Category Archives: Variant

What do Quill pens have to do with wargaming? I’m not completely sure but I really like this video. There is a good chance you guys will like it too.

It was very cool to find out what red ink is for. I never knew that!! I’m going to start writing out ‘chore lists’ for all our teenagers in red now. lol….

Check out this site. He’s got a lot of really cool stuff here:

Writing Accessories

Tom recently sent this in as a player’s guide and variant for our Kriegsspiel Brandywine Scenario.  It is a fantastic supplement!  Our Battalion rules allow you to fight this out as a detailed Pub Battle.  Fast, easy and very dynamic.  We need to further develop this into a whole new series!  

Every time I play the KS games reinforces the unique nature of this addition to your family of games. These games offer a completely different dynamic from the standard Pub Battles offering, capturing the flow of each battle much more effectively, and offering deep insights into the circumstances and outcomes of each modeled battle. They represent a truly new departure for your game system, and one that will, in my view, prove very attractive to both new and veteran military board gamers.

I’d like to see a more robust framework for game play in this KS series. KS Bunker Hill is better than KS Brandywine in this respect, but still doesn’t provide enough information for the players to launch into the game without a lot of additional research. 

I think this is pretty easy to fix, and have attached what I put together for KS Brandywine. This version has been refined by multiple games, and I think provides a pretty good, “stand alone” start point for purchasers of KS Brandywine.

 Thanks, Tom 

Kriegsspiel (KS) Brandywine Scenario with Pub Battles Rules (using Version 2.92 Rules)

1. Command Additions. For the British, Cornwallis and Knyphausen, as wing commanders, act as “extra” army commanders for their respective wings, in addition to commanding directly the troops identified immediately under them on the loss rosters. Subordinate commands for Cornwallis are Mathew (Guards and Grenadier Brigades), and Grey (3^rd and 4^th Brigades); Donop (Hessian Brigade) is directly subordinate to Cornwallis, and activates with his headquarters. Subordinate commands for Knyphausen are Grant (1^st and 2^nd Brigades); Stirn (Hessian Brigade) and the three battalions of the 71^st Highlanders  are directly subordinate to Knyphausen and activate with his headquarters.  Only Howe, Cornwallis and Knyphausen can roll to change turn order, for themselves or for any subordinate under their respective commands (and within command range), on a roll of 4 or less.  All commanders (except Howe, who may be activated with any British command) have a “chit” n the command cup (but see Order of Appearance, below). British elite units include all three units of the 71^st Highlanders (71, 72, and 73), all British Grenadiers, and the Foot Guards.

For the Americans, Washington is the Army Commander and also commands the troops directly under the “Reserve” on the loss roster.  Subordinate commands are Sullivan (including Stephen’s and Sterling’s Divisions), Greene, and Wayne.  All commanders have a “Chit” in the command cup, but only Washington can change turn order, for himself or for any subordinate within command range, on a roll of 4 or less. Defeat numbers for the two armies are 18 for the British and 14 for the Americans. You will need to make additional commanders blocks for this, as well as “commitment” chips, which are not included in the game.

Combat ineffective numbers are 50% of infantry and cavalry units (combined) for each command according to the rosters (the three British Light Infantry battalions are included under Cornwallis for determining combat ineffective percentages).

2. Historical Order of Appearance. Knyphausen’s command begins the game deployed on the map anywhere south of Wystar’s Ford and west of the Brandywine, with the exception of the 1^st and 3^rd Battalions of 71^st Highlanders – 71 and 73 unit labels, respectively. These are optional units, which enter the turn following any movement by an American unit west of the Brandywine creek (these units historically were assigned to guard Howe’s baggage trains, and did not take part in the battle). Cornwallis’ wing (with Howe) enters the game map on turn one as the first units to activate, crossing the Brandywine in road column at Jeffries Ford, in the following order: Mounted Jagers, British Grenadiers, Light Infantry Brigade, Hessian Jagers, Foot Guards, Artillery, Hessian Grenadiers, 4^th Brigade, 3^rd Brigade, and 16^th Dragoons. Chits for Cornwallis’ subordinate units are not added to the command cup until turn two.  The game ends following the end of turn ten.

3. Light (including Jager) Infantry. Light infantry units are exempt from all command rules, and can be activated with any friendly command. Bombardment attacks against light infantry have a -1 modifier. Light infantry units have all around facing, cannot be flanked and disregard fields of fire – that is, they may advance into enemy fields of fire without moving into actual contact, and do not exert fields of fire themselves.  Spent light infantry units may not rally in an enemy field of fire, however.

4. Light Infantry Fire Combat. During the combat phase, light infantry units that are not in actual contact with enemy units (either attacking or being attacked) can “fire” (once) at any enemy unit within one third infantry movement that is not in contact with another friendly unit (bombardment attacks likewise cannot target enemy units in contact with other friendly units). The light infantry unit rolls two dice; normal combat rules apply (including cover). After the light infantry fire is resolved, non-light lnfantry or dragoon units that are targeted by light infantry fire may return fire (regardless of target unit facing), also using two dice, but resolve their fire with an additional -1 modifier. Light infantry units firing at each other resolve their fire simultaneously, with no additional modifier.  Light infantry units that retreat from combat during the combat phase (voluntary or involuntary) cannot also fire. The three American skirmisher units are NOT treated as light infantry.

