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. 

 



Into Darkest Africa - A Campaign for IHMN

Last year I had some fun with IHMN in East Africa. The relatively few number of 28mm figures required make it affordable, and gave me an area to re-awaken my painting skill in that scale.
Some time ago I came across a PDF of a 'Darkest Africa' campaign here - 

http://www.flamesofwar.com/Portals/0/Documents/WargamesIllustrated/InDarkestAfrica.pdf

but I just filed it away as interesting - maybe for another time.

Then last month it finally struck me that it could make an excellent framework for an IHMN campaign. We are using the campaign part of the rules as they are with each of 4 parties setting off into the interior. Each party will be an IHMN Company of 250 points from the first two books and any battles generated will be fought using standard IHMN rules.

The natives forces for the games will be either Herdsmen or Pygmies chosen at random from pre-set companies that I have created using the HVF Zulus as a template.

The first Campaign Night is scheduled for early May and I'll see if I can't post regular updates here.

Bad Jack Has A Bad Day

Last Tuesday Mr Cook and myself played the 'Bad Jack' scenario in the first run out for my Red Cult. Quite why the Red Cult wanted Jack dead is a mystery, but cults are like that ....

The Cult is light on firepower, but the Loonies are quite fast (never turn your back on a Loony). The plan was for the Igors and one of the Acolytes to hold the left flank, while Herr Doktor and the other Acolyte supported the main thrust of the Loonies led by Matron.

Initially the high speed approach went well, and the Loonies surrounded Jack, their mistake was only stunning him - after which he went berserk and stayed that way for most of the game ....
Seeing the Loonies doing so well, Matron moved across the table to help the Igors deal with the Grand Master. First his horse, and then the man himself. However, about then Herr Doktor stopped a Templar bullet, so things were still even.
Meanwhile Jack was happy laying into the Loonies, and eventually accounted for two of them.
It was noticeable at this point that a couple of the Templars were showing a remarkable lack of bravery, as they sniped from the table edge. Jack charged about but kept winning the initiative, so most other characters just dodged him ! The Igors, the remaining Acolyte and the Matron formed a firing line, but when this failed they closed in on Jack and stunned him. At this point, the heroic Templars - still shooting from the table edge - killed him !

Although the Templars can claim a victory, they killed most of the civilians, and the Red Cult were able to carry off Jacks body. Once Herr Doktor has recovered he will undoubtedly make some use of it. 

A grand evening !

A new Company for IHMN.

The Red Cult.

In the sleepy London suburb of Hanwell there is a large walled establishment called the Middlesex County Asylum. Built in the 1830’s as a model establishment, it is one of the largest Municipal Asylums in the world. It houses up to 600 inmates with varying degrees of mental or social illness.
 
Professor Dr Wolfgang Adolf arrived in 1889 with glowing references from Imperial Asylum in Vienna, and was quickly appointed Head Psychologist. While his unorthodox methods have lead to a small number of problems, generally they are effective and the number of inmates being released back into the community where they lead normal lives has increased sharply.
 

In secret however, Professor Adolf is a High Priest of a subversive and dangerous organization called ‘The Red Brotherhood’. Originating in the furthest corners of the Austrian Empire, this group aims to establish cells in all the major cities in Europe. Once a certain number of cells have been established, all will simultaneously conduct a ritual to bring daemonic beings into the world who the cult members will then serve as trusted agents in a diabolical plan.

 The Professor was accompanied by several assistants. Strangely-featured, misshapen men help with his work. The cult has also recruited several acolytes from staff at the asylum. Among these is the ward Matron who has developed some demonic powers of her own. Some of the more unstable patients already regard him as a messenger of God and follow his instructions with a fanatical devotion.




The company as currently modelled has Herr Doktor, Matron, four Acolytes, three assistants and four of the inmates who have been taken in by the cult.

Company Roster #1

My biggest problem is buying on impulse and so buying too many figures. Once purchased, I feel obliged to paint them, and so my IHMN companies are far too large for normal use.

So, too make it up to the figures, I am posting photos of the whole companies, even if they will probably never all get on the table at once.

First is the RN Landing party. Bought and painted before SDRS was published, they will need a new list when I get round to it.

They currently number 2 Officers, 1 Surgeon and 10 Ratings.


In this photo you can also see the newly arrived HMLS Daphne. With a crew of 3 and a turret mounted Gatling gun, great things are expected of this latest example of British engineering.

It's taken a couple of weeks, but finally my latest company for IHMN is ready to be unveiled -

The Pygmies of Kitara

Led by their mystically empowered Witch Doctor, these dark-skinned pygmies of the jungle have again become a significant menace to European control of the African hinterland. The threat has further increased now that they are often accompanied by a gigantic white man wielding a 2-headed axe. They raid farms and attack parties of settlers and merchants of all races indiscriminately, and have become a serious hazard in the region.

