"True 25mm" Figures for The Asante War of 1874
Basic units ("Guns") contain 24 Asafo (warriors), consisting of 18
"Gunmen," 4 Sword Bearers, one Drummer, and one Leader)." For each six "Guns" in an Army, one additional unit of 18 warriors
armed only with spears and bows, plus a Drummer and Leader, should be fielded.
Three "Guns" constitute a "Tribe"; which is led by an Asopohene.
This exalted personage is always at least 12" behind the nearest rear rank of his warriors, and will be provided with his
retinue as a set of his own. His presence on the field is crucial to the ability of his
"Guns" to move and fight as he directed them.
Higher still up the Asante tree is the Caboceer who
command as many as three "Tribes" in one action. Like the lower ranking Asopohene's, he is even farther back (at
least another 12") and doesn't expect to move until the victory is won--or his army is clearly defeated.
In which case, as he sits surrounded by his entourage under the largest umbrella of all, perched on his Stool of Rank,
mounted atop a stack of gunpowder barrels, he dramatically lights a fuse--and blows himself to Kingdom Come as the expected
show of penance to his King, the Asantehene.
Full organizational and tactical information on the Asante, presented in terms of
The Sword And The Flame, is available below as "The Asante Resource Supplement."
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