Wargame Rules from Ancient Times

H.G. Wells, the War of the Worlds author also wrote a set of wargame rules for toy soldiers.  It is interesting to read.  It involves shooting toy cannons at the soldiers to make your kills.

 

This is Angriff, the first set of wargame rules that I played. I played it so much the pamphlet wore out and I had to get the second edition, shown here.  Long out of print, as I understand it there is a problem getting hold of anyone who wrote it or published it to get the rights to reprint it.  I think it would sell, it's quick and easy to play and works for models as small as micro-armor 1/300th scale and as large as 1/72nd scale. I eventually wrote my own set of rules but these are still a very good set.

The next set I got was Tractics.  It included modern armor up to about 1980 for Cold War gone hot games.  It was similar in many ways to Angriff.  It was designed for one solder and one tank model were equal to one real soldier and one real tank.  I like that.

Tractics consisted of three books each as big as Angriff, and a similar number of charts for the armor of the different vehicles and penetration and chance to hit the target for hundreds of weapons.  IT was also more complete than Angriff with more countries represented, and other aspects to war like paratroopers.

 

 

Wargame Rules Aircraft Altitude

 

III. AIR MOVEMENT AND COMBAT IN THREE PHASES

 

            Aircraft rules are complex enough to reflect the general characteristics of the individual aircraft types, but similar weapons will be grouped together, just with the ground weapons.  Charts, protocols, and procedures mirror the ground rules for ease of play.

 

Assumptions

 

            In air combat maneuver is more important than the weapons.  In dogfights, aircraft use speed and maneuver to gain a favorable position and range to shoot down the enemy.  The skill of the crew is also a very important factor and will increase the chance of defeating the enemy.

 

            A single seat fighter can shoot down even large and powerful aircraft if it is close, in a good position and gets a lucky hit.  A large aircraft with multiple engines will be more difficult to bring down than a small single seat aircraft.

 

Aircraft Altitude Levels

 

HIGH ORBIT

Geostationary satellites and other space vehicles fly in high orbit.  High orbit is one inch below the ceiling.

 

LOW ORBIT

Photo reconnaissance platforms and near Earth space vehicles.  Low orbit is five inches below the ceiling.

 

EXTREME

Limited reconnaissance aircraft only, no ground attacks.  Extreme is ten inches below the ceiling.

 

HIGH

Ground attack by level bombers, takes place on the D chart but if the target is illuminated then use the C chart.  High is thirty inches above ground level.

 

MEDIUM

Ground attack by medium bombers, uses the C chart unless the target is illuminated then use the B chart.  This is the maximum altitude level for open cockpit aircraft.  Medium is twenty inches above ground level.

 

DIVE BOMBING

Dive bomber aircraft, use the B chart.  Start at Medium Level and move to Low Level to drop the bomb.  Descend one level per phase.  Dive Bombing is considered as a subset of Medium Level.

 

LOW

Ground attack by any aircraft, B chart unless the target is illuminated, then use the A chart.  Low level is ten inches above Ground Level.

 

NAP OF THE EARTH

NOE is one inch above ground level.  Modern aircraft and helicopters are the only aircraft that can fly NOE.  Nap of the Earth is considered as a subset of Low Level.  ATGM must be fired from NOE.

 

GROUND

The ground is the surface of the land, water, trees or buildings.

Super Heroes and Cops

I am working on two major projects right now.  The first is making a super heroes supplement to my wargames rules.  So far it covers normal warfare from pre-history to near future, science fiction, and animals.  I am adding the super heroes part based mostly on comic books from the 1940s to about 1970.  The main ones will be Batman, particularly the 1966 TV series, Fantastic Four, the first animated series from 1967, and a number of war comics, as well as United States Patriotic Iconographic Heroes from World War Two, and their enemies.

 The second major project is collecting and converting police forces for several major cities and agencies, including figures and vehicles for several time periods.  1898, 1918, 1938, and 1958 as benchmark times.  These correspond, roughly, to my War of the Worlds Martian invasion rules, for the original invasion, the All Quiet on the Martian Front, Orson Wells War of the Worlds radio broadcast, and the George Pal movie, which was actually a few years older than 1958.

