L'Ordre Mixte
By Steve
Burt (shubniggurath@fluffycat.co.uk)
Introduction
This set of rules is a Napoleonic
supplement to the excellent 'Fire and Fury' set for the American Civil War. It
allows players to simulate Corps and Army level combat in the Napoleonic wars.
The basic unit is the Brigade, and the rules emphasise playability
The following are the main
differences from 'Fire and Fury':
- Musket range is shorter than the ACW, and guns are slightly
less effective.
- 2 6-sided dice are used instead of 1 10 sided dice. This
gives a less random distribution, and reflects the generally greater
discipline of Napoleonic armies as compared to the volunteers and
conscripts of the War Between the States. The tables have been adjusted
appropriately.
- I have designed the rules for 25mm troops, which is what I
use. But you will see that the distances are much the same as for the Fire
and Fury rules using 15mm.
- There is provision for selected 'light' brigades to operate
entirely in open order. Such brigades fulfil a role not unlike that of
dismounted cavalry in the ACW.
- Formation changes are easier (again, reflecting greater
discipline), but advance to contact is slightly harder. It is harder to
move in bad going.
- Various national characteristics are reflected by factors
added to or subtracted from Manoeuvre, Fire and Melee rolls.
Scales
1 Figure = 100 men (each base is 400
men) for 25mm
(1 Figure = 50 men, each base is 200
men, for 15mm)
1 Gun Model = 10 guns
1 Move = 30 minutes
1" = 50 yards
Organisation
Figures are organised in Brigades,
each of which consists of a command base (with flag) plus one or more other
bases. Cavalry are based in twos on a 40mm square base. Infantry in fours on a
30mmx40mm base. Guns are based on 60mm square when deployed (60x80 for 12pdr),
40x80 for limbered foot and 40x120 for limbered horse guns. Skirmishers are
based on 60x40.
For identifying brigades, I
recommend sticking a piece of plastic card about 20mmx5mm vertically on the
back of the base, like a small label. You can then write on this the name of
the brigadier with an OHP pen, and wipe off the name after the battle. Use pens
of the same colour as the divisional commander to identify who belongs to which
brigade. This seems a better system than sticking labels under the base.
Skirmishers
Brigades designated 'light' may
deploy all their bases (except the command stand) in open order. Such brigades
may only operate in single line formation.
Skirmishers suffer no penalty in
rough going, but cannot use roads. It takes half a move to go in our out of
skirmish formation. Skirmishers may also be deployed as Permanent
Detachments
Troop
classification
As well as the Veteran/Average/Raw
classification which changes a brigades morale levels, troops may be classified
as GUARD or MILITIA. Guard get a +1 on Manouevre & Melee, Militia a -1.
It is possible to have Raw Guards or
Veteran Militia, so this gives a total of 9 classifications.
Movement
|
Troop Type |
Normal |
Road |
Rough |
Obstacle |
|
Infantry |
12" |
x2 |
x12 |
-3" |
|
Cavalry |
18" |
x2 |
x13 |
-3" |
|
Leaders |
18" |
x2 |
x12 |
-3" |
|
Foot guns |
8" |
x3 |
x13 |
-4" |
|
Horse guns |
12" |
x3 |
x14 |
-6" |
Passage of lines - 3" for
Infantry or cavalry, 6" for guns
(Skirmishers may pass through &
be passed through without penalty).
Manoeuvre Table
Roll for each brigade wishing to
move - except that a disordered brigade MUST roll.
|
Score |
Good Order |
Disorder |
|
1< |
Retire full move |
Quit the field |
|
2,3 |
Disengage out of musket range |
Broken, lose base & retire |
|
4,5 |
Hold ground (no FC) |
Wavering - hold in disorder |
|
6,7 |
Tardy - Half move (may FC) |
Shaken - Rally & Hold Ground |
|
8,9,10 |
Well Handled |
Rally & Half move (may FC) |
|
11> |
Well handled |
Rally with Élan! |
May not move within 2" of enemy
unless contacting
May only contact enemy on„ Well
Handled or„ Rally with Élan.
