Campaign Lite

Creating Interesting Pick-Up Games
in a 1/2 Hour

by Bill Haggart

Don't have the time or the desire to play a full-blown campaign game to just set up a tabletop scenario? Want to play a pick-up game with some strategic context-you know, something more interesting than just setting up on opposite sides of the table? Our group has had those frustrations more than once. The campaign system presented here is our solution-one we have enjoyed for a number of years. `Campaign Lite' can be played in as little as a half hour and even over the phone, so the table can be set up ahead of game time.

The intent is to make every thing quick and simple, getting to an interesting game on the table while remaining strategically intriguing. To start, take a Pre-Twentieth Century historical campaign situation, where the opposing armies are within ten to twenty miles of each other. Each square of the campaign map will represent a fraction of your game table, whatever size it is. The campaign situation will be set up and the `Campaign Lite' played until a tabletop battle is initiated.

The rules are simple and don't require an umpire, though one can be used. We offer the rules here plus a couple of strategic campaign situations that we have found have extensive re-play value regardless of the period gamed. (We'll let you guess what war they are taken from and tell you at the end.) Finally, we offer a brief battle Report of one of our `Campaign Lites' and the game it generated as an example.

The campaign is played on grid maps until a battle is initiated. Then a combination of grid squares are agreed upon to represent the area on the game table. The campaign map terrain, called Primary Terrain, is transferred to the game table. Other `secondary' terrain is placed randomly placed [If the players want to have it] and finally units are deployed based on their campaign map locations and the tabletop game begins. As indicated, the campaign game usually takes thirty minutes to an hour to resolve into a battle. It is also simple enough that you can have fun adding rules and systems to it, while keeping it the campaigning 'lite.'

CHOOSING A CAMPAIGN

Any strategic situation where armies aren't engaged, but are within ten to twenty miles of each other will work. Often the situation will be a meeting engagement where the two armies aren't really aware of each other's location. The closer the armies are to each other, the faster the campaign will resolve into a battle, but less maneuvering will be possible.

The preliminaries to Waterloo, the two days preceding Ligny and Quartre Bras is a good example of an interesting campaign situation. The 1859 Italian Campaign finds both the French and Austrian armies hunting for each other, often within our imposed ten to twenty mile limit. The same is true of the Seven Years War, with the interesting decision of whether to risk forming a classic battleline or throw units into the fray without waiting as Frederick did at Lobositz. Also keep in mind the strategic goals of each army. It is important in creating the game context.

The first campaign we provide has the goal of both armies to find the enemy forces and destroy them. The second is a strategic retreat with one side trying to protect important rail junctions and lines-of-communication.

The campaign conditions we look for are:

    1. Both armies are within twenty miles of each other, no more than a day's march away.

    2. Both armies are approximately equal in size or with advantages that equal out like quality vs greater numbers.

    3. A variety of terrain

    4. Fluid strategic situation where neither army is sure where the other is. This is usually found with meeting engagements were both armies are fragmented on the march.

    5. Where the Line-of-Communications can be easily identified and threatened. 6. The strategic goals are few and well defined-or can be.

SCALING

We have provided a blank map as a template/example. At least two maps for each turn are needed, as moves and searches are recorded on the maps by both sides. We find that copying off twenty maps is all that is required for two players. Each map square can be any scale you want, as long as each square equals about 1/24th of the table you will use. Here you should probably stick with even whole numbers for dividing up your table, but it's possible to do fractions. For instance, if the scale of your rules is 100 yards equals one inch, then with the map squares representing one mile, an 8x6 foot table would be six map squares long and four squares wide.

Obviously, the smaller the scale game, the smaller the area represented. Don't let this stop you from campaigning larger strategic situations. You can just scale down the historical map to fit your scale-So what if your divisions end up starting three miles apart instead of the twenty miles between the original armies ... the idea is to create an interesting game with strategic implications. A grid numbering system is important as there is hidden movement, a la the Battleship game. Don't worry about getting every road or hill exactly right. That really won't hurt anything as everyone is using the same map.

