This is another article from dividing the ‘Wargame Design Research Guide’ into sections. Part One was the ‘Anatomy of Designing Rule Sets’ that was published last in an earlier issue last year. The topics covered in this article include the basic terms that can be used in the rules and additional terms that can be used to avoid endless repletion. Some terms can be used to mean the same thing. Designer’s need to be specific as to which terms will be used and a glossary should be included in the set of rules.

ALL KNOWING PLACEMENTS

Most non-judge systems use an all knowing ‘third person’ method for troop placement. The rational being that between, spies, scouts, and troop formation identifiers (dust, smoke and noise, among other factors) the location of all units would be possible. Designer’s may still want to keep the knowledge of certain troop characteristics limited until contact with enemy forces.

AMMUNITION TRACKS

The use of record keeping to determine the status of units or equipment with limited ammunition depends on the era and type of warfare being simulated. Due to the type of weapons employed in the pre-gunpowder eras, tracking ammunition is not practical. With arrows and javelins being the most asked about weapons, writings indicate that such troops obtained additional weapons from those expended by the enemy toward friendly troops. Depending on the era and scale the troops are regarded as having enough ammunition to last the entire battle. In those cases where a unit is limited to a number of shots, then record keeping is needed. For example if a unit has three shots allowed before running out of ammo, then a poker chip system can be used. No marker indicated that it has not fired. A white chip indicates one shot or two left. A blue chip represents two shots or one left. Finally a red chip indicates that the unit has no ammo remaining. Many air and sea warfare systems use a time scale that will make exhausting ammunition unlikely.

ARMY LISTS

In order to play and create realistic scenarios, a framework for available forces has to be in place. Such frameworks may be in the form of and Order of Battle or a Unit Table of Organization and Equipment. Other systems will use a Troop Type format where the arms, armor, morale, fighting ability and type availability are provided. Often the Army Lists will be longer than the basis rules themselves. In most complete set of rules such an extensive appendix will be included. Though some rule systems will provide such data in the form of supplements.

BALANCED SCENARIO

These are frequently hypothetical battles designed to give both players an equal chance to win. Tournaments are normally fought with initially balanced forces with no terrain advantage. The terrain situation may change during set up procedures. Using a force point system or providing different victory conditions for both sides may be used to Balance scenarios.

CHARGE MOVEMENT

The term that is very flexible. Its meaning often depends on the troop scale and era being played. In pre-1900s combat systems the rate would be increased to reflect a rush to contact rate where maintaining unit formations would not be a priority. For horse-mounted units, it may be used to reflect a speed that is greater than normal speed and used to gain impetus prior to contact with the enemy.

COMMAND AND CONTROL

This concept is greatly influenced by the era being covered in the set of rules. The term Command refers to a commander’s ability to issue orders to subordinate units. The term Control in Wargame terms often refers to a commander’s ability to view the battlefield and/or lead units within close proximity. Flags, drums, horns, radios and hills will enhance the command ability. It can be impaired by weather or the location of trees or hills may limit visibility.

COVER AND CONCEALMENT

In military terms there is a difference between the two. Cover includes positions that offer protection from enemy fire and may also limit the enemy’s visibility. Concealment is used to refer to blocking visibility at a small unit scale such as platoon or lower. Examples of terrain features that offer concealment are trees, high brush, rocky outcroppings and harvest ready crops. Terrain features may offer concealment and cover or only one. For example, Harvest ready crops will block visibility but not hinder the effectiveness of enemy fire.

DEFENSIVE RATING

Most units will have an organic/intrinsic defensive ability based on personal protection equipment. In pre-Horse and Musket eras this would be shields and body-armor such as mail or plate metal. In 1900s Land Combat, this may indicate the thickness of the unit’s vehicular armor. In sea and air combat it would tend to reflect the target’s armor thickness as well. Aviation systems may combine aircraft construction, armor and maneuverability to produce a defensive rating.

