The Sharp End Gaming

The three tables below constitute the meat of my artillery rules for Regiment. I am still working on the orders associated with artillery fire and the ammunition types (the British use shrapnel at Vimeiro to great effect for the first time). The use of artillery in the game must follow this progression: 1. Determine if guns are limbered or unlimbered.  Only unlimbered guns may fire. If an order is issued to unlimber guns, then that battery of guns will be available next turn. Guns fire as a battery (though they may split fire). 2.   Next, the range is determined.  The effective range is based on a few descriptions of Napoleonic combat that I have read.  The historian David Chandler has said that while the 12 pdr's range many have been 1800 meters on paper, it's effective range was 900 meters.  Artillery units became quite adept at ricochet fire to reach ranges beyond 900 meters but in the basic version of this game, I am staying inside the effective ran...

The following log is a run through of Turn 1 of my second skirmish last night.  This time I used the skirmish rules and skirmish formations properly! I am slowly building my game towards a recreation of the Battle of Vimeiro 1808 in Portugal.   You can learn more about the battle here . Last night, I put a random French General Staff together using Generals Kellerman and Loison. Their combined orders capacity was 5.  The British General Staff consisted of Arthur Wellesley and Barnard Bowes.  Their orders capacity was 7. Both front lines start within a card's length of each other with reserve formations behind each. There is no artillery or cavalry present (I am testing artillery tonight). Turn 1: French Order 1 : The 82e Line Regiment orders skirmishers forward. This regiment sits on the hinge between the French Division Loison and Kellerman's column of Grenadiers and the 2e and 4e Light Infantry.  Ordering skirmishers forward is a defensive move and...

Line units and elite units can deploy skirmishers. Militia, artillery and cavalry units cannot. Skirmishers deployed against skirmishers cancel one another out. “Skirmishers forward” adds 5% to the Hit Accuracy (HA) for successful volleys of the parent units.  Skirmishers can only be sent forward by issuing a specific order to do so.  Units with skirmishers forward place an S counter over their game card. The number of skirmishers deployed depends on the # of men in particular regiment.  As a rule 20% of a regiment will deploy on a skirmishers forward order.  If an enemy cavalry unit comes within one card length of an opponent, the skirmishers will automatically rejoin the parent unit’s formation removing the HA bonus until they are redeployed with a new order. Skirmish Formations Light infantry and Rifles units can deploy into loose skirmish formations.   This decreases the HA of incoming fire by 5%.  The number of skirmishers firing from this format...

The British line consists of Ronal Ferguson's 2nd Brigade: the 71st, 40th and 36th Foot regiments.  Opposite them in the center is the 4eme Swiss Infantry in their red uniforms.  A regiment of light infantry and the large 70eme French line regiment.   Miles Nightingall's 3rd Brigade is in reserve on the 2nd line. Well the first run through was fun. I made some mistakes and definitely need to adjust the rules.  My biggest mistake was ordering skirmishers forward and then forgetting about them.  I don't have counters that track things like that yet but I will create them soon. I cut the cards I created out last night and then slotted them in some protective card cases I have (see above). The core of the game play: movement and combat was exciting. I kept things simple focusing on the formations the units were in, the discipline checks to determine order or disorder of a unit and the Rate of fire and hit accuracy combat system I came up with. The first th...

The approach to Rolica Tonight I am going to run through the combat and maneuver system for Regiment.  I am using the Battle of Rolica's OOBs to do this. Background: Arthur Wellesley's Anglo-Portugese army approached Rolica as he marched towards Lisbon.  His goal was to link up with additional British troops under Generals Acland and Anstruther who would make their landing along the Portugese coast closer to Lisbon and then engage with the French army and destroy it. The outnumbered, French force under General Delaborde conducted a delaying action at Rolica while General Junot and his larger French army hastened to close with Wellesley. Notes: I am going to only use the French and British infantry components for this battle and ignore the artillery and cavalry that participated, Ferguson's brigade which went on a flanking maneuver, as well as the Portugese troops under Lt. Col. Nicolas Trant. British OOB (10000 troops): 5, 9, 29, 36, 38, 40, 45, 71, 82, Foo...

I am a little further along in organizing my thoughts about my Regiment card game idea. I've posted my basic game rules as I have them so far below. Basic Game Unit Cards General Staff Each battle has a preset number of General Staff officer positions to be filled in an OOB.  The overall commander is included in this total plus a number of staff officers.  These officers are combined into a General Staff that as a body exerts influence over the battle with their leadership, experience and tactics through the issuing of orders. Armies Armies are compromised of infantry, cavalry and artillery.  Units are brigade and regiment sized.  Each unit moves, fights or resupplies based on an order issued by the General Staff.  Turn Basics Issue Orders Formation Move Combat Combat Resolution Second Movement Phase (advance) Perform Discipline Checks for Disorderly units 1.Orders Units are able to move and resupply if an order is issued to...