SCWaRes
Simple Colonial Wargames Rules

Introduction

SCWaRes – pronounced "squares" – began life as a simple set of ‘fast play’ rules for use with teenagers who had never played a traditional figure wargame before. The design parameters were:

• To have a turn sequence that kept the players involved throughout each turn;

• To have simple morale systems that dealt with unit and formation morale;

• To reduce the measuring of movement and weapon ranges to zero;

• To have simple systems for resolving fire combat and close combat;

• To include an element of uncertainty into the outcome of each game;

• To produce a game that could be played to a conclusion in about an hour.

SCWaRes first saw the public ‘light of day’ at the Conference of Wargamers in July 2000 (COW2000), and despite one or two teething problems it worked quite well. A revised version was demonstrated at SALUTE2001 in April 2001, and the development of the rules has continued. This edition represents the current ‘state of play’.

To help readers and players to identify and understand each ‘rule’, extensive use has been made of bullet points, charts, and diagrams.

• These rules are designed to be played either solo or by two (or more) players in a face-to-face wargame.

• These rules are designed to be used with 15mm scale figures mounted on troop bases¹.

• These rules are designed for ‘open’ wargames².

• ‘Nothing may be done contrary to what could or would be done in actual war.’ (F T Jane – Revised Rules for Naval War Game [1905])

Contents

• Introduction

• Contents

• Zones

• Units

  • Table 1: Unit Strengths and Troop Base Sizes

  • Diagram 1: Examples of Unit tactical formations

• Move Sequence

• Morale

• Movement

  • Table 2: Expenditure of Movement Points

  • Table 3: Movement Points – European and European-led Troop Types

  • Table 4: Movement Points – Native Troop Types

  • Diagram 2: Examples of measuring the orthogonal movement of European Infantry

  • Diagram 3: Examples of measuring the diagonal movement of European Infantry

  • Diagram 4: Examples of measuring the orthogonal and diagonal movement of European Artillery

• Combat

  • Table 5: Weapon Ranges and Number of Dice

  • Fire Combat

  • Diagram 5: Examples of orthogonally measuring the range of European Field Artillery

  • Diagram 6: Examples of diagonally measuring the range of European Field Artillery

  • Diagram 7: Examples of orthogonally measuring the range of Magazine Rifles & Carbines

  • Diagram 8: Examples of diagonally measuring the range of Magazine Rifles & Carbines

  • Close Combat

• Event Cards

  • Table 6: Event Table

  • Notes of the effect of Event Cards

• Notes

Zones

• The standard size of zone is a 50mm x 50mm square.

• Zones may be smaller or larger than the standard size or shape in order to reflect the type or difficulty of the terrain.

• The size and shape of a zone determines the number of troop bases allowed into that zone.

• It is not permitted for more troop bases to be placed into a zone than may fit within the boundaries of the zone.

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Units

• Units consist of a number of troop bases that usually move and fight together as a cohesive entity.

• Units can be grouped together to create larger formations⁵ that may move and fight together as cohesive entities.

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Move Sequence

• Morale Tests for European⁶ and European-led⁷ troops are taken (if required).

• European and European-led troops move.

• Morale Tests for Native troops⁸ are taken (if required).

• Native troops move.

• European and European-led troops fire.

• Native troops fire.

• Close Combat takes place.

• An Event Card is turned over.

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Morale

• A group of units operating together under one commander must test their morale at the beginning of the turn after their strength (in troop bases) has fallen, as a result of combat and/or the effects of Event Cards, to a percentage of their original strength.

• Once a group of units has had to test their morale, they must retest their morale at the beginning of every subsequent turn until such time as they fail their Morale Test.

• European and European-led troops must test their morale at the beginning of the turn after their strength (in troop bases) falls to 25% of their original strength.

• Native troops must test their morale at the beginning of the turn after their strength (in troop bases) falls to 50% of their original strength.

• A D6 is placed in a dice shaker, and thrown.

• A group of European and/or European-led units must score 3 or more to pass their Morale Test.

• A group of Native units must score 4 or more to pass their Morale Test.

• A group of units that fail their Morale Test must begin to move away from any enemy units at once by the most direct route, and must continue this movement until they are at least 10 zones from any enemy unit.

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Movement

• Troops expend Movement Points to move and/or manoeuvre on the battlefield. The number of Movement Points expended may not exceed the number allocated to a troop type or unit.

• European and European-led Troop Types are allotted a fixed number of Movement Points that they may expend each move.

• Native Troop Types are allotted a variable number of Movement Points that they may expend each move.

• Unexpended Movement Points are ‘lost’ at the end of a side’s movement and can not be held over until the next move.

• Units may only ‘Charge’ when they are four (4) zones or less away from an enemy unit and only if they are intending to attack that enemy unit.

• Only European or European-led troop bases may move sideways, and they may only do so if they form part of a Square or Line.

• Units may interpenetrate¹⁰ other friendly units during the course of normal movement as long as they do not end the move with more troop bases in a zone than may fit within the boundaries of the zone.

• ‘Charging’ units may not interpenetrate other units.

