Big Battles Using IHMN Figures

I keep buying too many figures for IHMN, so I have a surfeit of Redcoats, Zulus, Askaris, Gas-Mask equipped militia and armed Sailors. All are based on 2p pieces so as to be useable for other game systems - although I haven’t played any yet. I also have several Land Ironclads – I love VSF land Ironclads – but haven’t worked them into a game of IHMN yet.

Determined to get more games with the figures, we played a couple of games of G.A.S.L.I.G.H.T. but while they were OK, they are not quite what I was looking for.

On the other hand ... Black Powder is currently the ‘GoTo’ set for 15mm games at Staines Wargamers. I've set up several enjoyable Napoleonic Peninsular games, and others are playing ACW and Pike & Shot. It’s certainly a fun set of rules, not perfect by any means , but flexible and capable of giving a good game in an evening. This lead me to consider whether BP might be how I might use my IHMN figures for large VSF battles as well. The main issue is rules for Land Ironclads and Flyers. I have therefore knocked up a brief set of rules for using these contraptions in Black Powder and set them out below. They are NOT playtested yet but if anyone wants to give them a try feel free.

 

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VSF Rules For Black Powder

PJ 22-04-16 V1

1.   General Points

Compared with a skirmish game, at the scale of a Battle most VSF innovations are not large enough to treat differently from the main rules, apart from Armoured Vehicles – Landships – and possible intervention by Aerial craft. Other VSF innovations (Lightning Cannons etc.) should be treated as their conventional equivalents.

For VSF battles the standard ‘Unit’ is Infantry company, Cavalry Squadron, Native Warband, Artillery Section (2 real guns) or single Landship of any size.

2.   Landships

In VSF Landships come in a variety of sizes and forms. Most are armed with machine guns or cannons and are virtually proof against small arms fire, but generally move quite slowly.

1.    Landships are either ‘Light’ (LLS) and may have MG armament only or ‘Heavy’ (HLS) which may carry artillery.

2.    LLS move 7” per turn and may be included in a mixed command with Regular infantry and / or artillery, but not Cavalry or Native troops

3.    HLS may only move 5” per turn, and may NOT be brigaded with infantry. They always have their own officer with a command rating of 7.

4.    All Landships may fire and move, but will suffer an additional -1 to hit if they do. Fire arcs are measured using the location of the weapon on the model as a reference.

5.    Landship Turrets are primitive and slow to turn. Regardless of the model, only 1 weapon may be turret mounted. They have a fire arc of 360’ but suffer an extra -1 to hit (in addition to the -1 above if they move).

6.    All Landships have a Morale Save of 2, with stamina based on its size. This is calculated using the armament it carries. LLS Stamina = 1 + 1 per weapon. HLS Stamina = 2 + 2 per cannon + 1 per MG. All normal Morale Save modifiers apply.

7.    Landships are never disordered by fire and may recover stamina as normal.

8.    When a Landship is ‘Shaken’ it must halt until it recovers at least one hit. Normal penalties for ‘Shaken’ troops apply.

Landship Hits & Damage

Hits on Landships are recorded as usual, but they do not take normal ‘Break Tests’. Instead, in any turn in which at least one hit is taken they roll 1 x D6 on the Landship Hits & Damage table below.

+1 If any of the hits came from a Machine Gun or Artillery of any type

+1 If the Landship has excess hits

-1 If the Landship had no hits before this turn

HLS	LLS	Effect
4 or less	3 or Less	No effect
5	4	Reduce move for rest of game (Light 2”, Heavy 1”)
6 - 7	5 - 6	Possible weapon damage *1
8 +	7 +	Possible serious damage *2

 

*1 Possible weapon damage. On this result roll a D6. On a 1-3 one weapon is knocked out, choose at random it may be repaired in the command phase instead of recovering a ‘hit’. 4-6 No Effect.

*2 Possible serious damage.If this result is scored, roll another D6 -

1 - One weapon is knocked out, choose at random. It may be repaired as above.

2 – Reduce move by 2” for the rest of the game.

3 - Power Unit Damage. The Landship is immobilised and any turret may not traverse for the rest of the game.

