As a kinda follow-up to an older Heliograph article by another subscriber, I thought I'd adress the problem of space faced by the wargamer. Many times I've been forced to game on a 3x4 foot surface! One solution calls for a scaled map-perhaps as small as 8 1/2x11 inches-but I use the commercially available large grid sheets by the Armory (stock #8203) most of the time. I place the scaled down 3x4 foot playing surface in the middle of the sheet. I draw any special terrain features on the grid. Armies are represented by either cardboard counters (again the Armory) or colored push-pins. The push-pins are especially good for stability and if you wish to make use of a corkboard (which can hang on a wall or lean upright).

As for the tabletop set-up itself, the Howard Whitehouse method of setting up a marching column with moving scenery works. More often than not, I wind up with a British square set up. The Dervish can be placed also-coming right up to point blank range. Once the natives reach the edge of the board on the map (volleys have already started of course) casualties are removed from the frontages attacking. This seems to work well with the rules tried (TSATF, Science vs Pluck, Imperialism, etc.) including my homegrown stabs at rules-taking from this and that...

The following suggestions about rules are gleamed from over 30 years of gaming. I prefer the idea of a set number for various kinds of troops complemented by a die roll (example: British marching at 4" per minute plus a 6-sided die roll w/modifiers-good drill, veterans, etc.). For firing, I like the idea of Peter Gilder's-rifle/melee figure conversion chart. Take the actual number of figures and convert to higher or lower values. My version breaks down the types thusly

A- No. of figs. and Sudanese soldiers (example: 10 figs)
B-Dervish and Egyptian soldiers actual # of figs. 10= (example: 8 figs)
C-British actual # figs. 10= (example: 14 figs.)
D- British Veterans and Fuzzy melee actual # figs 10= (example:16 figs)

After all these years, I go back to two basic ways of determining casualties, either-Long: 6 is a hit/Med.: 5&6 is a hit/Short: 4,5&6 are hits (this works for Dervish fire especially). Donald Featherstone's works beautifully: Throw one 6-sided die per 5 men-Long: deduct 3 from each die/Med.:deduct 2 from each die/Short: deduct 1 from each die. I find this keeps the game moving along without getting bogged down with complicated rulings. If one can keep the rules down to ONE PAGE (front and bac) it really frees up the flow of the battle.

I've also tried my hand at various firing casualty charts, based on Gilder's Napoleonic chart-but with higher casualties due to increased accuracy of the weapons used-with some success, though Ifind the interurption of looking at charts slows things down a bit.

I hope you find some of these gleaning useful in your wargaming.