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2nd Edition
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Terrific game!"
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The Last King of Scotland Standard Game Rules v1.0 1
The African Wars
Standard Game rules
TABLE OF CONTENTS
[0.0] USING THESE RULES ........................ 1
[1.0] INTRODUCTION ................................. 1
[2.0] GAME EQUIPMENT ........................... 1
[3.0] SETTING UP THE GAME .................... 2
[4.0] SEQUENCE OF PLAY .......................... 2
[5.0] INITIATIVE PHASE ............................ 3
[6.0] SUPPLY STEP .................................... 3
[7.0] MOVEMENT STEP ............................. 3
[8.0] ZONES OF CONTROL ......................... 4
[9.0] COMBAT STEP .................................. 5
[10.0] SPECIAL UNIT TYPES ...................... 7
[11.0] HOW TO WIN .................................. 7
[12.0] VARIANT RULES ............................. 7
EXCLUSIVE RULES .............. 8
[0.0] USING THESE RULES
Every game in The African Wars Series
shares these Standard Game Rules. Each game
in the Series also has its own “Exclusive” Rules.
When there is a conflict, the Exclusive Rules
supersede the Standard Rules.
New gaming terms, when initially defined,
appear in dark red lettering for quick
referencing.
The instructions for this game are organized into
major “Rules” sections as shown in large green
CAPS font, and represented by the number to the
left of the decimal point (e.g., Rule 4.0 is the
fourth Rule). These Rules generally explain the
game’s subject matter, its components, the
procedures for play, the game’s core systems,
how to set it up, and how to win.
With each Rule, there can be “Cases” that
further explain a Rule’s general concept or basic
procedure. Cases might also restrict the
application of a Rule by denoting exceptions to
it. Cases (and Subcases) are an extension of a
Rule shown in the way that they are numbered.
For example, Rule 4.1 is the first Case of the
fourth Rule; and Rule 4.1.2 is the second
Subcase of the first Case of the fourth Rule.
Important information is in red text.
References to examples of a Rule or Case are in
blue text and this font.
Text in shaded boxes, like this, provides the
voice of the game’s designer, who is addressing
you to explain an idea or concept that is not,
itself, a Rule or a Case.
[1.0] INTRODUCTION
The modern wars in Africa provide a rich
arena of different and unique gaming
situations beyond WWII in North Africa
(where most wargames have concentrated
their examination of wars in Africa). Some
of these wars were short affairs of a few
months, while others raged for twenty years
or more. Each of these modern African
wars shaped the political and military
future of the continent and they are still
finding their way into today’s headlines.
The African Wars Series provides a
means for understanding these wars that
shaped modern Africa and current world
opinion.
[2.0] GAME EQUIPMENT
The Game Map: The game features a map
showing where the campaign took place.
Superimposed on it is a hexagonal grid to
regulate the placement and movement of
the pieces. Each hex or hexside contains a
certain type of terrain, with various effects
on movement and/or combat as listed on
the game’s Terrain Effects Chart.
Game Scale: Each game in the Series has
its own scales for measuring time, distance
(per hex) and unit aggregation (how many
of what troop types each piece represents)
as stated in the Exclusive Rules section.
The Playing Pieces: The square cardboard
game pieces represent the military
formations that participated. These pieces
are called “units.” The information on the
units is read as shown below:
Combat
Strength
(red =
Heavy
Weapons)
Name Icon
Movement Allowance (red = Special)
Attack
Strength
Defense
Strength
© 2013 Dennis Bishop and Victory Point Games

2 The African Wars Standard Game Rules v1.0
Combat Strength is the relative strength of
a unit when engaging in combat. Some
units have two strengths: the first number is
that unit’s Attack Strength (a 0 value
means that unit cannot attack) and the
second number is that unit’s Defense
Strength. A black number denotes standard
Infantry Weapons (IF), while a red
number denotes Heavy Weapons (HW).
Movement Allowance is the number of
Movement Points that unit can spend to
move in a single Movement Step. A black
number denotes infantry (foot) movement
capability, while a red number denotes
special (Motorized, Armored Infantry,
Armor, or certain types of artillery)
movement capability. These movement
capabilities treat terrain types differently, as
described on the Terrain Effects Chart.
Unit Type designates the dominant troop
type in that formation, as shown by its unit
icon and name. These include Infantry,
Armor, Armored Infantry, Motorized
Infantry, Guerrillas, Camel and Cavalry,
Artillery, Engineer, Air units, etc.
Markers: Certain pieces are not fighting
units, but markers that show the status of
units and denote other important game
information. Some sample markers are
shown below:
Game Charts, Tables, and Tracks: These
are found on the map or the back of this
rules book on the Player Aid:
● The Game Turn Record Track
indicates the current Game Turn.
● The Sequence of Play outlines the
Phases and Steps conducted during each
Player’s turn.
● The Terrain Effects Chart provides
information about the effects of terrain
on movement and combat.
Dice: The game uses six-sided dice to
represent the randomness that affects all
warfare.
[3.0] SETTING UP THE GAME
The players determine which side they will
play. This game’s Exclusive Rules provide
the rest of its set up instructions (see pg.8).
[4.0] SEQUENCE OF PLAY
The game is played over a number of
Game Turns defined in this game’s
Exclusive Rules (see pg.8), each of which
is composed of two Player Phases. During
each Game Turn, the players alternate
maneuvering their units and resolving
combat in the sequence outlined below.
At the conclusion of the last Game Turn,
consult the End Game Victory Conditions
(11.2) and determine the winner.
