by Dave Powell
These random events use the rules found also in This Terrible Sound. Here are the relevant rule cases. Checking for Random Events: During each command phase immediately after rolling for New Order Acceptance, each player rolls on his own Random Events Table and applies the result (if any) immediately. No Union Random Even can occur during a Confederate Player Turn, or vice-versa. Each player has separate Random Events Tables, which explanations and special rules that apply to each event. Note that all random events occur last in the Command Phase sequence. This means that while a leader casualty will not take effect until after a stoppage roll occurs, for example, there is also nothing that can be done about an RE-imposed attack stoppage until the next turn at the earliest. Random Events and Leader Loss: When leader loss is called for, leaders can only be selected if they are currently eligible for losses. Any leader selected for loss must actually be in play at the time of the event. brigade leaders must be within four hexes of an enemy unit to be eligible, and division leaders must be within 8 hexes of an enemy unit. Corps leaders and army commanders need not be within a specific range, just in play. Random Events are Random: Some results call for a choice among attacking division, or among various leaders. IN each case, the outcome should be determined by chance. For example, when choosing a division at random to suffer attack stoppage, roll a die to choose which division (assuming there are 6 or fewer eligible divisions) or place all potentially affected leaders in a cup and pull one out to determine the final result. UnionUnion Random Event Explanations:Panic Check Add up the number of infantry divisions currently wrecked. Roll two dice as an 11-66 result on the Union Panic Table. Consult Leader Table Roll two dice as an 11-66 result on the Union Leader Table. Sickles Saves the Day The Confederate player gets to write one Loose Cannon order for a randomly selected Union corps in play. The Confederate Player may only write one Loose Cannon order per day from this result. However, emay decline the result before the random corps is selected, in opes that a more damaging opportunity will come along later. Immediate Order Acceptance Any one order in delay or in transit is immediately accepted. If more than one order qualifies, choose the order at random. If no orders qualify, ignore this result. Orders Delay Any one order of those currently in delay or in transit has its status increased by one. For example, a D4 would become a D5, a D6 would become a Dt. An order in transit has its status adjusted when it arrives. If more than one order is currently in delay or in transit, choose which order is affected at random. If no orders qualify, ignore this result. Withdraw Buford Ignore the mandatory withdrawal of Buford and his division, called for on July 2nd at 11.00 AM. Instead, any time this event is rolled on July 2nd or later, immediately withdraw all the units called for. If rolled on July Ist, or if Buford is already withdrawn, ignore this result. Ambush! For the next movement, defensive, and offensive fire phases, treat all straggler losses against all the units of any one brigade as permanent losses instead. This event cannot happen more than once on any given day. Note: this event supposes that poor brigade handling or bad tactical circumstances result in a large number of men being captured. Examples might beIverson'sfiasco, or the last stand ofthe 16th Maine on July 1st. Corps Attack Stoppage Any one Corps with attack orders (chosen at random, if necessary) immediately stops. Union Leader Table Explanations:Meade is a Casualty Roll one die. 1-5 wounded, 6 killed. Meade is removed from play and immediately replaced by the ranking corps commander, If Meade is not in play or already a casualty, treat as no result. Check for corps commander loss Choose randomly from all in-play corps commanders to find the affected leader. Roll one die: 1-4, wounded, 5-6 killed. Do not include replacement corps commanders in this selection process. If all permanent corps commanders are currently out of play, treat as no result. Check for Divisional commander loss The Rebel player chooses two eligible division commanders, the Union player chooses one. From these three, randomly select the affected leader. Roll one die: 1-4 wounded, 5-6 killed. Ignore replacement leaders for this process. If all permanent divisional commanders are currently ineligible, treat as no result. Check for Brigade commander loss The Rebel player chooses two eligible brigade