Over the years I have used many commercial rules, and without fail keeping track of casualties on the wargames table has always been a problem. Some handled it well, some badly. One of my favourites was Peter Guilders “In the Grand Manner” who used small curtain hooks (looking like Polo sweets) which were placed around the neck of one of the figures to represent each casualty. It kept the clutter off the table and made it easy to move with the unit. However, to my eye, it did spoil the look of the table, even Peter’s very large and impressive table.
In my campaign games it not only necessary to show the casualties on the table, but also to transfer them to the campaign, which is on the computer.
At the start of each campaign phase all brigades are full strength. But after the first battle all tabletop casualties are transferred to the computer order of battle. Most are replaced by reinforcements, but all brigades keep 10% throughout the remainder of the campaign phase. So the most casualties any brigade will start the wargame with is 10%
There are three army groups on each side, and each group has three armies. Each army has three corps. There are two orders of battle for each army, one on the computer and a hard copy to use on the table. Above is the hard copy for 1st Russian Army. As part of the preparation for each wargame the hard copy is updated from the computer copy. The figure 1 represents 10% casualties, and in this case eight corps have suffered casualties and now have 10% each.
Photo 1 above shows both armies at the start of the game, 1st Russian army is nearest to the camera. You can see the casualty markers behind the brigades concerned. 1 corps (right) has two casualties, 2 corps (centre) has three and 3 corps (Ieft) also has three.
Coloured plastic counters are used to indicate casualties. There are four colours and samples are shown above. The colour indicates the morale of the brigade, and the number the percentage of casualties. Blue is fully formed, green is disordered, yellow shaken and red in rout. Each 10% casualty is minus 1 on combat and morale tests. Green is also minus 1, yellow and red minus 2. There are also green, yellow and red markers without numbers. These show the morale of the brigade even though they may not have any casualties.
The markers are quite small, but distinctive enough to be easy to see even at a distance. When a brigade takes casualties during a game the marker is increased, but the paper order of battle is not affected.
This photo is a close up of 1st corps of 1st Russian army at the end of move 8.
1 brigade is in the centre and routing with 20% casualties, it has a red marker 2
2 brigade is still fighting on the hill, it is disordered with 20% casualties, it has green marker 2
3 brigade has routed and been rallied and is returning with 10% casualties, it has blue marker 1
4 brigade is in square supporting the artillery, it is formed with 10% casualties, it has blue marker 1
The artillery have no casualties and are formed, consequently they have no marker
Cossacks only have the 10% casualties they started with, they have a blue marker 1
You can see that even on the first photo, showing the whole table, each marker is easily recognised. The marker is placed behind the brigade, so each player can easily spot their casualties. They are less obvious to the other player.
We have used this casualty marker system for many years, and are still quite pleased with it.
