Red Poppies: WWI Tactics
Red Poppies: WWI Tactics Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction
1.01 Red Poppies (RP) simulates regimental-sized engagements (several thousand men) from WWI on a table top map with cardboard game pieces and two six-sided dice. RP emphasizes the command and control trade-offs that complicated tactical action in WWI. Although the game is not "realistic" per se, the linkages between actions and consequences do yield plausible outcomes.
2.0 Playing Pieces
2.01 RP includes numerous square playing pieces called "counters". There are two types: units and markers.
2.02 Units are the playing pieces that represent soldiers and weapons. RP provides a variety of unit types including: infantry companies, artillery batteries, machine gun platoons, mortar platoons, cavalry squadrons, tank platoons and armored car platoons. For some rules, the term "guns" is used to mean: artillery, machine guns and mortars while the term armored fighting vehicles (AFV) collectively refers to both tanks and armored cars. The numbers, symbols and colors on unit counters have meaning as illustrated in the following diagram.
2.03 Markers are playing pieces that annotate various conditions that apply to units. Markers are often placed on or near units to note these conditions.
2.1 Stacking Limits
2.11 At all times, each side may place no more than two of its units per hex. Units in the same hex constitute a "stack". Units of opposing sides can occupy the same hex. So, a single hex could conceivably hold a total of four units at the same time, two from each side.
2.12 Any number of markers can occupy a hex.
2.2 Cohesion Check (CC)
2.21 During the course of play, players will have to make cohesion checks for their own units in response to: fire, melee, and the possibilities of getting lost or bogging. Do this by rolling two six-sided dice, summing them normally and adding modifiers for the severity of the threat while subtracting modifiers for protection. The final, modified dice roll result is then compared to the target unit's cohesion score.
2.22 If the final result exceeds the target's cohesion score, that unit is allowed to complete any simultaneous firefight or melee it may have been engaged in and is then inverted to its dispersed side (if not already dispersed) and marked spent. That is, units which "fail" cohesion checks are dispersed and spent. However, they suffer no added penalty if already dispersed and/or spent when they fail the check.
2.23 For cohesion checks caused by any form of fire or melee, a final result of 11 or more destroys the target unit. Allow said unit to complete its role, if any, in a simultaneous firefight or melee and then remove it from play. Lost and bog cohesion checks never destroy units, even on rolls of 11 or more.
3.0 Maps
3.01 The maps in Red Poppies are based on actual terrain as it existed at the time of a given engagement. Players use the hexagonal grid superimposed on the map to regulate the fire and movement of their pieces. A black circle at the center of each hexagon (hex) serves as a reference point when tracing line of sight and has no other effect on play. Each hex in the grid spans approximately 200 yards and is identified by an alphanumeric code. If a basic RP map sheet is held vertical, the columns from left to right are A-I and the rows, from top to bottom, are 1-11. Only hexes with a grid coordinate, A1-I11, are playable.
3.02 In addition to the map, some scenarios will make use of an abstract "off map" space for some activities such as off map artillery.
4.0 Sequence of Play
4.01 RP is played in a series of game turns, each simulating about 10 minutes of real time, which are divided into three interactive phases as follows.
- Initiative
- Command Couplets
- Administration
4.1 Initiative
4.11 As the first act of a game turn, each side rolls one die for initiative. Compare the respective results. The higher number wins the initiative for that turn. The difference between the initiative die roll results represents the number of command couplets for that turn. At any time, if both players roll the same initiative die sum after modification then the difference is assumed to be 2 and the Central Powers have the initiative. Once command couplets and initiative are determined, place the command couplets marker on the corresponding number of the records track with the side that has initiative facing up.
4.12 Scenario notes can modify the number of command couplets available. In darkness, at night, reduce the number of command couplets by one; it is possible to have 0 command couplets during a game turn if conditions of darkness apply. However, if this night time reduction yields 0 command couplets in a given turn then do not apply that reduction in the immediately following turn. In this way, there will never be two consecutive turns of 0 command couplets. If scenario notes indicate that at least one side is using infiltration tactics then increase the number of command couplets by one. These two adjustments are mutually negating.
4.13 For example, during the initiative phase of a day light turn the Central Powers roll a 5 while the Allied Powers roll a 2. Since 5-2=3, there are three command couplets this game turn. Place the command couplets marker on the 3 box of the records track with the Central Powers side up. The Central Powers player will have the first opportunity to issue or pass on a command in each couplet; the Allied Powers will then issue or pass on the second command in each couplet. Each player will have an opportunity to issue or pass on three commands this game turn. If this occurred at night, the command couplets marker would start in the 2 box. If at least one side was using infiltration tactics the marker would start in the 4 box. If both of those conditions applied, the marker would start in the 3 box.
4.2 Command Couplets
4.21 During the command couplets phase of the turn, each player has an opportunity to issue one command during his half of each couplet. In this way, players alternate issuing commands, or passing on them, one at a time with the player who won the initiative issuing, or passing on, the first command in each couplet.
4.22 Issuing a command activates a unit or units to perform an action or actions. The player who is currently issuing a command to activate unit(s) is the "actor" and the other is the "reactor". This status flips in the second half of the couplet.
4.23 Track this process on the records track by positioning the command couplets marker with the acting side up, and then flip it when the sides switch and finally move it to the next lower number after both sides have issued, or passed on, one command during their half of the given couplet. When the command couplets marker reaches 0 there are no more command couplets available that turn so neither player can issue any more commands and play passes to the administration phase.
