"Mounted Boers" Topic

I am starting up a 2nd Boer War collection, probably using Pendraken 10mm.

Does anyone bother with mounted Boers, seeing that they would not have actually fought mounted and simply rode to and from the battlefield?

This would be quite a saving.

Unless you want to represent them withdrawing from the action going on foot to where the horseholders are. Maybe British cavalry trying to cut them off to prevent this.

Just finished the book Commando by Deneys Reitz. A very good book that details the day to day war through the eyes of a 17 year old participant. Chock full of good ideas for scenarios I might add. One thing is clear from the book is that, while the Boers in a a stand up fight would dismount, these guys were born to the saddle and much of the fighting and maneuvering did take place on horseback; raids, pursuits, rear guard actions, etc. These tough old birds were mounted infantry with the emphasis on mounted. So yes, I think one should have mounted Boers also. I do both but in 15 mm.

Rufus

I didn't do Boer war back in the day, because Ral Partha only produced mounted Boxers and I couldn't contemplate a game where the Boers weren't dismounted and prone.

Hello Rufus

I have started painting this war in 15mm but have no rules in mind. I was holding out for Two Fat Lardies but there is no sign of these yet. What rules do you use please?

Regards

From my readings during the large set piece battle phase of the war, The Commandos dismounted and left their horses alone within running distance, just off the battlefield (in game terms off the table) and take their positions as infantry.

The South African ponies were trained to stay and not run away so did not require horse holders in the European or American sense. When it was time to retreat they would run to their horses and beat a hasty retreat.

The Boers never intended to fight a non-traditional or a-symmetrical type of war. They wanted to fight a battle just like any western military. They would set up in a good defensive position and yes they took advantage of cover and were not in any European style formations other than skirmish or march column. But they fully intended to hold their ground and even go over to the offensive when they had a chance. Which was not very often.

It is a common myth that the Boers won all the battles, on the contrary the British won most of the battles. In the end the Boers would retreat. The Boer's command consider such a battle lost.

The British would take the ground and declare victory. But the casualties the British suffered compared to the Boers were horrific. The Boers retreated to the next hill and repeat the whole process. Fortunately for the British they could easily absorb such loses. Certainly nothing that would be acceptable today. Back then, no big deal.

However in the invasion phase of the war, the Boers very much went on the offensive. Had they kept it up, they may have drove what little British forces there were into the sea. They went defensive too early. So when the might of the British Empire arrived it was too late.

I rarely use mounted Boers. I have more mounted British. I assume the horses are just off board so when they retreat or rout off the board they are going to their horses.

Occasionally I have a Commando doing a rearguard action which means they delay and then ride away to the main army. If you are doing hit and run scenarios or attacking from a flank off board then you need mounted Boers.

The skirmish phase of the war, when the Boers are defeated in the field. Using something like a modified TSATF with single based figs then you would have to have mounted Boers.

Thanks for the helpful replies.

It is indeed the set piece battles in 6 or 10mm that I am interested in, rather than skirmish type actions by bitter-enders which are better in 25mm. I might end up doing Breaker Morant type games in due course in 25mm.

I have been able to do the big battles in 25mm and they are fun and great looking. But they take up a lot of space.

Howdy Broglie:

I use The Sword and The Flame. It's my go to rules for most things colonial and U.S. Indian Wars. Not everyone's cup of tea but works for me for the scope I am interested in.

Regards,

Rufus

Hello Rufus,

Thanks for responding.

I don't have a set of those rules as I never thought of them for the 2nd Boer War. I will have a look at them.

Many thanks

Regards

We have been using "Fields of Honor" and they are good but it can be a little hard to get use to. I am looking for a easier set for battalion/commando scale. They are worth looking at for this conflict.

Haha! For the set piece battles where the British were attacking hidden Boer positions you barely need Boer figures at all! Seriously, you could use a method mentioned in The Sword and the Flame which is to add one mounted figure per foot unit to mark that they are all mounted.

In my games they are hidden until they move or fire or they are spotted according to the rules.

If they are up on a hill, in my scenarios the are sighted if they move along they top of hill if the other side has a line of sight. On the hills they are spotted if they fire.

I have heard of games where there are no Boer figures and the GM runs the Boers. What's the fun in that? You can't use all the cool Boer figures. No Staatsartillerie? No Zarps? No top hats and tails? No Long Toms or 75mm Creusot or Krupp guns? Unthinkable!

I use my Boer figures too. But, let's face it, historically, with the use of smokeless powder, the early battles were more like "Spot the Snipers". I imagine it wasn't much fun for the prone British hiding behind anthills all day or the Highlanders with their badly sunburned legs. That's one reason I tend to game the 1st Anglo Boer War – and I get to reuse my Zulu War Brits!

Not fun. The Highlanders had those white gaiters and were perfect targets. Guys got feet shot off. They had khaki front aprons to hide the kilts but when they went prone they could clearly see the kilts. I guess the idea was not to go prone and move forward. Easy for them to say.

I can use my Boers to fight Zulus, if you can look over the fact they are carrying mausers.

I read that the Boers burnt off all the grass beforehand so that the British khaki would stand out against the blackened grass.

Not exactly cricket….

All is fair in love and war… but this wasn't love.

British lancers took no prisoners.

I have just got some mounted Boers to provide commanders for my Natal Native Contingent and Natal Native Horse.
They look perfect!

I use TSATF rules with both mounted and foot troops depending on the situation and scenario. However I don't use 20 mounted figs to represent the units. I use 20 foot figs per dismounted unit and 12 mounted figs to denote the same unit while mounted to save on expense and table space. Not ideal but it works for me.
Cheers,
JB