Stay tuned for more information!

Wargame Rules Special Fire

This is part of my wargame system.  It is fully modular and so parts can be added or subtracted.  Here are some of the optional rules that we use nearly all the time.

V. SPECIAL FIRE

Challenge Fire

            Challenge fire is taken when a target moves from one concealed position to another.  The firer must be stationary for one or more turns, in order to take challenge fire. The fire is taken 10% lower than normal.  The target may fire back, even if he is destroyed, but must reduce his chance to hit by 20%.  If the target did not have its weapon facing the firer, then he may not fire.  If a unit takes challenge fire it may not fire until next turn.

            Challenge Fire is designed to fire at a specific location, such as a gap in dragons’ teeth or down a street at traffic passing though an intersection.  The firer must not move, or even turn his turret, for one or more turns.  If the first tank coming through the gap in the dragons’ teeth is destroyed, then the rest of the column must stop.

Ambush Fire

            Ambush Fire occurs when the firer is concealed, and did not move or fire during the previous turn and did not move or take Challenge Fire during the current turn.  The maximum range of Ambush Fire is 1250m.  Ambush Fire reveals a 250m wide area centered on the firer, for infantry and a 1250m wide area centered on the firer for AT guns, and ATGM.  All forces within that area are revealed.  ATGMs firing in AMBUSH hit immediately, if range is less than 1250m. 

            Casualties of Ambush Fire are removed immediately, prior to return fire taking place.  Targets that are not destroyed by Ambush Fire may conduct return fire at the ambusher.  Since the return fire is at a target that was concealed the return fire is 10% lower than normal.  After the return fire takes place, surviving members of the ambush party may immediately retreat, up to 50m away from the enemy, except through impassable terrain.

Ambush Close Combat

            Ambush Close Combat occurs when the attacker is concealed, and makes a surprise attack from cover in a dash out of cover to make a close combat attack.  It is often done by animals that are hunting game unawares or by troops dashing out of cover to plant a mine on an enemy armored vehicle.

            Ambush close combat occurs when the attacker is concealed, and did not move or fire during the previous turn and did not move or close combat during the current turn.  The maximum range of Ambush Close combat is one half running distance for the attacker.  For a human on smooth open dry terrain that is 50m.  Only Carnivores and Omnivores, including people, may attack using Ambush Close combat.

            Casualties of Ambush Close combat are removed immediately, prior to return close combat taking place.  Targets that are not destroyed by Ambush Close combat may conduct a defensive close combat against the ambusher at a 10% reduction in strength due to surprise.  After the close combat takes place, surviving members of the ambush party may immediately retreat up to 50m away from the enemy, except in impassable terrain.

            If the attacker fails to make physical contact with their target then the attacker is simply left out in the open without a close combat taking place and the attacker can’t move until next turn and is subject to fire during this turn in the normal fire phase, and the fire is not subject to a 10% reduction because the defender is not surprised.

 Sniper Fire

            Sniper fire is a special form of Ambush Fire, and takes place in the Ambush Fire phase.  One sniper, fires one shot, at only one target.  Only one sniper may fire per turn within a 1250m-diameter area.  The sniper must be at least 150m away from the target.  Troops that survive a sniper attack, and are within 50m of the sniper may return fire if they first make a 50% roll to detect the sniper.  Any unit that takes sniper fire may not fire at the sniper until the next turn and their return fire at the sniper is at 10% less than normal. 

            Only persons facing in their general direction may detect snipers firing suppressed weapons.  Those who are facing the general direction roll the die to detect the sniper.

Soviet Battalion Headquarters

This Soviet Command Post is made by using sprue to build a frame.  Then I dyed medical gauze green using cotton fabric Rit Dye.  Then Using a bit of styrene and a couple oil drums to make a table.  Then I added another piece of plastic and painted a map on it.  Then the whole thing was glued onto a bit of scrap styrene sheet.

 Having a headquarters with my units allows me to use command rules  where units suffer a morale loss if there headquarters is destroyed. l do this for units battalion size and larger.