4.3 Administration
4.31 Remove all: spent, fire for effect (FFE), gas and smoke markers. Flip all shovels to their scrape sides. Move the turn marker to the next turn on the records track.
5.0 Commands
5.01 During his half of a command couplet, a player can issue a single command to: a friendly off map artillery battery OR all not-yet-spent, friendly pieces in any one hex OR a contiguous mass (uninterrupted chain) of up to 12 not-yet-spent, identical, formed, friendly pieces in up to as many hexes. The contiguous mass must consist of identical, formed pieces that are all adjacent to at least one other unit in that mass. Units that are dispersed or not identical that happen to be among a mass of qualifying units cannot join that mass and must receive orders separately. Use standby markers as necessary to remind the acting player of which units in a mass he has activated but not yet employed. As they are used, remove the standby markers.
Design Note: If a player has many pieces he is obliged to cluster them into battalions or even a regiment of up to 12 formed units if he wishes to actually use them in battle.
5.02 If a player has one or more ready off-map artillery batteries with cross hairs on the map when he issues a command other than "cancel," he must pause action on that command and make regular signal success dice rolls for those batteries, and possibly resolve their fire for effects, before proceeding with the usual command process explained here. That is, off-map artillery is triggered by commands issued for any reason and temporarily interrupts those commands while it is resolved. After resolving any off-map artillery that interrupted a command the owning player proceeds with the activation he previously declared.
5.03 Units that receive a command are activated and can act. Activated units are not required to perform an action nor are all units that receive a single command required to perform the same action. With one exception, units are marked spent immediately after performing an action. The exception, explained later, is for machine guns when firing reaction fire at moving targets. In RP, units can perform one of four possible actions at any given time. The actions include: deploy, dig, fire and move.
5.1 Deploy
5.11 All units have two possible deployments: formed (front) or dispersed (back). Initially, a player may set up his units in either deployment at no penalty or cost unless a scenario note specifies otherwise. However, once play begins, units must be activated by a command to change deployment and are spent as a result.
5.12 For all game purposes, units employ those values on whichever side of their counter is facing up. For example, when required to endure a CC, a unit with its dispersed side facing up will use its dispersed cohesion value – not the formed cohesion value that is face down.
5.13 However, units always have the same type no matter which side is facing up. Just because a unit's formed side is face down does not mean that unit loses or changes type. For example, cavalry are always cavalry even if their dispersed side is up showing a trooper.
5.14 Units that could conceivably be more than one type, such as horse artillery which could be cavalry or artillery, are treated as different types in different situations as follows. In melee, they are considered to be of the type with the higher melee value. In all other cases, they are considered to be of the type that is least advantageous to the owning player. For example, horse artillery has to make a bog CC when entering a trench, like cavalry, and cannot dig, again like cavalry. Horse artillery could NOT escape these penalties by asserting its artillery type.
5.2 Dig
5.21 Any gun and/or infantry unit can declare digging. This action spends a unit and places a shovel on top of it. During the administration phase, flip each shovel over to its scrape side. Scrapes offer the units beneath them a terrain modifier of -1 when making CC in response to area fire and fire for affect attacks.
5.3 Fire
5.31 On-map units and off map artillery can employ this action. Off-map artillery uses the fire action to place a cross hair on the map or attempt cancellation of a ready cross hair already on the map. On-map units can use fire to conduct area fire or anti-tank fire that forces targets to make CC.
5.4 Move
5.41 Units move one-at-a-time or in stacks by tracing a path of connected hexes. Movement points are spent one at a time. With each point, a moving unit is subject to reaction fire. A moving unit cannot combine two separate costs into a single expenditure. Generally, it costs one movement point to enter a hex, one movement point to enter a trench and one movement point to initiate melee. In running tally fashion, subtract each point spent from a unit's movement point allowance as it goes. Stacks can spend movement points from each unit in unison as they move together. When a unit's running tally reaches 0 it can move no further, but other units in the stack who have not yet reached 0 could continue. A unit that travels only across connecting road hex sides during its move earns one bonus movement point that can be used to move one more hex along that road that turn and for no other purpose. Movement allowances return to their full printed value at the start of every turn.
5.42 The presence of other units can affect movement into a hex. A moving unit cannot enter a hex that already contains two friendly units, even if it intends to pass through. Moving units can enter enemy occupied hexes, but cannot leave hexes that contain enemy units.
5.43 A unit that declares a move is considered to be "moving" until one of the following happens: it fails a CC, completes a melee, the owning player acts with another unit, or the other player becomes the actor. Note that this stipulation applies even if a unit is stopped by terrain. For example, a unit that crosses a stream or wire is immediately spent, and for wire dispersed, but it is still considered "moving" when shot at until one of the above conditions applies.
5.44 Lost
5.441 Under certain conditions, a moving unit may have to make a CC to simulate the danger of getting lost. Units moving across a hex side spanned by a road, following the road, never need to make lost CC. Otherwise, the following circumstances require that a unit immediately make a "lost" cohesion check:
- Entering an interior woods hex; that's one surrounded by six other woods hexes;
- Entering IN to an enemy trench hex from IN an adjacent, connecting enemy trench hex;
- Entering any hex, except via a connecting road, in darkness.
5.442 An enemy trench hex is one that the enemy side could have set up in at scenario start, regardless of the current state of control of that hex. A unit never makes more than one lost cohesion check per turn regardless of how many circumstances apply. Just check once per turn the first time any of the circumstances apply. Lost cohesion checks do NOT destroy units on a result of 11+; they simply disperse and spend them.