commanders, the Union player chooses one. From these, randomly select the affected leader. Roll one die: 1-4 wounded, 5-6 killed. Ignore replacement leaders for this process. If all permanent brigade leaders are currently ineligible, treat as no result. Arrest that General! Roll one die: 1-4 Brigade leader, 5 division commander (including brigadiers promoted due to leader casualties, like Rowley) 6 - corps commander. Any one 0-0 or 0-1 brigade commander, or any 0 rated division or corps commander, chosen at random, is immediately replaced. Any attack stoppage modifier for lost corps commander is ignored when replaced by this result. This result may occur twice per game. Friendly Fire The Rebel player chooses one Union unit, adjacent to at least one other Union unit and within 4 hexes of any Rebel unit, to suffer a fire attack. Resolve the fire on the 46 column of the Fire Combat Table and ignore any low ammo rolls. Check stragglers and morale normally, as if it were a flank attack. Owning player random movement The Union player may move two of his regiments anywhere on the board up to 3 hexes. They do not have to remain within command radius, and may remain outside command radius for the turn. They may move adjacent to enemy units, but not through hexes occupied by enemy units. Enemy player random movement Same as above, except that the Rebel player gets to move those two Union regiments. ConfederateConfederate Random Event Explanations:Panic Check Add up the number of infantry divisions currently wrecked. Roll two dice as a 11-66 result. Consult Leader Table Roll two dice as a 11-66 result on the Confederate Leader Table. Longstreet Moves to the Right On July 1, this result is a surprise reinforcement. At 2:00 Pm July lst, begin rolling for variable entry for Longstreet, 1 Corps HQ and Supply, M/1 Division, and H/1 Division (minus L/H/1 and Bachman/ Arty/H/1) On a 10+, all these units enter at hex A43.01. They have orders to move to the Army HQ. If this roll is made after the regular entry times for these units, or if the Confederate Player has not rolled a 10+ to enter them by the turns of their regular entry, then bring these units on normally and ignore this result. On July 2nd or after, this order allows Longstreet to immediately write one attack order to himself, (consider it a free initiative) and, if he does not currently have any attack orders and has no troops within small-arms range of any enemy unit, he immediately has 24 accumulated MPs to use in an extended move. If Longstreet does have attack orders or has troops within small arms range, he still gets a free order but does not get to use the 24 accumulated MPs. This event can only happen twice in the game - once as a variable entry on July 1 st and once as a free order and move on July 2nd or later. Immediate Order Acceptance Any one order in delay or in transit is immediately accepted. If more than one order qualifies, choose the order at random. If no orders qualify, ignore this result. Orders Delay Any one order of those currently in delay or in transit has its status increased by one. For example, a D4 would become a D5, a D6 would become a Dt. An order in transit has its status adjusted when it arrives. If more than one order is currently in delay or in transit, choose the affected order at random. If no orders qualify, ignore this result. Longstreet Drags his Feet If the Confederate player has any orders in delay or in transit, but not yet accepted, to any corps commander, each division must roll to accept that order individually. For example, if Longstreet has an order to attack Little Round Top with his corps, and it is currently in D4 status, the Confederate player must roll a 4 or better three times, once for each division. He rolls only once per turn for the whole corps, and chooses which division to commit upon each successful roll. Note: this event is of course named after the mostfamous controversy of the battle, namely the charges by Early and the SHSP crowd that Longstreet was slow. In reality, however, both Hill's and Ewell's efforts on July 2nd were very disjointed, and this event reflects those efforts. Hence, it applies to any corps commander, selected randomly. Ambush! For the next movement, defensive, and offensive fire phases, treat all straggler losses against all the units of any one brigade as permanent losses instead. This event cannot happen more than once on any given day. Note: this event supposes that poor brigade handling or bad tactical circumstances result in many men being captured. Examples might be Iverson's fiasco, or the last stand of the 16th Maine on July 