Jackson Gamers' "Continuous Fire Fight" Rules
CROSSING THE DEADLY GROUND
Based on Larry Brom’s old “Standard Rules” set
Last updated July 20, 2007
Section A - INTRODUCTION
This is based on an older set of Rules by Larry Brom, which the Jackson Gamers called the "Brom Standard Rules." Robert Whitfield and Larry Brom developed the ancestor to this variant in 1984 after we refought the battle of Fredericksburg in 25mm scale, and the Confederates were unable to stop the Yankees by firepower.
In these rules there is a "deadly ground" in front of an Infantry regiment (and to a lesser degree, in front of an artillery battery). Any enemy unit in that ground WILL be fired at until it is destroyed, or falls back or forces the units that are firing on it to withdraw.
Fire in this rules set is deadly. If one player persists in holding an exposed position, his unit or units will be destroyed by fire in one turn. Players must grasp the concept (so dear to the hearts of infantrymen) of bugging out if the fire-fight begins to go against them.
To play this game you will need:
- · Toy soldiers, painted to a high standard, for both the Union and the Rebels.
- A tabletop, the battlefield, upon which have been arranged, hills, woods, and villages.
- A number of six sided dice, referred to as D6s and a few ten sided dice - D10s.
- Rulers or tape measures to measure ranges and movement distances.
- A love of gaming, history and fun.
- Some blank index cards or cards of smaller size to create "Movement cards".
- A 60 degree fire cone made of cardboard or a protractor to determine firing arcs.
- Good companions and several hours to spare.
Section B - COMMENCING THE GAME
"I cannot think what has become of (General) Stuart. I ought to have heard from him long before now. In the absence of reports from him, I am in ingnorance as to what we have in front of us here. It may be the whole Federal army, or it may be only a detachement. If it is the whole Federal force, we must fight a battle here." (Confederate) General R. H. Anderson, recalling the words of General Robert E. Lee, July 1, 1863.
- Prepare Random Move Cards for each Brigade. or Division on each side. These consist of infantry and artillery. Separate battalions of artillery should also have a card. Also, add one or two "Bonus" cards and an "officers" card for each army.
- Shuffle all of these cards, for both sides, into one random deck - the "Move Deck."
- Troops may be deployed in any manner convenient to the players or the game-master. Units in woods, towns, or behind hills can be kept off as "concealed". Up to 1/3 of an Army can be off the table as "Reserves".
Rules section C - THE GAME-MASTER
"The centurion...said...I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it."- The Bible, King James Version, Book of Matthew, Chapter 8, verse 9.
We always recommend a "Game-Master" or umpire who does not participate in the game. He is responsible for building the terrain, assembling the armies, and assigning players to their commands. He is responsible for the victory conditions and any unusual rules or directives that are unique to the game.
The most important function of the game-master is to keep the game moving. He draws the cards, announces the players who will move their troops and may impose any type of penalties such as reduced movement, mandatory movement or forfeiture of movement.
The game-master is responsible for any needed rules interpretations. Even if they are wrong, they must be obeyed during the game. They may be argued about AFTER the game is over.
At all costs, the game-master must not allow the players to believe they they are his equal. The game-master is the supreme being in the game and his decisions are law.
Rules section D - RESERVES
"My two divisions at that time were cut down to eight or nine thousand men...We felt at every step the heavy stroke of fresh troops - the sturdy regular blow that tells a soldier instantly that he has encountered reserves or reinforcements. - General James Longstreet - CSA"
Up to 1/3 of an Army can retained be off of the table as "Reserves" to Enter, by Brigades or divisions, on subsequent moves.
- Announce the entry of reserves at the start of the turn and mark their proposed entry point.
- The reserves can then enter on the next turn when card is drawn.
- Roll 10-sided die.
- 1, means that the reserves enter 24" to the left.
- 2, means that the reserves enter 12" to the left.
- 3,4,5, or 6 means that the reserves enter where marked.
- 7, means that the reserves enter 12" to the right.
- 8, means that the reserves enter 24" to the right.
- 9, 10, means that the reserves do not enter this turn, try again on a subsequent turn.
- Move in one normal move from the entry point.
When the first turn starts, turn over top card of shuffled Random Card deck. That Brig./
Div. can move if Staff Officer passes Command Response (See Chart).
Rules section E - GAME TURN SEQUENCE
- Turn over the top card of the Random Move Stack. That Brigade/Division, or Battery can move if its Commander rolls the proper Command Response Die. Keep turning cards until the stack has been run through. This completes the Movement Phase of the game turn.
- On a "bonus" card, that Commander-in-chief can move any brigade he chooses even if it has already moved or attempted to move.