The Game Turn
A Game Turn is divided into an Initiative
Phase, followed by two Player Activation
Phases, according to this sequence:
The Sequence of Play
1. Initiative Determination Phase: Each
player rolls one die to determine
Initiative (5.0) for the player order.
2. First Player Activation Phase:
A. Supply Step: The First Player notes
the Supply status of each of their
units (6.0).
B. Movement Step: The First Player
places any Reinforcements (7.5) and
may then move their units (7.0).
C. Combat Step: The First Player may
attack with their units (9.0).
3. Second Player Activation Phase:
The Second Player conducts Steps A, B
and C, just as the First Player did,
but with their own units.
4. Housekeeping: After both
players have completed their
Activation Phases, that Game
Turn is over. Advance the
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The Last King of Scotland Standard Game Rules v1.0 3
Game Turn marker one space on the
Game Turn Track. If the last Game Turn
was just completed, check this game’s
Exclusive Rules to determine the winner.
[5.0] INITIATIVE PHASE
Procedure
During the Initiative Determination Phase,
each Player rolls one die (shown as “z”).
If there is a tie, reroll until it is broken.
The Player with the highest die roll chooses
who receives the Initiative (i.e., goes first)
for that turn. The Player with the
Initiative is the First Player and conducts
their Activation Phase first.
[6.0] SUPPLY STEP
General Rule
To perform at their maximum capability,
combat units must be in supply. Each
player traces supply for their units (only) as
the first Step of their Activation Phase.
[6.1] Line of Supply: A unit is in supply
when it is on, or within one (1) hex of (i.e.,
adjacent to), a supply source or a road hex
leading to a supply source.
If tracing supply along a road, that road
must connect the friendly supply source to
the tracing unit, uninterrupted by enemy
units or their Zones of Control unless
friendly units occupy those hexes (see 8.0).
This path of connected road hexes is called
a Line of Supply (LOS) and it is traced
from the friendly supply source forward to
the unit.
[6.2] Supply Sources: Each side’s friendly
supply sources are listed in this game’s
Exclusive Rules.
[6.3] Guerrilla Supply: Guerrilla units
are automatically in supply.
[6.4] In Supply Effects: Supplied units
move and fight at their full values.
[6.5] Out of Supply Effects:
Indicate units that cannot trace a
valid Line of Supply by placing
an Out of Supply (OOS) marker
on them. Every unsupplied unit suffers the
following adverse effects:
Its Movement Allowance is halved,
rounded up (7.0).
It cannot voluntarily enter an Enemy
Zone of Control (8.0).
It cannot participate in an attack (9.0).
Its Defense Strength is reduced by one
(i.e., it rolls one fewer die).
Its Zone of Control (8.0) does not block
enemy Lines of Supply, but its physical
presence in a hex still does.
[7.0] MOVEMENT STEP
General Rule
Each unit has a Movement Allowance
(MA) printed on its counter in the lowerright
corner, in either black text (a “leg”
unit) or red text (a special unit). During
your Movement Step, all of your supplied
units can move up to their printed MA.
Your unsupplied units (6.0) can only move
up to half of their MA, rounded up.
Procedure
A unit expends Movement Points (MPs)
from its Movement Allowance for each hex
it enters, per the cost listed on the game’s
Terrain Effects Chart. As a unit moves, it
traces a path, in any direction or combination
of directions, of contiguous hexes
through the map’s hex grid, paying the MP
cost for each hex entered or hexside
crossed. Units pay the Road cost if they are
entering that hex from a hex containing a
connecting Road hex; otherwise, they pay
the cost of the other terrain in the hex.
Restrictions and Prohibitions
[7.1] Terrain Limitations: Units with a
red MA (i.e., Motorized, Mechanized
Infantry, certain Artillery units, and Tank
units) cannot enter Marsh or Forest hexes
unless they do so by using a Road.
Infantry units can cross a non-bridged
River hexside (bridges exist wherever a
Road crosses a River hexside), but only
© 2013 Dennis Bishop and Victory Point Games

4 The African Wars Standard Game Rules v1.0
when stacked with an Engineer
unit. Note that the Engineer unit
needn’t cross that River hexside
itself to allow infantry units
stacked with it to cross. Engineer units can
freely cross River hexsides themselves.
[7.2] Movement Point Requirement:
Each unit can expend all, some or none of
its MPs each turn. Unused MPs cannot be
accumulated from turn to turn, nor
transferred from unit to unit.
Units without enough MPs to enter a hex
and/or cross a hexside cannot do so, even if
that means such units cannot move at all
during that Movement Step.
[7.3] Sequential Movement: Each unit, or
stack of units, moves separately, and one
unit’s/stack’s movement must be completed
before the next ones can begin.
[7.4] Stacking: A unit can remain
“stacked” with other friendly units, within
the following limitations:
Friendly units cannot enter a hex
containing an enemy unit, nor can
friendly and enemy units stack together.
No more than three friendly units can be
stacked in any hex at the end of a unit’s
movement.
Air units “stack free” and do not count
against the stacking limit. Any number of
friendly Air units can exist in a hex.
The presence of a Road does not affect
the stacking limit in that hex.
Overstacking: When a hex is overstacked
following a retreat from combat (permitted
only under certain Exclusive Rules), their
owner must immediately eliminate units
from that hex sufficient to bring it back
within the stacking limit. If, at the end of a
Player Turn, you discover units to be in
violation of the stacking limit, their owner
must immediately Retreat any units
necessary out of their overstacked hex to an
adjacent safe hex (see 8.4) to satisfy the
stacking requirement.
