The scenario offered below depicts an imaginary action of the campaign, inspired by actual engagements, notably those at Sandfontein and Trekkopjes, and, it is hoped, will give a good idea of the 'feel' of the war in South-West Africa. Players should feel free to make any amendments they see fit.

Situation

It is mid-morning on March 21st 1915. A small Union column under Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Hannay is proceeding northwards from the ford over the River Epukiro, with orders to probe towards the railway, 10 miles to the north-east, and the German-held settlement of Marienburg, to investigate enemy dispositions there.

The Union Force

Hannay's force consists of 3 squadrons of the 2nd South African Mounted Rifles, each squadron totalling 100 officers and men. One troop (I officer and 50 men) of the 3rd Squadron has been left to secure the ford over the River Epukiro, and await a supply column supposedly en route. Also with Hannay is Company 'B' of the 9th Witwatersrand Rifles (infantry; 2 officers and 90 men), a section of Royal Engineers (1 officer, 20 men), and the 7th (Citizen) Battery of the Transvaal Horse Artillery, with two 13 pdr quick-firers and 2 machine-guns.

Stationed 5 miles to the east of the ford, at the small town of Grootfontein, is a polyglot force consisting of half a squadron of 6 Royal Navy armoured cars, led by Lieutenant-Commander Horace Hornblower, and the, 150 strong 1st Heidleburg Commando of the Mounted Burgher Corps under Field Kommandant Pieter Pienaar. The armoured cars employed in South-West Africa (one squadron of 12 vehicles) were all manufactured by Rolls Royce,, and were of' a type known as the Admiralty turreted pattern. They normally had a crew of three, and were armed with a Vickers machine-gun. The armoured cars proved generally mechanically reliable, and in fact were to remain in service throughout the inter-war period and beyond, even seeing action in the Iraqi campaign on 1941.

About a mile north of the ford, Hannay's column reaches the dilapidated and deserted settlement of Tweefontein, consisting of a mission station and a couple of shacks, clustered around two wells, and dominated by a 150-foot high kopje lying just to the east. Hannay calls an early lunch-hreak, but, just as his disgruntled troopers are settling down to their warm bully beef garnished with desert fly, a picquet stationed on the kopje reports sighting a cloud of dust approaching rapidly from the north-cast - the Germans are coming!

The German Force

The German force has been given the task of holding the ford over the River Epukiro in order to delay any enemy advance. It is commanded by the redoubtable and ruthless Colonel Ulrich von Stumm (known to all readers of John Buchan's 'Greenmantle' for his giant physique and pear-shaped head!).

Von Stumm's force consists of':

1st Column, under Major Karl von Rappart, 3rd Regular Battery (2 quick-firing Horse guns, 2 machine guns), 3rd and 4th Regular Mounted Companies (each 100 men)

2nd Column, under Major Heinrich Ritter, 4th Regular Battery (2 quick firing Horse guns, 2 machine guns), 2nd Regular Mounted Company (100 men), 1st Reserve Mounted Company (100 men),

Reserve; Colonel Ulrich von Stumm, with 5th Regular Mounted Company (100 men).

Other Information

Any set of rules for colonial warfare, particularly the Boer War, may be used, the only amendments necessary being for the employment of' armoured cars. Suitable ideas can be found for these in several sets of published rules for the WWI period, including Tbe Last Crusade', available from Caliver Books, and -Kaiserbosh', published by Tabletop Games.

For the South African forces, any of the numerous ranges of' figures and artillery commercially available and covering the British and Boer forces of the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) will be suitable. I have not been able to trace any commercially available armoured cars of the correct scale and vintage, but others could be used, or the correct version fairly easily scratch-built. The German figures produced for the Boxer Rebellion by Falcon Miniatures are ideal for German SouthWest African forces, and can be filled out with suitable 'Boer' figures. It is suggested that one figure should represent 10 troops.

Mounted troops on both sides are armed with breachloading repeating carbines; the Mounted Burghers and the infantry are equipped with breach-loading repeating rifles. Morale of the South African Mounted Rifles, the Transvaal Artillery, Royal Navy troops and all German regulars is 'High', that of the infantry and German reservists 'average', whilst the morale of the Mounted Burghers can vary rapidly, and should be checked by dice throw at the commencement of each move. Terrain is as shown on the map. Most of the landscape will be scrub/broken ground.

Special Rules

The Royal Navy armoured cars may be subject to mechanical breakdown (decided individually at the commencement of each move by dice throw or chance-card), although they were usually pretty reliable, so the chance of breakdown should not be rated too highly. Pienaar's Mounted Burghers will always be liable to influence by external factors. Throw two D6 at the start of each of their moves; on a result of '11' or '12', a herd of antelope will have been sighted, and all Boers will halt for the remainder of their turn, debating a hunting expedition. On a result of '10', Pienaar, remembering that he was at war with the British only a decade or so previously, will halt his force for one turn, wrestling with his conscience. Boers and armoured cars will never combine in an attack.

Player Notes

BRITISH

Hannay in theory has two choices. He may hastily gather his men and head back south, hoping to get across the ford before von Stumm catches him. But even if he succeeds, he will forfeit the game if the ford remains in enemy hands. The alternative is to make a stand, and defend Tweefontein, hoping that the sound of battle will alert the troops at the ford, and that they and the detachment at Grootfontein (turn of entry to be decided by dicethrow) will come to his assistance in time. Outnumbered by a foe superior in artillery, Hannay must make maximum us(of terrain and cover, and counter attack where possible.

GERMAN

Von Stumm's objectives are straightforward - dispose of Harmay and seize the ford (and force John Buchan to think of a new subject for his next novel).

More German Southwest Africa 1914-1915

Introduction
The War Begins
Invasion
Wargame Scenario

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