As promised in the last issue of the newsletter here is a rundown of the Napoleonic rule set "Snappy Nappy" by Russ Lockwood. This rules set was written with beginners in inind, and as a tool to refight the 1813 campaign in Germany. As Russ states in his introduction, "These are simple rules designed to capture the feel of operational command, not tactical minutiae." The rules are written in clear and concise language, easy to understand and grasp. Scale The game scale is 1":200 yards (this seems to work with 5/6mm figures, but he does not state what scale miniatures it is designed for), with one turn equal to 30 minutes. Strategic movement is approx. 1" to the mile. Infantry and cavalry units are brigades represented by two stands. Infantry is from 2-3000 men for a brigade while cavalry is 500-750 men. Artillery units represent individual batteries. There are no division commanders, only corps and army leaders. The game is structured to be run by a referee (at least for the strategic portion of the game), on multiple tables (at 1":200 yds you could fight a small action on a card table). The campaign rules are rather vague, with suggestions made as to how the referee should handle the matter. The best part is the optional rule for "real time" turns, where each table runs it's battle or situation without regard to the other tables. The rest of the rules deal with fighting battles and are generated by the strategic maneuvering. The turn sequence is a move- counter move type, with the players rolling for initiative and the winner moving first. Each player gets defensive fire only; that is to say you move, your opponent shoots, he moves, you shoot, with melees being resolved after each side shoots. Rallies and orders are done at the same time for both players at the end of the turn. The mechanics of it all work rather well and turns move along at a good pace. The heart of the system is the morale check/morale losscharts. There is no need to keep track of figure loss, for this system is a whole unit elimination type (once your brigade fails final morale it's gone from the game). Each unit is rated as to class from Militia to Old Guard, and has an assigned morale number that you must meet or beat when making a morale check. The morale status runs from Bold (i.e., blood lust!), Firm (normal), Wary, Nervous, Flustered, Panic, Rout, and finally Eliminated. From Nervous on the effects of failing morale get worse. The unique touch to the morale check is that, if you pass, that7s it, but if you fail a roll you keep rolling until you pass or are eliminated! You can get real nervous if you have units which need to take multiple morale checks in a turn! Morale runs from 4+ for Old Guard to 8+ for Militia; leaders will help as will towns or forts (and being Bold, which is achieved if you are firm and win a melee). Firing Firing is 1" for infantry, with artillery having much longer ranges: 3-4 lb guns out to 5", 6-8 lb guns to 8", and 12 lb guns out to 11" (yes, he has them firing at 2200 yards!). Each stand of infantry gets one d10 (remember each brigade is two stands), while artillery gets a variable number of dice depending on range; close 2-4 dice, medium 1 3, long 1-2. To score a hit you roll the dice and must meet or beat your unit's troop type #; for example, an Elite unit needs a 5 or better to score a hit, while a Militia unit needs an 8 or better. If you score a hit on an enemy unit, it must make a morale check (if you can score more than one hit it must make multiple checks). A unit's die roll can be modified based on it's current morale level, target type, and terrain. Melee is a bit more involved but still pretty straightforward. If, after all firing and resultant morale checks, two or more units are still in contact, a melee ensues. Each side gets a number of dice based on how many stands are eligible to fight. These dice are rolled and added together, the sum is modified by the unit's morale level, then multiplied by troop type. Both sides compare their rolls: the loser at best takes an immediate morale check; if he passes the die rolling is repeated; if he fails a number of rolls but finally passes without breaking contact, the die roiling is repeated. It boils down to one side or the other is going to win with the loser pushed back (if he is lucky!) or destroyed! If you win a melee your unit gains one morale level (this is a big help if you go up to Bold, because it means a +2 to each die used in melee and +1 to firing!). Command and Control The way command control is handled is an interesting approach. Each corps leader is rated as to ability initiative rating (unfortunately Russ does not provide any information on what the ratings should be, either individually or generically per nation). Based on the rating the commander, you can select a range of orders from the order table, so the better the rating the more leeway the commander has in changing his starting orders (or latest word from on high) to meet changing conditions on the battlefield (remember this is a multi- table game and your CinC may not be present to send your leader fresh orders!). The command radius for leaders varies from 9-18" depending on nationality or situation. Units outside of command range are bolted to the ground, but may fire or form square. They may make a morale roll and if they pass they have a half move. Orders are sent by written message from the CinC on a 3xS index card; the receiver is charged ' to carry out the orders as written unless he can use his initiative rating (Russ does not list a rating system by nationality for the 1813 scenario he includes, so one is left to decide who gets what). The rules work well as written for the actual battles. I have not played them within the campaign system yet, so all I can say is this aspect looks interesting. As Russ states, this is a beginner's set of rules, and as such it works well and does not have page after page of meticulous rules to learn. It also gives a very basic feel for Napoleonics and, what with the added attraction of painted figures, should be able to entice new people into the period without causing brain meltdown trying to figure out the rules and all the subtleties of the game mechanics (did I hear someone curse under their breath "Legacy of Glory"?). Another advantage of these rules is that they would work great at a convention where you need fast and furious action to keep everyone from wandering off in search of excitement (as opposed to the more sedentary nature of some of the Napoleonic tomes out there). Advantage Another advantage this rules system has is that of modification. The structure is simple enough and straightforward enough to lend itself easily to a less generic feel without overcomplicating the system (and I never met the rules set I didn't like to modify in some way!). If you don't agree with the artillery ranges, change them; it doesn't affect how the rules play. If you don't agree with the modifiers, no problem! Just plug in what you think is more appropriate! And finally, how do you get your hands on a set? Russ has set them up as a shareware item. Anyone can make a copy (complete with all enclosures and no alterations) and give it out to friends without any kind of remuneration. If within 30 days you decide you like them, you send five bucks to: Lockwood Projects 161 Lambertville - HQ Rd., Stockton, NJ 08559 or Internet: lockwood@voicenet.com Back to Table of Contents The Messenger February 1995 Back to The Messenger List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1995 by HMGS/PSW. 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