The Adventures of  the Red Shadow South of the Sahara Continued........

French West Africa 1912 THE RULES As always, the game was played by using the brilliant set of rules The Sword and the Flame (TSATF). We use a slightly modified version of this system. The main digression from the origianl system we use is to  split wounded into two types - walking and operating wounded and incapacitated wounded. If you have the newest set of these rules, it is my understanding that they have adopted this method. use our own specific firing table, which is reproduced below. double firing range to 48" (with half figures firing). removed the "pinned morale" rule and replace it with the "shaken morale" instead (units which fail to charge home).

The rest of the rules are used as is. We do use the modifications as given for the French Foreign Legion and apply same changes to teh Colonial Marines. The Tukulor are treated as "Arabs or Berbers" from the FFL supplement.

Firing Table This is the firing chart used in our games. The main modification is that firing at hald figures is allowed out to double range, and that magazine fed rifles can fire twice . This is a necessary modification to bring the game results into line with authentic casualty rates when units with modern smoleless magazine fed rifles are in conflict with muskets or single shot breechloading black powder weapons (the type of rifle the game was originaly designed to factor). Firing Table 1D20 per Figure   Target Type Firing Unit Range Horse Camel Close Order Open order / Mtd  Soft cover Hard cover Pistol (fires 2D ½ range, 4D on charge, 1D double range) 8 1-3 1-2 1 1/2 Superior Rifle 24(18h/12c) 1-7 1-6 1-5 1-4 Regular Rifle 24(18h/12c) 1-6 1-5 1-4 1-3 Inferior Rifle 24(18h/12c) 1-5 1-4 1-3 1-2 Poor Rifle 18(12h/12c) 1-4 1-3 1-2 1 Musket (½ may fire) 18(12h/12c) 1-4 1-3 1-2 1             Hotchkiss 1899 MG  18/36-24 1-8/1-7 1-7/1-6 1-6/1-5 1-5/1-4 St. Etienne 1907 MG or Maxim MG  18/40-24 1-9/1-8  1-8/1-7 1-7/1-6  1-6/1-5             French 75mm -canister  24/48-12 1-6/1-5 1-5/1-4 1-4/1-3 1-3/1-2 French 8cm -canister 20/40-10 1-5/1-4 1-4/1-3 1-3/1-2 1-2/1             Native Mtd Spear 4 1-3 1-2 1 1/2 1. All rifles and MG’s may fire half figures at double range-rounded down. 2. Box Magazine and clip fed Rifles (eg. Lee and Mauser) may fire twice at normal range. 3. Tubular Magazines Rifles (eg. French Lebel) may fire twice on a Charge  4. Wounded add +2 to dice roll (unmodified 1’s always hit)  5. MG’s require 2 figures to operate otherwise 1/2 dice thrown  6. MG’s and Guns throw dice as shown after range listing  7. Native capture MG’s Jam if roll includes a “20” (Throw less dice avoid jam) 8. Incapacitated and routed figures may not fire. 9. Friendlies in fire arc are hit by “Key Figure” hits 10. Mounted Irregulars may fire half figures in a charge, no others may fire while charging.  11.All mounted fire with a +1 modifier to the die roll   You will notice that we use the terms Superior down to Poor for the firing units. This should be considered relative terms to be set by the scenario designer. For example, a Legion unit with Lebel rifles could be considered superior, whereas hastily raised native troops with the same weapon could be considered regular or even inferior. However, most French raised natives were well armed and trained (unlike some other European native armies and should usually be considered regular). Most native armies, such as Arabs, Berbers and Tukulor were armed with "inferior" weapons although some units within the Tukulor army propper should be considered regular and Samori's bodyguard is Superior, with magazine fed Krapotchek rifles.. Modern machineguns were and are devestating and should be used very sparingly or start "packed" on a mule in an ambush scenario to give the natives any chasnce of prevailing. - unless you have an unlimited supply of native figures for the scenario. We use a purpose built "hit pack" rahter than the playing card system, consisting of the following.   TYPE NUMBER Leader Killed 1 Leader Incapacitated 1 Leader Wounded 1 Leader Grazed (no effect) 2 Key Figure Killed 3 Key Figure Incapacitated 3 Key Figure Wounded 3 Other Figure Killed 12 Other Figure Incapacitated 12 Other Figure Wounded 12 THE CAST

