Working through the rules...a campaign design update

 

 Yes, reading this book as a teen did inspire me far more than I can ever relate.

Below are a selection from the notes I've written for myself with regard to the tactical rules for my campaign. They do not get into the finer details, but rather provide a broader picture of what I am considering and deciding upon. While I am not avoiding a bit of bookkeeping, I do not want to make these a mathematical exercise, either.

I intend to run everything out of a single binder, with sections for the rules, and then also the status for each nation present in the campaign. I may use one binder for each era, just to keep the details for those more compartmentalized.

I refer to Two Hour Wargames, but the owner has sold off many of the rules that I own, including those (Rally Round the King) from which I intend to rely on their bot as my opponent for most of the games. So, while I believe they still exist, I am unsure as to where and by what name.  If I find out, I will post it here on this blog.

For these armies, I am looking at 10mm, 12mm, and 15/18mm, depending upon what I own and what is available from the various manufacturers and whether or not they produce all the forces needed.

When I eventually get my 4x8 gaming table and terrain set up, where in this house I am as yet unsure, I will make use of the 28mm figures that I have collected for some more picturesque battles.

 

Tactical Rules

A mashup of The Portable Wargame and Hail Caesar or Black Powder, the latter two being dependent upon what era in which the battle is being fought. For unit activation, a chit-pull or card activation system will be utilized, allowing for one to multiple units to activate, but independent of “side”.  So, an activation would be a chit-pull for a Side A battalion, but the next chit-pull could be for a Side B Brigade or perhaps a Side A cavalry regiment; it is up to the luck of the draw. Chits for individual commanders will be included, allowing the player to pick any friendly unit to activate, even if it has already activated that “turn.”

The number of chits pulled in a given turn is determined by a modified die roll.

Each unit is made up of multiple bases, one per SP, and bases are removed as part of combat, contrary to HC/BP. Each unit is a single base, with either a counter or log to track its SPs. Standard units are based at 30mmx60mm, Large at 60mmx60mm, and Small at 30mmx30mm. The unit characteristics from HC/BP are what are used, as are the die rolls.

It is possible that offensive or defensive stances will be included as part of the rules, if so a unit on offensive stance will have +1 die to its combat rolls, a defensive stance will confer +1 die to its saves. Offensive stance requires an advance towards the closest enemy/objective, a defensive stance prohibits movement.

Combat outcomes are modified from PW, though. Each time a unit takes hits in combat, whenever the number of hits equals or exceeds its stamina rating, a casualty check (morale test) with a -1 modifier for each hit greater than the target’s Stamina. Note, other modifiers may also apply.

Possible outcomes are the loss of a one or more bases, retreating, becoming shaken, becoming disordered, and loss of stance.

When a unit is reduced to a single base SP, that base unit can no longer advance towards the enemy table edge and instead must withdraw to its deployment baseline, avoiding any enemy that is in its path. The unit may still conduct fire combat and defend itself in melee, but any casualty check that must be taken will result in base removal its elimination only.

Friendly units that retreat off the table are considered as hors de combat and may not return. They are, therefore, counted towards a side’s losses, when determining army morale status.

A modified version of Two Hour Wargames’ bot system will be utilized for games when there is not an opponent.

After each battle, units that have taken one or more SP losses in bases will regain one base SP, immediately, excepting those which were eliminated in combat, if the army is in supply. If the army is out of supply, no bases are recovered. Once the army returns to being in supply, it may receive one base SP per unit that has suffered losses, regardless of how much time has passed during that campaign season.

There is an economic cost to replacing losses and units, but that is handled elsewhere.