Rule Structure
There are two sets of rules really - the Security Forces (SF) rules and Game Control Rules.
The preferred way of playing the game is with one or more umpires and a group of say, 4-6 players (but there are other ways of setting up the game - see later).
The players all represent the Security Forces and are given a copy of the SF Rules.
They will not normally see the Game Control Rules during the game - they cannot therefore calculate accurately the responses of crowds - reflecting the uncertainty inherent in this sort of situation.
The players should, as far as possible, be organized into a command structure, with a clear overall police commander, and a chain of command. Where other services are involved, the relationships between the police, fire services, military etc will usually be set out in the scenario briefing.
The umpires will have set up the scenario and will have available the full rules. They will move all the non-player figures and models (both police and crowd), and will adjudicate the state of the crowd - it’s actions, reactions etc. The umpires are important to the game because they must breathe life into the reactions generated by the rules. However, it is important to note that the umpires are not the crowd. Their decisions must reflect the spirit of the rules on crowd behavior, modified if necessary by their own knowledge, experience and research. They must ensure that the players reap the full benefit of good and sensible actions, and that they suffer appropriate consequences for blunders. The umpire is not there to destroy the players, or give them a hard time - unless they have brought it on themselves by their actions.
In practice, depending on umpire experience, we have found you need one umpire for every 3-4 players - there is quite a lot to do.
This game can also be played quite successfully as a solo game. To be most successful played solo it needs plenty of time to work through all the actions.
I have omitted the crowd role for players because a rioting crowd is, by definition, uncontrollable. It would therefore be absurd for the crowd to move and act in any sort of coherent, directed, co-ordinated manner - which would be the case if there were a player involved.
Of course, there would be a role for criminals, terrorists or other ‘direct action’ protesters in some scenarios - but they would generally only have a small unit in amongst an uncontrolled riot over which they have no influence - but which they might use for cover.
UMPIRE’S (CROWD) RULE SET
The Player Role
Players are particular individuals, represented by personal figures on the table-top. Their location and what they can see or be aware of is crucial to the game - umpires can, if they wish, remove units or models from the table if they are unseen by the player’s personal figure.
Of course, the player might get radio reports - but that isn’t the same as seeing it for yourself. Just how strict the umpire is about visibility will depend on how easy it is for them to keep track of unseen units.
Player Actions
The key thing a player has to do is decide what action to take during a turn. Moving about at the walk is not an action.
The normal range of actions would be:
- Communicate on the radio or telephone
Have a conversation with someone next to them
Shout orders to a unit within earshot
Take one personal action (fire your gun, hit someone, drive a vehicle etc).
Run somewhere
Negotiate with a crowd
Only one of these can be done in any given turn. Sometimes its helpful to draw up some cards for players to put down, indicating what they’re doing. Note that players are not allowed to discuss their situation with one another unless they do so as an action (which means that time spend discussing it is time lost…)
Scales
- Time Scale: 1 turn = a few minutes
Distance Scale: 1” = 2 meters
Figure/model scale: Police and security forces 1:1
Vehicles and equipment 1:1
Civilians en masse 1:5
Types of Unit
Unit Represented by Regular Police Patrol - ordinary, lightly equipped police. May be armed if that is appropriate for the country they’re in. Groups of police figures. Generally this will be a car load of 4, or a van load of 8. If on foot, group in units of 10.
Regular Police with Riot Gear - same as Patrol, but with riot shields, batons, tear gas and some specialist equipment, and they have done a course on how to use them. Not as good at it as the specialists.Tend to be in van loads of 8, or foot groups of 10.
Specialist SWAT Team - generally better at shooting things and storming buildings. Equipped with a vast array of weaponry - sometime have their own armored vehicles. They tend to do nothing else, so tend to be poor at general police duties, sub-lethal operations and public relations tend to be in van loads of 8, or foot groups of 10.
Specialist Anti-Riot Team - trained to deal with violence in a sub-lethal way. Specialists in organized hand to hand fighting - snatch-squad type arrests and controlling violent crowds. They tend to do nothing else, so tend to be poor at general police duties and public relations.Tend to be in van loads of 8, or foot groups of 10. Snatch squads are usually 4-6 men.
