The Lord of the Ring User Convention at the Kauzenburg slowly develops into a historical wargame convention. The convention is held every january in Bad Kreuznach in an old castle. The location is beautiful and absolutely worth a visit.

I had the chance to make some participation games for Triumph and Tragedy at the Kauzenburg.

We played two adventures and linked them. The Ivory Gauntlet and Last Stand at Buro Falls. Both scenarios can be found at the download section.

I made seven games in total and all were a blast. Thanks to the gamers who explored Darkest Africa.

The following pictures are all from "The last stand" scenario. I made slight changes. The reinforcement do not arrive on foot they come with a little river steamer. I thought that would be more dramatic. We also played with the small arms vs. cover special rule. The size of the table was reduced to 90 cm to 120 cm. A good choice for a convention game. The players were immediately into action.

The table

I can hear the drums beating. The natives are about to attack Sir! Defend the obstacles. Man the gun.Save ammunition. Make every shot count.

The smaller table made it easier for the attacker to swarm out of the jungle. The attack was thrown against the hastely piled fortification. Arrows cut the flesh of the defenders and rifle fire cracked through the steaming air.

The gun crew worked hard. The Askaris were covered in sweat and gunsmoke. They fired explosive shells into the naked black wave of savagery.

War cries and the sound of drums froze the defenders. With panic they faced there doom.

The natives struck down the defenders at the wall and drove them back to the river. The last survivors fought desperately at the river banks and on the roof of Buro Station. There was no sign of the relief force...Molto Cortese pointed his gun at the Shaman. His last bullet must hit home or all was lost.

Pictures by Frank Becker and Frank Picolin.
All Figures are Foundry from my Darkest Africa collection!

Nearly all players used the same tactics. Save the crack arab unit, fire from good cover with the native musket and bowmen and hope for hits. The sniper wasnt that succesful against the hero. One player used the sniper against the askaris or the cannon crew The result was much better. The large unit of spearmen was always used for a charge and also very succesful. But with no support by either bowmen or arabs the charge was usually repulsed at the river bank.