[7.5] Reinforcements: Reinforcements for
each player are available on the game turn
noted on the back of their counters. They
are placed on their entry hex for free at the
beginning of their owner’s Movement Step
for that turn and conduct movement and
combat as other units on the map do.
[7.5.1] Reinforcement Supply: Newly
arrived reinforcements are In Supply
(6.0) on the turn they arrive. After that
turn, they determine their supply status
normally.
[7.5.2] Blocking Reinforcements: You
can place reinforcement units on the map
in an EZOC, but the presence of an
enemy unit in their entry hex prevents
the placement of those reinforcements.
If an alternative entry hex is not
available, those blocked reinforcement
units are delayed until a future turn when
a valid entry hex for them is available.
[7.5.3] No Voluntary Delay: Reinforcements
cannot be delayed voluntarily.
[8.0] ZONES OF CONTROL
General Rules
Only supplied ground units with a red
Combat Strength
(Heavy Weapons)
and/or a red
Movement Allowance
(Special) exert a Zone
of Control (ZOC)
into the six hexes
adjacent to the hex
they occupy. Units without a red value do
not exert a ZOC. A ZOC represents that
unit’s influence outside of its immediate
area through firepower and/or maneuverability.
ZOCs do not extend across or into
impassable hexsides or hexes. Thus red
Strength units do not exert their ZOC into
non-road connected Marsh or Forest
hexes.
Reminder: Air, Infantry and unsupplied
units never exert a Zone of Control.
Systems Development by Bryan Armor with Alan Emrich

The Last King of Scotland Standard Game Rules v1.0 5
Cases
[8.1] Stop: Units that enter an Enemy Zone
of Control (EZOC) must immediately cease
their movement, regardless of how many
Movement Points they might have remaining.
The ZOCs of friendly units do not affect the
movement of other friendly units.
A friendly unit can exit an EZOC if it
started its movement in that EZOC and it
does not move from that hex directly into
another hex in an EZOC. You cannot move
your units directly from one hex in an
EZOC into another; they must move into a
hex not in an EZOC first, before entering a
new hex in an EZOC.
Units can always exit EZOCs when
instructed by Combat Results (9.0).
[8.2] Blocking Supply: EZOCs block
friendly Lines of Supply (6.1). However,
for the purposes of tracing a Line of
Supply, an EZOC is negated if there is a
friendly unit in that hex. That is, friendly
units negate EZOCs for the purposes of
tracing Lines of Supply.
[8.3] Attacking: During your Combat
Step, your units in EZOCs are not required
to attack. Further, if any of your units
attack, they are not obligated to attack all
enemy units exerting an EZOC upon them.
[8.4] Retreating: A unit cannot retreat into
an EZOC. If forced to do so, it is eliminated
instead. The presence of a friendly unit
in the hex being retreated into does negate
that EZOC for purposes of retreating.
Note that the stacking restrictions apply
immediately after retreats (see 7.4).
[8.5] Placement: Placing Reinforcement
units is unaffected by EZOCs (see 7.5.2)
[9.0] COMBAT STEP
General Rule
During your Movement Step, your units
that are adjacent to enemy units may
initiate attacks. Attacking is completely
voluntary; an attacking unit can attack any
or all adjacent hexes containing enemy
units at the attacking player’s discretion.
When a unit attacks multiple hexes, that is
considered a single Battle and resolved
with one roll of the dice.
Standing Together: When attacked, all
defending units in a hex are attacked
together using their combined strength.
Fatigue: No unit can attack more than
once per Combat Step (exception: via
Momentum Attacks, see 9.7), and no
defending unit (or hex) can be attacked
more than once per Combat Step (except
for a Momentum Attack, again see 9.7).
The Battle Sequence
For each Battle between units, perform
these Steps in their exact order:
A. The Attacker indicates which units are
attacking and which adjacent defending
hex(es) is (are) being attacked (9.1).
B. The Attacker can conduct Air Strikes, if
eligible (see the Exclusive Rules; this Step
is skipped during Momentum Attacks).
Apply the Defender’s losses immediately.
C. Note the total Red, and the total Black
Combat Strengths for both sides’ units in
this Battle. These totals are how many
dice are rolled by each side to resolve the
Battle (9.2).
D. Apply Terrain & Supply Modifiers to
adjust the number of dice rolled (9.3),
hexsides first, and then the Defender’s
terrain, removing Red dice as a priority.
E. Roll dice for Red Combat Strengths and
Black Combat Strengths separately (or
use two different colored sets of dice).
Red Combat Strength (CS) dice score a
Hit on results of 5 and 6; Black
Combat Strength (CS) dice score a Hit
only on results of 6 (9.4).
F. Apply the combat results inflicted by
these ground units, assigning Hits and
Retreats, if applicable (9.5).
G. If desired and eligible, attacking units
that Advanced After Combat (9.6) can
conduct a Momentum Attack (9.7).
© 2013 Dennis Bishop and Victory Point Games

6 The African Wars Standard Game Rules v1.0
Procedure
[9.1] Declare Attacks: The player
declaring the attack during their Combat
Step is the “Attacker” and the other player
is the “Defender,” regardless of the overall
strategic situation.
The Attacker begins their Combat Step by
declaring all of the Battles they will
initiate that turn (i.e., which units will
attack which enemy units, in which hexes)
before any are resolved. Then, each
individual Battle is resolved, one at a time
(plus Momentum Attack follow-ups; see
9.7), in any order the Attacker desires.
A previously-declared Battle for that turn
cannot be called off after seeing the results
of earlier Battles; it must still be conducted!
