Help with Zulu supplement OOB's

[Jim Thompson]

New to Black Powder and I have the 1st edition. I’m really confused about the OOB’s. I understand standard, large, small and tiny units. OK here’s my problem. The Battle of Gingindlovu:
1st Brigade(2570)
Naval Brigade(350)
3rd Regiment(2 companies)(140)
*91st Highland Regiment(850)
*99 Regiment(5 companies)(430)
*4th Battalion Natal Native Contingent(800)
So 1st Brigade has 2570 people. Is the Naval Brigade a tiny unit with a gatling gun? 3rd regiments 2 companies tiny unit? 91st and 4th Bn NNC standard units? 99th tiny unit?1st BGD, 1 commander and 5 units. Or do I have this all wrong?
Thanks
Jim

[Garry Wills]

I have not seen this supplement but the way I would interpret the OOB is
Naval brigade SMALL unit
3rd Regt TINY
99th Regt STD
91st Regt LARGE
4th Batt NC LARGE

This is one of many OOB’s that doesn’t allow us to stick the guidance in the rules that most of the units should be STD.

Regards

Garry

[Big Al]

I agree with Garry’s interpretation. It was what I was going to say, too.

[Jim Thompson]

Thanks for the help!. The scenarios in the rulebook have the unit and how many figures are in it, so much easier to figure it out.

Jim

[Mike]

Jim,

The terms large, standard, small, and tiny are like a tool kit. The way I would play it is as follows:

Lt-Col FTA Law Brigade:

The 91st Highland Regiment is my “standard unit”. As such you build your army off that target number. So that would make your 4th Batallion of about the same strength a standard unit. I would use the 6-4-4-3 profile.

I would combine the 3rd and 99th regiments into one standard unit given its smaller size even combined you could fiddle with the stat line and give it only (figures could be from both units). I would use a 5-3-4-3 profile.

I would make the Naval Brigade a small unit. So I would use a 4-2-4-2 profile.

Lt. Col Pemberton Brigade

5th Natal Native Contingent (1200) so a large unit with a profile of 8-5-4-4

60th Rifles (540) and the 57 Regt (640) I would assign the Naval Brigade (190) and Royal Marines (100) in this command to the two units above to fill them out as standard units.

I would break out the Gatling Gun teams in both commands as artillery units using the Gatling gun rules. So one Gatling gun per brigade.

The Law Brigade also had 2 9lbs guns… so I would give the brigade a small artillery unit 2-1-4-1 profile.

The Pemberton Brigade also had two rocket tubes… so you might want to give it a small rocket unit. There are rules for rockets in BP2.

Finally, you could throw in a small unit of converged cavalry under Major Barrow (430) that would have the Marauders rule.

7 infantry units, 1 cavalry unit and 4 artillery units (2 small). A nice sized force for BP. Plus some fun with Gatling guns and rockets!

The Zulus had around 11,000 or nearly twice as many warriors. Depending on what feels right… you might go with somewhere between 13-14 units.

Sound like it would make a fun game…

[Aaron]

Agree with Mike’s assessment. For AZW need to do a bit more work developing the scenarios to make them playable.

Unfortunately the Zulu supplement is my least favorite for this reason. Beautiful pictures, but completely lacking in the details to actually play many of the scenarios.

Had the author spent more time detailing OoB, set up and command ratings and less time discussing the beverages they had in the AAR it might be useful. Honestly question if some of the scenarios were even play tested more than once.

One of the potential problems when you out source.

That said the AWI supplement Rebellion is top notch and a great resource even if you do not play BP. Hoping the new FIW one will be similar.

[Author]

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