For some time now, I have been gathering a number of musketeers, pikemen, et al ... 30mm figures... my "stretched" 25mm collection from various manufacturers... and am about ready to go to war - the English Civil War.
This article outlines my preliminary thoughts on the rules, and I welcome any additional suggestions from all ye out there who are interested in the period.
1. UNIT QUALITY. This is a combination of status and unit morale level, all rolled o a single factor called Quality Points (QP). A roster of each unit's Quality Point Index (QPI) is kept as shown to the left. Note the QPI falls into one of four regions: Rash, Responsive, Hesitant and Crushed.
| QPI | Unit Status | Response Factor |
|---|---|---|
| . | Rash | 50% |
| 100 | ---------- | ------- |
| . | Responsive | 80% |
| 40 | ---------- | ------- |
| . | Hesitant | 50% |
| 20 | ---------- | ------- |
| . | Crushed | 10% |
| 0 | ---------- | ------- |
Note also that in each region there is a Response Factor (RF), i.e., a percentage displayed; this is the probability that the unit obeys orders. Don't confuse the QPI with the RF Response Factor. For example, a unit with a QPI of 43 has an 80 percent chance to obey its orders... dice are thrown for the "80", and not the "43".
What happens if the unit does not obey orders? The chart below shows the two zones of response: either tFe-unit obeys (percentage dice throw is lower than the RF) or it disobeys (dice throw is higher than the RF):
| Dice Throw | Unit Response | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rash | Responsive | Hesitant | Crushed | |
| Zone 1: Disobey, Lose 5 pts from QPI | Advance | Odd: Hold Even: Fall back |
Odd: Fall Back Even: Rout | Odd: Rout Even: Fall back |
| Zone 2: Obey, Gain 5 pts to QPI | Obey orders | Obey orders |
Obey orders | Obey orders |
If the unit is disobedient, then the percentage dice throw is examined again to see if it was odd or even. An even dice throw always results in the more severe penalty.
The QPI system works in this manner:
- a. Assume on Turn 3, Captain Futes' Foot, at a QPI of
48, is fired upon and loses 12 points. The unit is now down
to a QPI of 36... Futes' Foot is Hesitant.
b. After being fired upon, the unit does nothing, i.e., there is no immmediate morale check, but the next turn, when Captain Futes gives his orders, the unit, under the Hesitant status, has only 50% chance of obeying.
c. Futes throws his dice... a 93, an odd number in Zone 1, with the result that the unit falls back and loses 5 more QPI points, now down to 31.
The essential point here is that there are no morale tests for the game. The decrement due to fire and melee is simply registered on the QPI, and it shows up on the next turn, when the unit is tested to see if it obeys orders. Thus a unit may stand upon the field, constantly under fire, and if it is not called upon to perform any action, and remains passive, and never has to check on the QPI scale, it may be battered down to nothingness. Only if it is given specific orders is the QPI test made.
2. CAVALRY IN MOTION (CIM)
Here's something I played around with in 1980 and briefly touched on in the REVIEW at that time. A simplified sketch of the sequence is shown.
On Side A's primary phase, he designates all his cavalry units that are to be set in motion (CIM). Then on the following CIM phase, all, i.e., A's and B's, cavalry on both sides that have been set in motion, and are in motion, move forward.
Thus Side A's infantry move only once, whereas CIM units move twice, since B's primary phase is also followed by a CIM movement phase.
The rules use Command cards to move, to fire, etc. Once a CIM unit starts out, no additional command requirements are needed to keep it going, for on each subsequent CIM phase, it automatically moves forward in a straight line. Cavalry units thus "flow" directly across the field; once launched, they move forward until they contact the enemy, or run right off the field, or are halted by use of the Command cards.
Command cards may be used to change the direction of a CIM unit if it appears that its straight-line advance will not carry it into contact. Additionally, if the cavalry unit will pass quite "close" to an enemy unit, there is a provision for the possibility of the CIM unit deviating from its course to engage the enemy.
3. FIRE
The "area fire" concept is to be used. Here, all units within a specified zone to the front of the firing unit will be impacted upon, i.e., one cannot focus the total firepower of a unit on one specific target, but must "spread" the fire effect.
4. COMMAND
Cards will be used... yes, a Simon game is simply not complete withhout a deck of cards. This time, it's "Command cards". Each time a unit is called upon, the commander has the option of:
- a. Playing a particular Command card to ensure a unit will
obey, or
b. Checking the unit on its QPI to see if the given order is carried out.
In effect, therefore, a Command card can be used to override a QPI test.
At present, the cards are of 6 different types... but will probably be pared down:
- Fire: Used for both musketry and artillery
Hasty Fire: Used by a defensive unit to get off one last blast before being contacted. May also be used as a regular Fire card.
Advance and Fire: Infantry only. The only time a unit can move and fire.
Action: Unit may move, reform, reface, etc. Any action except fire.
Advance to Contact: Unit may engage the enemy.
Buffers: Blank cards; unit is immobile.
On each side's primary phase, the commander discards whatever cards are left over from the previous phase and picks a number of new cards.
More later on the above concepts.
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© Copyright 1987 Wally Simon
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