Tromp's Farm
A Scenario for Every Man A Briton |
 By
Jay Stribling
I have play-tested this scenario three times. Twice the British have
accomplished their objective. Once they were smashed into red jelly
before even coming close. Twice I used a 6’ x 8' table and once
a 6’ x 12’. It did not seem to make much difference.
THE TABLE
The entire table should be a valley with very gentle hills sloping up
on each side. There are three small farmhouses widely spaced but in
no case closer than 3’ to the British entry point. You can have
a small stream if you wish. It should be fordable anywhere or if you
want designated fords, have at least three. The fords in that case should
be TA points. Dirt tracks are all right, but no formal roads. Distribute
the TA points (patches of scrub, small copses of trees, depressions,
or hilltops) evenly but randomly across the table. The farmhouses cannot
be TA points and there should not be a TA point within 6" of a
farmhouse.
THE FORCES
The British have 8 units plus one gun. No more than 3 units may be mounted.
They may increase their force by 2 guns if they give up one of their
9 units.
The Zulu force pool is 20 regiments.
THE CIVILIANS
A friendly native has brought word that the Tromp family, (Boer farmers)
has fortified their farmhouse and is besieged by the Zulu. They await
your rescue. You will move onto the table at one perimeter point and
move to their farmhouse. They will move as "wounded" and must
be accompanied by men detailed for the purpose or they will not move.
A small complication is they you do not know which of the farm houses
is the Tromp homestead. You must move up to a farmhouse to see if the
Tromps are inside.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Create two decks of cards (I use small Index cards)
* First Deck: Two Cards which both read: "No one Home!"
* Second Deck: Four cards. Card #1 reads: "Only the mutilated bodies
are found! Five men will spend 1 turn to dig graves and bury them. Card
#2: "The tromp family welcomes you with open arms! They can leave
immediately." Card #3: "The Tromp family is not quite ready
to leave. They will require one turn to round up the pigs and children."
Card #4: "The Tromp family are on excellent terms with the Zulu.
They are personal friends of Cetswayo, the Zulu King. They do not want
to leave.
Shuffle the second deck and draw one card at random. Add it to the first
deck. Shuffle the first deck (now of 3 cards) and place one card face-down
under or next to each farmhouse. Thus, the British player does not know
what he will find at each farm.
Move
Along, Now!
A Scenario for Every Man A Briton |
THE TABLE
The table should have a small stream roughly bisecting it, with 3 or
4 plainly marked fords. Dirt roads may lead across the table but they
offer no movement penalty. A deserted Boer farm with farmhouse, outbuilding
and enclosed stone-walled farmyard is roughly in the center of the table
close by but about 8" to 12" from the stream. Patches of scrub
dot the landscape, most large enough to hide numbers of Zulu, but offering
no real block to movement as a patch of woods would do. Two stony hills
are on the field, not within 24" of the farmhouse.
THE FORCES
The British have 6 units plus one gun. Up to two units may be cavalry.
A naval crew, who will fight as Boers in hand-to-hand combat, rather
than artillerists, mans the gun (not a Gatling).
The Zulu force pool is 16 regiments.
VICTORY CONDITIONS
The British column is a draft of replacements marching to reinforce
the main column. They start at one side of the table top, and will march
to the other side and exit. They must cross the stream. If all the units
exit on the far side of the battlefield it is a complete victory. Otherwise:
* 5 units off the field: Impressive!
* 4 units off the field: Marginally acceptable
* 3 units off the field: A rum go!
* 2 units off the field: Very poor showing!
* Less than 2 units off the field: Another bloody disaster!
The gun does not count for victory conditions.
THIRST
The men left fort Evelyn at dawn. They are hot and tired and have drunk
up all their water. If they can reach the stream, they can fill their
canteens again. Subtract 1 D6 from their movement while they drink &
fill water bottles. The foot units can even send a 4-man party to fill
canteens for the entire unit.
Until they get water, their performance will be affected.
* Each infantry unit may fire twice at full affect and after that will
fire as "Carbines" on the TSATF fire charts till they get
water.
* Each unit will melee once at the "British" effect, but after
that will fight as "Boer" in hand to hand fighting, till they
get water.
* The gun will fire at normal rate twice, but after that will roll a
D6 before firing.
* 1-5 = May fire normally
* 6 = Not yet reloaded, cannot fire this turn, loaded for next turn.
|
WHO IS JAY STRIBLING?
|
|
STRIBLING BIO-TEXT HERE
|
|
