Seminole Wars is a very simple rule set to allow gamers to recreate US Army columns attempting to locate and burn Osceola's village and drag him off in chains. Osceola: Black Drink Singer Although he was not a chief, Osceola's ability and fiery spirit made him the symbol of resistance and a key leader in the Second Seminole War. He was captured while under a 'flag of truce". Osceola died in 1838 while imprisoned at Fort Moul trie South Carolina. Along the way they have to fight their way through swamps, ambushes, native wildlife, and other unusual situations. What you need to play You will need Seminole Indians and US Army Miniatures for the period. I use FreiKorp 15 mm figure line. You will need free-slave figures(armed with muskets), Indian women and children, and frontier style scouts for the US Army. I also use a dismounted dragoon squad. You can add a small 3# field piece with 4 crew if you like to add some spice the game. Game table, dice, and a standard playing deck of cards. Billy Bowlegs and Wife: Billy Bowlegs was the principle Seminole leader in the third Seminole War (1855-58). Bowlegs and his war-weary band surrendered on May 7, 1858. 38 warriors and 85 women and children boarded the steamer Grey Cloud at Egmont Key to begin their journey to Indian territory. Bowlegs died soon after his arrival. Terrain and Setup Seminole Wars is a common goal competitive game. Each player should command a US Army column. There should be three US Army columns. You will need a referee to run the Seminoles or another player can run the Seminole movement and combat. Each US Army column is trying to win glory for themselves. They will accumulate victory points based on the actions they take during their journey. The highest victory point total wins the game. The main objective for the Americans is to find Osceola's village, burn it to the ground and take Osceola alive if possible The gaming table should be at least be six feet long by 4 feet wide. It can be wider and a little longer if needed The terrain is dense Florida everglades. There should be small packets of dry group surrounded by swamps and marshes. Try to make swamp and land masses equal with a large land mass at the end of the Indian's edge of the table. The umpire will secretly determine the location of the Seminole village and Osceola and his warband (10 Indian warriors) on this land mass. The US Army columns will enter on the other edge of the table. Each column should be separated by at least a foot. Each column should have one guide, one commander (the player), one NCO, and 10 - 12 men. About 50 Seminole Indians will be needed to play. Movement Rates US Army Single file with guide 6" Single file without guide 1+1d4 inches Open order in woods 1d4 inches (roll for each figure) Running through woods Random - roll 2d6 for each figure and consult chart: 2 - Move 2". Foot caught in root, breaks ankle, must be carried by another uninjured soldier. 3 - Move 3". Twist ankel, 1/2 move the rest of game. 4-11- Move that many inches. 12 - Move 12 inches. Roll a d6 on a 5,6 musket/pistol is knocked from hands. Must spend next initiative finding and cleaning the weapon off. Neamathla: Neamathla, considered a man of eloquence and influence among the Seminoles, advised his people not to accept the govenment plan to move. Governor William DuVal deposed him by refusing to recognize him as a chief of the Seminoles. Crossing water in single file 1d4 inches for the entire column at this crossing point. A low movement rate indicates deeper water. Crossing water in open order 1d4 inches per figure per each turn in the water. Seminoles Running through woods 6" + d6 inches Moving through woods 4" + 1d4 inches Crossing water 2" +1d4 inches for all figures in group Card Decks And Actions: Red Card - Seminole/Slave Action Black Card - US Army Action Random events in cards always override any other action. Actions are comprised of one of the following events 1. Move and Fire at a -2 or Fire at a -2 and Move 2. Fire 3. Run, no firing allowed (Using actions 1 and 3 will let you move into melee You may fire before you move into melee.) Micanopy (Head Chief): As one of the most important chiefs in Florida, Micanopy fought against removal until the pressure of thousands of troops disease, and starvation wiped out his hand of warriors. Actions may be taken by a group or column. If you break your column apart under a NCO then that functions as a new group. Getting a card with one action allows one column or command to take an action. The figures don't all have to do the same action. The American players need to declare which column gets the action card applied to it before the card is draw. (There are some bad cards) If they can't decide then they need to roll a die with high die petting the card. It can get very competitive. Firing Rules 1d10 per figure or crew Weapon Range (inches) 1-4 4.1-8 8.1+ Musket to hit 8-10 9,10 10 Weapon Range (inches) 1-2 2.1-4 4.1-8 Pistol to hit 6-10 7-10 10 Weapon Range (inches) 1-8 8.1-16 16.1-24 Cannon to hit 7-10 8.10 9-10 Modifiers Firing Line +2 (4 or more US Soldiers within 1/2" firing at the same 2" area) Target in open +1 Target in water +1 Area fire -1 Moving Fire -2 Melee Rules Once all figures have acted on their action card and are touching they go into melee. It doesn't require an additional action card. US Infantry 2d6 Seminoles Warriors 2d6 Seminole Women and Children 1d6 Free Black/Escaped Slaves 2d6 All commanders 2d6+2 Modifiers Outnumbered -2 per figure outnumbered by In water/swamp vs. not in water -2 Running/Charging into melee +2 If you win by more than two. You kill the enemy. Otherwise the figures are locked in melee. You may attempt to capture an opponent, but you must beat their die roll by 4 to capture them. If you attempt to capture a foe then you cannot kill them even if you beat their score by two. Victory Points +10 each male Indian Killed +5 each female Indian Killed +1 each child Killed +15 each male Indian Captured +20 each female Indian Captured +25 each child captured +30 Capture Osceola (+ 15 if killed) +30 Burn the Indian Village (other US Columns get a +10 bonus for this action) -5 Each soldier killed by Indians or Free Blacks/Slaves -10 Guide killed by Indians or Free Blacks/Slaves -10 NCO or commander killed by Indians or Free Blacks/Slaves - 10 Each soldier wounded and left behind -20 Eeach commander or NCO wounded and left behind +15 Each Free Black/slave killed +25 Each Free Black/slave captured Cards Hearts - Seminole Action 2: Seminole woman and children encountered. Take 3 Seminole women or children figures and place them within 4" of a US Army column. 