Christmas game 2008-the rules

BRITISH

You are to get to the zariba where your brother officers will welcome you back having collected the Colonel’s Christmas tree. Along your route back you understand there is a stash of gold coins which you must collect as you go. You will make this your present to the Colonel should you get back safely.

Your cavalry and artillery are still at the mission and protected by a zariba.

Can you get the Christmas tree back to safety?



Reaching the zariba

To count as a success, the British need to have at least 25% of their initial forces, or one section at 75% or more of its original strength, within the compound by the end of turn 12.

The British force in this game consists of: 5 sections infantry and one squadron of cavalry with one maxim gun. Three of the sections include an NCO which will represent the player commanding that section. Officers will represent the other players on the table and may command sections, with one being given overall command of the column. The men and NCOs are all armed with the standard Martini- Henry single shot, breech-loading rifle and socket bayonet.

The officers have Webley service revolvers and swords. They are currently somewhat short of ammunition, having been told that further supplies are located at the mission. Each section, commanded by a player, must dice to see how much ammunition they have over 6 rounds, counting the dice score as the number of extra rounds available. Officers are deemed to have pistols and have a full chamber at the start and enough ammunition for one reload (ie. 12 rounds worth of ammunition)





MOVEMENT

British infantry skirmishing
(bases at least one base width apart) 4” + d6”
British infantry formed
(bases touching) 4” + d3”
British infantry formed at the double
(may not double or charge in consecutive
moves; may not double whilst skirmishing) 6” + d3”
British infantry charging into contact
(may not charge or double in consecutive moves) 8” + d3”
British infantry on hill, difficult terrain or in square Half speed + d3”.
Cavalry move normally at 9”+d6
Cavalry charging 12”+d6
Any troops jumping linear obstacle -3” and roll 1D6 per figure
1=fallen, can’t shoot, -2 in melee

Troops Movement




SHOOTING

Martini-Henry/ maxim gun Short 0-6” Medium 6-12” Long 12-18”
Webley revolver Short 0-2” Medium 2-6”

The British can either volley fire, or fire at will as individuals.
To volley fire, all figures must be in direct base-to-base contact and all must shoot at the same target and will mark off TWO rounds of ammunition for each turn of volley fore.

The officer/NCO commanding each section will decide which type of fire to use if the sections are separated by more than 3”; if sections are kept together, then the senior officer/NCO present will decide for the whole body firing.

Roll a d6 for each man firing:


Short range 3, 4, 5, 6 kills
Medium range 4, 5, 6 kills
Long range 5 or 6 kills
(Maxim gun roll as for 4 figures) a die roll of 1 will indicate a jam and will require one full turn to clear.

Modifiers:
Units firing volleys +1 (see above)
Target in cover -2
Dervish rifles -1

Target began charge two shots permitted,
at long range delivered at medium range

Target began charge one shot only permitted,
at medium range delivered at close range

Target began charge no shooting permitted
at close range



MELEE

Mêlées take place immediately when opposing figures come into base-to-base contact. They are decided by a modified man-to-man d6 vs d6 die roll. Highest score wins.

Modifiers:
Any troops charging +1
Dervish spear/sword unmodified
Fuzzy Wuzzy sword +1
Dervish leader +2
British NCO or officer +2
Defending obstacle +2
Uphill of enemy +1
Mounted +1
Mounted lance armed +1

2:1 or 3:1 (max) fight compare highest scores. If lone defender wins, he is considered to have parried the other attacks and felled one opponent.




DERVISHES

To win, the dervishes should capture the Christmas tree and prevent the British reaching their objective.

TABLE 1. Dervish deployment
D6 roll Outcome Positioning Strength and experience
1, 2 None this turn Roll for incident
3 One dervish unit appears at 18” from the British

Appear from behind the nearest cover to the position specified Roll another dice
1, 2, 3=In front of the nearest British unit
4= To the left of the nearest British
5= To the right of the nearest British
6= To the rear of the farthest British (behind the column as if pursuing) Roll 4XD6 to determine the strength of the dervish units appearing (minimum number is 6)
1XD6 for experience
1, 2, 3=Dervish horde
4=mixed arms, half rifles
5=Fuzzy Wuzzy
6=cavalry unit (2XD6 for strength)

4 One dervish unit appears at 12” from the British

Appear from behind the nearest cover to the position specified Roll another dice
1, 2, 3=In front of the nearest British unit
4= To the left of the nearest British
5= To the right of the nearest British
6= To the rear of the farthest British (behind the column as if pursuing) Roll 4XD6 to determine the strength of the dervish units appearing (minimum number is 6)
1XD6 for experience
1, 2, 3=Dervish horde
4=mixed arms, half rifles
5=Fuzzy Wuzzy
6=cavalry unit (2XD6 for strength)

