In the Heart of Africa - Wargame Rules for the Age of Exploration and Imperialism in Darkest Africa, 1860-1899 (2nd Edition, 1st Printing)

"In the Heart of Africa" is a set of fast-play wargames rules for the period of exploration and imperial conquest in tropical Africa. Chronologically this corresponds roughly to the second half of the 19th century, while geographically it covers the region between the Zambezi River in the south, and the edge of the Sahara Desert in the north - the classic "Darkest Africa" of the explorers. Over the last few years this has become an increasingly popular period for skirmishing, role playing, and conventional wargames. This is not surprising, as it has a number of unique advantages. It rivals the ancient and medieval periods in the enormous variety of possible armies, each with its own distinctive - and often spectacular - appearance. It shares the "Boy's Own Adventure" atmosphere of ordinary colonial gaming, but is far more interesting as a game: the Africans have more tactical options to choose from than the Zulu or Dervish charge, while the Europeans have a less decisive advantage in weaponry. And unlike many exotic and colourful periods it is relatively well known and accessible, with plenty of primary sources available in English - Livingstone, Stanley and several others are still household names to this day.