As I look thorough my copy of the Colonial Campaigns: The Zulu Wars, I'm just not enthused to play Isandlwana. Perhaps I've seen too many games, the movies too many times, or the terrain pieces intimidate me.
I also realized I already Roark's Drift, many many moons ago.
Twelves years ago, almost to the day, I ran Roark's Drift for my girls, technically, just Maja, although I'm sure Millie got a hold of some dice. Below is the exact recap from the original post:
Saturday had my wife working, so I had a full day with the kids. After coloring, puzzles, and Play-Doh, we proceeded to the next logical step for a three year old.
We played Rorke's Drift.
Well, not quite. While I do have an interest in the Zulu Wars, it would require me to hit a couple of banks to get started, so I did the next best thing: I present to you the GNOMES of Rorke's Drift.
No, it's not a proper historical representation, but I wanted to do something more fun than realistic. Plastic Easter eggs over mealie bags. Plus, the only British gnomes available are of a maritime variety.
In the Gnome Wars universe, the pointy hatted Swiss and the picklehaub-wearing Germans are the central powers, so colonial forays into the untamed wilderness which is Deepest Darkest Gnomish Africa would be expected. My friend Michael Lung has already composed an excellent write-up for Bore Wars (spelling intentional). It explained the use of Swiss, German, Australian, and even British gnome in a new environment. It also allowed ins to use Eureka frogs, turtles, and teddy bear zulus. Heck Mike even put in data to use Brigade "Gnomans", Eureka teddy bear Romans, and even the old Heritage frog Romans!
After this masterwork, I have to cobble together something for the Zulu Wars. I embrace Mike's all-inclusive approach, but I have neither the collection, nor the funds and time to assemble one right now.o
I did, however, have a nearby Michael's, a pile of coupons that even work on clearance items, and some time to shop after Easter.
I present to all, the most dangerous enemy to gnomes settling Africa, the Chicka Zulu
For rules, I based them off of what I remember from Uncle Duke's Isandlwanda/Rorke's Drift game that I played at Historicon 2010. It was simple and didn't require the purchase of thousands of Zulus. The hashed together recollections of rules worked well for my daughter as well.
Chicka Zulus
Move: 6 inches per turn
Once a stand of 9 chicks is reduced down to 3, it is removed off the board. Once the army loses over 50% of its stands(in this case 6), the Zulus immediately retreat to form the next wave. If three waves are stopped by the gnomes, the Zulus give up.
They also wield primitive firearms. At the end of the 1st round, each unit with at least 5 chicks will make one roll to represent ineffective firepower. A 6 on 1d6 per unit hits. During the 2nd round this improves to 5-6. It is assumed that by subsequent rounds, the chicks have engaged the enemy in hand-to-hand.
The Gnomes
The Gnomes follow their rules per nationality. The Swiss have rifles, but also a large number of pickaxes. No use for firing, but definitely devastating in close combat.
Medics: In Gnome Wars, the medics have a phase after each turn to run around and revive the fallen. To recreate a more accurate situation, I didn't allow a medic phase until the Swiss dispatched one of the Zulu waves. If they still controlled the hospital (the large MBA Customs House) they had a 50% chance (4-6 on d6) of healing each one. If the Zulu occupied it, it dropped to 5-6, and if Zulus successfully torched it, it dropped to just 6.
The First Wave
I gave Maja no pointers on how to move the Chicka Zulu, simply that they had to kick the gnomes out of their "farm" and capture the golden egg hidden inside. Immediately she sent her flanks around to the undefended side walls, a perfect application of the "Feet of the Chicken" tactic. She also put the pink (unmarried) chicks in the center of the battlefield in a column formation, but that's okay. I'm not asking her to conquer Russia (yet.)
Of course, to preoccupy a three-year old, she also rolled all the dice for the Swiss. Her rolls rang true and two units had been whittle down to five. Her Zulu firing rolls were just as effective. Five Swiss lay on the ground from Zulu rifles. This did not bode well for the gnomes.
With the hospital in flames, and few men left to put it out, the medic phase was a complete failure.The last seven Swiss: (two officers, the alphorn player, three rifles, and two pick axes) fortified the ruined building as a redoubt and waited for the final onslaught.
Third Wave
The few Swiss rifles shot true, and two entire units fell before the Chicka Zulu reached the redoubt. I had some difficulty finding a proper defensive modifier for the redoubt, particularly since the majority of the remaining Swiss had developed good, balanced bonuses from the earlier fighting. The Chicka Zulu took out the majority of the enlisted, and with afternoon naps pending, I declared the Chicka Zulu escorted the two Swiss officers, the Alphorn (essentially a flag bearer), and one rifleman to the Zulu border, with honors.
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