We stand corrected. In the August REVIEW we gave credit for the CONTINUOUS COMBAT concept to Cary Mathews. Not so, says Larry Brom, who indicates that Jack Scruby gave birth to the idea in his December, 1951, issue of WAR GAME DIGEST. Larry Brom goes on to say that the CONTINUOUS COMBAT article led to the development of the LIBERAL MOVE by him and Cary Mathews in Greensboro, North Carolina, circa 1961. Then it's back to Jack Scruby again, for in the 1964 wargame rulesbook FIRE & CHARGE, Scruby incorporated the LIBERAL MOVE, giving full credit to the Greensboro gamers.
Larry further states: "It's all kind of academic because in retrospect, compared to contemporary gaming, the concept seems archaic - although in 1957 and 1961, it was a rather revolutionary idea. As a matter of fact, I don't know of any rules that use anything even-similar in present day gaming. Hell, who knows... in our pursuit for "realism" and historical "purity" we may have lost a lot of fun from the hobby."
This issue of the REVIEW we present, for ol' times' sake, the GREENSBORO LIBERAL MOVE WARGAME of 1961. Even if you don't try the rules, read the explanation of the LIBERAL MOVE; it's truly unique and could easily be incorporated in today's gaming procedures. Indeed, Scotty Bowden's "telescoping time concept" of his EMPIRE III Napoleonic rules, is, in essence, an offshoot of this type of thinking, wherein the time scale is momentarily "collapsed" to bring the battle to a head more quickly.
And a further note from Cary Mathews, who states;
- There is one item I would like to add to in the August issue concerning the
paternity of the Continuous Combat concept. You state it was created by me and,
passed to Larry, which is not exactly true. The "Credit Where Credit Due Department"
should be as follows: in Greensboro, N.C. in 1962, Larry, his cousin Dale Rakestraw (an
excellent active now in California) and myself worked out a concept of a continuous
movemmt option, which we termed the "Liberal Move". It was refined, a whole series
of rules worked up around it, and after a period of time, was discarded.
Larry sent the rules to Jack Scruby who tried them, changed the concept and published the rules in the old Wargame Digest (anyone heard of that).
Larry states in the August issue that he cannot remember the basis of the approach, but that, apparently, is due to the fact of his advanced age and having become slightly more senile than myself.
The whole thing probably. should be changed from the "Credit Where Credit Due Department" to the " Who Cares Department". Now, let me tell you about an interesting new concept for those 30M games . . . .
THE GREENSBORO LIBERAL MOVE WAR GAME
by Carey Mathews and Larry Brom 1961
I. TO START THE GAME
A. Build the terrain
B. Divide armies
C. Roll high die for choice of aide of table
D. Make initial troop dispositions in secret on rough maps
E. Set up troops on table anywhere 18" out from edge of table
F. Roll high die for first move
II. MOVEMENT
| Unit | Line | Column | Road | Line to Column | Column to Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infantry | 6 | 9 | 12 | 6 | 9 |
| Sharpshooters | 6 | 9 | 12 | 6 | 9 |
| Light cavalry | 9 | 15 | 18 | 9 | 15 |
| Heavy cavalry | 8 | 12 | 15 | 8 | 12 |
| Horse artillery | - | 12 | 15 | - | - |
| Foot artillery | - | 6 | 9 | - | - |
A.Each unit on table has a choice on each turn of:
- 1. A normal move (chart above)
2. A liberal move (see below)
3. Standing fast.
B. The liberal move involves the following strict procedure and restrictions.
- 1. There is no distance limit to this type of move.
2. The exact objective aiid direction of this move must be pointed out prior to moving.
3. This move can be an assault on an enemy position; a shift to the flanks or rear; or merely a move to a more desirable position.
4. However, for each normal move distance traveled, the moving units can be fired at by any and all opposing elements in range.
5. The moving units can return simultaneous fire only at targets directly to their front in a 20 degree arc.
6. Units involved in a liberal move can change formation at the above "speeds" on any of the normal moves of the liberal move.
7. Any time after one forward move has been made of a liberal move the units can terminate their proposed move with the following restrictions;
- a. The units must about face and return to their original positions
(a normal move at a time)
b. The retreating units get fired at but have no return fire since their backs are turned.
8. Once moving elements reach their stated objectives their move for that turn is completed unless they are in hand to hand in which case the combat is fought and the results determined before termination of the liberal move.
III. SEQUENCE OF ACTION ON EACH SIDES TURN
A. State type: normal, liberal, etc. and direction of each unit's move
B. Move any guns to be moved and point out exact targets of guns to be fired.
C. Fire all guns at specified targets only.
D. Move and fire all normal moving units.
E. Move and fire all liberal moving units simultaneously a normal move at a time.
IV. RIFLE FIRE
Infantry 24"
Sharpshooters 24"
Light Cavalry 18" Dismounted or 12" Mounted standing
Heavy Cavalry 18" Dismounted or 12" Mounted standing
Horse Artillery 36"
Foot Artillery 48"
A. All fire is simultaneous.
B. Only two ranks deep can fire unless terrain dictates differently.
C. All fire is in a 20 degree cone to the direct front of firing troops.
D. Only one half the men in an infantry column can fire and then
only in a 20 degree cone to the direct front.