5 Two dervish units appear at 18” from the British

Appear from behind the nearest cover to the position specified Roll another dice
1, 2, 3=In front of the nearest British unit
4= To the left of the nearest British
5= To the right of the nearest British
6= To the rear of the farthest British (behind the column as if pursuing) Roll 4XD6 to determine the strength of the dervish units appearing (minimum number is 6)
1XD6 for experience
1, 2, 3=Dervish horde
4=mixed arms, half rifles
5=Fuzzy Wuzzy
6=cavalry unit (2XD6 for strength)

6 Two dervish units appear at 12” from the British

Appear from behind the nearest cover to the position specified Roll another dice
1, 2, 3=In front of the nearest British unit
4= To the left of the nearest British
5= To the right of the nearest British
6= To the rear of the farthest British (behind the column as if pursuing) Roll 4XD6 to determine the strength of the dervish units appearing (minimum number is 6)
1XD6 for experience
1, 2, 3=Dervish horde
4=mixed arms, half rifles
5=Fuzzy Wuzzy
6=cavalry unit (2XD6 for strength)


Dervish foot move normally at 9”+d3
Charging move 12”+d3
Dervish cavalry move normally at 9”+d6
Charging move 12”+d6



INCIDENTS

When dicing for Dervish appearance should a 1 or 2 be rolled, roll another D6 to determine whether anything else happens that turn.

On a roll of 1, the column have veered off course and the zariba will be moved 1D6 inches to either right or left (odds indicating to the left, evens to the right)

On a roll of 2, the British see a dust cloud in the distance (roll a direction die to determine in which direction)

On a roll of 3, nothing happens apart from a sandstorm blowing up (roll a direction die to determine where it is coming from and its direction) If it comes towards the column, it will blow over in one turn but all movement will be halved and visibility will be zero. Roll 1D6 to determine how far to move the zariba (odds indicating to the left, evens to the right) as the column has become disorientated.

On a roll of 4, nothing of note, the sky is clear and the sun is smiling.

On a roll of 5, a couple of fuzzies appear over a rise in the ground, anywhere on the board and stand there watching the column, they will move off at the end of next turn

On a roll of 6, due to the poor map reading skills of the lead section, they have veered off course and will be positioned 1D6 inches to left (1, 2, 3) or right (4, 5, 6)


DERVISH MOVEMENT


D6 roll Outcome Movement
1, 2 Slink away Remove from play. They have just appeared to have a look and then disappear.
3 Act with caution Move no closer to the British, mill around on the spot unless easy pickings can be spotted elsewhere on the table. May fire rifles
4 Advance Move towards the nearest British unit contacting them if possible. May fire if rifle armed
5 Charge! Charge at full speed towards nearest British unit
6 C H A R G E ! Charge at full speed towards nearest British unit, if no contact made add 50% to the charge distance.

Modifiers
+2 if within charge distance
-1 if retreating or failed morale test last turn
-1 if outnumbered by target unit
-2 if outnumbered by target unit by more than 2:1






DERVISH MORALE

Test when unit takes 25% casualties and then each 25% thereafter.

D6 roll Outcome
1, 2 The unit disperses, remove from the table
3, 4 Gone but not forgotten. The unit routs towards the nearest table edge but may return!
5 The unit retires one move at the start of next turn and then may move as desired
6 Bring it on! The unit carries on as desired

Modifiers

+1 for fuzzy wuzzy unit
+1 if the unit won previous round melee
+1 if cavalry


SHOOTING

Martini-Henry/ maxim gun Short 0-6” Medium 6-12” Long 12-18”
Webley revolver Short 0-2” Medium 2-6”

The British can either volley fire, or fire at will as individuals.
To volley fire, all figures must be in direct base-to-base contact and all must shoot at the same target. The officer/NCO commanding each section will decide which type of fire to use if the sections are separated by more than 3”; if sections are kept together, then the senior officer/NCO present will decide for the whole body firing.

Roll a d6 for each man firing:


Short range 3, 4, 5, 6 kills
Medium range 4, 5, 6 kills
Long range 5 or 6 kills
(Maxim gun roll as for 4 figures) a die roll of 1 will indicate a jam and will require one full turn to clear.

Modifiers:
Units firing volleys +1 (see above)
Target in cover -2
Dervish rifles -1

Target began charge two shots permitted,
at long range delivered at medium range

Target began charge one shot only permitted,
at medium range delivered at close range

Target began charge no shooting permitted
at close range









MELEE

Mêlées take place immediately when opposing figures come into base-to-base contact. They are decided by a modified man-to-man d6 vs d6 die roll. Highest score wins.

Modifiers:
Any troops charging +1
Dervish spear/sword unmodified
Fuzzy Wuzzy sword +1
Dervish leader +2
British NCO or officer +2
Defending obstacle +2
Uphill of enemy +1
Mounted +1
Mounted lance armed +1

2:1 or 3:1 (max) fight compare highest scores. If lone defender wins, he is considered to have parried the other attacks and felled one opponent.