Welcome to Kweeziland - Introduction and Scene Setting

  • Some background to our Central African colonial campaign.
    Several of us at Wigan Wargames, using the highly enjoyable TMWWBK rules, have dipped our toes into colonial gaming. Rather than having a series of one-off, unconnected, games we decided to have a campaign in which we could set our games. Its just for context you understand, nothing to do with several members being fiercely competitive at the slightest hint of a league type approach to games. We used basic campaign mechanisms from Chris Peers El Dorado for the campaign.
    We’ve also enjoyed Pulp games so we thought the colonial period lent itself to bigger battles using TMWWBK rules alongside actions featuring individuals from the respective forces operating in the same setting but as Pulp leagues.
    Hopefully it won’t be as complicated as it may sound.
    As we have plenty of forces for colonial Africa we are setting our campaign in that well known central African province of Kweeziland. The colonial powers of France, Britain, Germany and Arab empire/state of Zanzibar are about to collide for control of the areas resources.
    The campaign revolves around fighting TMWWBK battles or Pulp actions with winning sides gathering Resource Points (RPs).
    Kweeziland Campaign (late 1800’s)
    Indigenous forces :
    Tribals 3 main tribes the Mungo Jerri tribe, Baka Daqu tribe, Kaka Enlacama tribe. Farmers and hunters. Won’t co-operate but do have a truce so don’t attack each other. Resent the encroachment of colonials at the edges of their lands and presence of Zanzibaris . These essentially provide the opposition for the active forces. If a tribe loses three games in succession (to anyone) it is subdued and won’t fight again.
    Zanzibari: Now a strong presence headed by the self styled Amir Quecumba Salad. Trade and raid for gold, rubber, ivory & slaves. Established trading outposts and a few thriving towns. There is now a challenge from the Europeans for the lucrative trade routes. If it loses three successive games to one colonial power it is destroyed, note it can lose any number to different attackers and not be destroyed.
    Ruga Ruga: Innocent Jambutti, a charismatic leader has gathered a bunch of bandits, deserter askari and wannabe bad boy young thugs together and formed gangster cultured settlements. Will fight anyone but also hire out muscle to anyone . Again these are essentially opposition for the colonials. If the Ruga loose 3 games in succession (to anyone) its power is broken and it won’t fight again.
    Colonials:
    British, French, German. This is pre the Berlin Accord, there is a possibility that a European conflict could break out in Africa. Initially each come from different directions so can’t fight each other until they’ve overcome one of the tribes or the Zanzibari or Ruga. Once they’ve done this they can choose to start attacking each other. After this point there is time for 6 more battles between Europeans before their masters in Europe call a halt to negotiate a settlement - and more importantly our league winners are determined at this point.
    A word about the points system, army points (& reserve points) are the points from TMWWBK rules. Resource Points (RPs) are what players win in their games.
    One Army/ reserve point = one RP.
    RPs can be changed into Army/ reserve points to increase size of army fielded in TMWWBK games from the initial 22pts up to 32pts.
    Army/ reserve points can’t be changed back into RPs.
    RPs are needed to be spent to keep larger sized armies in the field.
    The winner at the end of the campaign is the side with the most RPs.
    In this way the game involves a resource management element keeping RPs unconverted to win the league (particularly towards the end of the campaign)or converting them into Army points to (hopefully) beat the opposition in games.
    Initial RPs represent supplies from Europe to start the game. Initial Army and reserve points are what forces start with in the first game. Then after they juggle RPs with army/reserve points as they see fit .
    Reserve points allows forces to have a ‘subs bench’ of units so that they can change their army composition from game to game .
    The maximum points are the greatest value that forces can be built up to which can be fielded or act as reserves in a game.


    Tribals aren’t interested in RPs

    Zanzibaris are a good source of RPs but have a larger initial army- representing them being longer established in the area. Tribals may be a good source of RPs, each tribe is a different composition of forces. Ruga aren’t a good source of RPs but may make useful (aggressive) auxiliaries.