Below is the text for Far Side of the world. It will be added as a download to the rules tab. This is v1.1. It has some minor tweaks/improvements over v1.0. I'd be very interested in thoughts/suggestions/critiques if you have any. The goal is to create a basic framework that could be extrapolated though different eras of linear warfare. If expanded beyond the "small wars" of 1850-1900 units would need to be rebalanced in each variant to account for historical changes in warfare.

Far Side of the World

A Compact Grid-Based Colonial Wargame

Grids are used to remove fiddliness and allow the game to be played in small spaces. If the table were to be bumped or moved, units and terrain could easily be put back to their locations. It also increases the likelihood of the game to be played by non-wargamers.

Units are intended to roughly be company sized units for 1850-1900 but could be scaled up or down to fit the scenario if necessary. Fielding a force of 3-4 infantry companies augmented by 1-2 cavalry and/or artillery units seems about right for a basic game. Force composition should be altered to represent historical forces if desired. Opposing forces need not have the same number of units. Tribal or civilian forces should field a higher number of units, of lower quality.

Leaders on average should boost the performance of the units around them and the army at large, but they are still fallible humans. They do not always read the battlefield correctly and sometimes the units would be better off without the leader’s interference. This is accomplished by forcing players to keep the leader’s roll, even to their detriment.

Modifiers are used to differentiate units and showing advantages and disadvantages. Players should feel comfortable adding unit types and modifiers, but be warned that, moving beyond +/- 3 yields very predictable outcomes.

Board and Equipment

A grid of 8 rows and 8 columns should be considered the smallest minimum playable size. Players should each have approximately 3D6, with at least 1 being a contrasting color. Players will also need several units, and a few pieces of terrain. Units and terrain must fit inside the confines of a cell. Further explanation of terrain and units are covered later.

Measuring Distances

All distances are measured from the center of one cell to the center of another in integer values. Measurement along a diagonal is possible but the 1^st, 3^rd, 5^th, n^th, measurement consume two movement/range points. Moving 3 cells along a diagonal would measure at 5 (2,1,2).

Units that share a side are said to be adjacent.

Game Setup

Lay out all terrain features, randomly or according to scenario.

Both players roll 1D6. The higher rolling player places half of their units.

The lower rolling player places all of their units on the board.

The higher rolling player fields the remaining half of his units.

Terrain

Terrain is assumed to occupy the entirety of a cell.

If any part of the LOS from one cell passes through closed terrain (forest, hill, or built-up-area), the entire LOS is blocked. If measuring along a 45 degree angle, measure forward first to determine LOS.

LOS is measured from the center to center of concerned cells.

Terrain Types

Built-Up-Area (BUA) – Only infantry may end turn in BUA, provides heavy cover, and obstructs LOS beyond. In BUA no flank/rear exists.

Forest – Passable only to infantry, provides heavy cover, and obstructs LOS beyond. Moving into forest consumes all remaining movement.

Hill – Passable to all, requires 2 movements to enter unless from hill of equal elevation, then 1 movement is required, obstructs LOS beyond.

Open – Passable to all, requires 1 action to enter, no cover
River – Impassable except at fords/bridges. Bridges are treated as open. Fords provide no cover and consume all remaining movement upon entering.

Rough – Passable to all, provides light cover only to infantry but does not obstruct LOS for any unit.

Unit Definition

A group of figures is called a unit. Groups of figures may be singly based or multiple figures may be based together. Units must fit entirely in a single cell. Units may not be further divided, nor may more than one unit occupy the same cell. Units face cell corners, not sides. Ranges and movement are measured from tile center to tile center through the sides.

Unit Types

Statistics shown in Unit Data Table

Regular Infantry – Fighting in ordered formations, regular infantry forms the backbone of professional armies. They are drilled to stand and fire repeated volleys into enemy lines before a final bayonet charge.

Skirmish Infantry –These troops fight in open formations and prefer to fire from behind cover. They move through terrain much easier than the regulars.

Melee Band – These troops are armed with only bladed or thrown weapons. They must close to melee with enemies, but should not be underestimated.

Mounted Infantry – Although mounted, they generally dismount to fire. While mounted they can rapidly move across the battlefield to occupy advantageous terrain or harass slower enemies.

Shock Cavalry – Although less common, massed cavalry charges still do occur. Shock Cavalry are armed with lances or sabers. They may carry handguns but are generally ineffective, except at melee ranges.

