Loose Files rule changes.

 

 Here is yet another try on my part to use the rule set "Loose Files and American Scramble" by Andy Callan.  I like the rules very much as, to my mind they reflex the tactical practice during the American Rev War.  The use of disorganization points (DP) show they temporarily disorder to units.  By pulling back, regrouping the unit can return to action in better shape.  No other system, I am aware of reflex this.  But few of my club gaming friends want to play these rules due to poor interpretation of them.  After long conversations I have identified what my gaming friends find frustrating with them and here are my attempts to improve them.  In the coming days I will be testing these out and reporting in the results.

 What is different?  In place of simultaneous movement I am switching to a I GO U GO.  But, it is a fire first move second or move first fire second type.  I think resolves the conflict with close contact. Also rather then dice roll movement I use a set movement rate.  

 in the next week I will be playing these out with a solo game to see how they work.  Stay tuned!

Training:

Each unit is given a basic efficiency grade at the start of the game, indicating its training and experience. This may vary in a campaign context, but the following should be taken as standard grades for the different categories of troops:

1st Class: Elite

2nd Class: Regulars

3rd Class: Volunteers and second class troops

4th Class: Militia and Indians

5th Class:  Poor Militia and unmotivated Indians .

Order of Play in a Turn:

1. Compulsory Retreats/Routs following combat in previous turns.

2. Calculate Morale effects provoked by 1 above.

3. Initiative roll. Each army commander rolls dice to determine which side moves offices first.  High roll wins choice of move first or fire first.

4. Firing.  Side  A then side B.

5. Move units. Side B then side A.  Announce attempted advances to contact/charges before moving.

6. Close Combat.

7. Re-dress ranks (according to training) of units that did not move this turn.

Command:

This is exercised through the use of Command Points. At the start of the game determine the command points of each side's commander in chief. Unless these are determined by the scenario the number of command points = Average dice roll +1. Subordinate commanders (Brigadiers) always have 3 CP's.  Mounted command figures move at cavalry rates.  Dismounted commanders move at skirmishes rate.

The actions possible to a commander are listed below, together with the cost in CP's.

Inspire troops in Combat (i.e. +1 in combat calculation) = 3 CP's *

Rally one D. Point (see below) = 2 CP's *

* Commander figure must be adjacent to unit's command group.

D. Points:

Represent the temporary Disorganisation, Demoralisation and Desertion that can affect a unit's performance in action. Unlike casualties (see below) DP's do not have a permanent effect. The number of DP's on a unit may fluctuate up and down according to circumstances, but may never be more than 5. According to their training units may remove D. Points by re-dressing the ranks and otherwise sorting themselves out at the end of a turn. This varies according to training and circumstances.

1st Class units may remove up to 2 DP's per turn, if stationary and not in combat.

2nd Class units may remove 1DP per turn, if stationary and not in combat.

3rd Class units may remove 1DP per turn, if stationary, not in combat and not under fire..

4th Class units may only remove DP's by a commander using his command points.

5th Class units only remove DP's if commander in chief uses his command points.

Movement:

Infantry: :  10" line, 12" column,  16" road column,

Skirmishes: 18"  

Cavalry: 12" line, 20" column, 28" road column.

Movement : Special Cases:

Hessian infantry (not Jagers or Bose in 1781)  8" line 10" column, 14" road column

Wheeling, change formation or facing : pivot either right or left stand and line up figures,   1 DP (2 if under fire).

Cross fence/wall, Cross minor obstacle (e.g.. small stream, gully):  stop at obstacle, continue next turn, 1 DP (2 if under fire) after crossing.

Uphill: Minus one inch from all dice rolled. 1 DP (2 if under fire).

Woods: stop at entrance to woods, next turn formed troops move at half rate and get 1DP.  Skirmishes move as usual, no DP.  Artillery cannot enter woods.

Difficult terrain (fields, rocky ground)  Take 1 DP (2 DP's if under fire).

Change Formation: Takes one Turn. Take 1 DP (2 DP's if under fire).

Limber up/unlimber: Takes two turns for heavy guns and one turn for medium guns. Light guns can do two actions per turn.  Take 1 DP (2 DP's if under fire).

Cross major obstacle (e.g.. abatis): Time and penalties determined by umpire.

Swamp:  half rate movement and fire power,artillery cannot move across, Take 1 DP (2 DP's if under fire).

Collisions/Interpenetrations:

Each unit takes 1 DP.

Retreating or Routing units move round supports that are better formed, (i.e. have less DP's), but run through and collide with units equally or worse formed

Morale:

Troops ignore the retreat of friendly units with a lower training grade but take 1 DP if such a unit routs past within six inches.

If equal/higher grade unit retreats past within six inches take 2 DP's.

If equal grade unit routs past within six inches take 2 DP's and 1 casualty.

If higher grade unit routs past within six inches take 3 DP's and 1 casualty.

Firing:

1) Artillery: 3 classes of gun are recognised:

Light = less than 3 pounders (e.g. 'gallopers' or 'grasshoppers').

Field = Most guns. 3 - 6 pounders were in general use.

