SttS: Getting on the Grid

This Gamer is WAAAAAAY off the Grid - hopefully the commune has a shower...

https://theoffgridcabin.com/start-here/

After lots of thinking, visits to various blogs [click], time with Bob Cordery's Portable Wargame [click], and re-visiting board games [click, click], I've decided it's time to take a set of my "6D6" rules and put it "ON the grid" - shave and a haircut required despite it being a Dark Ages game with "Spear to the Strife".

As we've been working on "higher level command" wargames [gamer is division or corps commander], it is more apparent that the limitations inherent in the hobby - terrain miniature, time, space, budget - make it easier to put some games on a grid rather than move freely on a table. I'd say if a Unit in a game is a brigade or higher, then it should be on a grid. This prevents the players from micromanaging their sub-units and getting bogged down with the oft-times complicated mechanics of table-top miniatures, bases, and terrain, and their interactions.

I think the freedom of movement with miniatures is more suited to skirmish, small unit, and battalion / regiment level gaming where it "feels" more realistic. Of course, in real life, your division, corps or army level staff don't get into the nitty-gritty of maneuvering Soldiers - that's the job of someone else.

To summarize, here's where my head is with grids:
More [yes, MORE] realistic!
- conceptually, the way real military leaders think
EASIER: eliminates fiddling with 1/16" and mm in/out
- slims and simplifies rules by eliminating lengthy explanations about mechanics
- eliminates pre-measuring question

- eliminates measurement arguments

More fun!

- total reciprocity of distances eliminates many "gotcha gaming" techniques

- encourages players to play their role and period, not the rules

Downsides
- tabletop gamer prejudice [STRONG prejudice]
- "feels" less real to certain mindsets [see above]
- eliminates friction elements of Unit / terrain / miniatures interaction that is sorta realistic [as long as you can't pre-measure] even if it is cluttered.
- do lose some small tactical possibilities with wiggling Units around, depending on if the mechanics of your ruleset take advantage of such things

With the above in mind, here's how I am adapting my "Spear to the Strife" Medieval Miniatures Mayhem game of low-level combat [about 500-1000 a side].

GRIDS=SUPER EASY! The 12" squares that make up most game tables are divided by markers [beads below] with the 12" intersections being larger than the 6" intersection. below, the red dice mark the four 6" squares that make up the subdivision of the 12" grid. I could use 5 small beads, but it's not really necessary. Some people use a soft surface for terrain, like interlocking foam mats from the gym or childcare play areas [CLICK]; in that case you can use small push pins to easily demarcate large and small grids.


And this is how it looks on my table. A couple times I lost track of the spaces, but standing up and getting the overall picture cleared it right up thanks to the OHW terrain already being in 12" grids, anyway, and most terrain pieces are in 6" increments.

Mods for 6" grids
- 6" Move = 1 Grid,  
- 9" Move = 1 Grid, plus 50% chance at a bonus Grid per move
- 12" Move = 2 Grids
All get one free 90 turn per move point, and one diagonal a turn.
- 3" road bonus, 50% chance at a bonus Grid per move [doesn't stack with 9" move]
- Range Brigans = 1, Archers = 2, one diagonal for Range.
- can't pass grid side or diagonal point with impassible / blocks LoS terrain on both sides.
- LoS center to center [over half to over half].

Questions
- Must use Move to melee contact? 
Grids are pretty large, so table can get confined if a space adjacent to enemy Unit is automatically in melee. For now, I said "yes" you have to spend a Grid move to end in Melee contact, even when you start in adjacent Grids. I lined the Units up at the Grid edges.
- Zones of Control into adjacent Grids? Not interested in ZoC rules at the moment. I don't see all Units as moving in the order moved, or simultaneously, and centering the Units on their grid square has them apart enough that it looks OK to move around each other. Also, I don't like it when Units are in melee and not touching - looks weird to me.
- Diagonals. I like having 8 directions not just 4. It doesn't add much complexity to allow diagonal movement / shooting measurements, so I'm using them. Basic rule is you get to use one diagonal  per move / shoot measurement.

That was all I felt I needed to get started.  Let's see how it goes!

Battle of Badon: Neil Thomas AMW & OHW #4, p.2

Well, that was so much fun, I had to have another go, hoping to correct errors on both sides. This will have to be a briefer summary as the last one took three days to bang out! [I'm using the larger font to remind me of this...]

Turn 1-2. Saxons dash ahead, with the left weighted heavily, with two Units of peasant Warriors, going up the flank and the two Units of Nobles smashing directly into the hill. The last Warrior is on the road, and the Archers will harass from the Woods. The goal is to maximize the power against the hill while shortening the time to take it.

Nobles quickly smash Archers; 9 Hits and the Archers fail both morale checks so lose two more bases...gone. They did manage to inflict 6 hits between shooting and melee before evaporating like faerie in the morning mist.

To left, the Nobles don't do quite as well of course, but inflict two bases lost to their one.