4 – If MG or small arms hit, No Effect. If Artillery - Internal Damage. The Landship suffers major internal damage and ceases to function. However it remains on table as a new objective to be captured by the opposition player. Roll another D6 and if a 6 is scored the Landship suffers a catastrophic explosion. ALL troops within 6 inches receive D3 hits as if hit by rifle fire.

5 – 6 No Effect

Close Combat

Once armoured vehicles have appeared on the battlefield, it is reasonable to assume that Regular Infantry would receive training and/or equipment to help to confront them.

1.    Only Infantry with the ‘Anti-LS’ attribute may move into close contact with a Landship.

2.    They move to contact and receive any Closing Fire as normal.

3.    If any hits are received, the attackers take a break test with an additional -1

4.    If the unit passes, they roll their normal number of H-t-H Dice, with each 4 - 6 scoring a possible hit.

5.    The LS rolls to save any hits against a morale of 4 (not 2) and takes damage as usual on the above table.

6.    If a Landship contacts a Machine gun or Artillery unit, the MG/Art are destroyed in the Close Combat phase – no dice rolls are required.

Armoured Troop Transports

(These were really used by the British in South Africa in 1899.)

A model Steam tractor and trailer can transport 1 company of infantry. The combined Tractor, Trailer and Infantry are one target unit (all fire measured to the trailer). The infantry unit is still the target if fired upon, but they have a Morale Save of 2. (Do Not Use The Landship Rules.) Troops may fire from inside at half dice from each long side. Dismounting is an action that has to be rolled for as usual. Once the infantry have dismounted, the tractor and trailer are removed from the table.

3.   Aerial Vehicles

Aerial Vehicles are an essential part of VSF, but Dirigibles and large Aeronefs (which use liftwood or steam powered engines) are valuable assets not to be risked lightly. It is highly unlikely that either would allow themselves to be involved in a battle with ground troops except in the role of long range artillery. Therefore, large Dirigibles and Aeronefs are only available as off-table artillery assets. (Rules to follow).

Smaller craft and Ornithopters would be very useful in the scouting role, but still vulnerable to massed rifle fire from the ground. The following rules for small Aerial Vehicles suggestions reflect this situation -

1.    Small Aerial Vessels consist of Small Dirigibles (SD) and Ornithopters (ON) which may function in a ground support role.

2.    They may operate at Low altitude where they may attack ground troops and be shot at by them, or High altitude where they are safe from ground fire, but unable to attack any ground troops

3.    Aerials at Low Altitude may be fired on by Regular Infantry with rifles at up to half range and an additional -1 to hit is applied.

4.    Attacks on ground troops are as normal using the Forward MG and dice to hit as shown.

5.    Standard characteristics for 1 man craft are -

Type	Move	Morale	Stamina	Weapon	Other
SD	6”	5	3	Forward MG 3D6, Bombs 3D6	90’ Turn Max
ON	9”	5	2	Forward MG 3D6, Bombs 2D6	May move in any Direction

Bombing

Flyers may drop Bombs once while the craft is on table. It must either fly over the target or remain stationary with 3” of it for their entire move. In the shooting phase roll the number of D6 shown with a 5-6 needed to hit. Saves are normal as if under long range artillery fire, but even if all hits are saved a Break Test must be taken. (Native and mounted troops test at an extra -1)

SD and ON take hits as normal, but if after all saves they have excess hits they crash. There is no break test.

Personal Flyers (PF)

Having been tested on servants, some of these are making their way into military usage.

1.    Up to one unit of Regular Infantry may be equipped with PF.

2.    Troops so equipped may make a special move of 18” ignoring terrain instead of normal movement.

3.    Any shooting by them or at them during the turn they fly is at -1 to hit.

4.    Because of the weight of the flying gear, triple moves are not possible

4. Heroic Companies

Victorian Fiction (Science or otherwise) is replete with Heroes and their companions whose exploits have major influence on global events. To allow for this a single unit of heroes is allowed on each side. They self-command with a CR of 8 and have the following stats -

Move 6”

Fire Dice 4

Morale 3

Stamina 4

Sneaky. Extra -1 to hit if in cover

May use PF Devices. Anti-LS trained

Heroic companies take Break Tests as usual, but do not -1 for being disordered. 