+1 per attached corps or division
leader, or exceptional brigadier
+1 if in column or Guard
+2 Fresh
+2 Attached exceptional
corps/division leader
-2 Spent
-1 If Austrian, Prussian before
1809, Spanish, Militia
-2 Close order troops trying to move
in bad going
-1 Out of command radius
-2 More than a normal move from
commander
Command Radius is 8" for a
division leader (12" if exceptional, 6" if poor), 18" for a
corps leader (24" if exceptional, 12" if poor).
A unit which tries to move and fails
in bad going becomes disordered.
Formation change
Any formation to any other takes a
half move, but no base may exceed a normal move if doing this. If a base has to
move further, it takes a full move (and may not be done if 'Tardy' was rolled).
Legal formations are:
LINE - single line of bases, command
stand on the right (Only formation if skirmishers). Infantry only.
SUPPORTED LINE - two deep, command
stand at right front
COLUMN OF ROUTE - single column of
bases, command stand at the front
(this is the only formation which
can use roads)
COLUMN OF ATTACK - two wide column.
Infantry only.
Firing - ranges
and effect
|
Infantry |
4" - 1 |
Rifles 6" - 1 |
|
|
|
Foot Artillery |
4" - 10 |
12" - 3 |
18" - 2 |
24" - 1 |
|
Horse Artillery |
4"-8 |
8"-3 |
12"-2 |
20"-1 |
|
Heavy Artillery |
4"-12 |
16"-4 |
24"-2 |
32"-1 |
(Canister range is 4" in all
cases)
Only one rank of bases can fire
EXCEPT before charge combat is resolved, when two ranks involved in the combat
may fire.
Fire modifiers
x12 Disordered
or low on ammo. Damaged battery firing.
(Artillery low on ammo may only fire
canister)
x2 Enemy enfiladed or in column of
route
+1 Enemy in column of attack,
supported line, changing formation
+1 Firing at cavalry, limbered
artillery.
+1 British in single line firing
-1 Target in soft cover
-1 Target skirmishers, staff
officers, unlimbered artillery
(Only applies if target in open
ground)
-2 Target in hard cover
-3 Target in entrenchments
Musketry &
Cannonade table
|
Fire Points |
Desultory |
Lively |
Telling |
Deadly |
Withering |
|
12 |
0-10 |
11+ |
|
|
|
|
1 |
0-9 |
10+ |
|
|
|
|
2 |
0-8 |
9-11 |
12+ |
|
|
|
3 |
0-8 |
9-10 |
11+ |
|
|
|
4 |
0-7 |
8-10 |
11+ |
|
|
|
5 |
0-6 |
7-9 |
10+ |
|
|
|
6,7 |
0-5 |
6-8 |
9-11 |
12+ |
|
|
8,9 |
0-5 |
6-8 |
9-10 |
11+ |
|
|
10,11 |
0-4 |
5-7 |
8-10 |
11+ |
|
|
12-14 |
0-3 |
4-6 |
7-9 |
10+ |
|
|
15-19 |
0-2 |
3-5 |
6-8 |
9-11 |
12+ |
|
20-24 |
0-1 |
2-4 |
5-7 |
8-10 |
11+ |
|
25-29 |
0 |
1-3 |
4-6 |
7-9 |
10+ |
|
30-34 |
|
0-2 |
3-5 |
6-8 |
9+ |
|
35-39 |
|
0-1 |
2-4 |
5-7 |
8+ |
|
40-44 |
|
0 |
1-3 |
4-6 |
7+ |
|
45-49 |
|
0 |
1-2 |
3-5 |
6+ |
|
50+ |
|
0 |
1-2 |
3-4 |
5+ |
Effects
Desultory No effect
Lively Target disordered, Artillery silenced
Telling Target disordered & one base lost. Artillery damaged &
silenced.
Deadly Target disordered & two bases lost. Artillery wrecked.
