Revising the rules - Organising an Army

Pages 1 through 17 of the WRG Wargame Rules 1685-1845, cover the Method of Play, Ground and Troop scales and other topics related to organising an army, formations, command and control and terrain selection. Other topics, such as movement, shooting, hand-to-hand combat and reaction tests will each be covered separately in future posts.

Scales

This variant uses the same time, ground and troop scales of WRG, that is a player’s bound represents 15 minutes of real time, 1mm equals 2 paces for 15mm figures, and one figure represents 50 for foot and 40 for cavalry. Basing infantry, cavalry and artillery we use a 30mm x 30mm size making the frontage of an element as 60 paces. According to Duffy, the frontage of an infantry battalion measured 240-300 paces, for our purposes four elements of foot accompanied by the battalion guns.

Organising units

The size of a battalion of foot is kept standard for musketeers, grenadiers and Grenzers. Similarly, cavalry regiments have six elements for cuirassiers, dragoons and hussars. Organising units into a higher group is specified by the scenarios we use, however, as a guideline, we will have a brigade of infantry consisting of 3 - 5 battalions, a brigade of cavalry, 2 – 3 regiments.

Command and Control

Each brigade of infantry or cavalry is under the command of a general and this variant has adapted the general’s characteristic of the original rule set. A general may be cautious, bold or rash, each have additional aspects regarding the movement of troops, close combat and reaction tests and pip expenditure. The CinC or Feld Marschall has command over the various brigades. 

Deployment

To simplify each test phase, we used the deployment method in DBA. Troops are positioned no closer that 5BW from the centre line and each side edge.  Troops can be held off table as a reserve to be called up no earlier than a player’s third bound. Flank marches will be handled in a similar manner used for the ACW campaigns.

Sequence of Play

   This follows the sequence laid out in DBA.

1.          Each player cast one die for a PIP score for each general.

2.          Tactical moves & response

3.          Shooting phase. & response

4.          Close combat & compulsory moves

Dropped features

Troop Values: Our conflicts will be scenario based, each listing a specific quantity of units making the point system, well pointless.

Choosing Terrain Likewise, we will be using our terrain card system negating the need for the two pages of terrain selection in the original rules.

Weather: Options will be specified with each scenario used.

Next post: Movement