Most boardgames use the idea of a zone-of-control (ZOC),with their hex movement. systems. The hex itself may represent an area hundreds of yards to several miles across, and when an enemy enters a neighboring hex, that's sufficient to alert the defending forces and combat occurs. The combat ZOC is almost a thing unknown in miniatures games... what counts in precipitating combat is actual contact between forces. one might say that some rules employ a type of "morale ZOC," e.g., 11- 10 if enemy within 15 inches", and so on. But ZOCs for combat purposes are virtually unknown. But why not ZOCs? I noted that, in effect, Vic Schmidt's use of 12 inch hexes at the games he hosts is actually a ZOC game... enter the opponent's hex - contact is not necessary - and you're automatically in combat. At the present time on the Simon ping pong table are the rudiments of a ZOC game. For a first cut, I took out my 15mm American Civil War figures, and defined a single stand as a regiment, with a brigade made up of 2 or 3 regiments. Four brigades per division (about 10 to 12 tokens in all) gives a large scale game. Each division has its own ZOC; it's centered on the Division Commander, and is 12 inches in radius. Everything is fairly standard until an enemy enters the ZOC. Then we go through several procedures, with the objective to see if the division whose ZOC is penetrated will hold its ground. First, we define pluck out of thin air - the basic chance that the division will hold position is 60 percent. Second, we determine by dicing for each brigade in the attacking division, how many regiments will actually be in the combat. Depending upon the recalcitrance of the brigade, from I to 3 regiments will participate in combat. Next, for the defenders, we add +10 for each "good thing" (units in cover, high ground advantage, etc.) , and -10 for each "bad thing" (outnumbered, attacked on flank, etc.) Last, we add the modifiers to the basic 60 percent and toss the dice for the defending division to see if it holds. If not, it must move out of the ZOC of the attackers and receives a nasty marker. If it does hold, then the attacker retreats from the ZOC of the defenders, and he, too, receives a marker. Note that actual contact is not required; "combat" occurs whenever units are within 12 inches of one another. The reason I mention all this is that I'm looking for clever thoughts on the subject... I know the readership will respond appropriately. Back to PW Review February 1992 Table of Contents Back to PW Review List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1992 Wally Simon This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com