Imperial Campaigns No. 1: The Boer War

Imperial Campaigns is a wargame system for recreating wars and campaigns during the great age of European Empires from the 18th century to early 20th centuries, using 60 to 80 counters per game and a deck of cards. A single Standard Rules booklet applies to all games in the series, each of which also has its own Exclusive Rules providing the Scenario(s) for a specific campaign.

The game map portrays the area where the historical campaign took place. A hexagonal grid is superimposed over the map in order to regularize the move­ment and positioning of the pieces.

The cardboard game pieces represent the military formations that took part in the original campaign. These playing pieces are referred to as units. Generally, units will have information on the front and reverse.

Each game in the series takes place at the scale of an entire campaign, thus units typically represent divisions or corps.

The Boer War

The Boer War is the first entry in this new series from Joseph Miranda and Canvas Temple Publishing. Boer War is based on the conflict between the British Empire and the Boer Republics of the Orange Free State and the Transvaal, which started in 1899 (generally known as the Second Boer War). The game covers the first year of the war; the conventional phase when the Boers could have gained a conventional victory. The latter part of the war was primarily a guerrilla conflict that did not officially end until 1902 and by which point a British victory was pretty much inevitable. In the game, each player is trying to seize an early victory: the British, in order to forestall the aforementioned guerrilla war, the Boers to gain sufficient support in Europe for their claims to full independence.

The game has three scenarios. Two of them begin with the commencement of hostilities in October 1899 and the initial Boer successes. The third begins with Lord Roberts taking command of British forces and launching the counteroffensive which took the major Boer towns.

Boer War Game Scale. One hexagon = approximately 90 kilometers. Each turn represents one month of operations. A corps represents two or three divisions plus corps echelon troops. A field force (division group) represents one or two reinforced divisions. A commando, brigade, or group represents 1-4000 fighting men.

Game Sequence of Play

The game is played in successiveGame Turns, composed of alternating Player Turns. During each Game Turn, the players maneuver their units and resolve battles in a strict sequence according to the following outline. At the conclusion of the last Game Turn, the Victory Conditions are consulted and the winner is determined.

The Game Turn & Phases

A Game Turn is divided into two Player Turns, a First Player Turn and a Second Player Turn. (Each game’s Scenario Rules indicate the First and Second player.) Each Player Turn is divided into a series of segments called Phases. The term Phasing Player describes the player who is currently conducting a Phase. The term Non-Phasing Player is the player who is currently not conducting a Phase.

The First Player Turn

1. First Player Campaign card Phase:The First Player draws one Campaign card from his deck. He may draw additional cards by expending one Morale Point for each up to the player In Hand limit.

2. First Player Recruit Phase. The First Player places units on the map, bringing in any reinforcements due for the turn, plus taking any replacements.

3. First Player Movement Phase: The First Player may move all, some or none of his units as he desires within the limits of the rules for Movement, Zones of Control, and Ter­rain.

4. First Player Combat Phase: The First Player uses his units to attack enemy units. This is done in any order the player desires.

5. First Player Administrative Phase; the First player performs any actions mandated for the Administrative phase. Then when using the Fog of War Optional Rule, re-conceal all of his units.

The Second Player Turn

6. Second Player Campaign card Phase.

7. Second Player Recruit Phase.

8. Second Player Movement Phase.

9. Second Player Combat Phase.

10. Second Player Administrative Phase.

Scenarios

SCENARIO 1: The Mobile War

This scenario covers the first year of the war, from the initial Boer offensives and British disasters to Lord Roberts' counteroffensive which conquered the two Boer Republics though there would still be two more years of insurgency before the veldt was again quiet.

SCENARIO 2: Marching to Pretoria

This scenario covers the first nine months of the war, the point at which the British had captured both Boer capitals and the first wave of guerrilla warfare began.

SCENARIO 3: Roberts Takes Command

This scenario begins with Lord Roberts taking over command of British forces and continues through to the conclusion of the campaign.

The Map

The 22” x 34” game board map shows the parts of southeastern Africa where the war took place. The map includes the following areas:

British territories: Cape Colony, Natal, Rhodesia. Note that Mafeking and Kimberley are part of Cape Colony.

Boer territories: Orange Free State, Transvaal.

Protectorates: Basutoland, Swaziland (limiting operations).

Portuguese territory: Portuguese East Africa (neutral).

The Rules

The game comes with two rule books; the standard rules and the Boer War special rules. Each is color illustrated. The rules are currently being edited and typeset. We will place a downloadable PDF draft of them here when they are a bit more ready.

Contents

As with all of our games, if the game achieves the base funding goal, but no stretch goals, it will be released as a folio game containing the following:

• Standard rule book
• Special rule book
• I Deck of Playing Cards
• A set of die-cut, double-sided. full-color counters
• Player aids
• A Mounted Game map