I hate modern artillery.

[FierceKitty]

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.

[sebigboss79]

Was it not very "open" in reality as well??? 

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Modern artillery - in 1879?

Well thats what I assume.

IanS

[FierceKitty]

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.

[sultanbev]

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

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Mark - Italians in Ethiopia - 1890's.

IanS

[Steve J]

Yep, lots of scrub, depressions and 'wadis' make for a better game.

[FierceKitty]

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.

[FierceKitty]

... '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.

[Steve J]

Thanks for the clarification Fierce .

[FierceKitty]

It's hell being a teacher; you never get to turn it off.