[9.2] Resolving Combat: A unit’s Combat
Strength is the number of dice it rolls (die
rolls are shown as this symbol: z) in its
effort to score Hits against enemy units.
Most units have a single Combat Strength,
but some have two: e.g., 0/1, or 1/2. The
first number is its “Attack Strength,”
which is the number of dice it rolls when it
is attacking; the second number is its
“Defense Strength” and is used when that
unit is defending. A ‘0’ Attack Strength
means that unit cannot attack, but it does
still defend using its Defense Strength.
[9.3] Terrain/Supply Effects on Combat:
During Step C of the Battle Sequence, refer
to the Terrain Effects Chart. It explains
how terrain affects the current Battle with a
reduction of the number of dice thrown by
the Attacker. These effects are:
[9.3.1] Defending Across Hexsides:
Certain hexsides (e.g., River hexsides),
when between the hex the Attacking
units occupy and any adjacent hexes
occupied by Defending units in that
Battle, subtract the indicated number of
Attacker’s dice, but only from among
those specific units attacking across the
terrain-affected hexsides at that Battle.
After these dice have been subtracted,
check the terrain in the Defender’s hex.
[9.3.2] Defender’s Terrain: After the
hexside terrain dice are subtracted from
the Attacker’s roll, if the targeted
defending hex terrain benefits the
defense, subtract the indicated number of
dice from the Attacker’s total Red +
Black dice that remain. If the defenders
occupy one or more hexes with more
than one different terrain type, apply the
single terrain benefit that is most
advantageous to the Defender.
[9.3.3] Supply: Unsupplied attacking
units cannot attack. Unsupplied defending
units roll one fewer die (i.e., -1 z).
[9.3.4] Red Dice First: Each subtraction
of dice performed must be from the Red
dice (z) in that group first.
[9.3.5] Restricted Attacks: Units with
Red Movement Allowances (i.e., Tank
and Motorized units) can attack into
Marsh and Forest terrain hexes only if a
Road crosses the hexside between their
hex and the Defender’s target hex.
Example: Four units attack a unit in a Forest
hex as illustrated below:
At first, the dice roll sums look pretty good for
the Attacker with z z z + z z attacking
dice versus z
z defending
dice, but it looks
very different
after checking for
terrain effects!
Checking for
hexside effects first (9.3.1), the two green
units are attacking across a River hexside
(shown by the blue arrow) with z z + z. The
River hexside subtracts two dice from among
all the units conducting cross-hexside attacks at
that Battle, and Red dice are always subtracted
first (9.3.4), so the adjusted strength of the
cross-river Attackers is reduced to z.
Next, the terrain in the Defender’s hex itself is
considered (9.3.2). This is then subtracted from
Systems Development by Bryan Armor with Alan Emrich

The Last King of Scotland Standard Game Rules v1.0 7
what remains of the Attacker’s total dice (in this
case: z + z z). The Defender’s Forest
terrain subtracts 1 more of the Attacker’s dice,
and since there is a Red die still in the attack, it
is removed as a first priority (9.3.4).
Therefore, due to the Defender’s strong
position, the Attacker will roll only z z (which,
as you can see, is the same that the defending
units will be rolling back against the Attacker).
[9.4] Combat Dice: Units with Heavy
Weapons (those with a Red CS) score a
Hit on results of 5 and 6. Units with
Infantry Weapons (those with a Black CS)
score a Hit only on results of 6.
Red CS and Black CS dice are resolved
simultaneously. You may wish to use
different colored dice for each to track
more easily their respective Hits.
[9.5] Assigning Hits: Apply all Hits
“simultaneously.” That is, perform all dice
rolls for both sides before applying both
sides’ losses afterward.
The Attacker selects which Defending unit
takes the first Hit (if the Defender suffers
any Hits). Likewise, the Defender selects
which attacking unit takes the first Hit
inflicted in that Battle. After your opponent
assigns your initial Hit, both players then
assign all additional Hits from that Battle
to their own units as they choose.
Generally, each Hit is applied as a unit
elimination (i.e., that unit is permanently
removed from play). Some units, as
specified in the Exclusive Rules, can
Retreat to satisfy a Hit.
You must apply all Hits unless all units on
that side are eliminated.
[9.6] Advance After Combat: When
defending hexes (only, not attacking hexes)
are vacated through Battle eliminations
and/or Retreats, a number of surviving
attacking units that participated in that
Battle up to the stacking limit (7.4) can
immediately occupy the vacated hex. This
is called Advance After Combat, which is
a “free” post-Battle move without supply or
EZOC restrictions (but terrain restrictions
still apply in that units cannot advance into
prohibited terrain or across prohibited
hexsides).
[9.7] Momentum Attacks: Attacking units
that have just Advanced After Combat (9.6)
have the option to conduct an additional
immediate attack against any enemy units
adjacent to their newly-advanced-into hex.
This option must be exercised before the
next scheduled Battle is resolved, if any.
Exercising this option is called launching a
Momentum Attack, and the Momentum
Battle that ensues is an exception to the
restriction that units can only attack or be
attacked once per turn. Momentum Attacks
can be repeated by units that continue to
Advance After Combat following
Momentum Attack Battles.
Important: Skip Step B in the Battle
Sequence for Momentum Attack Battles.
No further Air Strikes are permitted in
support of those units.
[10.0] SPECIAL UNIT TYPES
No Standard rules; see Exclusive Game Rules.
[11.0] HOW TO WIN
No Standard rules; see Exclusive Game Rules.
[12.0] VARIANT RULES
Each game in The African Wars Series
games has its own Exclusive Rules section
(which follows) explaining the above three
Rules sections.