Field Artillery – Artillery has become smaller, more accurate, and faster reloading. A single piece can now be crewed by a much smaller force than before. Many nations are starting to send artillery detachments with smaller and smaller forces.

Gatling Gun – A single gatling gun can lay down as much small arms fire as a much larger unit. They are still very expensive to field and prone to jamming, rendering them useless until cleared.

Unit States

Steady – Steady units are calm and collected. They are generally receptive to orders and willing to fight.

Disordered – Disordered units are considering quitting the field. While disordered, units reduce their resolve by 1. They can be rallied back to steadiness by their leader.

Bloodied – Bloodied units have been impacted by combat. Many members of the unit have died, are critically injured, or have fled the field. Both combat statistics are reduced by 1 for the remainder of the battle.

Unit Traits

Elite – Elite units have superior training and discipline. They receive a +1 modifier during all rally attempts.

Inferior – Inferior units have substandard training and discipline. They receive a -1 modifier during all rally attempts.

Militia – Militia units are made of non-professional soldiers. Their combat statistics are always 1 less than their professional counterparts of the same type.

Leaders

Leaders are attached to a unit. They may not detach or join a different unit. They have no inherent combat ability but are capable of rallying disordered troops and may also have traits that impact the troops withing their command radius. The standard (unmodified) command radius is 2. Units outside of command radius may not be rallied and do not benefit from the leader’s traits.

Leader Traits

Inspiring – This leader has a way of steeling the resolve of his troops. All units within command radius receive +1 to all rally attempts.

Stammering – This leader can barely conduct a meeting, let alone rally flagging units. All units within command radius suffer -1 to all rally attempts.

Bullet Proof – This leader regularly finds himself in perilous positions, but emerges unscathed. This results in a +1 modifier on all leader death rolls.

Frail – This leader seems to always have a minor injury or illness that keeps him away from the front. This results in a -1 modifier on all leader death rolls.

Gunner – This leader’s training with his artillery makes him an excellent commander of gun crews. All artillery and gatling guns within command radius receive +1 to all shooting actions.

Equestrian – This leader rose to prominence through the cavalry ranks. All cavalry (including mounted infantry) units receive +1 to all melee actions

Master of Drill – This leader has instilled a great sense of discipline into his troops. All infantry units within command radius receive +1 to all shooting rolls.

Guerilla – This leader specializes in commanding irregular forces. All militia, melee band, and mounted infantry units in command radius receiver a +1 modifier on all combat rolls.

Veteran – This leader has seen combat before and knows how to handle it. All units within command radius receive +1 to all activation rolls.

Green – This leader has recently assumed his command and his troops know it. All units within command radius suffer -1 to all activation rolls.

Leadership Dice

The leader’s unit rolls Leadership dice in all combat situations.

Roll 2D6 for the unit’s men and an alternate color D6 for the leader.

Sum the best D6 from the unit and the leader’s D6, then continue the Combat Procedure

Leader Death

If a leader’s unit becomes bloodied roll 2D6 if the modified total is 4 or lower, the leader is killed. If the leader’s unit is eliminated, the leader is removed.

Turn Sequence

At the beginning of the game, each player rolls 1D6. The higher rolling player wins the initiative and may choose to have initial activation first or second. A player’s turn consists of attempting activations/rallies until failing an activation or successfully activating all units.

Unit Activation

Units may only be activated once per turn.

Players may choose to not activate any unit during their turn.

Roll 2D6, applying modifiers from Modifier Table as appropriate.

Consult the Modified Roll Result Table to determine result of activation.

Each unit may only engage in a single combat per player’s turn.

Units involved in the opponents turn do not count as the unit’s activation.

Basic Actions

Move and Change Facing – Move up to the unit’s full movement allowance, changing facing as needed. See movement process for more detail.

Change Facing in Place – Change facing without moving to a new cell. See movement process for more detail.

Fire and Reload – Follow the combat procedure for shooting actions.

Difficult Actions

Charge – Move into an enemy-occupied cell, initiating a melee. Immediately carry out a melee combat. No further melee at turnover during this turn.

Disengage from Melee – Before carrying out a combat, move 1 cell to the rear.

Press the Attack – +1 Modifier to this melee action.

Volley Fire – +1 Modifier to this shooting action only.

Compulsory Actions

Continue Melee – At every turnover, the player giving up initiative carries out melee attacks for each unit in unresolved melee which did not activate.

Retreat - Retreating is a compulsory movement which takes place on the enemy’s turn. Retreating units must move to a cell not adjacent to any enemy.

