Resource Conflicts in 1960's Africa
This game took place at Tom's house in late October 2025. I am grateful to him for the following account of the action.
This game took place at Tom's house in late October 2025. I am grateful to him for the following account of the action.
A total change for this week's game, we are moving to a 15mm ‘Modern’ game set in 1960’s Africa using a heavily house ruled 1st edition of AK47. Three forces are moving into a contested area to grab the resources. The forces are those of the Dictator, the colonial settlers and a corporate army. There were three objectives (the three oases) worth 10, 20 or 30 points but the values are kept from the players until the end of the game.
In the political phase the corporate army undergo a publicity push but it fools no one and their professional armoured infantry unit was downgraded to regular. The Dictator cracks down on dissent and upgrades a militia infantry unit up too regular status, They then redirect UN Aid funding to purchase equipment upgrading 4 units with heavy weapons (mortars & HMG’s). The Settlers reject the UN resolution calling for majority rule and send professional troops to stabilise the situation, upgrading a regular infantry unit to professional. Despite sanctions, they also manage to purchase three WWII guns and their trucks. and attach these to one of their militia infantry units.
At the beginning of the game each force manages to get two units onto the table. The Settlers get their regular armoured unit and a militia unit, sending the militia towards the objective In the centre of the left hand side of the table and their armoured unit to the objective in the centre of the table. The corporate forces get a regular APC unit and a unit of militia. They initially send their APC’s towards the objective threatened by the settlers but, after some poor movement dice, decide to redirect their attack to support the militia unit's attack on the third objective. The militia are delayed by slow movement and only reach the edge of the terrain as the Dictator's militia reach the edge of the objective terrain. The Dictator's armoured unit races off to attack the Settler militia engaging the Settler APC’s with RCL’s on the way.
In the following moves the Dictator's armoured unit looses one tank to the Settlers' RCLS but the remaining tanks close assault the Settler militia, overrunning three elements before the Militia make it into the terrain, After this the tanks retire to support their militia in the objective but get a series of 5 ‘1’s for movement and do not get very far. The Settlers' armoured unit moves its infantry elements into their objective and the APC’s move to cover the flanks, the RCL’s engaging the Dictator's tanks. On the third objective the Dictator's militia comes under heavy fire from the corporate Militia unit and the HMG’s on the APC’s.
On turn 4 the Settlers get their professional infantry and another militia unit onto the table, sending the professionals to support their Militia and the militia to support the regular armoured unit. The Corporate forces get a militia unit which they send towards the objective held by the depleted Settler militia and their tanks which they send to support the attack on the Dictator's Militia in the third objective. Sadly for him, the Dictator does not get any reinforcements until Turn 5 so their militia looses 4 elements and decides to retire rather than getting wiped out.
In turn 5 the Dictator gets two militia units onto the table, which move into the broken ground and one storms forward to threaten the Settler APC’s supporting the infantry holding the objective and forcing them to retire from the hill. The Corporate commander moves his militia through the objective terrain sending the APC mounted infantry to support the Militia threatening the Settler militia holding the 2nd objective. Their armour moved round the objective terrain to bring the retiring militia under fire.
On turn seven all three sides get their remaining units onto the table. The Settlers send their Militia and artillery to support their militia but this comes under fire initially from the Dictator's tanks and then (after the Dictator's tanks have been knocked out) by the Settlers' RCl’s and Corporate artillery fire and a series of poor morale throws leads the whole unit to rout. The Corporate downgraded unit shows a distinct lack of enthusiasm, moving very slowly and not getting into the action at all. Their militia move into the 2nd objective and engage the Settler militia then close assault them as the Settler professional infantry enter the terrain. The final shots are from the Corporate tanks who destroy one the Dictator's APC’s, killing two passengers and pinning the third.
The game goes to the Corporate forces who hold the 30 point objective and are disputing the 20 point objective. The Settlers come in second as they hold the 10 point objective and are disputing the 200 point one. The Dictator's forces come in third with no objectives held.