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The small d is followed by a number indicating a type of dice to be used with a system. Examples are d6 (six-sided dice) and d10 (ten-sided dice).

ENTRENCHMENTS

Any use of dirt for protection or obstacles. They are prepared positions that will both hinder enemy movement and offer protection to the defenders. This includes foxholes, facines, sandbags, mealy bags, trenches both improved (WW1) and hasty (slit).

FIELD MOVEMENT

The normal speed of movement for units on the battlefield. It reflects maneuvers for units over rolling terrain with few obstacles or difficult features. In pre-1900s combat systems the rate would include a natural reduction for commanders having to advance to a rate where the unit’s formations would remain aligned. In World War Two combat and later it may be further divided into mounted (on vehicles) and dismounted (on foot) rates of movements.

FIRE EFFECTIVENESS

A rating on how effective a unit’s basic firepower ability is to hinder or impair a target. This term is often applied to unit’s of various sizes, planes vehicles and ships. It can also be used to rate the volume of fire coming from a source after the fire value has been modified both positive (better training or equipment0 or negative (weather, or unit is impaired).

FIRE INTENSITY RATING

This concept is similar to Fire Effectiveness but not the same. It often refers to the total amount of firepower placed into an area from all available sources.

FIRE POINTS

This is a rating value applied to a firing unit. It is based on the type of weapon used by the unit. Weather, training and other modifiers may modify it.

FORTIFICATIONS

The construction of fortifications represents an extensive amount of time spent to improve the defenses for an urban area or key location. The fort/castle is the most common type but other fortifications include stockades, anti-tank teeth, anti-landing craft obstacles, isolated bunkers/watchtowers, walls and palisades. Fortifications can be further identified by the type of material used in their construction such as stone, wood or masonry. In regards to masonry structures, some thick walls built during ancient-medieval times could prove to be a formidable obstacle even for modern 20th century forces. Not only would they be difficult to penetrate but the rubble produced by collapsed masonry castles/forts would provide extensive rubble for the defenders.

GALLOP MOVEMENT

This term is frequently used in ‘Horse & Musket’ era games. It can refer to a Cavalry unit or a horse drawn artillery unit. The movement rate reflects a speed greater than normal (Trot) but less than full (Charge) speed. For horse-mounted units, it may be used to reflect a speed that is greater than normal speed and used to indicate movement without contact with the enemy. It can also be used to indicate a speed at which the unit can move and perform selected tasks (change direction or unlimber guns) during the same turn.

GRADE

A classification term used to identify the basic ability of a specific unit. The term can often be expressed in numbers or letter terms.

HEX MOVEMENT

Movement is calculated as Movement Points (MPs) with points required to be expended to cross a hex-side into an adjacent hex. Additions MPs are required to turn or enter difficult terrain hexes or even to cross hex-sides. Some rules may require turn costs to be expended prior to movement. Other rules may provide for a ‘free’ turn after entering a new hex or prior to movement. Hex Movement is popular with Naval and Air Combat systems.

HIDDEN MOVEMENT

This concept is often referred to as ‘The Fog of Battle’. The concept involves the limiting of information available to each player. The use of a rule mechanic is easy if a non-partial judge is used. However it can be difficult is such a judge is not available. A certain amount of trust between players is required. In the case of one stationary side, the use of ‘dummy’ and ‘actual force’ position counters can be used. These methods have been used with systems concerning Japanese island defenses during WW2 and Vietnam and other insurgent operations. In regards to a moving opponent, a search and reveal system is common. The search system requires trust though a location record log can be used and can be used easily if the map-board used contains a grid such as hexes.

IMPETUS

The momentum gained by a unit prior to contact with an enemy unit. Sometimes it will be required in order for a charging to receive bonus-killing factors. Often impetus can be lost due to terrain or other obstacles that may slow or hinder the advance of the charging unit.

KILL DICE

The number of dice that a unit or casting can roll in an attempt to inflict damage upon an enemy unit.

