Game Set Up

A referee or Bunkermeister will set up the game.  He may be a player, or he may be impartial.  This is up to the group.  Usually the game will have two sides with one or more players each, and an impartial Bunkermeister.  Any changes to the rules or special rules must be explained at the beginning of the game.

            The Bunkermeister will hold a general briefing with both sides to tell them the overall situation, time period, terrain.  Then each side will be briefed separately on those facts that apply only to them that the other side may not know.  Each side will be briefed on the situation, as they perceive it to be.  This may not be the way things really are.  The defenders of the Alamo thought help was on the way during the siege.  The Bunkermeister before the start of the game will write down the true facts.

 

            Each side is assigned a mission by the Bunkermeister.  This can be as simple as both sides march onto the playing area and destroy the enemy.  Missions can also be much more complex and can enable smaller forces to win a victory over a larger force.  The mission of the Texans at the Alamo was the delay the advance of Santa Ana and his army long enough to allow Sam Houston to form an army.  The defenders of the Alamo accomplished their mission and won a victory even though they were all killed.

            The game is divided into Strategic and Tactical turns.  Strategic turns are used when combat units are out of contact with one another.  Strategic turns are conducted as map movement.  Tactical turns occur when two opposing units make contact on the Strategic map.

 

            Tactical turns are done using miniatures.  Each Tactical turn is composed of several phases.  All activity within each phase is usually considered as simultaneous.  Each Tactical turn counts as one hour in the Strategic game.  Each Strategic turn counts as one day.

Wargame Scale

            These rules are designed for one model figure to represent one real soldier.  This one to one ratio is used for all equipment, land, sea and air.  One player can easily control 50 troops and five tanks.  Experienced players can control many more.  Game size is limited only by space, time and the quantity of materials available.

            These rules are written for Minitank size models, 1/87 to 1/72 scales.  To compensate for the distortion caused by figures that are larger than the ground scale, the ground scale is expanded at short ranges and contracted at long ranges.  The ground scale at short range is one inch equals ten meters for the first ten inches, or 100 meters.  Each of the next five inches equals 30 meters apiece, up to 250 meters.  After 250 meters the ground scale is 1 inch equals 50 meters.

 

MEASUREMENT

Range in meters 10       50        100       250       500       750       1000     1250     1500     1725    2000

Actual inches      1”       5”         10”       15”       20”       25”       30”       35”       40”       45”       50”

 

            Distances are written in meters.  Yards and meters are averaged together and used inter-changeably.  Use the scale shown to convert a distance in meters to the scale shown on the measurement table.  Distances shown in inches are real world inches.

Wargame Game Theory

Game Theory

            Human beings have remained relatively constant, biologically, for all of recorded history.  The ability of the average person to see, hear and move has not improved much in the history of warfare.  Technology has allowed people to see farther, hear better, and move faster.  These technological advancements have been one of the key factors driving tactics.  Successful tactics seek to optimize the ability of weapons to destroy the enemy.

             The mind of the commander is not simulated on the game table.  Each player acts as a unit commander, and brings his own mind to the game.  In all times the commander must use the given troops and technology to accomplish the mission.

 

Wargame scenarios are determined by the number of models on hand and they type of terrain you have to use for the game.  The referee or the players can determine the initial placement of the models and terrain.

Gray Yellow Submarines

I painted the propeller copper on this submarine.

I think having the propeller guard all one color looks pretty good.

I think the gray works well for these submarines.  I added a number for the sail.

The original yellow and two gray ones.

I added a hull number on one and painted the propeller bronze, to distinguish it from the other gray one.

Two deep sea diving submersibles explore a wrecked fishing ship.

They move in carefully to avoid the nets and rigging.

It is just a fishing ship, right?