This was one of my long term projects that I have nearly completed. I have always wanted to play a solo version of Rorke's Drift, having watched the film Zulu for about a hundred times but have never got around to it. So to keep myself on track. I promised Jose at my wargames club, just before Christmas, that we would play Rorke's Drift during the Christmas break. I had seen the board map of Rorkes Drift on the internet, for the game "Zulu on the ramparts" which I liked the look of and it also acted as my incentive.
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The buildings I had already in 15mm, seemed to small, so I decided to scratch build them myself, also the 20 seperate section ramparts and oh yes, the redoubt. No problem, I have over 2 weeks off work, I optimistically thought. My British units were already based on larger bases and did not look right, so I had to rebase them as well. I based the rules loosely on Crossfire but with IGOUGO 5 minute turns . I built the buildings out of MDF and used clay to make the thatched roofs. The Barricades were made from a type of seed, I think called "legumbres" which had to be glued individually and then painted. I just managed to finish building and painting everything ready for the day. Unfortunately I wasn't able to playtest the rules, so when the day came to play It was alright, but the moves were a bit slow and repetitive and due to time constraints we weren't able to finish it in one night.
I went back to the drawing board with the rules because I wanted game that could be played solo in around 3 hours. I reread Crossfire and decided variable turns depending on losing the initiative was called for. To measure the time of each turn, I simply threw a D6 and when it was daytime multiplied the result by five minutes and when it was night by 10 minutes. I played it again solo and it took about 3 1/2 hours although the outpost was massacred just after night fell.
Last Saturday was the anniversary of the Battle, and luck would have it, the better half, was going out with some friends for work for a leaving party. I had changed the rules concerning the "volley fire" and "fire at will" and also introduced 3 more individual characters. Pvt Dunbar who was not actually in the film but was a sharpshooter, Corporal Schiess of the Natal Mounted Police known for his close combat skills and Lt Adendorf to help with volley fire.
The Game 23rd January 2011
View of the table from the North side the Zulus are split into 4 forces of 12 units each making up the classic bull head attack formation. The left horn is in the foreground
4.30pm The first attack starts with the Chest using nine Units. The hospital and south wall fire at long range with some good shooting they pin 1 unit and kill another. But now with throwing to many sixes with "fire at will" Sgt Smith's section is now low on ammo. Six Zulu Units reach medium range. The British use volley fire and this causes the rest of the Zulus to halt and go to ground. Commisary Dalton moves to Cpl Lyons section and replenishes their ammo. Cpl Lyon tries to rally his section but fails to remove the pin.
4.50 p.m The pinned Zulus and the Zulus on the mountain, fire at the south wall without much success. Now the Loins attack with all of their 12 Units.
5.15 p.m A "rest counter" is removed from the bag meaning their is a lull in the fighting, whilst the Zulu leaders assess the strength of the Outpost. Some of the Zulus from the Chest and Loins who were pinned or suppressed, rally and fall back out of range to their comrades.
In a savage struggle Cpl Lyons Section including Pvt Dunbar is killed. Leaving Lt Chard on his own against 1 Zulu unit. Chard fights back and kills the Zulus. Lt chard is now in a dilema, with only one section left in the main courtyard he decides to pull back behind the inner barricades. Hook and his friends are now stranded in the hospital. Major Surgeon Reynolds is busy in the storehouse trying to patch up the wounded from all the fighting just taken place. He only manages to save 1 section worth of wounded man to go back into the fight.
Lt Chard pulls Lt Bromhead and his section from the wall to start building the redoubt. Pvt Hook and Sgt Windridge's Section, with the Hospital on fire decide to make a run for it to the inner barricades. As they are crossing the courtyard they get pinned by Zulu rifle fire, halfway over and are stuck in no mans land.
Lt Chard on the inner barricades fires at the Zulus but still five Zulu units make it to the barricades.
In conclusion this was a very enjoyable game, although the aim is to see if I can make the British survive until the reinforcements arrive in the morning. The rules just need a few little adjustments and then hopefully it will give a very good game. I am also adapting the rules for another favourite battle of mine, Battle of the Little Bighorn. At least I wont have to make buildings and sandbags for that one.