- Simultaneously fire all standing artillery, mark casualties. Test morale if units reach or exceed 50% losses. Units may fall back voluntarily if desired.
- Simultaneously fire all moving artillery, mark casualties. Test morale if units reach or exceed 50% losses. Units may fall back voluntarily if desired
- Simultaneously fire all standing musketry, mark casualties. Test morale if units reach or exceed 50% losses. Units may fall back voluntarily if desired
- Simultaneously fire all moving musketry, mark casualties. Test morale if units reach or exceed 50% losses. Units may fall back voluntarily if desired
- All units are now considered standing except those attempting to enter close combat (Attacking units). Move all attacking units a normal move towards their targets. If they close to within 1” of target, stop there. All units (except attacking units) with their target in range may fire again. Mark casualties and check morale. Units that pass morale may fall back voluntarily if desired. REPEAT THIS STEP UNTIL ALL ATTACKING UNITS HAVE CLOSED TO 1” FROM ATTACKED UNITS AND ALL FIRE-FIGHTS HAVE TERMINATED BECAUSE OF MORALE FAILURE OR VOLUNTARY FALL BACK.
- Move all attacking units into CLOSE COMBAT if their morale allows.
- Check the morale of all defending units if their attackers close with them. If they stand, a CLOSE COMBAT occurs.
- Fight all CLOSE COMBATS and determine results. Move any "routed" or "Falling Back" units and resolve any Close combats
that resulted from "Bonus" moves.
- Attempt to rally all "routed" units from the previous turn.
- Determine each Armys' "Morale State" and act accordingly.
- Re-shuffle Random Move Cards and commence next game turn.
Rules section F - OFFICERS
"The price the Confedercy paid at Gettysburg was dear indeed: seventeen of the fifty-two generals present were casualties, five killed and the others wounded or captured, including the indomitable Barksdale who had offered Lee 'a bridge of dead Yankees' back at Fredericksburg." - Winston Groom, novelist and historian, in his book "Shrounds of Glory."
- Officers are either attached to a unit, or they are unattached.
- Unattached officers have a 12" zone of control for the purposes of command respons.
- Army Commanders can influence any units. Other Staff only their own.
- Officers who are attached to a unit add their Morale Bonus, but influence no other units.
- When a unit to which an officer is attached, takes casualties due to fire, the attached officer has a 10% chance of being killed. Roll a D10 when marking casualties. If the result is "10" then the officer is killed in addition to the other marked causlaties.
- Unattached officers cannot be fired at, they may only be shot while attached to a unit as in the sentance above.
- Officers involved in a close combat that is lost may be killed or captured. Roll a D10 for each officer, If the result is "0"the officer is killed; on a "9" the officer is captured.
- An attached officer who is involved in a Rally attempt for a routed unit, can exercise no other command functions that turn.
- Unattached officers move when "Staff officer" card is drawn. Officers react to the Morale roll of
any unit to which they are attached. They leave the field when their last unit leaves.
Rules section G - TROOP FORMATIONS
"...their lines were formed with a precision and steadiness that extorted the admiration of the witnesses of thet memorable scene." - (Federal) General Winfield Scott Hancock, describing the (Confederate) attacking troops on July 3, 1863 at Gettysburg.
- Legal Formations during a game are; Lines, Columns, and Rounted (Dis-ordered).
- We do not allow squares, since the formation was so rare on the battlefield
- Each unit has a certain percentage of skirmishers out there banging away. Forget about them!
- Units can change formations at the end of their move with no penalties.
- Units can move through friendly units with no disruptions to either.
- If Lines are deployed closer then 2" to each other (front to back) they are considered
"Column" targets.
- A sample infantry regiment is shown below. More organizations and formations are at the end of the rules.
A sample infantry regiment in line, using Larry Brom's old Organization
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Rules section H - THE FIRE-FIGHT
There are three types of fire-fights:
- A. The Artillery fire-fight
- If one battery fires on another, the target may fire back if the enemy battery is in it's fire cone. If batteries fire in the same phase (standing vs. standing or Moving vs. Moving) then both fire, test morale if hit and act accordingly, then fire again, test morale and act accordingly, etc.
- After the first exchange of fire all firing units are considered "standing"
- If one battery does not return the other's fire (either fires on another target, or does not fire at all, or stops firing after returing fire) then the firing battery will get one more shot at it and then the fire-fight is concluded.
- If one battery does not have the firing battery in it's cone but does want to return fire, after taking the first fire and passing morale, the battery may pivot to face it's tormentor and then may fire at it.
- B. The Artillery-Infantry fire-fight.