1st. Corps Attack Stoppage Any one Corps with attack orders (chosen at random, if necessary) immediately stops. Confederate Leader Table Explanations:Lee is a Casualty Roll one die. 1-5 wounded, 6 killed. Lee is removed from play and immediately replaced by the ranking corps commander, If Lee is not in play or already a casualty, treat as no result. Check for corps commander loss Choose randomly from all in-play corps commanders to find the affected leader. Roll one die: 1-4, wounded, 5-6 killed. Do not include replacement corps commanders in this selection process. If all permanent corps commanders are currently out of play, treat as no result. Check for divisional commander loss The Union player chooses two eligible division commanders, the Rebel player chooses one. From these three, randomly select the affected leader. Roll one die: 1-4 wounded, 5-6 killed. Ignore replacement leaders for this process. If all permanent divisional commanders are currently ineligible, treaf as no result. Check for brigade commander loss The Union player chooses two eligible brigade commanders, the Confederate player chooses one. From these, randomly select the affected leader. Roll one die: 1-4 wounded, 5-6 Killed. Ignore replacement leaders for this process. If all permanent brigade leaders are currently ineligible, treat as no result. Arrest that General! Any one 0-0 or 0-1 brigade commander, chosen at random, is immediately replaced. This result may occur twice per game. Friendly Fire The Union player chooses one Confederate unit, adjacent to at least one other Confederate unit and within 4 hexes of any Union unit, to suffer a fire attack. Resolve the fire on the 4-6 column of the Fire Combat Table and ignore any low ammo rolls. Check stragglers and morale normally, as if it were a flank attack. Owning player random movement The Confederate player may move two of his regiments anywhere on the board up to 3 hexes. They do not have to remain within command radius, and may remain outside command radius for the turn. They may move adjacent to enemy units, but not through hexes occupied by enemy units. Enemy player random movement Same as above, except that the Union player gets to move those two Confederate regiments. Union TablesRoll two dice each Command Phase, following New Order Acceptance:
Union Random Event Table
3 : Consult Leader Table 4 : Consult Leader Table 5 : Sickles Saves the Day 6 : Immediate Order Acceptance 7 : Consult Leader Table (Union) 8 : Orders Delay 9 : Withdraw Buford 10 : Ambush! 11 : Corps Attack Stoppage 12 : Union Army Panic Check
Panic Table Modifiers: Shift one row down if corps commanders with leader ratings totalling 10 ormore are casualties. If Panic occurs, Meade decides to retreat to Pipe Creek. No further attack orders may be issued by the Army commander, though initiative attack orders are still allowed. All corps must be issued orders to retreat off the south or east map edges, and they must move to do so once they accept these orders. The game ends once all Federals have left the map. Union Leader Table
12-16 : Check for corps commander loss 21-25 : Check for division commander loss 26-41 : Check for brigade commander loss 42-44 : Arrest that General! 45-53 : Friendly fire 54-63 : Owning player random movement 64-66 : Enemy player random movement Confederate TablesRoll two dice each Command Phase, following New Order Acceptance:
Confederate Random Events Table
3 : Consult Leader Table 4 : Consult Leader Table 5 : Longstreet Moves to the Right 6 : Immediate Order Acceptance 7 : Consult Leader Table 8 : Orders Delay 9 : Longstreet drags his feet 10 : Ambush! 11 : Corps Attack Stoppage 12 : Confederate Army Panic Check
Panic Table Modifiers: Shift one row down if Longstreet is a casualty. If Panic occurs, Lee decides to retreat behind South Mountain. No further attack orders may be issued by the Army commander, though initiative attack orders are still allowed. All corps must be issued orders to retreat off the west map edge, and they must move to do so once they accept these orders. The game ends once all Confederates have left the map. Confederate Leader Table
12-16 : Check for corps commander loss 21-25 : Check for division commander loss 26-41 : Check for brigade commander loss 42-44 : Arrest that General! 45-53 : Friendly fire 54-63 : Owning player random movement 64-66 : Enemy player random movement Back to Table of Contents -- Operations #41 Back to Operations List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master List of Magazines © Copyright 2001 by The Gamers. 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 |