The following errata have been identified in the first edition of the book. If your edition has ‘Version 1.1’ on the Copyright page (sandwiched between ‘First Printing 2017’ and the Hardback ISBN), these errata have already been corrected.
Please note that the page numbers refer to the pages in the hardback and paperback editions of the book and not the electronic edition, and the line numbers are counted from the top of the page but do not include titles, subtitles, or tables, but do include image captions.
None of the above significantly affects the rules, and they have only been included for completeness.
I have chosen not to amend or re-write the explanatory HUNT FOR THE MAHDI battle report in the light of my forgetting to use the Close Combat penalty for units that are attacked in the flank or rear. On reflection I felt that to do so was unnecessary as it did not detract from the main purpose of the battle report, which was to show how the rule mechanisms worked.
Please note that the page numbers refer to the pages in the hardback and paperback editions of the book and not the electronic edition, and the line numbers are counted from the top of the page but do not include titles, subtitles, or tables, but do include image captions.
Page 25: Ignore the dotted lines around the paragraph beneath Figure 30. This is a layout error. (N.B. Only applies to the paperback edition of the book.)
Page 34, line 7: Delete the word ‘who’. The text should read ‘...usually the side whose troop will continue...’.
Page 34, line 27: Replace the word ‘worst’ with ‘bad’. The text should read ‘...IGOUO as being the least bad of the alternatives’.
Page 35, line 13: Replace the word ‘to’ with ‘the’. The text should read ‘4. When both sides have had the opportunity...’.
Page 39, line 29: Add the words ‘of’ and ‘may’ so that the text reads ‘...frequently a run of Red or Black cards may be turned over...’.
Page 41, lines 8 & 10: Delete the word ‘total’ so that the text reads ‘If the score is...’.
Page 43, line 27: Replace the word ‘square’ with ‘grid area’. The text should read ‘...into an adjacent grid area that was occupied...’.
Page 45, line 4: Add the word ‘roll’ after the words ‘D6 die’. The text should read ‘...the D6 die roll score by...’.
Page 45, line 15: Replace the text ‘Less than 4’ by the text ‘4 or less’.
Page 47, line 13: Add the word ‘score’ after the word ‘roll’. The text should read ‘...the D6 die roll score by...’.
Page 48, lines 8 & 10: Delete the word ‘total’ so that the text reads ‘If the score is...’.
Page 48, line 11: Replace the word ‘doe’ with ‘does’. The text should read ‘...co-located unit does not lose...’.
Page 53, line 2: Replace the word ‘enter’ with ‘enters’. The text should read ‘The Khedive’s army enters the battlefield...’.
Page 57, line 2: Replace the word ‘side’s’ with ‘sides’’. The text should read ‘...both sides’ threw a...’.
Page 57, line 3: Replace the word ‘die’ with ‘dice’. The text should read ‘...on their D6 dice...’.
Page 63, line 8: Replace the word ‘side’s’ with ‘sides’’. The text should read ‘...both sides’ threw a...’.
Page 63, line 9: Replace the word ‘die’ with ‘dice’. The text should read ‘...on their D6 dice...’.
Page 65, line 9: Replace the word ‘Infantry’ with ‘Cavalry’. The text should read ‘...the Egyptian cavalry unit...’.
Page 68, line 3: Replace the word ‘has’ with ‘had’. The text should read ‘...Exhaustion Point had been reached...’.
Page 70: Beneath the table, replace the word ‘Note’ with ‘Notes’ and add ‘Artillery units that can fire indirectly are indicated by *.’
Page 71, lines 26 & 27: Replace the text ‘an Infantry or a Cavalry unit’ with the text ‘...an Infantry, Engineer, Cavalry, or Tank unit...’.
Page 71, line 27: Replace the word ‘square’ with ‘grid area’. The text should read ‘...into an adjacent grid area that was occupied...’.
Page 73, line 4: Add the word ‘roll’ after the words ‘D6 die’. The text should read ‘...the D6 die roll score by...’.
Page 73, line 15: Replace the text ‘Less than 4’ by the text ‘4 or less’.
