Another Solo "Battle Generator" Experiment..

Board Game Solo Protocols ("The 45")

Reenactment season AND visits from prospective buyers have interrupted play, so no game reports, but I've been working on using "The 45" board game as a scenario/battle generator (see previous posts on using AH's "1776" for same).

As part of this thinking I've decided to change (and formalise) my solo methods for such games. This will be yet another experiment, but having recently played some games using "Crossfire" principles and some "searching" board games with "hidden movement" protocols which actually represent forms of "delayed intelligence updates" (for want of a better term) I've decided to play around with these concepts.

Basically the games I've been playing required one player to "search" for hidden parties belonging to another player (these were games based on Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, where the Ringbearer/Fellowship's location(s) clearly needed to be kept secret). To summarise, each move the Searcher failed to locate the target the potential movement range of the target was extended; thus bringing the target closer to its destination. It seemed to me that this process could be applied to more military games, hence......

So, I will begin by working on the following processes.

A) Player Priority and Phases:

Before any action the Priority for Player Move must be determined by a 1x6D test. Highest dice score goes first, but modifier with +1 per Leader token value in play and minus 2 if the testing player was first to move the previous turn.

B) Phase Progression:

1) Active Player plays/moves as usual, subject to Activation tests for detached commands and Independent Action tests for same where appropriate. Government units within striking range may be attacked, but may evade where allowed in the rules. Government forces may intercept any Rebel forces as usual.

2) Battles arising from the above are fought out as normal on the Table wherever practicable. Post battle retreats will be dealt with by means of ad hoc tables.

3) A new Phase for the Rebel Player will be introduced after the reinforcement Phase. This is a Test for an Intelligence Update (Modified as follows: +1 per major battle won,+1 for -2 per major battle lost, +1 each Major Port and Fortress held, +1 (cumulative) for holding Dundee, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Carlisle, York, Bristol, Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Sheffield, Hull and Liverpool, + 1 per SP dedicated to scouting, +1 per cavalry unit Rebel controlled, -1 per Government cavalry unit known to be deployed on the board).

Throw 3x6D. On a throw of 10 or above Intelligence has been updated. A failure to update intelligence counts as a free move accrued to Government Forces (see successful updates).

The test is Modified as follows: +1 per major battle won,+1 for -2 per major battle lost, +1 each Major Port and Fortress held, +1 (cumulative) for holding Dundee, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Carlisle, York, Bristol, Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Sheffield, Hull and Liverpool, + 1 per SP dedicated to scouting, +1 per cavalry unit controlled, -1 per Government cavalry unit known to be deployed on the board.

If successful first check for any change in Government Policy (see below) by throwing 2x6D.

On a throw of 10 or more Government Policy may have changed.

Then throw 4x6D to check on what any Government Policy Change might be (Modified cumulatively as follows: -4 per major battle won by Rebels, +3 per major battle won by Government, -1 per English Port held by Rebels, -1 per English Zone held by Rebels, +2 per Scottish Zone held by Government, + 1 per French SP in England, -1 per French SP in Scotland, +1 per Sea Action won by Government.

"Och.. Away wi' ye, ya wee Lithuanian dwarf that ye are..."

C) Government Policy: This will determine Government action/movement.

a) Minus Result; Negotiation: Counts as a Move. Neither side may take any military action in England. Zones outside England are unaffected UNLESS a stack contains French units (such a may not move/act at all). Rebel/French Fleets must return to Port of Origin. Rebels (only) may suffer Attrition. Reinforcement/recruitment can take place.

b) Result of 0-5; Hesitation: Does NOT count as a Move for Government Forces to accrue movement. No Government movement except to garrison in the event of a French Intervention rise. Reinforcement/recruitment can take place.

c) Result of 6-9; Containment: Normal rules apply. Government will attempt to close/control routes towards London (in order of distance from nearest Rebels to London, shortest routes first) by occupation and digging-in. Government may move to within 3 Zones of Rebel forces but may not attack. If already within three Zones of rebels Government forces will dig in. March ranges determined by time since last Intelligence Update.

c) Result of 10 - 12; Consolidation: Normal rules apply. Government will concentrate forces (March range determined by time since last Intelligence Update) to form as many armies to match the largest Rebel Army strength and dig-in at points of concentration.

d) Result of 13 - 17; Indirect Action: Normal rules apply. Government will attempt to move armies past Rebel forces and press towards (in order of priority):
i) Any ungarrisoned but Government-held English port/fortification.
ii) Any Rebel controlled English port/fortification.
ii) Any Rebel controlled English city/town/zone (in that order of priority)
iv Edinburgh.
v) Other Rebel-held zones in the Lowlands.
vi) Rebel-held strong-points in the Highlands.

March ranges are determined by time since last Intelligence Update. Government will attempt to concentrate into Field Armies meeting largest Rebel Force value at move end. May Force March. Potential Overruns and interception options may be tested for by means of ad hoc tables.

e) Result of 18 - 24 or above; Direct Action: Government will attempt to concentrate a Field Army of at least equal strength to any Rebel force in order of strength (strongest first) and, in order of the following priority, and move to attack (within a march range determined by time since last Intelligence Update). Where there are multiple targets possible this will be decided by ad hoc test.
i) Any Rebel force potentially outnumbered and containing Prince Charlie.
ii) Any Rebel force in England.
iii) Any French (only) Force in England.
iv) Any Hostile Force in any Friendly Continental Zone.
v) Any Rebel/French Force in Lowland Scotland.
vi) Any Rebel Force in Highland Scotland.

Government forces may Force March. Overruns and interception may be tested for.

3) Successful Update/Government Move: Government forces may move in line with the Policy being adopted (above) using any or all accrued Movement Points up to maximum distance accrued (see below).

D) Government March Ranges:

Government forces can move up to the maximum move distance for ALL moves since their last move/the last Intelligence Update. I.e. if three Government moves have been "missed" due to lack of Intelligent Updates Government units may move three move's worth of distance. Government forces may be intercepted. Where alternative targets of equal priority present themselves then an ad hoc dice throw must be made to decide.

E) Government Targeting: Should normally be clear through the Policy being adopted. When in doubt use an ad hoc table test.

F) Government Reinforcement decisions: When relocating units to meet garrison demands (as a result of French Intervention rises) the NEAREST applicable units will be chosen. In any case where two or more suitable units are at an equal distance to the region needing garrisoning then a dice test will determine which unit moves.

G) Weather: At the start of each Player Movement Phase weather must be tested for on a 1x6D throw for each region where Player Field Forces are present and each Sea Zone.

On a throw of 1 or less (modified by -1 in any Winter Turn and a cumulative additional -1 for Regions in Scotland, -1 for The Hebrides Regions (all) and Central North East, -2 for the Western Isles and North Sea zones) NO movement can take place in that Region/Zone for that PLAYER move (exception Forced March - treated as Winter for losses, with + 1 to the Losses Table if actually Winter and Interception).

However, IF there is a 1 or minus result for the First player in any Game Turn these provisions affect BOTH players for the duration of that entire Game Turn.

Summary:

We'll see how things go over the next week or two. Any thoughts/queries, as always, welcome.