The African Wars
GAME CREDITS
Game System Design: Dennis Bishop
Documentation and Development: Bryan
Armor with Alan Emrich
Art & Graphic Design: Tim Allen
Playtesting: Wulf Corbett, Ian Wakeham, Keith
Mageau, Norm Stewart, Andy Nicoll, James Nolan,
John Stryker, Duncan Rice, Steve Darell, Gary
Cope, Doug Southwell, Scott Peth
Proofreading: Bill Barrett, Ian Wakeham
© 2013 Dennis Bishop and Victory Point Games

8 The African Wars Exclusive Game Rules v1.0
The Last King
of Scotland
The Uganda-Tanzania War of 1978 - 1979
[0.0] EXCLUSIVE RULES
These Exclusive Rules for The Last King
of Scotland, when combined with The
African Wars Series Standard Game
Rules, form the entirety of the rules needed
to play this game.
These Exclusive Rules share the same
numbering sequence as (and are meant to
neatly “overlap”) the Standard Rules.
When there is a conflict, these Exclusive
Rules supersede the Standard Rules.
[1.0] INTRODUCTION
The Last King of Scotland simulates
the Uganda-Tanzania War of 1978 - 1979
that ousted Uganda’s President for Life, Idi
Amin Dada. With a seeming fascination for
all things Scottish, Idi Amin referred to
himself as the “uncrowned king of
Scotland”. When Amin fled Uganda, in a
sense he truly became “The Last King of
Scotland.”
[2.0] GAME EQUIPMENT
Parts Inventory
● 1 11” x 17” paper map
● 1 11” x 17” mounted map (boxed
edition only)
● 85 two-sided game pieces
● 3 Red and 4 Black dice (boxed edition
only)
● 1 Rules booklet
The Game Map: The 11”
x 17” game map portrays
Uganda and northern
Tanzania, where this
campaign took place.
Game Scale: Each map
hex covers 30 miles. Unit
sizes range from platoons
to battalions. Each game
turn is one month of real time.
Opponents: The Ugandan Player controls
Ugandan (black on gray), Libyan (black
on green), and Palestinian Liberation
Army (PLA; green on gray) units.
The Tanzanian Player controls Tanzanian
(black on tan), Mozambique (black on
yellow), and anti-Ugandan Guerrilla
(green on tan) units.
Unit Type designates the dominant troop
type in the formation. These include:
Infantry: soldier silhouettes; black
Movement Allowances
Armor, Armored Infantry, Motorized
Infantry, Artillery: vehicle or artillery
piece silhouette; black or red Combat
Strengths; red Movement
Allowances)
Guerrillas: green soldier
silhouette, “Guerrilla”
designation at the bottom
Engineer: “Engineer”
designation at the bottom
Air units: airplane silhouette; red Combat
Strength (except Mig17); no Movement
Allowance
Dice: The game uses six-sided dice to
represent the randomness that affects all
warfare, but especially this war.
The Ugandan Army was composed of 75%
mercenaries and the Tanzanian Army was
composed of 80% new recruits.
[3.0] SETTING UP THE GAME
Sort the units into their respective sides,
setting aside units with white text (these
are variant units; see 12.0) and then follow
these set up instructions:
[3.1] Ugandan: The Ugandan Player places
the Ugandan units at the starting
locations listed on the back of the
counters. Libyan and other units
come in as reinforcements; place
them on the Game Turn Record Track on
the turns listed on their counter backs.
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The Last King of Scotland Exclusive Game Rules v1.0 9
[3.2] Tanzanian: No units for this side set
up on the map; they all arrive as reinforcements.
Place them on the Game Turn
Record Track on the turns listed on the
backs of their counters.
[5.0] INITIATIVE PHASE
[5.2] First Turn Initiative: The Tanzanians
automatically have the initiative for
the first Game Turn (November, 1978).
[5.3] Tanzanian 1s: If the Tanzanian
Player rolls a 1 during the Initiative
Determination Phase, the Tanzanian
Supply effect occurs (see 6.7).
Example: Both players roll for Initiative, and
both players roll a 1. This invokes the
Tanzanian Supply effect, as per 6.7.
Both players then re-roll for Initiative (to break
the tie, see Standard Rule 5.0). The Tanzanian
Player rolls a 6, while the Ugandan Player
rolls a 4. Thus, the Tanzanians have the
initiative this turn, but 6.7 remains in force,
disallowing any Tanzanian movement!
[6.0] SUPPLY STEP
[6.2] Supply Points:
Uganda: Kampala / Gulu / Nakasongola
Tanzania: Hexes in Tanzania and
Rwanda marked as supply points ()
[6.6] Tanzanian Supplies: Each time that
the Tanzanian Player rolls a 1 during the
Initiative Determination Phase, there is a
breakdown in the Tanzanian supply chain.
Effects: No Tanzanian units can move that
turn (except to Advance After Combat), but
can attack and defend normally. Out of
Supply markers are not required for this
(tracing supply is still performed
separately); all Tanzanian units are simply,
globally incapable of movement in general.
Tanzanian reinforcements do not enter the
map that turn, but must instead wait until
the next turn that the Tanzanian Player does
not roll a 1 during the Initiative Phase.
Due to the distance from the Tanzanian
supply bases to the front, lack of supplies
plagued the Tanzanian offensive
throughout the war.
[7.0] MOVEMENT STEP
Interestingly, Idi Amin wouldn’t allow
Ugandan bridges to be blown; he wanted
them kept intact for his counterattack. This
counterattack never really materialized
except at Lukuya, where it became a mini
Battle of the Bulge that was quickly
contained and eliminated.