- Same as above exept that the infantry may choose not to participate in the fire-fight by not firing back at the artillery. The artillery gets the one shot at the infantry and no fire-fight occurs.
- If the infantry fires at the artillery the fire-fight occurs. The participation of the infantry determines if the fire fight takes place or not.
- C. The Infantry fire-fight
- Same as above exept that the fire fight takes place if either of the infantry units desire to fire.
- The fire fight continues till one unit fails morale voluntarily or involuntarily
- Mounted or dismounted cavalry is treated as infantry for the purposes of the fire-fight. Since mounted cavalry does not fire in these rules, they are at a disadvantage in a fire-fight and should voluntarily fail morale immediately to get out of the deadly ground.
- Withdrawal from a fire-fight may occur only by morale failure. These can be of
two types, Involuntary and Voluntary.
- Involuntary withdrawal from a fire fight consists of any morale failure that causes a retrograde movement (fall back or rout). No matter how far the dice cause the unit to move, it has withdrawn from the fire-fight and no further fire occurs in that fire-fight. Note that if two units on side A are in a fire-fight with one unit on side B, the withrdrawal of only one unit on side A does not stop the fire-fight. The withdrawal of the one unit on side B would stop the fire-fight.
- Voluntary withdrawal is done by one general voluntarily rolling fall back dice for his unit or units. As above it stops the fire-fight. A voluntary withdrawal can be done at any time exept when a morale test is called for due to casualties or for any other reason. This is to prevent players from having to test morale when called for by the rules. A player who must test morale may voluntarily fall back after testing morale no matter what the result was.
Misc. notes on the fire-fight
- Units charging which receive a HALT on morale due to fire may voluntarily fall back or stay where they are (if infantry) and fire-fight. Resolve this fire-fight before finishing any other charge procedures or morale tests.
- Unit charging which do not close into close combat due to failure of the morale test "to close" should be treated as above.
- Dismounted cavalry are treated as infantry. Mounted cavalry maynot fire, but are treated as infantry for the purposes of being shot to pieces if they halt in a charge.
- Non-Target units firing on charging enemy units get only one volley to "assist" their charged friends. No firefight with a unit charging somebody else.
- Each fire-fight may be finished before going on to the next one. Only if there is a fire-fight involving more than one unit on a side is there a need for making sure that each unit fires at the same time as all others firing.
Rules section I - MOVEMENT
- Use variable Move dice for distance. (See Chart)
- All measuring is from front-center to front-center.
- No restrictions for changing Formations or Facing direction.
- Units must start on road and move the entire turn on the road to get the road bonus.
- Can move through friendly units with no ill effect to either.
Rules section J - INFANTRY
"The fire of infantry then has been the main reliance, and its fire has been terribly destructive...At a short range (say two hundred yards) no troops can stand it more than a few minutes." - Union General David H. Strother
- All fire is by Regts., two ranks only, 60 degree cone to the front. Measuring is from front center of each stand to the nearest point of the nearest stand. If the front rank is in range, the back rank is also.
- Elevated rearward units at least 3" behind another can fire overhead fire.
- Infantry and Cavalry lines and deployed batteries take normal "hits" (see Firing Chart).
All other formations (enfiladed lines, columns, squares) add 1 to "hit" numbers.
- Units armed with muzzle loading weapons my roll one D6 per stand for firing. Casualty stands armed with muzzle-lading weapons may not fire. (see Firing Chart).
- Units armed with repeating weapons may roll two D6 per stand for firing. Casualty stands armed with repeating weapons may roll one D6 for fire.
Rules section K - ARTILLERY
"The duties of field artillery...are to support and cover the other arms; to keep the enemy from approaching too near; hold him in check when he advances; and prevent him from debouching at particular points." - General William Hardee CSA.
- Artillery fire is by battery (all stands must be touching), direct line of sight,
within a 60'cone to the front.
- On level ground all fire is at foremost target unit.
- Batteries on elevated terrain may fire at any enemy unit in their fire cone unless masked by terrain or friendly unit.
- Falling Back artillery takes guns with them (except in woods).
- Routed batteries leave their guns in place.
- Abandoned guns can only be manned by artillerymen. Can be moved by anyone, friendly or enemy.
- Batteries can pivot on their center without rolling Command Response for moving and
are not considered to have moved.
- Artillery is divided into "Field artillery" (including so-called horse batteries) and "Heavy artillery".
- Field artillery may fire each turn whether it moves of not.
- Heavy artillery may not move and fire. heavy artillery may only fire every other turn.
