One of the problems facing the solo wargamer, or the person who is unable to assemble more than a few companions with whom to play, is that, particularly in the large scale games made possible by 5mm figures, subordinate commanders do not affect the course of a battle as they do in real warfare. Most, if not all, wargames rules make provision for the realistic transmission of orders, so that units do not react instantaneously to the commander's orders as if linked by telepathy. However, if the orders do arrive, then the commander can relax, secure in the knowledge that since he is also playing the role of subordinate general, those orders will be obeyed and interpreted as he intended. Happy the general who is so confident in his subordinates' obedience and perspicacity. Here is one suggestion for overcoming this problem. I have for convenience chosen four personality types: skilful and experienced; average; inexperienced; rash and foolhardy. Average and inexperienced officers are most likely to obey their orders; rash officers will disobey most often followed by skilful generals, but the latter will frequently give an advantageous substitute order. Obedience is tested when: new orders arrive; unit loses one status point in one move (I use a system similar to that of Paddy Griffiths, to whose excellent articles I am greatly indebted); the enemy is repulsed; visibility is zero; supporting units retire or rout; an enemy advance outnumbers unit by 3-1; or the previous orders expire or cannot be achieved. A percentage die decides the general's obedience or otherwise; average and inexperienced officers obey 90%; skillful 80%; rash 70%. One could also add or subtract points to represent factors that might affect the instant situation. Each personality type has a pile of chance cards, on which are written different orders such as advance, hold position, retire, etc., as are considered most representative of the personality type in question. Some blank cards may be left to allow the player to write orders suited to the occasion; most of these cards should be placed in the pile for the skillful category, as it is these officers who will be most likely to disobey with happy results. Thus a disobedient subordinate may gain the victory. The cards for rash officers should include some suitably disastrous orders to allow for generals such as Sir William Erskine, of whom Wellington complained that he had "generally understood (him) to be a madman", but received the not altogether comforting reply that "no doubt he is sometimes a little mad, but in his lucid intervals he is an uncommonly clever fellow; and I trust he will have no fit during the campaign, though he looked a little wild as fie embarked." Exactly what orders are written on the chance cards I leave to the choice of the individual player to produce the sort of game he requires. Where actual commanders are represented, then examples of their real faux pas could be used. Of course, this system could never be a substitute for a wide circle of wargaming friends, whose idiosyncrasies will frequently thwart the most brilliant tactics the commander in chief can devise, or rescue him from disaster. For those of us who are not so fortunate, however, I hope it will add an extra dimension to their wargaming by reflecting one of the myriad obstacles between an aspiring commander and his laurels! Back to Table of Contents -- Wargamer's Newsletter # 175 To Wargamer's Newsletter List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1976 by Donald Featherstone. 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