Saturday, November 12, 2016

Eye of newt....(revised)

So I decided to try a OHW scenario using the 5" grid with 8 figure infantry units... no wait.....make that grid-less with 8 figure units and MacDuff... sorry, no  ...... how about...ahhh yes, grid-less using Tin Army-ish 4 figure company units (imagine Morschauser style stands) and vaguely MacDuff like movement......  Yeah, That's what I wanted to try.

**OK turns out the second option was the one I really wanted after all. The gridless Tin Army never got off the ground.

Britain's 54's vs Scruby & Zinnbrigade 40's

The rules are a bit of a witches' brew. Here's a brief rules summary: (as actually played)

With MacDuff on the Prairie
(an off the cuff set of rules)
Units are 8 infantry, 4 cavalry or 1 gun and 3 crew.
Sequence: Make a deck with 1 card per turn.
Draw cards for initiative, chance and to track turns as per Tin Army.
Active army activates 1 unit or group at a time and moves and/or shoots or rallies then melees if in contact.

Movement.
Infantry 2 dice +1 in column.
Arty 3 dice
Cavalry 4 dice
Lose high die to change formation, limber, mount etc. Turns are free.
Lose high die to cross passable obstacle or terrain. Cavalry and arty can't go in woods, swamp etc.
Add 1 die if following road.
Lose 1 die to move and shoot. May not shoot and charge.
Colonel may join and reroll 1 die.

Shooting 1 die per 1 gunner or 2 rifles.
Arty: 24" 4,5,6 hits, 48" 5,6
Infantry: 6" 4,5,6 hits, 12" 5'6 hits 24" 6 hits
Dismounted cavalry  6" 4,5,6 hits 12" 6 hits
Troops in cover, cavalry and artillery suffer 1/2 casualties. Carry remainders.


Melee. 1 die per 1 cavalryman, 2 infantry or 1 gunner. 5,6 hits, +1 if elite or shock trooos.
Troops in cover or behind obstacle suffer 1/2 hits.
Side suffering more hits retreats in disorder. If tie cavalry retreats 2d6 facing enemy, may dismount.
Leader may roll 1 die: 4,5,6= 1 hit cancelled or extra hit on enemy, 2,3 no effect, 1=dead.

Disorder. A disordered unit may not move or shoot

Morale. A unit which is below 1/2 strength must test the first time each turn that it takes hits including the hit that dropped it below 1/2. 4,5,6 carry on, 1,2,3 fall back a full move in disorder, 0 rout. +1 elite, -1 militia/irregular. Commander may reroll once.
An army which has lost over 1/2 of its units is defeated.

Turn 1, The Canadians react to an outflanking move.
I'll let you know how it turns out.

7 comments:

  1. Ah, I see. You are right. Too vast a difference in size between the two. Well, it was a nice idea in theory.

    Best Regards,

    Stokes

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    1. Yeah amalgamation would have been convenient, I'll just have to go on being the poster boy for fragmented incomplete collections.

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  2. Sounds like some nice simple rules for a nice small (and quick?) game. Good for a "game in a box" sort of thing, eh?

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  3. Dear Ross,
    Nice, simple, old-school rules. Regarding that - I know disorder occurs after melee but can disorder also occur when sustain a high level of casualties in one turn or when charging and attempting, even in victory, to regain a semblance of order?
    Are these rules available to print off anywhere? They seem to be exactly what the rowdy lot I game with needs!
    Finally, did you have a good time at Fall In? I would have loved o have attended but I was in the process of adopting a Bernese Mountain dog puppy. This is not something for the weak of heart or constitution!
    Jerry

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    1. That sort of disorder is "factored in" to the die rolls. No bigger version, there are too many issues to resolve for what I want. The casualty rate needs to be reduced for a start or else rallying back hits put back in. Didn't do whst i was looking for well enough to inspire me to chase it farther.

      Fall In was good and that's a cute little puppy you've got. Won't be little long though!

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    2. Aye - 60-80 pounds according to the standard for the breed. My sister has her real "aunt" and she's 86 pounds.

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