Schutztruppe: Heia Safari 1914-1918
Schutztruppe: Heia Safari 1914-1918
Schutztruppe, Heia Safari, 1914-18 delivers an intriguing and detailed look at the East African Guerrilla war, 1914-1918. This is a moderate complexity wargame with detailed naval and supply rules, and a map and order of battle representing the authoritative treatment of the campaign. The overall game presentation is enhanced with a mounted game map and larger 9/16″ counters.
“Heia, heia Safari!” was a call which for four years echoed throughout East Africa. With this call the officers of the Schutztruppe in German East Africa rallied and encouraged their askari in the defense of their country during the First World War. This small force, whose strength never exceeded 3,000 white and 12,000 black soldiers (askari), was opposed by some 300,000 men (150,000 at any one time), comprising British, Indian, Rhodesian, Nigerian, Gold Coast, South African, Belgian and Portuguese troops. Led by Major-General Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck, the Schutztruppe fought within its own home territory for the first three years of the war. During the final year von Lettow-Vorbeck transferred his resistance to Portuguese East Africa and trekked south to within 60 km of Quelimane. He reappeared in Northern Rhodesia in November, 1918, and that is where news of the general armistice that ended the war reached him.
