when the navy walked on rorkes drift

7/27/2019 When the Navy Walked on Rorkes Drift

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An Alternate History of Rorkes Drift set in a

world of Victorian Science Fiction

Zulu War picture from the Illustrated London News. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

Robert Adams

4/10/2010

This is a work of alternate history fiction and is purely for wargaming purposes. When the Navy Walked is copy

written by Robert M. Adams 2010

arker order #3662709


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Victorian Science Fiction Gaming

By Robert M. Adams

When the Navy Walked Rorkes Drift

Contents

The Battle......................................................................................................................................................3

Game Overview.............................................................................................................................................4

When the Navy Walked Quick Play Rules .................................................................................................. 4

Unit Classifications....................................................................................................................................4

Terrain.......................................................................................................................................................4

Turn Sequence ...................................... .................................................................................................... 5

Internal Hits Table (Two hits of the same kind disables the system) .......................................................9

Scenario Conditions .................................................................................................................................... 10

British B Company 22nd

Regiment of Foot .............................................................................................. 11

Zulu Horde Undi Amabutho.................................................................................................................12



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The BattlePrepare for a fantastic journey into a world of colonial expansion set in a world of steam and innovation.What follows is an alternate version of the battle of the defense of the mission station after the defeat

of the British at the Battle of Isandlawana in Zululand Africa on 22 January 1879. History buffs will

appreciate the accuracy to which detail of the unit names and formations is given and fans of Victorian

Science Fiction will appreciate the added elements of steam machines.

So it came to pass that the great British landships and columns of fine soldiers were overrun by the

hordes of the Zulu Impis. The British were forced into full retreat and following closely on their heels

were the battle hardened Zulus.

The British B Company, 2nd Battalion, 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot was assigned garrison

under Brevet Major Henry Spalding. Apparently unaware of the fate of Isandlwana, Major Spalding left

to find the whereabouts of G Company leaving a small detachment of the No. 5 Field Company, Royal

Engineers, led by Lieutenant John Chard in command. Lieutenant John Chard had arrived to fix the

pontoons to allow B Companys steam bots to cross the river. At this time the technology of the steam

bots was such that even a small amount of water would have caused them to become sluggish in

combat. A Native Natal Contingent under the command of Captain William Stephenson was ordered to

guard the post.

The recently converted trading post overlooking the drift on the Mzinyathi looked a promising target for

the uDloko, uThulwana, inDlondo zulu regiments of married men and the unmarried ibutho of inDlu-yengwe led by King Cetshwayos half brother Prince Dabulamanzi kaMpande. The attacking zulu force

was more than 4,000 warriors armed with spears and muskets.

Sometime on the 22nd

the surviving officers from the 3rd

Native Natal Contingent from Isandlawana

Lieutenants Vaine and Adendorff arrived and warned that the zulu impi was coming. The three officers

Lieutenant John Chard, Commander; Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead, and Acting Assistant Commissary

James Dalton made the decision to make a stand with one hundred and thirty nine British Soldiers and

the steam bots of B Company. It was decided that due to the large number of wounded from

Isandlawana that a stand would be taken at the mission station.

The British officers directed their men to make defenses of the mission station and included a defensive

perimeter around the hospital and storehouse. Soon the mealy bags and biscuit boxes had formed a

perimeter with the inclusion of a stone kraal. The buildings were fortified and loopholes were knocked

in for firing ports. A second line of defense was constructed further from the hospital to facilitate

withdrawal if needed. The 120 or so British soldiers and the 250 foot mounted and 100 or so mounted

natives under Lieutenant Alfred Henderson coupled with the pair of steam bots and a small steam

cannon were considered sufficient to drive off the Zulus.



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Game OverviewTo play When the Navy Walked on Rorkes Drift you will need several six-sided dice, a 12 ruler, tape

measure, the printed record sheets and this scenario book. Should you wish to further continue your

adventures into When the Navy Walked you will also need the core rulebook which is availableseparately. The core book includes a rich history and timeline of events in the alternate world of When

the Navy Walked as well as advanced game mechanics as well as the army building guidelines and the

points generator used to create the armies.