Shown below are some Images  from the Niger region of Mali. The area presented in this game. Select the image for a larger picture. These images are from 1906 - 1907 The French Railroad of the Niger Region The Railway in Operation Native Warriors from the Segu Region Tirailleurs fromSoudan, Officers and Natives Tirailleurs on Parade Senegalese Tirailleur, the mainstay of French Military Power in the Sudan.

The cast for this scenario was set as follows French Forces all rifles are regular - unless noted.

French Commander  Tirailleur Senegalasie - 10 men in fort with French officer. Tirailleurs Senegalaise - 10 men plus African sergant. On patrol in town. French Engineers  -  6 men - 2 officers, pilot and navigator in redoubt. Train - Engineer, Fireman, Break man, Train Guard - all armed with pistols (inferior) in train Train Gun. 75mm field gun. 2 crew. Passengers - 3 armed with rifles (inferior) 3 unarmed - including two women, at station. Marines - 10 men,1 segeant, 1 MG crew split into two smaller boats, each with two sailor crewmen including 1 sergant Marines - 10 men and 1 officer on larger boat. Boaat armed with 75mm filed pice. 8 sailor crew and one sailor officer.

Tukulor Ghosts

Ahmadou - Tukulor commander Mounted Sofas - 15 men, inferior rifles - 1 leader. Mounted Sofas - 15 men, inferior rifles - 1 leader. Mounted Sofas - 15 men, inferior rifles - 1 leader. Camel mounted Sofas - 12 men - 1 leader Sofas, , infantry - 20 men inferior rifles, 1 leader Sofas, , infantry - 20 men inferior rifles, 1 leader Sofas, , infantry - 20 men inferior rifles, 1 leader Sofas, , infantry - 20 men swords, 1 leader Sofas, , infantry - 20 men swords, 1 leader Sofas, , infantry - 20 men swords, 1 leader

Notes and Specials There is a Bambara camel train passing through the town consisting of 10 camels and 10 native tradesmen armed with muskets. The are controlled by the umpire until safely off the board in the middle of the town, or until attacked by either side – in which case their control is handed to the side that didnt attack them. They begin by passing in front of the train to get to the center of the town then exit through the town.

Bambara Camel Train heading into town.

There is also a unit of 12 Chasseurs, including a sergeant and an officer and 3 scouts, including the red shadow. They return on D6 turns after the first gunfire. The train may accelerate +4” or –2” per turn. So if it accelerate 4” in the turn, it automatically moves 4” as soon as its card is drawn and may then accelerate another 4” ore reduce by 2”. On the next turn it will then either move 8” or 2” depending whether it accelerated or decelerated.  If the train is left without a crew and is moving, it will derail on a bend if its speed is more than 8” on a D6 die roll of 4-6.

The aircraft needs a full turn with someone standing by the prop and a crew in the cockpit – doing nothing else. It starts on a D6 roll of 1-5. It must spend an entire turn warming up; otherwise, the engine seizes on a roll of 4-6 on the first turn it starts to move. It must accelerate 18” on its first turn to take off, the next turn it leaves the board. It may return on the next turn but one and move 36". It may them turn up to 45 degrees at the end of its move. When it leaves the table, it must be off an entire turn before it can return.  Any horse under the aircraft scatter in random directions 2D6 inches on a D6 roll of 4-6. The navigator may fire at selected targets and hits on a D20 roll of 1. The three rifle units may start in ambush, as per the main rules. Their set up points are in the thicket either side of the hut village and to the east of the port in the thicket there. The sword and mounted units may enter in either end of the table – east and west. On their first turn of entry they are placed at the edge of the board, and measured on from the next turn.