This year falls during the centenary of the (second) Anglo-Boer war (1899-1902). Militarily the war may be divided into two phases. The first phase was a conventional struggle, with the Boers defending their strategic cities in set-piece battles. It saw initial set-backs for the British and Imperial forces, who seriously underestimated the military prowess of the Boers and needed to increase the manpower and materiel assigned to the task, and ended with a vastly outnumbered Boer force driven from all their major cities and their government in exile.

At this point the conventional war was over, but the most devoted core of the Boer forces proceeded to cut themselves free from the constraints of bases and supply fines and fought a guerilla campaign for another 2 years, finally requiring a British force outnumbering them ten-to-one to bring them to peace negotiations. Unlike the conventional war, where the battles were often rather one-sided and occupied large frontages, the guerilla war lends itself well to skirmish wargame scenarios because the Boers, operating as irregular cavalry, usually picked fights that they knew they stood a good chance of winning, but weren't always correct. The majority of the engagements were Boer hit-and-run raids on Imperial forces or attempts by the Imperial units to comer the Boers and bring them to battle.

The forowing is a scenario set during the guerifla war that was played at a local convention (GameCon III). The scenario description read: "South Africa, 1901, the Anglo-Boer War has entered its, final, guerilla phase. Small bands of Boer 'Bitter Enders' are being pursued and harried by mobile columns of British and Commonwealth troops but, like wounded prey, the Boer commandos are still capable of turning on their pursuers and delivering a stinging attack. Play the Britsh and attempt to coordinate infantry, cavalry and armoured trains to trap the Boer forces against your line of fortified blockhouses. Play the Boers and try to avenge yourselves on the 'verdomte Engelsch.'

The scenario depicts a Boer force of wagons, artillery and nine commandos of irregular cavalry being hunted by a British task force who are trying to pin the Boers against a fenced railroad line guarded by a blockhouse and bring them to battle. The Boers are trying to escape across this barrier with as much of their men and equipment as possible.

The Boer forces start on the table (see map) deployed at the GM's discretion; basically the wagons are on the road, followed by the artillery and the mounted Boers are grouped around their wagons. They are the only units to move on turn one, giving them a chance to "react" to the discovery that the Imperial forces are hot on their trail. The order of battle is given below. For entry of the Imperial units, see map and rules below.

Order of Battle

Boers

Commander-in-chief
Three supply wagons with two drivers each.
One artillery piece, four crew and a Pom Pom gun, three crew
Nine, twelve man commandos of mounted Boer infantry (two individuals are capable of carrying out a dynamite attack, see special rules)

Imperial Pursuit Force

Comander-in-chief
Ten man garrison of marines for the blockhouse guarding the railroad
Four, twenty man units of British infantry
Three, twenty man units of Highland infantry
One, twenty man unit of mounted infantry
One, twenty-four man unit of lancers
Two machine guns (three crew each) attached to the cavalry command
Two artillery pieces, four crew each
Armored train manned by eighteen infantry and one officer, plus one railroad-car mounted machine gun with three crew. The train can enter either at the GM's discretion (use entry to balance the scenario) or be subject to a random die roll.

Centennial Boer War Rules

We put together the rules for this scenario from the following sources. The general philosophy for running a conventiop game, came from "How to run a great convention game" by Steve Winter at the "Colonial Angle" web site. Starting with the most exceffent "The Sword and the Flame", 20' Anniversary Edition, rules by Larry Brom (TSATF) we made the modifications detailed below. The aim was to streamline play and simplify the learning process, figuring that, as they say on the "Major General Tremorden Redering Colonial-Era Wargames Page" web site, we are just as qualified as anyone else to micturate in Larry's chalice. To speed play we made movement one-side-followed-by-the-other and fire simultaneous for all units (eliminating card- controlled play). Movement distance and fire mechanics were as per the TSATF tables except where noted below. We omitted TSATF's wounding and care of wounded rules (historically each side was willing to surrender to the other when the chips were down). TSATF morale rules were simplified, using only a single category of morale failure -- "shaken."

Sequence of Play
A game turn consists of both players completing the following phases:

Initiative determination
Movement
Firing
Melee
Morale Phase

Initiative Determination
Both sides roll 1D6, highest wins, Boers win ties.
Winner has choice of moving first or second.

Movement Phase

Attempt to rally shaken units that are running, units rallying stay put for the movement turn, failed units continue to retreat at 4D6.
Initiative side moves all units followed by non-initiative side.
Movement as per TSATF chart, with following exceptions/additions:

• Wagon 3D6 to move on-road, 2D6 off-road (loses 1D6 for each lost draft animal, see firing phase)
• Train - see special rules
• Artillery may limber up/unlimber at cost of 1/2 rolled movement distance
• Artillery may move-and-fire (see TSATF chart)
• Cavalry may mount/dismount at cost of 1/2 rolled movement distance
• No roll for stragglers during charge moves
• Charging units cannot fire.
• Barbed wire obstacle crossing - first turn move up to wire and stop, second turn removing wire, may not fire, melee as for "on top of obstacle", this turn move through obstacle
• May cross rail line with no penalty (includes wagons)
• Once a unit moves into contact with an enemy unit, the receiving unit is pinned and must participate in the ensuing melee unless owning player elects in his phase to retreat (roll 4D6, move this distance away, unit is now shaken, may not fire). Advancing unit may occupy retreating unit's position only.
• Figures in a unit may go prone during a movement phase as a cost of 1/2 their rolled movement. They stand-up and move at a cost of 1/2 their rolled movement. They may move prone - see TSATF chart.

