Unit57: Darkest Africa

Welcome to the Jungle

When it comes to adventures in the depths of Africa players are not short of options.

Congo by Studio Tomahawk comes instantly to mind.

Congo is a miniature game that offers you to follow the footsteps of great explorers like Stanley and Livingstone and head out to the heart of Dark Africa, deep into the Basin of the great Congo River, which gave its name to our game .

This new venture is primarily an adventure game, aimed at intrepid players, willing to risk everything in a desperate quest for fame, wealth and knowledge.

The period covered by Congo is fascinating. Well before the massive arrival of Europeans, adventurers pioneered the exploration of the African subcontinent. They were explorers, scientists or Arab merchants and traders. At the head of columns of many men (most of them natives), they went into the jungle or followed the tracks of the Savannah, with various objectives (some of them being less than moral). And throughout their journeys, their journey brought them into the lands of many indigenous tribes who have never seen white people and their path took them through the kingdoms of major African powers like the Azande.

For something on a slightly larger scale there is In the Heart of Africa a fun set of rules that I think at one point featured in one form or another in Wargames Illustrated.

In The Heart Of Africa is a set of fast-play wargames rules for the period of exploration and imperial conquest in tropical Africa. Chronologically this corresponds roughly to the second half of the 19th century, while geographically it covers the region between the Zambezi River in the south, and the edge of the Sahara Desert in the north – the classic “Darkest Africa” of the explorers.

It shares the “Boy’s Own Adventure” atmosphere of ordinary colonial gaming, but is far more interesting as a game: the Africans have more tactical options to choose from than the Zulu or Dervish charge, while the Europeans have a less decisive advantage in weaponry.

My last recommendation is for larger games still; Death in the Dark Continent.

Set in the period of armed exploration and imperial conquest in sub-Saharan Africa in what might be called the Age of the Breech-loader, roughly 1870-1899.

I'm sure there are many more sets of rules out there for adventures in Africa but these are the ones I have. I'm always open to recommendations for either skirmish or larger battles so if you have any thoughts I would love to hear them.

Anyway, onto some of my pictures.

What would a trip to the jungle be without some brave, or foolish European adventures.

There are many strange and amazing tribes hidden amongst the undergrowth. Pygmies inspire fear due to their use of poison and stealthy tactics.

The African womenfolk are as skilled and deadly as their male counterparts.

Even the rough terrain wont stop a gentleman enjoying a leisurely game of cricket. Just ensure that you have a few chaps around to keep those pesky wild animals at bay.