On a wargame table it looks pretty impressive and makes a good objective marker too.

I also use them for artillery battalions as fire direction centers.

Adding command and control gives a bit of extra realism to a wargame.

Those tanks are not going to command themselves.

Wargame Rules Sentry Alertness and Radar

Sentry Alertness

            At night one sentry is on duty for every platoon sector in military zones.  Essentially, one man out of every fifty will be on guard duty.  In addition, every headquarters, company level and above, will have a CQ duty staff, with one additional sentry, per command level.  The command staff will be a sergeant of the guard at company level, an officer of the guard at battalion level.  A company will have one sentry, a battalion will have two, and a brigade will have three sentries.  Sensitive areas, nuclear or chemical, may have additional sentries.

            In garrison, units have sentries out from 2000 hrs, until 0600 hrs.  Between the hours of 0700 and 1900 hrs, there are sentries only at headquarters and sensitive areas.  In war zones, sentries are out only from 2200 hrs, to 0400 hrs.  After that, or when on alert, normal conditions apply.  One sentry may be stationed in each platoon area between dusk to dawn, to watch for intruders.  Sentry alertness, roll D%5 die per number then modify that number based on the morale of the sentry.  Infiltrators skill rolls D%5 per number then modify that number based on the morale of the infiltrators.

SENTRY & INFILTRATOR

Sentry

Alertness          each point         +5%

Alarmed                                    +35%

With a dog                                +35%

Within 1250m                            +35%

Infiltrator

Skill                  each point         -5%

Stationary                                 -35%

Out of line of sight                    -35%

Noise muffled by waves                        -35%

Radar Detection

            Mountains and hills, above three tiers, will block radar detection.  Aircraft flying low level or below are not detected by radar.  Modern radar may be mounted on AWACS aircraft and will then "look down" to detect down to ground level.  Stealth technology aircraft cannot be detected by modern radar.

AIRCRAFT DETECTION

Detection Method         Turns Warning             Information Provided

Unaided sight/hearing    One                              Enemy approaching

Sound detection gear    One                              Direction of approach

Early radar                    One                              Direction & quantity

Improved radar              Two                              Direction, quantity

Modern radar                Three                            Direction, quantity, altitude

Sonar Detection

            Underwater craft may be detected by sonar.  Sonar can be inside the hull of a surface craft, or may be a buoy.  Sonar may also be dipped by aircraft, or emplaced on the sea floor.

Sound Detection

              Sound detection apparatus can detect aircraft one turn away and provide direction of approach.  They can be used to direct searchlights or anti-aircraft guns.  Troops can detect sounds of gunfire at 1250m.  Sounds of engines are detected at a range of 750m.  Troops are detected at a range of 10m.

Observers

Unaided sight and hearing observers detect low or medium level aircraft only.  They can only observe in clear weather, to detect aircraft.  It gives one turn of warning of their approach and requires one man looking in each direction.

Optics

Optics is telescopes, binoculars, and weapons sights.  Optics work when the weather is clear, and requires four stationary soldiers.  It gives one turn warning and direction of approaching planes and approximate number of planes.  Optics is used to detect planes at low to medium altitude.

One meter range finders are for direct fire weapons or scissors telescopes.  Three meter heavy range finders are for large vehicles, ship or emplacement mounted devices for heavy artillery.  They are used both for observation and range estimation. 

Sound Detection Gear

Only works if it is quiet, clear, sprinkling or foggy.  Gives two turns of warning, gives direction of approaching planes at low to high altitude.  Sound detection gear requires four soldiers per station and requires three stations to triangulate readings.

Radar

Early, World War Two

Tube powered early radar provides one turn of warning, in any weather, except snow, 1 unit with four crewmen.

Improved, Circa 1955

Transistors provide 2 turns warning, in any weather, requires one unit with four crewmen.

Modern, circa 1955

Integrated Circuits provide 3 turns of warning, in any weather, requires one unit with four crewmen. 

21^st Century, Circa 1990

Computer chips provide 4 turns of warning, and can even provide 1 turn of warning against stealth aircraft.  This radar requires one unit and two crewmen to function..