TIME AND MOVEMENT FACTORS

In determining the time each campaign move/turn will be, consider multiples of the game rules time scale. For instance, if using Volley & Bayonet or Grande Armee which have one hour turns, then go for one hour or two hour campaign moves. Obviously, the more time given to a turn, the faster units travel and the faster the campaign resolves into a battle. If Fire & Fury rules are used with half hour turns, then one hour turns will probably work best. Work to achieve two to four grid squares movement a turn for infantry. Cavalry and artillery movement can be developed in relation to the infantry moves. An example of the scale we use is given with the rules below.

THE CAMPAIGN MAP AND TABLETOP TERRAIN

In creating your map, the grid will help get the features right when transferring the terrain from the actual maps. Include the following Primary Terrain* on the campaign map:

  • Towns, Forrests and Hills that cover one whole grid square or one half square.
  • All major roads or any secondary roads that pass through forests.
  • Any important rivers or streams (Just those two kinds of waterways.)
  • Any important features that cross or cover entire squares.
  • Any other terrain features are ignored.
  • Beyond their size on the map, you determine what constitutes Primary Terrain.

Once the battle area has been decided, set up the Primary Terrain indicated by the map, using the map grids laid on the game table determine the table terrain. Once the Primary terrain features have been laid out on the table or drawn on a map of the table, the smaller terrain items can be determined. While this is not necessary, we think it adds something to the ambiance.

Players decide whether the map area is generally Foothills, Valley or Farming Plain, then set Secondary Terrain. (Roll a die if you can't agree.) For each grid on the table, roll a D10 and consult the charts below. The resulting terrain is added to the table, the players taking turns placing them. Start at one end of the table and work to the other.

Foothills:

    Die roll Terrain
    1-2 A grid-sized hill
    3 Start of a stream
    4-5 A grid-sized wood
    6-10 Nothing

Valley:

    Die roll Terrain
    1 A grid-sized field
    2 A grid-sized hill
    3 Start of a stream
    4 A grid-sized orchard
    5 A grid-sized village
    6-10 Nothing

Farming Plain:

    Die roll Terrain
    1-2 A grid-sized field
    3 Start of a stream
    4 A grid-sized orchard
    5 A grid-sized village
    6-10 Nothing

When setting the Secondary Terrain, the following changes are made if Primary Terrain already exits in the grid or when placing a stream:

Village: If the village is in a grid that already contains a Primary Terrain town, ? of the town is considered stone or dense.

Start of a Stream: A stream can start in the middle of a table, and will flow to one of two spots, which ever is closer: A Primary Terrain river or stream, OR another grid that had a '3' rolled for stream. Roll a die to determine which table edge the stream will flow to UNLESS one or both of the grids where streams are placed are located on the table edge.

Hill: If there is a Primary Terrain hill already located in the grid, the Secondary Terrain hill is a second level of the Primary hill.

Fields. woods, and orchards: For each Secondary Terrain item, roll a D6. There is a stone wall on (D6 roll-4,5, or 6 all sides have walls) sides of the terrain item. There is a wooden fence on two sides with any road side first. Roll D6. One 1-3 a hedge is on two sides. Nothing.

Wood: If there is a Primary Terrain Forest already in the grid, the wood is considered dense forest. In such a case, no fences etc. are rolled for.

Other Terrain: Things like forts, chateaus, railroads, very large towns are choices that each player should make. For instance, we usually leave out all entrenchments and the railroads out of most of our later 19th Campaign maps as the entrenchments often become focal points for any maneuvering and out of place for earlier periods, while railroads are just more roads for campaign purposes. If the are strategic targets or offer sunken or high embankments, well, that's different, but often those can be shown without the railroads themselves actually shown on the map.

