Updated 9/23/02

This is an adaptation of Larry Brom’s The Sword and The Flame Colonial rules set, for use in the Riel Rebellion in Canada during the 1880s. The Jackson Gamers assume that you already know how to play "TSATF". A copy of those rules will be neccesary as the rules below are in semi-outline form.

The Riel Rebellion of 1885 took place in western Canada. The Metis (who were 1/2 Indian and 1/2 white) under Louis Riel, rebelled against the policies of the Canadian government. They were joined by Cree and Blackfoot Indians who were troubled by changes in their culture and land grabs by settlers from the east.

The Metis used Boer style tactics. They formed lagers as they had in their previous skirmishes with the Indians, and made use of trenches and rifle pits against the Canadian militia. Their Indian allies favored hit and run tactics with occasional opportunistic charges similar to U.S. Indians.

The Metis and Indians were well armed, and the Metis should be considered to be very good riflemen - like the Boers.

The Canadian army consisted of hastily raised militia units. The artillery and infantry school units should be considered well trained and similar to British regulars. The infantry were armed with Snider - Enfields and bayonets. The Northwest Mounted Police were armed with revolvers and Winchester carbines.

Various irregular units of armed cowboys were also raised so gamers have a chance to use their wild west figures.

The artillery were armed with 9 lb rifled muzzle-loading guns such as the British used in the Zulu war. A Gatling gun was purchased in the U.S. and used in several battles. It was comanded by an American militia captain from CT. There was even brief naval activity when the Canadian army comandered a steamboat to support an attack on the metis.

Notes on Figures for this period

The RAFM company in Canada (of course!) has a very nice range of true 25mm figures for the Riel Rebellion. My army is made of these plus a few Ral Partha & Frontier figures. Eureka may make Northwest Mounted Pplice in 28mm.

Any Zulu war period British miniatures in a glengarry cap could be used. Redoubt home service British infantry in spiked helmets could be used for the York-Simcoe battalion. RLBPS also carries some home service Brits in glengarries. Boers and U.S "wild west" figures would do for the Metis. Any Plains Indians would work for their Canadian cousins.

Basic Notes on how this variant was derived from The Sword and the Flame

Metis should be treated as Boers in all respects except for low die terrain penalty. Indians should be like Pathan rifles in all respects except they fight in close combat like Pathan spears. NWP, Canadian guns, and infantry school infantry should be like British in all respect. Irregular horse are like Colonial horse. Canadian militia should be like Egyptians. Metis are always in open order unless using a road or crowded into an area. Indians fire in open order and charge in a native mass.

Movement

-

Unit type	Formation	Cross country	On Road	Charge	Road Charge	Rough Terrain	Leaderless to Move
Canadian "School" Infantry	Close or Square	2 D6	-	3 D6	-	Minus the High Die	1-5
Canadian "School" Infantry	March column	3 D6	4 D6	4 D6	5 D6	Minus the High Die	1-5
Canadian "School" Infantry	Open order	3 D6	-	4 D6	-	Minus the High Die	1-5
Canadian Militia Infantry	Close or Square	2 D6	-	3 D6	-	Minus the High Die	1-4
Canadian Militia Infantry	March column	3 D6	4 D6	4 D6	5 D6	Minus the High Die	1-4
Canadian Militia Infantry	Open order	3 D6	-	4 D6	-	Minus the High Die	1-4
Canadian Irregulars Mounted	Any	4 D6	-	5 D6	-	Minus the High Die	1-3
Canadian Irregulars dismounted	Open order Always!	3 D6	-	4 D6	-	Minus the High Die	1-3
Northwest Mounted Police	Any	4 D6	5 D6	5 D6	6 D6	Minus the High Die	1-5
Canadian "School" Artillery	Move & Fire	2 D6	2 D6	-	-	Minus the High Die	1-5
Canadian "School" Artillery	Move Only	3 D6	4 D6	-	-	Minus the High Die	1-5
Indians Dismounted	Open Order or Mass	3 D6	-	4 D6	-	Minus the Low Die	1-4
Indians Mounted	Open Order	4 D6	-	5 D6	-	Minus the Low Die	1-4
Metis Dismounted	Open order	3 D6	-	4 D6	-	Minus the Low Die	1-4
Metis Mounted	Any	4 D6	-	5 D6	-	Minus the Low Die	1-4

Although "road charge" and "road movement" are on the above chart, there really were no roads worthy of the name in the area of operations.

Rally/Charge completion/Stand

Major Morale / Critical & Pinned

* NOTE - These values change for Militia and Irregular units which have had any of their wounded captured by Indians or Metis.

• 2-9 becomes 2-8
• 2-7 becomes 2-6
• 2-6 becomes 2-5

Shooting

NOTES:

• Canadian officers with pistols get two shots per turn. Rial & Indian's pistols are allowed only one shot per turn

Close Combat

The First Riel Rebellion:

When the Hudson Bay Company transferred the land it owned, in what is now southern Manitoba, to the Canadian government in 1869, French-Canadians of Indian ancestry, called metis, feared they would lose their traditional rights to the Red River settlements in the area. Louis Riel (1844-85), of French and metis parentage, led an armed revolt and seized Fort Garry (Winnipeg) in November 1869.

There the Metis set up a provisional government with Riel as president. Fighting occurred between Riel's followers and the English settlers in the region.

British regulars under Colonel Garnet J. Wolseley (1833-1913) were dispatched to suppress the rebels, who gave up Fort Garry without a fight on August 24, 1870. Riel fled the country. The disputed area became part of the province of Manitoba in 1870, and many of the rights Riel demanded, such as separate French schools for the Metis, were guaranteed.

The Second Riel Rebellion:

Metis and Indians moved westward to settle in what is now Saskatchewan, where they fought to retain title to their lands. Upon the appeal of the Metis, Riel returned to lead them in open revolt, which he urged the Indians to join, and set up a provisional government.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, which had been organized in 1873, and the Canadian army joined forces to squelch the rebels. They surrounded Riel's headquarters at Batoche and decisively defeated him on May 12, 1885.

Riel was captured, tried, and hanged for treason, which provoked an outburst of protest among the French-Canadians in Quebec and a bitter controversy over sectarian schools in Manitoba and Quebec

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