These rules are designed for section level firefights from about 1850 to 1925. They are for the lowest level of command. Players are encouraged to act in character and, within reason, keep their men alive. The scale is one figure equals one man. Ground scale is roughly 10mm = 1.5m. SECTION ORGANISATION All sections are 10 figures strong. Sections should be armed with the appropriate weapons for their type. Some sections can include automatic weapons. Each player or each side during a game can use more than one section on the tabletop. SEQUENCE OF PLAY PLACE ORDER CARDS REVEAL ORDER CARDS SUPPRESSIVE FIRE MOVEMENT AIMED FIRE CLOSE COMBAT MORALE ISSUING ORDERS Players can issue orders to their sections as long as the section is within voice/hand signal distances from their section leader. These distances are 200mm in open country and 100mm in close country or built up areas [See over for Danger to Leaders]. At the start of each turn the player issues each section with an order card. The card indicates what the section will do in the turn. The cards are placed face down behind the section leader. The appearance of the cards is not that important but for your convenience we have included the following templates. You will see that there are seven types of order cards available: MARCH MOVE COMBAT MOVE CAUTIOUS MOVE SUPPRESSIVE FIRE AIMED FIRE FIRE AND MOVEMENT FULL COVER ORDER CARD DEFINITIONS: MARCH MOVE: This is the fastest move available. It is also the most dangerous. It indicates that the section is moving with no consideration for cover or detection of enemies. It is the most rapid way to get from A to B. Players must move at least 75% of the allowed movement rate [see over]. COMBAT MOVE: This takes into consideration that the section believes contact with the enemy is imminent. They are taking basic precautions with cover and movement. Players must move at least 50% of the allowed movement distance [see over]. CAUTIOUS MOVE: The section has seen the enemy or has come under fire. They are considered to be taking advantage of every bit of cover, moving slowly and deliberately. Players may move any distance up to the allowed movement rate [see below]. SUPPRESSIVE FIRE: This indicates that large volumes of fire are directed at an area with the object of keeping the enemy heads down. This type of fire is used to restrict the enemy in his ability to move and return fire. Targets that are hit by suppressive fire cannot carry out their orders that turn. To indicate a 'hit' by suppressive fire the target figure should be turned about 180' in place. KIA/WIA casualties cannot be caused by this type of fire. AIMED FIRE: The purpose of this fire is to deliberately hit the enemy. When this order is given the section will fire at any enemy within a 180' arc to their front. MG can fire at targets in beaten zone 100mm x 200mm. The status of targets is determined by the target's order, for example if the target has a COMBAT MOVE order then it is regarded as being in cover regardless of where the target's move ends. If both players select the Aimed Fire card then the section with the highest class fire first. If both are the same class then a simple dice roll will determine who fires first. FIRE AND MOVEMENT: Half the figures of the section [round up] must fire [suppressive only] and half the figures may move [any mode] FULL COVER: Grovelling in the dirt, head down, not attracting fire and doing nothing else. Players may use this option which will protect a section from all but a direct hit from artillery or mortars. Be warned though that this order means that the section can do nothing to defend themselves. Common sense should be used to determine if the terrain provides full cover options. Most terrain does allow some protection, but there can be times when no cover is possible, for example when caught in the middle of a flat paved area. It might be useful if such areas are announced before the game begins. The ‘hard men’ of the O’Mera Brigade set the ambush MOVEMENT RATES TYPE MARCH COMBAT CAUTIOUS Infantry 200mm 150mm 100mm HMG * 100mm * Mounted 350mm * * Wheeled Veh 350mm * 200mm Tracked Veh 250mm * 150mm Rail 350mm * 150mm Modifiers Close country: Half speed Crossing obstacles: Half speed River crossings: Half speed wading, Quarter speed deep wading or swimming FIRING Firing is a simple procedure. Roll one D20 per firing figure and compare the D20 score with the score needed to hit on the fire table below. The score needed to hit varies according to the class of the firing section and the status of the target. LMG roll 4 x D20, MMG roll 8 x D20. Rifles and LMG have a range of 1000mm. MMG have a range of 1200mm. Pistols have a range of 100mm. TYPE MARCH COMBAT CAUTIOUS SOFT COVER HARD COVER A CLASS [5] 7/8 [6] 8/10 [8] 10/12 [9] 11/13 [12] 14/16 B CLASS [7] 9/10 [8] 10/12 [10] 12/14 [11] 13/15 [14] 16/18 C CLASS [9] 10/12 [10] 12/14 [12] 14/16 [14] 15/17 [16] 18/20 The figures in brackets are those required to suppress a target. The first number is the score needed at short range i.e. up to 300mm. The second number is the score needed at long range i.e. 301mm plus. GRENADES Grenades [Mills Bombs etc] can be thrown 100mm. Grenades have a lethal burst radii of 25mm in all directions from the point of detonation. There is an 80% chance of a hit being caused in the open for anyone caught in the lethal burst radii. In addition Grenades detonating in the open have a secondary burst radii up to 50mm in all directions from the point of detonation. There is a 30% chance of a hit being caused on any unprotected figures within this secondary zone. In confine areas the chance to cause a hit from a grenade detonation is 90%. Grenades can of course miss their target. When a grenade is thrown roll a D10. A score of 1 indicates the throw goes over by 50mm, a score of 2 under by 50mm. These scores can be modified according to the perceived abilities of the thrower. If aiming at a small point, for example a window, or trying to clear an obstacle, for example a sandbag wall a -2 is deducted from the dice score. The scenario determines the number of grenades carried by individuals. HITTING SPECIFIC FIGURES It is not possible to single out and hit specific figures. If there is a special figure in a section use the method described in the Danger to Leaders section of the rules [below] to determine a hit. When prioritizing which figures in a section become hits those not in cover or closer to the enemy must be given preference. DANGER TO LEADERS There are two alternative methods of dealing with the loss of a Section [Squad] leader. The first of these is to assume that there is no danger to leaders and that the leader figure will always be the last one removed. This is easy but does invite questions from those who might wish to include the aspect of danger in their games. The second method is to roll separate D10 after hits have been determined. A score of 10 indicates that the section [squad] leader has been hit. If this happens then the 2IC takes over and command radius are halved. To ensure that this rule applies it will be necessary to nominate a 2IC for each section before the game. Determining if 2ICs are subject to the same danger rule is up to the game participants. If a 2IC falls I think it is safe to say that the section must remain where it is for the remainder of the game. CLOSE COMBAT If a player's figure ends its move next to an enemy figure close combat automatically occurs. One D20 throw for each figure determines the outcome, the highest score winning. There are some modifiers to the dice: Lower class than the enemy -2 Fighting more than one figure -2 In 'Full Cover' -8 Fighting over an obstacle/barricade etc -2 Suppressed -5 Wargaming the Anglo-Irish War 1919-1921 Wargaming the Anglo-Irish War: Small Action Rules Back to Table of Contents -- Kriegspieler #10 To Kriegspieler List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2000 by Kriegspieler 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