Factoid: The Ugandans started the war
with two Bailey Bridges, but never used
them.
[7.4] Stacking: Apply the following
exceptions to the Case that “No more than
three friendly units can be stacked in any
hex at the end of a unit’s movement:”
All Tanzanian units
Brigade IDs
(Infantry, Artillery and
Armor) of the same brigade
can always stack together in a
hex.
All Ugandan units belonging
to the 1st and 2nd Brigades
may always stack with other
units in that same brigade.
The Ugandan’s Libyan
Brigade units can always
stack with each other. These specific
black on green units have their names
underlined.
[7.5] Reinforcements:
[7.5.4] Entry Hexes: Place your newly
arrived reinforcement units at the
beginning of your Movement Step on
their turn of entry, as specified.
Ugandan: As listed on the back of each
reinforcement unit.
Tanzanian: At either
Tanzanian Supply
Point hex.
[7.6] Shock of War:
Ugandan-controlled units cannot move
(only, they can still conduct Combat,
© 2013 Dennis Bishop and Victory Point Games

10 The African Wars Exclusive Game Rules v1.0
Advance After Combat, make Momentum
Attacks, etc.) until a Tanzanian unit
occupies or passes through a Town or City
hex in Uganda.
Once this has occurred, all Ugandancontrolled
units are free to move normally
for the rest of the game.
[9.0] COMBAT STEP
[9.5] Assigning Hits: Generally, each Hit
is applied as a unit elimination (i.e., that
unit is permanently removed from play). In
The Last King of Scotland, the
following units, as denoted by a black
outline around their Movement Allowance,
can Retreat to satisfy a Hit:
If either of the Revolutionary Suicide
Force (RSF) units or the Simba unit
receives a Hit, the Ugandan Player can
choose to negate that Hit by Retreating
(8.4) that unit two hexes. It must retreat
away from the enemy unit(s) inflicting that
Hit, and it cannot retreat across prohibited
hexsides or into prohibited hexes (i.e., ones
which it could normally not move through
or into).
Only one such Retreat per unit is allowed
per Battle Sequence, and a second Hit
applied to that unit during the same Battle
Sequence eliminates it.
Example: The Ugandan RSF battalion is
defending against the Tanzanian 207th
Armored unit. The 207th rolls a 5 and a 6,
scoring two Hits. The Ugandan Player chooses
to apply the first Hit as a Retreat, falling back
with this unit two hexes. However, there is a
second Hit to assign, and with no other
Ugandan unit available to absorb it, the RSF
battalion is eliminated.
[10.0] SPECIAL UNIT TYPES
[10.1] Units That Can Retreat:
Per 9.5 above, the Ugandan
Simba and RSF units can negate
Hits against them by retreating.
[10.2] Engineer Units: The Tanzanian 1st
and 20th infantry units have an “Engineer”
designation as shown here. At any Battle in
which they are involved, these units can
negate one Combat Terrain Effect (total,
not each) for any single set of attack or
defense die rolls. This Engineer effect is
applicable up to once per Battle Sequence.
[10.3] Idi Amin: The removal of the Idi
Amin counter creates some special effects.
Once the Tanzanian Player
occupies Kampala with the
UNLA Guerrilla unit, and for as
long as it remains there, the
Ugandan Player rolls a die at the
beginning of each turn following
the occupation of that hex. On a
die roll of 5 or 6, Idi Amin
flees the country and the Idi Amin unit is
removed from play (i.e., eliminated for all
game purposes).
Effect: At the beginning of each Ugandan
Supply Step turn after Idi Amin is
eliminated (for whatever reason), the
Ugandan Player rolls one die and removes
(eliminates) that number of units from the
map. These “fleeing” units can be
Ugandan, Libyan, and/or PLA.
[10.4] Guerrilla Units: The three
Guerrilla units in the game (the PLA,
UNLA, and KM Sperforce units with the
dark green icons) are always in supply for
movement and combat (6.3).
[10.5] Air Units: If you choose to play
with the Air Game variant (12.1), use the
following instructions:
Systems Development by Bryan Armor with Alan Emrich

The Last King of Scotland Exclusive Game Rules v1.0 11
[10.5.1] Air Unit Availability: The
Ugandan Player begins the
game with three Ugandan
Air units.
At the end of each
Tanzanian Movement Step, the
Ugandan Player must eliminate one Air
unit of their choice each time an Airbase
is occupied by a Tanzanian ground unit
for the first time. These Air units never
return to play, even if Ugandan ground
units reoccupy an Airbase hex or the
Tanzanian units subsequently leave it on
a future turn.
Historically, Ugandan aircraft were either
captured intact on the airfield (this
happened at two airfields), or the pilots
deserted and flew their planes to the Sudan.
Ugandan-controlled Libyan Air units are
a different matter. They are always
available so long as one Airbase is
Ugandan controlled. That is, Libyan
aircraft are removed from the game only
at the end of the Tanzanian Movement
Step, when the last Ugandan Airbase has
been conquered.
The Tanzanian Player places all their
aircraft in the Tanzanian People’s
Defense Force (TPDF)
Air Wing box on the map.
The Ugandan Player can
never capture or occupy
this box.
[10.5.2] Air Strikes: During your Battle
Step B, you may call in an Air Strike.
Each of your Air units in play can
participate in only one of the Battles that
you initiate that turn. Your opponent
cannot conduct Air Strikes; only you,
the Attacker, can do that.