- RANGES:
Field Artillery: Cannister = 15" Shellfire = 54"
Heavy Artillery: Cannister = 18" Shellfire = 72"
Rules section L - CASUALTIES
"Don't you see your system feeds upon itself? You cannot fill the places of these men. Your troops do wonders, but every time at a cost you cannot afford." - Colonel Arthur J. Fremantle, A British Observer - speaking to Confederate officers after Gettysburg.
- Are consolidated onto only one stand at owners choice, to his advantage.
- This "Casualty stand", in an infantry unit, may occupy any place in the formation, and may be moved to the rear of the infantry formation. It will not cause a line to be considered a column, even if means that the formation becomes more than two ranks deep.
- A unit may only have one "Casualty" stand. When it is eliminated, a new stand will become the "Casualty stand" when additional casualties are received.
- Infantry stands with one or more casualties on them may not fire.
- Takes two hits (each counted as a "Half" casualty) to "Kill" an artillery crew figure.
- Artillery stands with "half" casualties may fire and fight as normal, till a second "half" casualty removes the figure.
- Since artillery batteries roll a D6 per figure, not per stand, the remaining single figure on an artillery stand which has taken a (full) casualty still "fires" as normal.
Rules section M - MORALE
"Down at the extreme right, in the maddened whirl, I found the brave Sickel, his face aflame, rallying his men with an appeal none could resist...By such appeal and offering, this gallant regiment, forced back by by overpowering onset, straightened up into line again..." - Brevet Brigadier General Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain
- Roll 1 die and use Initial Morale Rating Chart to determine a units Basic Morale when first having to check Morale.
- When to check Morale
- At the end of any firing phase in which a unit's casualties reach or exceed 50%.
- When attempting to Close Into Combat.
- When attempting to Stand In Close Combat.
- When a unit loses a Close Combat.
- When a unit attempts to withdraw from Close Combat as attacker closes.
- Unit attempting to support a friendly unit within 4".
- Routed units trying to rally.
- Falling back unit, colliding with enemy, to see if fight or surrender.
To Check Morale - Add number rolled on 6-sided die to units' current Morale rating.
Morale Results
- If modified die score is 6 or more - Morale Good, carry-on
- If modified die score is 5 Moving unit halts (considered standing). Standing unit Falls Back. Falling Back unit Routs.
- If modified die score is 4 - Moving unit Falls Back. Standing or Falling Back units rout
- If modified die score is 3 - Unit Routs, attempt rally next turn.
- If modified die score is 2 - Unit Routs as above except, if loser in Close Combat, loser is captured.
- If modified die score is 1 - Unit routs from table if at least 1 full stand is gone.
Morale Altered Permanently
- If a unit routs another by fire - raise Morale 1 point.
- If a unit wins a Close Combat - raise Morale 1 point.
- If a unit Routs due to enemy action - lower Morale 1 point
- When a unit is less then 50% strength - lower Morale 1 point.
Morale Altered Temporarily
- Units in towns, forts, trenches, etc. -raise Morale 1 point.
- Units in Square formation - raise Morale 1 point.
- Staff attached to unit adds his Morale Bonus.
- Units attacked in flank/rear - lower Morale 1 point.
* ALL THESE MORALE ALTERATIONS ARE MADE INSTANTLY AS THE CAUSE OCCURS!
Rules section N - CLOSE COMBAT
I may say that very few bayonets of any kind were actually used in battle, as far as my observation extended. The one line, or the other usually gve way under the galling fire of small arms, grape and cannister, before the bayonet could be brought into requisition. The bristling points and the glitter of the bayonets were fearful to look upon, as they were levelled in front of a charging line; but they were rarely reddented with blood. - General John B Gordon, CSA
- Attacker moves units towards target units and halts 1' away. Cannot fire, but takes
any defending fire. Infantry units may charge if within 36" of the target unit(s) and Cavalry if within 48" of the target. The charging units must be able to see their target or an officer within 24" of the charging unit must be able to see the target. Units may charge a terrain feature, such as a woods, a town, "the far side of the creek" or a fence. They will attempt to close on and fight any defenders of such feature.
- Attacker moves in normal moves. May take fire after each move. EXAMPLE: Target is 22" inches away. Attacker moves one move (3 dice - 12") and takes fire of defender. Attacker then moves another move (3 dice - 10") and takes fire of defender. Attacker then moves a final time (3 dice with a result of 11" but stops at 1" from defender) and takes fire of defender.
- Attacker attempts to Close Into Combat with a Morale roll. Each unit tests separately. If the unit fails, It falls back.
- If attacker closes, defender checks Morale and acts accordingly.
- Each non-casualty stand in the unit gets one D6. Then add/subtract the following extra dice.