Plan looks good for the Saxons - all is ready!


Ah, now we get into rules issues...How does this contact take place? Front arc barely makes it. Corner might touch, but turning sharply will cost movement. Unexplained!

In any event, I decide it can't be done, so they move up and turn preparing for a smashing attack next turn on the Militia.

Briton cavalry advancing to the rescue quickly - but not quickly enough. Left flank is open, but will the Saxons charge and risk a flank attack from the Roman Remnant shieldwall?

Again, can the cavalry make it? Rules are unclear. Guess I'll have to write them myself...Still, you can see the point, "You can't have tactics on the table if you don't have mechanics in the rules." It's a risky charge with the Saxon Nobles poised on the top of the hill, but, "CHAAAAARGE"! And it gets them away from the Saxon Warriors on their flank and somewhere that they'll do something useful for the cause...I hope.


Meanwhile, the Saxon Archers [lights] and Warriors are ready to take on the Roman Remnant infantry on the march - before they can get into shieldwall.
and the Nobles charge the rear of the cavalry, inflicting only two Hits. Still, the other Nobles and Warriors overwhelm the Welsh Militia who flee to the right, having done well for militia.

Up close look at the swirling melee of two Cavalry trying to overwhelm a Warrior Unit, while the Nobles try to rescue them or at least trash one Cavalry Unit. Unfortunately, the Cavalry are looking good at a couple Hits each while the Warriors have lost much of their fighting power.
In the melee phase, both cavalry and the Saxons take enough Hits for morale checks! Anything can happen... 
[and this is a good point to mention that this simple mechanic adds a lot of fun tension to the game].
The left Cavalry roll '6' - a pass for anyone. The Warriors roll '5' and easily pass [need a '4+] while the right Cavalry just pass with a '3' thanks to being Elite - the slaughter continues!

Meanwhile, the Saxon nobles push right to gain more control of the Hill - the ultimate victory objective.
And the Warriors slam into the open flank of the Cavalry, who REALLY need the melee to end soon!

Meanwhile, back at the road, the Romans take a severe beating from the attack of lights and Warriors.

Turn 6. Cavalry destroy the Warrior Unit they were both fighting, so the left takes on the flanking Warrior Unit fighting the right Cavalry. A Militia unit finally arrives to assist, inflicting three Hits against the top Nobles on the hill but they pass morale and just lose the one additional base.

Turn 7 - things start popping! Romans rout off the field, along with the top Saxon Noble Unit. However one Cavalry is almost wiped out and the other Saxon Nobles are entering the fray, while the Warriors hang in there to the left.

Bottom of Turn 7. Right Cavalry extricate themselves - no rally rules, unfortunately! Left Cavalry grind down the Warriors. Militia take on the Nobles but inflict no Hits while losing a Base themselves - it helps that the Nobles are up hill of the Militia. Still, Victory is up for grabs...
Unfortunately, militia fail morale on a '2' and lose another Base. Cavalry rout the warriors, and are now prepared to charge the flank of the Saxon Nobles on the hill!

Bottom of Turn 8. Militia hang in there while Cavalry inflict severe punishment against the Nobles - they knock off a Base and the Nobles fail morale! They lose another Base. Saxon reinforcements are on the way, and the Militia have an open flank, while the other Cavalry is barely functional with one melee dice of fighting power left!

Saxon Turn 9, their reinforcements crash in, routing the Militia from the field but too late for the Nobles who also flee. The suspense is unbearable! Two Cavalry, one weak, against the Lights and one Warrior Unit - who will master the hill and take home the glory??

Britons Turn 9 - they make their last desperate preparations. One cavalry positions to charge the Archers, the other holds the high ground and awaits the onslaught.

Turn 10. Very disappointing for the Celtic fans. The Archers way beat the odds and the top Cavalry is one Hit away from routing off the field, while the other has fared very poorly against the warriors, losing a base and failing morale while inflicting nearly no Hits of their own!

Turns 11 & Saxon 12. The Saxons hang in their and rout both Cavalry Units. The Warriors did lose a base but passed morale with a '5' and the Archers managed to beat the other Cavalry despite the dice bonus Cavalry get against Lights.
The Warriors beat the Celtics and move on to the finals!!

Whew! This was a great game, and lots of tension. The morale mechanic definitely adds some fun along with the Warband rules. While being a bit clunky at times, and of course suffering from incomplete mechanics, the game was a lot of fun.

I will definitely have to finish off the mechanics, stealing them mostly from my 6D6 medievals, while retaining the feeling that this is a larger scale game. My OHW inspired "Spear to the Strife" is really aimed at the smaller fights that make up 90% of the "battles", while this has a nice feel for the remaining 10% of big battles. I think it'll be worth it. 

As I have a group game coming up, it may be worth it to put this forward for the group - I'll have to playtest it as well as finish more Welsh and Saxons, all by March 30th!