V. ARTILLERY FIRE
A. Takes 2 men to move or fire a cannon. As long as 1 artilleryman is
on a gun it can fire every turn. If a gun is manned only by infantrymen it
can only fire every other turn.
B. Foot guns cannot move and fire on the same turn. Horse
guns can move and fire on the same turn.
C. All fire is considered direct fire from model to heads of
target troops.
D. A gun can be fired in any direction 180 degrees from Its
front with out being considered a move.
E. TO FIRE- Roll one die, even number hits target. Roll one die for casualties.
Subtract 1 from casualties in lt. cover. Subtract 2 from casualties in hvy. cover.
A six destroys a gun then roll for crew casualties.
F. When all horse gun crows are killed the gun reverts to foot
gun status.
G. Grape shot range is 12". Roll one die for casualties; regardless of
cover.
H. To spike a gun, roll one die-even number spikoe cannon.
I. You cannot fire and spike a gun on the same turn. You must do one
or the other.
VI. HAND TO HAND COMBAT
A. Attacker Moves into physical contact in desired formation.
B. Defender gathers all his troops within 6" from the front rank of the
attackers formation and lines them up in the same formation as the
attacker.
C. When starting with the front two opposing ranks, individual combats
are fought a low dice roll loses.
D. The first side to lose 3 fights in a row retreats just that rank 18" to the
direct rear or along the edge of the table, the dice determining direction.
E If the attacker wins a "rank" fight, he then moves into the defenders
next rank. If the defender wins, he fills up his front rank and fights the
defenders next rank and so on. This fight continues rank by rank until one
side or the other is driven back 18". At that, the hand to hand combat is
terminated.
F. The winner has one bonus which is to place his surviving troops into a
different formation. He cannot change position while so doing.
G. Guns are not considered overun until all the defenders are driven back. Guns
cannot be taken back with retreating troops however, an even number on the
die spikes them.
VII. TROOPS IN SQUARE FORMATION
A. Units in square formation can move only 4" per normal move.
B. Troops in square add one point to their hand to hand combat
value.
C. Only one half the troops in a square can fire unless they are
attacked from two directions in which case they can all fire.
D. If any one side of a square is beaten back in hand to hand, the
whole square retreats 18".
E. If troops in square break ranks to act as support in melee,
they lose their one point combat advantage.
VIII. COMBAT IN HOUSES
A. All troops in houses add one point to their hand to hand combat value.
B. Troops in houses fire same as troop in square (See above)
C. Troops in houses cannot be considered "support" units in a melee. The house must
be assaulted directly.
D. Hand to hand in a house is not fought rank by rank. The affair is settled as soon as
one side or the other loses 3 fights in a row.
E. 10 man or less in a house can all fire whether attacked from one direction or not.
IX. RETREATING DUE TO MORALE
A. If a commanding officer of a unit involved in a liberal move is hit with a 1 on the
dice, that unit on the next normal move must turn around and head back to its original
starting position a normal move at a time.
B. I f a commanding officer of a unit standing ground is hit with a 1 on the dice, that
unit (after counting casualties) withdraws one normal move distance to the direct rear.
C. Losing units in hand to hand retreat 18" to the direct rear.
D. Chain of command in counting morale factor of units. 1) commanding officer, 2)
second officer, 3) any man carrying regimental colors
X. END OF DAY RULE.
A. At the end of every three game turns "day" in ended. During the "Night Time", the following things are taken care of:
- 1. Casualty records and battle report notes are brought up to date.
2. Walking wounded from hospitals are returned directly to their units on the field.
3. Wounded (friend or foe) within your own lines are evacuated from the table.
B. When players are ready to commence the game, roll high die to see which side moves first on the next "day."
XI. COUNTING CASUALTIES
A. Use FIRING CHART to determine number of casualties.
B. Roll number of individual dice equal to casualties is; 8 casualties, roll 8 die.
C. Then, reading numbers rolled on die and using the CASUALTY CHART, count
casualties from target troops thusly;
- Third man is dead. Fourth man from him is wounded. Fourth man further on is
wounded. Sixth man further on is dead. And so on rank by rank from left to right until all
casualties have been counted.
D. Always start casualty count from the same point in target troop formations.
E. Figures hit with 1 on die run back one move to rear of formation that turn.
F. Figures hit by 2 on die (walking wounded) are immediately moved back to headquarters or hospital area to remain until the next "day."
HAND COMBAT POINT VALUE
Regular Infantry Number rolled on die
Grenadiers Win all ties
Light Cavalry Add one point to dice roll
Heavy Cavalry Add one to dice roll, win all ties
Troops in "wquare" Add one point to dice roll
Troops in houses Add one point to dice roll
| Die Roll | Hand to Hand Results | Firing
Results | Hand to Hand For Flag Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Captured | Runs | Flag & Man captured |
| 2 | Walking Wounded or Dead Horse | Walking wounded or dead horse | Walkin Wounded man & flag retire |
| 3 | Dead | Dead | Man dead, flag captured |
| 4 | Wounded | Wounded | Man wounded,flag captured |
| 5 | Wounded | Wounded | Man wounded,flag captured |
| 6 | Dead | Dead | Man dead,flag Captured |
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© Copyright 1981 Wally Simon
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