The Loose Association of Wargamers

We've used TMWWBK's rules to fight AZW battles quite a few times but yesterday's game was different.

We had a beleaguered hospital & two relief columns led by three of our number. These commanders had conflicting goals & the Zulus were largely on "autopilot" with me to umpire the game & move the Zulus as per the dictates of the dice & a bit of common sense (eg if being shot up, Go to Ground). The game was tautly entertaining with one column fighting through (albeit with grievous loss) to win the game. Most interesting were my three pals, unconsciously assuming the personas assigned to them: the callous "glory-hound", the doddery geriatric unwilling to risk casualties & the devious base commander, hoping to hold out by himself & scoop up the glory - he refused to fire at the Zulus between him & his "rescuers"...low on ammo, he claimed!

It was the other innovations I want to discuss.
I cancelled all Free Actions that the units were entitled to. Every turn, my pals & I had to roll to activate each unit.
More radically, the British units got 2 actions per game turn. After activating, they could deploy & shoot, or move & form square, or mount up & ride away etc. Even shoot twice a turn (but not move twice).

I was worried this was too generous but it wasn't. I've found in the previous games the British to be too vulnerable & although a lot of Zulus were casualties, we had lots and they kept coming. Indeed, the British still lost units & were only just able to make the hospital perimeter by the final turn.

I should add, all British & Zulu unit commanders were given average leadership ratings (ie no bad ones) & the higher commanders were given good ratings so they could join a unit & help bolster the possibility of activation. Needless to say, both sides had units that sometimes failed to activate at crucial times.

All a bit long winded but I'm interested in hearing if others have used similar tweaks & any comments in general.

donald

It's a core mechanism of our club rules that you start each round by checking to see whether or not you're 'under command'.
You get X dice for each Field officer, junior officer, senior & junior NCO.
Each command figure loses a dice if they're actually in combat: they can fight OR give orders.
So you've got to choose - is that full-screw more useful right now as another rifle in the line, or in helping to keep control?
If a unit is 'under command' it may act as the player wishes.
If a unit is 'uncommanded', the player rolls for its reaction on a table. The roll is modified by the unit's 'threat levels to see what they do.
The reaction table is weighted towards sensible results, but there's always the chance that under sufficient threat level someone's nerve will go.

Brine trizers time.....

Norm: excellent ideas to produce the all-important frisson.

I should add that the MWWBK rules don't have higher command, & adding senior officers & giving them a role is essential in our turning a more or less skirmish set into a battle game.

The 'two orders a turn' is also probably a result of our having a LOT of Zulus & wanting to use them (170 or so were casualties in the game: I know because the number added to Victory points).

donald