All the cattle in the world belong to the Gaasai!
Morvalistan
Late Summer 1872
Background, Elder
Gizaku
You are one of the Elders of the Clan of Kuzirawurs. You are continually being asked to provide more cattle for the clan. Indeed your own wealth is not quite enough to allow you to marry a young woman that has taken your fancy. A proportion of the cattle that you recover for the clan herds will be given to you and a share given to each of the warriors with you. Your share needs to be 10 cattle to allow you to have a third wife. It is hard enough keeping the two wives that you already have without the Wa’Kambolo stealing your cattle!
You were present at the Council of Elders and heard Worzdiku the Senior Elder of the Gaasai, complain about the Wa’Kambolo raiding his lands. Elder Datsmaku's, suggestion that Watembi did it in disguise sounded hollow. More raids had followed and the clans at the lake had been massacred and the women captured by a combined band of Wa’Kambolo and pale men. The Elders of both clans had been slain by these aggressors. It seems to you and to Worzdiku that instead of fighting in the punishment expedition a raid to recover cattle would be more suitable. It is many a long year, since Wa’Kambolo provided such a good cause.
A moon ago, a herd of your own finest cattle were taken and the boy herding, them slain! You have made plans with Worzdiku. You will raid down from the North whilst he does so from the East. You will meet his force at the ford stone of the Blaksmeli River ready to make a fighting withdrawal eastwards into the Mara if needed. You intend to go via Blaksmeli as you suspect Tubifelli the prince of the Wa’Kambolo to be involved with the theft of your cattle. His clan has had some trifling dispute with your predecessor years ago. The link up is to take place midday, 14th of the Ninth Moon.
You asked for some
assistance from the other elders and they have given you some Moran and a few
Simbasai, who were passing through. They are very willing to come for a share of
the loot.
Current Situation
(Everyone can speak Ga and the Officers and Independents Mogambu)
You started out
crossing the Blaksmeli at dusk last night. You have sacked 15 farms and a kraal.
You have many sacks of grain and miscellaneous booty on 8 captured males and 14
female captives, but only 13 head of assorted cattle and two Gaasai women so
far. At this time of year, the
cattle are usually farther up into the hills. Also it is difficult finding them
in the dark. Though this is the night of the full moon it was completely
overcast. In the small hours you
collected your men together again and struck out for your present hide to rest.
Dazdiway, a Watembi mercenary spied out the land and guided you here, he has
mysteriously disappeared. It is now
a still overcast dawn. Surveying the scene before you can see grassy hills with
farms, cattle and sheep and what could well be the kraal of Tubifeli in the
distance. Perfect! You could be beating down the boma of the kraal in two hours
and over the ford in three. Not so perfect is the warning beacon, just lit on a
nearby hill! You must strike fast if you are to raid the farms, take the kraal
and get to the ford before the Wa’Kambolo can get a force together to stop
you. If you sent a party to put out the beacon and kill the inevitable drummer,
would it stop the enemy massing?
You need to detail men
to help herd the cattle and prisoners and pick the best route to send these.
Then you also want to send off parties to collect the cattle and sheep scattered
around and to loot the farms in the area as well.
Herding Rules
Sheep & goat herding 4" moves, 1 person per 6
sheep, 1 dog per 8 sheep, -1" per 3 sheep in excess.
Cattle Herding, 5" moves, 1 person per 4 cows, or 1
rider per 8 cows, -1" per 2 cows in excess.
Moving prisoners with bound hands need a guard for each 3
men or 5 women. For each prisoner more roll a D10 per move. Adjust this
roll if: one side blocked by physical feature +1, Independent present -1,
Officer -2, Leader -3, prisoner just run -1
= 0- a prisoner runs off and dice again. Running with bound hands double
normal move -3".
Background,
Tubifeli Prince of the Wa’Kambolo
You are a Wa’Kambolo
chieftain in the west of Morvalistan. King
Longanoze has complained that the warriors of the Wa’Kambolo are getting soft
and need to be toughened up for when the war against the Watembi breaks out
anew. How to do this other than by
the traditional means of raiding? The Watembi borders are far away but your
family does have a longstanding feud with the Elder Gizaku of the Clan of
Kuzirawurs of the Gaasai People. A generation ago the nephew of the elder the
Clan of Kuzirawurs raided the kraal and made off with your Aunt Zelimvigga, he
married her and refused to return her. She
was to have married a Wa’Kambolo clan chief’s son and bring a dowry of 12
cattle for the betterment of the family status enough to allow your uncle to
marry a new wife. Whilst it is true
that this happened eighteen years ago and your Aunt Zelimvigga, her husband and
the old Elder of the Clan of Kuzirawurs are all dead, no restitution has ever
been made! You accordingly sent your son Skinifelli with a band of youngsters to
do a little light raiding of the Clan of Kuzirawurs. They returned with a fine
herd of cattle, which you have split amongst your followers.
Seven of the best are with Grimfelli, whose pretty wife is friendly with
your son Skinifelli. He is at their farm now. You are at your kraal, with your
mother Skolda, second wife Gidkuk, your son Wifelli, your drummer Batta, your
wazir Monifelli, four bodyguards and the maid Kala. At AvD moves after
dawn, your mother notices that the alarm beacon, is lit. Your duty is to light
your own and go, beating your drum, to the nearby Warstone, to collect your
warriors as they arrive. Should you leave Wifelli to hold the tower? It will
take you nine moves from now to reach the Warstone.
However men from the next valley will flock there 2+ AvD moves
after your drum starts beating. There are a few men in the farms of your own
valley glen also. (D6 each move 4+ to start off) The boys should drive
the livestock to safety and the women should hide away. Somewhere out there is
your cousin, Baldfelli with some archers. They are hunting a lion that has been
killing cattle and sheep in the area, plus any hyenas and jackals they can
catch. They can muster at either the Warstone or beacon stone. There, Gidfelli
your war leader will be rallying the warriors closest to it.
Herding Rules
Sheep & goat herding 4" moves, 1 person per 6 sheep, 1 dog per 8 sheep, -1" per 3 sheep in excess. Cattle Herding, 5" moves, 1 person per 4 cows, or 1 rider per 8 cows, -1" per 2 cows in excess.
To Play sheets for use with my Skirmish rules