I decided to play-test the rules with a relatively simple Colonial scenario that I have used before; namely an Anglo-Egyptian column is marching across part of the Eastern Sudan to take supplies to an outpost and the Mahdists want to stop them. The terrain is relatively flat, with reasonable visibility, and the two sides start at opposite ends of a 3 feet x 2 feet playing surface.
The strength of the two sides was generated using the dice system in the rules for one-off battles. The Anglo-Egyptians threw a total of 26 and the Mahdists threw a total of 32.
Note: It was at this stage that I noticed that I had made a minor error with the grading of Generals. The last part should read ‘if the score is 2 or 1, the General is rated as ‘Poor’’. The draft will be amended in due course.
The strength of the two sides was generated using the dice system in the rules for one-off battles. The Anglo-Egyptians threw a total of 26 and the Mahdists threw a total of 32.
The 26-point Anglo-Egyptian column. It has 3 stands of British Regular Infantry, 3 stands of Egyptian Regular Infantry, a British Machine Gun stand, a stand of Rifled British Field Artillery, 2 stands of British Transport, and a Command stand = 11 stands.
The 32-point Mahdist force. It consists of 4 stands of Jihadia Riflemen, 8 stands of Mahdist Spearmen, 3 stands of Mahdist Cavalry, a stand of Smooth-bore Mahdist Field Artillery, and a Command stand = 16 stands.
Note: It was at this stage that I noticed that I had made a minor error with the grading of Generals. The last part should read ‘if the score is 2 or 1, the General is rated as ‘Poor’’. The draft will be amended in due course.
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Bob,
ReplyDeleteI have a couple of questions about the rules:
1) Movement:
As there are no ZOC, so no unit have to stop once adjacent to an enemy, what does prevent from exploiting every flank move to an easy outflanking and eventually a rear attack?
2) Change Facing:
There are no change facing rules here, so I suppose there are even no costs to change facing during movement. As seen from the attacker and defender point of views, what are restrictions to facing changes during melee combat?
3) Combat Results:
What is the result if the enemy final score is exactly half the final score of the stand that initiated the combat?
Thanks,
Fabio
Fabio,
ReplyDeleteGood questions. They are exactly why rules need play-testing; we all tend to make assumptions about what we have written ... and as a result we miss things!
Movement:
I need to make this section much more explicit. What you have pointed out can happen and should not. I will redraft that section as soon as I can.
Change facing:
Again, I need to be explicit about this. Facing is important (which is implicit in the firing rules but not in the movement rules) and if a unit is facing in the wrong direction it does have an effect.
Combat Results:
I have missed out a vital phrase in the last combat result. It should read ‘If enemy stand’s final score is equal to or less than half the final score of the stand that initiated the combat, the enemy stand is destroyed and removed from the battlefield.
Thanks for the feedback,
Bob