Alternative Leader Units Rules

[junk2drive]

Here is the text from the pdf at boardgamegeek for adding leaders to CoH. I understand that CoH does not have leaders and that CAPs are supposed to represent the bonuses gained from having leaders on the map.
There are times that I feel more like a CAPs manager than a war game player. Maybe I just haven't played enough to feel comfy with the concept. With the interest in converting SL/ASL scenarios to this game, I thought I would bring up the subject again for discussion.

By Seth M. Gunar SGunar@aol.com
I. Introduction:
One of the charms of the COH rules system is how it balances simplicity with realism. It abstracts the tactical proficiency of different armies into Command Action Points ("CAPS") and the assorted costs of different actions based upon the units executing them. By doing so, it avoids clogging up the rules with additional complexity. The use of CAPS eliminates the need for "Leaders" that are present in virtually every other tactical system (such as ASL, ATS, and Combat Commander). Players who like this simplicity and have no desire to change the game will probably not want to use these optional rules. However, those who like the use of leaders and believe that the CAP system oversimplifies things will probably want to try these rules. They add some additional "color" and "personality" to the game and an additional dose of flexibility. To use these rules, players will have to create their own leader counters. Doing so is not very difficult. Some sticker paper, cardboard, an x-acto knife, and a color printer is all that you need. There is only one number added to a Leader counter that does not appear on other units in Conflict of Heroes. It is the "Command Value" and it is on the top middle of the counter where the facing arrow usually appears. On German counters the command value is in roman numerals. On the Russian counters they are in arabic numerals. The unspent side has a photo. The ranks represented are Sergeant, Captain, and Colonel. German Leader Counters
Unspent Spent
Russian Leader Counters

Leader counters represent more than a single man. They incorporate aides and other personnel and equipment such as radios. A high value leader has more of such elements and therefore moves a bit slower.
II. The Basics:
What is a Leader in COH Terms?
A leader is a unit like any other unit in COH. It exists on the map and may be eliminated like any other unit. It has a movement rate, fire value, defense value, fire cost, and movement cost like any other unit. It is also activated and spent like any other unit.
How is a Leader different from other COH units?
A leader is different in that it: (a) has no facing (and therefore no flank or rear defense value); (b) it has a "Command Value"; (c) it has several positive effects on other units in the same hex with the leader; (d) it has a different defense value on its spent side 1; and (e) when activated, its activation has two separate components - its command component (representing how the leader uses his command value and its normal independent activation component (for basic actions such as move or fire).
III. What Leaders Do:
A leader's activation has two separate components, its Action Point Component, and its Leadership Component. The leader may use these components (or any portion thereof) in any order the player desires. The player may activate the leader as he might do with any other unit - including making the leader part of a "shared" activation. Thus, a player may activate a group that has a Leadership Component on top of the APs to be spent with the group. The leader's activation ends (and the leader becomes "spent") when both components are used up or when the player chooses to activate a new unit. When a leader is activated, the player has 7 APs (which may be increased or decreased depending on whether the players are using the optional die roll). The leader may then do the following:
ACTION POINT COMPONENT
Using the Leader's APs:
1. Move 2. Fire; or 3. Rally
1 The reason that a leader's defense value shrinks when he is spent is due to the leader engaging in activity that results in greater exposure to enemy fire. Casualties among combat leaders in World War II (or any war) were high in comparison with the enlisted men.
LEADERSHIP COMPONENT
Using the Leader's Command Value:
1. Opportunity Action by a Single Unit or by a Group:
The player may execute an opportunity action performed by the leader and any units within the leader's command radius. This consumes the leader's entire command value and terminates the Leadership Component of the activation. All units within the command radius may be part of the Opportunity Action whether or not such units are fresh or spent and whether or not such units are adjacent to each other or to the leader .
Example:
A leader with a command value of 3 is activated and the player declares a Group Opportunity Action. The action to be performed is a rally. Two units are part of the group. Each of the units are 3 hexes away from the leader - but within the command radius (which is 3). The hexes between the leader and each unit are vacant. Both of the units that are being rallied are spent.
Important Note : This represents an exception to several rules. Under 9.1, an opportunity action can normally only be done with units that are fresh. Under 9.0 (et. seq.) all group actions require units in the group to be in an uninterrupted chain.
2. Group Command Action:
The player may execute one or more command actions expending the leader's command value as if it were Command Action Points. The Leader and all units with the command radius are eligible to be part of the Action. The action may be done by a single unit or by multiple units as a group. As with the opportunity action, the units may be spent and they do not have to be adjacent or form a chain. They must only be within the leader's command radius. As noted
above, this is an exception to the normal rules regarding group actions. However, other rules regarding how many CAPs must be spent still apply.
Example:
A player uses a leader to execute a Group Command Action with multiple non-adjacent units within the command radius. The action is a Group Fire. The highest fire cost is with an MG-42 HMG (2 points). The Command Action costs 2 pts.
3. Convert Leadership Value into CAPs:
The player may convert a leader's command value, or portion thereof, into CAPs at the price of 2 for 1.
Example:
A player activates a leader with a command value of 3 and declares that he will spend 2 to add 1 CAP to his display. He has one remaining out of the total command value and uses it to execute a Group move with units in his command radius.
This represents the leader's ability to affect activity outside of the command radius, via radio or otherwise. However, he cannot do so with the same effectiveness.
4. Modify Die Roll:
The player may use leaders to modify die rolls the way one normally does with CAPS. However, this is the same as converting the Command Value into CAPs and has the same 2-1 price. This may be done during another unit's activation. In that instance, the leader is marked spent, even if the entire command value is not consumed.
5. Use a Card:
The player may use an entire command component to make use of a card if the card requires the expenditure of CAPs.
IV. Other Effects of Leaders:
An unspent and unhit leader's presence in a hex has an effect on all the other units in that hex.
1. Rally Attempts: Any units that attempt to rally when in a hex with a leader get a die roll modifier to the rally attempt equal to the leader's command value.
2. Auto-Rally: If the hex is not within the line- of-sight of any enemy unit, a rally attempt with a leader present is automatically successful.
3. Additional APs: Any unit(s) in a hex with a leader receives additional Action Points equal to half of the command value of the leader upon activation (rounded up).
4. Additional Firepower (FP): Any unit in a hex with a leader gets +1 FP
5. Close Combat: If a leader is in a hex where close combat is taking place, fire attacks made against the friendly units in that hex are resolved against those unit's frontal defense values - not their flank defense values.
V. Inserting Leaders:
In any scenario where a side has a given amount of Command Action Points, the players may expend those CAPS to buy one or more leaders. The cost of a leader in CAPs is equal to twice its command value. Thus, a leader with a command value of 1 will cost 2 CAPs. There is one restriction on the type of leaders that may be purchased. A player may never purchase a second leader of the same command value without purchasing at least one leader with a higher command value. For example, if a player purchases a leader with a command value of 1, he may not purchase another leader with a command value of 1 before purchasing another leader with a command value of 2 or 3. (A player will also therefore never have more than one leader with a command value of 3.)