- ADD One D6 for attached officer's bonus
- ADD Two D6s if behind defensive works or abatis
- ADD One D6 if unit is "Elite Veteran" troops
- LESS One D6 if unit is green troops or units falling back
- ADD One D6 if unit is cavalry making mounted charge
- HALVE dice if unit is attacked in rear.
- Sum the total of the dice for each unit. Divide by 4. That number of enemy figures is killed. If a fraction of 1, 2 or 3 is left over, this can be "confirmed" as a kill by rolling that number or less on a D6. The side with the highest losses is the loser.
- Loser of Close Combat checks Morale. A result of 6 or more means that the defenders Fall Back. A result of less than 6 means that the loser routs.
- Attacker trying to Close and target is gone, can:
- a. Occupy vacated position and reform or reface. Note that this is the ONLY choice if the unit charged a terrain feature.
- b. Pursue moved target if distance allows.
- c. Attempt to Close on another target within 45 degree cone.
- Defender can "support" any attacked unit within 4" by checking Morale and acting
accordingly.
- All the stands of attacking units that Close get to fight and if any one stand of a
defending unit is contacted, the whole unit fights.
- Multi-unit Combats are fought in the sequence that they made contact.
- Casualty stands of a unit fight last and subtract 1 from their die for each casualty.
- Mounted Staff Officers are the last to fight in any Close Combat.
- When all Close Combats are resolved make all Morale adjustments, move losing units to
new locations, check Morale of any Units that lost their Staff, and then take winners
"Bonus Options".
- Hold position.
- Make non-combat tactical move of one normal move
- Attempt another Close Combat by passing Morale Check and rolling variable move dice -
announce intent first. (Defender can fire defensive volley if not already fired that turn).
- Defending unit - that has not moved - can attempt to pull away from an attacker.
Check morale if it fails, unit Routs.
- Artillery batteries cannot support in Close Combat.
- Infantry in towns, forts, behind walls etc. lose any bonuses if they move out to
support any Close Combats.
- Units fight in close combat in the same order they are moved into it.
- The formation that a unit may be in has no effect on fighting close combats.
Rules section O - REAR/FLANK ATTACKS
- There is an imaginary line parallel to, touching, and extending from the front rank of the stands that make up an attacked unit. Any attacking unit beginning it’s turn’s movement completely behind this line is making a rear/flank attack.
- Attacker making a rear.flank attack need not check Morale to close.
- Defender tests Morale with a Morale minus. If he fails the morale test, he Routs.
Rules section - FALLING BACKP
"A hoarse yell arose through the tumult on the left where the impetuous (Colonel) Sniper had tried to carry the breastworks in the woods and now, badly cut up, his regiment was falling back..." - Brevet Brigadier General Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain
- Move directly to their rear a normal move distance plus one D6 in inches and do not effect friendly rearward units. (take no terrain penalties). Involuntarily falling back units must move the full distance called for by the movment dice.
- If they collide with enemy units, the unit will test Morale with a Morale minus. This is to see if they fight. If they
do, they are disordered but they fight. If they fail the morale test, they will surrender.
- Unit which are voluntarily falling back may stop their fall back movement if they move into a woods, behind a woods, behind a town, (NOT into a town), behind a hill etc. Anything that is a block to fire may stop the fall back. Of course, the falling back unit MAY move to the full extent of the fall back distance produced by the movement dice.
- A voluntarily falling back unit may stop it's fall back move at the rear of a stone wall, similarly to above, even though a stone wall is not a block to fire. Unts often rallied at hard cover such as that.
- Falling Back units are in that state until their next normal move.
- Artillery units in woods will abandon their guns if they fall back, otherwise, artillery take their guns with them (use the "Move only" line on the Movement table).
Rules section Q - ROUTING UNITS
- Move as Falling Back units above but they double the distance given by the move dice.
- When a unit routs due to fire, close combat, or attempting to stand in close combat, any friendly units within 4" of the routing unit's original location, as well as any unit passed
through by the routing unit during the rout move, must test morale. NOTE that if these units in turn rout, they will not trigger additional units to test morale. The unit that rounted due to fire, close combat, or attempting to stand in close combat is called the Primary routing unit. Units that routed because of proximity to the Primary routing unit are called secondary routing units and do not cause additional units to test morale.
- Routed units that collide with organized enemy are captured.
- Routed units that take casualties from fire test Morale. If they pass, they remain routed in place. If not, they rout again with all implications.
- Routed units attacked in Close Combat automatically rout again and immediately incur one D6 of casualties). The attacker gets no bonus move for attacking such units, but does receive the +1 increase to his morale level for causing a unit to rout.