CAMPAIGN LITE PLAY:

Players on both sides have maps. They are given the starting location of only their units and any enemy units that have been `seen' at the beginning of the campaign. We usually let players know the general size and direction of the opposing army, sometimes by arm and multiple square `area' of the map. Any number of players can play, moving the units they command, because movement is simultaneous. The more players moving, the `more interesting it gets'--and longer it takes.

Turn Sequence is made up of the following phases:

    1. Movement Phase. All player mark the movement of their units on the map, noting their path and final locations.

    2. Search Phase. All players search, alternating `Force searches' until all desired searches have been completed.

    3. Situation Phase. Any squares containing units from both sides have the "Situation" resolved. Each player marks down his units' new positions and any discovered enemy on a new map for the next turn.

Campaign End: Battle Phase. The phases 1-3 are repeated each turn until a battle has been determined by the players during the situation phase. When a battle has developed, the current location of units are noted, the next turn being the `beginning of the battle' and the march times to the battle for each friendly force is calculated. Then the tabletop game is set up and begins.

I. MOVEMENT:

Movement is simultaneous and hidden from the opposing player(s). If there are multiple players on a side, communication between players on the same side can be made once before the campaign starts and once at the end of each turn.

Here is the scale, time and movement for the Campaign games presented in this article. This represents an average for movement, assuming lost time for rests and SNAFUS:

Time: One hour turns
Scale: One square equals l mile
Movement: Infantry: two squares per turn, Cavalry: four squares per turn, Artillery: one square

Forced Marches: This is not necessary, but we have forced marches add one square per turn with the risk of units losing strength and/or fatigue points depending on the rules used. Many rules already have forced march rules, but a table is a simple thing to develop. Here is the one we use with a D6:

    1-5: No effect
    6: Roll a D6 again.
      1-2 Loss of one strength point (or any number of men decided on.)
      3-6 Disorder or fatigue.
      +1 is added to the die for each turn a unit is forced marched, regardless of which turns. Record keeping is necessary. The loss of men or disorder can only be regained if the unit does not move or search during a turn-regaining order and/or a strength point.

Terrain effects:

Forests: Units marching through forest grids will be disordered unless on a road. Roads: To gain road bonuses, the unit must move along the road for the entire move.

Road Bonuses: Minor Road-One Square Major Road-Two Squares Artillery is the exception. On roads, artillery can move the same distances as infantry. [e.g. Infantry and Artillery can move three squares on a minor road.]

Streams: No effect on movement on the campaign map. May be different on the battle map.

Rivers: Can only be crossed at bridges. We try to have bridges sit on the line between two squares or right in the middle. If in the middle it is assumed that a contested square will have opposing forces on either side of the river. Bridges can represent several actual bridges in the mile or more represented in a square and are treated as road for movement.

Fords: These are treated as open terrain, but as such, road movement can not be used the same turn a unit crosses a ford.

Deployment:

If a force is not moved during a movement phase, it can either recoup forced march loses or DEPLOY. Deployment means that the force has assumed combat stance instead of movement columns. As long as the force is `Deployed', it may not move. IF the force moves, it loses Deployed status. A Deployed force may search.

Movement Procedure:

Each player moves all the forces he wants to. they then announce how many forced marches he is attempting and rolls for them. The opposing player know the results, but don't know which forces are affected. Each player also announces the number of forces "Deployed" at the end of the Movement Phase. This number includes all previously deployed forces still deployed and forces newly deployed that Movement Phase. Once that is done the phase is over. Any force that starts a Movement Phase in a square free of enemy forces (uncontested), it can move, split up or combine with other forces in any manner desired within the movement limits.

2. SEARCHES:

Once all movement is finished, each player searches, using one Force at a time. A Force is all friendly units occupying one grid square. The limit to the number of searches that can be made in a turn is based on the number of individual grid squares occupied by all friendly Forces. The player that searches first can be determined by initiative, if that is in the rules or by alternating it in any way agreed on between players. A force can be any size infantry, cavalry or artillery unit. the smallest sized force must be the smallest or basic unit given in the battle rules used.