Retreating costs no actions, but is limited to retreat distances of one cell.

Movement

Tile terrain types effect movement. See Terrain Types for details

Units who move to a new cell may assume any facing without cost.

Units who only change facing, expend the number of movements required to move into the tile they occupy.

Rally Units

The Leader may attempt to rally any unit within their command radius.

If successful, the rallied unit removes its disorder modifier.

Rallies are successful if the modified sum is 7+ on 2D6.

Combat Procedure

Ensure that the attack is valid (target in range and LOS or attacker attempting to enter an occupied cell)
Attacker rolls 2D6 (add leadership dice if necessary), adds applicable modifiers from Modifier Table and base stats from Modified Roll Result Table.
Consult the Modified Roll Result Table to determine how the defending unit must react.

If any unit is unable to retreat, it will attempt a last stand.

Shooting

Units must fire forward of their facing and may fire up to a 45 degree angle from forward.
Units in built-up-areas have 360 degree firing arc.
Units must have unobstructed LOS to the target.

Units may never fire through a tile occupied by another unit.
Range for specific units is listed on the Unit Data Table.
Follow Combat Procedure to determine the shooting outcome

Melee

Melee occurs when a unit attempts to occupy a tile currently occupied by an enemy unit.

The attacking unit follows the Combat Procedure.

Upon moving into the initial contact of a Melee, some units may be eligible for charge bonuses.

If the defending unit forced to retreat or is eliminated, the attacking unit may occupy the tile, regardless of movement remaining.

If the attacking unit is not successful in eliminating or forcing a retreat, it ends its activation in the cell from which it attacked.

Melees continue until resolved. (forced to retreat, is eliminated, or the active player disengages their unit)

Last Stand

Units attempt a last stand only as a reaction to being unable to retreat.

Execute a Melee Attack with a +1 melee modifier due to terror.

If the unit attempting a last stand has a modified score of less than 10, it is eliminated and immediately removed from play.

Ending a Game

When an army loses more than half of the units it started with, each remaining unit conducts a rally attempt. If the modified result is 7 or greater, no result. If the modified result is less than 7, that unit becomes disordered. If a bloodied and disordered unit rolls a modified result less than 7, it is eliminated. Play continues until no units are available to play or one commander capitulates.

Unit Data Table
Unit Type	Combat (S/M)	Resolve	Move	Range	Note
Regular Infantry	3/3	3	2	3
Skirmish Infantry	3/2	3	2₃	3	No max range penalty
Melee Band	0/3	2	2	0	+1 Charge Bonus
Shock Cavalry	0/3	3	3	0	+2 Charge Bonus
Mounted Infantry	2/2	3	3₁	3	-1 Shooting if mounted
Field Artillery	3/1	2	2₂	6₄	Ignore cover bonus
Gatling Gun	4/1	2	2₂	3	If doubles rolled, jammed.
1: Moves as regular infantry when dismounted
2: May only occupy 1 tile per turn, no matter the terrain
3: Moves through all terrain as if open
4: If positioned on hill, may fire over friendly units

Modifier Table
+1 Modifiers	-1 Modifiers
Activation
Adjacent to Leader	Adjacent to Enemy Leader
Shooting
Volley Fire (difficult action)	Target in cover (-2 if heavy cover)
	Target at max range
	Shooting from mount
	Militia Unit
Melee
Each friendly adjacent to target	Each enemy adjacent to target
Attacking from hill to open	Attacking from open to hill/forest//BUA
Press the Attack (difficult action)	Militia Unit
Attacking Flank or Rear
Rally Units
Elite Unit	Inferior Unit
Target in BUA/fortification	For each enemy adjacent to rallying unit
General
All units have -1 Resolve value while disordered
All units have -1 Combat values while bloodied

Modified Roll Result Table
Roll For	Result 6 or less	Result 7-9	Result 10 or more
Unit Activation Resolve - 3	Turn Ends	1 Basic Action Granted	Basic or Difficult Action Granted
Rally Attempt Resolve – 3	No Effect	Successful	Successful. May attempt additional Rally.
Ranged Attack Combat - Resolve	No Effect	Target disordered. If already disordered, retreat.	Target bloodied and disordered. If already bloodied and disordered, eliminated.
Melee Attack Combat - Combat	No Effect. If modified roll <5, attacker disordered.	Target disordered. If already disordered, retreat.	Target bloodied and disordered. If already bloodied and disordered, eliminated.

Compact Wargaming

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Wednesday, June 14, 2023

Far Side of the World