In Gauntlet no.8 we saw the US Army bite off a bit more than it could chew at Big Hole. In this issue, we`ll make up a set of rules to fight the action in the style described by SLA Marshall. U.S. Army Colonel Gibbon mounted Six companies: each of 1 officer and 1 NCO figure, 2 half company stands of 6 'riflemen' (3-6 figures), One 'company' of civilian volunteer scouts 1 officer and 2 stands of 4 'scouts' Injuns 12 stands of 3 Indians The figures need not be mounted on bases conforming to these groupings, individual figures or other multiple bases bunched together should be fine. EDNA: Once again we turn to trusty old EDNA for our gaming systems. In this instance, EDNA represents morale / fatigue / will to fight, combined into what SLA Marshall termed the "reservoir of combat energy". Colonel Gibbon`s figure, every half company of US troops, and every stand of Indians has it`s own EDNA factor. Due to occurances on the battlefield, EDNA may rise or more likely fall during the game. For Big Hole, Gibbon has an EDNA of 8. He will order a general withdrawal when it reaches 2. US troops will automatically withdraw if he is killed. US Army stands have an EDNA of 7 Scout stands have an EDNA of 8 Indians have an EDNA of 6, rising by 1 per turn until it reaches 10. This represents their initial shock and subsequent fury at seeing their loved ones shot down by the Army. SCALES 15mm 1cm = 1 yard < >25mm 1" = 1 yard LEADERSHIP US Army Officers and NCO`s may exert leadership in the form of an additional die roll added to any action or EDNA test which the stand under their command is attempting that turn. MOVEMENT Movement and actions on the tabletop are governed a deck of cards. Each stand should be alloted a specific playing card. these are then shuffled into a deck and laid face down on the table. A stand can only perform an action when it`s own card is drawn. Should a stand cease to exist as a fighting unit - all the men are dead or EDNA reached '2', then the card for that unit is removed from the deck. Mounted figures may make a move every third draw of the cards, but can only make an action - fire / mount / dismount / melee when their own card is drawn. Infantry may only do one of the following : fire / move / melee Basic Move : EDNA + 1d6 Rush Move : EDNA +1d6 + Leadership To move out of cover or rush the enemy, a stand must make a succesful EDNA die roll. Indians must fail a succeful EDNA roll to stand and face a rush by US troops. Otherwise fall back to next cover. Indians may rush the Army if they pass an EDNA roll with a +1 modifier per soldier more in the group than the Indians wishing to rush them. The soldiers will stand and face the rush on a successful EDNA roll of their own +1 for each indian outnumbers them or -1per Indian they outnumber. AMMUNITION Ammunition supply was always important during the Indian wars, at least for the whitemen. Every US rifleman and NCO carries 9 'rounds' of ammo. Each time a stand fires, 1 round is marked off from every able-bodied figure. If a stand is firing froma position where it has sustained casualties, should the number of rounds fall to 2 per man, then the dead can be stripped of cartridges belts and these rounds distributed. FIRING This is easy. Throw 2xD6 per US Stand. +1D6 if NCO/officer using his leadership. Indians / Scouts 3xD6 All able bodied US troops may fire one or two rounds per turn. The number of rounds must be declared before the die are rolled. All the men in a stand must fire the same number of rounds. To hit : The score on any two dice chosen from those available must be equal or lower than the stand`s current EDNA OR number of rounds fired, whichever is less. Two stands may combine their fire against one target stand If target in cover / dodging on horseback etc. - 1 die from firing stand. Range Modifiers INDIANS/SCOUTS US ARMY 0 - 35 yards +1D6 0 36 - 50 yards 0 + 1 to die 51 - 100 yards + 1 to die + 2 to die 101 - 200 yards + 2 to die + 4 to die 200 - 500 yards max + 3 to die + 5 to die Firing Results Dice score is less than or equal EDNA then +1 modifier to all targets die rolls next turn. If above, but also a natural double (1,1 / 2,2 etc) -1 from target stands EDNA. As above, but double 5 or 6, then 1 target figure is killed. If an officer or NCO is using his leadership, he is the casualty. HAND TO HAND COMBAT Stands within 5 yards of each other are in hand to hand combat using clubbed rifles, pistols, knives and Tomahawks etc. Both sides roll against EDNA (number of die as per firing) +1 die for each man outnumber enemy by. Melee Results Any roll equal or under EDNA, will remove one point from enemy EDNA. As above, but also natural double, will kill one enemy As above but double 5, 6 will kill two enemy and remove one EDNA. In second and subsequent rounds of hand to hand combat, both sides must test against their EDNA to remain in combat or pull out. Note the latest offerings from Guernsey Foundry, (70p each) at last an excellent excuse for buying those superb Snapdragon Studio adobe dwellings and Frontier squatters shacks. There, simple set of rules designed around a scenario rather than vice versa as is normally the case. Add your own frills or amendments as you please. For now, its "Column of fours. Yo!" Back to The Gauntlet No. 9 Table of Contents Back to The Gauntlet List of Issues Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 1997 by Craig Martelle Publications 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