Another progress report about my Portable Belle Époque Wargame rules (4)

In response to the third blog post in this series, Mark Condone – a very regular blog reader and contributor to the PORTABLE WARGAME FACEBOOK PAGE and the PORTABLE WARGAME COMPENDIA – made a very helpful comment about the Timescale rules I had written.

He made the point that the length of the day varies from season to season, and in light of his comment, I have 'borrowed' his ideas.

• During winter, the game day is divided into five daytime turns and a night turn.
• Each turn represents the time taken for two activation cards (one for each side) to be turned over and the relevant activations to take place.
• Dawn (8.00am to 10.00am)
• Morning (10.00am to Midday)
• Noon (Midday to 2.00pm)
• Afternoon (2.00pm to 4.00pm)
• Evening (4.00pm to 6.00pm)
• Night (6.00pm to 8.00am)

• During spring and autumn, the game day is divided into seven daytime turns and a night turn.
• Each turn represents the time taken for two activation cards (one for each side) to be turned over and the relevant activations to take place.
• Dawn (6.00am to 8.00am)
• Early Morning (8.00am to 10.00am
• Late Morning (10.00am to Midday)
• Noon (Midday to 2.00pm)
• Early Afternoon (2.00pm to 4.00pm)
• Late Afternoon (4.00pm to 6.00pm)
• Evening (6.00pm to 8.00pm)
• Night (8.00pm to 6.00am)

• During summer, the game day is divided into nine daytime turns and a night turn.
• Each turn represents the time taken for two activation cards (one for each side) to be turned over and the relevant activations to take place.
• Early Dawn (4.00am to 6.00am)
• Late Dawn (6.00am to 8.00am)
• Early Morning (8.00am to 10.00am
• Late Morning (10.00am to Midday)
• Noon (Midday to 2.00pm)
• Early Afternoon (2.00pm to 4.00pm)
• Late Afternoon (4.00pm to 6.00pm)
• Early Evening (6.00pm to 8.00pm)
• Late Evening (8.00pm to 10.00pm)
• Night (10.00pm to 4.00am)

Mark also suggested a very simple way for players to randomise the start of a battle.

• To determine the start time of a battle, a D6 die is rolled:
• Die score = 1, 2, or 3: The battle starts at dawn.
• Die score = 4 or 5: The battle starts the turn after dawn.
• Die score = 6: The battle starts the second turn after dawn.
• If the battle is an encounter battle, a D6 die is rolled:
• Die score = 1: The battle starts at dawn.
• Die score = 2 or 3: The battle starts the turn after dawn.
• Die score = 4, 5, or 6: The battle starts the second turn after dawn.
• The second day of a battle starts at dawn unless bad weather delays the start, in which case the start time is randomised.