Creating a scenario generator

Sixteen years ago (Yes! Sixteen years ago!) I wrote a set of Colonial wargame rules entitled RESTLESS NATIVES. In fact, they were demonstrated at SALUTE2003 by my old friend Tony Hawkins and me.

The rules included a scenario and army 'generator' for battles in the Sudan, and during a recent computer 'tidy up' (part of my attempt to break out of my current state on ennui) I found the rules, and realised that the system had – after a bit of tweaking – potential for use with my PORTABLE COLONIAL WARGAME rules. The original text from that section of the RESTLESS NATIVES rules follows.

---

SCENARIOS: THE SUDAN
BASELINE ARMIES USED IN THE SCENARIOS
The two baseline armies from which the various units used in the following scenarios were drawn are as follows:

British Troops

• 1 British Infantry Battalion (4 stands)
• 2 Egyptian Infantry Battalions (4 stands each)
• 2 Sudanese Infantry Battalions (4 stands each)
• 1 Egyptian Lancer Regiment (1 stand)
• 1 Egyptian Cavalry Squadron (4 stands)
• 1 Egyptian Artillery Battery (1 stand)
• 1 Egyptian Gatling Gun Battery (1 stand)
• 1 British Supply Column (3 stands)
• 1 Egyptian Supply Column (3 stands)

Natives Troops

• 1 Warband of Jihadia Riflemen (5 stands)
• 1 Large Warband of Baggara Spearmen (6 stands)
• 1 Warband of Hadendowah Riflemen (4 stands)
• 2 Large Warbands of Hadendowah Spearmen (6 stands each)
• 2 Small Warbands of Hadendowah Spearmen (4 stands each)
• 1 Warband of Baggara Cavalry (4 stands)
• 1 Warband of Baggara Camelry (3 stands)
• 1 Dervish Artillery Battery (1 stand)

SCENARIO AND ARMY GENERATOR
Before the battle commences the C-in-Cs each throw a D6, and their individual score determines what units will be available to them (Basic Army plus additional units). The two D6 scores added together determine which scenario will be recreated on the battlefield.

ARMIES FOR SCENARIOS
Basic British Army (used in all scenarios)

• 1 British Infantry Battalion
• 1 Sudanese Infantry Battalion
• 1 Egyptian Artillery Battery
• 1 Egyptian Supply Column

Dice score = 1 adds the following units to the Basic British Army

• 1 Egyptian Infantry Battalion
• 1 Egyptian Gatling Gun Battery
• 1 Egyptian Cavalry Squadron

Dice score = 2 adds the following units to the Basic British Army

• 1 Sudanese Infantry Battalion
• 1 Egyptian Lancer Regiment
• 1 Egyptian Gatling Gun Battery

Dice score = 3 adds the following units to the Basic British Army

• 1 Egyptian Infantry Battalion
• 1 Sudanese Infantry Battalion
• 1 Egyptian Gatling Gun Battery

Dice score = 4 adds the following units to the Basic British Army

• 1 Egyptian Infantry Battalion
• 1 Sudanese Infantry Battalion
• 1 Egyptian Lancer Regiment

Dice score = 5 adds the following units to the Basic British Army

• 1 Egyptian Infantry Battalion
• 1 Egyptian Cavalry Squadron
• 1 Egyptian Lancer Regiment

Dice score = 6 adds the following units to the Basic British Army

• 2 Egyptian Infantry Battalions
• 1 Sudanese Infantry Battalion
• 1 Egyptian Lancer Regiment
• 1 Egyptian Cavalry Squadron
• 1 Egyptian Gatling Gun Battery
• 1 British Supply Column

Basic Native Army (used in all scenarios)

• 1 Warband of Jihadia Riflemen
• 1 Large Warband of Hadendowah Spearmen
• 1 Warband of Baggara Cavalry

Dice score = 1 adds the following units to the Basic Native Army

• 1 Large Warband of Hadendowah Spearmen
• 1 Small Warband of Hadendowah Spearmen
• 1 Warband of Baggara Camelry

Dice score = 2 adds the following units to the Basic Native Army

• 1 Large Warband of Hadendowah Spearmen
• 1 Warband of Hadendowah Riflemen
• 1 Warband of Baggara Camelry

Dice score = 3 adds the following units to the Basic Native Army

• 1 Large Warband of Hadendowah Spearmen
• 1 Warband of Hadendowah Riflemen
• 1 Dervish Artillery Battery

Dice score = 4 adds the following units to the Basic Native Army

• 1 Large Warband of Baggara Spearmen
• 2 Small Warbands of Hadendowah Spearmen
• 1 Warband of Hadendowah Riflemen