For example, the brigade and artillery battalion/battery are the basic units in Volley & Bayonet, Grand Armee, or Fire & Fury. We do not limit the number of units that can occupy a grid square, though obviously there would be a limit, even with one mile squares. We never found it necessary to establish a limit. You may try a limit of two corps or twelve brigades/units per square mile.

First, each player counts up the number of forces he has at the moment and tells his opponent. That is the number of searches he can make for the Search Phase. This number can change each turn depending on how each player moves and distributes his units. A player also does not have to count [and announce] any force that is not searching.

A Force Search:

A player can search any grid squares occupied by the Force at the end of the movement phase or adjacent to the Force-occupied square. At the start of a search, the player announces whether it is a cavalry, infantry or artillery search and identifies the squares to be searched. Only those arms that are actually in the square can be chosen. That means if an infantry and cavalry unit make up a force, only one can be chosen to search that phase.

The search limits are:

    Infantry: 2 squares (the occupied square or adjacent to the occupied square)
    Cavalry: 2-4 squares (You decide what should reflect the ability of the cavalry)
    Artillery: 1 square.

As long as the requisite arm is in the square, it can be the designated searcher. (That means that even though you have cavalry in the Force, you might want the opponent to believe there is only infantry, so you use the infantry and only search two squares.)

A force does not have to search the grid square it occupies. This may create a surprise or two, sort of like Jackson surprising the Union marching by at 2nd Manassas. A Force can only search their allotted squares once per search phase.

Forces that have disordered units have the squares they can search reduced by one. (If an infantry force is disordered, for example, only one square could be searched.) Forces with units that forced marched that turn's Movement Phase also have their searches reduced by one.

Search Procedure:

Like the game Battleship, this process requires some trust between players unless you have an umpire. The searching player follows this process:

    1. The number of the force searching is stated. (As forces search, write their number on the map by the force, indicating that they have searched. They don't have to be specifically numbered until they actually search.)

    2. The Searching player announces whether it is cavalry, infantry, or artillery that is searching. (Only one arm may be chosen regardless of what is actually in the force. Obviously cavalry would have to be in the force to actually search. It is assumed that any number of troops from the force would actually be doing reconnaissance.)

    3. The player calls out the grid square numbers he has chosen to search.

    4. The opposing player must state whether the searched squares hold any of his units. He tells the searching player what is in the square DEPENDING on what was searching:

When Cavalry is searching:

  • If there is cavalry in the searched square, ONLY the cavalry is identified as found. The opposing player simply says "You've found Cavalry."
  • If there there are only infantry and artillery in the searched square, the opposing player must state how much infantry and artillery is present. As an example, "You've found 4 infantry brigades and two artillery battalions." Higher organization, such as division and corps are not identified.

When Infantry is searching:

  • If there is cavalry in the searched square, ONLY the cavalry is identified as found. The opposing player simply says "You've found Cavalry."
  • If there is only artillery and infantry in the square, the opposing player only need say "You've found infantry and artillery units."

When Artillery is searching:

  • Regardless of the units in the searched square, the opposing player simply says "You've found enemy units."

In all cases, if the discovered units are `Deployed', the opposing must say so, even with artillery searches.

When a searching force has searched it's squares, the opposing player then follows the search procedure above for a chosen friendly force, each alternating until the stated number of forces have all carried out searches. Both players note what they have found on the turn map.

3. SITUATION PHASE

Both players go back and now resolve any of the situations caused by opposing units being in the same square..

Both players decide to do one of four actions:

    Retreat
    Aggressive reconnaissance
    Skirmish Combat
    Deploy

Both players chose one of four options and announce them simultaneously. An alternative we like is to use cards. Each player has four cards with Retreat, Aggressive Reconnaissance, Skirmish Combat, Deploy written on one side. The cards/actions chosen are turned up at the same time.

