The Battle Rules in Joseph Morschauser's 'Frontier' rules

I have recently been re-examining Joseph Morschauser's 'Frontier' (i.e. Colonial) wargame rules and his Battle Rules have been giving me a few problems. The wording of the relevant sections of his rules are as follows:

TROOP TYPES

Infantry: 2 squares; Battle Power: 5; Range: Adjacent Squares.

Cavalry: 2 squares; Battle Power: 5; Range: Adjacent Squares.

Maxim Gun: Move: 2 squares; Battle Power: 6; Range: Adjacent Squares.

Light Field Artillery: Move: 2 squares; Battle Power 1; Range: 4 Squares.

Field Artillery Move: 1 square; Battle Power: 1; Range: 6 Squares.

Position Artillery: Move: None; Battle Power: 1; Range: 10 Squares.

Command Unit: Move: 3 squares; Battle Power: 6; Range: Adjacent Squares.

Notes

Infantry & Cavalry: Native State units of this type have 1 point less Battle Power.

Other units: will not move forward to replace enemy after successful attack.

No Battle Power will drop below 1 regardless of other rules.

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BATTLE RULES

1. Battle contact is made when one piece faces an enemy in an adjacent square. A piece may fight only one battle during its turn, that is attack only once during its turn.

2. When attacker moves into contact with flank or rear of enemy the latter is faced to meet attacker at once. If several attackers contact one enemy, enemy faces last attacker to be moved into contact. If attacker loses battle it is faced attacker that should be removed.

3. If attacker is successful, remove defender at once. Then move attacker whom defender faced into defender's square if desired (optional). If this results in new contact attacker still may not conduct another battle this turn. If defender is successful attacker re faces should be removed as noted above in (2).

4. When several attackers assault one, defender's Battle Power is reduced thus;

2 ATTACKERS – defender's Battle Power reduced 1

3 ATTACKERS – defender's Battle Power reduced 2

4 ATTACKERS – defender's Battle Power reduced 3

The Battle Power used for several attackers is Battle Power of attacker defender faces.

Battle Conduct

Side taking turn (attacker) rolls one die for its piece (or pieces), a different coloured die for enemy piece.

Roll only once per attack.

(a) Both dice show Battle Power number pertaining or less – remove both (if several attackers against one), remove defender and attacker he faced.

(b) Neither dice show Battle Power number pertaining or less – stalemate, all pieces remain on board in position.

(c) One die shows number pertaining or less, other does not – remove other piece (if loser is several attackers, remove attacker faced by the defender's tray).

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The Frontier Rules in use with Britains 54mm figures. The original rules were designed to be used with a 12 x 12 square grid. In this photograph the playing surface appears to be marked off with a 24 x 16 square grid, allowing for more troops to be deployed on the tabletop.

The Frontier Rules in use with Britains 54mm figures on a 12 x 12 square grid.

Whilst reading this, I kept feeling that it was a counter-intuitive mechanism ... so I decided to do some worked examples.

Example 1

A Native Infantry unit (Battle Power = 4) attacks a European Infantry unit (Battle Power = 5). Each Infantry unit throws a D6 die and they score 6 and 3 respectively. The Native Infantry unit does not get a score that is equal to or less than its Battle Power. the European Infantry unit gets a score that is equal to or less than its Battle Power. As a result, the Native Infantry unit is removed.

Example 2

Three European Cavalry units (Battle Power = 5) attack a European Infantry unit (Battle Power = 5, reduced to 3 because it is being attacked by three enemy units). The European Cavalry unit facing the European Infantry unit and the European Infantry unit each throw a D6 and they score 3 and 2 respectively. The European Cavalry unit gets a score that is equal to or less than its Battle Power. The European Infantry unit gets a score that is equal to or less than its Battle Power. As a result, both units are removed.

Example 3

Three European Cavalry units (Battle Power = 5) attack a European Infantry unit (Battle Power = 5, reduced to 3 because it is being attacked by three enemy units). The European Cavalry unit facing the European Infantry unit and the European Infantry unit each throw a D6 and they score 5 and 6 respectively. The European Cavalry unit gets a score that is equal to or less than its Battle Power. The European Infantry unit does not get a score that is equal to or less than its Battle Power. As a result, the European Infantry unit is removed.

Example 4

Two Native Cavalry units (Battle Power = 4 each) attack a European Light Artillery unit (Battle Power = 1 ... but not reduced as no Battle Power can be reduced to less than 1). The Native Cavalry unit facing the European Light Artillery unit and the European Light Artillery unit each throw a D6 die and they score 6 and 5 respectively. The Native Cavalry unit does not get a score that is equal or less than its Battle Power. The European Light Artillery unit does not get a score that is equal or less than its Battle Power. As a result, the fighting is a stalemate and neither unit is removed.

Example 5

Two Native Cavalry units (Battle Power = 4 each) attack a European Light Artillery unit (Battle Power = 1 ... but not reduced as no Battle Power can be reduced to less than 1). The Native Cavalry unit facing the European Light Artillery unit and the European Light Artillery unit each throw a D6 die and they score 2 and 4 respectively. The Native Cavalry unit gets a score that is equal or less than its Battle Power. The European Light Artillery unit does not get a score that is equal or less than its Battle Power. As a result, the European Light Artillery unit is removed.

Example 6

Two Native Infantry units (Battle Power = 4 each) attack a European Maxim Gun unit (Battle Power = 6, reduced to 5 because it is being attacked by two enemy units). The Native Infantry unit facing the European Maxim Gun unit and the European Maxim Gun unit each throw a D6 die and they score 6 and 3 respectively. The Native Infantry unit does not get a score that is equal or less than its Battle Power. The European Maxim Gun unit gets a score that is equal or less than its Battle Power. As a result, the Native Infantry unit is removed.

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These examples show that although the mechanism still feels counter-intuitive, it seems to work. Perhaps I need to try it out in a proper wargame to be firmly convinced that it does.