5.45 Melee
5.451 For purposes of the rules, melee is treated as form of movement even though it results in combat. A unit and/or stack in an enemy occupied hex can elect to spend one additional movement point to initiate melee. Note that units spent by reaction fire while entering a hex and/or those that crossed stream/wire to enter a hex cannot spend an additional point to initiative melee that same turn. A unit on a trench counter moving IN to that trench could use that single movement point expenditure to also trigger melee. Units that begin their turn in an enemy hex can declare melee and then just spend one movement point in their own hex to start the melee.
5.452 Each acting unit that spends a movement point to initiate melee in a given hex can participate. Units of the acting side that are in that hex but do not spend a movement point cannot participate in the ensuing melee. For the acting side, a movement point is the price of admission.
5.453 In contrast, all of the reactor's units must participate, even those that are already spent. This is an exception to the usual prohibition against employing spent units. In melee, the reactor's units always participate even if already spent.
5.454 Once the participants are determined, the actor and reactor must allocate their attacks in that order. Each unit may make one attack against one enemy unit. Multiple units can attack the same target. However, a single unit cannot designate more than on target. After the actor has allocated his attacks, the reactor allocates his. Melee is simultaneous. All results are determined before any are implemented and all results are implemented regardless of what happens to either side, i.e. mutual destruction is possible.
5.455 To resolve melee, each player rolls a CC for each of his participating units modified as follows. Add the melee values (MV), as listed on the reference card, of all units attacking the subject unit. If the scenario notes indicate that a side is using infiltration tactics then the MV for each of that side's units is doubled on game turn 1 (only). Subtract one from a unit's CC roll if the subject unit benefits from hallowed ground. There are no other modifiers in melee. Units that lack an anti-tank firepower value CAN attack armored fighting vehicles in melee with their applicable MV. Note that some units have a MV for use against armored fighting vehicles that is different from their MV for use against all other targets. After participating in melee, units are spent.
5.456 If a player rolls doubles on his cohesion check in melee then he hallows that ground for his side. After the current melee concludes, place a hallowed ground marker in the hex with the appropriate side up. From that point forward, all units of the indicated side get a -1 bonus to CC made for any reason when in or adjacent to the marked hex. If both sides roll doubles, then the actor gets the hallowed ground. Hallowed ground can only be created once per scenario.
5.457 Units that survive melee but persist in the same hex can engage in other activities within their hex as usual in subsequent turns. For example, enemy units that both survived melee could conduct fire attacks at each other or spend a movement point to initiate melee again in a subsequent game turn. However, neither side can fire out of the hex or leave it until its enemy is eliminated.
6.0 Fire Attacks
6.01 Units always fire one-at-a-time at any one hex within range and line of sight. Units cannot combine or sum their firepower or anti-tank firepower values. Units in a hex with enemy units cannot fire out of that hex. However, with the exception of mortars, units can fire at enemy units within their own hex. Resolving fire attack requires special attention to line of sight and range.
6.02 Line of Sight (LOS)
6.021 To fire at a target, a unit must be able to see it along a line of sight. A LOS is a straight line from the center circle of the firing hex to center circle of the target hex. Use a string to trace this line if needed. Line of sight is reciprocal; if a given viewer can see a given target then the target can also see the viewer.
6.022 Obstacles in a hex BETWEEN the firing unit's hex and the target unit's hex may block a LOS. Obstacles include: bridges, buildings, woods, hills, and summits. For infantry units (only) other friendly infantry units are also obstacles that are considered to fill their entire hex. Obstacles in the firing unit's hex and/or the target unit's hex will not block LOS. It is the depiction of the obstacle on the map that blocks line of sight, not the hex itself.
6.023 If a LOS crosses the depiction of an obstacle in a hex between the firing and target hexes than that line of sight is blocked and that shot is disallowed. A LOS "crosses" a depiction if that depiction appears on both sides of a string used to trace that LOS. Note that this means an infantry unit can fire along the hex side of a hex occupied by friendly infantry so long as that hex side is not shared by two adjacent hexes both of which contain friendly infantry. If a LOS turns out to be blocked, then the would-have-fired unit never fires and is still eligible to do something else.
6.024 However, there are some exceptions for aerial units and units on summit hexes. Aerial units, airplanes and balloons, never need check line of sight; they can see every hex on the map. A shooter in a scenario-defined summit hex must trace line of sight but that line can only be blocked by another summit hex. Other obstacles, including friendly infantry units, are not obstacles to LOS from or to a summit hex. Units on summits can see over and down behind everything except other summits!
6.025 Concealment may also impede line of sight. A LOS can pass through one and only one hex in which it crosses a depiction of concealment: darkness (night), gas, grain, precipitation or smoke. Consider darkness, precipitation and smoke to have depictions that completely fill every hex in which they apply. Upon intersecting a depiction of concealment in a second hex a line of sight stops in that hex and can go no further. Note that this effectively limits line of sight to a total range of two hexes at night.
6.026 Aerial units and those on summits can ignore grain when tracing LOS; it does not afford concealment along lines of sight either from or to these elevated viewers.
