Congo - The Last Queen of Aksoum (Adventure 2).

Played two games of the excellent new Darkest Africa game Congo: Adventures in the Heart of Africa.

This was the second game of the day. For the first game go to Adventure 1.

Once again, this was essentially a (slightly) modified version of "The Last Queen of Aksoum" from the scenario bulletins.

We played this as a 4-player game, with 2 on each side. This time Robafett and I took the Zanzibari with Andrew and Chris taking on the British contingent.

The scenario essentially entails a hardy group of British explorers and their allies having to escape the table carrying a prized artifact. A Zanzibari group plans to stop them and take the artifact for themselves.

As we were more used to the rules and the various tricks and cards available (particularly the use of stress tokens) this game was a much tighter affair. The British used a similar tactic of leaving a rear guard (in a very pretty firing line) which did well in holding back a large part of the Zanzibari force. On this occasion the main 'White Explorer' group (i.e. the Adventurers and the lead Explorer Lord Huntingdon) tried to flee through several distracting moves but were ultimately caught out and exposed. The Adventurers were slain to a man and the sole survivor (Lord Huntingdon) tried to escape on his own. Alone and terrified he almost managed to escape but as can be seen in the last pictures, various cards and stress tokens were played on him and he ultimately fell to his knees in desperation and raised his pistol to his head...he has not been seen since.


Figures from Wargames Foundry and Copplestone Miniatures owned and painted by Andrew and myself. Terrain and scenery by Andrew and Chris.

Congo - The Last Queen of Aksoum (Adventure 1).

Played two games of the excellent new Darkest Africa game Congo: Adventures in the Heart of Africa.

This was essentially a (slightly) modified version of "The Last Queen of Aksoum" from the scenario bulletins.

We played this as a 4-player game, with 2 on each side. Robafett and I took the British for the first game with Andrew and Chris leading the Zanzibari.

The scenario essentially entails a hardy group of British explorers and their allies having to escape the table carrying a prized artifact. A Zanzibari group plans to stop them and take the artifact for themselves.

Through some successful movement and deployment of a protective rear guard, the British (led by the maverick explorer Lord Roberts) made it off the table with the artifact and fairly minimal casualties. Despite their plundering of the British camp, the greedy Zanzibari were unable to stop the explorers from escaping and took several casualties.

For the second game go to Adventure 2.

Figures from Wargames Foundry and Copplestone Miniatures owned and painted by Andrew and myself. Terrain and scenery by Andrew and Chris.

Darkest Africa Game 2 - Wilkinson Vs the Slavers

Ahead of picking up a copy of Congo I organised another game of Darkest Africa game using the Triumph and Tragedy rules. 

The scenario was from Wilkinson vs the Slavers as presented in war games illustrated.

The explorers had heard gun shots and were rushing to save a trader and his wife under fire by some agitated Zanzibaris.

Everything else apart painted by me apart from the the Hex based trees by Chris, and some pre-painted baggage.

The Jetty had been repainted form a much darker Brown and the Zanzibairi'ss had some new colourful leaders.

The trading post from the river

The Zanzibaris approach from the jungle

Sneaking closer

Open Fire!!

Closing in on the trader

The camp is theirs, now who has a lighter!

Part of the rescue party

The trader and friends escape, leaving his wife to the mercy of the Zanzibari's

The Zanzibari's managed to take control of the trading camp having failed in their objective of killing the trader. Unfortunately in the confusion they forgot to set light to the camp (the secondary objective) and fled in the face of the reinforcements.