- At end of next game turn attempt to Rally routed units. If not,leave the table if they had lost at least one stand of casualties. If not, they stand in place, routed, testing morale each turn till rallied.
- Units that leave the table due to routs may not return during the game.
- If a staff officer reaches the routed unit, his morale bonus may count during to aid in Rally attempt. If the attempt is unsuccesful and the unit leave the battlefield, the officer goes with the unit.
Rules section R - CAVALRY
"...these cavalry fights are miserable affairs. Neither party has any idea of seriously charging with the saber. They approach each other with consdierable boldness, until they get to within about forty hards, and then, at the very moment when a dash is neccessary,...they hesitate, halt, and commence a desultory fire with carbines and revolvers." - Colonel Arthur J. Fremantle, A British Observer.
- Standing Cavalry (didn't move on their last move attempt) fight Close Combat minus 1
on their die.
- There are no infantry squares in this game.
- Can mount or dismount in place or move up to 1/2 their move distance and still mount/dismount.
- Only dismounted Cavalry can fire. Mounted fire is included in the close combat of cavalry.
- Dis-mounted Cavalry fight in Close Combat as Infantry. Mounted Cavalry against towns, forts, etc.
fights minus 1 from Combat die roll.
- Cavalry MAY fire on a turn in which it dismounted provided it did NOT move.
- Cavalry may not mount or dismount if command control die roll failed.
Rules section S - TERRAIN
- All woods, towns, bridges, walls, etc. are considered ground level terrain. Hills are the
only elevations.
- To see or fire over an obstacle - woods, towns, troop formations, etc. one must be on a
forward slope (hills should be 'so marked) and the target must be 12' or more beyond said
obstacle. (See Graph).
- Troops in woods, towns, or behind fences, walls, and hedges are considered "in cover" for
firing purposes.
- Falling back units that move across a fence, wall or hedge may end their fall back at that point. This does not apply to routing units.
- All hills cause movement penalties and units on opposite sides of the "crest-line" cannot
be seen or fired upon.
Rules section T - WOODS
"As...the troops of both armies have been occupied principally in struggling through thickets and fighting for position, todays work has not been much of a test of strength." - General Grant, at the close of the first day of the Battle of the Wilderness.
- If troops are in woods for any part of the turn, they take a movement penalty.
- Troops moving in woods will be disordered unless they voluntarily move 3" or less.
- Troops at edge can fire into or out of and can be fired upon.
- Troops within cannot be seen until viewer is at the edge. (Visibility and firing range
inside woods is 6")
- No artillery can move through woods, but it can be deployed at the edge at the start of the game, visible and capable of being fired upon (is in cover) and firing. If, however the crew ever falls back
due to morale the guns must stand abandoned.
- Artillery moving through woods on a road may unlimber and go into action on the road, however only one section (one stand, gun plus 2 gunners) may fire down the road.
Rules section U - TOWNS
Barksdale received the assignment (to defend the town of Fredericksburg) gladly, posting most of his men in stout brick houses whose rear walls, looking out upon the river, they loopholed so as to draw their beads with a minimum of distraction in the form of return fire from the men they would be dropping when the time came. - Shelby Foote - in volume 2 of his book 'The Civil War - A Narrative' - describing the defense of Fredericksburg Virginia by Barksdale's Mississippi brigade.
- A group of houses inside a certain defined area comprise a town.
- Individual houses are decoration only. They may not be occupied and do not block movement or fire.
- The entire town does block line of sight and has significant effects upon movement.
- Troops inside a town are concealed until enemy units are 6" or closed, or until they open fire.
- Units inside a town add 1 point to their current morale rating.
- Unless otherwise specified by the game-master a town can hold only 1 infantry regiment and/or one battery. Dismounted cavalry are considered infantry.
- To enter an unoccupied town, the unit must move up to the edge and stand for one full
move during which they cannot fire. On their next move the whole unit can enter and line
the walls.
- To attack a Town in Close-Combat, the normal procedure is followed taking into
consideration all morale and firing modifiers.
- One-half of all the infantry stands in a Town can always fire out in any one
direction, regardless of facing direction. Artillery can only fire in their facing direction.
- To leave a Town, roll 2 movement dice and move out that distance. (measured from the
center of the Town) in any direction and any formation.
- Troops marching along a road may move THROUGH a friendly or unoccupied town without stopping to "enter" as above.