When the Navy Walked on Rorkes Drift should take between two and three hours to complete on

average with most games lasting in the two hour range. This scenario is best played between two to

four players with four being optimal and allowing for two players per side. A referee is not necessary to

play When the Navy Walked on Rorkes Drift.

When the Navy Walked Quick Play Rules

Unit Classifications

A Ground Unit is a formation representing a varied number of individuals and is made up of one or more

stands. The British Ground Units in this scenario are represented roughly on a five for one figure basis

whereas the Zulus are represented on a ten to one basis. One or more stands makes up a Ground Unit.

A Ground Unit represents a platoon, company, division or horde. A Ground Unit representing a field

battery is normally comprised of one or two guns but can be larger. Cavalry Ground Units are generally

smaller than an infantry Ground Unit.

A Machine is a gizmo or contraption that is powered by steam technology but is not big enough to beconsidered a Land Ship. A Machine is represented by one or more figures on a stand. Machines can be

in smaller units. A Land Ship is represented by one large model. Land Ships are not used in When the

Navy Walked on Rorkes Drift but are in the core rules.



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Terrain

Difficult Terrain: The following types count as difficult terrain. Difficult terrain provides cover

according to its type. It costs double movement to move through difficult terrain. A unit must

be in skirmish formation to enter difficult terrain.

Buildings and the Stone Kraal: The buildings count as difficult terrain and any unit inside takes

only damage from shooting and melee hits. The stone Kraal counts as difficult terrain and any

units inside takes only damage from shooting but suffer full damage from melee.

Impromptu Defenses: Mealy bags and defenses count a difficult terrain and any unit inside

takes only damage from shooting hits but full damage from melee hits.

Natural Cover: The woods and tall grass count as difficult terrain and units inside them must be

spotted by rolling a successful morale check lower than the units morale roll on 2d6. A unit that

is in the woods or tall grass that shoots, moves, or charges outside of the cover is automatically

spotted.



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Units. Because of the nature of the weapons employed by the Zulus, the Steam Bots are only hit

on a 6. If a target is outside of the shooting units range that unit is still considered to have shot

and the Command Points are still spent. Units may fire at any unit within its forward facing 180

degree arc. Under no circumstances is pre-measuring ever acceptable.

A Ground Unit suffers one casualty loss each time an opponent rolls Hits equal the units

ThresholdScore. As an example if a unit suffers four hits and has a Threshold score of two then

that unit suffers two casualties. Mark all casualties from unit owners left to right. A stand that

takes three casualties is removed regardless of the number of figures on the stand. A Steam Bot

that takes that takes hits equal to its Threshold score must roll on the Internal Hits table. Each

time the Steam Bots threshold is met it loses one hull point and its threshold score is decreased

by one. The results of any rolls occur immediately. A unit that suffers stand losses totaling of

their stands lost or greater must pass a morale test or become shaken.

Return Fire of Unallocated Units: Should they survive, any units that were not allocated

Command Points at the beginning of the turn but were fired upon may return fire. They do so at

a cost of their Command in Command Points. Units using this rule may only return fire at the

unit/s that fired upon them. Units that are shot outside of attackers range may Return Fire.

Declare Charges: Both sides secretly record all units that they wish to allocate Command Points

for charging. A Leader may only issue orders to a unit if the Leader is within the units

Command Value AND within the Leaders Command Range. The cost in Command Points to

order a unit to charge is equal to that units Command Value. To issue an order to charge to a

unit greater than six stands adds one to the difficulty for each stand after six. Only Ground Units

may charge as the other unit types do not gain the momentum necessary for this action.

Complete Charges: Both sides declare charges with the highest Command Value unit charging

first followed by those with lower Command Values. To complete a charge a unit must first passa Morale test by rolling less than the units morale on 2d6. If the unit does not pass the morale

check, they shake and go immediately into disordered formation where they stand. If

successful, a unit may move its full distance to the unit that they are charging. In the event a

unit fails to connect with the charged unit, the unit must pass another Morale test to move

double its normal movement. If a unit is outside of a charging units movement doubled and a

unit attempted to charge it then the unit

moves double the movement and stops

disordered (but not shaken) in front of the

charged unit. Under no circumstances is pre-

measuring ever acceptable. The charged unitmakes a morale roll to shoot the charging unit.

