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Bundok and Bayonet Colonial
Wargames Rules The following rules are designed to enhance and expand the Basic Rules. N.B. Bundok was the old British Indian Army name for a rifle. Movement Sequence - Court Cards If a court card (a Jack, a Queen, or a King) is turned over, then the player whose side has been allocated that suit and/or colour may choose two of their units to "activate". Return to ContentsMovement Sequence - Ending Games Once all the playing cards in the pack have been turned over, night is deemed to have fallen and the game ends. Return to ContentsRailways were the thread that held the fabric of nineteenth century empires together. They were used to carry raw materials to seaports for export to the home country, and were the means by which manufactured goods could be carried into even the most remote parts of an empire. They were also an excellent means of moving the troops to actual or potential trouble-spots. Trains may be used to transport units (or parts of units) during the course of the game. Carrying Capacity Different types of rolling stock have different carrying capacities:
Locomotive Capacity Different types of locomotive have different towing capacities. As a basic rule of thumb assume that a locomotive can tow a 4-wheeled piece of rolling stock for every pair of drive wheels on the locomotive (i.e. A locomotive with four driving wheels can tow two 4-wheeled pieces of rolling stock and a locomotive with six driving wheels can tow three 4-wheeled pieces of rolling stock). Morale Checks Trains do not need to take a morale check. Permitted Actions Trains may:
Movement Trains throw the same number of Movement Dice as Cavalry Squadrons & Regiments in open terrain (i.e. 4 x D6). Loading & Unloading It takes a complete move to load or unload a stationary train. Return to ContentsUntil the Boer War most armoured trains were built using existing locomotive and rolling stock and whatever materials were at hand. The armour used was often standard boiler-plate, and the armament usually consisted of rifles, machine-guns, and light field or naval guns. Carrying Capacity Different types of armoured rolling stock have different carrying capacities:
Locomotive Capacity Different types of armoured locomotive have different towing capacities. As a basic rule of thumb assume that an armoured locomotive can tow a 4-wheeled piece of rolling stock for every three drive wheels on the locomotive (i.e. A locomotive with four driving wheels can tow one 4-wheeled piece of rolling stock and a locomotive with six driving wheels can tow two 4-wheeled pieces of rolling stock). Morale Checks Armoured trains do not need to take a morale check. Permitted Actions Armoured trains may:
Movement Armoured trains throw the same number of Movement Dice as Cavalry Squadrons & Regiments in open terrain (i.e. 4 x D6). Firing The weapons that form the armament of an armoured train may only fire when the train is stationary. Return to ContentsIf railways were the thread that held the fabric of nineteenth century empires together, then the sea routes were the arteries that kept them alive. Without ships, the raw materials produced by colonies could not be carried to the home country to be turned into manufactured goods that could, in turn, be re-exported to the colonies. Furthermore, in areas where it was impossible to build railways, rivers were the main means of transport. The boats that plied those rivers were as important to the growth and prosperity of nineteenth century empires as the sea-going liners that carried trade between the colonies and the home country. They were also an excellent means of moving the troops to actual or potential trouble-spots. To protect this sea-borne and river trade the navies of the nineteenth century empires built many different types of warships, ranging from river gunboats to ironclad battleships. These were used to "show the flag" in imperial outposts, and were often called upon to provide artillery firepower and naval brigades of seamen and marines to support military operations. Types of Boat & Ship There are a great number of different types of boats and ships, and they are categorised by purpose, system of propulsion, and method of construction:
Flotation Value Different types of boat and ship have different Flotation Values (i.e. the ability to keep afloat when damaged). As a basic rule of thumb assume that:
Boats and ships sink when their Flotation Value has been reduced to zero by damage. Carrying Capacity Different types of boat and ship have different carrying capacities:
Morale Checks Boats and ships do not need to take a morale check. Permitted Actions Boats and ships may:
