Napoleonic games using a Combat Results Table

In this blog post, I'll explain why I'm using a Combat Results Table (CRT), which are normally associated with board games, than in tabletop wargames.

A Napoleonic game about to begin using some old 30mm plastic Spencer-Smith miniatures. 

CRT from Napoleon at Waterloo

Recently, I was rereading the Napoleonic chapter of C.F. Wesencraft's book "Practical Wargaming." The chapter includes a set of rules for larger battles. While the rules did not really interest me, reading the chapter reminded me of an article I read, possibly in Military Modelling or Battle magazines, many, many, years ago about someone using miniatures to play SPI's introductory board game Napoleon at Waterloo.

Always a joy to reread chapters.

I downloaded a free version of Napoleon at Waterloo and gave it a try on the tabletop. I liked the game because it didn't have stacking units, useful when translating to the tabletop, and units get locked into combat once committed. Combat affects both the attacker and defender with one roll of the dice. This all sounded good so far, and given the inspiration came from “Practical Wargaming” I used the scenario from the book as my starting point for setting up the game.

Scenario from Practical Wargaming.

The scenario on the tabletop.

The combat values and movement values.

After playing a couple of games and getting to grips with the rules and unit combat values, a few changes were needed. The changes were driven by the need in the game to position units and by advancing after combat to gain positional advantage to block the retreating of enemy units, thereby causing them to be eliminated. This works well with a hex-grid on a board, but requires too much precision in measuring and fiddly manoeuvring of units on the tabletop. 

There were many aspects of the game I enjoyed and I thought I would have an attempt at creating a modified CRT where units take hits rather than retreating, and keep the other things I liked about the game: 

1. How units get locked into combat once committed
2. Combat effects both attacker and defender with one roll of the dice
3. Concentrating your attacks while at the same time having to attack all enemy units within combat range.

The current version of the CRT and results:
A1/2/3/4 is the number of hits taken by the attacking unit or units.
D1/2/3/4 is the number of hits taken by the defending unit of units.
A1/D1 both attacking and defending units take 1 hit.

The modified CRT rather than having retreats and eliminations now has the hits taken by the defending or attacking units. Units are eliminated after taking 5 or more hits.

Initial setup on a game.

The sequence of play from the game is:

1. First player turn - movement phase followed by combat phase.
2. Second player turn - movement phase followed by combat phase.  

General rule notes in no particular order:

• Only cavalry and light infantry can withdraw from combat if they are within 6 inches of an enemy unit. They can do this during their movement phase, but they must not end their movement within 6 inches of an enemy unit.
• All enemy units within 6 inches of a player's units must be attacked. This means that a single unit may have to attack two or more enemy units.
• Only light infantry can move into woods.
• Defending infantry units in towns, woods, or being attacked uphill have their combat value doubled.
• Artillery can attack units within 12 inches and can fire over friendly units.
• When a unit is destroyed by taking 5 or more hits, one of the opposing units involved in the combat (except artillery) can choose to advance and occupy the space that the destroyed unit occupied.
• All movement is in a straight line unless following a road.
• To determine the outcome of combat, add up the combat values of all the attacking units and all the defending units. Then compare the ratio to the combat results table.
• If cavalry are involved in an attack on infantry or artillery alongside other infantry or artillery units, increase the attacking odds by 1 (shift the columns on the combat results table 1 to the right).

Commander and Army Resolve:

• Commanders are placed at the back of the table and do not move.
• If an enemy unit gets within 6 inches of a commander, the commander is removed and replaced during the player's next turn. However, units that are not already in combat cannot move within 6 inches of the enemy unit until the player's next turn.
• An army loses resolve when 50% of its units are eliminated. Once an army has lost resolve, its units cannot advance through combat to replace lost enemy units.

Victory in the game:

• A player loses a game when they have lost 50 percent of their units and their total remaining units have 2 units less than the other player.

A game in progress. I use soft toy stuffing for the smoke which indicate which units are within 6 inches of an enemy unit.

All these rules now need to be written up after a few more games have been played. The next post will be the battle report.