 



A History of Dirigible Airships 1874–1895

By Lady Mia Opic, FRAS

(This article first appeared in The Strand magazine, February 1895)

The first dirigible airships originated from Count von Zeppelin’s observations while attached to the US army 1863 during the American Civil War. Clearly their use for observation was limited by being tethered, but he saw a role for free flying machines that could both observe and attack the enemy. On his return in 1865, he petitioned the German army to sponsor a project to investigate if such a craft could be produced. Still basking in the glory of the war of 1861 however, the army was not interested.

In 1877 however, he took his ideas to the Imperial Navy who were interested. Working slowly and in great secret, they produced the first Lenkbarer Luftfahrzug (Steerable airship-train) in June 1878. The LL1 was 126m long with a gas capacity of 10,370 m³ and a carrying capacity of over 3500 kg. Its top speed of just over 21 knots and range of only 600 miles limited its military use, but a series of experimental craft followed, culminating in LL10 which was the first of a series to go into production for the Imperial Navy.

The LL10 had a maximum speed of 43 knots a carrying capacity of about 2000kg, and from its base at Cuxhaven could reach London or Stockholm and return. It’s appearance over Dover on St George’s day 1880 was perceived as a major threat to the Royal Navy. Britain’s response characteristically was quick and effective, and by 1885 they had operational craft flying in support of the Khartoum relief expedition.

By the end of the 1880’s all the major powers had small numbers of dirigibles, and during the 2nd Russo-Turkish war (1888-1889) both sides employed them as bombers. Aerial bombs had not yet been developed, so these early raids dropped artillery shells instead.

These early offensive operations demonstrated that they were extremely vulnerable to ground fire unless flown at high altitude, and several were lost. On 5^thAugust 1888 the Turkish dirigible ‘Ottoman Fire’ bombed the Russian fortress at Kars. Flying at a relatively low altitude because of cloud cover, the craft was damaged by small-arms fire and was destroyed in a forced landing not far from its base. On 21^st August the Russian craft ‘Oleg’ and ‘Svetlana’ were damaged by ground fire while supporting army operations in defence of Yerevan.

On the night of 24/25^th August the Russian dirigible ‘Borodino’ attacked Constantinople, dropping bombs near the royal palace and killing five people, and it returned on the night of 1/2^nd September. A third raid was mounted on 7^th October but this time the Turks were prepared and the Borodino was brought down by ground fire and most of the crew were captured. Their public trial and execution as 'Air Pirates' horrified public opinion, but it did mark the end of bombing operations ahead of the peace treaty which was signed on 15^thJanuary 1889. This random dealing of death from the skies was the caused considerable international disquiet and was a major factor leading to the 1890 Treaty of Berne which outlawed all forms of aerial bombardment.

The limiting of dirigibles to reconnaissance roles has made them much less valuable to the military apart from long range communications and reconnaisance. Great Britain’s Royal Navy has the greatest number of craft based at their coastal airship stations from where they fly long range patrols between their many overseas stations.

In lieu of more aggressive roles, research has concentrated on the development of dirigibles to transport officials or small units of troops to trouble spots around the world. New lighter construction materials and the Armstrong Electric propulsion system has allowed these craft to become smaller and faster while not sacrificing any carrying capacity. As a result all of the major powers operate squadrons of small, fast dirigibles which are capable of operating at higher altitudes and are often disguised to enable them to fly over unfriendly nations unhindered. Even if an overflying craft is spotted, by the time that another has been readied to intercept it, the high altitude and speed at which they travel mean that interception is all but impossible.

Exactly how fast these craft now fly is a closely guarded secret, but based on observations from civilian liners it is believed that speeds in excess of 175 knots are now being regularly achieved. How or if these craft are armed has been a matter of great debate.

 

Civilian dirigible development has continued apace as well. Although slower than railways in good country, dirigibles are able to cross seas and oceans and do not need to stop in order to complete long journeys. The British Dirigible Company operates regular services from London to the major European capitals as well as longer routes to Cairo, Capetown, Delhi and Australia, and all the major powers have similar operating companies. The largest of these craft are now almost 350m in length and are capable of carrying 70 or more passengers up to 6,500 km at speeds approaching 90 knots.