If successful, the charged unit may fire into the

charging unit. If unsuccessful, the charged unit

does not load their arms in time and they do

not fire. After the charged unit is successful or

unsuccessful in their morale roll to fire at the

charging unit, immediately make a free Melee

attack against the charged unit. The first turn a



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unit completes a successful charge that unit is able to reroll all 6s counting each as a hit and

rolling until no 6s are scored. This attack only occurs the first turn of a successful charge. After

this initial charge melee attack in which only the charged unit makes an attack, move to normal

melee.

Melee: All units that are in base-to-base contact with one another attack each other

simultaneously with casualties being able to return the attack. All units in Melee roll their

Melee damage with 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 counting as Hits against Zulus and 3,4,5,6 against British and 4, 5

and 6s counting against Steam Bots. The unit that caused the most Hits is the winner of the

combat. If the winner caused more than double the number of Hits taken the loser falls back 3

and is Shaken. If the winner causes more than triple the number of Hits taken the loser falls

back their movement and is Routed. Landships and other machines never shake or route.

Rally/Repair: Both players may make Morale checks by rolling 2d6 and less than or equal to

their Morale rating for Shaken and Routed units within a friendly Leaders Command. A unit

that is outside of a friendly leaders command must make a Difficult Morale check by rolling 3d6

and rolling lower than their morale rating. Units that pass a Morale check are no longer Shaken

or Routed. Note this does not mean that a unit goes from Routed to Shaken and instead a unit

goes from Shaken or Routed to Normal with a successful morale test. Machines never shake or

route. Each player may attempt to repair damage to a Machine by rolling 1d6 versus the

difficultly of the damaged system (in the Internal Damage Chart). Each player may attempt to

repair one system per vehicle per turn. If the Master Engineer is killed repairs are only

successful on a roll of 1 on a d6.

Shaken and Routed: Shaken units may not be giving move orders and fire and melee and

strength until railed. A routed unit moves at its full movement towards the closest table edge.



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Internal Hits Table (Two hits of the same kind disables the system)1 BOILER: The steam bot cannot move until the boiler is repaired. Additionally, a fire breaks out, which must be

put out before any repairs are made and does one Hull hit each turn. A repair team may put the fire out roll of 1-3

on d6 but the repair team cannot make other actions this turn.

2 PILOTHOUSE: Officers in the pilot house are attacked as shrapnel bounces around the pilothouse. The captain is

killed on a roll of a 6 on a d6. The steam bot moves in a random direction every turn until repaired on a 1-4 on a

d6. If the Captain is killed the First Officer takes over. If the First Officer is Killed, the steam bot is unable to move

for the remainder of the game.

3 OPTICS: The steam bot must henceforth roll 6s for all firing at other machines. Shots at ground forces with these

weapons are unaffected. Optics can be repaired on a 1-2 on a d6.

4 STEERING: Any movement must be straight ahead until repaired on a 1-3. The steam bot does not have to move

(except for airships, which continue at previous speed). If this takes the ship off board roll 1d6 to determine how

many turns it takes to repair and for the airship to return. In addition roll 1d6, a result of 6 means the master

engineer has been killed and all further repairs are made on a 1d6 on 1.

5 SUPERSTRUCTURE: One surface-mounted device (spar or steam torpedo, boarding ladder, ram, plow, boarding

piece, gun deck position, buckets) is destroyed, determined randomly. Lose one d6 of range until repaired on 1-3.

6 HULL: Steam bots may take as many Hull hits as they have Hits. After all Hull is destroyed all subsequent Hull hits

are re-rolled. Hull hits cannot be repaired.

7 TRANSMISSION: Steam bots cannot move until repaired on 1-3.

8 COAL BUNKERS: Fire! Until the fire is put out on 1-3, the steam bots takes 1 additional Internal Hit per turn. Two

hits on the Coal Bunkers destroys the steam bot.

