Whilst I was on our recent cruise, Steve Parker sent me a copy of the expansion supplement for his DOMINION OF THE SPEAR AND BAYONET rules.
The booklet contains information relating to thirty-six historical Colonial battles. Each entry includes:
- A brief background to the battle.
- Army lists for both sides.
- Suggestions for the deployment of each side’s units.
- A description of what took place during the actual battle and the results.
The battles included in the booklet are:
- Assaye 1803 (British East India Company vs. Maratha Confederacy)
- Tippecanoe 1811 (United States vs. Shawnee)
- Graham’s Town 1819 (British vs. Xhosa)
- Nsamankow 1824 (British vs. Ashanti)
- Rama 1824 (British East India Company vs. Burmese)
- Ayacucho 1824 (Spanish vs. South American Patriots)
- Macta 1835 (French vs. Algerian tribes)
- San Jacinto 1836 (Mexicans vs Texans)
- Miani 1843 (British East Indian Company vs. Baloch)
- Ferozeshah 1845 (British East Indian Company vs. Sikh Empire)
- Palo Alto 1846 (United States vs. Mexicans)
- Chillianwala 1849 (British East Indian Company vs. Sikh Empire)
- Chinhat 1857 (British vs. Rebel Sepoys)
- Agra 1857 (British vs. Rebel Sepoys)
- Khushab 1857 (British vs. Persians)
- Palikao 1860 (French & British vs. Qing Chinese)
- Puebla 1862 (French vs. Mexicans)
- Amoaful 1874 (British vs. Ashanti)
- Rosebud 1876 (United States vs. Native Americans)
- Little Bighorn 1876 (United States vs. Native Americans)
- Inyezane 1879 (British vs. Zulu Empire)
- Isandlwana 1879 (British vs. Zulu Empire)
- Khambula 1879 (British vs. Zulu Empire)
- Kandahar 1880 (British vs. Afghans)
- Majuba Hill 1881 (British vs. Boers)
- El Obeid (Shaykan) 1883 (Egyptians vs. Mahdists)
- Tamai 1884 (British vs. Mahdists)
- Batoche 1885 (Canadian Militia vs. Metis and First Nation)
- Lugalo 1891 ( Germans vs. Hehe)
- Dogba 1892 (French vs. Dahomey)
- Wana (Waziristan) 1894 (British vs. Mahud tribesmen)
- Adwa 1896 (Italians vs. Ethiopians)
- Omdurman 1898 (British vs. Mahdists)
- Colenso 1899 (British vs. Boers)
- Langfang 1900 (British, French, United States, Germans, Russians, and Japanese vs. Chinese)
- Tientsin 1900 (British, French, United States, Germans, Russians, and Japanese vs. Chinese)
DOMINION OF THE SPEAR AND BAYONET SUPPLEMENT was written by Steve Parker and published in 2025 by Orc Publishing. It is available to buy online in PDF format from Wargame Vault for £4.40/$5.66.
Looks good Bob. I've just recently got the Pike and Shot version but haven't tried it out yet.
ReplyDeleteMaudlin Jack Tar,
DeleteHe has certainly found a niche in the market, and is turning out period specific booklets at a rate that I think will assure the system’s place in the range of rules that are preferred by solo and small-scale wargamers.
I have been interested to see that some gamers are not bothering to use the grid as such, but are dividing their armies up into three distinct frontline ‘blocks’ with the rest behind them in reserve. The end result looks like any other tabletop wargame … but it isn’t !
What I like about the rules is the importance they place on which units each side choose to place in which sector, and which sector each side choose to attack/defend in during their part of the turn sequence. These are the sorts of decisions that real commanders have to make.
All the best,
Bob
Bob,
ReplyDeleteCredit has to go to Shaun of Shaun's Wargaming with Miniatures for coming up with the idea of the Attacker and then the Defender choosing a sector. And of course Shaun's multitude of battle reports using numerous simple rules has been an inspiration for many years!
Steve
Steve,
DeleteThanks for clarifying the origin of this concept.
All the best,
Bob
And if anyone is interested, the one action per sector is from my 3x3 and 3x4 gridded rules where I activate one square at a time. And I got this idea directly from the Moments in History Tank Commander CCG I played a lot in the last 90s. Card are played in a 3x4 grid and players alternate activating any one sector of the grid in their turn. Never let a good mechanism got to waste :-)
DeleteShaun Travers,
DeleteI was very interested by your wargame design and I am now following your blog.
There are very few 'new' ideas in wargame design, and I've never seen any reason why their exchange - and adaptation - is sometimes frowned upon certain wargame designers. As you write 'Never let a good mechanism got to waste!'
All the best,
Bob
The Dominion of the Spear rules also work very well for ancient naval battles. Just compare unit types to the equivalent ships. For example light, fast galleys like triremes Are cavalry, bigger, slower 5's,6's and 7's infantry. Byzantine galleys using Greek Fire would be elite missile troops etc.