Dice Score = 5 adds the following units to the Basic Native Army

• 1 Warband of Hadendowah Riflemen
• 1 Warband of Baggara Camelry
• 1 Dervish Artillery Battery

Dice Score = 6 adds the following units to the Basic Native Army

• 1 Large Warband of Baggara Spearmen
• 1 Large Warband of Hadendowah Spearmen
• 2 Small Warbands of Hadendowah Spearmen
• 1 Warband of Hadendowah Riflemen
• 1 Warband of Baggara Camelry
• 1 Dervish Artillery Battery

SCENARIOS
SCENARIO A – THE BRITISH ATTACK A FORTIFIED VILLAGE

• The British troops must enter from the bottom right corner of the map.
• The Mahdist troops may deploy anywhere on the map.
• The British win if they capture the village by the end of the battle.
• The Mahdists win if they still hold the village at the end of the battle.

SCENARIO B – THE MAHDISTS ATTACK A FORTIFIED VILLAGE

• The Mahdist troops must enter from the bottom right corner of the map.
• The British troops may deploy anywhere in the top row of grid squares.
• The Mahdists win if they capture the village by the end of the battle.
• The British win if they still hold the village at the end of the battle.

SCENARIO C - THE LONG PATROL

• The British troops must enter from the bottom left corner of the map.
• The Mahdist troops may deploy anywhere on the map.
• The British win if over 50% of their troops reach the exit point by the end of the battle.
• The Mahdists win if they prevent more than 50% of the British troops from reaching the exit point by the end of the battle.

SCENARIO D – A MEETING ENGAGEMENT

• The British troops must enter from the top left corner of the map.
• The Mahdist troops must enter from the middle of the right side of the map.
• The British win if 50% or more of their troops remain on the battlefield by the end of the battle.
• The Mahdists win if 50% or more of their troops remain on the battlefield by the end of the battle.

SCENARIO E – CLEARING THE HILLS

• The British troops must enter from the middle of the left side of the map.
• The Mahdist troops may deploy anywhere on the hills or behind them.
• The British win if they occupy two of the hills by the end of the battle.
• The Mahdists win if they still hold two of the hills at the end of the battle.

SCENARIO F – A SET-PIECE BATTLE

• The British troops must enter from the middle of the left side of the map.
• The Mahdist troops must deploy between the hills.
• The British win if 50% or more of their troops remain on the battlefield by the end of the battle.
• The Mahdists win if 50% or more of their troops remain on the battlefield by the end of the battle.

---

The system is very simple to use, and can be tailored to suit whatever size armies the players have available. For example, Player A (the British) throws a 2 and Player B (the Mahdist) throws a 5. By checking these dice scores against the Scenario and Army Generator we find that they scenario will be SCENARIO A – THE BRITISH ATTACK A FORTIFIED VILLAGE.

The British force will comprise:

• 1 British Infantry Battalion
• 1 Sudanese Infantry Battalion
• 1 Egyptian Artillery Battery
• 1 Egyptian Supply Column plus
• 1 Sudanese Infantry Battalion
• 1 Egyptian Lancer Regiment
• 1 Egyptian Gatling Gun Battery

The Mahdist force will comprise:

• 1 Warband of Jihadia Riflemen
• 1 Large Warband of Hadendowah Spearmen
• 1 Warband of Baggara Cavalry plus
• 1 Warband of Hadendowah Riflemen
• 1 Warband of Baggara Camelry
• 1 Dervish Artillery Battery

Both sides have quite a bit of firepower at their disposal, although the British have the edge in that department. However, the Mahdists make up for it by having a 2:1 advantage when it comes to mounted troops.

Had the scores been 5 and 1 respectively, the scenario would have been SCENARIO B – THE MAHDISTS ATTACK A FORTIFIED VILLAGE and the armies would have been as follows:

British force

• 1 British Infantry Battalion
• 1 Sudanese Infantry Battalion
• 1 Egyptian Artillery Battery
• 1 Egyptian Supply Column plus
• 1 Egyptian Infantry Battalion
• 1 Egyptian Cavalry Squadron
• 1 Egyptian Lancer Regiment

Mahdist force

• 1 Warband of Jiadia Riflemen
• 1 Large Warband of Hadendowah Spearmen
• 1 Warband of Baggara Cavalry plus
• 1 Large Warband of Hadendowah Spearmen
• 1 Small Warband of Hadendowah Spearmen
• 1 Warband of Baggara Camelry

---

I think that this system has potential for development, and if I can maintain my enthusiasm, I may do some more work on the concept over the next month or so.