| This set of wargame rules for the Napoleonic period was developed through trial games during the years 1996-2000. A first edition was published under the working title Depression over the Hebrides. The main principle of this set of rules is to provide clear and predictable rules that allow for manoeuvre on the wargames terrain, and which respect that the game will be played with model soldiers in accurately painted uniforms. This calls for rules that rely on the discretion of the umpire in as few circumstances as possible. Also, it calls for high rates of march, making regrouping and renewed attacks possible even during shorter games. Finally it calls for losses and attrition to be illustrated as far as possible by the figures on the wargames terrain. Thus, the important issue is not whether a given rate of march corresponds to what was actually possible during the length of time represented by a game bound, or whether the losses suffered correspond to what was actually possible from volleys fired during such a length of time. Instead, the important issue is whether the rules lead to a range of possible decisions to be made by the player that corresponds to the range available to a general in the field during the Napoleonic period, and whether the making of such decisions leads to convincing results on the wargames terrain. Contrary to games such as chess, where only the interaction of the players may lead to unpredictable results, the wargame also takes in the factor of unpredictability following from the possibility that the tactical dispositions might not always be carried out as ordered. This leads to a friction in the wargame, where tactical plans might not be executed as intended by the players, and one of the tasks upon the players is to take into consideration not only the actions of the opponent but also this uncertainty as to the execution of own orders. This uncertainty is represented by the roll of dice, using three dice, which gives a flat curve of probability. Any sound tactical disposition leads to points added to the roll of dice, whereas unsound dispositions lead to points subtracted. Thus, the game is operated neither by determinism nor by pure chance, but instead by a weighted probability leading to a greater chance that sound tactical dispositions will be executed as ordered. Units in a degree of disorder will have their rate of march reduced, thus representing that disorder increases the difficulty in coordinating tactical dispositions. The rate of loss is set high, as the losses represent not only an actual loss in numbers but also the attrition of the fighting power of a unit. Furthermore, a loss in figures leads to a lowering of the valour assigned to a unit that represents the training and morale of the unit. Supply was a recurring problem also in the Napoleonic period, which could be represented in the wargame by a bookkeeping system. Instead, supply problems are determined by a chance event, and after the occurrence of this event, a unit will have supplies only for a limited further period. This gives the player the option of re-supplying or replacing the unit. Command control problems are regulated by the rules only for the brigade commander, whilst problems for other commanding officers are represented by the uncertainty that inevitably will follow from the interaction of the actual players. It seems obvious that a wargame with completely simultaneous bounds will give the best direct simulation of reality, whereas the use of alternating bounds will give the best control of the game. The use in the present set of rules of the phased bound represents a compromise between these options. The rules have been made for use with 25 mm figures on a 1 to 20 man scale and with the battalion as the tactical unit of disposition. However, the rules may be adapted for other figure sizes and scales. The basing employed is 15 by 15 mm for infantry, 20 by 45 mm for cavalry, and 50 by 75 mm for artillery, to which is added basing for limbers. Infantry and cavalry are normally based two abreast. The wargame units are deployed in the formations used in the Napoleonic period, on a model terrain on which hills are represented by layers placed on top of each other, and where buildings, woods, rivers, bridges and roads are represented by models looking like the terrain feature they represent. Peter Gjørtler
Vangede, Denmark, 2001 | 
