Germans for Death in the Dark Continent

I have been thinking about a second army for Death in the Dark Continent, one option being a German force for East Africa using the army list in the rules. I have planned something very similar before but for In the Heart of Africa, Chris Peer's original set of Darkest Africa rules, which used individual figures. I did a trawl of the blog way back to December 2009 and have found my original army orbat, which consisted of these elements:

1 x White Man Leader + Aide de Camp (attendant) + Servant (attendant) = 40 points

1 x Scout = 50 points

1 x White Man + gun bearer = 60 points

1 unit of 6 x Marines (regulars) @ 28 x 6 = 168 points

2 units of 6 x Askaris (soldiers) @ 20 x 12 = 240 points

1 unit of 8 x Agile Spearmen Allies @ 4 x 8 = 32 points

1 Artillery = 50 points

1 x Gunboat = 100 points

Total = 740 points

This isn't far off the list options in Death in the Dark Continent, with a few exceptions like the marines, but could be adapted to fit the naval landing party list with a bit of a wiggle. I'll have to check the points totals, as the system is different, and perhaps expand the unit sizes to three or four bases each. The good news is that I have all of the figures in my lead pile! It's just one of the options I may pick but I think it would be a really good choice and would allow me to actually test out the rules while I paint up my armies.

Sausages for Breakfast

There were not many aces in the Sinai / Palestine campaign, especially on the German / Ottoman side. One exception was the rather splendidly named Vzfw.Gustav Schniedewind of Jasta 55, or Jasta 1F as it was titled locally. Already a veteran with Jasta 17 on the Western Front, when transferred to Jasta 55, he added to his score including a couple of observation balloons and an enemy scout. Rated a Junior Ace in Algy terms, he will be making an appearance in a balloon busting scenario shortly...aptly titled 'Sausages for Breakfast'. 

Hat Trick

The latest and possibly the last scenario for the Lard Mag Algy Flies Down Under article has been written today. For want of a better title it's called Hat Trick and features two No.1 Squadron Brisfits in a dogfight with four Albatros scouts of Jasta 1F, after an actual skirmish over Nablus in April 1918. The Aussies claimed three Albatros 'out of control' for no loss, while the Jasta 1F records acknowledged the loss of Ltn.Fritz Botzow, who was shot down and killed. 

I've tried to balance the scenario with various tried and tested tweaks, so I think it will be a fair fight for both sides. Unfortunately, there are no records of the Jasta 1F pilots, apart from the unfortunate aforementioned Fritz, so I've had to extrapolate from the information I do have to fill out the pilot roster. 

I now have one more scenario to draft if I want to add a fifth, bonus game, but I'm in two minds whether it's really needed. Instead, I'll probably crack on with the introductory article, as it's more important, leaving the last scenario to later, if I do decide to include it. I also need to start some play testing, as far as possible in the time I can find this month, just to make sure it all works!

Schnellfeuergeschutzen!

I'm planning ahead for a second army for Death in the Dark Continent, one of the options being a German East Africa column, as it is a good opponent for the Nyamwezi. I have most of the figures for this already but no artillery or machine guns, but I've located a resin 3D printed Hotchkiss 37mm revolving cannon that would do the trick. This is available as a Special Rule for the Germans from 1889 onwards and is treated as a light field gun, give or take. I also have a spare Maxim machine gun from my Back of Beyond Turkish army stuff, which I can convert into an earlier version by replacing the sleeved barrel, the crew just needing a head swap to be sorted. Excellent 👍🏻

Scenario Switcheroo

Try as I might I've been stumped when drafting the last scenario for the Lard Mag project, as it's almost impossible to balance it in favour of the Australians but still give the Germans a fighting chance, with six Albatros up against two Brisfits. 

To cut my losses in going for scenario Plan B based on a dogfight on the 28th April 1918 between two Brisfits and four Albatros scouts of Jasta 1F. Unfortunately, the 'Eagle of Jericho' can't feature in this one, so he's being replaced by the veteran CO of Jasta 55, Ltn.d.R.Karl Meierdirks. 

The Albatros kette will be a mix of D.III and D.V aircraft, which you can see together in the contemporary photograph. These have some very distinctive markings and personal insignia, so should be fun to paint up. The pilots will also be a mix of Veterans, Regulars and possibly a Sprog, but I'm still working on the individual identities.

