What a beautiful day today. I wanted to go for a ride on my goldwing but I had to watch my granddaughter this morning. So while she frolicked and played in the backyard I set up a small scale colonial battle on the patio.
For this battle I used One Hour Wargame rules modified as I deem the Anglo-Zulu War should go. I gave the Zulus a +2 in melee combat. The British +2 in shooting but a 0 in melee. I reduced the hits a unit can suffer from 15 to 10. I use white beads to indicate single hits and a red bead to indicate 5 hits. I used movement in base depth vice inches or paces. Also I wanted to adhere to my wargaming advise that I have posted on the left side of the blog so the armies are based on 1" squares and are small. However in my mind there were 3 Zulu regiments vs. a British column under a colonel; in this case Colonel Reynauld Chester Higginsworth.
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| The hill of Kafrudum with it's Zulu Kraal on top. |
Colonel Higginsworth's plan was to use his artillery to either force the Zulus out of their kraal or soften them up enough for his cavalry troop under Captain Wortheall to capture the hill.
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| The artillery bombards the kraal. |
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| The artillery battery continues to pound the hill. |
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| Two Zulu regiments swiftly close the gap on the red line. |
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| British rifle & maxim fire inflict severe losses on the Zulu. |
Finally hitting the British line the Zulu regiments make quick work of their enemy.
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| A bugle cry brings the cavalry back around but can they make it in time? |
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One lone British unit withstood attacks from their front
and rear long enough to destroy their frontal enemy contact.
They received the Victoria Cross posthumously. |
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| Seeing that all hope is lost Captain Wortheall and his men flee the field. |
Overall I am satisfied with how fast the battle played. I like the suspense/thrill of watching the hits mount up on each unit. Though small in appearance this was the largest battle of OHW I have fought so far with 16 units (British 6, Zulus 10) on the battlefield. I'm firmly in the camp of OHW now. These are the best ease of use rules for a solo-wargamer that I've encountered thus far. The bases were bare because I'm not sure if I will continue with the 1" basing or move to a larger base to allow diorama style basing. Cheers from Northwest Arkansas.
