Joseph Morschauser’s Rules for Modern Wargames adapted for use with a 3-inch square gridded battlefield

Having decided to modify Joseph Morschauser’s ‘Modern’ period rules for use with a 3-inch square gridded battlefield, I had to modify the rules to take into account:

• The change from inches to grid squares for all movement distances and weapon ranges
• Rules for measuring those distances

The former was a simple process as most of the measurements were in multiples of 3-inches; for example Rifles had a range of 15”, which became 5 grid squares. The latter might have caused me some problems, but Morschauser’s ‘Frontier’ rules already included rules for measuring distances in grid squares; I simply copied the rules over from one set to the other.

I also added the arc of fire rules from the ‘Frontier’ rules as these seemed to fit in with the other changes I had made.

The final decision I had to make was what size of base/’tray’ to select. Morschauser’s original rules use 1-inch square bases/’trays’, but these are far too small for the larger 20mm figures that are now widely available. I had thought about using 1.5-inch square bases/'trays' but was unsure if this was the right thing to do. A quick look at Morschauser's book HOW TO PLAY WAR GAMES IN MINIATURE showed me that he had used 1.5-inch square bases/’trays’ for 30mm flat figures, and this confirmed my thinking that this would be the ideal size for the larger 20mm figures. An additional factor in their favour is that this is the size of base used in MEGABLITZ (so no re-basing would be necessary) and I can fit up to four Basic Infantry Units into a single grid square.

So here are the as yet untried, modified rules; Read and enjoy!

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Joseph Morschauser’s Rules for Modern Wargames adapted for use with a 3-inch square gridded battlefield
A) BASIC UNITS

Basic Unit Type: Rifle

• Move: 3 grid squares
• Melee Power: 4
• Weapon Range: 5 grid squares for rifle; 1 grid square for A.T Grenade

Basic Unit Type: Machine Gun

• Move: 3 grid squares
• Melee Power: 2
• Weapon Range: 5 grid squares

Basic Unit Type: Antitank Rocket

• Move: 3 grid squares
• Melee Power: 2
• Weapon Range: 3 grid squares

Basic Unit Type: Field Gun

• Move: 2 grid squares
• Melee Power: 1
• Weapon Range: 12 grid squares

Basic Unit Type: Field Howitzer

• Move: 2 grid squares
• Melee Power: 1
• Weapon Range: 8 grid squares

Basic Unit Type: Tank

• On Roads: 4 grid squares
• Off Roads: 3 grid squares
• Weapon Range: 8 grid squares

Basic Unit Type: Armoured Scout Car (carries a machine gun)

• On Roads: 6 grid squares
• Off Roads: 2 grid squares
• Weapon Range: 5 grid squares

B) SEQUENCE OF TURNS:

All turns are alternate, first one side taking a turn, then the other. Roll the dice to see whom moves first. The higher number moves first. A commander completes all moves, firing and melees of Basic Units during his turn, and then the other commander does the same.

C) MOVEMENT RULES:

a) Each Basic Unit may be moved only once each turn. All moves are made across the sides of grid squares, never across diagonals.

b) A Basic Unit may change its direction of move any number of times during its move.

c) A move may not be split. A Basic Unit may be moved all or part of its move during a turn, but this can be done only once during a turn. If a Basic Unit has been moved only part of its move during a turn, it may not be moved the rest of the distance later in the same turn.

d) A Basic Unit may be moved through grid squares adjacent to flank or rear of enemy Basic Units provided its own front does not face the enemy during the move past the enemy.

e) A Basic Unit may not move through grid squares adjacent to the front of an enemy Basic Unit. It must stop in that grid square, face the enemy, thus ending its move that turn.

D) FIRE RULES:

a) Each Basic Unit fires once (one shot) each turn. Range is counted off across sides of grid squares, never across diagonals. A hit destroys one enemy Basic Unit.

For Machine Guns Only: Roll one die for each shot. A 2, 4 or 6 is a hit.
For All Other Weapons: Roll one dies for each shot. A 4 or 6 is a hit.

b) Firing should be done at the beginning or end of the Basic Unit’s move only, never at mid-point of move.

c) Rifle fire and machine gun fire can destroy only Infantry and Artillery Basic Units.
Cannon fire, tank fire, antitank rocket fire and antitank grenades (thrown by Infantry Rifle Basic Units) can wipe out all types of Basic Units.

d) Infantry Rifle Basic Units may either fire their rifles or throw antitank grenades during a turn, not both.

e) Except for Tanks, arc of fire is 90 degrees forward, sweeping from one 45 degree diagonal line of squares to other. Tanks have a 360 degree arc of fire.

f) All weapons except howitzers fire in a straight line-of-sight. Howitzers can fire over Basic Units, trees, hills, etc., and hit Basic Units behind these things.

E) MELEE RULES:

a) Melee Range is 1 grid square. If Basic Units are in adjacent grid squares they are in Melee Range.

b) Basic Units in Melee Range must melee. A Basic Unit may not move past an enemy Basic Unit within Melee Range without meleeing.

c) Melee is conducted at the beginning or end of a move only. If a Basic Unit is blocked part way in its move by a melee situation, it cannot move farther.

d) Tanks do not engage in melee. If their move is blocked by an Infantry or Artillery Basic Unit, they may run down the Basic Unit, but their move is ended there. The run-down Basic Unit is removed, and the tank is placed in its spot on the battlefield. To run down an enemy, the tank must be able to completely move over the area of the enemy card. Just being in Melee Range is not enough.

Scout Cars may not melee or run down enemy Basic Units. If blocked during their move, they are stopped.

F) MELEE CONDUCT:

The Attacker rolls a die for his Basic Unit and a different colour die for the enemy Basic Unit at the same time.

1) If both dice show the Melee Power Numbers or less: Both Basic Units are removed from the battlefield.

2) If one die shows the Melee Power Number or less and the other does not: The Basic Unit represented by the die, which does not show the Melee Power Number, or less is removed.

3) If both dice do not show the Melee Power numbers of Basic Units or less: It is a draw, and the dice should be rolled again at once.

G) SPECIAL RULES:

1) Roads – Roads add no additional speed to Basic Units in general, except in those cases listed above.

2) Hills – Take one point of Melee Power from each Basic Unit which is attacking uphill against an enemy Basic Unit. The point is lost during the attack uphill only.

3) Rivers – In crossing a shallow spot in a river (ford), a Basic Unit moves into the river on turn A, moves out of the river on turn B its full move for that turn. No Basic Units in rivers may fire.

Take one point of Melee Power from a Basic Unit in a river attacking an enemy on the bank.