Mounted Regular Police - officers on horses. The horses and riders are trained for crowd control, though less effective against very violent crowds they are very effective against generally milling crowds.Based on units of 8-10. Trained to operate in pairs on the streets.
Mounted Riot Police - specialists at riot control from horseback. The horses are armored as are the riders. Trained to conduct cavalry charge type attacks on rioters.Based on units of 8-10.
Part Time Soldiers or Conscripts - basically regular guys with guns, or unenthusiastic soldiers. No training for dealing with the public, so are not good at it. Difficult to control, especially if allowed to carry loaded weapons. Best use in providing manpower to guard areas that are fairly unimportant.Usually deployed in platoons (of 20-30), but sections might be used (8-10 men). Can be broken down into 4-man groups for key point guarding.
Regular Soldiers - Trained regulars. Disciplined and will be fairly easy to control. However, they are more likely use excessive violence if under pressure.Usually deployed in platoons (of 20-30), but sections might be used (8-10 men). Can be broken down into 4-man groups for key point guarding.
Regular Soldiers with Riot Training - treat as basically the same as Specialist Anti-Riot Team.Usually deployed in platoons (of 20-30), but sections might be used (8-10 men).
Special Forces - no use at all in a riot - but might be called in if there were a terrorist incident likely.Whatever you want - usually in 4-man specialist teams.
Firefighters - crews of fire engines trained to deal with fires.Based on a single fire engine and 6 crew.
Paramedics - crews of ambulances trained to deal with serious casualties.Based on a single ambulance with 2 paramedics.
Crowds - lots of innocent civilians meeting to legitimately express their objection to something (usually the police or security forces, but it could be anything).Groups of 20-30 individual figures. A crowd is treated as a unit, but crowd groups can flow into and through each other, or merge or split as circumstances develop.
Sequence of Action
This sequence of action is a guide to working things out - sometimes the sequence can be altered, if that makes more sense in a complex situation.
- 1. Players give the umpire(s) notice of their general intentions for the coming turn. They will be expected to stick to the spirit of these intentions, even though their exact execution may be modified by events during the turn.
2. Movement (by the umpire) of all non-player and crowd figures. Subordinate units will act in accordance with their last orders, or on their discretion if there are no orders. Players should not need to be issuing order every turn.
3. Movement of the player’s personal figures (this can be done by the player concerned).
4. Resolution of firing or fights or negotiations (if any). Test for SF over-reaction.
5. Players may take an action (See above ACTIONS).
6. Umpire assesses the outcome for the turn (such things as crowd status changes, moving neutral things like innocent passers by etc).
Movement
Vehicles
These are treated slightly differently, because a cars or a van can cover a lot of ground in one turn, compared to a man on foot, especially because the table top usually represents an area only a few hundred meters across. Most vehicles can move any distance at all in one turn, but there are penalties for starting up from stationary. Vehicles must be stationary for the occupants to mount or dismount.
| Vehicle Type | First movement from stationary | Other limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Car | 12” | - |
| Van | 10” | - |
| Wheeled armoured vehicle | 8” | - |
| Tracked armoured vehicle | 6” | Cannot make fast sharp turns of more than 90 degrees - risk of shedding a track |
| Bicycle | 8” | Maximum movement distance 24” |
| Motorcycle | 16” | Dismounting takes a turn unless the rider drops the bike - small chance of damage |
Crowds
Crowds move about at random - and the speed they move is determined by their Response Level or RL (pronounced ‘rile’ - see later). The more ‘riled’ they are the faster they move, generally. You will see movement distances in the RL table later.
They tend to move at random, drifting towards or away from security forces. Exactly how they move will depend on the street layout and their scenario objectives (for example a crowd may be there to protest outside the American Embassy - in this situation, all other factors being equal they will try to get closer to the Embassy).
Where there is a choice of route, roll a die to determine which way they go. In general, crowds will not move closer to the sound of gunfire.
In laying out the crowd, try to make sure they are not too widely spread out - any density from around 1” apart down to packed tightly together is acceptable (again depending on circumstances). Regular lines or blocks or formations of civilians are not acceptable.