Retreat:

If one player chooses to retreat, then the situation is resolved with the player's force moving back one square along it's movement route. This is done regardless of the chose made by the opposing player. If both players chose Retreat, then both forces are retreated out of the square.

IF the opposing player chose Aggressive Reconnaissance, he has the option of following the retreating player with his entire force IF the entire friendly force is equal to or larger than the retreating force. This is calculated using the Reconnaissance points calculation rather than stating the actual unit types. This situation is resolved with both players' forces occupying a `contested square' where the retreating force moved or the friendly force unable to follow the retreating force.

Aggressive Reconnaissance:

The player choosing this action states the total points of his reconnaissance force. Players chose what part of a searching force will be used for reconnaissance.

Reconnaissance Points:

    Infantry unit = one point
    Cavalry = two points
    Artillery = 0 point.

The player simply states the total points, not the type of units. The opposing player then states the actual units he is matching the enemy points with. He must state whether they are infantry, cavalry, or artillery, up to the actual points committed by the acting player. Only the units used to match the Reconnaissance are revealed. Once revealed, the acting player reveals his actual unit types too. IF the opposing player can not match the recon points sent against him, he reveals what units he has and the fact that he can't match the acting player's points. The acting player still reveals his actual Recon unit types too. The situation is then resolved.

If both players have chosen Aggressive Reconnaissance, then both players calculate the points for their recon and the state them simultaneously. Another option would be to write them down and reveal them at the same time. The Higher number is the winner and the losing player has to reveal ALL of the units in his force. (e.g. 4 Infantry brigades, 3 Cavalry brigades, 2 Artillery battalions.) the winning player then reveals only the units in his recon as explained above. The situation is resolved.

*When both sides chose Aggressive Recon, regardless of situation result, a D6 is then rolled. A roll of 1-2 and a battle is initiated. (The two reconnaissance forces got carried away.)

Skirmish Combat:

This is a concerted effort to screen friendly forces instead of attempting a reconnaissance. If both sides chose Skirmish combat, there is a stalemate, and both sides remain in the same square. They may not move the next turn, and must resolve the existing situation again, both players being free to chose any of the four actions.

If one player chooses Aggressive Reconnaissance and the other Skirmish Combat, the situation is resolved as stated above for Aggressive Reconnaissance. However, the Recon player states his recon number first, and IF the Skirmish Combat player can match them, then both players reveal only the units that were used to generate the recon/skirmish numbers and the situation is resolved. Otherwise, the skirmish player must reveal ALL units in their Force. Both sides remain in the square and can not move the next turn.

*Whenever opposing forces occupy a contested square, players can move other forces into the contested square during the next Movement Phase, though none can move out. Only a Retreat will allow forces to move out of the contested square.

Deploy:

This is a Battle deployment, with the intent of engaging in a battle. A force is either undeployed or deployed. A force can deploy during movement or by choosing this action during the Situation Phase. The Deploy action here will either Deploy the force OR if the force is Deployed already help precipitate battle. A Deployed force may Aggressively Recon or Skirmish, but if forced to reveal all its units, the player must also state that the force is Deployed. A deployed force CAN NOT use the Retreat action. It can move the next turn, but loses the deployed status. IF the Deployed action is chosen, then the following will occur.

If the opposing player chooses:

Retreat: the opposing player retreats-situation resolved.

Aggressive Recon: A Battle ensues on the table or opposing players each roll D6s and if the Deployed player's roll is higher, the opposing force loses points of units equal to the difference and retreats. (Recon player's choice. If two points difference, that could be a cavalry unit, two infantry units, four artillery units or any combination.) If the Recon roll is equal or higher, his force retreats unscathed.

Skirmish Combat: A die is rolled to resolve the situation:

    1-3 Contested Square
    4-6 Battle ensues (Too many forces were sucked into the skirmish.)

Deployed: A Battle ensues.