Heavy = 9 pounders and upwards. Rarely in use in the field (in this theatre).

Ranges: Long 10 inches to 36 inches (minus 6" for light, plus 6" for heavy).

Short = under 10 inches.

Effect: Roll one D6 for each model gun firing, modified as follows:

+1 : Heavy Gun.

+1 : Target in column, or limbered artillery.

+1 : Firing at same target, at same range, as in previous turn.

-1 : Firing at new target.

-1 : Each DP on gun firing.

-2 : Target in fieldwork or stone building.

-2 : Target in skirmish order.

-1 : Light gun.

At long range inflict 1 DP for final total of 4 or over.

At short range inflict 1 DP for total of 2 or 3, inflict 2 DP's for total of 4 or 5, inflict 1 DP and 1 Casualty for total of 6 or more.

2)  Infantry: Note, only skirmishing infantry may fire and move in the same turn.

Ranges: Musket 0-8 inches, Rifles 0-16 inches.

Effect: Roll one D6 for each company or group of 3 skirmishers firing, minus the number of DP's on the firing unit. Halve the total if firing at artillery or skirmishers, halve again if target in Cover, fieldwork or building. Halves round up.

E.g.: A seven stand  unit with 2 DP's firing at skirmishers would roll (7-2) = 5 / 2 = 2 1/2, rounds up to 3 dice.

Inflict 1 DP for throws of six only. Skirmishers roll again for throws of five, with subsequent 4/5/6 = inflict 1 DP.

Casualties:

If a unit under fire has already sustained the maximum number (i.e.. five) of DP's, any subsequent DP's caused by fire, combat or morale only are taken as casualties.

Loss of one 'casualty' = remove one stand (3 figures) of infantry or one stand  (2 figures) of cavalry. A gun that receives a casualty is knocked out.

Close Combat:

Occurs when a unit advances to within 1 inch or contacts  an opponent after death mating a charge.   Each side throws one Average dice, plus or minus the following:

+3 : Each Training grade higher than the opponent.

+3 : Defending fort or stone building.

+2 : Defending fieldwork or wooden building.

+2 : Making bayonet attack (option open only to British regulars. Declare before attack).

+1 : Terrain advantage (e.g.. uphill, behind stream, gully, wall, fence, etc).

+1 or 2 : General with unit (depends on how many CP's he spent on 'inspiring troops').

-3 : in skirmish order.

-3 : being attacked in flank or rear.

-2 : each DP on the unit.

-2 : each casualty suffered.

-1 : outnumbered. *

-2 : outnumbered 3:2 *

-3 : outnumbered 2:1. *

-5 : outnumbered 3:1 or more. *

* For these purposes one cavalry figure = three infantry; one gun = six infantry.

For two units attacking one, the attackers total up all their factors and divide by two (halves round up).

Count highest grade unit for training comparison.

Result: Compare scores. If side A's total is, say, +3 and side B's is -2 then side A is the winner by a total of +5 and B is the loser by -5. Consult the following table for the effect on each unit:

+4 or more: Easy victory. Take 1 DP. 1st/2nd/3rd class troops obey orders. 4th/5th class pursue (see below)

+2/3: Successful action. Take 1 DP and (if facing infantry or artillery and not in a fort, building or fieldwork) one casualty. Halt one turn.

+1/0/-1: Stand off. No clear result. Both sides halt. Action continues next turn. Both take 1 DP and (unless infantry, facing cavalry, or facing a bayonet attack, or in a fort, building or fieldwork) one casualty.

-2/-3/-4: Driven Back. Take 2 DP's and one casualty. Retreat one move at maximum speed (no deduction for abut face).

-5/-6/-7/-8: Defeated. Take 2 DP's and two casualties. Retreat at maximum speed behind next line of friendly troops, or next terrain obstacle if no support.

-9 or more: Routed. Run away at maximum speed to beyond artillery range of enemy or next terrain obstacle (whichever is the further). Take 4 DP's and two casualties.

Note: Pursuit continues until the enemy outdistances the pursuers or is destroyed by them.

Cavalry who get a stand off result against infantry or artillery act as if driven back.

Risk to Commanders:

Generals who attach themselves to a unit may not quit that unit until the combat is resolved, and they must share the fate of that unit (ie. risking retreat/rout and getting caught up in a pursuit).

If a unit to which a commander is attached (e.g.. for rallying purposes, or to give an order, etc) takes a D. point from enemy fire, or takes a casualty in any circumstances, roll one D6 to see if the commander is hit (maximum of one such roll in any one turn):

1 = hit. Roll again.

4/5/6 = Light wound. Lose 2 CP's.

2/3 = Serious wound. Retire from field. Loses all CP's.

1 = Killed.

Formations Permitted:

Note: Line is the normal fighting formation for both infantry and cavalry. Column is used only on the march except that regulars may use it as an attack formation when assaulting a fieldwork, bridge or defile. Regulars are too sensible to consider skirmishing, but militia are happy enough to do it (Minutemen, etc) even though the effectiveness of untrained skirmishers is questionable.