Until the 16^th C the Empire of Kitara dominated a large area of Central East Africa. Archaeological discoveries made at Bigo bya Mugenyi, the capital of the empire, and Ntusi in Uganda, reveal rich deposits of an urban centre dating to around 500 B.C. The historical Kings of Kitara came from a dynasty named the Bachwezi who’s origin is shrouded in mystery and legend, so much so that many traditional gods in the successor kingdoms of Buganda, Ankole, Toro, Rwanda, Karagwe and Burundi name Bachwezi as one of their many tribal Gods.

 

The Kitarans were always a small people with their tallest individuals seldom exceeding 60 inches in height, and legends tell that despite having access to magical powers, they were no match for the much taller Luo Peoples from the North. Forced from their fertile grasslands, the Kitarans moved into the dense bush and from there they waged guerilla war using poison against the incomers while their Priests turned their minds to the further development of mental powers.

In 1891 Lord Dudley-Devenish, 6^th Duke of Borcetshire, sent his 21 year old son (Thomas Henry Richard Ulysees) to Africa in search of a cure for his Gigantism. An hereditary family trait, many Dudley-Devenish’s died very young as they grew beyond the point that the human body can support. Already 6’11” tall at just 20 years of age, Lord Devenish was determined that his eldest son would not suffer such a fate, and scoured the world for a cure. Hearing of the Kitarans and their limited height, he decided that they might have a cure that would stop Thomas’ growth.

Making contact was difficult at first, but the sight of young Thomas with his white skin and enormous height was a revelation to the Kitarans and he was welcomed as a new God. After a few months living with the tribe, Thomas had indeed stopped growing and a combination of native drugs and a vigorous outdoor life has led him to developed amazing physical abilities and become a fearsome warrior. At the same time however, his intellect seems to have declined and under the influence of the Kitaran Witch Doctors he has developed a fanatical hatred of outsiders and the new science that failed to help him.

His status as a living, breathing God of War has encouraged the Kitarans to step up their attacks on the hated Luo and any who use modern technology in an attempt to recover the ancient Kitaran lands. While Thomas no longer shows any affinity towards his family or other Englishmen, he is often accompanied by one or more black Panthers that attack his enemies with as much ferocity as their master.

Some Interesting Additions

No IHMN game this week or last, but I have still been busy.
First we have Frau Wissman. Wife of our commandant, trend setter amongst the resident German community, and a lady with deep concerns about the welfare of the children of the Askari troopers in the service of her husband.
She takes regular trips into the bush to visit native villages, and concern has been raised about her safety while away from the more settled areas of the Colony.


The other new addition is this stockade/native camp.
Only the pallisade and bushes are fixed, so a variety of native huts or other items can be positioned as desired





I'm quite pleased with it for a first attempt. The Pallisade is about 30-35mm high so representitive quite a solid defensive structure.

Defeat for the German Imperial Forces !

Having been drive off by the RN a few weeks ago, D'astardlee and his men have crossed the border into Imperial German territory in their search for loot. News that an important artifact from the period of Empire of Kitara was being held at a mission station reached them so they set out to recover it for their own profit.

Table at the outset

German Imperial Intelligence got wind of this attempt to steal the artifact, so Wissman himself lead his Askaris and his best technical aparatus stop D'astardlee and his men.


Yes, our club has Ladies who play IHMN

This time however, D'astardlee's men were a more experienced group equipped with Hunting Rifles and this caused Wissman's lightly armoured Askaris problems from the outset.

Entering from the left of the table, they moved quickly to grab the cart containing the artifact and moved it towards the exit. D'astardlee's men moved around the mission (towards the bottom of the picture above) and from there caught the Askaris in a crossfire. Wissman and the Arc weapons went round the top of the table and were very effective once they started shooting, but elsewhere on the table the Askari's were outshot by the range and power of the hunting rifles.

 

Wissman and his surviving troops beat a dejected retreat, made more bitter by the need to send a report back to Berlin explaining the loss of an important artifact.

More New Science Arrives in The Colony

A new piece of technology arrived in the colony recently.

Oberlt Welte with his Arc Generator

Here we  see Oberleutenant Hans Welte with his experimental self propelled Arc Generator.

Trials so far have been hampered by the harsh jungle environment causing breakdowns, but it is anticipated that these will soon be overcome.

Developed in the Imperial Science Research Facility in Esslingen-am-Neckar this cutting edge development promises to significantly increase the effectiveness of troops equipped with Arc weapons. There are even suggestions that an Imperial Infantry Platoon all of whom are equipped with Arc weapons may soon be sent to the Colony.