Using some concepts eagerly borrowed from Matthew Sparkes' Russian Civil War rules in Gauntlet magazine, these are a basic set of tactical rules presenting warfare among the many warlord armies of 1920's China. SEQUENCE OF PLAY 1. Each side rolls 2d6 for initiative. Add Army Commander rating to roll and highest total has choice to move first or second. 2. First side moves any or all units, then second side does the same. Most units contact by opponent's movement are pinned in place except for armored cars, tanks and railroad trains. 3. Firing can be done by anyone at anytime with stationary fire coming before moving fire. HQ/Army Commander Stands 1. An HQ stand represents command staffs. Their appearance is mostly for flavor to show where the army commander is located. If stand is killed or captured, then all units under it's command must add +5 to movement roll for rest of battle. 2. HQ stands boost morale by subtracting 2 from movement roll for the infantry battalions and I from cavalry units if within 6". 3. HQ stands move 1D6 X 2. Halved in rough going. Tripled on road. 4. While they have no fire capability, they can take fire. Any hits on HQ stand must be confirmed by rolling a D6. If a 1 occurs, then hit counts. HQ stands can take two hits before being destroyed. 5. If contacted in melee, roll 1D6. 1-2 Over run and killed 3-4 Over run and captured 5-6 Escape, immediate move. WEAPON RANGES Field Artillery 60" Light Mountain Gun 40" Mortars 36" Tank Gun 34" Heavy MG's 30" (8" Pointblank) Rifles 12" (2" Pointblank) Cavalry Carbines 8" (2" Pointblank) INFANTRY Movement: Roll 2D6 and subtract total from number of figures left in unit. That is amount of movement in inches. If it is negative, unit must retreat that far. If unit officer leads heroically, then he counts as one more figure but is at risk (see officer rules). Attached machine guns always keep up with unit. Movement in rough going always halved. If unit is under one-half strength, it must roll 2d6 even if it is not moving. If negative - must retreat that far. Firing: Maximum rifle range 12", pointblank 2". Each stand rolls ID6 and needs equal to or less than number of figures left on stand to get one hit. Halve number of figures firing if unit is moving and firing unless in pointblank range. Targets under cover get Saving Throw of 4, 5, 6. Approach To Contact: Just prior to contacting enemy unit during movement, Attacker must roll 2d6: If dice higher than figures left in unit, attackers stop short. If attackers succeed, defender rolls 2d6 and if total higher than surviving figures, then immediately retreat that many inches. Melee Roll one die per figure; any "1's" are kills. Side with most losses must roll 2d6 to see if they stay or retreat as usual. CAVALRY Movement: Roll 1D6 and subtract result from number of figures left in unit. If positive, move that many inches +4". If negative, retreat those inches +4". Officer counts just like in infantry rules. Units under one-half strength must roll each turn just like infantry; must retreat if negative. Movement halved in rough going. Firing: Maximum Range 8"; (Pointblank Range 2") Firing same as infantry; also halve if moving. Approach To Contact: Same as infantry. Melee: Each cavalry figure gets 1D6 vs other cavalry or 2d6 when meleeing infantry or gun crews. Any "1s" are kills. Side with most losses rolls 2d6 to see if they retreat. ARTILLERY Movement: Most field guns were oxen/horse drawn. Roll 1D6 for movement in normal going. Add +2 on a road. Roll 1D6 in rough going: 5-6 = no movement; 1-4 = that many inches. Each stand takes 3 hits (3 crew). Once hit, must roll ID6 - if hits same as or higher than D6 roll, then must retreat next turn. Must roll from then on whether moving or not. Firing: Range depends upon model of gun. All firing must be line of sight. Each stand rolls 1D6 and needs number of remaining crew figures left or less to score a hit. Modifier of -1 from die roll for every consecutive turn of firing at same target and/or target under 12". Once hit is scored, roll 1D6: 1-2 = 1 hit 3-4 = 2 hits 5-6 = 3 hits Advance to Contact: Artillery never attacks this way, but if defender and they are about to be contacted, roll 1d6. If roll is greater than crew left, guns are abandoned. Melee: If they are caught in melee, roll a maximum of 1D6 for crew and a "1" inflicts a kill on enemy. Usual check to see if a side stays for side which lost more. Crew Hits: Get 4, 5, 6 Savings Throws for any hits where they are in protection or under cover. ARMORED CARS AND TANKS AC's: Roll 2D6 in normal movement; +4 on road; can not enter rough going. Tanks: Roll 1D6 in any terrain except wetgrounds as prohibited entering; +2 on road. Special Rule: Each turn roll 1D6 and must beat the number of hits the AC/tank has already suffered. Both get 6 damage hits, thus, once a vehicle/tank gets six hits, it is knocked out. Tank breakdown: Any turn tank attempts to move, roll 2d6 and it suffers mechanical breakdown on roll of 2, 3. Crew then abandons it. Firing: Armored cars fire MG's, getting six rolls per MG until one-half strength, then three rolls. Protection: Armored cars ignore all rifle hits until stand contact in melee, then every two hits equals one damage hit. MG's do every two hits equals I damage hit from anything under one-half MG range. Artillery hits as normal. Tanks ignore all rifle hits at any range until contacted in melee by enemy stand. Then enemy rolls 1D6 and get damage hit on 1-2 (grenades). MG's at pointblank range get one damage hit per two hits. Artillery hits allow tank to get a 4, 5, 6 save. HEAVY MACHINE GUNS Movement: Same as infantry attached to. By themselves get only 1D6+1" move. Can not fire if moving. Halved