Wargame players have so often told me of games whereby one first of all uses a map and transfers the play from map to table when contact is made, that I finally decided to do something about it and form some rules as follows:
I first of all obtained a large piece of thick cardboard 30 inches by 40 inches. My table is 10 feet by 5 feet, and, using a scale of 1/2 inch equals 1 foot, the map was divided into oblongs, the map then covering an area equal to 96 war game tables. Each of those oblongs is further divided into 1 inch squares. Now the map is drawn, each oblong being a layout, I am able to set out from a collection of portable pieces of terrain. Roads, rivers, railroads, bills, and mountain ranges are included. Now to the troop formations; each commander is supplied with counters -,which are numbered. His available forces are disposed by him; each counter will represent a formation of troops identified to him only by the number on the counter. Other counters used will be coloured as follows:
- Base Hospital, blue, will be placed on end section of map.
Field Hospital, green, will be 15 squares away from front.
Replacement Depot, black, will be near Base Hospital, Used for recruits, soldiers joining colours after wounds,etc.
Stores Depot, red, for issuing guns, food, etc.
A number of counters coloured yellow will be supplied to lay out the lines of communication from the stores depot to the front. These will be _aid out with three squares between each L of C counter. When play commences, a screen will be laid across the map covering the moves of each commander from his opponent, these moves will be counted in squares. A unit will move to within 8 squares of the screen, and each commander will start from the bottom of his side of the map.
Beforehand, a limit to the first moves should be set, aimed at getting the maximum numbers of troops as close to the screen as is allowed. After these moves have elapsed the scrann is removed.
Then each commander must make out movement orders and take place according to their order, followed by placing troops on the table. Movement formations will be governed as follows: Rail, roads, open country
| Unit | Rail | Roads | Open COuntry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infantry | 10 squares | 2 squares | 1 squares |
| Cavalry | 10 squares | 3 squares | 2 squares |
| Horse Artillery | 10 squares | 3 squares | 2 squares |
| Heavy Artillery | 10 squares | 2 squares | 1 squares |
A formation of mixed troops will move at the rate of its slowest component. The line of communication may be cut, and if cut no forward move will be made by the front line troops until this L. of C. is restored. Furthermore, wherever the line is cut from this point forward to the front, a counter will be removed for each move, and when all counters between those two points are removed, the forward troops must retreat at once to the nearest L of C counter. If the L of C is restored a counter per move will be replaced. Until then, no forward move will be made by the force whose L of C is cut. A raiding force will carry a smell tail of stores consisting of 2 L of C counters. These will follow wherever raiding force goes. One counter will carry the raiding force so many moves to be determined by the size of map used. It can be replenished, that is, brought into use again by capturing enemy stores counter or town or village, etc.
Then contact is made and battle is joined., the troops will be moved to the table, but the effect of casualties on the next battle will be estimated as follows:
- Each side will have boxes labelled, Base Hospital, Field Hospital, Replacement Depot, Stores Depot, P.O.W, camp.
After a battle the casualties will be divided as follows: 1/3rd Dead, 1/3rd walking wounded, 1/3rd Severely wounded. The victor will capture all the severely wounded of the enemy; these, plus all the prisoners captured in the battle, will go to the P.O.W. box. The troops counted as dead will go to the respective replacement depots. Walking wounded will move to the Field Hospital box, and severely wounded to the Base Hospital. A count must be made out for each of the above, and movement takes place on the map in the usual manner.
In this way it will be possible for a vigilant enemy to follow up a victory and capture any of the counters as above, depriving the enemy of manpower. The only exception to the above counter pile is that dead soldiers will be immediately released from the Rep depot and may move towards the front as replacements. Otherwise, all cannon will be returned to the Stores depot for issuing out to depleted artillery units.
I hoping that the above rules will do away with my previous battles to the death, and that a series of battles will ensue, the whole building up into a campaign.
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© Copyright 1964 by Donald Featherstone.
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