Modifications to Movement...a campaign design update

 

Continuing the series on thought processes of design, for my Imagi-nations campaign. Getting much of the verbiage out of the way before getting to the testing and practice...

The tabletop layout is a square grid, very much like a chessboard, of eight columns and eight rows of 3” squares. Units will have a move allowance of one more squares, based on their HC/BP movement speeds, where one square is equivalent to 6” of movement. Although units in HC/BP can make more than one move during an activation, here they will not, but instead have a chance at multiple activations.

Infantry will move one square per activation, having up to as many as four activations (on a very, very lucky series of draws) in a turn.

Foot artillery will have one activation token, for all artillery on a side; Horse artillery will have two.

Where HC/BP do conflict with this basic foundation, at this point, is with cavalry movement of 9”.  As the tabletop is not large enough to allow a 3” movement = 1 square (which actually fits all systems rather well), given that for most “normal” battles, only one such board is desired, other accommodations must be considered.

The first method of smoothing over this rough patch is to allow cavalry units to move two squares before and two squares after combat, prohibiting cavalry from moving to within two squares of enemy units on their second move.

 

1	C	→	→			E
			①		②
2	C	→	→	→	→			E
			①
3	C	→	→	E
	②		①
4	c	C ↔	↔	E

Looking at this rough (very) diagram, example #1 shows a cavalry unit moving two squares away from an enemy formation on one of its two moves, then halting. Were this its first or second move, then everything is legal. If it was the first move, it is then it cannot move any closer with its second move as such moves are prohibited.

Example #2 shows a cavalry unit using both moves to close on an enemy unit.

Example #3 shows a cavalry unit moving into contact with an enemy unit on its first move and then becoming stuck in combat.

Example #4 shows a cavalry unit moving into very close range or possible contact with an enemy unit and either firing or successfully disengaging and then using its second move to end up further away from the enemy.

While this method does increase the relative ground speed of cavalry over infantry quite considerably, it may also serve to preserve a general balance between the two types of units. Play testing will show indications, one way or another.

Of course, one can also accept that 1 square equals 3” of movement and then use four tabletop boards instead of just one. This would match both movement and shooting ranges exactly, but this defeats the purpose, that a much smaller (and more portable) playing area be sufficient for a wargame.

Alternatively, movement for cavalry can be set at two squares, but all cavalry units would receive twice as many activation tokens as the infantry, giving them more opportunities to move in a single turn. 

Again, play testing is necessary. Something to be dealt with in a couple of weeks.