• ‘Driven back’ units may not interpenetrate other units.

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Combat

• Fire Combat and Close Combat are resolved using similar methods.

• Fire Combat takes place after both sides have moved their troops, and before Close Combat occurs.

• European and European-led troops fire first, and any casualties caused are removed before Native troops can fire.

• Native troops fire second, and any casualties caused are removed before Close Combat takes place.

• Close Combat takes place after all Fire Combat has been concluded, and is simultaneous.

• All weapon types are allotted a range in zones and a number of D6s per troop base taking part in combat.

• All Fire Combat is from one zone to another.

• If several troop bases occupy a zone, only the front rank of troop bases that are in that zone, and that are facing the enemy, can take part in Fire Combat.

• The firing troop bases identify the target zone.

• There must be a clear line-of-sight from the zone occupied by the firing troop bases to the target zone.

• Ranges are measured orthogonally.

• Targets that are within range but are outside an arc 45º either side of the direction the firing troop bases are facing may not be fired at.

• The firing troop bases that are firing at the same target zone count up the number of D6s they can throw, place them in a dice shaker, and throw them.

• Every 6 thrown destroys an enemy troop base in the target zone if the target is in the open.

• Every double 6 thrown destroys an enemy troop base in the target zone if the target is in fortifications¹¹.

• Every 5 thrown 'drives back' a European-led or a Native troop base in the target zone by one zone if the target is in the open.

• Every double 5 thrown 'drives back' a European-led or a Native troop base in the target zone by one zone if the target is in fortifications.

• A troop base that has been 'driven back' must move directly away from the firing troop base at once.

• A troop base that has been 'driven back' but that can not move one zone directly away from the firing troop base at once is destroyed.

• All Close Combat is from one zone to an adjoining zone or within the same zone if both sides are in base-to-base contact.

• If several troop bases occupy a zone, only the front rank of troop bases that are in that zone, and that are facing the enemy, can take part in Close Combat.

• Both sides identify the troop bases in each zone that can take part in Close Combat.

• Both sides count up the number of D6s they can throw, place them in a dice shaker, and throw them.

• Troop bases in different zones that are in Close Combat with same enemy troops may combine their D6s to speed up the process of resolving the Close Combat.

• Every 6 thrown destroys an enemy troop base in the target zone if the target is in the open.

• Every double 6 thrown destroys an enemy troop base in the target zone if the target is in fortifications.

• Every 5 thrown 'drives back' a European-led or a Native troop base in the target zone by one zone if the target is in the open.

• Every double 5 thrown 'drives back' a European-led or a Native troop base in the target zone by one zone if the target is in fortifications.

• A troop base that has been 'driven back' must move directly away from the attacking troop base at once.

• A troop base that has been 'driven back' but that can not move one zone directly away from the attacking troop base at once is destroyed.

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Event Cards

• At the beginning of the game a pack of ordinary playing cards (including one Joker) is shuffled and placed within easy reach of the players.

• For a game of pre-determined length, the same number of playing cards as pre-determined turns is dealt, face down, into a separate pile.

• After the Close Combat phase of the Turn Sequence, the top playing card is turned over, and the results are read from the Event Table.

Notes on the effect of Event Cards

• Native troop reinforcements arrive at the edge of the battlefield. They may not enter the battlefield at a point where the terrain is impassable or within 4 zones of European and European-led troops.

• The shortest possible route used by Native troops leaving the battlefield is defined as being the route from their current location to the nearest edge of the battlefield where the terrain is passable and at least 4 zones away from any European and European-led troops.

• In a game of pre-determined length the Joker may, with the prior agreement of all players, be regarded as a 'No event' card.

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Notes

1. The number of troops fixed to each troop base is a matter of personal preference. The recommended number of troops fixed to each type of troop base are:

1. ‘Open’ wargames are wargames where all the troop bases are visible on the battlefield at the start of the game.

2. European or European-led Unit Types are defined using traditional British designations (e.g. Infantry Battalion, Cavalry Regiment, Artillery Battery) whereas Native troops can be defined using the most appropriate Unit Type designation (e.g. Warband, Tribe, Ibutho, Rub).

3. Width x Depth

4. Examples of larger formations include Field Forces, Brigades, Divisions, Impi, and Flags. N.B. Formations must have an appropriate Commander.

5. European troops are all those troops raised in Europe or raised locally from European colonists.

6. European-led troops are all those troops raised locally from the native population and commanded by Europeans.

7. Native troops are all those troops raised from the native population and commanded by native leaders.

8. Units that have a Unit Strength of one (1) troop base (e.g. Artillery Batteries, Machine Gun Batteries, European Commanders and their Staff, Native Commanders and their Retinue) do not have to test their morale.

9. Interpenetration is where one unit passes through a friendly unit.

10. Fortifications may be either man-made or natural. Man-made fortifications include trenches, earth-works, stone sangars, forts, armoured trains, and armoured warships. Natural fortifications include dried-up streams and rivers, sunken roads, and large rock formations.

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© Robert George Cordery (2005)