Imagine that you have just won a battlegame. Let me suggest two alternative causes: first, your flank attack drove deep into the enemy's support area, knowing from reconnaisance the enemy's main position; second, your light horse seized a village worth 25 points on the last game move, giving you the margin of victory. Which hypothetical cause would be reasonable by military precedents? I prefer the first, and will explain how it can happen in batflegames using the following system for determining the outcome.

The Main Line of Resistance (MLR), as I understand it, is a position between the combat elements and the support elements. It is usually chosen for its defensive strength, as it is your security, your base, on the field. If your enemy takes and holds a position behind your MLR, you must almost always retreat to the next defensive position to reorganize and consolidate. I have used the MLR idea for my system of deciding victory and defeat. The basis of this system is: THE COMMANDER WHO CAN PLACE AT LEAST ONE-THIRD OF HIS ORIGINAL FORCE BEHIND THE ENEMY MLR AND KEEP THEM THERE FORCES THE ENEMY TO RETIRE.

Now, there are some rules to make this work on the battlegame field.

1. In order to win, the condition of victory must be met at the end of an agreed number of moves. I use twelve moves.

2. The MLR must be selected, recorded for verification, and posted (not revealed) no later than the end of the fourth out of twelve moves.

3. The MLR must be proportionate to the size of the force: If 50 unit stands, each one inch long, make up your force, your MLR must be no less than 25 inches long. This prevents concentration on a small MLR, yet provides for reserves and assault forces.

4. No point of the MLR may come closer than eight inches from the edge of the board. This prevents a commander from resting his flanks on that unturnable position.

5. There are two types of engagement, with different victory conditions:

a. The Meeting Engagement. Both armies arrive on the field about the same time. Both commanders must establish an MLR, and one or the other must meet the condition of victory, else the battle is a draw and both retire.

b. The Offensive- Defensive Engagement. One army is already in position and must hold it to win. Only the defending commander must establish an MLR, for if the offensive fails to meet the condition of victory, the defender automatically wins.

6. The MLR is not revealed to the enemy until after the game UNLESS an enemy force comes within 5 inches (500 yards by my scale) of it. The immediate commander of those enemy troops is told that he has come within 500 yards of the MLR. He must relay that information to his superior under the rules of your' battlefield communications.

We have tested the MLR system on the field and find it realistic and satisfactory. As both military historian and battlegamer, I enjoy solving historically reasonable problems. This system makes me feel as though I am dealing with genuine command decisions. Win or lose, I know why, in military terms. The result can be explained and understood by historical standards.

Here are some command decisions which you make using the above system. I must practice economy of force: part to attack, part to defend, part in reserve. I must put out skirmishers or a forward line to give myself reaction time to developing threats. I must try to anticipate the enemy MLR, in order to place my attack force in a favorable jump-off position. I must recon the enemy position to develop his MLR. I must choose my MLR on relation of the ground to probable enemy intentions. I must try to mislead the enemy's recon to obscure my MLR. I must arrange good communications with and between my commanders, for intelligence and coordination are necessary to succeed. I must give my attack force cover by fire to cut their losses, for they must hold their captured ground.

Mr. Grossman has been battlegaming since 1966, and is associated with the Minnesota Historical Society as Program Supervisor for the Fort Snelling Restoration.