3: 2 Seminole Actions 4: 1 Seminole Action 5: 1 Seminole Action 6: 1 Seminole Action 7: 1 Seminole Action 8: 1 Seminole Action 9: 1 Seminole Action 10: 1 Seminole Action Jack: Seminole ambush. Place 4 warriors (8 if column as made any loud noises) within 4" of any US Army Column. These units may either move into melee or fire their muskets. Remove card. Queen: Seminole lookout spots active US Army Group. Place one Seminole within 4 inches of the active US group. The Seminole may either fire or move. King: Drunken Raiding party returns from their foray. Place 4 Seminoles within 2" + 1d6 inches of a random US Army column. US Army column gets a Free action. These Seminoles subtract 1 from musket fire and melee at a -2 disadvantage for the rest of the game. Remove once used card! Ace: Guide is ambushed! Seminoles pick any US Army column and charge into melee with the guide. Two Seminoles are used in the ambush. The Guide is fighting an additional -2 modifier in the melee. Diamonds - Seminole Action 2: Seminoles Waver! US players with control may choose any Seminole warband and make them withdraw. Seminoles are removed from the board and don't count as VPs, but can return to the board if more Seminoles are called for. This can't be used on Osceola's warband. 3: 2 Seminole Actions 4: 2 Seminole Actions 5: 1 Seminole Action 6: 1 Seminole Action 7: 1 Seminole Action 8: 1 Seminole Action 9: 1 Seminole Action 10: 1 Seminole Action Jack: The Quick and the Dead! Seminoles silently slit the throat of an unwary US soldier. Seminoles randomly selects any US Army group/column and removes the last figure in the group or the one farthest away from he others. No Seminoles are placed on the table. Queen: False Alarm! One US Army command thinks they are being ambushed. Seminole player moves each figure in the active US Army group in any direction tip to 4 inches. It will take one movement action by the US Army group to go back into column formation. King: Seminole Action or Swamp fever. Seminoles may randomly select a US Army group and move half the figures in that group in any direction up to 4". This figures are no longer part of the US Army column and must be given a US Action to get back into the column. Or the Seminoles -nay act on the card as normal. Ace: 'No Way Out' Place 10 Seminole warriors within 4" of any US Army group. These warriors may either move into melee or fire their muskets. Remove this card from the deck once it has been played. Tuko-See Mathla (John Hicks): This Seminole chief once saved a number of whitle men from being killed after they had been taken prisoner. When he supported the plan to move the Native Americans west, he was killed by dissenting Seminoles. Spades US Army Action 2: Guide finds a path/ford. Command in single file can move an extra 4" this turn as long as they stay in single file. 3: Two US Actions 4: Two actions 5: One action 6: One action 7: One action 8: One action 9: One action 10: One action Jack: Gator Bait! Alligator attacks random figure in this command. Immediately roll melee dice to see who is lunch or luggage. Gator gets 2d6 +2. High die wins. This is different than normal melee. Tie goes to gator. Queen: Snake bite! One random figure in this command is bitten by a snake. Roll 1d6. 1-4 soldier screams, but is OK. 5-6 soldier dies before the poison can be sucked from the body. King: Ambush! Slaves sneak up and ambush the rear of the column or line. Place three slave figures anywhere behind the US Army group. They must fire their muskets. They cannot close to melee this turn. Remove ard once played. Ace: Guide is a traitor! Seminole player or umpire moves the column in any direction. The guide fires one shot at closest US Soldier and flees into the jungle 4". He will head towards the closest table edge. If the US soldiers can kill the traitor they will get 25 points. The Traitor moves on the red Seminole cards for the remainder of the game. Remove card once played. Clubs US Army Action 2: Guide finds a path/ford. Command in single file can move an extra 4" this turn as long as they stay in single file. 3: 2 US Actions 4: Free Blacks/Slaves Surprised! Place 4 slaves on table all within 4" of the front of the US Army Command. If this card has already been played US Army command gets a normal move. 5: 1 US Action 6: 1 US Action 7: 1 US Action 8: 1 US Action 9: 1 US Action 10: 1 US Action Jack: Swamp fever! One random US Army figure passes out do to the heat. Figure must be carried by another soldier for the remainder of the game. Queen: Quicksand! Two (4 if there is no guide in the group) figures slide into quick sand. The group must halt to extract the struggling men. Roll 1d6 for each figure helping to remove the trapped men. Sum the dice: On a 5 of higher the men are extracted. Rolling less than a five means the soldier has been sucked under. Only one chance to remove the trapped men. King: Take cover - Commander believes the column is surrounded by Indians. If the unit is not already engaged it must stop and fire blindly into the jungle. This will alert the Seminoles that the Army is on the move. If the unit is already engage with the enemy they may make a normal action. Ace: Heroic moment! All soldiers in this command fire with a +1 on the die, melee with a +2, and move at double speed for this action. Back to Rebel Yell No. 14 Table of Contents Back to Rebel Yell List of Issues Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 1998 by HMGS South This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com