SETTING UP THE BATTLE

Obviously, a battle can start by mutual agreement or by accident. The square where the battle is initiated [called the Battle Square] should be placed somewhere in the middle of the table by mutual consent, or if one side is deployed and the other not, the deployed player can chose the square location on the table. Once done, the rest of the table squares are identified on the map and the table set up with the Primary Terrain. The grid squares should be noted on the table for setting up the terrain and units.

Then the Secondary Terrain is set up.

Time: The battle on the table starts the hour AFTER the turn in which the battle was initiated in the campaign game. This can mean that a battle will start late in the day and go for a second day. Most rules have some provisions for two day battles.

Setting Up the Forces:

Once the Primary and secondary terrain has been set on the table, there may be other friendly and enemy forces in squares now on the table other than the Battle Square. They are added to the total forces to be deployed on the table However, each Force MUST be placed within the grid square they occupied on the Campaign map or one scale half mile (say 8 inches at 100 yards per inch) of the grid square. See the battle report below for an example of how this works.

Note which situation in the battle square below fits and follow the instructions.

1. One Force Deployed:

The Deployed Force sets up first anywhere on one half of the table, calculated from the side the Deployed forced first entered the Battle square. They may be in any formation. The other force sets up according to the action last taken:

    A. Aggressive Recon: The recon units can set up on the opposite side 1/3 of the table depth in any formation. The rest of the force will come on the roads in road column.

    B. Skirmish Combat: Skirmish units can set up within rifle range of the deployed enemy anywhere in any formation, the rest of the force sets up behind in road column anywhere, but no closer that a six inches behind the the skirmishing units. This means that there must be skirmish units between the enemy and the units in column. This will require the column forces to bunch up behind the skirmishing units.

2. Both Forces Deployed

But one force did not move that turn.: The Deployed force that did not move, sets up first anywhere on ? of the board. The other deployed force sets up opposite side on 1/3 of the table depth in any formation.

3. Both Forces moved before Deploying:

Then both sides set up on 1/3 of the table depth on the side they entered from [The battle square on the table is used for orientation.] The setups should be hidden from the other players, or written down on on a map of the game table before placing the units.

Note: It is quite possible that armies will enter a grid square on adjacent sides, and thus the table. IF that is the case, then follow the instructions regarding setting up 1/3 or ? of the table from THE SIDE they entered, but the two sides must set up no closer than medium artillery range. It is also possible, but unlikely, that both armies will enter from the same side of the battle square. [Blame poor reconnaissance.] If that occurs, both players state what they think the setup results would be, and if they don't agree, roll a die to determine which idea will be followed.

REINFORCEMENTS

Friendly forces still on the Campaign map, but not on the tabletop are designated as reinforcements OR as still campaigning. Players tell each other if they have reinforcements AND if they have campaigning forces, but the numbers of each remain a secret. Both Players note the locations of reinforcements and forces still campaigning on a new 'reinforcement' map with the game table area marked. This is used to plot the forces' progress during the battle. The number of table top hours is used to calculate which game turn the reinforcements `should' show up and the turns of the campaign game if it is still going on.

At the point where the table game starts, it is assumed that Reinforcements are marching to the guns using the most direct route possible. The number of squares to the battlefield are noted, including the road [or if no road, closest grid square on the table edge] they will enter on. The opposing side does not necessarily know the time and locations of these forces. The `reinforcement map' can be checked after the game for a player's voracity.

When a Force is due as reinforcements on the table, the player announces the fact and then rolls a D 10.

Valley:

    Die roll Terrain

    1-6 Arrive on time

    7 Takes the wrong road at the last fork passed marching to the battle. The movement time from the fork to the battlefield is determined and that distance is how far the reinforcements are placed down the `wrong' road past the fork.

    8 One turn delay

    9 Two turn delay

    10 Three turn delay

Force Marches: If the player desires he can force march a Force. He announces he is doing that for X number of forces that turn. Rolls the forced march die for each and records the results. He recalculates the arrival times accordingly. However, reinforcements can never halt for a turn to regain losses from forced marches, even when delayed.