LEVEL

While it can be used to specify a skill ability, it is best used to identify a value that can be increased or decreased with modifiers.

LEVEL OF DAMAGE CHARTS

Often when using the Matrix style combat system, the process involves the use of a Win-Loss Chart, then the use of Severity of Damage Charts. Such systems are more common with Operational and Strategic Level systems than Tactical or Skirmish level scenarios.

LEVEL OF VICTORY

Designers can establish either just a winner or loser OR determine the winner by severity of the win. If severity is a factor, then there are often four levels. The lowest is a loss when no objectives are achieved. The other three levels are victories but with different affects on the Strategic situation. These are Tactical, Marginal and Strategic Victory.

MARGINAL VICTORY

A Marginal Victory implies that the local objectives were achieved with limited disruption to the friendly forces. As a result the Strategic situation would changed to the victor’s advantage but may still require another battle.

MATRIX

This is a combat system used to compare the combat ability of two units. The abilities often have both attack and defensive capabilities calculated in the ratings. Frequently after the comparisons, the matrix chart will express the chance to win in percentage terms with only one player rolling dice. Often the number of casting casualties inflicted is limited. So it is often used for Operational and higher scale games.

MELEE

The term used to express a casting’s or unit’s ability to fight. It can be used to specifically refer to hand-to-hand rather than distance combat.

MODIFIERS

The designer will use Modifiers for a number of situations in a rules set. They may adjust the distance that a unit will move, the unit’s morale or their combat effectiveness. Some Organic modifiers such as for terrain or weather will affect both sides equally. Other situational modifiers may enhance or impair a specific unit’s ability to move or fight.

MORALE

the term used to express a unit’s or casting’s willingness to continue fighting. It may be adjusted by fatigue, impairment and training. The intelligence or educational level of the basic soldier for a specific era may differ but may impact the evaluation procedures used by the designer. While modern man may scoff at mystic signs and spiritualism, these were important factors in the daily lives and beliefs of ancient warriors.

MULTI-ERA RULES

The concept of a core set of rules that can be used for different eras by adding an era specific supplement has been used in the past and is still the preferred concept for a few rules’ designers. Within even a single era, such as the pre-gunpowder era, the development of different arms, armor and tactics, it is hard to convert these factors into rule mechanics. The effort needed to attempt to provide supplemental rules for several different eras is exhausting.

NORMAL MOVEMENT

The movement rate regarded a typical for that type of unit. (foot, horse mounted or vehicle mounted). This is a deliberate pace that will not fatigue or restrict the unit from other activities.

OBJECTIVES

These are part of the victory conditions used to determine a winner of the scenario. While it may refer to both troop losses, it is often referring to controlled terrain. Control may be defined as someone who occupies a location or being the last side to pass through a location. The Standard Terrain Objective Chart gives a specific number of points based on who controls the objective at the end of the scenario. The Aggressive Terrain Objective Chart gives points based not only on control of the location at the end of the scenario but modifies the points according to who started with the location at the start of the scenario. So, a position that started in enemy hands but ends the battle in friendly hands provides more points than a location that started and ended the scenario in friendly hands. A situation modifier that is also considered for firearm era scenarios is whether the enemy can still place Direct fire unto the location. If so then the number of points awarded is often reduced.

OBSTACLES

This category is often divided into man-made and natural (or terrain) classifications. They are also rated according to how difficult they are to cross. They will hinder a unit’s ability to maneuver on the battlefield. Man-made obstacles can include urban areas, minefields, hasty barriers or more elaborate defenses such as entrenchments and fortifications. Most terrain features displayed on the battlefield will be regarded as an obstacle. Examples include but are not limited to swamps, marsh, forests, fences, walls, hills, slopes, sand, streams, lakes and rivers. In some cases terrain features can become obstacles due to weather conditions such as rain (mud), wind, snow, flooded streams and hot deserts. In regards to traffic-ability, the effects vary due to the scale being used. ,The ratings used tend to reflect, impassable, significant delay (major minuses to movement) and minor delays (few or no minuses to movement).

