I have felt for some time that our current morale rules make it too easy to pass when casualties are received.
They are decided by 1D6, plus or minus from a short chart. The most important plus is 1 for a general within 4” and the same for a formed brigade in support. The most important minus is 1 for C class troops and for each casualty. The current morale chart is:
3 or more – pass test
1 or 2 – fail and shaken
0 or less – fail and rout
In general most brigades pass test with 1 or 2 casualties. When they lose 3 casualties they automatically rout. This usually results in melee lasting at least three rounds, when both sides often rout with 3 casualties.
I wanted to provide a wider range of possibilities. First to reduce the number of rounds of melee, but also to introduce more uncertainty into the game in general.
The new rules are also decided by 1D6, plus or minus from the same chart. The new morale chart is:
6 – past test
5 – pass test
4 – fail and disordered
3 – fail and disordered and retreat full move
2 – fail and shaken and retreat full move
1 – fail and rout full move
Disordered - rallied automatically at the start of their next move
Shaken - has to rally by passing morale test next move
Rout - causes brigades within 4” to test morale
We have only used these new rules in one wargame, and the result has been dramatic.
First brigades are more likely to rout
Second they are quite likely to retreat either disordered or shaken
Trained brigades with no casualties almost always rally next move
But it does cause considerable disruption for the defending player
And it can cause delay for the attacking player
I am not sure how much I like these new morale rules
It does reduce the number of melee considerably
And I quite like the unforeseen consequences of a low dice throw
But I am not sure whether either of us like being the one who rolls the low dice
It will take a few games to confirm whether the balance is right
And it has given me a project until we start hill walking again in September.
Adding to the variety of negative outcomes should be interesting and also provide a bit more to the narrative of a game.
ReplyDeleteHi Peter
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment
My wife and I have been wargaming together for many years, and can usually predict what each other will do in most circumstances. So an added element of chance is really necessary to prevent a predictable game. Not sure that I have the balance right yet, but time will tell.
regards
Paul
You could try using 2D6 as that will give you a bell curve. You could also have a negative for disordered/shaken and perhaps a two stage process. eg
ReplyDelete7+ Passed
2-6 Disordered and retreat. If already disordered Shaken. If already shaken rout
<2 Shaken & Retreat. If already shaken rout
Hi Jon
DeleteThanks for your comment and suggestions.
I did consider using 2D6, or perhaps 1D10, but decided to try first with 1D6.
It gives a much more dramatic, and unpredictable, result for both combat and morale, which is what I wanted to achieve. However it does take some getting used to, particularly as we used more conventional rules for so long.
With our new morale rules there is already a disadvantage to earlier loss of morale or casualties. For example being disordered is minus 1 for morale, and being shaken or in rout is minus 2.
regards
Paul