6.027 LOS Example
The LOS example illustrates various lines of sight from unit E. Unit E's LOS to A is blocked by the building depiction in hex C06. However, E can see (and shoot at) hex C06 even though that LOS crosses a building because said building is in the target hex; it would modify the resulting CC. Obstacles only block LOS if they are in hexes BETWEEN the shooter and the target. E can see B across open ground. E's LOS to C is blocked by the hill depiction in hex C08. E can see D because D is on a summit and hence "above" the hill depiction in D08.
Because it is on a summit, unit D can see, and be seen by, everyone except unit B. D's LOS to unit B is blocked by the summit in C08.
6.03 Range
6.031 All units have a range number. They can fire up to, but not beyond, that number of hexes. Count the number of hexes along a line of sight to determine the range to a given target. Do not include the firing hex in the calculation, do include the target hex.
6.1 Area Fire
6.11 To perform area fire, a shooter selects a target hex within range to which he has an unblocked line of sight. Area fire will affect all units in the hex, friendly and enemy, except the shooting unit itself and armored fighting vehicles. Each affected unit must roll a CC. Modify this check by adding the shooter's firepower and applying circumstance modifiers as listed on the reference card.
6.2 Anti-tank fire
6.21 Only tanks and armored cars are affected by anti-tank fire. To perform this action, any unit with an anti-tank fire power value selects a target unit on a hex within range to which it has an unblocked line of sight. Unlike area fire, anti-tank fire affects only the chosen unit not the entire hex. The affected unit must roll a CC. To the roll, add the shooter's anti-tank firepower value and apply circumstance modifiers as listed on the reference card.
6.3 Reaction Fire
6.31 Any of the reactor's not-yet-spent units can perform reaction fire as area fire or anti-tank fire against any acting unit firing at them or moving in their line of sight. Units do not need to receive a command to perform reaction fire. Instead, reacting units simply declare reaction fire in response to an enemy movement point expenditure or fire by acting units. But, with the exception of machine guns firing at moving units, if units perform reaction fire they are spent just as if they had completed any other action.
6.32 Machine guns (only) conducting reaction fire against a hex containing at least one moving target are not spent unless a CC rolled by a moving target in that hex at that time is doubles. In all other cases, machine guns are spent after firing a single shot like any other unit.
6.33 When the actor's units spend a movement point for any purpose the reactor's unspent units can declare a reaction fire shot at them. Moving units should momentarily pause after each movement point expenditure to allow the reactor time to consider a reaction fire shot. Remember, movement point expenditures cannot be lumped; they are implemented one point at a time. However, a reaction fire shot is actually executed after the movement point that triggered it is spent and all consequences of that expenditure are implemented.
6.34 For example, imagine a unit moving from an "old" hex into a "new" hex that contains a trench. When the unit pays one movement point to enter the new hex the reactor's units could fire at it in the new hex, not in the old hex, but the trench terrain modifier would not apply to the resulting CC. If the target passes its CC, it could pay another point to enter the trench at which time it would instantly acquire the protection of the trench against fire. Similarly, if a unit spends a movement point to initiate melee and a shot is declared based on that expenditure then finish the melee before executing the reaction fire. Note, this may kill and or spend the would-be reaction firing unit and thereby negate the reaction fire attack before it can actually take place.
6.35 Each of the reactor's units can only fire once per movement point expended by a moving target, but any number of the reactor's units can fire at the same target for each movement point it spends. So machine guns must wait for the target to spend another movement point before shooting it again. Since area fire affects an entire hex, it is possible for a unit firing at a "moving" target to also affect stationary units that happen to be in the same hex.
6.36 When the actor's units fire at a target hex, any of the reactor's unspent units in that target hex can use reaction fire to shoot back simultaneously at any hex shooting at them! When this happens, players have a simultaneous firefight. Both shots are first resolved and then implemented at the same time; mutual destruction is possible. All units would then be spent for having fired.
6.4 Fire for Effect (FFE)
Fire for Effect (FFE) attacks are the culmination of the Off-Map Artillery (OMA) process. Unlike other fire attacks, they do not require a command. However, a necessary precursor to an FFE attack is to place a cross hair and that does require a command. FFE attacks employ area fire dice modifiers for: deployment, movement and terrain, but not for range! And, even though FFE uses area fire modifiers, it affects all units in its target hex, even multiple armored fighting vehicles.
7.0 Off-Map Artillery (OMA)
7.01 OMA rules simulate fire support provided by distant gun batteries to units on the map. OMA batteries themselves are not represented by counters on the map. Each OMA battery is a gun unit that exists in the off map space and can be activated individually by issuing a command to place its cross hair on the map.
7.02 Scenario special rules will define which sort of OMA is available and when. OMA will be listed as a number of batteries each with a given firepower and mode. For example "three batteries at +3 each in phone mode" means the designated player has three batteries each with a fire power of +3 controlled by phone communications.
7.03 For game purposes, OMA batteries have infinite range.
Design Note: OMA firepower is derived by assigning one point for every 25mm of barrel width up to 100mm and then one point for every 50mm of width after that. Round fractions up.
7.1 The OMA Process
7.11 OMA batteries cannot be activated as a formation; that's a preliminary bombardment explained later. During his half of a command couplet, the acting player can issue his one command point to activate a single battery for fire. He then places one cross hair corresponding to that battery on the map. Each cross hair placement hex must be within a line of sight as determined by the mode of transmission – see mode of transmission notes for details. Note that OMA batteries themselves never trace LOS, rather some other unit "observing" for them does. So, unlike other units, at night OMA can fire beyond two hexes so long as the observer has LOS to the cross hair hex. After placing a cross hair on the map, the player places the corresponding hour glass on the records track a number of turns in the future from the current turn number equal to the corresponding battery's relay delay number. A particular battery can never have more than one cross hair or FFE on the map at any one time.