Response Level (RL)
“It was just a way of showing the system that we’d had enough” - 1981 Brixton rioter, speaking in 2001 The rioters are composed of a number of crowds of 20-30 figures. All crowd actions and reactions are in terms of the actions of these crowd units. It is not necessary to precisely define the size and composition of a crowd unit and it is entirely reasonable for a crowd to split in two, or for two crowds to combine if the circumstances suggest it would be reasonable. The overall impression of an amorphous mass should be encourage and maintained as far as possible. To monitor the state of a crowd it is given a Response Level, or RL (pronounced “rile”).
RL State Chart
Roll 1d6 per crowd and add factors below, under the following circumstances: SF charge, threaten, shoot at, or otherwise try to influence the crowd; Additional SF forces come into view; Any other dramatic change in the situation...
| RL STATE | What is happening to the crowd | How it moves |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Disperse | Crowd breaks up into individuals and runs off in as many different directions as possible. If circumstance permit some individuals may rejoin still active crowds. Once dispersed a crowd will not reform. If there is no escape, go to Level 7. Roll 2d6” - each individual moves that far away from and SF in sight, or to the nearest escape route from the table. |
| 2 | Run Away | From SF in sight. If no SF in sight, go to Level 4. If surrounded and unable to run, go to level 6. Roll 2d6” - each individual moves that far away from and SF in sight. |
| 3 | Move Along | Walk away from SF positions in sight. If no SF in sight then go to Level 4. If surrounded and unable to move away then go to Level 5Roll 1d6” for how far each individual moves. |
| 4 | Paused | Remain in present position - subject to random drift. Continued low key demonstrating, but do not harangue the SF much. Sullen milling about.Roll d6 for direction of a small shift in position. |
| 5 | Demonstrate | Remain mostly doing what they started to do, except where physically blocked. Will harangue the police (from a distance). Will not move closer than 3” to SF.1d6” movement, if appropriate. |
| 6 | Hassle | Put pressure on the SF by closing with the SF lines and engaging in close range abuse and hassle. Roll 6 on 1d6 to engage in random minor property damage. Will move back if threatened or pushed by SF. If police out of reach will throw things.1d6” to close with police lines. |
| 7 | Bombard | Keep within throwing distance of the SF and continue throwing bricks bottles (and petrol bombs if available). If SF withdraw, then may close the range. If SF close for contact 1d6 for numbers prepared to stand and fight. If no SF in sight will damage property. Looting is possible. Movement to conform to SF moves up to 2d6” |
| 8 | Attack | The most violent level. The crowd will attempt to charge and break through SF lines. Roll 2d6 for number of individuals prepared to engage in hand to hand (as opposed to barging past or pushing and shoving). The crowd is likely to break up - as some will get involved in fights, others will force through or round the SF. If no SF to intervene will engage in serious property damage burning / turning over cars, starting fires etc. If prevented from reaching SF with continue to bombard. Looting is possible. 2d6” movement. |
Crowd Condition: Crowd is ‘damp’ -1; Crowd is ‘soaked’ -2; Each crowd member arrested -1.
Crowd Situation: Visibly outnumbered by SF -3; Each adjacent crowd at a higher RL+1; Each adjacent crowd at a lower RL -1; Each adjacent crowd actually running away-1;
SF Actions: Ordinary police or soldiers in sight withdrawing +; Ordinary police or soldiers charging the crowd -1; Specialist Riot forces withdrawing +2; Specialist Riot forces charging -2; Specialist Riot forces or mounted police appear for the first time +2; Mounted police charging the crowd -3; In effective Tear Gas cloud -2; In effective CS gas cloud -3.
Being Shot at: Shot at by baton gun or other ‘non-lethal’ firearm -1; Shot at by single shot firearms -3; Shot at by automatic firearms -4; First casualty from firearms -2; Each subsequent casualty from firearms -1.
NOTE: It is helpful to put a numbered marker by each crowd to indicate to everyone it’s RL state - though SF player need not know the exact implications in the table above - they can be told that 8 = bad, and 1=good from their point of view. The overall response and mood of the crowd is something that is extremely obvious.
Looting
Looting is often a by-product of a riot. Looters tend not to be the same sort of people as those on the streets fighting. They may, however, go along with a crowd as opportunists, or even form their own crowds. This will depend on the scenario - a riot in a city centre will have more looters and an anti-nuclear riot in the countryside. You can either assume that every crowd has 1d6 looters in it, or you can form specific separate Looter Crowds (the SF must not know which are looters and which are rioters though).
