Men Who Would Be Kings Rules
Battles played during the campaign use rules described in the main MWWBKs rule book. This includes some of the advanced rules on pgs. 36 - 38 (detailed below). Extra rules written by Dan Mersey, the author of MWWBK are also used (download link).
Random Terrain/Object Selection
If a result needs to be hidden from both players use face down tokens, one of which is marked to indicate the randomly selected feature. Tokens can be shuffled and placed on or next to each terrain area or object on the table. Reveal token as required to identify feature.
Pinning
In addition to the rules in MWWBKs, units that receive a pin due to taking one or more casualties from firing also benefit from light cover. This simulates men who have been fired upon diving to the ground and scrabbling amongst the vegetation to avoid being shot! Since they are prone, units pinned through missile fire no longer block line of sight.
[Design Note. One criticism made of MWWBKs is that the same unit can be repeatedly shot and pinned. Since pinned units can only be activated to Rally, they tend to stand where shot, taking more casualties without being able to do anything about it. Giving units that have been pinned due to being shot the benefit of light cover should help to reduce this, particularly when being fired at from long range by poorly armed troops. When we play MWWBKs we use small tokens to represent pins. To keep things simple we will use a different coloured pin token for units that have been pinned through being shot. Troops that are pinned through other means do not receive the light cover bonus. These troops are merely confused and disorganised. Of course if they are subsequently shot at they will also hit the dirt and receive the light cover bonus.]
Hongo
Hongo is a Swahili word for bribe that is said to come from the hongo 'land fees' chiefs charged to Omani slavers in East Africa to buy slaves and ivory and traverse their territory. Some objects have a hongo value to enable Wilkinson to barter (or bribe) the people he encounters during the expedition.
Low on Ammunition
If the expedition has no Cases of Ammunition object cards at the start of a battle apply Limited Ammunition advanced rule (MWWBKs, pg. 38). Whilst Low on Ammunition, Regular infantry may fix bayonets and become fierce.
Short of Food
If the expedition has no food object cards at the start of a Campaign Turn all units immediately suffer -1 penalty to Discipline until the end of the Campaign Turn.
Short of Forage
If the expedition has no forage object cards and includes any mounted units roll 1d6 at the start of each Campaign Turn. Add 1 to the roll if expedition accompanied by one or more scouts:
1: No grazing. All mounted units immediately suffer -1 penalty to Discipline until the end of the Campaign Turn.
2 - 5: Some course grass is suitable as fodder for irregular/tribal cavalry and pack animals, but since European cavalry horses are not trained to graze, mounted regular units suffer -1 penalty to Discipline until the end of the Campaign Turn.
6: Grass is suitable as fodder for all mounted units, although it must first be cut for the European horses. Wilkinson may strike camp to take two Animal Forage object cards.
Leaders
The campaign uses the One Leader extra rule. Each unit is considered leaderless unless it is within the control distance of a named leader. Leader traits will also apply to the controlled unit. The distance that a leader can command troops is as follows:
- Regular Leader: 24"
- Irregular Leader: 18"
- Tribal Leader: 20"
These values can be affected by the environment and terrain. Command ranges for both regular and irregular leaders are reduced by 6" when battles are fought in the following situations (all reductions are cumulative to a minimum range of 6"):
- Jungle (environment or jungle terrain piece)
- Dense vegetation (defined by scenario or Event Card)
- Scrub, tall grass etc (terrain piece)
- At night
- Bad weather
- Other special situations that may be defined by scenario or Event Card
The reduction occurs when either the leader and/or the target unit are in the environment/terrain. Note that the command range of Tribal leaders is not reduced by any of these factors. Leaders can always command the unit they are attached to regardless of any reductions.
Sub commanders (e.g. Lt. Harris) may use their own leadership value and traits when activating the unit to which they are attached.
[Design Note: This rule puts much more emphasis on the leadership values and traits of named leaders within the field force. It will also help to keep admin of the Arab/native forces to a minimum].
Independent Leaders
Named leaders can move, fire and fight independently. They should normally be attached to a unit at the start of a battle. Before the attached unit activates, the named leader can activate himself to leave and move independently or join another unit. Units joined in this way cannot be activated again this turn. The leadership values and special traits of named leaders are determined at the beginning of the first game that they appear.
Unit Strength
The number of figures deployed in a full strength unit follows the same rules described in MWWBKs (pg. 8). In some scenarios, Arab slaver or Tribal units may be fielded with fewer figures. Such units will therefore start the game at less than full strength. For example, a six man unit of irregular infantry will start the game at half strength. If this unit loses a single figure to enemy fire it will be at less than half strength and this may affect victory conditions. Wilkinson may also find that some of his units drop below full strength as casualties mount during the campaign.