Withering Target disordered & three bases lost. Artillery
wrecked.
Special Fire
Effects
A roll of 11 or 12 before adjustment
means that the firers are low on ammo, and that the target may suffer an
officer casualty.
(Roll on the 'Fallen leader table')
A brigade which is low on ammo must
withdraw out of musket range. A battery must limber up and move back a move as
if silenced. As soon as it is out of range of any enemy, the marker is
removed.(At the end of the friendly move)
Melee
Eligible stands:
All except march column count all
stands
March only counts first two stands
Lines may count 2 deep
All eligible stands on both sides
may fire before a melee.
Both sides roll 2 dice and add or
subtract factors as shown below.
The difference is then cross
referenced with the Charge Table.
Charge Table
|
Difference |
Effects |
|
7 or more |
Swept from the field. Defenders retreat full move disordered/silenced. One stand captured, one flees. Leader & battery captured if present. One extra stand is captured for each difference over 10. Attackers break through & must charge half move toward nearest enemy. |
|
4 to 6 |
Driven Back. Defenders retreat disordered/silenced beyond musket range. One stand flees. Battery damaged. Attackers may carry position or break through. |
|
1 to 3 |
Hard Pressed. Defenders disordered and recoil 2". Batteries silenced & withdraw beyond musket range. Attackers carry the position |
|
0 |
A desperate struggle. Both sides disordered & lose 1 stand. Roll again with adjusted modifiers. |
|
-1 to -3 |
Assault checked. Attackers disordered & recoil 2" |
|
-4 to -6 |
Assault falters. Attackers retreat in disorder beyond musket range. One stand flees. |
|
-7 or less |
Charge repulsed. Attackers retreat a full move in disorder & one stand flees. One leader & stand captured. An extra stand is captured for each difference over -10. |
Modifiers
+1 Attached
leader or exceptional brigade commander (not cumulative)
+2 Fresh
-2 Spent
+1 French
charging
+1 Russians
defending
+1 Cavalry
+1 Cavalry
charging
+1 Armoured
cavalry
+1 Lancers
charging
+1 supported
(friends within 1/2 move to rear)
+1 Breakthrough
charge
-1 Outnumbered
3:2
-2 Outnumbered
2:1
-3 Outnumbered
3:1 or more
-1 Disordered
-1 Low
on ammo
-1 Each
stand lost during fire phase or desperate struggle
+1 Defending
hill, ford, woods
+2 Defending
Sunken road, stone wall, buildings
+3 Defending
trenches or fieldworks
-3 Defender
outflanked.
-5 Defender
surrounded.
+1 Guards
-1 Militia
Detachments
A Detachment is a single base. It
may only ever be deployed in hard cover.
Detachments are of two sorts -
temporary (made by a brigade to defend cover) or permanent (made at the start
of a scenario). To make a temporary detachment, or for a detachment to rejoin
its brigade, counts as a formation change. The base is placed up to 1 move away
from the brigade in cover. A detachment may not move except to rejoin its
parent brigade. It may fire and melee normally, although it may never initiate
melee. Detachments ignore disorder results, and are destroyed by any other
result.
Permanent detachments (e.g. groups
of riflemen in houses) may not move at all.
Command and
Control
A commander who is not in command
radius of his superior has his command radius reduced by one grade. A poor
commander loses his command radius completely. Check command and control for
commanders at the start of the move. Mark out-of-command commanders.
Fallen Leaders
|
Roll |
Result |
|
2 |
Felled by sniper |
|
3 |
Crushed under falling horse |
|
4 |
Mortally stricken |
|
5 |
Shot dead in the saddle |
|
6 |
Grievously wounded |
|
7 |
Disabled |
|
8 |
Coolly ignores the fire No effect |
|
9 |
Horse shot out from under but unscathed No effect |
|
10 |
Staff officer struck No effect |
|
11 |
Coat pierced but unscathed No effect |
|
12 |
Mere flesh wound No effect |