Looter Crowds: These move as normal crowds, except that their objective is to hang around stores and places with loot until their level reaches a stage that they will take the chance of looting. They will normally be behind normal crowds, and will always move away from SF and avoid confrontation.
Once their RL permits looting, they smash their way in and loot a place. If it has already been looted, they start fires.
Looting takes a variable amount of time, depending on the quality of valuables to be taken, and the number of looters. You can use the current property value as a guide (see Property Value, below), or assign a number Loot Units, to a property. This will be 50% of the property value, or a figure between 5 and 50.
It takes one turn for the crowd to break in. After that the crowd loots one Loot Unit per looter per turn. Each looter can carry one Loot Unit, and will attempt to leave once that has been acquired. We use small Lego bricks to help represent figures with loot.
Optional add-on: In some situations it was known for people to drive their pickups into town and load them up with loot. In this case, a car can carry 5 Loot Units and a Van 10.
Once looted they attempt to leave the area at 1d6” a turn, burdened by their loot. If the SF see a looter crowd escaping with its loot, they will be told that it’s a crowd of people carrying stereos and TVs or whatever. Looters in Normal Crowds: When a crowd reaches a level that permits looting, 1d6 members of the crowd break off and rob the nearest shops, and attempt to escape as above. These are a permanent loss to the crowd’s strength.
Negotiation
Only player characters can engage in negotiation with a crowd. Negotiation cannot take place if there is any shooting or gas in sight of the crowd. It is only possible to successfully negotiate with crowds at RL 4 or 5. At other levels the negotiation automatically has no effect.
The range of normal voice is 2”, assisted by a megaphone or PA system is 8”.
Roll 1d6, add these factors
- Good negotiator +2
Poor negotiator -4
Negotiation isn’t face to face -2
Umpire’s discretion + or - 1
| Score: | 0 or less | 1 | 2,3 | 4,5,6 | 7,8 | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 4 | +2 | +1 | +1 | No effect | -1 | -2 |
| Level 5 | +1 | +1 | No effect | -1 | -2 | -2 |
Score in the table is the variation in the crowd’s RL.
Note that players are not told how good a negotiator they are, or the results table - they’ll have to judge based on the results. Umpire’s discretion is intended to allow for a bonus if the player thinks of a really good (or bad) negotiating /bargaining point.
In general, the negotiation quality you assign to negotiators at the outset will depend on their role in the scenario.
| Non-Lethal Weapons | ||
|---|---|---|
| Weapon | Range | Effect |
| Gas Grenade | 15” | Creates a gas cloud approx 5” in diameter. Takes 1 turn to become effective. Gas remains for 2d6 turns. |
| Petrol Bombs | 10” | Creates a flame hazard 2” in diameter. Roll for anyone in the area, score 1 or 2 to be wounded, 1 if in fireproof kit. If in a building, will start a fire. |
| Bricks and Bottles | 10” | 1d3 per 10 crowd members involved in throwing. Total score is number of hits on targets. Unprotected targets have that many wounded. Protected with riot shields, half effect. SF fully protected with riot equipment are impervious. |
| Water Cannon | 40” | (from purpose build vehicle) Will always hit crowd - takes 1 turn to make crowd ‘damp’, 3 turns to become ‘soaked’. Crowds take 20 turns to dry off. |
| Fire Hose | 25” | As above. |
| Riot Gun (gas grenades) | 30” | As gas grenades above. |
| Baton Gun | 25” | Roll 1d6 - score 5, 6 to knock down a (rubber bullets) crowd member for 3 turns. If under 10”, for each hit roll again score 6 and target is seriously wounded. |
Supplies and Ammunition
Bricks and bottles are not always in plentiful supply. In some European cities rioters can rip up cobblestones or break down small walls. Rioters will also make use of building sites and rubbish skips. This will depend on features you put in your table top model. In general, assume a crowd has about 5 turns of brick and bottle throwing before it has to do something to restock on projectiles.