Taking Command of Leaderless Troops
Use the advanced rule in MWWBKs pg. 38 to merge under strength units.
Arab Slaver Leaders
Players should keep track of named Arab slaver leader casualties throughout the campaign. Only those named leaders that survive may be deployed in The Arab Tembe (final scenario). Leaders that feature in a core scenario that is not played are considered to have survived. Arab leaders include:
- Majid (Reverend Jenkins Mission)
- Sefu (McKenzies Trading Post)
- Ali (The Wasimba Village)
- Morhara (The Arab Tembe)
Other Arab leaders that feature in optional scenarios are only deployed at The Arab Tembe if their scenario is played and they survive the battle.
Special Characters
Characters are described in the extra rules. They do not roll for leadership or traits (but may have other special abilities). They should normally be attached to a unit at the start of a battle and remain with it until the end of the game. If a character becomes detached from its unit, it remains stationary until contacted by another unit. Some scenarios may allow characters to move independently. Rules for such movement will be included with the scenario.
Prof. Jones, Prof. challenger and Miss Jenkins are special characters that have the escorted archaeologist/lady advanced rule.
"Add as an extra model to the unit. More vulnerable in melee than soldiers: killed on a roll of 3–5 when testing for Leader casualties from melee (Leader is still a casualty on a roll of 2). If this special character is killed or the unit is removed from play, your opponent gains 1 victory point; if the character survives, you gain 1 victory point. Does not count as a model in the unit for combat or morale purposes. "
Witchdoctor
Mwanga and Jenkins are special characters with the Reporters, Witchdoctors and Holy Men advanced rule.
"Add as an extra model in the unit. For every enemy unit removed from play by this unit while this character is present, the player gains +1 victory point. If this special character is killed or the unit is removed from play, the player suffers -4 victory points. Does not count as a model in the unit for combat or morale purposes. Adds 2 points to a unit’s cost, and a player may only field one such model in a Field Force."
Scout
Add as an additional figure to a unit. Does not count for combat or morale purposes. Killed on a roll of 3 when testing for leader casualties. Units with a scout ignore the standard MWWBKs dangerous terrain rule and can detect hidden enemy figures within 4". Units with a scout may still be required to draw an encounter card when in dangerous terrain. This will be specified by the scenario.
Local Levies
Before drawing a card from the Campaign Deck Wilkinson can strike camp and if the expedition is in friendly territory he may recruit tribal levies from local villages. Wilkinson must pay one hongo to hire each unit. The levies will then join the expedition and fight in the next battle. At the start of each subsequent battle Wilkinson must pay each hired unit 1 hongo to participate in the battle. If Wilkinson does not pay, the levies will head back to their village and are removed from the expedition. At the end of a battle any units of levy that have dropped below half strength will also head back to their village and are removed from the expedition.
Levies are unenthusiastic tribal infantry with a -1 penalty to Discipline.
Expedition Baggage
At the start of the campaign Wilkinson can take one baggage unit for free for each eight points of field force. Additional baggage units cost two points each. Expedition objects should normally be carried in the baggage. If a non baggage unit is required to carry an object that is obtained whilst fighting a battle, this must only be temporary. Objects must be transferred to baggage after the battle. Figures carrying objects may not fight or shoot. Any objects that are found but not collected whilst playing a scenario can only be taken if the expedition controls the table after the battle.
Before drawing a card from the Campaign Deck, Wilkinson can strike camp to recruit porters from friendly local villages. Each unit costs two hongo to hire for the remainder of the campaign.
Alternatively, Wilkinson can create new baggage units by drawing four figures from any expedition unit. He may not do this at any time except whilst fighting a battle. New baggage units count as unenthusiastic porters with the following penalties to Discipline:
- Regulars -3
- Irregulars -2
- Tribal -1
After striking camp Wilkinson may reassign men from newly created baggage back to their fighting units. He may choose to do this if he finds himself with a surplus of porters (e.g. due to losing objects or recruiting other porters from local villages etc).
If Wilkinson loses a baggage unit he will be forced to discard a number of randomly chosen objects equal to the encumbrance total of the baggage. For example, if a unit of four porters find themselves eaten by crocodiles, four randomly selected objects should be discarded. When the expedition has fewer objects than the total capacity of all the available baggage, the number of objects carried by the lost baggage unit is at the discretion of the Wilkinson player. For example, if Wilkinson has two units of porters that carry a total of seven objects, Wilkinson can decide to randomly discard just three objects if a baggage unit is lost.
Resupplying the Expedition
Wilkinson should remember that ammunition, food and forage will be depleted as the campaign progresses. The expedition can be resupplied for free at the Trading Station or by the expedition gunboat. Some items may also be obtained through other means. Strong currents and crocodiles mean that transferring people and goods between the gunboat and shore is dangerous. The expedition can therefore only be safely resupplied from a boat at a jetty and all provisions must be carried in the baggage.