MOVEMENT CHART |
TYPE | LINE | COLUMN | ROAD | WOODS, HILLS | WATER |
Infantry | 2 Dice | 3 Dice | 4 Dice | Lose low die | Lose High Die |
Militia Infantry | 2 Dice | 3 Dice | 4 Dice | Lose high die | Lose High Die |
Milita Cavalry | 3 Dice | 4 Dice | 5 Dice | Lose high die | Lose high die |
Veteram Cavalry | 4 Dice | 5 Dice | 6 Dice | Lose high die | Lose low die |
Mounted Staff | 6 Dice, No bonuses, No terrain penalty |
Field Artillery | Movement only = 3 dice | Move &: fire = 2 Dice |
Artillery: Woods = not allowed, Hills, walls = lose high die, Water = lose low die |
Milita Artillery: Woods = not allowed, Hills, walls = lose high die, Water = lose high die, cannot move and fire |
* WHEN THE SPECIFIED NUMBER OF DICE TO BE ROLLED ALL ROLL THE SAME NUMBER, NO TERRAIN PENALTY IS INCURRED.
FIRING CHART |
FIRING UNIT | FORMATIONS IN OPEN | FORMATIONS IN COVER | ARTILLERY IN OPEN | ARTILLERY IN COVER |
Muskets, Rifles | 4-5-6 | 5-6 | 5-6 | 6 |
Dismounted carbines | 4-5-6 | 5-6 | 5-6 | 6 |
Artillery, Gatlings | 4-5-6 | 5-6 | 5-6 | 6 |
Mounted carbines | 5-6 | 6 | 6 | Not allowed |
INFANTRY FIRE: Roll 1 six-sided die for each firing stand. Above numbers "hit" and inflict 1 casualty on the target unit. Add 1 to the above "hit" numbers when firing on Columns, Squares, and
Enfiladed lines. Stands with casualties on them may not fire.
WEAPON RANGES |
Rifled Musket Range is 24" | Sharpshooters 30" | Carbine Range is 15" |
Shot/Shell range is = 54" CANNISTER = 15" |
ARTILLERY Fire: Roll 1 die for each gunner on each artillery stand (each gunner represents one gun of the battery) of the battery that is firing. Discard "mis-fire" numbers (see below).
Roll remaining dice again, hit as above, for Infantry Fire. Guns firing cannister take no Mis-fire roll (see below).
- Federal guns mis-fire with a 1
- Confederate guns mis-fire with a 1 or 2.
AN EXAMPLE: The 150th Ohio light artillery fires on the 99th Florida infantry. The range is too long for cannister. The battery consists of three stands each with two artillerists and a gun. There are six artillerists total so six D6 are rolled. The results are 1,3,3,3,4,5. The result of 1 is a “mis-fire” number so that die is discarded, and the other 5 are rolled again. The results this time are 1,2,3,5,6. The numbers that “hit” are 4-6, so there are two hits (2 figures removed) from the 99th Florida.
Note that if the Florida boys had been in column, 3-6 would have hit, and there would have been 3 figures removed instead of 2. |
OVERHEAD FIRE - applies to artillery and small arms.
- All fire is direct line-of-sight.
- To fire overhead, the firing unit must be on a higher level than the target and the target
must be 12" beyond any obstacle, (ie: friendly troop formations, hills, woods, and
towns.) OR:
- The target must be on a higher level than the target and the firing unit must have 12" of clear space before the line of fire passes over any obstacle, (ie> friendly troop formations, hills, woods, and
towns.)
- Batteries firing overhead need not select as their target the foremost unit in the "Hit-Zone." Any enemy unit in sight, in the cone of fire, and not in the safe some of a friendly unit may be a target.
- Artillery may never fire cannister over friendly units.
- all hits are always taken out of the foremost unit in the line of fire.
ENFILADE FIRE - applies to artillery and small arms.
- Enfilade fire takes place when a line drawn at right angles to the center stand of a firing unit will pass through the length of an infantry or cavalry line. Treat the enfiladed target unit as being a column for purposes of taking casualties.
- Deployed artillery batteries may not be enfiladed.
Section V - TERMINATING THE GAME
- At the start of the game, the game-master can set a time limit such as: "We will fight 10 turns." or "We will fight till 4pm." At that time the game stops and the victory conditions are consulted to see who has won.
- Both Armies fight on until -due to "Routs" and "Retirements" - one Army dissolves.
- One player voluntarily withdraws concedes that it is apparent that his forces have lost, or have no chance of winning.
Section W - WINNING THE GAME
- At the start of the game, the game-master can victory conditions such as: "The Federals must occupy the town of Cotillion and have at least three regiments across Sudsy Creek." or "The Confederates must get thiet supply wagons to safety over the pass. The Yankees must capture at least half of the wagons for a minor victory and two-thirds of them for a major victory." There is no limit to what a good game-master can devise as victory conditions.