7.12 After a number of turns equal to the relay delay for a given battery have passed; that battery is ready. Batteries with a relay delay of 0 (flares) are ready in the very same turn they place their cross hair! Other batteries are ready when the turn marker on the records track enters the turn with their hourglass. At that time, the owning player should move the relevant hourglass from the records track to stack it with its corresponding cross hair on the map to indicate that cross hair is a ready battery.
7.13 When a battery with a cross hair on the map is ready, the owning player MUST roll a regular signal success dice roll for it every time he issues, or passes on, a command other than cancel to any of his units. After declaring the command, he simply pauses the usual command and activation process and makes a regular signal success dice roll for each ready battery with a cross hair on the map. After resolving any such rolls triggered by a command, and all their possible consequences, the acting player returns to his intended activation and continues play as usual. Note that a player only checks for ready batteries with cross hairs on the map. He does not check for batteries with an FFE already on the map or for batteries with a cross hair that are not yet ready, those whose hour glass is still on a future turn on the records track.
7.14 If the regular signal success dice roll for a given battery is less than or equal to that battery's signal success number then that battery immediately fires for affect (FFE) at the cross hair hex, although it might miss. Note that this FFE does not require a separate command, the FFE "piggybacks" on the trigger command that brought its regular signal success dice roll into play. If the roll exceeds the signal success number, then the cross hair remains in place and that battery makes no attack at this time. That battery, however, will have to check again immediately after the owning player spends his next command and so on and so forth until it succeeds and fires an FFE or is cancelled.
7.15 A player can try to cancel a ready battery when he is the actor by issuing a command point for that purpose and no other. He then makes a cancellation signal success dice roll. Unlike a regular signal success roll, succeeding at a cancellation signal success roll does not trigger an FFE but rather cancels it. When an FFE is successfully cancelled remove its cross hair and hourglass form the map. However, failing a cancellation signal success dice roll with an 11 or more immediately converts the cross hair to an FFE and the attack is resolved as usual. Any other failure merely leaves the cross hair on the map and play passes to the other player as usual.
7.16 After a regular signal success roll succeeds, or a cancellation signal success fails with an 11+, a player MUST immediately fire for effect (FFE) at the cross hair hex. This fire does not require a command. Begin by flipping the cross hair to its FFE side. Then, to see where it actually lands make one accuracy die roll modified as follows.
- -1 If shooting side controls a summit hex.
- -1 If firing at a preregistered hex or a hex previously hit by the same battery.
7.17 On a "2" or less the FFE impacts the intended target hex where it was a cross hair. If the final modified roll is 3 or more, the FFE strays. Roll one die to determine direction: 1 is the northernmost hex side, 2 is the next hex side to the east and so on all the way around the hex. If the north arrow as depicted on the map points to a spine directly between two hexes, then assume hex side 1 is the one immediately east of that spine, hex side 2 is the next one to the east etc. Then move the FFE counter one hex in the indicated direction. The destination hex determined by the accuracy die roll now becomes the impact hex.
7.18 Once the FFE counter is placed in the impact hex, resolve an FFE attack against every unit in the hex. An FFE attack uses area fire modifiers, except those for range, against every target in the hex, even multiple armored fighting vehicles. The FFE will also automatically "attack", at no command point cost to the owner, any new units that enter its hex later in that same turn. Remove the FFE during the administration phase.
7.19 Any more fire from that same battery in subsequent turns will have to start the OMA cycle all over again by spending a command to place a cross hair.
7.2 Mode of Transmission Table
| Mode | Signal Success: No Preliminary Bombardment | Signal Success: Preliminary Bombardment | Relay Delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraft | 7 | 6 | 1 |
| Flare | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| Runner | 6 | 4 | 2/6 |
| Telephone | 9/7 | 0 | 1 |
| Trench Set (radio) | 8 | 8 | 1 |
7.21 Modes of Transmission Notes
Aircraft: This mode has line of sight to any hex on the map.
Flare: This mode can fire only at a preregistered hex. If an order of battle specifies flare mode but neglects to assign a pre-registered hex then assume one is available. Trace line of sight from any friendly infantry unit.
Runner: Sometimes runner is an assigned mode of transmission. However, when a player fails a signal success dice roll for any other mode he can elect to immediately replace that mode with "runner." In this case, the old mode is no longer available and the runner is available for that battery starting the very next turn. The runner's required relay delay starts from that turn. Runners have two relay delay numbers listed to be read as follows "if no preliminary bombardment was fired/if a preliminary bombardment occurred." Trace line of sight from any friendly infantry unit.
Telephone: This is the standard on which the rules are based. Trace line of sight from any friendly infantry unit. Under "no bombardment" there are two numbers: use the first (9) if either player has a trench on the map, use the second (7) if neither player has a trench on the map.
Trench Set: LOS for this mode must always be traced from a trench hex that was occupied by at least one friendly unit during initial set up, i.e. before turn 1.
Design Notes: World War I artillery doctrine seems widely misunderstood owing to the prevalence of British literature describing their practice during the Big Push Offensives which were in fact only a portion of the whole history. Standard practice varied somewhat based on nationality and more dramatically based on time frame as well as the personal initiative of those involved.
