The Men Who Would Be Kings

As wargamer with a long-time interest in Colonial wargaming, it follows that I would have to buy the latest offering from Osprey Wargames ... THE MEN WHO WOULD BE KINGS. The rules have been written by Daniel Mersey and were published last week by Osprey (ISBN 978 1 4728 1500 2).

I pre-ordered my copy from Amazon some months ago, and was a little upset when it began to be sold by other retailers ahead of the stated publication date. That said, I did pay a lower price as a result, and in some ways that mollified my feelings of annoyance.

The book is split into seven main chapters:

1. Introduction
2. Battle Rules
3. Building a Field Force
4. Optional Rules
5. Playing against Mr Babbage
6. Scenarios
7. 24-point Starter Field Forces

It also included a single page Quick Reference Sheet inside the back cover.

In his introduction, Daniel Mersey has laid down his design objectives ... which is something that I wish a lot of other wargame designers would do as it helps readers to understand the decisions the designer has made with regard to the mechanisms they have used. I also like the fact that he has listed a large number of great films (including all my favourite Colonial films!) as part of what he calls 'essential research'.

The rules are split into subsections entitled:

• Setting up a game
• Organising your Field Force
• Important rule conventions
• Understanding unit profiles
• Leaders
• Unit basing, cohesion and facing
• Terrain
• What happens during each turn
• Activating your units
• Action: At the double
• Action: Attack
• Action: Fire
• Action: Forming close order
• Action: Going to ground
• Action: Move
• Action: Rally
• Action: Skirmish
• Action: Stand to
• Action: Volley fire
• Pinned units
• Retreating
• Ending the game

I found this structure very easy to follow, and it helped me to make sense of the rules and the game mechanisms.

The chapters that dealt with Building a Field Force and Optional Rules were very clear and concise, and as I was reading them I was mentally ticking off how I could use figures from my existing collection of Colonial figures with these rules.

As a mainly solo wargamer, I was particularly interested in reading the chapter entitled Playing against Mr Babbage, and having done so I can see myself using them – or something like them – at some time in the future.

I was less interested in the scenarios that are included in the book as I like my battles to form part of an evolving campaign. That said, they seem to be well thought out and would be an excellent starting point for novice Colonial wargamers and very suitable for experienced players who want to stage a 'one off' battle.

The 24-point Starter Field Forces are a list of basic armies for a variety of different Colonial conflicts, and it was particularly interesting to see that it was not just confined to British Colonial actions. The inclusion of Darkest Africa, French African wars, the Italian Invasion of Ethiopia, potential conflicts with Russia on the North West Frontier, the Old West, and The Pig War Gone Hot all show the range of warfare that fit under the Colonial banner. (I loved the fact that Danny and Peachey's Private Kafiristan Army is also listed, and that it draws its inspiration from the film that inspired the name of these rules!)

'Hats Off!' Two latter-day MEN WHO WOULD BE KINGS: myself (on the left) and Tony Hawkins (on the right) suitably attired at SALUTE 2003. We were running a participation Colonial wargame that used a set of rules that I had written.

Overall I think that the publication of these rules is likely to encourage an upsurge in interest in Colonial wargaming. They will not appeal to everyone, but they certainly meet the design brief set out in the introduction. Time will tell if they will supplant Larry Brom's THE SWORD AND THE FLAME as the most popular Colonial wargame rules in use. I hope not, as I think that both sets of rules have much to offer Colonial wargamers ... and I could even see wargamers buying and using both sets.