Concepts

[Oldest below]
25.01.11 - Some new concepts

Leader capacities
Normal leaders are included in their unit's base or bases.
The following leader figures are represented by a single figure on a small base:

• Company commanders (often captains)
• Platoon leaders (often lieutenants)
• 'Good' commanders.  This can be one of the platoon leaders or company leaders from above, or their NCO, or simply a leader of men that stands out on the battlefield.

These leaders have a quality rating (4,5 or 6) and a rating (+1,0,-1,-2) as well as a rank:

• Captain (commands up to 8 bases in combat)
• Lieutenant (commands up to 6 bases in combat)
• Sergeant (commands up to 4 bases in combat)

The highests ranking commander on the board determines the command point allowance.  Normal command point allowance is 2D6.  This is modified by the leader rating:

• -2 (exceptional) adds 2D6
• -1 adds 1D6
• 0 
• +1 (poor) substracts 1D6.

Commanders can lead units into battle without spending command points explicitly.  So the command points they generate are used for the other units.  Leaders with a higher rating will have more movement and combat options.

Turn Sequence (updated):
Rally and command phase
PhaseBoth players: Rally broken troops
Support phase
Artillery, air support, reinforcements enter the board
Combat phase 
Attacker moves

• Attacking player: move troops
• Defensive player: interrupting with overwatch fire at the expense of command

Defender reacts

• Defensive player: tactical movement
• Defending fire (not overwatch) at the expense of command

Attacker reacts

• Attacking Player: attacking fire
• Attacking Player: advance movement (move one base)
• Attacking Player: Set up overwatch

Unit states:
The different combat rules require a number of states for units.  A unit can be:

1. Prone (as a consequence of dashing movement, when suppressed by cover fire)
2. Pinned (when suppressed by anything but cover fire)(not for tanks and towed ordnance)
3. In retreat (not for towed ordnance)
4. Routing (towed ordnance abandon their gun)
5. Immobilized (vehicles only)
6. Surrendered (not for tanks)
7. Eliminated

Movement styles (advanced rule)
Movement allowance and vulnerability of a unit is determined by the style of movement: normal movement, cautious movement, dash, entrench.  Dash movement is fastest, but you end up on your belly, but more likely to suffer in case of an attack, the other extreme is troops entrenching instead of moving, being less visible and better protected.


Combat styles (advanced rule):
Different kinds of attacks depending on the intended effect on the enemy target.  Styles include combat fire, cover fire, full fire, possibly special units get more styles depending on their weapon mix.

Spotting rules (advanced rule):
These rules allow players to determine how likely it is to spot an enemy unit, rather than use the blunt 'if you have a line of sight you can see it' rule


26.10.10 - A description of the in-game concepts

Design for effect:
no matter what kind of fire you bring on a squad of infantry, there are only so many outcomes possible.  Therefore, all attacks vs infantry can be resolved on one table.

Programmed instruction:
the rules, rather than be designed all at once, will be designed and introduced in parts.  First will be infantry combat, then vehicles and armor, and so on.

Fire effect table (infantry):
Current idea is to use one die for damage, against a column corresponding to the firepower.  Modifiers include attack leadership, defensive terrain, troop quality, amonst others. An idea is to allow for a best of 2 rolls in some cases (overwatch, heroes, other exceptional cases)

Turn Sequence:
Both players: Rally broken troops
Attacking Player: off board artillery
Attacking Player: move unbroken troops + Defensive player: interrupting overwatch fire
Defensive player: tactical movement (move one base when in enemy LOS) or defending fire (not overwatch)
Attacking Player: attacking fire
Attacking Player: advance movement (move one base) or Set up overwatch

Keywords:
Command Points, cost for movement, fire
Loss of initiative
Attacker surprise, defender surprise related to quality
Vehicle To Hit Roll, To Kill Roll