Firing Phase

All fire is deemed simultaneous, resolve fire, remove casualties at end of phase.
Resolve fire as per TSATF D20 chart.
Field guns (4 crew initially)/Pom-Poms (3 crew)/N4G (3 crew) fire 2D6 per crewman. Need at least two crew to fire atall, may only be fired by artillerymen.
All hits achieved are kills (no card drawing, no wounds).
Each turn a unit takes casualties, roll 1D10; on a " 1 " an officer is one of those killed (highest ranking officer if more than one present). Boer units start with one officer, Imperial units an officer and an NCO.
Firing at train, see special rules.
Firing at wagon:

• Detemiine hits as for a class II target
• Assign hits to driver as desired, for each such "hit" a kill is a " 1 " on 1D10. A dead driver causes the wagon to halt for one movement phase, the wagon cannot move without a driver. Any Boer may replace the driver.
• Hits assigned to draft animals: takes three hits to kill, a dead animal causes the wagon to halt for one movement phase to cut loose the dead beast and the wagon loses 1D6 of movement for each lost animal. Boer horses may be used to replace draft mules only.
• Each phase a wagon and/or team takes artillery hits (not Pom-Pom or MG) on 1D20 and on a "1" the wagon is sufficiently damaged that it can no longer move (remains on board as class II cover. British need to "capture" it to gain its VP's).

Firing at the blockhouse:

• Determine hits as for a class IV target.
• Each time the blockhouse takes hits from artillery, roll an additional 1D20 (long range) or 2D20 (short range) for "points". When points against the blockhouse exceed 30, a breach is created and the target category decreases by one (can't be less than category II).

Melee Phase

No morale check to stand-and-fight or close-to-combat (except Boers charged by cav. - see Morale Phase)..
Use Melee Chart for adjustments to melee rolls.
Resolve melee as per TSATF (i.e. melee continues until one side loses all figures).

Morale Phase

Imperial units pass morale checks by rolling 2-6 on 1d6, Boers 4-6.

Die roll modifications:

+1 C-in-C within 6"
+1 in fortifications
-1 officer casualty this turn
-1 no officer present
-1 unit shaken
-2 unit at less than 25% original strength

Failing morale results in unit being shaken, retreating 4D6 distance away from threat.
Imperial units that retreat off the board edge are held until rallied, do not count towards victory points for either side and may re-enter where they left, in the next movement phase.
Boer units that retreat off the board edge are permanently lost but do not count towards victory points for either side.
Morale checks caused by:

over 50% loss to unit (cumulative)
unit at >over 50% losses checks morale each turn it takes casualties
officer/NCO loss
Boers electing to receive a charge move from cav. must check before melee
All units in a force must check morale after loss of C-in- C.

Already shaken units check to see if ralhed at start of Movement Phase.

Special Rules

Use of dynamite (Boer only, this capability unknown to Imperial commanders).

Two Boers figures are designated at the beginning of the game as carrying dynamite charges for demolition - denote bombers with mark beneath base. One load per bomber.

To deliver a dynamite attack on the Blockhouse (mounted or on foot OK), the dynamiter must come within 3" of the structure; dynamite on short fuse, explodes on contact. Attack during Fire Phase, roll 1D6:

1: dud.
2: bounces off wall, explodes killing one blockhouse guard, but no structural damage.
3: bounces off wall, but not so far. Explodes and kills two blockhouse guards, no structural damage.
4-5: explodes on target destroying blockhouse. Kills D6 guards, remainder surrender to nearest Boer.
6: the dynamite explodes prematurely, replace the Boer figure, mounted or on foot, with a puff of cotton.

Attempt to destroy a section of the railroad. Dynamiter moves into contact with railroad, attacks during Fire Phase, roll 1D6:

1: dud
2-5: section of the rails destroyed, train will der" if it attempts to cross.
6: the dynamite explodes prematurely, replace the Boer figure, mounted or on foot, with a puff of cotton.

Attempt to destroy a section of the barbed wire fence. Dynamiter moves into contact with fence, attacks during Fire Phase, roll 1D6:

1: dud
2-5: section of the fence is destroyed sufficient for a commando or wagon to pass through.
6: the dynamite explodes prematurely, replace the Boer figure, mounted or on foot, with a puff of cotton.

Rules for Train

Use the "Special train rules" from the Major General's site ("Last train from Goldwasser" scenario).

Set-up

Boer: wagons, troops and artiuery are already on the table.

Turn 1. Boers get a free move.
Turn 2. Roll for initiative as normal.

Imperial: all units are eligible for entry and may do so during the Imperial movement phase of turn 2; exceptions, the blockhouse garrison, which is already deployed, and the troops onboard the armored train. Cavalry may enter along sides of table, up to points designated on the map, together with attached MG's (one per unit). Infantry may only enter along baseline, as many units per turn as can be fitted, in legitimate formations.

Victory Conditions

Side with greatest number of VP's wins.
VP's are intended to reflect the goals of the two sides: Imperial to "bag" the Boers while their own losses, as they outnumber the Boers they receive only 1/2 point per kill; Boers to escape with force as intact as possible.

Boers - 1 victory point per Imperial figure killed, 10 points per wagon exited from board, 1 point per figure exiting board, 5 points per enemy gun captured/destroyed.

Imperial - 1/2 point per Boer killed, 10 points per wagon captured/destroyed, 5 points per enemy gun captured/destroyed.

Our convention scenario resulted in an Boer victory on points (116 to 82) but it was a hard- fought and close struggle. The Boers lost their wagons and guns but managed to destroy the blockhouse, cut the wire and escape across the railroad with the equivalent of four commandos (36% of the force), while the Imperial side suffered some 30% casualties (the armored train appeared on turn four).