Pendraken Miniatures Forum

Wider Wargaming => Genre/Period Discussion => Firelocks to Maxims (1680 - 1900) => Topic started by: FierceKitty on 30 December 2012, 09:17:43 AM

Title: I hate modern artillery.
Post by: FierceKitty on 30 December 2012, 09:17:43 AM
A Zulu army doesn't have a chance on a level field, does it? Here's hoping for a lot more concealing terrain next time.
Title: Re: I hate modern artillery.
Post by: sebigboss79 on 30 December 2012, 09:36:33 AM
Was it not very "open" in reality as well???  :-\
Title: Re: I hate modern artillery.
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 30 December 2012, 09:48:58 AM
Modern artillery - in 1879?

Well thats what I assume.

IanS
Title: Re: I hate modern artillery.
Post by: FierceKitty on 30 December 2012, 09:50:16 AM
Quote from: ianrs54 on 30 December 2012, 09:48:58 AM
Modern artillery - in 1879?

Well thats what I assume.

IanS
In five thousand years of history, and quite a few millenia of armed encounters before that, it's very modern.
Title: Re: I hate modern artillery.
Post by: sultanbev on 30 December 2012, 11:48:49 AM
The trick to any colonial 19th Century encounter is terrain. Lots of it. Otherwise the natives won't stand a chance. Plus they live there so should be able to make use of that terrain in terms of hidden deployments and movement rates.

Real battlefields are rarely a bowling green with 1 house a hill and a 1 wood as promoted for decades by WRG ancients, who have a lot of bad ideas to answer for  >:(

It's more laughable for ancients, considering the world was much less populated and farmed then, so much more of the terrain would have been wild natural growth.

Mark
Title: Re: I hate modern artillery.
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 30 December 2012, 12:08:14 PM
Mark - Italians in Ethiopia - 1890's.

IanS
Title: Re: I hate modern artillery.
Post by: Steve J on 30 December 2012, 01:50:10 PM
Yep, lots of scrub, depressions and 'wadis' make for a better game.
Title: Re: I hate modern artillery.
Post by: FierceKitty on 30 December 2012, 01:59:26 PM
I know; last time they had the Brits for breakfast. But today the terrain tables didn't give us much cover. It didn't help us that every British roll was favourable; the only unit to run out of ammo was the 17th Lancers (not a major headache for cavalry), not one gatling jammed, the rocket-launcher never fired in vain, and by the time we were close enough to charge home, our morale was all wibbley. The Brits lost one Englishman (scout: Sgt Rodney "Brass Balls" Edgecombe) and the colonial auxilliaries. We had two whole impis whacked out, and most others beneath 50% by the time we surrendered.
Title: Re: I hate modern artillery.
Post by: FierceKitty on 30 December 2012, 02:03:02 PM
Quote from: Steve J on 30 December 2012, 01:50:10 PM
... 'wadis' ....
'dongas' in South Afrinca, the first vowel deeper than in English, with lips a little pursed (like the German equivalent in 'Potsdam'). Weak second syllable.
Title: Re: I hate modern artillery.
Post by: Steve J on 30 December 2012, 04:32:49 PM
Thanks for the clarification Fierce :).
Title: Re: I hate modern artillery.
Post by: FierceKitty on 30 December 2012, 05:05:03 PM
It's hell being a teacher; you never get to turn it off.