"A New Herero War Scenario!" Topic

A new Herero War scenario by Tim Abbott and Roy Jones is now available: "Ambush at Uitkomst: Volkmann's Gambit". The scenario is designed for use with "The Herero War" rules and scenario book by Roy Jones and Eric Alvarado.

The engagement covered by the Uitkomst scenario was fought in the Grootfontein district on January 18, 1904 – four days after the beginning of the Herero War. After raiding several German farmsteads, a strong force of mounted and foot Hereros were reported to be in the mountains near the Boer farm of Uitkomst. The Herero forces were commanded by their local leader – Kapitän Mbatona – and by an outsider: a Schlachten-General (i.e., War General), recognizable by a large white ostrich feather in his hat. The Schlachten-General had been dispatched by paramount chief Samuel Maharero to help coordinate the general uprising in the North.

Oberleutnant Richard Volkmann – chief of the Grootfontein military district – had a meagre force available to oppose Mbatona's much larger, well-armed war band: a handful of Schutztruppen, augmented by a few more German reservists and war volunteers and by a number of Boers.

After escorting the Boer families to safety, Volkmann's mixed German/Boer force rode out toward the mountains, looking to surprise and engage Mbatona and his Hereros.

All the English translations in the Uitkomst scenario, virtually all of the scenario text, and all the maps are by Tim Abbott. Tim and I worked together on creating and balancing the victory conditions and on game mechanics.

The scenario and an extensive historical description of the battle can be found on Tim's blog: omaheke.blogspot.com

The scenario can be downloaded for playtesting.

Roy Jones

Very interesting and well done.

Heia safari

Great job!

I can resist anything but temptation, especially having bought the guide to the war by the same authors – who makes suitable Herero and German colonial troops for the period in 28mm or 15mm?

Tiger Miniatures makes 28mm Herero and German colonial troops. You can purchase them from Recreational Conflict: recreationalconflict.com. Askari Miniatures also produces 28mm Hereros and Germans; their website is askari-minis.com.

Falcon Miniatures makes 25mm German and Herero figures, but Falcon Miniatures is very hard to contact and its website (www.falconminiatures.com) is currently down.

As for 15mm, Old Glory Boers are fine for the Hereros. Rank-and-file Herero troops wore civilian clothes very similar to those worn by the Boers (Herero senior officers, Herero infiltrators, and Herero Shock Troops wore captured German uniforms).

Old Glory's Far Eastern Brigade figures from their Boxer Rebellion line will be fine for South-West African Schutztruppen. And the German Sea Battalion figures from the Boxer Rebellion line can serve as Marines in South-West Africa.

In 25mm, Matchlock Miniatures has single German figures from the Falcon line. link

There are also German Colonial troops available in 28mm from Pulp Figures. link

NorthStar Africa has a number of Matabele figures in partila eurporan clothing and with firearms that work well as Herero troops. link

The hardest figures to find in 28mm are mounted ones. Pairing two of Tiger's German camel riders with two of their horses is one possibility. Finding someone who will part with some of the old HLBS co Germans is another.

I've been using Empress Anglo-Zulu War Native Horse figures, without their spears, as mounted Hereros.

Good luck!

Tim Abbott

A full listing of what one can use in 15mm (using Old Glory 15s figures) can be found on my blog:

link

This list was complied from suggestions from Dr. Jones.