In yet another example of apparent synchronicity, a copy of David Smith’s THE EAST AFRICAN CAMPAIGN 1914-18: VON LETTOW VORBECK’S MASTERPIECE was delivered. This campaign was one of the main inspirations for Eric Knowles’s Madasahatta Campaign and coming so soon after Carl Luxford’s wonderful gift of Askaris, Arabs, and African Colonial figures, I have an urge to set up and fight a mini-campaign set somewhere in a mythical version of Africa.
The book nine sections and an index:
- Origins of the Campaign
- Chronology
- Opposing Commanders
- British
- German
- South African
- Opposing Forces
- Orders of Battle
- Opposing Plans
- The East African Campaign
- Part I: The British offensive
- Part II: The railway war
- Part III: The South African offensive
- Part IV: The Germans withdraw
- Part V: The final stage
- Aftermath
- The battlefield today
- Further reading
- Index
THE EAST AFRICAN CAMPAIGN 1914-18: VON LETTOW VORBECK’S MASTERPIECE was written by David Smith, illustrated by Graham Turner, and published in 2022 by Osprey Publishing as No.379 in their Campaign series (ISBN 978 1 4728 4891 8).
Yes this is a great little campaign to wargame, our group had a few games a couple of years back and I have a middling sized force of Kings African Rifles by Brigade Games as my contribution to the fun. I read a great book called something like The Roar of the Lion (I think) which detailed the campaign as fought by all sides...a lot of Indian troops were also involved on the Britsh side of things.
ReplyDeleteRoss,
DeleteThe appeal of the war in East Africa from a wargaming point-of-view is the small size of the forces involved and their sheer variety. On one side you have a mainly African force led by Europeans and on the other a mixture of British, West African, Indian, South African, and Portuguese troops.
What’s not to like?
All the best,
Bob
Thanks Bob, I am getting confused in my old age...the book I read is "Tip and Run"... God knows where I got that other title from!
DeleteRross,
DeleteTIP AND RUN is an excellent book, as is BATTLE FOR THE BUNDU. The is a book about hunting the man-eating lions that plagued the building of the railways in East Africa, but the name escapes me at present. It was made into a film as well, if my aging memory hasn’t failed me.
All the best,
Bob
A campaign that interests me on and off these days, but other projects etc keep getting in the way of exploring it further. Maybe this book will prove a useful nudge in the right direction...
ReplyDeleteSteve J.,
DeleteIt’s a great campaign that can be fitted in quite easily with other projects. The number of figures required is quite small and suitable ones can be found in several scales in metal or plastic.
All the best,
Bob
Looks good stuff, Bob! By chance I just found my ( as yet unread ) copy of William Boyd's novel 'An Ice-cream War' which I think is set in that time and place. I look forward to hearing about your campaign..
ReplyDeleteDavid in Suffolk,
DeleteIf this book or William Boyd’s one doesn’t ‘convert’ you, I’d be very surprised indeed!
All the best,
Bob
This has always been one of my favorites, since reading Edwin Hoyt's Guerrilla in university. I admired Lettow-Vorbeck for a long time, though I moderated this after discovering that his campaign starved roughly a seventh of his own colony's population. Still, a classic campaign and fine inspiration for any wargame campaign.
ReplyDeleteJennifer,
DeleteBoth sides worked their bearers to breaking point and beyond. They also denuded much
of the territory they fought over of food and fodder. You are right to remember that both sides exploited their respective native populations, but it is also worth remembering that most of the fighting was done by soldiers drawn from those same populations … and a mighty fine job they did if it!
All the best,
Bob
A fascinating campaign. Lots of scope for different scenarios.
ReplyDeleteNundanket,
DeleteIt is … and I hope to try some of them out as soon as I can.
All the best,
Bob