Scales 1 move 1 minute 1 cm 5 yards 1 figure 25 men 1 gunner/personality : 5 men 1 gun model 2 guns Sequence of Play Moves are alternate in the following sequence: Phase 1 Observation. Take Morale Tests due to being charged, in order to charge, to rally from rout or pursuit. Make initial rout moves due to shooting or hand to hand. Make pursuit moves and follow up retiring hand-to-hand opponents. Opponents take final charge moves and first pursuit of initial rout. Phase 2 Firing. Opponents take Morale Tests due to shooting casualties or to charge home. Opponents make repulse moves and final charge moves (charge home). Phase 3 Both sides fight Hand to Hand. Losers of hand to hand retire 2cm and then take morale tests. Phase 4 Make rally moves, other routs, and initial charge moves. Make all other movement. Observation Visibility for troops in the open is only limited by line of sight. In all other circumstances troops must test to discover their hidden foes. The observing player may select one area to observe for each of his units. The area selected may not exceed 20cm. Whether there is a target in the area being observed or not a test must always be carried out. Observation tests should be carried out in secret and the observing player only informed of the final result (either he spots something or he doesn't). Multiple units may observe the same area but may only act upon the result of their own test. Roll one average die: Add: 2 if the target was visible to the tester in the previous move. 2 if the observers are on higher ground. 1 per four figures in the target unit. 1 per two figures moving in the target unit. 1/2 per bow armed figure firing in the target unit. 1 per musket/rifle armed figure firing in the target unit. 2 per swivel gun model firing. 4 per artillery model firing. The difference between the observers FC and the targets FC (yes, this value may be negative). 2 if the observers are moving. 2 if the target unit is in dense woods or thicket. 2 if the observers are distracted (under fire, in hand to hand, etc.) 4 if the target unit is behind the observer. The resulting total gives the range in cm at which the target unit can be seen. N.B. Gun smoke from firing units can always be seen, even if the unit itself cannot. If no umpire is available then the responsibility for conducting the test falls upon the player controlling the target (hidden) unit .... he will, of course, behave with the integrity expected of an 18`t' century gentleman! Morale Tests Morale tests are undertaken when a unit: 1. Is charged by an enemy 2. Attempts to initiate a charge 3. Attempts to rally from route or pursuit 4. Suffers casualties from fire 5. Attempts to complete a charge (charge home) 6. Suffers greater casualties in hand to hand than its opponent The testers basic morale factor is modified as follows: Add: 1 if the tester is in soft cover. 2 if the tester is in hard cover 1 per CP expended by a personality figure upon the tester for the current morale test. 2 if charging or attempting to initiate charge against an enemy's flank or rear. 2 if the tester is routing but with no visible pursuit. 2 if the tester is European regulars who wish to halt a pursuit. Subtract: 1 per 5% casualties if the tester is skirmishing. 1 per 10% casualties if the tester is in close order. 1 per friendly unit that is routing within sight. 1 if the tester is FC 4 or 5 and operating in the open. 1 if the tester is FC 2 or 3 and operating in the forest. 1 if the tester is being charged. 1 if the tester is FC 4 or 5 and attempting to charge. 1 if the tester is attempting to charge a unit behind an obstacle (wall, fence, stream, etc.). 2 if the tester has been ambushed or surprised. 2 if the tester is being charged in the flank or rear. 2 if the tester is attempting to charge troops in close order. 2 if the tester is attempting to charge a tester in fortifications. 2 if the tester has just lost a round of hand to hand combat. To pass a morale test a D 10 must be rolled under the tester's modified morale factor. Results of morale test failure: Cause of test Result of failure Attempt to rally (3.) continue routing/pursuing at maximum speed Being charged (1.) rout at maximum speed  Attempting to charge (2.) no advance towards the enemy this move Attempting to charge home (5.) tester halts 5cm from the target Suffering casualties (4. and 6.) tester must halt if advancing last move tester must retire 5cm if halted last move Tester must rout if retiring last move or just lost in hand to hand. N.B. Once a unit is reduced below 50% of its original strength it must retire 5cm on failing ANY morale test (unless the test requires a more drastic result - e.g. route). Firing Infantry Fire Fire Factor Range / Casualties per Figure Firing Factor 0-12cm 12-24cm 24-36cm 36-48cm 48-60cm 60-72cm 1 2 1.5 1 0.1 0.01 - 2 1.5 1.25 0.5 0.1 0.01 - 3 1.25 1 0.3 0.01 0.01 - 4 1 0.5 0.25 0.05 - - rifle 1 1 1 0.5 0.3 0.1 In order to calculate firing casualties the basic number of casualties per figure (see above) is multiplied by a modifier to produce the final number of men hit by each firing figure. Roll one average die: Add: 1 if the target is mounted. 