These rules can be "plugged in" to some larger overall rules system. Melee combat, without weicd special weapons, can be handled the same for a wide variety of time periods. Use of a modular system that you become familiar with can speed play and increase your enjoyment. I enjoy simple games without a lot of charts. If you want simple, I'm your guy! These rules fit on one page. Figures are dead, or they are alive; there is no wound result. I use this melee procedure for a variety of games, ranging in period from the French and Indian War up to the early 20th century, like the Boxer Rebellion, French Foreign Legion actions, and even WWI. Unit sizes are from 6 to 15 figures, usually 8 to 12. I do a lot of my gaming with 54mm figures now, but I also sometimes use this for 25mm and 20mm. For those smaller scales, reduce the retreat distance from 6" to 3", or whatever fits well with the rest of the rules you are using. Notice that these rules do not cover the actual process of getting into a melee situation, like charging, standing firm before a charge, etc. Those operations should be in the overall rules set you are using. In my games, I allow extra movement if moving to contact, and usually just let the opposing sides "go for it." Simple, like I said. Melee Module for Miniatures Wargames Basic procedure: Pair off figures as much as possible. There may be as many as two figures fighting one. Extra figures may be used in subsequent rounds, and contribute to final victory of the melee, as described later. Roll I D6 for each figure and apply modifiers. Take the final rolls, with any modifiers, for each participant in the melee, and apply the result according to one of the conditions listed below. 1-on-1 with a winner: loser killed 1 -on-1 with a tie: both killed 2-on-1, single figure beats enemy total: both enemies killed 2-on-1, single figure ties enemy total: all three killed 2-on-1, single figure less than enemy total, but ties or beats one: one each killed 2-on-1, single figure less than either enemy: single figure killed Note that if you have special figures such as leaders, color bearers, or heavy weapons operators involved in a 2-on-1 melee, you must be sure you know which die roll is for which figure. You must know exactly which figure becomes the casualty, if one of the two is killed. Use different colored dice or roll one at a time. In a general melee, special figures may be directly involved and are killed only in the exact melee they are in. Who really won? After the melee, compare for each side the (figures remaining + enemy figures just killed in this round of melee). The loser retreats 6", facing enemy, and the enemy may occupy the space just held. If a tie, stay locked in melee until another round is fought; additional figures from each unit must be used if possible, moved into place on their next move. On some occasions, such as inside a small building, and surrounded, a unit cannot retreat. In such a case, stay locked in melee and fight another round next turn. For some situations, disregard this whole paragraph and just stay in melee until one unit or the other is destroyed. Usually, only one unit from each side is involved in any particular melee at once. There may be scenario or situational exceptions to this. Modifiers: Certain units and situations may get bonuses to the die roll for melee. Here are some guidelines. Elite melee units (rangers, FFL, Indians, grenadiers, highlanders, etc.) add 1 Leaders add 1 Cavalry adds 2 in the first round Figures defending a wall, building, or from uphill add 1 Certain troops (Zulus) add 1 in the first round when they charge - this may simply negate the effect of a fortification for one round Back to MWAN #117 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2002 Hal Thinglum 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