9 SECONDARY GUN: The steam bots next largest weapon is knocked out. If only one kind of weapon, one of them

is knocked out. Lose one shooting dice until repaired on 1-3 on a D6.

10 MAIN GUN: The steam bots largest weapon is knocked out lose two shooting dice until repaired on a 1-3 on a

d6.

11 SHELL LOCKER: Explosion! Roll 2 more hits, ignoring additional rolls of 11. All cannon, naval guns, siege guns,

bombs, and catapults are considered damaged until repaired. The Landship may not fire until repaired on a 1-4.

12 LLAD/Perpetual Motion Machine: A massive explosion destroys the steam bot as the LLAD and Perpetual

Motion Machine is hit with a direct shot causing a chain-reaction explosion.



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Scenario ConditionsThe British may attempt to save casualties with Surgeon James Reynolds on the Rally phase of each turn.

On a roll of a 6 the surgeon has patched up the solider and sent him back to the front line. Any otherroll results in a casualty being administered lasted rights by army chaplain Padre George Smith and Otto

Witt.

The British player sets up the perimeter defense using the mealy bags around the hospital and the

buildings in the mission station. The British player may not setup units outside of the perimeter defense

with the exception of the Native Natal Contingent infantry and cavalry units. Both steam bots and the

steam cannon battery must be setup inside of the perimeter.

Each turn that the British fire the steam cannon battery they must roll a d6 for each cannon. On a roll of

6 something has gone wrong with the inner workings of the cannon and the cannon cannot be fired

again until repaired on a 3-6. Each turn on the Rally/Repair phase the cannon can be attempted to berepaired including the turn that it broke.

Table Setup

Setup the three buildings in the center of the table and place woods and tall grasses around the building

complex.



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British B Company 22nd Regiment of Foot

Lieutenant John Chard Number of Stands 1

Shooting Melee Quality

Shoot Damage Damage Leadership Morale Threshold Move

12 3d6 4d6 15 9 5 8

Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead Number of Stands 1



12 2d6 3d6 10 7 5 8

Assistant Commissary James Dalton Number of Stands 1



12 2d6 2d6 8 6 3 6

Lieutenant Alfred Henderson Number of Stands 1Shooting Melee Quality


10 2d6 2d6 6 6 3 8

B Company Infantry Regulars Number of Stands 4


Shoot Damage Damage Command Morale Threshold Move

12 2d6 2d6 8 6 2 6

B Company Infantry Regulars Number of Stands 4


Shoot Damage Damage Command Morale Threshold Move12 2d6 2d6 8 6 2 6

Native Natal Contingent Infantry Number of Stands 6



10 1d6 1d6 5 6 2 8

Native Natal Contingent Cavalry Number of Stands 6



6 1d6 2d6 6 6 2 12

Steam Bots Type II (General Wooley Gizmos (Machines) Number of Stands 2Shooting Melee Quality


14 4d6 4d6 14 3d6 6 8

Steam Cannon Battery Number of Stands 2



20 5d6 2d6 10 6 4 6



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Zulu Horde Undi Amabutho

Induna Dabulamanzi kaMpande Number of Stands 1



10 4d6 4d6 15 7 4 8

Induana UDloko Number of Stands 1



10 2d6 2d6 8 7 3 8

Induana uThulwana Number of Stands 1



10 2d6 2d6 8 7 3 8

uDloko ibutho iklwa Number of Stands 6Shooting Melee Quality


6 1d6 6d6 5 6 2 8

uDloko ibutho Muskets Number of Stands 4



10 1d6 1d6 5 6 2 8

uThulwana ibutho Muskets Number of Stands 4


Shoot Damage Damage Command Morale Threshold Move10 1d6 1d6 5 6 2 8

uThulwana ibutho iklwa Number of Stands 6



6 1d6 2d6 5 6 2 8

inDlondo ibutho iklwa Number of Stands 6



6 1d6 2d6 5 6 2 8

Native Cannon Battery Number of Stands 2Shooting Melee Quality


20 4d6 2d6 8 6 4 6

inDlu-yengwe ibutho knobkerries (Bachelors) Number of Stands 6



6 1d6 1d6 5 6 2 8

when the navy walked on rorkes drift

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