1 if this is the firer's first shot during the game. 1 if the firer has rested weapons (e.g. fort parapet, fence, etc.) 1 per rank of target figures after the first. 2 if the target is enfiladed. Subtract: 1 if the target moved 12cm+ last move. 1 if the target is skirmishing or artillery crew. 1 if firing down hill. 1 if the target is in soft cover. 2 if the target is in hard cover. 2 if firing at gun smoke (the target has not been spotted). Modified die roll Multiplier 0 or less 0 1 0.5 2 0.75 3 1 4 1 5 1.5 6 or more 2 Infantry fire example A battalion of British line infantry (28 figures strong, FF 2) fires it's first shot of the game at a unit of skirmishers 30cm away: The British player rolls a 4 on the average die. He then adds 1 as it is the first shot of the game for the firer. He subtracts 1 because the target is skirmishing. He subtracts 1 as the target moved 12cm during the previous move. Thus the modified die roll is 3 giving a multiplier of 1. This multiplier is applied to the basic casualties per figure: multiplier (1) x basic casualties per figure (0.5) x number of figures firing (28) = 14 casualties N.B. The result is the number of casualties in men - not figures. Fractions of a man should be diced for e.g. 4.7 casualties = 4 confirmed and a 70% chance of causing a fifth. A figure is removed once 25 casualties have been inflicted. Artillery Fire The table above assumes that artillery automatically use the most appropriate ammunition for the range to the target. Procedure is as with infantry fire (use number of gun models rather than figures firing). Die modifiers for artillery: Add: 1 if the target is mounted. 1 per rank of target figures after the first. 2 if the target is enfiladed. Subtract: 1 if the target moved 12cm+ last move. 1 if the target is skirmishing or artillery crew. 1 if the target is in soft cover. 1 if the firer is firing from a watercraft. 2 if the target is in hard cover. 2 if firing at gun smoke (the target has not been spotted).  Reloading Weapons require the following time to reload: Musket /4 move Rifle /2 move Bow 0 move Swivel/light gun '/4 move Medium gun /2 move Heavy Gun/Mortar 3/4 move e.g. a unit which fires muskets may only move'/4 of it's maximum move distance that move if it wishes to be reloaded and able to fire during it's next move. Regardless of reloading times a unit may only fire once per move. Cover Definitions Hard Cover All troops in earthworks, forts, stone buildings, and large watercraft. Troops in wooden buildings if under infantry fire. Soft Cover All troops behind substantial walls and fences, and in small watercraft. Troops in wooden buildings if under artillery fire. Troops behind abattis if under infantry fire. Skirmishers in forest, rocks, thickets, etc. N.B. Troops in close order do not count as in cover when in forest, etc. Hand to Hand Combat Charge Procedure Step 1: At the beginning of Phase 1 in a player's move he selects which of his units wish to charge, and what their targets will be. The target of a charge must be within 150% of a normal move for the charging unit (assume any dice rolled for move deductions roll is BUT roll the dice for real when actually moving). The charging units must then undertake a morale test in order to initiate a charge. During Phase 4 charging units which pass this morale test move a normal move (including any deductions) towards their targets. Step 2: During Phase 1 of the opponents next move the target of a charge must take a morale test. A target unit that passes the morale test stands to receive the charge (and may fire if loaded). Step 3: All firing on charging units takes place during Phase 2 of the opponents move. Charging units take tests to charge home. Chargers that pass this test make their final charge move into contact, and both sides fight hand to hand combat during Phase 3. Chargers that find themselves unable to contact the target due to move deductions must nevertheless move their full move and then halt. N.B. A unit may not approach closer than 5cm to an enemy unit unless successfully charging. Combat The basic number of casualties inflicted per figure is equal to the unit's Melee Factor. Procedure is as with infantry fire. To be eligible for hand to hand combat a figure must be in base-to-base contact with an enemy figure. The only exception to this is close order regulars who may also count a second rank of figures in support behind any figures that are actually in base-to-base contact with the enemy. This second rank must be part of the same unit as the front rank. Die modifiers for hand to hand: Add: 1 if you have charged downhill (first round of combat only). 