If Wilkinson is concerned that the expedition will soon become Short of Food he may strike camp to barter for food from nearby friendly villages. Each Sack of Food object card costs one hongo.
If Wilkinson strikes camp to search for forage he should roll 1d6. Add 1 to the roll if expedition accompanied by one or more scouts. On a roll of 6 Wilkinson may take two Animal Forage object cards.
The Shallows
If a vessel enters the river shallows it may become grounded for rest of game (and/or Campaign Turn) and may no longer move. The risk of becoming grounded depends on the vessel type (see boat rules). Guns and/or units aboard a grounded boat may still fire as normal. In future scenarios, grounded vessels only reappear on 2d6 roll of 10-12 at beginning of each turn.
Infantry units may disembark from vessel in shallows, but each unit must test for dangerous terrain (see MWWBKS pg. 38). For each object transferred to shore from a vessel in shallows roll 1d6. Object lost on roll of 1.
Friendly Territory
In this campaign, friendly territory is controlled by the Wasimba and extends along the Bakambo from the Expedition Base Camp to near the Arab Tembe. Wilkinson may only recruit levies or porters from local villages if the last played scenario was in friendly territory. Since some locations may be under the control of other more hostile tribes or the Arab slavers, whether a location is situated in friendly or hostile territory will be noted in each scenario. The outcome of a battle may also result in some locations switching from friendly to hostile (and vice versa).
All battles played in the jungle are assumed to take place in hostile territory.
Cavalry, Pack Animals and Ox Wagons
Whilst not forbidden, using cavalry or pack animals in this region of Darkest Africa is unwise. If the expedition includes any such units the following special rules apply:
- The term mounted unit is used to describe any unit that includes cavalry, mounted infantry, pack animals or ox wagon.
- Three copies of the Tsetse Fly! Event Card are used.
- Mounted units treat areas of jungle, rocky ground and thick scrub as impassible.
- Mounted units may not be taken into battles set within a jungle environment. In these situations a camp must be set up and baggage/mounts left behind. One or more other units may be left behind to guard the baggage/mounts. Mounted infantry may dismount and fight on foot.
- Mounted units cannot be transported on the gunboat.
Arab Slaver Baggage
The Arab slavers have been raiding local villages and resupplying their tembe from Zanzibar. In this campaign the Arab slavers only use porters and/or captives to carry baggage. If a slaver baggage unit is captured by one of Wilkinson’s units, apply the new baggage rules from this campaign and draw d3+1 cards from the current Object Card Deck. Also subtract one from Tembe Supplies. The number of available slaver baggage units will be defined by each scenario.
Rockets
- Cost same as crewed weapons.
- If manned by Arab Slavers treat as poorly drilled.
- See also Official Extra Rules supplement
Fire
To light a fire, an unpinned unit must spend one full turn Standing To adjacent to the feature it wishes to set alight. Each turn thereafter a burning building receives d6 points of damage for each lit fire. The building is destroyed when it has no remaining structure points. Units may not enter a burning structure. Units that already occupy a building that is set alight must move out of the structure before it is destroyed. If the unit fails to leave it is also destroyed. Fires cannot be extinguished during a game, but may be put out by the victor at the end of the battle. Some event cards may restrict a unit’s ability to start a fire. For example, fires may not be lit in torrential rain. If a fire has already been lit it will go out at the end of the turn that the rain starts.
Nightfall
Nightfall will usually be played as an event card at the beginning of a battle. Some scenarios may require rules to be applied without playing a card. The sun is starting to set and the African night draws near. Visibility at the beginning of the game is 54". This is reduced by 6" each turn to a minimum of 12". For gameplay purposes, it is considered to be night when visibility has dropped to 12”. Reductions take place at the end of each turn.
Dawn
Dawn will usually be played as an event card at the beginning of a battle. Some scenarios may require rules to be applied without playing a card. It is dark, but the African dawn draws near. Visibility at the beginning of the game is 12". This is increased by 6" at the end of each turn. For gameplay purposes, it is considered to be night while visibility is 12”.
Dense Vegetation
Dense vegetation will usually be played as an event card at the beginning of a battle. Some scenarios may require rules to be applied without playing a card. Add d6 extra areas of suitable vegetation terrain to the table. Terrain is placed by each player in turn. All placed terrain counts as difficult.
Treacherous Swamp
Treacherous swamp will usually be played as an event card at the beginning of a battle. Some scenarios may require rules to be applied without playing a card. Add d3+2 extra marsh/swamp terrain to the table. Terrain is placed by each player in turn. All placed terrain counts as difficult and dangerous.
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