Movement Oar-powered boats and ships throw the same number of Movement Dice as Infantry Companies & Battalions (i.e. 2 x D6). Wind-powered boats and ships throw the same number of Movement Dice as Infantry Companies & Battalions in open terrain (i.e. 3 x D6). Steam-powered boats and ships throw the same number of Movement Dice as Cavalry Squadrons & Regiments in open terrain (i.e. 4 x D6). Turning Oar-powered boats and ships can make a turn of 180º in their own length instead of moving. Wind-powered boats and ships can make a turn of 90º at the beginning or end of their move at a cost of losing one (1) D6 from their Movement Dice. Steam-powered propeller-driven boats and ships can make a turn of 60º at the beginning or end of their move at a cost of losing one (1) D6 from their Movement Dice. Steam-powered paddlewheel-driven boats and ships can make a turn of 180º in their own length instead of moving. Loading & Unloading It takes a complete move to load or unload a stationary boat or ship. Weapon Ranges
Firing The weapons that form the armament of a warship may only fire when the boat or ship is stationary. Only weapons that are within range of the target may fire. When a boat or ship fires at another boat or ship it may fire at either what the boat or ship is carrying or at the boat or ship's hull (i.e. its Flotation Value). In the former case the effectiveness of this fire is adjudicated in the in the same way in which artillery fire on land is adjudicated; In the latter case the Flotation Value of the boat or ship is reduced by one (1) for every "casualty" caused. When a boat or ship fires at a target on land the effectiveness of this fire is adjudicated in the in the same way in which artillery fire on land is adjudicated. When land-based artillery fires at a boat or ship it may fire at either what the boat or ship is carrying or at the boat or ship's hull (i.e. its Flotation Value). In the former case the effectiveness of this fire is adjudicated in the in the same way in which artillery fire on land is adjudicated; In the latter case the Flotation Value of the boat or ship is reduced by one (1) for every "casualty" caused. Return to ContentsThe history of colonial expansion during the last quarter of the nineteenth century coincided with the introduction of compulsory schooling in most of the major world powers, and this resulted in a huge demand for newspapers and periodicals. At the same time, the idea that people who were not royalty, aristocrats, or politicians could have an influence world events came to the fore, and the concept that became known as the Victorian Gentleman (or Gentlewoman) was born. People such as General Gordon, George Armstrong Custer, Colonel Fred Burnaby, Dr. David Livingstone, Sir Henry Morton Stanley, General Sir Redvers Buller, and Winston S. Churchill were written about (or wrote about themselves) in the major newspapers and magazines, and they became national heroes (or villains). They were well known, and were seen to be shaping the futures of their countries through their actions, and sometimes their deaths. Named Characters Named characters are usually:
Character Cards Every named character taking part in a campaign or battle is allocated certain typical Victorian characteristics (e.g. Heroism; Initiative; Religious Fervour). These characteristics are recorded on a Character Card, and form the basis of a positive statement about the named character. This positive statement is also recorded on the Character Card. The Character Cards are then retained by the player upon whose side the named character is fighting. Examples of Character Cards are shown below:
When the named character is "activated", their Character Card is be laid down and - if applicable - their positive statement can be used to influence events as they unfold during the game. Character Cards may be modified during the course of a campaign as a result of any events that occur that may affect the named character (e.g. Being wounded). Types Of Buildings There are a number of different types of building, and they are categorised by method of construction:
Construction Value Different types of building have different Construction Values (i.e. the ability to resist damage). As a basic rule of thumb assume that:
Buildings collapse when their Construction Value has been reduced to zero by damage. Personnel Capacity The number of people that can fit into a building is equal to the length of its longest wall (in inches) multiplied by the length of its shortest wall (in inches) multiplied by the number of floors in the building. Damage When artillery fires at a building it may fire at either what is inside the building or at the building's structure (i.e. its Construction Value). In the former case the effectiveness of this fire is adjudicated in the in the same way in which artillery fire is normally adjudicated; In the latter case the Construction Value of the building is reduced by one (1) for every "casualty" caused. All constructive comments about these rules (including suggestions for inclusion in the Additional and Optional Rules section) are welcome. To e-mail me, just click here. © Robert George Cordery (2005) |