Larry Brom's rules module

The Reconnaissance Rule

INTRODUCTION

Although Larry Brom’s best known rules set is The Sword and The Flame, he wrote other sets, including the earlier set that the Jackson Gamers refer to as the Brom Standard Rules which are also on the Jackson Gamers' web page. This Reconnaissance Rule module was once part of that rules set.

It was eliminated in a January 1979 rules revision by Mr. Brom because it made the games too long. The games that we were playing at time were quite large and this rule did increase the playing time from 5-6 hours to 7-8 hours. Still, it was a lot of fun and since it is a "stand alone" rules module, should work with almost any rules set.

Larry's rules were sequenced by a RANDOM MOVE deck of cards. Each side had a card for each brigade in the army and these were mixed into a common deck. The top card was drawn and the brigade listed on it could then move. The next card was then drawn and the brigade listed on it would move...till all cards were drawn and all units had moved or had a chance to move.

GAME PREPARATION

The following groups of "Game Cards" must be prepared prior to playing the game as they are essential in this game concept:

  1. Entry Sector Cards For each army prepare 3 cards titled, Main Body. On the reverse side of one write Left Flank, on another Center and on the third Right Flank. Do this with three more cards titled, Rear Guard. Each army will have a Main Body deck and a Rear Guard deck. At the start of the game, shuffle these two decks for each side and place them face down until called on to draw a card.
  2. Turn Entry Cards For each army prepare 10 cards titled, Turn Entry . On the reverse side of two write Troops enter next turn. The other 8 cards will remain blank. At the start of the game, shuffle this deck for each side and place them face down until one is drawn at the start of each turn.
  3. Reconnaissance Results Cards For each army prepare one set of cards titled, Recon Results , and write the following on one each of the cards.

At the start of the game, shuffle this deck for each side and place them face down until called on to draw a card.

COMMENCING THE GAME

  1. Choose armies to be used and starting sides of the blank game table, which will have a dividing curtain hung down the center.
  2. The Commander of each army will divide his army - by brigades, regiments, batteries and officers as follows, and recording this organization on paper:
  3. Divide all the terrain accessories - hills, trees, towns, roads and river material, etc. and each Coammander and his staff will construct a terrain of their choosing anywhere on their side of the table.
  4. When the terrain is completed, roll one D6 die. If the result is 5 or 6, the players exchange sides of the table and procede from that point. If the result is 1 - 4 they proceed on their original table sides.
  5. Each commander now places the designated ADVANCE GUARD anywhere on their side of the table. Units in concealment - woods, villages, or rverse sloples - need not be exposed, but must be recorded on paper.
  6. Now remove the dividing curtain and mutually complete the terrain - connect roads and rivers, define woodlands and hill masses, etc. - using common judgement and good sense. Roll high die to settle any disagreements.
  7. Each Commander now draws one Entry Sector card from his Main Body and his Rear Guard decks and places them face down off the table without looking at them. The remainders of these decks are discarded without looking at them.

EACH TURN DURING THE GAME

  1. Commence the movement phase of the first turn by turning over the top card of the blind RANDOM MOVE card deck. If the brigade listed on that card is one of the units on the tabel, that unit gets to make its table move if it's commander rolls a proper Command Response Die roll. (Larry's rules required a test to determine if a unit received orders to move). Keep turning over thecards - one at a time - unitl all the units on the table have had a chance to move.
  2. Before the firing phase of the turn commences, (Larry allowed all units to attempt to move, then all could fire, stationary units first, then moving units.) one player for each side now draws the top card of his 10-card Turn Entry deck. If one exposes a Troops enter next turn card, then he announces that "My Main body arrives next turn". If both players draw blank cards, commence the firing phase of the turn, and complete the whole turn according to the normal sequence.
  3. On each game turn after the random movement phase, each player draws a Turn entry card and acts accordingly. Once the Main body is on the table, the next Troops enter next turn card is for the Rear Guard. After the Rear Guard is on the table, that side draws no more Turn Entry cards.

RESERVE ENTRY PROCEDURE

On the turn that reserve units arrive on the table - according to Turn Entry cards -when on-table movement is completed and before the firing commences, The appropriate Commander turns over the top "ENTRY SECTOR" card from his blind stack and discovers in which sector his reserves enter the table - the table being divided into thirds, ie., left flank, center, and right flank.

  1. If the reserves enter a sector that has only organized enemy units in it, the reserve commander rolls one set of Variable Move dice for all his infantry, one set for all his cavalry, and one set for his artillery. The units can then move this distance in from the table edge and set up in any formation facing in any direction. When all are positioned, commence firing phase of turn.
  2. If the reserves enter into a table sector that has only organized friendly units in it, the reserves - without any VARIABLE MOVE dice rolling - can be placed on the table in any formation, facing in any direction , as far forward as the friendly units are deployed. When all are on the table, Commence firing phase of turn.
  3. If reserves enter a sector that has organized units of both armies deployed in it, draw an imaginary line - parallel to the tables edge - through all the units centers, from side to side of that sector. If an enemy units "line of front", (the imaginary line) is closer to the table edge through which the main body or rear guard of the table, then the reserves enter as paragraph 1 above. If friendly units line of front is closer to entry edge of table, reserves enter as paragraph 2 above.

RECONNAISSANCE

On any game turn that organized units can move off the opponents edge of the table, said units are considered, RECON UNITS, and are subject to the following rules;

  1. After all table movement is completed for that turn the Recon Player draws one RECON RESULTS card from the blind stack and acts accordingly, without having to disclose results to his opponent. If the card indicates knowledge of his enemy's reserve units he can look at any of the appropriate face down ENTRY SECTOR cards or TURN ENTRY cards making sure not to disclose them to his opponent.
  2. The player commanding the RECON UNIT then rolls one D6 to determine the number of casualties his Recon unit took on their mission. One turn later, when their movement card is drawn, he may place the survivors anywhere on the table within 6" of the Commanding General (to whom they reported). They may not be placed into a Close Combat.

EDITOR'S NOTE

This Reconnaissance Rule leads to a sometimes lengthy sub-game played out before the majority of the troops are on the table. Each side has a decision to make about the function and duties of the advance guard.

  1. Should it attempt to seize and hold ground to allow the deployment, as far forward as possible, of the Main Body and Rear Guard of it's own army?
  2. Or should it attempt to exit the enemy's table edge, to gain knowledge of the entry point and the arrival time of the rest of the enemy army?

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