A set of Portable Wargame rules written by ChatGPT

As part of my investigation into the use of ChatGPT in wargaming …

… I asked it to design me a set of PORTABLE WARGAME rules for the period 1880 to 1910, and what follows is the result.

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Portable Wargame Rules: Colonial & Early 20th Century Warfare (1880 to 1910)

A simple, fast-playing, and portable wargame system for small-scale battles.

1. GAME OVERVIEW

This set of rules is designed for quick and engaging wargames set between 1880 and 1910, covering conflicts like the Anglo-Zulu War, Mahdist War, Spanish-American War, Russo-Japanese War, and early colonial skirmishes.

The rules prioritize playability while maintaining historical flavour.

Scale & Setup

• Map/Grid: Hexagonal or square grid (8 x 8, 10 x 10, or larger)
• Unit Representation: One unit represents a small detachment, platoon, or company.
• Dice: D6-based mechanics for simplicity.

2. UNIT TYPES & STATS

Each unit has the following attributes:

• Strength Points (SP): Represents combat f fectiveness.
• Units are eliminated at 0 SP.
• Firepower: Maximum range and fire dice roll.
• Movement: How many spaces the unit moves.
• Morale: Affects retreat and combat resilience.

Unit Type	SP	Firepower	Range	Movement	Notes
Regular Infantry	4 SPs	1D6	2 grid areas	2 grid areas	Core unit, steady fire.
Native Infantry	3 SPs	1D6-1	1 grid area	3 grid areas	Fast but less powerful.
Cavalry	3 SPs	1D6-1	1 grid area	4 grid areas	Charge bonus.
Artillery	3 SPs	1D6+1	4 grid areas	1 grid area	Indirect fire, powerful at range.
Machine Guns	3 SPs	2D6	3 grid areas	1 grid area	Devastating firepower but immobile.
Commanders	-	-	-	2 grid areas	Boosts morale & activation.

3. TURN SEQUENCE

Each turn consists of the following phases:

A. Initiative Phase

• Both sides roll 1D6. The higher roll decides who goes first. Re-roll ties.

B. Activation Phase

• Players alternate activating units (move/fire or fire/move).
• A unit may either:
• Move & Fire
• Fire & Move
• Charge into Melee (Cavalry & Native Infantry only)

C. Movement Rules

• Terrain affects movement (e.g., hills cost +1 movement, rivers require a bridge or crossing).
• No diagonal movement on squares; hex grids allow full movement.
• Cavalry may retreat 1 space after melee combat.

4. COMBAT RULES

A. Shooting

• Roll 1D6 (or more based on unit type) to determine hits.
• Target hit on 4+ (unless modified).
• Cover reduces hit chance (-1 to dice rolls).
• Condition Modifier:
• Target in cover -1
• Long-range fire -1
• Command nearby +1
• Example: British Regular Infantry fires at Native Infantry in cover. Rolls 1D6, but applies a -1 penalty.

B. Melee Combat

• Both players roll 1D6.
• Higher roll wins; loser retreats or loses 1 SP.
• If the result is a tie, both lose 1 SP.
• Cavalry gets +1 when charging.

C. Morale Checks

• A unit reduced to 1 SP rolls 1D6. On 1-2, it retreats; on 3+, it holds.
• Commanders nearby add +1 to morale rolls.

5. VICTORY CONDITIONS

• Control the battlefield: Hold key objectives for X turns.
• Break the Enemy: Reduce the enemy's force to below 50%.
• Survival: Defend a position until a set turn.

6. OPTIONAL RULES

A. Command & Control

• Commanders can activate 1 additional adjacent unit per turn.
• Without a commander, units require 1D6 roll of 3+ to activate.

B. Special Weapons

• Gatling Guns: Roll 3D6 but jam on a double 1 (misses next turn).
• Bayonet Charges: Infantry get +1 in melee when charging from 2 spaces away.

7. EXAMPLE SCENARIO

Colonial Defence Situation: A British column is ambushed by a large force of native warriors. The British must hold their ground until reinforcements arrive.

• Map: Village in the centre, river on one side, hills on the other.
• British Forces: 3 Regular Infantry (4 SP), 1 Artillery (3 SP), 1 Machine Gun (3 SP), 1 Commander.
• Native Forces: 6 Native Infantry (3 SP each), 2 Cavalry (3 SP each).
• Objective: British must survive 8 turns without losing 50% of their force.

8. FINAL NOTES

• This system is easy to expand with more unit types (early tanks, armoured trains, etc.).
• Designed for solo, two-player, or small group play.
• Play on a small board (8 x 8 grid), making it portable and quick.

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I find it interesting that ChatGPT has not just copied the text and mechanisms from the published versions of the PORTABLE WARGAME. For example, it has added Morale rules, and the Melee rules are very different from those I have written. It has also included ideas for Victory Conditions (something that I know some wargamer like) as well as some Optional Rules that have rather piqued my interest.

I was intending to play test Joseph Morschauser's FRONTIER rules in the near future, but I am now giving serious consideration to shelving that idea and play testing these rules instead.