BITTEREINDER

The Anglo-Boer War

THE IMPERIAL IMPERATIVE

"I have considered the existence of God and decided there is an even chance that He exists. If He does exist, He must be working to a Plan. Therefore, if I am to serve God, I must find out the Plan and do my best to assist Him in its execution.

How to discover the Plan? First look for the race that God has chosen to be the Divine instrument of future evolution.

Unquestionably that is the white race. Whites have clearly come out on top in the struggle for existence and achieved the highest standard of human perfection. Within the white race, English-speaking man, whether British, American, Australian or South African has proved himself to be the most likely instrument of the Divine Plan to spread Justice, Liberty and Peace over the widest possible area of the planet.

Therefore I shall devote the rest of my life to God's purpose, and help Him to make the world English."

Cecil Rhodes, Confession of Faith

This Imperial Imperative, in a rather more pragmatic form, led President Paul Kruger of the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR) to issue an ultimatum on October 9, 1899, demanding:

the withdrawal of British troops on the borders of the ZAR,
discontinuing the British military build-up in South Africa, and
settling all differences between Britain and the ZAR through arbitration.

The Republic of the Orange Free State threw its lot in with their Boer (literal translation: farmers) brethren in the ZAR. At 17:00 on 11 October 1899 the ultimatum expired. The British Empire was at war with the Boers, the white tribe of Africa that found the Imperial Imperative less compelling. The war would straddle the centuries, ending on May 31, 1902. It was a bitter defeat for the Boers, and a victory bereft of glory for the world's mightiest empire. Queen Victoria and Cecil John Rhodes did not live to see it.

Bittereinder is a simulation of the Anglo-Boer War of 1899 to 1902. The two-player game covers the entire war. One player represents the British Empire, and his opponent represents the Boer Republics.

The 11" x 17" map represents the eastern half of South Africa where all of the significant actions took place. The 280 counters represent the combat forces involved in the struggle.

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