Congo AAR from my game at Tactica 2017

This is a short AAR from a game of Congo that I had the opportunety to join in on at Sunday morning. I was teamed up with my Finnish friend Teemu to run the White men expedition that had been out searching for a arcefact, some stunning facemask. As we had found it and just had to head back to Europe to casch in a bunch of sawage tribals showed up to stop us...

I have had a couple of test games of Congo and i liked it but didn´t remember much of the rules, one thing I was a bit bothered by was all the markers at the gaming table, BUT the fellows at Spieltrieb Frankfurt that run the game had made custom markers that blended in perfect with the terrain, looked stunning.

At the start the Explorers was trapped in the willage and to "win" we had to get the Face mask of the table at one of the corners. Any of the characters or the Porters could have the face mask from the start, of course Teemu secretly decided to give it to the Female Reporter...what a givaway... any one knows the females will keep the bling-bling ;)

I commanded the Officer and his group of Ruga-Ruga with muskets and I also commanded the group of 3 White Explorers.

Teemu commanded the Female Reporter and hear bodygard of Trained Askaris, as well as a group of Askaris with Muskets and a group of Young Warriors.

All aroud the central village there was sawage african warriors that even brougt their Terror Drum...

Below you can see the Native King and his Feemale frenzied bodyguard.

I really like the activation system in Congo there both sides shoose 3 iniative cards each turn. Each of the cards allow you to do different things like move, shoot or use influence (try to rally your troops or do psyops attacks on the enemy...drum of terror...)

At the begining of the game several of our units was exhausted and even had taken some losses due to fatigue, so we had a hard time to get moving, meaning that the Tribals had a good opportunety to advance and close in on the heroes...

As the natives lacked in shooting we had plentu of opportuneties to shoot at them, but by prioritising to shoot we didn´t move much... so much of the fighting took place in the willage and the close suroundings.

The Officer was a real Hero and commanded his Ruga Ruga bandits well, unfortunate they was armed with Muskets that took time to reload...

All the shooting and fighting and smell of blood had waken up a hungry Lion that started to sneak around and then decided to attack the Native scouts that was holding up the Reporter with the Face mask.

As the Lion attack the Scouts, the Reporter sees her chanse to move forward the table corner... but the natives have sent a unit to cut of her way of retreat...

The giraff was used as a Turn marker :)

Luckely for the Female Reporter the hero of the day, Officer Lament was comming to a rescue and fought of the last tribal unit that was blocking the escape rout for her.

Even only armed with spears and a few muskets the Tribals had done much damage. the group of White Explorers was covering the line of retreat...but danger approached from the left...

As the big Lion tear apart the two remaining White Explorers the female Reporter and Officer Lament managed ti get away with the sacred face mask... leaving their white friends as well as a group of Askaris to the enemie...

The Female Reporter had lost 1 porter and 3 Elite Askaris, Officer Lament only lost 1 Porter, the expedition also lost 3 White Explorers and 2 porters as well as 5 Young Warriors and 5 Askaris in total 3 white men, 4 porters and 13 askaris and warriors... 

The natives lost their King and Drummer of terror as well as about 25 warriors.

Indeed a good victory for Officer Lament, jolly good fighting old chaps:)

Thank you all that participated! It was  a greate game !