Petrol bombs can be (and are often) manufactured on site - but a source of bottles and petrol are required. Again, the ability to use petrol bombs will depend on the scenario - few people will walk about all day with a petrol bomb in their pocket. In Europe, milk delivery vans used to be a good source for bottles (in countries which still use glass milk bottles ). But most grocery stores will do. Petrol can be easily siphoned out of parked cars. But none of this can be done easily in secret - if the SF could see this activity, they should be told about it. Snatch squad raids on side street petrol bomb ‘factories’ is a common experience in some riots (e.g. Northern Ireland).
Crowds using petrol bombs will generally use them infrequently, once every 4 turns per crowd.
The SF are assumed to have plenty of equipment. Though police patrol cars will have only limited stocks of things like tear gas or anti-riot equipment. This will have to be defined in the scenario.
Property Damage
At various RL, crowds will attempt property damage. To measure this, each building is given a property value, between say 10 and 100 (eg. 10 for a news vendor’s shack, 100 for a department store). Damage is inflicted in terms of these points:
The damage deduction from the building value is determined by a Roll of 1d6 per 10 figures in a crowd determined to do damage. If the building is being broken into by looters, a looting crowd will do 1d6 points of damage. When building’s points are exhausted, it is a wreck. If it is a total wreck there is a 1 in 6 chance of a fire every time a crowd attempts further property damage or looters attempt to loot it.
Fires and Firefighting
Record the number of fires started in a given location. For each fire, the property loses one value point per turn. Roll 1d6 each turn, and score the number of existing fires or less for another fire to start in the same place (this reflects the fire growing).
Once all the value of a property has been exhausted, the fire just continues burning and growing. If, on each turn, a d6 roll is less than the number of fires, then a single fire spreads to an adjacent building.
Crowds will not enter burning buildings. SF entering burning buildings roll as if under petrol bomb attack.
Firefighters need to extinguish fires and save lives. Fire-fighters are immune to fires 1 or 2 strong.. For 3 or 4 strength fires, fire-fighters count as under petrol bomb attack. Fire-fighters all have fireproof clothing (obviously).
A fire engine can extinguish 1d6 fires a turn. It takes 4 fire-fighters to man the fire hose.Fire engine have enough onboard water for 2 turns of fire fighting. After that they need to connect to a fire hydrant (takes one turn).
Obviously, the location of the hydrant is significant.
Fighting
Eventually, there has to be some hand to hand combat, either with the intention of beating someone up, or arresting them (or both).
This is resolved on an individual figure basis, with those in base to base contact. Roll 1d10 per combatant, per combat. Compare scores - in essence the highest score wins. In multiple combats, an outnumbered figure can only win against one opponent.
Factors
- Outnumbered 2-1 -1
Outnumbered 3-1 -2
Outnumbered 4-1 -3
Police Officer/Soldier +1
Riot Trained & Equipped +3
Mounted police +2 (+4 charging)
Mounted riot police +3 (+6 charging)
In effective tear gas -2
In effective CS gas -4
On ground -2
Soaked -1
Take the difference in scores and look at the winner’s result
| Score | Result |
|---|---|
| 0 to +1 | Scuffle indecisively |
| +1 to +3 | Defender pushed back 2” |
| +3 to +5 | Police stunned and on ground 1 turn *or* rioter subdued and under control |
| +6 to +7 | Defender knocked out |
| +8 to +9 | Defender wounded |
| +10 or more | Defender killed |
Examples
1. A police officer is attacked by 2 rioters. Roll a comparative die roll against the first rioter, police officer rolls 2 and the rioter rolls 6.
The police officer’s score is 2 - 1 (outnumbered) +1 (police officer) = 2. This is an overall score of 6 - 2 = +4 in favor of the rioter - the Police officer has been stunned and will fall. There is no need to roll for the second rioter.
2. A riot policeman is trying to arrest a rioter. Roll 1d10 each, the police officer rolls 6 and the rioter rolls 8. Police score is 6+3 (riot trained and equipped) = 9. That is a +1 in favor of the police officer, but this is only enough to result on a continued scuffle. The next round, the police score 8 and the rioter scores 6. Police score is 8+3 = 11, a result of +5 in favor of the police - the rioter is cuffed and under arrest.
