Articles Main Menu
Home
Scenario Design
Excalibur and Boardgame Support
Rules and AAR
Terrain and Models
Broadcasting Miniature Games
autoracingcombat.htm

Rules and Product Menu

Main Landing Site

Downloads here.

 

 

Sample Scenarios and Maps in 
The War Games Archive.
For scenarios, visit each 
era of the Rules page.

We do not accept these email accounts due to proliferation
of spam: Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail  

This section will outline in basic terms, the options and ideas for organization and conduct of a miniatures game.    Click here to see a basic sketch of organization and table size. 

We're doing this so players can see the various elements of a miniatures game without wading through tons of data, and to emphasize that appearance and esthetics can be important elements to the enjoyment of the game. In this example, the American Civil War will be described.

In previous documents notably for Fix Bayonets!, we talked about couriers and communication in the game.  In Hex Command, owing to the fast-play nature, such details are rarely touched upon but you can still put them into play so your games remain a nice looking event each time you set up.  After all, even though fast games are great, you at least want to have a slight nod to a simulation.

Random Terrain Changes

We will assume the miniature terrain is already established, and both sides have their assortment of infantry, cavalry and artillery ready to be organized into armies.  We also assume you've got a map of the battlefield and remember, except for where units currently are located or where they are to move onto the field, certain terrain features should be fluid and not actually "set in stone, " to represent the unknown factor: size and location of hills, forests and farms should be able to shift in location or be totally removed, until any unit gets to within a move from the terrain feature.  Between the two forces, randomly assign numbers to terrain features that correspond to numbers possible with 1d10.  Each turn roll the d10 and that feature is going to be affected:  Roll the d10 again to prescribe up to 10 different random affects to the feature.

Command Stands and Flag Organization

Although it is optional and not required, the appearance of the game is enhanced with each element of historical appearance, and one of these is the presence of stands of individual brigadier and divisional commander stands.  In some cases, back behind the lines even further, a miniature stand showing the Corps commander, decorated with his aides and staff and other typical features.

Historical research will be required to establish miniature flags which is derived from army organization, because that is actually how the actual commanders would have visually identified each other's position on the field of battle; players can actually have the same visual benefit.  Although army symbology can appear odd once you start researching it, it is important that players observe as much of the history as possible because this helps understand commander mind-set.  Commander mind-set is important because it establishes a foundation for determining a list of random events that would typically be possible at the time and place of battle.

In some cases however, when we were recreating flags of Corps, Division and Brigade, one or two elements seemed SO odd that we just had to change it so our eyes could see the miniature flag easier.  Usually this was an element of color or the kind of symbol used.

We're also assuming here that each unit on the table has it's own state flag so it can be identified on the table.

Figure 1 below describes the Division elements with:

An average of 

• two to four regiments per Brigade
• two to four brigades per Division
• two to four divisions per Corps.

Figure 1.