The following article (written by Jack Scruby) is reprinted from: Table Top Talk January 1965…

In a concentrated effort recently, war gamers in Visalia came up with a set of rules for Colonial war games which have been most successful. We had completed a nice 30mm army of British and Zulu’s and devised the rules which follow. These basic rules can be used for any war game of this period we believe.

British (or any European) troops were mounted as a platoon of 12 men on a moving stand, glued down permanently, and given a Roster number, and a roster sheet was used to mark down “hits” against them when in action.

Each soldier represented 2 men, giving a total of 24 “points” in combat value per platoon stand. (Thus it took enemy soldiers 24 “hits” to completely knock out a British platoon). A Morale Value of 3 points per combat point was also given – thus a full strength stand of 24 points had 72 morale value points for melees or morale factors.

As casualties were assessed against the stand, firepower dips as you can see by the fire table accompanying this article.

Heavy (European) Cavalry were mounted 5 men to a stand, and given a roster number also. As you can see by multiplying the combat value per man by the morale value, a full strength unit is very strong when it comes to melee.

White (European) Light Cavalry (which we called Colonial cavalry) move faster than the heavy cavalry, but have lower values cutting down their melee powers considerably; yet they are better in melee than are Native Cavalry. (See table for their values)

Native Infantry were divided into two types: native riflemen, and native spearmen. These troops were not mounted on stands, but are moved as individual figures entirely (the same as are native cavalry and Colonial light cavalry). No roster system is used for them at all.

You’ll note that they are valued as 1 combat point; which means 1 model equals 1 man, and 1 “hit” will kill one soldier. Thus, a platoon of White Infantry firing a volley kills the number of soldiers 1 for 1 “hit”.

However, we gave spearmen a lot of morale value – 5 points – which meant that each Zulu spearman in melee was actually valued at 5 points. Thus 10 Zulus hitting a platoon of white infantry meant 50 points value for Zulus against 74 points- not too bad odds when one uses the Delabar melee rules we use (where one multiplies the dice roll by the total number of combat-morale value points).

FIREPOWER – You will note on the fire tables that each “unit”, whether native, white infantry, or cavalry, “kill” the same number. However, when white infantry fire against natives, they kill one model for each hit. When natives fire against white infantry (or white versus white), the “hits” are marked down on the roster sheet against the platoon strength. The native soldiers are removed from the table when they are hit, while the white troops stay mounted on their moving stand until the platoon is wiped out. This makes a very interesting combination.

FORMATIONS – When a stand of white infantry is no closer than 2 inches from another stand, it is considered to be in “extended formation”. If stands are touching each other, it is considered to be in “close order”, and artillery hits and fire by enemy white troops are doubled against the stand. At the same time, troops in “closed formation” give out doubled fire power. Thus, in extended formation, firepower from a platoon stand makes 2 hits- in closed order it makes 4 hits. You can well imagine the consternation when a platoon is caught in “extended formation” by a band of Zulu spearmen, since the firepower will not stop the natives to any great extent.

POST VOLLEY MORALE is considered after every volley. Natives however, are not given any breaks on this. Unless they throw more morale factor points (dice throw times combat value with high man total thus obtained holding his ground) than white troops, they must retire. Thus white troops will not retire from natives, and the natives will not retire if they win the morale factor.

MOVEMENT – You’ll note that naturally natives move faster than white troops, and this of course makes a great deal of difference in the war game. Natives can easily lurk outside the range of white rifles until they can charge in at the proper moment to do the most damage.

REMNANTS – When a platoon of white infantry or white heavy cav­alry gets down to 1/4 strength, its firepower is cut in half automatically although it is not shown on the fire tables. The same is true of natives, and when they are down to any group of less than 5 models firing, they are automatically cut in half, or a dice must be rolled to see if they can make any “hits” with rifle fire.

A FIRE AND CHARGE MOVE is allowed the Zulu spearmen. They may take their regulation move, toss their spears, and then charge into melee, all on one game move. Casualties naturally are taken away from any fire they receive during this movement. However, it is a deadly tactic to use, and we have seen more than one line crumble from such an attack!

SUMMARY – As you can see then, we have sub-divided each “class” of soldier in the war game into a specific type of fighting man, attempt­ing to give each man a fighting ability as historically correct as possible. Even though Zulu spearmen may get slaughtered, if they ever get into close combat, they can give a good account of themselves; while for the white infantry, his best bet is to “close formation” and fire, fire, fire!

COMBAT TABLE

Miscellaneous Notes on Troop Types

* Roster System Used