Most armies routinely used observers to direct their fire, but they were rarely forward. In the game, tracing line of sight from any infantry unit does not mean all units had spotters. Rather it is a convenient abstraction to account for the possible presence of a spotter nearby and/or with a line of sight from the rear that crosses over friendly units. In contrast to WWII, "forward" observers of the Great War were usually closer to their guns than the infantry they were supporting.
According to various references, when the war began preferred practice involved setting up guns in defilade (behind cover) and then the forward observer would spool out a few hundred yards of telephone wire as he walked to a nearby vantage point to set up an observation post (OP) from which to observe fire for his guns. From there the observer called in fire based on his own judgment and what input the infantry could provide. That input usually consisted of a Brigade commander dispatching a runner, or himself, with some instructions. However, sometimes the infantry actually ran a phone wire back to the OP for better liaison.
Firing over open sights was common during the war's mobile phases, but not preferred as it exposed the guns. In the opening months of the war, the Russians overused it for lack of telephones as did the French owing to a shortage of telephone wire, which they lamented. Perhaps the most famous image of open sights fire, British guns at Le Cateau in 1914, was in fact an emergency they would rather have avoided.
When trench stalemate prevailed, opposing sides had redundant telephone systems with mile-long tendrils spun throughout a well-mapped front line. This afforded excellent communications across pre-registered terrain. However, the colossal artillery exchanges that accompanied major offensives invariably ruined all of this by wrecking trenches and cutting telephone wires – even those buried six feet deep.
Contrary to popular thinking, WWI artillery support did not require hours of meticulous preparation. Yes, in many cases the belligerents implemented such preparations to enhance the effectiveness of their fire and/or because such preparations were a good way for artillery units to pass time in the trenches. However, during the war's mobile phases, proactive observers did work with phones and/or runners to make lines of communication from the infantry to the artillery that provided dynamic fire support in less than an hour. Specific examples are cited in Infantry in Battle published by the Infantry Journal, Washington D.C., 1939 and Ardennes 1914 by Terence Zuber. However, this dynamism failed in the trenches because shell fire crippled all the components of communication, cut the phone wire, killed the runner etc. Under those circumstances, first aircraft and later trench radios sets played critical roles as they didn't depend on wires, or arteries, that could be cut.
7.22 Mode Variables Explained
7.221 Signal Success summarizes the effectiveness of that mode for communication under battlefield conditions. A player must roll less than or equal to this number to flip a cross hair to its fire for effect side or to remove a cross hair from play via cancellation. Signal success varies depending on whether or not either player fired a preliminary bombardment. If either player fired a preliminary bombardment then use the "yes" column to determine the signal success number, otherwise use the "no" column.
7.222 Relay delay accounts for the speed of a given mode of communication. This number of game turns must pass before a player must make a signal success roll for a given battery's cross hair or before he can attempt to cancel a cross hair. A 0 forces a signal success roll immediately after the owning player issues his next command – not the one that placed the cross hair.
7.3 Preregistered Fire
7.31 A scenario may assign some batteries some preregistered hexes, no more than one per battery. Batteries equipped with flare mode are assumed to have one pre-registered hex each if scenario notes fail to specify this. Each battery must record its preregistered hex before play begins. If a battery places its cross hair on its preregistered hex then it applies a favorable -1 die modifier to its accuracy die roll.
7.4 Gas
7.41 Starting in May 1915, OMA can fire gas. This forfeits the usual FFE affects, and instead inflicts a gas attack in the impact hex. Gas attacks inflict CC with no modifiers for any reason, i.e. no terrain, firepower etc. A player must declare his intent to fire gas when he first places a cross hair and cannot change that intent although he could try to cancel the battery as usual when ready.
7.5 Smoke
7.51 At any time, OMA batteries can elect to fire smoke. This forfeits the usual FFE affects, and instead places a smoke counter in the impact hex. Smoke provides concealment, any fire traced through a smoke hex affords the target a -1 to its CC. A player must declare his intent to fire smoke when he first places a cross hair and cannot change that intent although he could try to cancel the battery as usual when ready.
7.6 Preliminary Bombardment
7.61 Preliminary bombardment is a type of OMA attack conducted after all units are set up but before game turn 1 begins. It represents OMA batteries grouped into formations for mass attack before a battle. On a scenario card, the order of battle will list any preliminary bombardment, define the type and specify target hexes. If the order of battle fails to define target hexes then players should assume that all hexes in the enemy set up area are targeted. For example, if a German order of battle includes a preliminary bombardment but neglects to define target hexes then all hexes in the allied set up area are targeted.
7.62 Resolve preliminary bombardments as follows.
- All units in the affected area not in a building hex or IN a trench are eliminated.
- All other units in the affected area are dispersed.
- Proceed according to bombardment type.
Pulverizing
Roll one die for each dispersed unit, on a 6 that unit is eliminated (removed from play). Place 2 wire breaches, one by the targeted player (mandatory) and one by the firing player.
Paralyzing
Roll one die for each dispersed unit, on a 2 or more that unit is spent. Place 4 wire breaches, two by the firing player and two by the targeted player (mandatory).
7.7 Creeping Barrage
7.71 A creeping barrage is a type of OMA attack conducted as the last act of the initiative phase during every applicable game turn. Scenario notes may specify that a side fires a creeping barrage starting on a certain turn at two particular hex rows or columns and then note a direction of movement.
