Our
wargame rules are designed to allow us to fight large multi corps battles with
relatively small numbers of 28mm figures.
Each corps has four infantry brigades represented by 8 figures each. There is one cavalry brigade of 4
figures. And just one gun and 4
crew. Our largest battle would have
four of those corps per side. So a
total of 128 infantry, 16 cavalry and 4 guns with 16 crew.
The
rules are designed to allow for a fast flowing game with a maximum of 12 moves. Each casualty affects morale and combat
efficiency, and the winner is normally the one who can maintain their morale
better than the loser.
The
rules are designed to allow artillery to be effective, but not usually the game
winner. Two dice are used to determine
a hit. At long range an 8 is required to
hit infantry in the open, at short range 6.
Gunners, cavalry and troops in cover are more difficult to hit. So it is not unusual for artillery to miss
their target. However each time they hit
they have a significant effect on morale and combat.
We
have always allowed unlimited artillery resupply which in turn means that it
makes sense to fire the guns each move, no matter how difficult to hit.
This
gives a considerable advantage to the defender who usually deploys at the start
of the game and then waits for the attacker to reach them. Throughout this period their guns can fire
at will on the attacker.
The
attacker has to deploy and then advance and often masks his artillery in doing
so.
The
normal attacker sequence for a 12 move game is as follows. 4 moves to move onto table and deploy. 4 moves artillery preparation. 4 moves to advance, reach the enemy and
decide the outcome.
This
week we started to experiment with limited artillery resupply. Our first attempt was 8 rounds per 12 move
game. But we found this was too
much. The attacker usually deploys out
of artillery range, so the defending guns could fire each move that they were
in range.
So
we have reduced the ammunition to 6 rounds per 12 move game. In the first game it did not make much
difference, because it was move 6 before the attackers moved within artillery
range.
The
defender did open fire during move 5, but was out of long range. This had quite an effect, as it made the defenders
hold their fire next move, so that they could fire every move until the end of
the game. The game actually ended on
move 10, so they were left with two rounds anyway!
I
think it will add an extra dimension to the game, and that it will make the
defender consider each round fired before move 6. This is the aim, and it will be interesting
to see how it works out.
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