2 if you are close order regulars. Subtract: 1 if the opposition is defending an obstacle. 1 if you have been charged in the flank or rear. 1 if you lost the previous round of combat (second and subsequent rounds of combat) 2 if the opposition is defending a fortification or abattis. All attacks on routers are unopposed. Regardless of the results of morale tests losers of hand-to-hand combat are automatically pushed back 2cm. Winners of a melee whose opponents rout due to the subsequent morale test result must pursue (until rallied) unless the winners were defending an obstacle or fortification. Movement Troops may move up to the following distances per move: Condition Foot Mounted Close order line 10cm 24cm Close order column 12cm 24cm Regular light infantry, grenadiers and provincials in skirmish order 12cm - Rangers, coureur de bois, Canadian militia, French marines in skirmish order. 14cm - Indians and messengers 16cm - Unit Limbered Manhandled Light artillery 12cm 10cm Medium artillery 1 0cm 5cm Heavy artillery 8cm 2cm All of the above move at 150% rate when on roads, routing or pursuing. Final charge moves are 50% of the above rates. Unit Roads Cross Country Wagons 16cm 8cm Pack horses 18cm 12cm Unit With Current Against Current Bateaux, whaleboats 24cm_ 18cm Canoes 28cm 21 cm  Move Deductions Deduct 1D6 cm : Moving through forest, rocks, marsh, up or down hill. fording creeks, moving through a friendly unit, crossing a minor obstacle. Deduct 2D6 cm : Moving up or down steep hills, through abattis, across ditches, disembarking from boats. Skirmishers moving through dense woods and thickets. Deduct 3D6 cm: Crossing palisades. Disembarking guns. Skirmishers climbing cliffs. Whilst in close order formation changes consume an entire move. Whilst in close order turn about consumes '/4 move. Limbering/unlimbering guns consumes '/2 move. N.B. Deductions can reduce movement to zero - but not result in negative movement. Dense woods and thickets are impassable to all troops apart from skirmishers. Personalities Each side should have one personality figure per 3-4 units. Personalities represent senior officers (or perhaps priests in the case of Indians and Canadian militia). Command Points Command points represent the personality's abilities on the field of battle. At the start of the game each personality should be awarded a number of command points (from 2 to 5). Commanders may expend all or none of their points each move. Command points can be expended on the following: 1 CP buys two average dice in cm of movement. 1 CP buys one point increase in a morale test. 2 CPs enables the personality to issue a new order. A personality must be in contact with a unit at the time of the test in order to affect it's morale. CPs must be pledged to a morale test before the test is taken (i.e. before any dice are rolled). CPs may be spent in advance on morale tests which are taken during the opponents move (i.e. shooting casualties, charge home, losing hand to hand). Risk to Personalities When a unit that is accompanied by a personality receives casualties there is a chance that the personality has been hit. The percentage chance of a hit to the personality is double the percentage casualties received by the unit in the current move. When a personality is hit he is removed from play. Personalities may not become casualties in any other way. Optional Rules Movement Games set in the wilderness should have the forest areas divided into 2 foot squares. Unless following a stream, road, etc. units must test every time they cross from one square to another to see if they have made an error in direction: Roll 1D6: Subtract: 1 in severe weather (mist, snow, etc.) and 1 at night FC Rating Fail on 5 1 4 1-2 3 1-3 2 1-4 Once lost roll a further D6 to discover your real direction: 1-3 exit from the edge 90 degrees to the left of that intended 4-6 exit from the edge 90 degrees to the right of that intended Definitions Fire Factor: On a scale of i to 4. Reflects fire discipline, marksmanship, and equipment. Melee Factor: On a scale of 1 to 5. Reflects aggression, discipline and equipment. Morale Factor: On a scale of 1 to 10. Reflects confidence, training, experience, and discipline. Fieldcraft Factor: On a scale 1 to 5. Reflects experience of wilderness conditions. Troop Ratings Back to MWAN # 126 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2004 Hal Thinglum This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com