JOHNNY REB broke new ground with its unique use of command markers to control the actions of various units. By reducing commands to six possible orders, the slow and often contentious process of writing out individual instructions for each unit can be avoided. Unfortunately, the system employed by JOHNNY REB does not accommodate for any measure of uncertainty as to whether or not a unit's orders will be carried out. The command control rules outlined in Volume 1, Issue 2 of THE ZOUAVE provide a good start towards remedying this shortcoming of the original rules. In his rule modifications, Brian Scherzer rates the command abilities of each brigade, division, corps and army commander into five categories which are then used to determine first when a brigade may enter the playing table, and in subsequent turns whether or not a unit may change its original command marker. The end result is that one can never be sure that a unit will respond as desired, thus simulating both the importance of the hierarchical chain of command and the uncertainty of issuing orders during combat.
Nevertheless, a further refinement of the latter part of this system is possible. Scherzer implicitly treats all six of the possible orders which may be given to a unit as being of equal importance to brigade and higher command echelons. It could be argued that some of these orders were of secondary importance to upper levels of command; the First Fire, Hold and Formation Change orders could just as well originate from regimental level and not involve any explicit orders from above. Therefore a dice roll to check for activation of orders should only be necessary for the orders which would involve higher levels of command, namely Move This Direction, Charge and Disengage (it should be noted here that if any unit is given the same orders as it received in the last turn, compliance is always automatic).
Several modifiers to the dice roll are possible apart from those stemming from the quality of the command hierarchy as outlined by Scherzer. A unit's commander, be he of brigade, division, corps or army level, who is used to rally some of his men in the Routs and Rallies Phase should subtract one from his subsequent activation dice rolls or dice roll modification value. A General vigorously applying the flat of his sword to the backs of his running men has less time to spend giving orders to and supervising his other troops. A second modification has to do with a unit given a Disengage order. Modify the dice roll by the number of enemy infantry or cavalry units which can be seen by the unit in question (see JOHNNY REB Section 0-3.4) less the number of observable friendly units. This simulates the situations when a unit in no apparent danger that is ordered to disengage may not neccessarily respond, but an outnumbered unit may very well fall back on its own initiative.
Finally, any unit that has an officer with it for the entire turn will automatically obey all of its marked orders. However, any divisional, corps or army commander who is used for such a purpose will subtract one from his activation modifier value. Units which are beyond one turn of officer movement distance from their brigade commander are also subject to a -1 modifier on their order activation dice roll.
The net effect of these rule modifications is that after a brigade has entered the playing table (according to the rules outlined previously by Brian Scherzer) command problems will center on coordinating units in their advance. Difficulties will arise primarily when an attack begins to falter, and generals will be forced to balance their rallying abilities with their attempts to direct their men into the fray.
RULE SUMMARY
Activation of Orders (Move This Direction, Charge, Disengage):
Brigade Commander Quality: Die Roll
Poor: 9-12
Average: 7-12
Good: 6-12
Excellent: 4-12
Exceptional: 2-12
Modifiers:
-1 if unit is greater than officer movement distance from Brig. Cmdr.
-1 if brigade commander is used in the Routs and Rallies Phase
+1 to +4 for no. of visible enemy units minus no. of visible friendly units (Disengage order only)
+ or - sum of each divisional., corps and army commander activation modification values according to the chart below less 1 for each commander utilized in the Routs and Rallies Phase:
Poor -2
Average -1
Good 0
Excellent +1
Exceptional +2
More Fog:
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