Of the many pleasures we derive from this wargaming hobby of ours, one of the more interesting is the varied opinions held about the event of history. We enjoy expounding how we felt a particular unit performed or should have performed in combat. We fill the conversation with interpretations of what really happened or could've happened under other circumstances. This being the case I provided our gaming group from The Hobby Shop in St. Louis, Missouri., with my interpretation of military conflict. We are engaged in a mini-capaign from another era that I am hosting. We use a popular commercially available set of rules. But to simulate the fog of war and add that dimension of uncertainty apparent in combat I developed The random events chart in this article. See, my interpretation of military conflict is that hardly did anything go the way it was planned. Rather, the more successful commanders have the ability to adapt, and then manipulate victory with the cards fate dealt them. Not every commander performed as bravely as he had in the past. Yet some performed above themselves. Some units stumbled onto the battleground and made a difference. There were moments of glory and ignominy in every battle. The Random Events tries to simulate that to a small degree. The chart itself is easily adaptable to any rules set, and to any period. Whatever the basic fighting unit is or however command or combat modifiers are represented, can be modified with this system. How it Works Using a regular deck of cards, good things, bad things, farther reaching things, or nothing was assigned to the four suits in the deck. Hearts were positive events, Spades were negative, Diamonds were campaign bonuses, and Clubs were zilches. At the beginning of the battle, each player draws one card from the deck. Take the card and apply the event or direction as outlined in the chart. Those events with a $ in front of them will have to be taken immediately, before play begins. Others can be used at any time during the game. If you draw a card from the Spade suit, you get to "play," the results on another player. The only stipulation though is that only one spade card can be played on one player. This prevents ganging-up on another gamer, and driving him out of the hobby. (I know it is a real temptation not to give a particular individual loads of Bad Luck.) Instead of cards you could use multi-sided dice. in solo-gaming, with the toss of the old bones, I've had units appear on flanks. Another toss of the ivorys proved them to be friend or foe. Units have disappeared before my eyes taken by a superior commander with attacks/defenses augmented by reinforcements not anticipated. Advances have been halted in their tracks defenses thrown into the attack, all by the events that are uncontrollable in the command level I am playing. I hope you enjoy this twist in game events. In one of our games I forgot to use these event cards and several gamers said they missed them. Individual unit or command selections are made by placing an events marker on or near its base, or at the moment, e.g., a plus 1 firing, combat, and etc. modifier can be added at the moment of combat. DIAMONDS This suit was used to garner more supply points into the wagons of a player who was lucky enough to draw one of these cards. In our game, troops were purchased from supply points and supply points had to be spent for each unit to engage in combat again. CLUBS 2 thru Ace - nothing. Proceed as usual. HEARTS 2 One of your artillery batteries will perform above its usual capabilities today, add + 1 firing modifier to that battery. 3 One of your cavalry brigades will perform bravely today, add a + 1 combat modifier to that brigade. 4 You have among your command a brigade of line troops with whom you are concerned, they have performed poorly in the past. On this day of battle, they will redeem themselves. Give them grenadier stats for today. 5 A divisional staff will be inspired during this battle, select that division and increase its command radius by 1 inch. 6 One of your divisional subordinates will strongly believe in your plans. Increase his response number by one. 7 $ Your staff informs you that an extra field battery is available to you. Use it. 8 $ A brigade of light cavalry appears at your bivouac, They will be under your command today. 9 $ An additional brigade of line troops are assigned to you for today's battle. 10 $ The Commander places a small division of late arriving troops under your command. You will allow them to see combat. Jack $ Your luck will be tremendous today. Receive two free roll markers to be used only for those troops under your command. These are above what you would normally receive. Queen An angel will be protecting you in battle today. You will miraculously escape all captures and injuries. King What a glorious day to battle. Increase your corps command radius by 2 inches, your response number by 1, and your combat modifier by 1. Ace For one brief moment of glory (1 turn) increases all combat and firing modifiers by 1 within all friendly troops. This moment will be selected by the C-in-C. SPADES (to be given to an enemy player, at your choosing, only one per player) 2 One of your batteries has wet powder, give them a -1 firing modifier. 3 One of your line infantry brigades will fire today at an additional -1 fire modifier. Poor lead, you know. 4 One our your cavalry brigades forgot to sharpen their satires. Subtract 1 from their combat modifiers. 5 Is that a line brigade or militia? Assign one of your line brigades milita stats. (green) 6 $ Without adequate directions a battery of your command has gotten lost. Remove it. 5 $ A light cavalry brigade has not reported in from reconnaissance. Remove one from your command. 6 $ Your command was dispersed by marching. Delay the arrival of one of your divisions by 1D6 from start of game or your own arrival. 7 $ Skirmishing has diminished your command. Remove 1D6 line casualties. 8 $ Sickness is spreading in your camp. Replace a sick divisional commander with the lowest commander rating. 9 $ A line brigade was assigned to guard the supply trains, remove it. 10 $ Your staff is hung-over. Reduce your corps command radius by 2 inches. Jack $ You are lethargic and hurt because the C-in-C did not like your strategic plan. Reduce your response number and combat modifier by 1. Queen $ Your wife/mistress had a dream about your well being in battle today. Increase your chance for injury by 1. King $ Your luck has run out. You can use no free rolls at all for today's battle. Ace. The Commander in Chief becomes very sick (drunk?). Those cursed piles again. Reduce his command span, and severely restrict his ability to lead. He can recover by resting for two full hours, at which time all sub-ordinante commanders are on their own initiative. This requires an overall reduction of command control, and command cohesion. If the cards call for a change in a cavalry brigade of yours and you have no cavalry, substitute with an infantry brigade and vice-versa. Heavy brigades for light, etc. Back to The Zouave Vol VII No. 4 Table of Contents Back to The Zouave List of Issues Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 1993 The American Civil War Society This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com