[DoubleDeuce]

Interesting. I saw mention of this at BGG a while back but never really read all the way through it.

[Gerry4321]

Having leaders on the map would make it more ASLish.

I have only started CoH so I may not be correct but it seems to me in CoH that CAPs are an abstraction for leadership and resources. Only problem I have with this is how this can be used to pound my part of the enemy position. Assume 8 CAPS. A German LMG can fire twice in a turn leaving it with 1 AP. Both fire attempts can be modified plus 2 CAPs to modify the dice. Now 2 CAPS could be converted to APs to allow it to fire again and the last CAPs can be used to modify that dice roll. aybe it is not a problem and just the beauty of the system that I haven't yet learnt to appreciate. Someone is probably going to say I would love to play you as now you have no CAPs left.

ASL doesn't do a proper command and control system either. Leaders are not tied to formations such as squads, platoons, etc. They can move anywhere on the board. Solitaire ASL does have command radius for leaders.

In the CoH boardgame they have to keep things simple. One of the nice things about a computer game is that it can manage things so the computer game could be more complex. It does that now my managing Persistent APs? In terms of leader counters it would require the player to plan a bit more. Where to put the available leaders for example. RIght now that aspect is handled abstractly by CAPs.

Gerry

[ericbabe]

That seems like an interesting set of rules. Uwe and I had talked about adding a "company" rule to the computer game that would give players different CAPs pools, and each pool could only be used for a certain set of units. We also talked about adding a CAPs-per-unit limit, so that, say, no more than 5 CAPs could be spent on any one unit.

[tyrion22]

This is just my opinion, but I've never really liked house rules. I'd rather play the game as it was designed, and if I want more details I can always find another game. I agree that computer games should ideally be less abstract than board games, but I also think it's a good thing if a computer game based on a board game is true to the board game. If I want less abstraction there are many games that were designed as computer games from the start.

I know I say this a lot, but I really want CoH to be as true as possible to the board game. I don't mind giving other people options of course, but if it was up to me, the developer's first priority would be giving us the option to play excactly like the board game (same AP rules, same LOS rules, etc.).

[z1812]

Leader counters would be a good idea and would add another tactical element to the game. If introduced I would prefer that the system be kept simple. Perhaps a +1 bonus to any action undertaken by a squad within a Leaders command range.