ReplyDeleteWith a few minor additions I've used them for siege games as well. A nice, simply and versatile system.
Mark, oohh can you post details of how you have used 'Dominion of the Spear' for sieges? A siege may be coming up in my solo semi-imagi-nation Byzantine Empire campaign.
DeleteMark Cordone,
DeleteNow that's an interesting idea! I wonder if they might work for battles involving ironclads? Its certainly something to think about.
Likewise, some more information about your use of the rules for sieges would be very welcome.
All the best,
Bob
Gary S
DeleteI do hope that Mark Cordone does provide some more information about using the rules for sieges.
All the best,
Bob
Dominion of the siege, variants for sieges. I used the pike and shot rules, but any of them will work, just add an artillery unit for Dots. It is assumed the game begins after the besieger has completed their works and begun bombardment. All front line units for both sides are considered armored for shooting and combat unless there is a breach. A 6 will still hit regardless of modifiers.
DeleteThe besieger may choose to shoot at the walls instead of A defenders unit with A hit meaning there is a breach. The attacker may then assault the breach with A unit from the reserve, if they eliminate the defending unit they have gained a lodgement. The defender may then counter attack with A unit from the reserve, if they fail to destroy it the garrison will surrender.
Once per game the attacker may attempt an escalade and try to scale the walls against a defending unit. The defenders combat roll is resolved first, if the attacker survives and eliminates the defender they gain a lodgement resolved as above.
Sortee On the defenders turn they may launch a Sortee with A unit from the reserve, attacking the enemy unit of their choice, if they are cavalry their attack roll is resolved first, infantry then the defending units roll is first.
Mines: once per game the attacker may attempt a mine. Both sides roll 1d6, if the attacker rolls higher they create a breach and may then assault it. If an assault fails the defenders automatically repair the breach.
Both sides can lose if reduced to one unit, the siege fails if the attacker fails with their escalade, mine and assault on a breach opened by artillery. Of course a relief army may attempt to lift the siege, if this happens the besieging army must leave any artillery and an infantry unit to man the works.
Mark Cordone,
DeleteThanks for the very comprehensive explanation. It’s almost a new set of rules that fits in very nicely with the DOMINION OF … rules system.
All the best,
Bob
I've also sketched out a similar gallery warfare version of DotS, but having made up a load of galley counters I haven't actually done anything with it! Nice siege mechanism btw.
DeleteMartin Rapier,
DeleteVery interesting! I look forward to reading more about your galley version of the rules.
All the best,
Bob
Great siege rules Mark - I shall definitely have a go with these in the next Ancients Campaign
DeleteMaudlin Jack Tar,
DeleteI agree; they are very good indeed!
All the best,
Bob
Bob,
ReplyDeleteI am actively looking at World War One naval using the Dominion of the Spear system. I think it is very doable with clear unit types Dreadnoughts, Pre Dreadnoughts, Battlecruisers, Armoured Cruisers, Light Cruisers, Destroyers (and then torpedo boats, submarines and mines in the mix). A big question is whether to keep it very very simple or to complex it. My initial feeling is to try to keep it simple. Fleets would be a battleship or two with supporting lighter ships, although a fight between battleship or battlecruiser squadrons should certainly be possible.
Steve
Steve,
DeleteI can see a naval version working very well indeed, especially for those wargamers who want to include naval elements to their campaigns but who don’t necessarily want to build model fleets of ships.
All the best,
Bob
Thanks Mark, all interesting stuff. For my campaign I'll add some simple rules about starving out garrisons.
ReplyDeleteI used to just do roll offs. Both sides get strength points equal to the number involved in the siege. For each week, or month maybe, both sides roll 1d6, the low roll loses one strength point due to hunger, disease etc. With the besieged winning ties. At 0 strength points the garrison surrenders, or the besieger is forced to lift the siege.
DeleteGary S,
DeleteStarving out a garrison? Now rules for that sound interesting ...
All the best,
Bob
Mark Cordone,
DeleteThat is a very simple and elegant mechanism. Thanks for sharing it.
All the best,
Bob
Thanks! I too am looking forward to seeing what Gary comes up with, and any Ideas he has for modifications to my siege rules. I would also eventually like to see an official version from Steve.
DeleteMark Cordone,
DeleteI suspect that the hive mind is going to come up with all sorts of rules variants and additional mechanisms that will enhance the rules.
All the best,
Bob
Mark,
ReplyDeleteIt is going to be a very long wait for "official" siege rules. Although like us all I have dabbled in many eras and types of battles I have never wargaming a siege and know nothing of the subject!
Steve
Steve,
DeleteI suspect that rather like my PORTABLE WARGAME rules, people will soon begin to share tweaked versions of the rules online.
As to sieges, I’ve taken part in a couple of wargames that included them, and they were great fun.
All the best,
Bob