In the actual dogfight the Australian Brisfits forced down three of the four Albatros scouts, with one pilot killed in action, so I do have at least one definite name for the unfortunate Jasta 1F Kette line up, Leutnant Fritz Bötzow. The Official History is also a good source of information on the scenario specifics and, of course, the Australian crews involved:

28 April 1918 

Out in Palestine, 1 Squadron AFC is supporting British and Australian Forces in preparation for an attack on Es Salt.

At around 1100 this morning, 2nd Lieutenant Edward Patrick (Ted) Kenny and Lieutenant Frederick Cecil Hawley set off on reconnaissance of the Nablus area in Bristol F2b C4626. 

They were escorted by another Bristol F2b (C4627) with Lieutenant Ernest Cecil Stooke and Lieutenant Howard Bowden Fletcher on board. 

They got into a fight with four enemy Albatrosses over Nablus and claimed 3 aircraft forced down out of control.

I'm hoping to get this written up over the weekend...

Algernon Pulls It Off! In the Library

After some high level negotiations through a mysterious middle man, it looks as though my request to have Algernon Pulls It Off! included as a free download in the Wargames Library collection may actually be on the horizon. It's not been accepted yet but the Toofatlardies have given the thumbs up, so Alex Sotheran, who knows the Little Wars TV team well, has kindly offered to send it over the pond for them to have a look. Hopefully, it will be added to the digital bookshelves and will be available to download as soon as possible. Tally Ho!

Royal Marines for Death in the Dark Continent

Although it's a very long way off I've been doing some more research on uniforms of the Royal Marines, with the Black Tree Designs Zulu War range in mind for a Naval Landing Party unit. The obvious example to follow is the Royal Marine Light Infantry at Tel El Kebir, which is the closest in time and location. The Sudan Campaign a couple of years later is also relevant but I'm going to focus on the uniform and equipment used in Egypt, as there would be fewer bits to convert or modify. Here's the description to go with the illustration in the Osprey book:

Private, Royal Marine Light Infantry

The Royal Marine Light Infantry uniform worn in Egypt in 1882 consisted of the customary white helmet and a blue 'frock’ with brass buttons. The blue collar was decorated with a bugle-horn badge in scarlet worsted and the shoulders were decorated with scarlet worsted cords. The trousers were blue with a scarlet welt on the outside of the leg and worn tucked into black leather gaiters. The equipment was the 'Valise’ pattern worn with black leather pouches, which had been replaced by white in most regiments by this date. At Tel-el- Kebir The Times war correspondent remembered seeing the “… endless line of the dreaded redcoats, broken by the even more fearful blue of the Marines.”

With the exception of the pugaree and some details in the uniform that can be easily fixed, such as the cuff braiding, the Zulu War figures are a pretty good match, especially if you are not too bothered about button counting (which I most definitely am not!). 

Here Come The Camels

Over the next few days I'm going to be painting the 1/300th scale 3D printed aircraft for the Lard Day in January, including five Sopwith Camels and five Albatros DVa scouts. I'm starting with the Camels as they are a more straightforward paint job and will enable me to work out the best way to go about painting the resin prints. I've painted plenty of 1/300th aircraft before, so it shouldn't be too tricky, even if I'm used to metal models rather than resin ones.

Nyamwezi Basing Boshed

The last four bases of bowmen have been glued together, based and undercoated today, so to all intents and purposes the Death in the Dark Continent Nyamwezi (Generic Villagers) army is now complete and ready for painting. I'm still making up my mind about which combination of shades to paint the skin tones in but that decision is going to wait a little longer, as I'm now diverting my attention to some 1/300th scale WW1 aircraft for the Lard Day game in January. 

Dartmouth Castle

The weather was really good yesterday, which was a bit of a change and a good reason to get outdoors. As we are down in South Devon we took a trip to Dartmouth, not realising it was jam packed with tourists for a food festival. To get away from the crowds we walked over to Dartmouth Castle, which was only a mile away, taking time to enjoy the fine weather. The castle site is actually in two sections, one a Victorian coastal battery and the other a late medieval, Tudor and Civil War era defensive tower. These are both very well preserved and presented, so well worth a visit.