At the end of this post is v1.0 of the rules I intend to use. I would greatly appreciate any thoughts/feedback. The Portable Wargame by Bob Cordery was essential inspiration for the development of these rules.
Game SetupPlayers roll for first placement of units. Unless scenario or terrain precludes, units will be placed in the back two rows, and not in an exterior column.
Turn ProgressionDetermine Initiative, Move, Ranged Attack, Close Combat, Remove units
InitiativeAt the beginning of the game, players roll to determine who has the first move, unless a scenario dictates otherwise. Generally the attacker will have the first move.
At the beginning of a game-turn both players roll a D6, the player with the highest roll plays their player-turn first. The number rolled represents the number of units that the player may move on his/her turn. After both players have played their player-turns another game-turn begins by rolling to determine which player begins their player-turn first.
Movement Rules1. All movement occurs through the side of tiles, not the corners.
2. Units may only move only once per turn.
3. Units that will fire this turn reduce movement by 1 tile.
4. Units may change direction any number of times during a movement, but must end their turn facing only 1 side of a tile.
5. Units may not start or end a turn in the same tile as another unit. (Exception: Commanders may share a tile with any unit, attaching themselves to that unit)
6. If in the course of movement a unit moves into a tile adjacent to an enemy-occupied table, it must turn stop and turn to face the enemy. If the tile is adjacent to two enemy occupied tiles, the moving player will choose which enemy to face. Close Combat will then ensue.
Infantry Ranged Attack1. Units may only fire once per turn
2. Units may only fire at units that are in range.
3. Firing unit must have line of sight to target unit.
4. May fire 1 tile into woods or built-up areas.
5. May fire out of woods or built-up areas, provided firing unit is on the edge of the woods or built-up area.
Process:1. Identify firing and target units.
2. Confirm ranged attack is valid.
3. Firing unit rolls two D6.
4. Using Unit Data, determine number of hits.
5. Defender rolls one D6 to determine impact.
Modifiers
+1: Commander Attached/Adjacent,
-1: Target in cover
Artillery Ranged Attack1. Units may only fire once per turn.
2. Units who have moved may not fire.
3. Units may only fire at units that are in range.
4. Firing unit must have line of sight to target unit.
5. May fire 1 tile into woods or built-up areas.
6. May not fire out of woods or built-up areas.
Process:1. Identify firing and target units.
2. Confirm ranged attack is valid.
3. Firing unit rolls two D6.
4. Using Unit Data, determine number of hits.
5. Defender rolls one D6 to determine impact
Modifiers
+1: Commander Attached/Adjacent, Fired into same tile last turn
-1: Target in cover
Close Combat1. A unit moving into a tile adjacent to an enemy unit must immediately stop, face the enemy unit, and engage in close combat.
2. A rear or flank attack is made directly to the side or rear of an enemy unit.
3. A unit who starts a turn having been engaged in close combat in the opponents turn, may withdraw from close combat, but in choosing so may not attack the unit with which it was in close combat with during the last turn.
Process:1. Identify attacking and defending units.
2. Confirm attack is valid.
3. Attacking unit rolls two D6.
4. Using Unit Data, determine number of hits.
5. Defender rolls one D6 to determine impact.
Modifiers
+1: Adjacent/Attached Commander, Flank/Rear Attack, Attacking Downhill
-1: Attacking uphill, attacking into forest/built-up area
Resolving HitsAfter the attacking player determines how many hits the target sustained in the attack, the defending player rolls 1 D6 to determine the impact of the attack. Elite units with competent officers were more likely to remove themselves from battle, whereas inexperienced officers often misread the situation, resulting in higher casualties.
Unless otherwise specified, all units have a starting strength of six. The unit’s remaining strength is indicated by a D6 kept near the unit.
DefinitionsLine-of-sight (LOS): Ranged units need to be able to see their targets. LOS should be measured from the center of one tile to the center of another. Certain types of terrain obstruct LOS
TerrainHill: Reduces movement by 1 tile, Units on edge of hill area facing enemy may be seen, but hill blocks LOS behind.
Rough/Field: Provides cover to light infantry. Reduces cavalry movement by 1.
Forest: Only Infantry may enter forest. Provides cover. Reduces movement to 1 tile. Blocks LOS behind, but units on edge of forest facing enemy can be seen. Infantry may fire out of forest if on edge of forest, but ranged attacks into forest must only be done in adjacent tiles.
Built-Up-Area: Only Infantry may attack from a built-up-area. Built-Up-Area provides 360 degree range of fire. Provides Cover. Blocks LOS behind.
River: Impassable except at bridges or fords.
Swamps: Impassable
Mountain: Impassable, Blocks LOS
Unit TypesLine Infantry: The standard infantry unit of the day. Soldiers stand shoulder to shoulder armed with muskets and bayonets. Line infantry soldiers are well drilled but many do not receive the training required to be proficient marksmen.
Light Infantry: Most national armies organized their best shooting soldiers into light infantry units. They fight in loose formation or skirmish formation, enabling them to find more cover from the terrain and move rapidly across the field. Their loose formation does reduce their melee combat ability.
Cavalry: Armed with sabers or lances, cavalry are very fast and can be devastating to enemy formations. Keeping enemy cavalry out of the army’s flank can be difficult, but is essential to effective maneuver.
Artillery: As cannons became more mobile and accurate, they earned a permanent position in armies. Capable of devastating attacks at very long ranges, eliminating enemy artillery should be a priority of any commander.
Unit Data