in rough going. Firing: At full strength get six rolls to hit. With only one crew left, get three rolls to hit. Ranges: Maximum 30"; Pointblank 8" Roll number of D6 allowed and get a hit on every "1" rolled. Get one automatic hit at Pointblank Range. Machine Gun crews always get a 4, 5, 6 Saving Throw besides any cover saves. Saves allowed because they are such a small target. Close to Contact: MG's never charge to try to melee. If they need to face a melee, then roll 1D6 and on a "6" they retreat normal movement. Melee: Crew gets one extra burst as enemies close in, then are wiped out. Roll 6d6 or 3d6 as normal fire even if already fired that turn. AIRPLANES Movement: Can move 40" + 2d6 per turn. Costs 2" movement per turn of 90 degrees. Since the only Chinese antiaircraft existing were MG's, it can choose to fly HIGH and can not be hit. It can bomb HIGH or LOW but must strafe by going at least last 12" LOW in a straight line toward the target. Attacking: Bombing: Can bomb HIGH by going over the target, then rolling 2d6 left - 2D6 right, then 2D6 over - 2d6 under. Bomb lands where numbers place and probably not where you want it! Can try to bomb LOW by approach 12" LOW in a straight line then dropping bomb and pull off. Roll 1D6 per right-left-over-under. Strafing uses MG's so roll 6d6 just as if regular MG. Hits on "1". Spotting: Before an attack can be launched, the plane must spot the target. To spot target, must fly within 12 " of it, then roll 1d6. HIGH: 4-5-6 to spot town/bridge/RR train 6 anything else LOW: Automatic to spot town/bridge/RR train 4-5-6 anything else Damage: MG's as normal. Bombs cause same damage as Artillery hits. As far as plane taking damage, it can take six small arms/MG hits. Infantry stands get one roll per stand to inflict a hit on "1" if within range. Ground MG's same rules as usual. Morale: To stay around and continue the fight, the airplane pilot must roll 1 D6 and get higher than the number of damage hits it has sustained. ARMORED RAILROAD TRAINS Movement: Train rolls as many dice as it's Steam Level. As hits damage train, it's steam will go down. No Steam: Dead on tracks! Crew: Train crew is 12 plus any extra for MG's or infantry placed on train divided as: Engineer Crew = 6 hits worth Turret Crews = Fwd 3 hits worth Rear 3 hits worth Steam Level Roll Firing At Train 10 4d6 re-roll 1's & 2's Rifles: Stand must touch and then roll 1D6; get one damage on roll of "1". 9 4d6 - 8 3d6 re-roll 1's & 2's MG's: At PB range, every 3 hits gets I damage 7 3d6 Artillery: Every hit gets 1 damage roll except tank gun which only can get 1 hit maximum. 6 2d6 re-roll 1's & 2's - 5 2d6 - 4 1D6 - 3 1D6 -1 - 2 1D6 -2 - 1 1D6 -3 - 0 KO'd - Dead on tracks Damage Roll 1- Armor protects it. 2- Armor protects it.. 3- Paint chipped. 4- Lose 1 steam. 5- Lose 1 steam. 6- Critical Hit* *Critical Hit 1 - One heavy weapon knocked out; roll for which one. 2- Lose 3 crew 3- Lose 3 steam level 4- Lose 3 steam, 1 crew 5- Lose 3 steam, 2 crew 6- Disaster Hit** Disaster** 1. Train uncouples at one linkup point. Roll to see which part breaks off from rest. Can not be fixed during game. 2. One turret explodes; fire starts. Surviving artillery crew rolls I D6: Even - put out fire but can not fire next turn Odd - panics and abandons turret! 3. Roll 1D6 and that is how many steam levels lost. 4. Engineer Crew panics! Roll for each one - they desert train on odd level. 5. Engineer Crew has had enough of this battle and for the rest of the game will use all allotted steam movement to retreat off board by safest way. 6. Boiler explodes! Train KO'd and dead on track. Odd - rest of cars derail and topple sideways Even - no further disaster. Anytime train reaches 0 crew or 9 steam, it is finished as a weapon in game; turret crews or MG's integral to train unit abandon the train and flee. MORTARS Movement: Move 1D6 (-2 in rough going) Can not fire if moved. Maximum range is 36" and minimum range is 6". Crew must see their targets; no field phones. Firing: Roll 1D6 and: 1-2 = hit stationary targets, 1 = hit moving targets Damage Results: Personnel 1-3 = 1 hit, 4-6 = 2 hits vs Vehicles/Train: 1-5 = 1 hit 6 = 2 hits Losses: Can take 2 hits. On first hit, roll D6 and weapon is abandoned on roll of 4-6. OFFICERS Can lead normally but not added to troop strength; however, not risked as casualty either. Or lead heroically then counted as extra figure for movement, morale and firing, but risked as casualty too. Each time unit takes hits, officer rolls 1D6 and must tie or beat number of losses. if more than 6 hits then still saved on roll of "6" - also means 1 loss does not cause risk check. Units who lose their commander will not continue to attack or fight aggressively but can hold position or fall back to defensive position. UNRELIABLE TROOPS For movement or morale anytime as "12" is rolled: 1) If more than surviving number of figures - flee battlefield! 2) If less than surviving number of figures - remove one full stand to desertion. Anytime troops have no commander left, they automatically flee the battlefield if " 12 " is rolled. FLANKING MOVES OFF TABLE Certain units are eligible for flanking moves off table: 1) Armored cars and 2) Cavalry Each turn flanking player rolls 1D6 and 4-6 flanking unit moves 12" up table edge on turn they wish to move then toward table. Inform enemy if he has units within 16" of table edge. Next turn, they can move onto the table. More Chinese Warlords Warlord Wars of China 20th Century Manchu Gold: Battle Reports Warlord Wars of China 20th Century Rules: Warlord Wars of China 20th Century Back to MWAN #98 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1999 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