Matrix Games Forums

Amazing game.

However, as always command is exercised with the Commander overhead in a helicopter using a radio to command his army. Hence, even in the youtube video introducing the game, you have multiple small actions occurring all over the field rather than the much more cohesive massing with I think was more typical of the time.

The only way I can see for more 'realistic' play is some sort of House Rules. If anyone has worked out some I really like to seem them!

My current vague ideas revolve around the speed of communications to and from the Commander.
Thinking basically that you roll a dice at the time you want to make a change in deployment and you have to wait that many turns until you can make the change. The idea is to create the delay of a courier carrying the info. The further from the Commander, the longer the delay - this will encourage tighter formations, which I think would be more realistic. Very vague now, but will poke at it.

Thats a good start but only solves the issue if one assumes only the CiC can give any orders at all and sub commanders stare w jaws agape at any change in the battle.

I made some rules with the HPS games games ( Napoleonic) to make the games more challenging, but those game usually featured very large forces on maps that would dwarf any tactical battle n the P&S era.

Some ideas would be to group units into wings or battles. Pre battle give each "commander" of a wing/formation an initiative rating, and then specific orders ( yes write them down so you dont cheat hehe)
A wing/battle would move and fight in formation. Any radical changes in objective, orientation or posture ( ie assault vs defend ect) would: A , need the "commander" to beat his initiative rating on a die roll. A success and you ( th eplayer) can do what you want with re-orienting thos troops. A minor fail could mean you can do some limited things, a "big fail" perhaps you blindly need to keep moving those units blindly as if that enemy cavalry formation wasnt forming on their flanks ...

You could also limit your CiC # of changes to sub units t maybe only one or two every 5 turns or so....

Coupled with what you noted regarding turn delays for couriers to send new orders could make any game pretty challenging.

I beleive @ the blitz dot org website on the Black Powder forums, an HPS sims scenario designers posted rules for solo play type stuff like this, including rules for "marching" to the sound of the guns etc. Probobly worth cheking out.
Cheers


Edit the actual link
http://www.theblitz.org/message_boards/ ... ?tid=66411

Again most of thses make more sense in a more operational scale but could give some kernals for ideas.

Many thx, these rules are much more developed than my own tentative ideas.

I was at first disappointed by the lack of C&C rules, but units' limited maneuverability actually does a pretty good job of forcing the player to come up with an initial plan and stick to it.

Also, it's hard enough to beat the AI as it is!