Procedure: To perform an Air Strike,
place one or more of your available Air
units in the Defender’s hex during your
Battle Step B. Conduct and resolve their
Combat Dice immediately (as per 9.4),
including the application of any Hits
they inflict (exactly as per 9.5) before
proceeding to Battle Step C. This can
reduce the Defender’s strength prior to
conducting the actual ground combat!
At the end of Battle Step B, return those
Air units used in that Air Strike to the
TPDF box (for the Tanzanians) or any
Ugandan-controlled Airbase hex (for the
Ugandan side).
[10.5.3] Air Unit Limits: There is no
limit to how many air units can conduct
an Air Strike in a single Battle.
Air units cannot participate in
Momentum Attacks (9.7).
You cannot launch an Air Strike
against the TPDF box or an Airbase
hex with only Air units located there.
[10.5.4] TEC Effects on Air Units:
Hexside and hex terrain modifiers do not
apply to Air Strikes.
[10.5.5] Air Units Defending an
Airbase Hex: Ground units attacking a
hex containing only opposing Air units
win an automatic victory in that Battle.
Those defending Air units are destroyed
and the Attacker can Advance After
Combat (9.6), etc. If ground units also
occupy the defending Airbase hex, the
Air units do not contribute to the defense
in any way (i.e., they do not throw dice
nor can they absorb Hits). If the attacking
units Advance After Combat into that
hex, the Air units there are destroyed.
This war was remarkable in that there
was little “dogfighting” during the entire
conflict.
[11.0] HOW TO WIN
[11.1] Decisive Victory: The Tanzanian
Player wins an immediate, game-ending
Decisive Victory if, at the end of any
Player Phase, the Tanzanian player
occupies Kampala and Arua (regardless of
supply status).
The Ugandan Player wins an immediate,
game-ending Decisive Victory if, at the
© 2013 Dennis Bishop and Victory Point Games

12 The African Wars Exclusive Game Rules v1.0
end of any Ugandan Phase, there are no In-
Supply Tanzanian units on the map inside
Uganda.
[11.2] End Game Victory: If, at the end
of Game Turn 8 (June 1979), the Ugandan
Player has at least one unit in each of
Kampala and Arua, the Ugandan Player
wins the game.
If, at the end of the Game Turn 8, there are
no Ugandan or Libyan units in Uganda, and
the Tanzanian Player has at least one unit in
each of Kaabong, Tororo, Kampala, and
Arua, the Tanzanian Player wins the game
(the historical outcome).
[11.3] End Game Draw: If neither of the
above End Game Victory conditions is met,
the game ends in a Draw.
[12.0] VARIANT RULES
Any or all Optional Rules can be added by
mutual agreement before commencing
play, and in any combination desired.
[12.1] The Air Game: See 10.5 for how to
play using the Air units.
Set Up: The Ugandan Player places the
three Ugandan Air units, one each, in the
hexes containing an Airbase.
The Libyan Air unit (shown
here) is placed on Turn 4 of
the Game Turn Track. Place it
at any Ugandan-controlled
Airbase hex when it arrives.
When the three Tanzanian Air units enter
play on Turn 1, place them in the TPDF
Air Wing Holding box.
[12.1.1] More Libyan Air Support #1:
Substitute the stronger, 2-
Strength Tu-22B unit.
It is possible that Libya
might have sent the entire
1110th Squadron to Libya.
[12.1.2] More Libyan Air Support #2:
Add the Libyan Mirage
5DR Air unit as a Game
Turn 4 reinforcement. Place
it at any Ugandan-controlled Airbase
hex when it arrives.
The Libyan 1011th Squadron was
known to be in Chad in 1979-80. It could
have been sent to reinforce the 1110th
Squadron.
[12.2] Increased Libyan Ground
Reinforcements: If this option is chosen,
the Islamic Legion ground units enter on
Game Turn 4 in any hex on the Ugandan
northern border containing a road that exits
the map to the north.
Gaddafi planned and organized the Islamic
Pan-African Legion in 1978 with the
intention of using it as a Foreign Legion to
send to other countries in conflict. In 1979,
the Legion operated successfully in Chad,
and could have been sent to Uganda to
support Idi Amin.
[12.3] Ugandan Paratroops: If this unit
begins the Ugandan Player’s Movement
Step: A) in supply, B) on an
Airbase hex, and C) not in an
EZOC, the Ugandan Player can
move it that turn by placing it in
any hex in Uganda not occupied by an
opposing unit. It can move no further that
turn after making this “airdrop.”
It remains in supply on that turn, but
afterwards it needs supply normally. After
dropping, until its supply line is re-established,
its Movement Allowance is reduced
to 0 (not just halved for being unsupplied).
The Ugandan 2nd Parachute Battalion
was trained to make combat jumps. In
1979, it could have been inserted by air
anywhere in Uganda.
[12.4] Tanzanian Tanks: To balance the
game, allow the Tanzanian player only two
of their five Tank companies. Mix them
together and randomly choose which two
remain in play, setting the other three aside.
The number of Tanzanian tanks in this
campaign remains a subject of debate.
Systems Development by Bryan Armor with Alan Emrich

The Last King of Scotland Exclusive Game Rules v1.0 13
[12.5] Tanzanian Artillery:
Allow the Tanzanian Artillery
unit to have a range of two hexes.
These hexes do not include the
hex occupied by the Artillery counter.
The Tanzanian artillery continued to be
ineffective due to the lack of use of forward
observers.
[12.6] Ugandan Artillery:
Allow the Ugandan Artillery
unit to have a range of two hexes.
These hexes do not include the
hex occupied by the Artillery counter.
Also, allow the Ugandan Artillery unit a
Special Movement Allowance of 6. This
means the unit has the same restrictions as
Artillery but must pay the road movement
costs (1/2) of an Infantry unit.