Medical Services
Paramedic units have the role of treating the wounded. In the results tables and rules, figures are classified either wounded or dead. Paramedics take this further, when a medic reaches a body, roll 1d6 for the triage assessment:Paramedics have the task of recovering all bodies dead or wounded.
- Score : Effect
1: ”It’s only a scratch” - the casualty is not really very bad at all. Just needs a turn patching up and can carry on as before.
2/3: ”Don’t worry, you’ll be fine” - the casualty is injured and needs help. It takes one turn of patching up to make them fit to move, but they can walk unaided at half speed to the ambulance. They’ll need hospital attention though.
4/5: ”Lie still, you’re in good hands now” - takes one turn to patch them up before loading on the stretcher. Need urgent hospital attention.
6: ”Sorry, there was nothing we could do” - after two turns of frantic resuscitation attempts, the casualty dies in the paramedic’s arms.
Moving Wounded
It takes one turn to put a casualty on a stretcher. It takes one turn to put a casualty in an ambulance. Two paramedics are needed to man the stretcher. An ambulance can take 2 stretcher cases or 4 walking wounded.
Firearms
Opening fire is a difficult decision, since there are always political implications. In general, if the SF have to shoot people to stop a riot they have probably lost it. Roll 1d6 per firer. The score is the number needed to hit a crowd member. This assumes the SF are actually firing at the crowd, not over their heads.
| Weapon | Close Range | Hit | Max Effective Range | Hit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pistols | 5” | 5,6 | 30” | 6 |
| Rifles | 10” | 5,6 | Unlimited | 6 |
| Auto. Weap. | 10” | 3,4,5,6 | Unlimited | 5,6 |
| Shotgun | 5” | 4,5,6 | 15” | 6 |
| Hvy M G | 15” | 1d6 hits | Unlimited | 1d6 hits |
Each hit is not necessarily a kill.
Roll a d6 again for each downed crowd member
- 1: Just a scratch, can get up again and run for it after one turn.
2-3: Wounded/needs urgent medical attention
4-6: Dead
Over-Reaction Test
In the stressful situation of a riot, SF might act in ways that their commander would not wish. The likelihood of this will vary according to the type of unit, and the situation. This test is applied to any group of SF who are subject to the following conditions applying during the turn:
- On the first time that it comes under verbal abuse and hassle
On the first time it has bricks and bottles thrown
Being physically attacked or petrol bombed
Being shot at
Losing a unit member wounded
Roll 1d6 for the unit, add these factors, and look at the results table below:
Regular Police +2
Specialist SWAT Team -1
Specialist Anti-Riot Team or Regular Soldiers with Riot Training +3
Mounted Regular Police +3
Mounted Riot Police +4
Part Time Soldiers or Conscripts -2
Regular Soldiers 0
Outnumbered more than 3-1 -1
No supporting units in sight -1
Under gunfire -4
Each member wounded in turn -1
The crowd is outnumbered by the SF +1
Score : Result
7 or more : Advance slowly towards the crowd
3 to 6 : Continue as ordered
1 or 2 : Fall back slowly
0 to -2 : Run away, if no escape, open fire (2).
Less than -2 : Open fire on the crowd (1,2)
- (1). Units without guns, will just run away.
(2). Military units and SWAT might use guns rather than run away -- roll 1d6 again and score 1,2 or 3 and they just open fire.
Terrorists and Snipers
In some situations, terrorists or revolutionary forces might try to use the riot as a cover, or try to provoke the police to open fire on innocent civilians. This could be done by inserting active agents into crowds, perhaps armed with firearms or bombs - or sniping at the SF from behind the crowd.
This is all very scenario specific, but in general, sniping is usually quite ineffective in terms of actually injuring SF personnel. For each sniper, roll 1d6, score 6 to hit its named target. The target unit is always informed that it is under fire. The first shot from any location is always unobserved. Subsequent shots from the same location, roll 1d6 and score a 6 to spot the sniper’s location. +1 to the die roll for every subsequent shot form the same place. SF return fire against a sniper is almost always ineffective, except that the sniper will not fire whilst under fire.
Specialist SWAT snipers can try to pick off a sniper if they spot it, roll 4,5,6 on 1d6 to hit.
Note this is the only part of the rules that the players should see. Make copies of this section for your players.
Civil Disorder Wargame Rules for Civil Disturbance
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