- If no other victory contions are established, the army which has the lowest percentage of casuaties may win the game. If neither army has more than 50% remaining, it is a Phyrric victory. If one army has double the casualties, expressed as a percentage, of the winner, then the victory is an Overwhelming one. If one army beats the other by 5% or less, the game is a stalemate.
The Spirit of the Army - Section X - THE SPIRIT OF THE ARMY
"General, do you not think our troops are very much in the condition of a lump of sugar thoroughly soaked with water, but yet preserving its original shape, though ready to dissolve? Would it not be judicious to get away with what we have?" - Thomas Jordan - Brigadier General CSA - speaking to fellow General P.G.T. Beauregard, during the latter part of the Battle of Shiloh, April 7, 1862.
At the end of each Game turn each Commander will calculate his Army's' Effectiveness - and subsequent Morale State - and act accordingly. Effectiveness is computed by dividing the number of "fresh units" (those units which have not yet lost a stand due to casualties) in ones' Army by the total number of units in the army. The resultant percentage number is the Army Effectiveness percentage.
At the end of any Game Turn if Army Effectiveness is:
- 100 to 51 % - Army Morale State is FIRM. Carry on.
- 50 to 41 % - Army Morale State is SHAKY. All units with I or more stands missing and Morale of 1 "Retire" off table.
- 40 to 31 % - Army Morale State is BAD. All units with Morale of 1 and 1 or more stands missing as above and units below 50% strength "Retire" from the field. All other units with 1 or more stands missing lower their Morale Rating 1 point.
- 30 % or Below - Army Morale State is BROKEN. All units with Morale of 1 and at least one stand missing "Rout" from the table - unless they are within small-arms range and visible to an enemy unit. In which case they are "Captured". Units below 50% "Retire". All other units lower their Morale rating (if they have one) 1 point.
Mounted Staff Morale bonuses do not apply in any of the above morale determinations and Staff attached to units which "Rout" or "Retire" go with them.
COMMAND RESPONSE |
Commanding General | Automatic Response |
Corp Commander | 10 |
Divisional General | 10-9 |
Brigadier General | 10-9-8 |
No higher officer | 10-9-8-7 |
Unit does not move if the above number is rolled on a D10
Weapon Ranges
WEAPON RANGES |
Rifled Musket Range is 24" | Sharpshooters 30" | Carbine Range is 15" |
Shot/Shell range is = 54" CANNISTER = 15" |
Close Combat Factors
CLOSE COMBAT FACTORS |
Infantry - Die No. | In Towns - Die no. Wins ties |
Cavalry - Die No. | Behind wall - die no. +1 |
Artillery - Die No. +1 | Hit flank/rear - die no. -2 |
Mounted Staff - Die no. +1 | Falling Back - die no. -1 |
Notes on the American Civil War period:
- Dismounted cavalry fights as infantry in close combat.
- for each casualty on a stand, subtract 1 from the close combat die roll.
- No mounted fire allowed, it is factored into close combat for cavalry
A sample infantry regiment in Battle line, using Larry Brom's old Organization
O O O O |
O O O O |
O O O O |
O O O O |
O O O O |
O O O O |
We allow units to fire 2 ranks deep.
A sample infantry regiment in Extended line, using Larry Brom's old Organization
O O O O |
O O O O |
O O O O |
O O O O |
O O O O |
O O O O |
There is no penalty for this organization, it takes hits and fires just the same as the battle line above, but it can hold twice the frontage. It delivers only half the fire power per stand's width however, so it may have difficulty in holding that frontage against a multi-unit attack.
A sample infantry regiment in line, using Larry Brom's newer Organization
O O O O |
O O O O |
O O O O |
O O O O |
O O O O |
O O O O |
A sample infantry regiment in "Assault Column", using Larry Brom's old Organization
O O O O |
O O O O |
O O O O |
O O O O |
O O O O |
O O O O |
Only the first two stands (NOT) the first two ranks can fire out of this formation. It takes casualties as a column, instead of a line, but it moves better and is easier to move in and out of tight spots. It is the formation of choice for attacks into close combat in which the maximum amount of men are pushed against a minimum frontage of the enemy.
A sample infantry regiment in Column of march, using Larry Brom's old Organization
O O O O |
O O O O |
O O O O |
O O O O |
O O O O |
O O O O |
This is the formation for marching down a road or moving through a very constricted spot. It may not fire at all. It may not be used to attack into close combat.
A sample Union artillery battery in line, representing a 6-gun battery, using 3 model guns and 6 gunners.
A sample Confederate artillery battery in line, representing a 4-gun battery, using 2 model guns and 4 gunners.
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