A Wargamer in Cyprus: December 2023

Whilst seasoned Indian Army troops were sent to more important battlefields in WW1 a ragtag group of Imperial Service units, raised by local Indian Magnates and Potentates was sent out to Mombasa, with the intention of protecting British East Africa from the German colony to its South.

The first to land, the 29th Punjabis were already on a train bound for Voi accompanied by a 12-pdr naval gun from HMS Fox by 6th September. A half battalion (4 companies) of each of the Jhind, Bharatpur, Kapurthala, Kalabar (single company) and Rampur Imperial Service Troops – the armed forces of independent Indian potentates – a Volunteer Maxim Gun Company, the Calcutta Field Battery and the 27th Mountain Battery followed, and by mid September they had been ordered to take up positions protecting the Uganda Railway

History records very little of the War Service of the "Kalabar Imperial Service Company" shipped to the colony early in 1914. Serving under Captain Valentine Keen, who had married the daughter of the former Khasi the company boasted 200 Sepoys. Serving with Keen was the Young Khazi as his 2nd Lt and adjutant.

Keen was tasked to support Major Selous Parker of 3 King's African Rifles, since his Mountain trained Infantry were new to the African Bush.

(Note that the participation, and indeed very existence, of the Kalabar Company is in fact only recorded in the papers of controversial historian and alien apologist Prof Augustus P Farthingdale of the University of North Dyrham. His work has been Pooh-pooh-ed by serious historians.)

Elements of 3 KAR

The encounters at the beginning of the war saw German demolition teams attempting to break through to the railway. They would typically consist of A few white colonists 20 or so Askaris and perhaps an Mg team if an ambush was planned. British counter measures to these saw infantry encampments scattered along the Uganda railway in unhealthy and frankly dangerous locations, as well as aggressive patrols amoured trains.

My first "tester" game will use a combination of "Patrols in The Sudan" terrain rules and "Blood and Valour" WW1 rules, with a German raiding patrol attempting to reach the railway line.

The Forces.

150 points

BRITISH EAST AFRICA UNITS:

British Lieutenant Command Team:

BRITISH LIEUTENANT (COMMANDER) Shoot Close Combat Shoot Save Close Combat Save Resolve Cost Initiative Command Range Command Points 6 6 5 7 6 0 2 8” 1 UNIT COMPOSITION: 1 Commander, 2 Riflemen SPECIAL RULES: Assault Experts WEAPONS: 1 Pistol (Commander), 2 Rifles

British European or Colonial Riflemen Units:

These units represent the troops sent from the British Isles, India, and South Africa.

BRITISH RIFLEMEN (CORE)

Shoot 6, Close Combat 6, Shoot Save 6, Close Combat Save 7, Resolve 6, Cost @16 Initiative 3. UNIT COMPOSITION: 4 Riflemen (add models for 4pts. each, max 12 models in unit) SPECIAL RULES: Assault Experts WEAPONS: Rifles 5pts. – Add Grenades to entire unit 8pts. – Add a Light Machine Gun model to this unit (max 12 models in unit)

BRITISH KING’S AFRICAN RIFLES (CORE)

Shoot 7, Close Combat 6, Shoot Save 6, Close Combat Save 6, Resolve 5, Cost @16 Initiative 2. UNIT COMPOSITION: 4 Riflemen (add models for 4pts. each, max 12 models in unit) SPECIAL RULES: Blood Curdling Charge WEAPONS: Rifles

GERMAN EAST AFRICAN

COMMAND TEAM:

German Leutnant Command Team:

GERMAN LEUTNANT (COMMANDER) Shoot Close Combat Shoot Save Close Combat Save Resolve Cost Initiative Command Range Command Point 6 6 5 7 6 0 2 8” 1 UNIT COMPOSITION: 1 Commander, 2 Riflemen SPECIAL RULES: True Grit WEAPONS: 1 Pistol (Commander), 2 Rifles

CORE UNITS:

German Schutztruppe Riflemen Units:

The Schutztruppe was made up of European Germans who lived in Africa for many years. GERMAN SCHUTZTRUPPE (CORE) Shoot Close Combat Shoot Save Close Combat Save Resolve Cost Initiative 5 6 6 7 5 20 3 UNIT COMPOSITION: 4 Riflemen (add models for 5pts. each, max 12 models in unit) SPECIAL RULES: True Grit WEAPONS: Rifles 8pts. – Add a Light Machine Gun model to this unit (max 12 models in unit)

German Askari Riflemen Units: The Germans built up a strong force of native Africans to help them fight during the campaigns in eastern Africa. These units performed much better than their counterparts that fought for the British. While they were equipped with very poor rifles during the war they excelled in close combat.

ASKARI RIFLEMEN (CORE) Shoot Close Combat Shoot Save Close Combat Save Resolve Cost Initiative 7 6 6 6 5 16 2 UNIT COMPOSITION: 4 Riflemen (add models for 4pts. each, max 12 models in unit) SPECIAL RULES: True Grit, Blood Curdling Charge WEAPONS: Rifles

German Heavy Machine Gun Team:

The German Army used the Maxim Machine Gun as their primary mounted machine gun. GERMAN HEAVY MACHINE GUN TEAM (SUPPORT) Shoot Close Combat Shoot Save Close Combat Save Resolve Cost Initiative 6 6 6 7 6 20 1 UNIT COMPOSITION: 3 Soldiers, 1 Machine Gun SPECIAL RULES: WEAPONS: 1 Heavy Machine Gun

My East German Force. Command group, 2 groups of Askaris, a group of Colonial German Infantry and a heavy MG. Scouting ahead are a group of Ruga-Ruga, probably former slavers.

The Game.

The Indian Army deploy three terrain pieces. Its a raid so their camp will be the ninth piece. The German column advances on behind its scouts.

Two terrain pieces are scouted but the dead ground ahead is a possible ambush location.

Tribal Auxiliaries pop up in the dead ground. Scouts for the British. They will fire once and then attempt to vanish back into the terrain. I allow them a shot out if touching the edge of dead ground. This however means that they can be seen.