Page 73, line 23: Add the words ‘or Assault Gun units’ after the word ‘Self-propelled’. The text should read ‘...that are Self-propelled or Assault Gun units’.
Page 75, line 28: Add the word ‘score’ after the word ‘roll’. The text should read ‘...the D6 die roll score by...’.
Page 76, lines 20 & 22: Delete the word ‘total’ so that the text reads ‘If the score is...’.
Page 76, line 23: Replace the word ‘doe’ with ‘does’. The text should read ‘...co-located unit does not lose...’.
Page 82, line 1: Delete the word ‘The’ and replace the word ‘enter’ with ‘enters’. The text should read ‘Colonel Strelnikov’s Assault Group enters...’.
Page 87, line 15: Replace the word ‘units’ with ‘unit’. The text should read ‘...a Soviet Rifle unit removed...’.
Page 88, line 2: Replace the word ‘their’ with ‘its’. The text should read ‘...that was blocking its advance.’
Page 89, line 13: Add the word ‘dice’ between the words ‘each’ and ‘due’. The text should read ‘...1 to each dice due to...’.
Page 91, line 9: ‘...German Anti-Tank Gun...’ should read ‘...German Anti-tank Gun...’.
Page 95, line 29: Add the text ‘...if they don’t work.’ to the end of the sentence. The text should read ‘...that can be ‘unplugged’ if they don’t work.’
Page 96, line 1: Replace the word ‘mechanisms’ with ‘mechanism’.
Page 101, lines 24 & 25: Delete the sentence ‘George Jeffrey’s explained how the ‘Variable Length Bound’ worked in his book THE NAPOLEONIC WARGAME.’ This statement is incorrect.
Page 102, line 20: Replace ‘23’ and replace with ‘25’. The text should read ‘See endnote 25 above.’
None of the above significantly affects the rules, and they have only been included for completeness.
I have chosen not to amend or re-write the explanatory HUNT FOR THE MAHDI battle report in the light of my forgetting to use the Close Combat penalty for units that are attacked in the flank or rear. On reflection I felt that to do so was unnecessary as it did not detract from the main purpose of the battle report, which was to show how the rule mechanisms worked.
Characteristically thorough Bob.
ReplyDeleteConrad Kinch,
DeleteI try to be whenever I can ... but I do regret making the mistakes in the first place.
All the best,
Bob
I think on page 102 endnote 27 should say see endnote 25 not endnote 23.
ReplyDeleteI also have a question about machineguns. If playing the SP rules can machineguns cause a unit to lose multiple SPs or be moved back multiple squares? Such as if the machine gun rolls 3 hits does the opposing unit lose 3 SPs or is it a maximum of 1 Sp loss? Also, should tanks be considered to have machine guns as well as a main gun or does that unbalance the game?
Thanks for the help, I do really enjoy the rules and this blog.
Anon,
DeleteYou are absolutely right! Somewhere along the line everyone who had proof-read the text had missed that. I will alter the blog entry accordingly.
A Machine Gun unit can inflict a loss of one SP or force a unit to retreat a grid area for each 'hit' it inflicts. In theory a Machine Gun unit could force an enemy unit to lose up to three SPs or retreat up to three grid area or a combination thereof (e.g. lose two SPs and retreat one grid area or lose one SP and retreat two grid areas).
In these simple rules I did not specify Tank units as having Machine Guns as that is assumed to be factored into their fighting ability. In the earlier drafts of the rules I did allow Tank units to fire their main guns or their Machine Guns ... and it tended to unbalance the game somewhat. That said, there is nothing to stop you trying that out yourself, and if it works for you, make it a House Rule for your games.
(Armoured Cars and Light Tanks might legitimately be equipped with just Machine Guns, which would make them more capable of dealing with Infantry units etc., but unable to fight other Tank units other than in Close Combat as their weaponry would not be able to penetrate their opponents armour at anything other than point-blank range.)
I'm glad that you are enjoying using the rules, and find my blog interesting.
All the best,
Bob
Is the E-book version corrected?
ReplyDeleteVtsaogames,
DeleteI revised the eBook version on Lulu at the same time that I did the printed versions. I assume that it is the version that is now available from them.