Despite the obvious safety concerns, Hydrogen remains the principle lifting agent for 90% of the worlds’ dirigibles. Only the United States of America has access to sufficient quantities of non-flammable Helium and their reliance on this less powerful lifting medium means that US craft are generally larger than elsewhere. However, use of Helium also means that the US Army is unique in maintaining a number of rocket-firing ‘Gunship’ dirigibles which have been used to great effect against native tribes and border incursions from Mexico. Reports that Great Britain has begun using a similarly equipped, Helium lifted craft on the North-West frontier of India remain unconfirmed.

All the major powers continue to develop their dirigibles in order to achieve greater range or speed, and one is left wondering what wonders may yet be achieved.

Another Day At the Office.

As his steam hansom turned towards the Hounslow Heath Airship station gates, Captain Forsythe turned his head to look towards the mooring towers and their enormous adjacent hangars. A scene empty of activity now, but within the hour the HMD Devonshire would be lifting away, set on the heading he had only been given verbally by the Admiral. Once over the open sea he could open his sealed orders and start to plan his route.

 As usual, the Marine guards refused to let the Hansom inside the gates, so he dismounted in order to present his papers to the officer who stood waiting. Having confirmed his identity, he was escorted into the Incendiary Room where another officer asked the usual questions about lucifers, pipes and firearms. It was of course nonsense to suggest he of all people would risk taking such items on board a Hydrogen Dirigible, but these questions had to be asked. His next destination was the base armoury. There he was issued with the standard Lee-Armstrong .40 calibre Pneumatic Pistol. Although lethal at up to 50 paces, this low powered weapon was incapable of penetrating the thin metal skin of the Gondola. This made it the ideal weapon for dirigible crew as its use presented no threat to the gas bags.

Finally he walked out onto the vast open space where the HMD Devonshire now floated at anchor. Moored by the nose and secured by cables, it swayed gently in the wind. The hydrogen umbilical was still attached, allowing a final top up before departure. As he arrived at the base of the steps leading up to the control cabin, he noticed a dozen or so red-coated faces looking down at him from the passenger compartment. Once they were airborne he would visit them and find out who or what he was carrying this time.

He stepped onto the Bridge to the sound of a rating piping the usual greeting and the other three officers present turned and saluted him. Lieutenant Commander Smith and 1^st Lieutenant Jones he knew well, but the young 2^nd Lieutenant standing there was a new face. He stepped forward nervously and said “2^nd Lieutenant Atkinson reporting for duty as ordered, Sir.”
He offered a sheaf of official looking papers that Forsythe took before passing them to Smith.
“Welcome aboard Atkinson, is this your first commission?”
“Y-yes Sir” the young Lieutenant stammered.
“Well young man, let us suppose I tell you we are ordered to travel to Helsinki with all haste, what method of propulsion would you use and why?”
The young Lieutenant coughed nervously and said, “Well sir, I would fly out over the North Sea using the steam boilers, timing our arrival over Danish coast for about 20 minutes after dawn. I would then engage the Ether Engine and proceed at flank speed until we were over open sea again, or the standard 20 minutes before dusk and at that point I would return to steam engine power. The Ether Engine gives us a significant speed increase which allows us to cross other countries airspace unhindered or in an emergency, but it is also a drain on our batteries and leaves a luminous trail which is clearly visible from the ground at night. During daylight the trail isn’t visible from the ground, so our progress would not observed”.

“Very good” said the Captain, “In that case Atkinson, you can take the first watch as navigation officer. Set course 180 magnetic until further notice. Number 1, assuming our passengers are all aboard, you can lift immediately.”

Out over the Channel, with Brighton just a smudge on the horizon, Captain Forsythe sat in his cabin and opened his sealed orders. Inside was another sealed envelope and a single sheet of paper with the Admiralty crest at the top, and on it the handwritten order - “RND Devonshire is to proceed to the Malta station at best speed. Once there you will refuel and open the second envelope for further orders. Signed, Admiral J.P Pettigrew. Imperial Service Department”.

Obviously it was going to be one of those missions, so maybe now would be a good time to see just who these passengers were ……