7.72 On the indicated turn, as the last act of the initiative phase, attack the two designated rows or columns with a paralyzing preliminary bombardment. This bombardment will also attack any units moving into those hexes that turn in the same manner. On the immediately following turn, repeat the process against the next two hex rows or columns in the direction of movement defined in the scenario notes. In this way, walk the paralyzing preliminary bombardment across the map at a rate of two rows or columns per turn in the indicated direction until it walks off the map and thereby concludes.
8.0 Terrain
8.01 Terrain is depicted on the map by artwork. It affects LOS, fire and movement.
8.02 For purposes of fire attacks, terrain can be classified into two categories: cover and concealment. Cover includes all those elements of terrain that afford a terrain modifier against fire-induced CC for units in the hex with the terrain. With the exception of trenches, the mere presence of terrain in a hex will modify CC triggered by fire. To benefit from the cover of trenches units must be IN them. Concealment includes all those elements of terrain that afford a terrain modifier against fire-induced CC when they are in a hex that is between the firing and target hexes along the LOS. Concealment does not afford a terrain modifier to units in the same hex!
8.03 "Hex side" terrain types such as bridge, road, stream and wire require careful attention to detail as demonstrated in the following example.
A unit in G03 has the following considerations. If it moves to F02 it is crossing a bridge that enables it to ignore the stream. If it moves to F03 it is crossing a stream and will be spent as a result. If it moves to G04 it is moving along a road hex side and need not worry about the stream on the west edge of G04. If it moves to H02 no hex side terrain applies.
8.1 Bridges
8.11 Bridges are LOS obstacles that provide cover. They span stream hex sides allowing units to cross as if on a road.
8.2 Buildings
8.21 Buildings are LOS obstacles that provide cover.
8.3 Craters/Scrapes
8.31 Although craters and scrapes do provide cover, they are not LOS obstacles. They do NOT override or negate other terrain in their hex. Crates and scrapes do NOT require IN markers like trenches.
8.4 Hills/Summits
8.41 Hills and summits provide cover and are obstacles to LOS.
8.42 Summits are contours of a lighter shade on a hill that are usually mentioned in the scenario notes. The only obstacle that blocks LOS from a summit is another summit. Barring an intervening summit obstacle, a unit in a summit hex has LOS to any hex on the map.
8.5 Roads
8.51 Roads provide neither cover nor concealment. A unit which travels along a road for its entire move gains one bonus movement point to use for moving one additional hex along that road and for no other purpose. The unit must start on a road hex and cross a road hex side every time it enters a new hex to earn this bonus.
8.52 Roads are overriding terrain. That means for movement purposes they take precedence over other terrain in the hex so long as the moving unit started in the hex or entered along a road hex side.
8.53 A road hex side is a hex side crossed by a road.
8.6 Streams
8.61 Streams do not provide cover or concealment. Unless moving across a bridge, units are spent immediately after crossing a stream hex side.
8.62 A stream hex side is a hex side that follows the course of a stream not necessarily one crossed by a stream.
8.7 Trench
8.71 Trenches provide cover but are not LOS obstacles. Unlike other terrain, the mere presence of trenches in a hex will NOT provide a terrain modifier against CC induced by fire. To benefit from a trench terrain modifier, units must be IN the trench.
8.72 When guns and/or infantry enter a trench hex, their status varies depending on whether or not they came from IN an adjacent connecting trench. An adjacent trench hex is connecting if its artwork crosses the same hex side the unit crosses to enter the new trench hex. If entering a trench hex from IN an adjacent connecting trench, than the entering unit is immediately IN the trench in the new hex and has the associated terrain modifier (-3) for CC against fire. If not entering from IN an adjacent connecting trench then units entering a trench hex are placed atop a trench counter to signify that they are NOT IN the trench. After surviving any resulting reaction fire without being spent such a unit can pay one additional movement point to remove the trench counter and thereby enter IN the trench. If the unit is spent or destroyed by fire before it can spend this point, or if it has no such point left to spend, it must remain on the trench counter and derives no terrain modifier from the trench for CC against fire directed at the hex.
8.73 Units moving out of or crossing trench hexes are not required to spend any additional movement points.
8.74 Note, the trench counter is used to signify that a unit is out of the trench and NOT IN it. Therefore, infantry and gun units in a trench hex with no counter are assumed to be IN the trench. All other types of units are always out of a trench and therefore need no counter and derive no modifier from the trench if fired upon. Units NOT IN a trench can derive cover as usual from other features in the hex.
8.75 Although they can enter trench hexes, cavalry and armored fighting vehicles can never be IN a trench. Furthermore, each time they enter a trench hex, each cavalry and/or armored fighting vehicle unit is subject to a bog CC.
Design Note: For the most part, RP portrays only "battle" trenches for a variety of reasons. Other trench types, such as "communication" trenches, were very useful for moving small groups of men to the front during lulls in the fighting. But, these narrower and shallower trenches were prone to collapse and/or congestion in a pitched battle. They were not sturdy or wide enough to permit the timely and well protected passage of an entire infantry company in short order. Hence, in this game these subordinate trenches are essentially swallowed up by the ubiquitous craters.
8.8 Wire
8.81 Wire is depicted along hex sides; it provides neither cover nor concealment. Non-tank units that cross a wire hex side are immediately dispersed and spent. Therefore, they cannot cross wire and/or enter a trench/initiate melee in the same turn. Tanks, however, always ignore wire and are in no way affected by it. Note, in all cases wire impedes movement only when units are moving across it. Moving parallel to wire in a hex, for example in a trench behind the wire, has no adverse affect on a unit's movement.
