is a good set of rules.  Easy to digest and fun to play.  The general structure is very similar to “Pikeman’s Lament”, but provides excellent historical context.

The temptation here is to start layering on house rules to increase rule “realism”.  Then it becomes something it is not.  I’m sure the author considered anything  I thought about and, after careful consideration, declined to add another layer of complexity and/or chrome.

This result is a rule set placing an interesting burden on the players – a different sand box so to speak –  to construct interesting scenarios with interesting smaller forces with interesting mixes of troop-types.

What a relief!  No longer are colonial battles limited to big games with small,  highly disciplined, regular units decimating wave-after-wave of native hordes.  Rorke’s Drift is so boring.

Here are some thoughts based on my initial play-throughs and formulaic scenario described in my previous posts.

  1.  Make the majority, if not all,  of your Askari units Irregulars.  As Irregulars, their musketry and hand-to-hand capabilities will make them far more vulnerable.
  2. Upgrade at least one (1) Tribal unit to “well armed”.  Longer range will  increase their ability to inflict casualties and pin opposing forces.  A pinned unit is very vulnerable in melee.
  3. Use “Go To Ground” for native units in the open and waiting to assault.
  4. “On The Double” is one way to allow your Tribal units to remain out of deadly short-range weapons fire (especially when delivered by Regulars), and have decent chance of attacking into melee.  All you have to do is roll a D6x5 or D6x6 to get the extra move distance.  Try it with multiple units.
  5. Vary the leader rating of your Native units to avoid a cycle of pin/rally/pin.

More Action! (Finally)

Colonials, Sessions, Skirmish

Been fishing.  Time to finish up the narrative on my latest game.

The Natives finally launched a coordinated attack against both the Zariba and troops in the open.

The attacks were repulsed by a combination of good (Colonials) and bad (Tribal) die rolls.  The Africans will be flayed by rifle fire while attempting to rally.  Notice the Arab Band unable to get it together in the upper right corner of the photo.

The Arab contingent finally swung into action, making quick work of the small Askari unit detached from the main body of the relief force.  However, their attempt to assault the Zariba from the rear was shattered by accurate Askari rifle fire.

The Regulars and Askaris now decimated the pinned Native and Arab units, which were unable to rally and charge back into close contact.  Very few remained on the field at the end of the engagement.

An entertaining game.  I’ll follow-up with some thoughts on the rules in my next post.

Action! (Finally)

Colonials, Sessions, Skirmish

Enough of the musings for now.

Been playing an African scenario using “The Men Who Would Be Kings” rules by Osprey.

Threw out a terrain cloth on a living room table, set up some paper scenery, and organized my WoFun troops.

One of the criticisms leveled at these rules is that Tribal units are battered by modern weapons fire and are quickly pinned and attritted without getting close enough to to melee with the Colonial regulars or irregulars.

So, I set up a small “Last Stand” scenario to judge for myself.  All Tribal units had a morale rating of seven (7), with the Colonial at six (6).  Morale checks involve a D6x2 role equal to or greater than  the morale rating.

My first try involved a force ratio of 1:1 and, sure enough, the tribal units were paralyzed and shredded.  I increased the number of tribal units for my second try.

The colonial troops are deployed by sections of six (6) figures, with a unit comprising two sections or twelve (12) figures as per Rules As Written (RAW).  The colonial force is comprised on Askaris (classed as Irregulars) with a section of Naval Infantry (classed as Regulars – better morale and melee capability). Tribal units/bands are sixteen figures (16) each, as per RAW.

The initial set-up looking northeast. Askaris occupy the fortified house and a zariba.  Reinforcements are somewhere in the offing.  I’ll trigger their movement with a “Yes/No” die roll when the Tribal units get within a charge move of the house.  Right now – given table space – the Tribal units are at long range, one move from where they are on the table.

Tribal advance hampered by failed activation checks. But, one unit charges an Askari section engaging in melee.  Overwhelmed, the Askaris are destroyed, without inflicting a casualty.  The Tribal band occupies  one half of the Askari fortified position.  The other Tribal units advance, taking casualties.  One pinned band is destroyed by fire from the zariba position.

Another Tribal band assaults the house, engaging the other Askari section.  The reinforcements, after some hesitation, advance in column at the quick.  The Tribal band concealed in the elephant grass fails their activation check, losing their chance at an ambush, and remain in place.

Reinforcements arrive, advancing past the fleeing Askaris (red cube indicates pinned – and needing a morale check) to support the zariba position, choosing not  to re-take the house.  This may be a tactical error.  One Askari section needs to take additional time to enter the zariba.

I’ll get back to the game this evening.