Damned Wobbly Gentlemen.

 Or

 Zuluwar 'Lite.'

Version:2 12/01/09 by PDE ©Empress Miniatures

28mm  Rules for Colonial skirmishes.

 The following rules are a set of simple fast play rules to get you started. Remember always play with sensible gamers who appreciate that it's only a game.

REQUIREMENTS

Tape measure, D6, Average die,  Arrow die (this is a D6 with the numbers removed and an arrow painted on each surface), 4" circular artillery kill marker, figures, terrain,

 BASING

 I recommend that the Brits are based individually as are some of the Zulus. Many of the Zulus can be based as 4 or 6 figures to a base to aid mass movement.

 UNIT SIZE

British Regulars Infantry.

Each company has 10 figures 1 officer, 1 NCO, 8 privates. All rifle armed. Between 4 and 6 of these units represent a battalion. Battalion command a CO, adjutant, bugler, QMS, possibly an ensign or two.

Zulu Impis.

All Zulu foot units are made up of 10 man units. 1 leader, 4 musket armed men, 4  throwing spears, all close quarter weapons. Between 4 and 8 of these units represent a regiment. Regimental command 1 Induna, 1 witch doctor, 2 runners.

NNC

Irregular e.g. Natal Native Contingent Infantry :10 men. 1 white officer, 1 white NCO, 2 natives rifle armed. Rest close quarter weapons.

Cavalry

Regular Cavalry : 1officer or NCO and 4 men, Carbine, sword and possibly lance armed.

Irregular Cavalry : 1 leader and 4 men. Rifle or carbine armed, 

Artillery : 4 crew.

Gatling Gun : 4 crew.

Rocket: 2 crew.

ALL ACTION IS SIMULTANEOUS

 COMMAND

All units must be issued with simple orders detailing aims and objectives for the game. For example, hold position and defend or charge redcoats and destroy them.

These orders can only be changed by the senior table commander or his aide, attaching himself to a unit for one move.

Units will naturally defend themselves or even, in the case of Zulus, try and evade if attacked.

 MOVEMENT- BY UNIT

Regular Foot          6" + 1 x D6

NNC Foot                6" + 1 x D6

Zulus                       6" + 2 x D6

Cavalry                   12" + 1 x D6

Limbers                   6" + 1x D6

Wagons                   3"  + 1x D6

Linear obstacles such as walls, hedges, dried up river beds remove 1 D6 from the movement allocation. Player agree on this before or during the game.

 ARTILLERY

Player controlling artillery estimates range in inches. Places 4' circular marker with the centre on the exact measurement that player has announced.

If there are figures within the marker roll a die for each figure. If the die result is as on the following chart it is a kill                    

 RANGE

                             0 - 10"     11 - 30"   31 -50"   51 - 70"  

Field Gun            2,3,4,5,6        4,5,6         5,6             6

If unit firing is DISORDERED minus 1 from each die roll.
If unit is SHAKEN minus 2 from each die roll

ROCKET.

Player controlling the rocket estimates range in inches. Places 4' circular marker with the centre on the exact measurement that player has announced.

Roll an arrow die. Then roll 2 D6. The result is the number of inches that the rocket has deviated and the direction. Move the 4" marker to this position 

If there are figures within the marker roll a die for each figure. If the die result is as on the following chart it is a kill     

                RANGE

                             0 - 10"     11 - 30"   31 -50"   51 - 70"  

Field Gun             N/A            4,5,6           5,6             6

Any native unit that the rocket flies over takes an immediate morale test with a minus 1. If the rocket hits a unit it takes a morale test with a minus 2.
If unit firing is DISORDERED minus 1 from each die roll.
If unit is SHAKEN minus 2 from each die roll

SMALL ARMS FIRE. (Simultaneous Firing)

Roll 1x D6 for each figure firing.
For Gatling Gun roll 8 Dx6

 RANGE

                                        0-10"      11- 20"     21 - 30"   31 - 40"

Martini - Henry           3, 4,5,6      4,5,6           5,6               6

Percussion rifle             4,5,6          5,6             6               N/A

Musket/ Shot Gun           5,6             6             N/A            N/A

Carbine                            4,5,6          5,6          N/A             N/A

Spear                                  6              N/A         N/A             N/A

Gatling Gun                     3,4,5,6       4,5,6        5,6               6

Zulus  firing  - minus 1 from each die roll.

Target behind cover - minus 1 from each die roll.

Firer DISORDERED - minus 1 from each die roll.

Firer SHAKEN- minus 2 from each die roll.

Firer mounted - minus 1 from each die roll.

For Gatling Gun roll each die one after the other. If a 1 is rolled forfeit the next 2 dice. If a 1 is rolled on the last die to be rolled that turn the gun is completely jammed for the entire next move.

Colonial infantry that are hit by a Zulu unit in a move can fore before impact IF the attacking Zulu's begun their impact move 10 inches or more at the start of the move. If under 10 inches the Colonials do not get the option to fire before melee. This includes artillery and Gatling guns. 

MORALE

Regular British foot and artillery will never rout. The worst that can happen is that they defend dis-organised or shaken.

Regular Cavalry will retire in good order and never rout.

Irregular foot and cavalry who have 2 failed morale checks in a row rout.

Zulus will retire in good order unless caught doing so by charging Colonial cavalry when they can rout.

Before the game each unit is given a MORALE RATE;

British regular horse, foot , artillery : 6

Irregular horse : 5

NNC : 4

Zulus : Married Impi =  5    Unmarried = 6

Unit Morale is taken on the following circumstances -

1) Fired at by rifle, musket, Gatling or artillery in a move.
2) Unit is SHAKEN.  

When a unit takes a morale test, take the unit morale rate and add to it the roll of one average die. From this total figure add or subtract the following;

+ 1 Senior commander attached to unit, ie in base to base contact.

+1 Brit infantry firing volley fire from prepared positions.

+2 if a witch doctor is in base contact with a unit.

-1 unit officer killed.

-1 Retiring or Routing unit passes within 10 inches .

-1  unit has taken 20% casualties in the game and is classified as DISORDERED. (e.g 2 figures from a 10 man unit.)

- 2 Unit taken 50% casualties in the game. And is classified as permanently SHAKEN.

- 2  second morale test in a row.

- 4 third morale test in a row.

Result;

Total 6 or over unit OK.

Total less than 6;

= Zulus lie down or crouch for following move and are pinned down. If this result occurs 2 moves in a row on the second move the unit retires 2 moves away from enemy. Unit cannot fire for the rest of the game.

= Brit regulars, minus 1 from next move firing die rolls.

= Colonial Irregulars now counts as permanently SHAKEN. Retires one move away from enemy.

Routing or Retiring units move to the nearest table edge via the safest route.

MELEE

Melee is simply done by placing two fighting figures opposite against each other and rolling a D6. The highest score is the winner. If a figure has more than one opponent each fight is taken as a separate engagement up to a total of 4 fights in one move.

Additions & deductions.

 + 1 figure behind organised defences.

+ 1 figure on higher ground.

+1 Regular cavalry attacking steady Zulus

+1 Irregular cavalry attacking disordered Zulus

+2 Regular cavalry attacking disordered Zulus

+2 Irregular cavalry attacking Shaken Zulus  

+3 Regular cavalry attacking Shaken Zulus