The 1938 A Very British Civil War Facebook Page (see HERE) has recently published (in the "Files" Section of the page) a very interesting - and previously difficult to get hold of - set of rules for the Irish Rebellion (Black and Tan War). Recreating the period on the tabletop was clearly a lifetime fascination for the author, the late Leo Cronin, for the rules have copyright dates of "1968, 2001, 2004" and his Preface begins:
"The Irish Rebellion Wargame was first conceived in 1968 in the minds of Bob Beattie and Steve Manganello, fellow members of the now defunct New England Wargamers Association. Since I was the only "Irishman" in the club, they decided that l should write the rules. From their very basic notes, I put together the rules to be used in the first game and we demonstrated it at the 1968 MFCA ("Miniature Figure Collectors of America") convention and won "Best of Show". It was far ahead of its time with the use of individual figures instead of units. Role playing, personality characteristics, and skirmish gaming were unheard of in those days.
I have run this game over the past thirty years at least fifty times and have found that, for the most part, people really enjoy the ideas and the situations I have developed over the years. My wife has asked me many times to write the rules in a formal manner. Friends have urged me to publish them. Players have asked for copies. Each time I have started to organize the many notes and write the rules, I have failed. After two very good scenarios I ran at HISTORICON 2001, I decided to try again.
It has finally occurred to me that one cannot write the rules; there are far too many variables. The number of varied and sometimes strange situations that have come up over the years led me to that conclusion. Everything from attacks by bulls and dogs, lifting horses over fences. starting vehicles without keys to jumping from moving vehicles, swimming rivers, and using people as human shields have occurred in my games at one time or another. The last game I ran introduced a fox and a skunk to the play. I have decided to set down the very basic rules used; the sequence, movement distances, firing ranges and casualty tables, and a couple of minor points. The rest of the "rules" will consist of "Umpire Guidelines"' to help people to set up and run these games...."
The rules themselves (which have been called "semi-legendary") amount to only 9 pages of text - the rest of the 34 page booklet is devoted to historical information about the period. One sample scenario is included ("The Governor General Rides Again"), where a local IRA Company of 12 figures (armed with 2 pistols, 1 rifle, 1 shotgun and 1 bomb) attempt to assassinate the Viceroy, travelling in a convoy of 2 cars and 3 trucks, carrying the Viceroy and party, 6 Black and Tan figures with carbines, 10 Auxiliaries (1 pistol, 8 rifles, 1 Lewis Gun) and 6 RIC Constables with carbines. The rules note that "...the most typical scenarios would be attacks on a police barracks, ambush of Government forces (road patrols, supply vehicles), police raids on towns or farms to seize weapons or known rebels, or rebels attempts to move weapons from one point to another."
Given the period, weaponry and low figure count, all of this is very translatable to small actions in the Very British Civil War in Herefordshire; particularly now that there are a number of "Intelligence Sections" available for appropriate use (see HERE) and lots of available civilians. Leo Cronin dedicated his rules to "Jack Scruby, Charlie Sweet and Don Featherstone - who early on taught that historical miniatures wargaming should be fun", so the "spirit of the rules" seems entirely consistent with the Hereford1938 flavour. All in all, these rules are well worth a look !
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| Leo Cronin and his Irish Rebellion Wargame, Havoc 2002 Photo from Old Colony Wargamers Website |
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| A few years on from 1968....Bob Beattie and Leo Cronin, Havoc 2002 Photo from Old Colony Wargamers website. |
""Black and Tan War" is the very first skirmish/rpg game ever written. Leo did it for a con in 1969. Up to then, wargames were done by regiments, battalions, etc. It's probably been re-written heavily since its origin, but is a lot of fun, if The Troubles can be called "fun".
It is a VERY unbalanced game. You have the table crawling with heavily armed Crown troops, and almost unarmed Irish "civilians", who have 3 pistols and a shotgun between them, who usually win. The game is almost a metaphor for Mao's "fish swimming in a pond".
You need a large number of civilian, unarmed figures. Number their bases, and give them names. Leo even came up with the concept of NPCs before they became famous. Some of the "civilians" are "not what they seem". Some are IRA, some are informers, some can be both. During the first phase of the turn, the Crown forces can ask the informants for IRA identities. This is done by a card draw, one card for each civilian. Draw one card per informant per turn, and see if they are IRA. Then you have to find them.
Irish forces move all civilians. Crown forces may give civilians orders and search them. Weapons are usually hidden.
Finally, the Crown forces are highly varied. The Royal Irish Constabulary are local boys, and get along fine. The evil Black and Tans and Auxies are scum.
If you get the rules, DO NOT LET YOUR PLAYERS READ THE SCENARIO BOOK!!! That is extremely important, as Leo has an extremely devious mind.
The first game I played, I wanted to be IRA. I asked Leo what the Victory Conditions were. He said "The Governor General is driving through town." "OK. What are my Victory Conditions?" He looked at me like I was daft, and repeated in a louder voice, "The Governor General is riding through town!". "Oh."
Although the rules are written specifically for the Irish War of Independence, the concepts are almost universal, and could be used for many Civil Unrest games. It is very scenario driven, and players who demand even matches with each player getting a brigade with 5 regiments would be better served sticking with that kind of game. Players who cannot grasp the concept that in 1920 the RIC would NOT molest local women during a search should also play something else. Like Black and Tans.
Figure scale is 1:1. The largest group of figures that a Crown player should control is a carload.
You don't want this game for pitched battles. You want it for odd, personal rpg type scenarios."
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