All the best,
Bob
Vtsaogames,
DeleteI have just checked, and the eBook available to download from Lulu is the revised Version 1.1.
All the best,
Bob
Bob,
ReplyDeleteOne thing that looks wrong to me is that on Page 47 under Close Combat it says:
"... read the result from the appropriate row..."
But this version of the rules doesn't have the close combat table that is in the downloadable rule where you roll to save from being hit. Then it goes on to say that a 5 or a 6 is a hit on a unit...
I assume the first part shouldn't be there?
This is the thing I was unsure about in this version of the rules as it seems to do away with the difference between cavalry and infantry in close combat.
Mike,
DeleteThe table for adjudicating hits on units, whether they occur as a result of fire or Close Combat, is on the next page. I should have used the term 'unit quality' rather than 'type' to make it clearer.
In this version of the rules I made no distinction between Infantry and Cavalry in Close Combat ... but there is no reason why you could not add a House Rule if you wished to (e.g. Cavalry vs. Infantry always count as Elite vs. Average or give Cavalry a +1 bonus).
I always intended that the rules would be simple enough for players to tailor them to their own needs and requirements, and that unlike most other writers I expect my rules to be modified and not to be regarded as set in stone.
I hope you enjoy using the new version of the rules.
All the best,
Bob
Hi Bob
ReplyDeleteThanks for the clarification - I think I was confused by the wording being similar to the previous version with the table you rolled on to avoid being hit.
My hardback has now appeared - printed and sent from France for some reason!
Mike Lewis,
DeleteI'm pleased to read that your book has finally arrived. Lulu.com has any hardback books ordered in Europe printed in France.
The version of the rules in the book were the result of quite a lot of rationalisation of the original rules, and I decided early on to try to have one results table for all forms of combat, hence the change. Sorry if it caused some confusion, but hopefully it should make the rules easier to use.
All the best,
Bob
Bob, how do you create balanced opposing forces using these rules? No points system is apparent to me, on the eBook version, but there is not a suggested force list either.
ReplyDeleteJustin Penwith,
DeleteI did not include army lists etc. In this book, but would recommend the ones in WHEN EMPIRES CLASH! or have each side have the same number of SPs.
All the best,
Bob
Is there an eBook version of When Empires Clash? My bound copy had to go to storage.
DeleteAlso, if SPs are equal for both armies, how do you handle the troop quality differences?
Justin Penwith,
DeleteWHEN EMPIRES CLASH! isn't available as an ebook yet, but I will consider publishing one if there is enough demand.
By troop quality I assume you mean the classifications of Elite, Average, and Poor. In the past I have added 1 SP to a unit to make it Elite, and reduced a unit by 1 SP if it is Poor.
All the best,
Bob
Thank you, Bob. If you have even a PDF version of When Empires Clash, I will give you $5.00 (US) via paypal directly. I've to move nearly everything I own into storage and an electronic version is almost a necessity anymore for me.
DeleteI got ya on the SP ratio. I've ordered some 10mm Germans and Soviets, having been inspired by TPW, and also some terrain items. I have 8 vinyl chess mats and will be running a multi-player game for my club this summer.
Justin Penwith,
DeleteI am at sea at present, and will try to send you an electronic copy of the book when I am back on dry land.
Good luck with your project.
All the best,
Bob
Bob,
ReplyDeleteCheck this our from the Perry brothers. It should go very well with the Portable Wargame.
https://www.perry-miniatures.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_62&products_id=3637&osCsid=pronackke897i7c8q9l618osc0
Justin Penwith,
DeleteThanks for the link. I hope to see the game at SALUTE next month.
All the best,
Bob
Bob,
DeleteYou don't need to approve this comment, but I wanted to ask you about something.
Air power in the Portable Wargame...do you have rules for it? You do have rules for AAA, but not for actual deployment of ground attack planes or fighters.
If possible, could you please address this in a future post?
Justin Penwith,
DeleteThe Air Combat rules (which are designed to be a stand alone set of rules as well an adjunct to the ground warfare rules) will be in my next book.
All the best,
Bob