3. Road Column. For infantry and cavalry, per the KS Brandywine Scenario Pub Battles rules, there is no movement cost to enter or leave road column. However, a unit may enter or leave road column at the beginning or the end of its turn only (NOT both). Mark a unit in road column by stacking a baggage train block on top (baggage trains are not used in the Pub Battles version). For especially long columns, stack a baggage train marker on the first unit in the road column. Artillery DOES expend 1/3 movement cost to limber OR unlimber, and can do so more than once – for example, limber, move one third move, and then unlimber. Limbered artillery is always considered to be in road column.

4. Stacking and the “combined Division”. There is no “stacking” in the Pub Battles version. Supporting units are placed adjacent to the rear of the supported unit, just as in normal Pub Battles games. The only “stacking” that occurs is by column markers on top of the lead unit in the column. Disregard the “combined Division” rules in the KS Scenario addendum. Treat Infantry, artillery and cavalry blocks just like any infantry, artillery or cavalry block in pub battles, moving and fighting independently.

5. Terrain Notes. Fields of Fire remain 1/3 Foot movement, and Artillery Ranges remain one foot move (about three quarters of a mile). Disregard the “bridge / ford” rule – movement across a bridge or ford still reduces movement, if the unit is not in road column.

6. Tracking losses and “Combat Ineffective” status. The larger numbers of physically smaller unit blocks makes determining combat ineffective status a bit of a chore. The easiest way to do this is to use the Loss Rosters. Simply move destroyed units to the loss roster, on top of their unit strength. You will be able to see at a glance which commands have become combat ineffective as the game progresses.

7. OPTIONAL Movement Rules. At the much larger 1:8000 scale, and with smaller (one half inch) blocks, the original Pub Battles Terrain rules are simple and easy to apply. To use the original rules, apply a one third movement penalty for each terrain type. Always allow a unit to move one third movement regardless of terrain (except for rivers, which can still only be crossed at a ford). If a unit has already been reduced by one third, and it encounters other terrain requiring further reduction, it halts immediately.  (I strongly recommend using this rule – it takes greatest advantage of the superb Pub Battles maps, and forces the players to analyze and use terrain in the same way as the actual army commanders).

8. Victory Conditions. Calculate victory at the end of the game: 1 point for every enemy unit destroyed, plus three points for the British if they control one of the two major roads (control=no American units within 2/3 foot move of the road).  The Americans receive one victory point if rebel losses are less than 50%.

What made Napoleon so fast?  Kriegsspiel shows us how.

This Pub Battles Variant simulates a more realistic command experience.

I had a great time running and playing CPXs and Kriegsspiels this year at Origins.  One thing that really stood out to me was how much like a video game it was.  With wargames, we usually have the luxury of slowing down and pondering carefully over tricky moves and situations.  Not so in Kriegsspiel.  It is much more true to life.  Slow periods of nothing interrupted by lightning strikes of panic and scrambling.

When a critical report comes in, the clock is ticking.  What should you do?  How should you respond?  Who needs new orders?  Where should you send them?  You have 2 min to answer all of these questions and write a new clear and concise order.  Can’t do it that quick?  Then you just missed your chance to respond first.  Can you have it together by the next 2 min turn before couriers go out again?  How many turns will it take you?

Napoleon was very quick.  He was often 1 step ahead of the enemy.  How did he pull this off?  Something interesting I learned about Napoleon, was that he often wrote orders in advance.  During the periods of nothing and ‘boredom’, he spent his time thinking ahead.  What are the key decision points coming up?  How will the enemy respond to your moves?  What are the possibilities?  Napoleon would then write out orders for several different enemy reactions in advance, already written to the commands they need to go to.  All he needed to do is pick a stack and hand to the couriers.  The thinking, decision and order writing was already done.  Boom, your troops are off and running almost instantly.

Our play test group has often discussed the Alter Rolls in Pub Battles.  This is the most crucial way to influence a battle.  Much better than the usual +1 mod to combat rolls.  This affects timing.  It is a shame that such a key element in the game is left to a simple die roll.  Make it or break it?  We’ve often discussed ways of expanding this beyond a die roll.  Instead of a leader rating, it would be much better if all the leaders were the same.  Your rating would instead be determined by your skill as a player but how?

After pondering the Kriegsspiel model, we have a new optional rule on this to try:

Rather than a die roll and only getting to roll once per turn for Alters, use the following rules:

Every HQ can attempt to Alter the sequence every chit pull IF that HQ has not moved yet in the turn.

There is no die roll.  There can only be 1 Alter per Chit Pull. (excepting ties) 

The first HQ that announces its Alter gets to do it.  All other fail.   

You must announce the Command and the type of Alter.  For example:

“First Corps, Delay”

“Eleventh Corps, Jump” 

You must say it clearly and discernable.  No mumbling.

Whatever you say, you must do.  You can’t blurt something random out and then decide what you really want to do later.

In a tie, BOTH HQs Alter.  Roll a die to determine which goes first.

You can Jump if your Chit was pulled.  This prevents another command from Jumping ahead of you, IF you say it first.  

Most of the play testers hate this rule.  It doesn’t work for solitaire games.  They prefer deep, thoughtful analysis to rapid, twitch style video games.  That’s fine.  That’s why this is an optional rule. 

However, consider this:  You have all the time in the world to thoughtfully analyze what you should do during the turn and before the Chit Pull.  Do you planning ahead of time, like Napoleon did.  When the time comes, be decisive and strike quickly. 

For those wargamers that want ‘more realism’, I’d argue this is it!  This puts you in the mindset of a commander.  It literally starts training your mind to think and behave like a commander.  Playing this way will teach you good leadership skills and habits.  

Even if you don’t like the idea, I’d urge you to find an opponent and at least give it a try.  Don’t knock it until you try it.  With a little practice, you may find it is easier than you think.  It also adds a lot of tension and fun!