The 1st Artillery Battalion became
immobile when its vehicles disappeared
early in the war.
[13.0] HISTORICAL NOTES
Several old TIME and NEWSWEEK
magazines yielded a series of articles on a war
going on in Uganda. Reading these articles, it
didn’t seem like much of a war. Mostly the
triumphant Tanzanian People’s Defense
Force mopped up a rather disorganized and
pathetic Ugandan defense while the villain,
Uganda’s Idi Amin Dada,
having first challenged
Tanzanian President
Nyerere to a boxing match,
later fled to some Arab
nation. However, there was
much more to the story than
the casual reader might
suspect. During the past 34 years, my research
ebbed and flowed, but the advent of the
internet greatly facilitated the research in
disclosing a much different story.
The first choices I made concerned the
game’s map. Uganda is an oddly shaped
country with few paved roads in 1979. Lake
Victoria contributes to this shape. At the time
of the war there were twenty-two barracks
(former British forts) in Uganda which are not
present on the map. There were also more
airports than depicted, but I chose the most
historically important airbases. There are
several other map features that I abstracted to
fit the scale.
The second important choice I made
concerned the combat system. Common
wargame combat resolution systems did not
fit the picture my research revealed. So, I
discarded them in favor of the “fistful of dice”
approach. My reason is that none of the
combatants had troops involved whom they
could completely rely upon. In order to
properly model instances where troops
precipitously fled and later resolutely stood, I
felt that the random results of several dice
created the right feel.
The last important choice I made concerned
the logistic systems of the combatants. The
Ugandan army fell apart as its command
system dissolved, while the Tanzanian Army
completely out-stripped its logistic and
command system. Both of these models
determined the length of the game.
In the end, I hope that this game not only
entertains, but sheds some light on this little
known conflict in an objective way not
previously explored on this subject.
The title of the game comes from the 2006
British drama film based on Giles Foden’s
novel. I have not attempted to vilify, nor
glorify, one side or the other. The deposing of
a “blood-thirsty tyrant” satisfied most
observers in 1979. However, the results of
that small war continue in the headlines today
because the causes for this war have still not
been resolved.
The Last King of Scotland
GAME CREDITS
Game System Design: Dennis Bishop
Documentation and Development: Bryan
Armor with Alan Emrich
Art & Graphic Design: Tim Allen
Playtesting: Wulf Corbett, Ian Wakeham, Keith
Mageau, Norm Stewart, Andy Nicoll, James Nolan,
John Stryker, Duncan Rice, Steve Darell, Gary
Cope, Doug Southwell, Scott Peth
Proofreading: Bill Barrett, Ian Wakeham
© 2013 Dennis Bishop and Victory Point Games

The Last King of Scotland
Reference Sheet
Sequence of Play
1. Initiative Determination Phase: Each
player rolls one die (z) to determine the player order
2. First Player Activation Phase:
A. Supply Step (6.0)
B. Movement Step: Receive Reinforcements
(7.5) and then move units (7.0)
C. Combat Step (9.0)
3. Second Player Activation Phase: The
Second Player conducts Steps A, B and C (above).
4. Housekeeping: Advance the Game Turn
marker one space. If the last Game Turn was just
completed, check to determine the winner.
Out of Supply
Unsupplied units suffer the following adverse effects:
• Movement Allowance is halved,
rounded up (7.0)
• Cannot voluntarily enter
an EZOC (8.0)
• Cannot attack (9.0)
• -1 Defense Strength
• If it has a ZOC (8.0), that ZOC does
not block enemy Lines of Supply.
Out of
Supply
Battle Sequence
The Attacker begins their Combat Step by declaring all of
the Battles they will initiate that turn before resolving any.
A. Attacker indicates which Battle is being resolved (9.1).
B. Attacker conducts Air Strikes, if eligible. Apply the
Defender’s losses immediately.
C. Note the total Red, and the total Black Combat
Strengths (CS) for both sides’ units in this Battle (9.2).
D. Apply Terrain & Supply Modifiers (9.3), hexsides first,
and then the Defender’s terrain, removing Red dice
(z) as a priority.
E. Roll dice for Red CS and Black CS separately:
z = Hits on 5 or 6; z = Hits on 6 only (9.4).
F. Assigning and apply Hits and Retreats (9.5).
G. If desired, attacking units that Advanced After
Combat (9.6) can conduct a Momentum Attack (9.7).
Eligible to Retreat
The following units, as denoted by a black outline around
their Movement Allowance, can Retreat to satisfy a Hit;
Retreating units must Retreat 2 hexes away from Attacker:
1st Bde.
Revolutionary
Suicide Force
2
6
1st Bde.
Revolutionary
Suicide Force
2
6
2nd Bde.
1
Simba6
Idi Amin
0
1
6
The removal of the Idi Amin counter creates some special effects (10.3):
Once the Tanzanian Player occupies Kampala with the UNLA
Guerrilla unit, and for as long as it remains there, the Ugandan
Player rolls a die at the beginning of each turn following the
occupation of that hex. On a die roll of 5 or 6, Idi Amin flees the country
and the Idi Amin unit is removed from play (i.e., eliminated for all game purposes).
Effect: At the beginning of each Ugandan Supply Step turn after Idi Amin is eliminated
(for whatever reason), the Ugandan Player rolls one die and removes (eliminates) that
number of units from the map. These “fleeing” units can be Ugandan, Libyan, and/or PLA.
UNLA
Guerrilla
0
1
4
© 2013 Dennis Bishop and Victory Point Games