OPERATIONAL LEVEL OF PLAY

The scale of the castings often vary from a 1:50 (company) to a 1:500 (Battalion ratio. The player is often regarded as a Brigade or Divisional Commander. This is a very common level for play during the ‘Horse & Musket’ era gamers.

OPPORTUNITY FIRE

A concept that pertains to tactical level systems rather than higher level games. Higher systems tend to reflect of larger deployment area in which the concept would not apply. It involves a stationary shooter given the chance to fire at an enemy target that could enter and move out of the firing arc within the same turn. Skirmish systems with less than one minute game turns often do not use Opportunity fire since units should not be able to move in or out of firing arcs in one turn. Some skirmish systems allow for focused (Op) fire. It represents a shooter focused on a specific lane of fire waiting for a target to expose them.

PENETRATION VALUE

The ability of a weapon’s system to defeat the defensive armor rating of a defender is it’s Penetration Value. This is commonly used with modern ships and armored fighting vehicles. Certain weapons mounted on tanks or ships may not have been able to pass through the armor planting of the target. In land combat throughout history, weapons were designed with the factor considered for how well it could penetrate the shields or armor of the times. In Land combat , the larger the unit scale , the less consideration that is given to armor and weapon penetration.

POINT SYSTEM

The point system is used to compare forces. It is often used to balance opponents. It is also used to evaluate the effectiveness of units or equipment. In regards to units factors such as training, experience, weapons, availability and maneuverability are considered. In regards to equipment, defensive armor, weapon’s system effectiveness and availability are primary factors. A conversion system should be included in case a particular unit/item was not in the original list.

ROAD MOVEMENT

Often used to refer to a unit moving at greater than normal movement rates. This term in tactical or even skirmish level games can refer to movement along unobstructed and improved beds of hard often rock construction. On the mid-level operational concept, it refers to the use of unobstructed paths to increase normal movement ability. At the high strategic level it can mean the use of various transportation systems to relocate from one point of the battlefield to another in a non-combat mode.

SCALE

The terms troop or casting are used in conjunction with scale. Casting scale refers to the size of the castings used. The common sizes are 6mm (1/285), 10-12mm (N scale) , 15-18mm, 20mm (1/76), 25-28mm are some of the more common. Troop Scale refers to casting to actual manpower representation in the rules. An example is One casting equals 50 actual combat troops.

SCALE RELATIONSHIP

In all game scales other than 1:1 skirmish actions, the scale of the terrain buildings used will cover a significantly larger amount of ground than might be expected. For example at a 1:50 yards ground scale a three inch house would cover 150 yards on the game terrain board. In my opinion, such a fight would be over a village rather than a building. The problem would increase if several buildings are used for a village at a crossroad. My design group decided to eliminate that problem with the establishment of Objective Zones with covers an amount of land regardless of the number of buildings used on the Zone marker.

The same difficulty of perception also applies to such terrain features as mountains, hills and the size of water features or the width of streams. A simple inch stream at the 1:50 yard ground scale would be a major crossing obstacle at 50 yards wide.

SCENARIO

Gamers are always looking for engagements to recreate on the terrain battle-board. These can be designed by the author or by gamers. They can be based on historical events or designed in a manner by the author for a specific reason.

SKIRMISH LEVEL OF PLAY

This is when the system reflects a man-to-man or 1 to 1 scale. The Player may be regarded as a squad-leader (control 10 castings) or even a platoon leader (control 30 castings)

STATUS MARKERS

The use of status markers can reduce record keeping paperwork but can clutter the terrain board. Years ago when board games were more common it was not hard to obtain black cardboard counter chits which could be customized for your use. Now, the sheets of blank chits are harder to find and people are finding alternatives. I have seen, washers, cards, and pennies used with the currently most flexible being poker chips. The poker chips come in a variety of colors and often can be written on or tagged for additional data. .In regards to casualty markers plastic/chenil rings have been popular. Some players will use a die that is not used in the game (such as a d4) to count stand/base losses until the base can be removed due to losing all of its castings.

