Umpired Bloody 110th--Intent

In April of this year, we gathered to play a prototype umpired game of Bloody 110th.. This article is a listing and explanation of the intent of that game, rules for it, if you will. The results of the game will be published in a later issue. A number of you have written asking for information and replays regarding umpired games. Others might be interested just to hear how one went, since solitaire play is most common. These articles are an effort to fill those needs.

Duties and Organization

The game presented here needs at least 5 players, we used more, but the minimum was 5. Of these players, one is the umpire/judge. His role and judgement is critical to the success of this type of game. The remaining players are divided into two teams of a minimum of two players each. One player per team is the off-map commander for the side, remaining players move counters on the map according to the off-map player's wishes.

In setting up our game, we placed experienced, fairly fast players on the map so as to keep the game flowing quickly enough to keep the off-map players awake. The duties of each player are listed below:

The Judge/Umpire

This person's ability and organizadon will make or break the game. His pur,oose is to handle the information flow to the two off-map players, control op sheets and their issue to the on-map players and generally keep things popping. Since the off-map players must determine the situation based onthe kind of reports they would get in real life, the judge must insure that an appropriate amount of screwed-up information is sent. The on-map players will generate some reports and requests, but theirs will tend to be both accurate and important. The judge must both interfere with the on-map players's communications and add useless informadon (which is coming from units not in contact -- such as requests for reinforcements, supplies, ermneous situation reports and the like.) The idea is to make the off-map players shift through conflicting reports in order to make intuitive decisions on their accuracy. We have all seen this problem in the first days of the war with Iraq -- remember the first three weeks and the multiple incorrect, exaggerated and out and out mistaken reports?

When the on-map player makes a communication he scribbles it onto a scrap of paper. This paper is added to all others going to the off-map player in an "information period" (roughly 5 minutes) and is rolled for on the "Commo Table." We decided to use a table to inflict pain on the information process to avoid any conscious or subconscious bias. The Table is above ard uses a two die, dice roll.

Roll Result 11-24 Message Transmitted OK
25-26 Mildly Incorrect (wrong locations and times)
31-34 Exaggerations
35-36 Underestimates
41-44 Vague or incomplete
45-61 Strongly Incorrect
62-66 Message Not Transmitted, lost or not received.

I immediately decided that the table must be inflicted on all messages, including my own "noise," and that I should read the message to the receiver aloud (letting him take his own notes.) The latter not only keeps the player from getting clues from handwriting, but interjects a slight potential of additional (real) transmission error. Also, a rule should be that the message cannot be repeated (the judge must, of course, read slowly and carefully enough to not make it too tough!)

Actual communication between players on a team (on- to off-map, that is) should be strictly limited to this periodic exchange. Requests for specific data from the off-map players should be severely limited. Time delays should be inflicted. Messages should sometimes get to the off-map player after a period of up to 15 minutes. A further die roll per message is made every information period:

1-4 Deliver the message, Roll on the above table.
5-6 Postpone till next period.

This would act much like the delays in the CWB Series command rules -- giving each message a 67% chance of being delivered in a given period, 33% of being delayed till next time.

The second major job of the judge is to control the implementation of op sheets drawn up by the off-map player. He controls the entire implementation pmeess, giving weighted points, rolling on the table. The off-map player is allowed to give "preliminary instructions" on his op sh~eets, which the judge transposes to a message sheet, to bc delivered to the on-map player in the manner above. These instructions should be limited to: forces involved, assembly area (if any), start time (if any), and type of mission. The on- mapplayershould not tee told the objective of the mission or its location, only that he is to do a defense, starting around 1300. He should not know ahead of time. The goal of this rule is to keep the player from starting the mission early using preliminary instructions as an excuse. "Well, I know I have to take hill 702 at 0900. I figured it would be easier to take if I was already on it..."

I decided not to distort the actual op sheets given by the off-map player. This was to avoid re-drawing all of them, or exerting even more confusion than reality. When implemented, the op sheet would simply be handed to the on-map player.

Organization of the umpire is the key to the enjoyment of the other players.

The Off-Map Players

These two guys are the "brains" of their forces. Their jobs include: the assessment of all reports coming in, preparing and submitting to the judge op sheets driving map play, deciding on the artillery fire missions to be fired, and maintaining a situation map. For our purposes, the off-map players are also to maintain a journal of their viewpoint for the production of the companion article to the game. The off-map situation map is a full size game map with a mylar cover. As the off-map player records situation reports, he draws/writes on the mylar with overhead markers. This map, of course, is posted on the wall.

The off-map player jots down his notes based on the umpire's oral messages, updates his situation map, plans fire missions (on-map players submit only hex grids and target descriptions infantry in open, tanks, etc. -- the off-map player must determine concentration type and number of battery fires to expend,) and makes any desired op sheet for implamentation. His most important task is to separate important from unimportant information and guide his force with a steady (not schizophrenic) hand. The judge must give him enough information (good and bogus) to keep him involved. Command communications -- Exactly WHY haven't you moved out yet.' -- are allowed but should be infrequent. These must be carefully controlled by the umpire to keep the on-map player from finding out too much.

The On-Map Players

It is up to these guys to keep the whole thing moving. Their jobs include moving counters, executing fires and combats, maintaining game functions, requesting fire missions, and following op sheets. They are tophy the game, and keep it rolling in real time or faster if possible. They prepare fire requests for the off-map player to decide upon. The more the merrier, since every map unit thinks the world revolves around it and it alone.

How it Should Work

Before the game begins, the two-player teams should be allowed time to get to know each other's work habits, level of aggression, need for detail, etc. A general, overall plan should be created by the off-map player and he and his on-map countepart should discuss it. When the game is to be set up, the off-map player must be cloistered away from the game map and the other off-map player (separate rooms if available, which is the way we did it.) The judge should set up a desk somewhere for his message and op sheet handling.

The on-map players set up their counters based on the game rules and their understanding of the off-map player's overall plan. The off-map player sets up his situation map using the game rules and his understanding of his overall plan. Note that the two players are not allowed to communicate exact set ups to each other, thus leaving the situation map incomplete and less precise tban a game map.

Game play begins. The on-map players begin following the sequence of play, omitting any segments run by the judge or off-map players. The draw up fire requests and situation reports, and give them to the judge. The judge draws up additional ones to add to the pooL

At the end of five minutes, the judge goes to his desk and rolls for ddivery of each message. Those being ddivered are checked for distortion. Messages in hand, he heads for first one off-map player, then the other, giving them the messages orally. They make notes, update their situation maps, and hand over any new op sheets or fire missions.

After both off-map playes have been briefed, the judge returns to the on-map players to check the current turn. If a new turn has started, he checks all op sheets on his desk for implementation. He checks any masages for the on-map playes for delivery and distortion, derives the same along with fire missions to be executed in the turn, and the process begins again.

While this is all going on, and the judge getting his workout, the on-map players are merrily pushing counters, resolving fire combats, morale checks, and drawing up artillery requests. The off-map playes spend their time sorting out conflicting reports, assigning artillery priorities, planning operations, and updating their maps according to their best guesses.

At the end of it, all have received the closest game to reality possible, and had fun, to boot!