Since publishing OTR many gamers have written to me asking to settle this or that rule dispute or explain what I mean by something in the rules. While I am happy to do this at any time, our beloved editor has for a very long time tried to prevail upon me to consider the most frequently asked questions in an article. At the same time we thought we should consider some ideas that gamers have come up with across the country to add to the rules. First to the questions:
ARTILLERY ELEVATION AND FIRING
In the rules this is discussed in a single brief sentence that sometimes confuses. "Artillery located on a higher terrain than the target subtracts 4" from the range to the target." What is meant is that if up one contour from your target you add 4" to the range. Smoothbores then would fire 34" at longest range. This addition does not count for the 10" canister range (except as a local optional rule). If thetarget ison the sameelevation then no bonus is given. A 4" penalty is similary ascribed for firing uphill.
FIRING OVER YOUR OWN TROOPS
By and large the rules allow for firing by anything over friendly troops if it fires from a higher elevation. Asa local rule we do not permit canister fire over friendly troops, as this would seem to be a highly dangerous procedure and was not done in history either. Aside from that, fire away!
CONTACT WITH THE ENEMY FORCED BY MORALE CHART RESULT
Veterans of OTR know that the Morale Chart may produce unwanted, even disastrous, movements of your own troops. Many gamers have asked me what happens if troops blunder into the enemy as a result. The answer is quite simple. A melee procedure is followed as per any normal attack except the attacker does not have to roll to close. The enemy may fire his defensive volley, and alterations to the Melee Chart are as for a usual melee. If the blundering move lucks onto a flank then great! All of these refer to moves otherthan REVENGE rolls which players of the game know all too well already. Speaking of REVENGE rolls, at times a truly unfortunate route column rolls a REVENGE roll and attacks an enemy unit. Now even the REVENGE modifier of 1.5 times CP still will equal 0. if this happens you can basically kiss the brigade goodbye.
UNITS RETREATING FROM MELEE
Questions concerning this topic come almost weekly. In OTR, units receive what we call Morale Chips. These chips designate disorder. Consequently when units are disordered, they stay IN THE FORMATION THEY ARE PRESENTLY IN. That is, a line is a disordered line or a column a disordered column. They have a front, flanks and rear, same as if formed. (Ed Mohrman please note - ED.)
INTERPENETRATION
The rules state that line may pass line. Upon review of literature sparked by Paddy Griffith's new book, "Battle in the Civil War", I have been forced to change my mind. Stand by for a new rule: ANY UNIT INTERPENETRATING WITH ANOTHER RESULTS IN A MORALE CHIP FOR BOTH UNITS!
ARTILLERY IN MELEE
Artillery in melee counts as one stand and "one stand lost" eliminates it even though it normally requires 2 artillery or musketry hits to eliminate it. Speaking of artillery, remember too that the 2 dice fire of smoothbore guns is a single fire (representing the awful effect of close canister) and not 2 shots. Artillery also may destroy works just as they do buildings. Most works should be leveled with between 3 and 6 hits depending on their strength. The breach should be 2 stands in width. This too is a rules addition.
CAVALRY COUNTER CHARGE
Cavalry that has not moved may countercharge if attacked by cavalry by rolling under their CP=2, just as they do to charge home in melee. A commander may also designate that his cavalry will "charge if charged" during his move. If he does so then cavalry will do so automatically without any roll.
INTERPENETRATING CAVALRY
The rule that says that cavalry may not interpenetrate means that they disorder any unit they pass through.
TERRAIN DISORDER
There is no such thing! If a unit does not pass the rough terrain check it moves 1/2 distance - there is no additional penalty. All references to disorder in the rule book mean that the unit gets a morale markerand will have to pass a morale check.
OPTIONAL RULES FROM THE READERS
Cumulative Morale David Koch of Loma Linda, CA
A unit may collect a any number of morale chips. When morale is checked, 5 is deducted from the roll for each chip over 1. Thus a unit with 3 chips would roll at -10 on the chart.
Refused Flanks Roland Harris of Fontana, CA
A unit may form line with its flanks pulled back in a salient, as in the following diagram:
They may not then take enfilade except from the angle of its refused flanks. It may only bring 1/3 of its stands' fire to bear on any target point. It also fights at a -1 modifier, but may not be attacked in flank.
Artillery Morale Richard Hassenauer of Silver Springs, MD
Richard has devised a separate Artillery morale table for guns when taking Morale hits. Both sides use the same chart.
| ROLL | RESULT |
|---|---|
| 00-19 | Limber up and retire 1 full column move |
| 20-39 | Stand silenced or limber up and retire 1 full column move |
| 40-49 | Stand silenced |
| 50-99 | NE |
Modifiers are as the regular chart with a kill counting as a base lost.
Back to Table of Contents -- Courier Vol. VII #3
To Courier L1st of Issues
To MagWeb Master Magazine List
© Copyright 1986 by The Courier Publishing Company.
This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com