I tried out
the Hail Caesar rules with my Tribal Africa project. It was some times since I
read the rules now but I think we managed to play them mostly correctly anyway.
I acted as the umpire and pressganged two of my friends at the club to test it.
They have previously tested the Black Powder rules so they quickly got in to
the game mechanics.
I pitted
two tribes against each other. One more close combat orientated and one more
range orientated.
I decided that the Zulus would attack the Hamr tribe.
The player of the Hamr tribe was given a deployment area and mustered his warriors. In one of the table edges a witchdoctor was placed at her tent. The Hamr player was told that she would help him if he placed a unit in base to base contact. What she does or what rules she had I kept a secret for the players at that time.
I decided that the Zulus would attack the Hamr tribe.
The player of the Hamr tribe was given a deployment area and mustered his warriors. In one of the table edges a witchdoctor was placed at her tent. The Hamr player was told that she would help him if he placed a unit in base to base contact. What she does or what rules she had I kept a secret for the players at that time.
The Zulu player then deployed his force 6” into the table and was given the first turn.
His chieftain at once ordered his warriors in full regalia to advance as fast as their legs could carry them to the enemy and three orders were carried out in this manner. His other units must have been tired from the forced march to the battlefield because they failed to hear or obey his shouting’s.
The Hamr
chieftain ordered one unit of spearmen forward and sent Bobobo and his
followers of drummerboy hangarounds in close behind (I first gave him the name
of Bob but that seemed like a strange
name for him so I lengthened the name somewhat.)
The Zulus
in full dress running forward but their friends still catching a brake and
resting, must to the frustration of the chieftain.
The Hamr
tribe must have been stunned to see the Zulus rushing at them at full speed and
just looked on, their chieftain failed to give them any orders.
The Zulu forerunners get in contact with some Hamr warriors and win the combat, forcing the Hamr warriors to give ground.
But then something terrible must have happen, the Hamr warriors start fighting back like a wild lion and smacking the living shit out of the Zulus. It must all have been a clever trap to fool the enemy to pursue. The Zulus got beaten, beaten bad and broke from the battle.
Meanwhile
the Hamr tribe has managed to get the witchdoctor to help them. She gave the closest
units some magical berries, some magical bodypaint and told them that they are now
invincible.
Things are
starting to look really good for the Hamr tribe now and a unit of warriors was
orders into speartrowing distance with the enemy.
After some
spears are thrown the Hamr chieftain orders one of his units to attack the
wounded Zulu light infantry unit up and personal and a bloody combat is
resolved.
The Zulu
light infantry and the Zulu warriors manages to force the Hamr unit to give
ground.
Before they
manages to exploit this the Hamr chieftain orders one of his fresh units, the invincible
units accompanied by the witchdoctor to charge the Zulus. Booth the chieftains
join in to ad their strength to the fight.
Bobobo and
his drummer boys see his moment, this could be his moment to show the other
Hamr warriors his skill and he closes in with his sword drawn.
The Zulu is
a fearsome warrior tribe indeed, the invincible Hamr unit, their chieftain and
the witchdoctor is cut to pieces.
Bobobo gets
a good smacking and starts to run with the Zulus in hot pursuit.
This was not his moment, better run to fight another day.
This was not his moment, better run to fight another day.
The Zulu
tribe is victorious!
Damn that was a
good game. I really liked the rules. At one time I thought the Hamr tribe would
win easily after their extremely good start but the fighting skills of the Zulus
came thru in the end. Both players caught up with the rules easily and I think
we all had a blast.
Im not sure about the stats I given to each of the tribes, if it was a fair fight.
I was unsure if the witchdoctor or Bobobo and his drummer boys would work but I think the rules is easily open to add these stranger or more unusual stuff into it without getting complicated.
Im not sure about the stats I given to each of the tribes, if it was a fair fight.
I was unsure if the witchdoctor or Bobobo and his drummer boys would work but I think the rules is easily open to add these stranger or more unusual stuff into it without getting complicated.
The Hail
Caesar rules worked perfectly for even this smaller types of games.
The witchdoctor
gave the unit she joined with the Fanatical rule and added 1 attack like a
commander.
Sympa cette bataille entre tribus Africaines. Christian
ReplyDeleteLovely AAR !!!
ReplyDeleteNice to see HC be used in skirmish mode:)
Best regards Michael
Very nice looking game, seems that HC is one flexible ruleset!
ReplyDelete