STRATEGIC LEVEL OF PLAY

Generally regarded as the highest level of play. The Player will always be a general. The unit scale will range from division to Corps to Army level of play.

STRATEGIC MOVEMENT

Often used to refer to a unit moving at greater than normal movement rates. At the high strategic level it can mean the use of various transportation systems to relocate from one point of the battlefield to another in a non-combat mode. It can be used for Operational level systems as well. It is a common scale for many abstract games including SciFi, Fantasy and Ancient-Medieval gamers.

STRATEGIC VICTORY

A Strategic Victory implies that the all objectives were achieved with significant enemy losses and minor disruption to the friendly forces. As a result the Strategic situation would swing significantly in the favor of the victor. Enemy forces in the area would find it difficult to regroup after the battle.

SUPPRESSED

Refers to a unit or specific location that receives enough effective fire to hinder the enemy operations. Some rules use the term to represent a situation where the target receives enough fire to hinder it but not impair or wound the target. In reality a unit that received enough fire to be impaired or wounded would also be suppressed. In many rule situations, a suppressed unit cannot fire or move normally.

TACTICAL LEVEL OF PLAY

The scale of the castings often vary from a 1:5 (fire-team) to a 1:30 (platoon) ratio. The player is often regarded as a battalion or Company commander.

TACTICAL VICTORY

A Tactical Victory implies that the local objectives were achieved with perhaps significant disruption to the friendly forces. As a result the Strategic situation would not be changed and another battle is required.

TARGET ACQUISITION NUMBER

This is the term that I use. Other designers may use other words such as sighting but they will cover basically the same aspects of combat. The ability to see a target does not mean that the target can be sighted by it’s weapon’s systems. This can apply to land, sea and air units. We use it in reference to vessels and use the condition of the seas combined with the size of the vessel and type of target to produce such a value. Aircraft and land units might include the type of weapon’s sighting system being used.

TO HIT NUMBER

The number on a die roll needed to damage an opponent. The damage may require an additional roll to determine the extent of the damage. The damage may wound the target, impair it, destroy it or kill it depending on the rules and scale. The number may indicate a ‘or higher/lower’ level. For example a number of 4 or higher on a d10 roll will indicate a hit.

TRAINING MODIFIERS

This term refers to the basic skill rating of a specific unit or casting. The training level can be achieved through pre-game drill or experience in prior battles that will increase the rating of the unit at the beginning of the scenario. For Example a unit will begin the battle as a veteran or elite rated unit that indicates experience. It can also represent a poorly trained unit/casting with a ‘Green’ or ‘Levy’ rating. This rating will normally not change during a scenario.

TROT

This is a pre-mechanized term used to refer to troops mounted on horse back or in chariots. It can mean an untiring movement speed and considered as a normal rate of speed. It can be used to refer to a movement speed that is slightly faster than normal but can only be used for a limited number of turns. A good example would be for tactical level systems to use Trot as the speed used by units moving to recover from a recently completed charge sequence.

UNBALANCED SCENARIO

These are gaming situations designed to offer specific challenges to the players. Often historical scenarios will be unbalanced as historical situations were seldom equal for both forces. If players truly desire to determine a ‘better’ player, then players should play the same scenario twice and change sides for the second battle. By comparing victory conditions, a ‘better’ player should be determined.

UNIT

In this article the term unit is generic and refers to the combat ‘unit’ used in a game system. In game design terms it can refer to a maneuver group of men. The size of force referenced should be cited in the rules.

WALK

This is the basic movement conducted by units during normal or field movement. At the Skirmish level, it would reflect a slow deliberate pace reflecting caution. With horse mounted units it would be a non-tiring pace used.