Well, at least I hope you're going to build it. Outside of steamboat use on the Nile I have yet to find, I have not really looked hard, for steamboats in East Africa. The following information comes from an article by Robert V. Kubicek in the Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History vol 18 #1 entitled "The Colonial Steamer and the Occupation of West Africa by the Victorian State." The info here is put together around ideas for scenarios and not about a history of the steamboats.

Most of the gunboats were used for diplomatic and trading expeditions although certainly not leaving out the not so odd punitive expeditions. Offical expeditions carrying traders and goods into the interior, some boats reaching up to 400 miles inland. The steamers were gunless, apparently, until 1860 when swivel guns were added. Crews were "mostly native lads." West Indian troopers appear to be the troops most associated with actions on these steamers, although the info below indicates that seamen and marines were also used.

Steamers (see table on last page for ship descriptions) and steam tenders were needed that were capable of towing troop laden boats that had a draft of 2ft., which appears to have been rarely attained. Twenty-five steamers are listed on the table with draft, length, width and type. Based on the table my model falls about mid point in its size (108' by 24') with a range from 220' by 34' to 90' by 16'. For scaling purposes the Ivy is the largest steamer capable of carrying 500 men packed like sardines. Unfortunately, the table does not list armament.

Officially, "On punitive expeditions gun vessels were not to embark more than 50 troops nor carry them further than a distance which could be reached in 12 hours' steaming by day. In no circumstances were officerws and men to be landed from these vessels for service on shore except for actual protection of life." The "Steamboats main military functions were to serve as a mobile gun platform and to move troops about. The steamer increased mobility and firepower, but it had less obvious functions" i.e. projection of power over native leaders.

Scenarios

1. An island located at the mouth of a large river, protected by a sandbar, is the HQ of a slaver operation. The obvious goal would be to dislodge the slavers and destroy the operation. Two naval gunboats and a river steamer are available. The naval gunboats both ground on the sandbar. The slavers have muskets, war canoes mounting small swivel guns.

2. A slave trading depot, a town of 10,000, is protected by a palisade with several cannon. They also have numerous war canoes and the defenders have muskets capable of sustaining a 'very brisk fire'. The assualt party consists of 307 officers, seamen and marirines and four steamers. Their firepower consists of rocket launchers and small howitzers mounted in cutters towed into position by steamers.

3. A land based slavers camp with muskets only. Two hundred men from the West Indian Regiment with one steamer attempt to burn out the slavers. There are no heavy weapons, i.e. rockets or cannon.

4. Your steamer with a minimal number of troops is sent to 'kidnap and unreasonable ruler' and replace him with someone more 'reasonable'.

5. The 1897 assault force for the punitive expedition against Benin consisted of 560 naval, 120 marines, 250 Hausa troops, 70 local scouts and 2,000 natives carriers. The Ivy (see table) was one of nine gunboats that conveyed the force upriver to their starting point. Heavy equipment included Maxim guns, light artillery and rocket tubes.

This is just a sampling, I am sure that with some research more could be found. This should give you ample opportunity to use the steamboat plans in this issue.

More on Steamboats

Using the Steamboat: Scenarios
Steamboat Visual References
Stern Wheeler Plans
Colonial Stern Wheelers Table

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