So we now know that the UK can place Commonwealth units in India to represent ANZAC and Sepoy infantry.
I’m quite happy with this, as these troops provided a large proportion of the UK armed forces. I’m less pleased with the ability to build aircraft in India; not historical and very bad news for the Turks, as if they needed any more of it.
So, in order to give a bit more umph to the African theatre of operations, I propose similar limited placement there. These would be native troops or Askaris, the assumption being that the few units already in place are European colonists and garrisons.
Askaris would probably be of limited ability (reflecting lack of training & equipment, poor pay & treatment, and a lack of commitment to fighting for their colonial occupiers); perhaps just 1 in attack and 2 in defence?
Recruitment should be limited to certainly no more than one per tt, probably no more than 2 in total per nation per turn.
Have to decide where to place “Askari Depots” on the map - hopefully this will keep Africa active for longer; I fear a quick round up of the Germans and a mass exodus out of Africa will be the usual story otherwise.
Perhaps, for those of us forced to keep it simple in order to keep our gaming partners, something akin to FieldMarshallGames’ Free French rule for AA1940?
It is simple. You just have a number of Askari icons on the map in African tts. Every turn, a nation which owns that tt can place one of its infantry there during place new units.
I’m only suggesting it as an optional rule for people who want to keep the southern half of the map alive for more than a couple of turns.
Yeah, that’s the only weakness with the “recruit at capitals” rule: if Britain is able to lock down the North Sea, there’ll be absolutely no way Germany can reinforce Africa.
I might suggest, instead of imposing a cap on the number of native troops nations can recruit, make it so a “regular” land unit must be present in order to place these units (implying they’re doing the training, etc.).
Good idea; you cannot just keep churning out natives without some supervision, though Germany is unlikely to keep its colonies for long without physically occupying them.
Perhaps, since nearly every African tt is worth 1 IPC, allow placement anywhere on the continent in original colonies, and dispense with the icons. You have to buy the units as Askaris: cost 2, attack 1 boosted to 2, defence 2.
Also though about adding Canada and South Africa to the Commonwealth troops idea. South Africans would count as regulars like all other Commonwealth units.
Perhaps, for those of us forced to keep it simple in order to keep our gaming partners, something akin to FieldMarshallGames’ Free French rule for AA1940?
All of Flashmans’s rule proposals are simple, you just need to change your gaming partners  :-D (Change now - Flashman care)
You don’t even need Askaris in national colours - just use some black German WWII infantry (you’ve got lots of them, right?)
Since they can only exist with regular troops, you know who controls them anyway. Like other units, you have to eliminate the last Askari before losing the last regular infantry.
Take the case of Germany in Africa. Just 5 units in 4 tts, absolutely no room for maneuver. But if they can drop of an infantry each in Kamerun and GEA on round one they could hold out in Africa for longer, or at least force B & F to divert resources there.
You don’t even need Askaris in national colours - just use some black German WWII infantry (you’ve got lots of them, right?)
I like Pacific 1940 Chinese a little better, they’ve got the whole “kepi” look going on….granted, not as many people will have those compared to the old Krauts.
You don’t even need Askaris in national colours - just use some black German WWII infantry (you’ve got lots of them, right?)
I like Pacific 1940 Chinese a little better, they’ve got the whole “kepi” look going on….granted, not as many people will have those compared to the old Krauts.
Thought the same thing & ordered some they arrived yesterday & should work well as Askaris
I might take a knife to my spare Germans to fashion fez’s. Fez’s are cool. I can paint them in national colours. The fez’s, that is.
Test summary from TripleA, engine version: 1.6.1.4, time: 17:11:40
Test summary from TripleA, engine version: 1.6.1.4, time: 17:14:02
This isn’t 31070. Sorry for typo all.
Someone mentioned that the new ANZAC infantry from Pacific 1940 2nd edition would make good Askaris.