CAMPAIGN MOVEMENT DURING BATTLE

One of the more exciting aspects of this campaign system is that the campaign can continue during a tabletop battle, each affecting the other. The campaign game is played normally until one of two things happen. Remember, the hour on the tabletop is also the hour of the campaign, or two table turns for each campaign turn, if that is the way you scaled it.

Campaigning forces can either be

1 . Drawn into another battle which isn't located on the table top of the current battle which will have to be resolved separately. The current battle is fought, with the time involved for the second battle kept track of. The second battle is fought at another time and the entire campaign end calculated then.

2. A player with campaigning forces decides to move them toward the battle as reinforcements. When the force is able to move into a table grid square, the player rolls a reinforcement D6 as normal and the results applied. It is quite legitimate to declare forces campaigning which the player intends to use as reinforcements. When all the campaigning forces are on the tabletop, the campaigning ends.

There are only two restrictions to this process.

    1. Campaigning forces cannot be used as reinforcements UNLESS the player actually has at least one force declared to be reinforcements. Note that reinforcements are not campaign forces and must move towards the table battle unless blocked by enemy units. They may not maneuver, so if blocked, must enter a square of the blocking enemy force(s) and carry out the contested square procedures.

    2. If all off table forces are declared campaigning by a player, then NO reinforcements can be brought on the table during the current tabletop game for his side. This means it is smart to have at least one force declared a reinforcement. If things go badly in the battle, you still have campaigning forces that can be recalled.

A SECOND BATTLE

If a second battle is initiated, the first battle is concluded, but the area of the second table is drawn in. There can be NO overlap between the table areas of the first and second battle, though they can be adjacent. All campaigning continues as the first battle is played. Both players note the hour the second battle starts. As the campaign progresses past that hour, the players can reinforce the second battle, noting the times they arrive, though the game will be played later.

When the first battle is resolved, the second battle can be played. No campaigning takes place until the turn of the second table game reaches the hour that the first battle was concluded. At that time the Campaign process is begun again, forces not on the current battle table being designated as campaigning or reinforcements. This can be done without regard for the previous battle and force designations.

BATTLE END

A battle ends when one aren't completely retreats off the board, or is pushed completely off the table. Obviously, a player can concede defeat at anytime. If players desire, the campaign can continue, defeated and victorious forces now returned to the campaign map as forces in the squares they occupy or exited the table into. Often both players will simply agree to do this rather than play the battle until all defeated units are off the table.

The end of daylight ALWAYS ends a battle. Players decide to continue the battle for a second day. One side might want to go back to the campaign map and attempt to escape during the night. Movement is halved on the campaign map. A player must have committed a LARGER number of recon units compared to the entire enemy force attempting to retreat succeed in following the retreating enemy into a new square.

VICTORY

This can be agreed upon by the players, but there are really only three victory conditions for most campaigns:

    1. Strategic objectives: Defending or capturing Forts, important resources/towns, LOCs, or road junctions.

    2. Destruction of the enemy-Causing twice or more casualties than suffered. 3. Force the enemy to retreat (leave the game table) or surrender.

If each of the above are given one point each, a victory or draw can be determined. You can chose more than one strategic objective, always including Line-of-Communication as one of them. The LOC is a road(s) off the Campaign map, which if blocked by the enemy is a victory point. For the purposes of the Campaign game means that friendly units have no roads between them and the map edge LOC free of enemy units. For the table game, this is determined by the Campaign map situation. An army forced to retreat from the table, but still between the enemy and their LOC can claim a victory point.

Remember that the whole point of the campaign, like many historical campaigns, is to initiate a battle. There have been situations that were interesting enough that, while one game was concluded, the campaign was continued and resulted in a second battle.

Campaign Lite Creating Interesting Pick-Up Games in a 1/2 Hour

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