ACW House rules: commanders and random events

Here you see the cards for commanders I am using in our ACW house rules. The idea is that the player draws random cards equal to the number of commanders in the game (we use 1 commander per brigade, 1 brigade usually has 4 to 6 units), and then the player can assign these commanders to brigades as he sees fit and according to his plans.

The stats per commander are command radius (range in hexes for activating a unit), and applicable modifiers on top of the base roll of 7+ to activate the unit (either a move, fire or charge order; or a bonus for a specific type of unit).

The card are from an old card game Dixie (Columbia Games), and I'm only using them for the illustrations. I'm using post-its attached to the cards for game related information.

 

 

And here are the "random event cards". Players draw 3 random event cards at the start of the game, and can use them once only during the game. If a card is not applicable, it can always be used to give a unit a +3 Str boost.

ACW House Rules: latest version

The latest and updated version of our ACW house rules can be found on the ACW page.

Programmed Wargames Scenarios (2): Broken Ground (e)

So I played two more turns. Most of the action was exchange of fire, and Red failed a couple of command rolls, seriously halting the offensive towards Blue. One morale results also forced one of Red's infantry units in the centre to charge out of revenge, but the charged failed miserably. So I called the game, and gave victory for Blue.

Here's the end situation, on all 3 sections of the battlefield.

The middle section, with Red having lost 4 infantry units, seems a lost cause for the offensive.

Red's left flank, where a feint attack was started, but the situation ended in a stalemate.

Red's right flank, nothing much happened here on both sides.

One might think the scenario failed, because Red didn't manage to take Blue's position, but it's sometimes too easy to ally oneself psychologically with the attacking force in a solo game. If Blue would have been played by a player, Blue would claim a major victory!

Nevertheless, Red could have done things differently. Too many units were locked up on the flanks, taking a more passive role as per the initial orders. In a "real game", these units would have advanced as well. Red could have used his artillery better, now they were mostly useless. But that's precisely the fun part about these programmed scenarios: you get a plan of action, and you should try to stick to it as closely as possibly. And yes, I did learn something -- that attacking in the centre without a good follow-up on the flanks is not a good idea :-)

Also, the Programmed Wargames Scenarios book provides an outline of a plan, but as a solo player, you still have to implement it at the lower unit-level detail. So I don't regard such games as "me against the AI", or "one AI against another AI", but more as a learning exercise, a way to try things out, and see what works and doesn't work with the rules you're using.

To the next scenario!

Programmed Wargames Scenarios (2): Broken Ground (d)

The next turn in my solo game. He battle has turned in the "grind phase" - less or no manoeuvring, more combat resolution and die rolling.

Red is pushing in the centre, and I decided it was a good time for Red to charge Blue's artillery. That was not such a good idea ... the dice gods were very favourable to Blue and the charge failed miserably. Perhaps I should give artillery some penalties when receiving  charge ;-)

Red is pushing hard n the centre. Blue is still holding the hills in the North.

The failed charges ... One Red regiment destroyed (hence all the casualties), the other Red regiment is still in the fight but is down to "2" in its combat effectiveness.

 Blue is content to fire back at Red ...

View on the central section from Red's side. Red's infantry is taking heavy fire, and has not really been able to fire back and do significant damage to Blue.