8.82 Preliminary bombardments, creeping barrages and tanks can breach wire hex sides. Tanks breach each wire hex side they cross. Bombardments and barrages will generate a certain number of breaches according to their type. In either case, each breach is handled the same way. Signify a breach by placing a breach counter in an adjacent hex with its arrow pointing at the breached hex side. From then on, treat that hex side as if it did not contain a wire depiction – the wire is effectively negated.
8.9 Woods
8.91 Woods provide cover and are LOS obstacles. Units moving into an interior woods hex, one surrounded by six other woods hexes, need to make a lost CC.
9.0 Darkness (Night) Summary
9.01 In darkness, usually at night, reduce the number of command couplets by one. A moving unit must make a lost CC the first time it crosses a non-road hex side. The range for all attacks except those from OMA is limited to two hexes. Although darkness usually applies at night, scenario notes may invoke these rules at other times too to simulate any low visibility conditions such as dense fog, falling snow etc.
10.0 Scenarios
10.01 These are the "matches" to be played in RP. They are presented on cards as operational orders of the period followed by a game-specific order of battle and hand written comments from the field. The addressing information, subject line and brief order serve to set the scene. After that, the order of battle provides all the game-related information needed to actually play: map, length (number of turns), sides and their units, set up instructions and victory conditions as well as notes. For victory conditions, if the listed side fulfills its conditions then it wins, otherwise it loses. Finally, the scribble at the bottom describes what may have been reported from the scene back to higher headquarters.
10.1 Reinforcements
10.11 Reinforcements listed as "entering" come into play along a specified board edge or along that board edge which corresponds to the entry hex or hexes mentioned for them in the order of battle. Do not set them up on the map; instead on or after the indicated turn walk them into play along the relevant board edge within the stated area during the command couplets phase by activating them for movement. While off the map, one can assume up to 12 such units are adjacent for activation purposes but those units would then have to enter via adjacent hexes. Pay one movement point for the first hex entered as usual and be careful to insure that units in a mass enter via hexes that are adjacent to at least one other entry hex of the same mass. For units not in a mass, any number can enter at the same hex and they can enter in either deployment. In all cases, assume units are coming from a hex that is a mirror image of the first map hex they enter. In this way, units can enter the map via a road or trench.
10.12 Some reinforcement may be listed as setting up in certain on-map hexes after turn 1. Simply place these units in the indicated hexes on or after the indicated turn. They should be so placed in order of initiative during the initiative phase immediately after determining initiative but before resolving any creeping barrage. They cannot exceed the usual two-unit-per hex limit.
10.2 Control and Exit Defined
10.21 Victory is often a function of controlling hexes. A hex is controlled by the last side to have solely occupied it with at least one unit.
10.22 Victory may require that units exit the map, perhaps across a specific board edge. In all cases, a unit in a hex along a map edge can exit across that edge by paying one movement point to enter an imaginary off-board hex that is a mirror image of the hex said unit is leaving. Units that leave cannot return.
Reference Card
Sequence of Play
- Initiative
- Command Couplets
- Administration
Cohesion Check (CC)
Result > unit's face-up cohesion disperses and spends unit, 11+ destroys unit.
Fire
- Area Fire: Each target in hex makes CC + shooter's firepower + circumstances
- Anti-Tank Fire: One target in hex makes CC + shooter's anti-tank value + circumstances
- Fire for Effect: Each target in hex makes CC + OMA battery firepower + circumstances as for area fire (even vs. AFV)
Circumstance Modifiers
Apply only one modifier per category: deployment, movement, range and terrain. If more than one modifier per category is applicable, the targeted player selects which one to use.
Deployment Modifiers
- +1 if the target is formed
Movement Modifiers
- -1 if the target is moving (for anti-tank fire only)
- +1 if the target is moving (for area fire only)
Range Modifiers (N/A for OMA)
- -1 for every 2nd hex of range from shooter to target hex (-1 at 2 hexes, -2 at 4 hexes, -3 at 6 hexes, etc.)
- +1 when shooter and target in same hex
Terrain Modifiers
- -3 if target is infantry and/or gun IN trench, only -2 against mortar and/or howitzer
- -1 if target in a hex with at least one of: bridges, buildings, craters, hills, scrape, woods, (cover)
- Against area fire only, targets may claim this -1 if a friendly AFV is also in their hex
- -1 if LOS intersects depiction of: darkness, gas, grain, precip, or smoke in a hex between firer and target, (concealment)
Movement
| Move | Cost |
|---|---|
| Enter a hex | 1 Movement Point (MP) |
| Enter IN a trench | 1 MP |
| Initiate Melee | 1 MP |
Melee
| Unit | Melee Value (MV) |
|---|---|
| Mortar | +0 |
| Artillery | +2/+3 vs AFV |
| Machine Gun or Cavalry | +2 |
| Infantry | +3/+2 vs AFV |
| Stosstruppen/Tank | +4 |
| Flamethrower | +5 |
MV X 2 on game turn 1 for units using infiltration tactics as per scenario note.
OMA Mode of Transmission Table
| Mode | Signal Success: No Preliminary Bombardment | Signal Success: Preliminary Bombardment | Relay Delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraft | 7 | 6 | 1 |
| Flare | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| Runner | 6 | 4 | 2/6 |
| Telephone | 9/7 | 0 | 1 |
| Trench Set (radio) | 8 | 8 | 1 |
Records Track
The reference card includes a records track numbered 1 to 12.