Great Northern War Rules

Great Northern War Wargames Rules

(Being a variant of One Hour Wargames rules by Neil Thomas)

Unit Types (based on 15mm figures)

This game features the unit types of:

Infantry – 4 25x25mm bases each with 4 figures

Cavalry – 4 30x30mm bases each with 2 figures

Dragoons – 4 30x30 bases each with 2 dismounted figures

Artillery – 1 40x40mm base with one gun and crew

Table Size used 36cm x 36cm

Formations

Infantry in line – 4 bases across by 1 deep.

Infantry march column – 1 base across by 4 bases deep.

Cavalry – 2 bases across by 2 bases deep.

Cavalry in march column – 1 base across by 4 bases deep.

Dragoons – a line of four bases across

Artillery – Limbered artillery has the gun pointing to the rear of the base. Unlimbered artillery has the gun pointing forward.

Sequence of Play

Each complete turn comprises two player turns. Each wargamer follows the sequence listed below in his or her player turn:

1. Command

2. Movement

2. Shooting

3. Hand to Hand Combat

Command

Players may attempt to rally units that generals are in base to base contact with. Roll a d6 and subtract this number of hits from the unit’s casualties.

On the roll of a 1 the general is injured or killed and is out of the game. The general may not recover a lost base.

Generals move as cavalry.

Movement

Unit Type	Movement
Infantry	15cm
Cavalry	30cm
Dragoons	20cm
Artillery	15cm

Turning

Units turn by pivoting on their central point. They may do so at the start and/or the end of their move.

Marching. Units marching double their movement but may not march within 20cm of the enemy. Units marching must be in march column.

Terrain

Units are affected by terrain as follows:

i. Woods. Half Movement, Artillery can not enter.

ii. Towns. Cavalry may not end their moves in a town. Artillery can not enter.

iii. Marshland and Lakes. These are impassable to all units.

iv. Rivers. These may only be crossed via bridges or fords.

v. Roads. Units moving by road increase their movement distance by 3cm if their entire move is spent on the road. This bonus may not be received if charging.

vi. Hedges, walls etc. impassable to artillery, other troops Half Move.

Moving and shooting. Units may not shoot if they moved in this turn.

Interpenetration

Units may never pass through each other.

Formation changes.

Units may either move or change formation.

Charge Moves

All units except artillery and dismounted dragoons may charge. Infantry cannot charge cavalry.

Charges are resolved by moving the attacking unit into contact with its target.

They are subject to the following restrictions:

i. Turning. A charging unit may turn once, at the start of its move. This evolution may not exceed 45^o.

ii. Limited Engagement. Only one attacking unit may contact each face of the target (these being Front, Left Flank, Right Flank, and Rear).

iii. Fighting. Combat is resolved during the Hand-to-Hand Combat phase.

iv. Outnumbered. A unit may not charge if its opponent has more hits remaining. Swedish troops ignore this rule.

v. Frontal charges on artillery. Units may not charge the front of artillery so long as it has a friendly unit within 10cm.

Shooting

Only Infantry, Dragoons and Artillery can fire. The procedure is as followers.

Adjudge Field of Fire.

Units may only shoot at a single target within 45^o of their frontal facing.

Measure Range

Troop type	Close Range/Damage	Long Range/Damage
Infantry	15cm/D6	30cm/D6-2
Dragoons	15cm/D6-2	30cm/D6-3
Artillery	15cm/D6+1	60cm/D6-2

Assess casualties. Units roll a die when shooting. The result gives the number of hits the target acquires, which is modified by the following:

i.              Cover. Units in woods, fortifications or towns only suffer half the registered number of hits (any fractions are rounded in favour of the unit shooting).

ii.            Unit deterioration. Units that lose half their strength (8 hits) subtract 1 from all dice rolls for shooting.

Check Ammunition (Optional Rule).

Units roll a second die whenever they fire. If this scores 1 the unit has run out of ammunition, and may not fire for the remainder of the game.

Hand to Hand Combat

The procedure for Hand to Hand Combat is as follows:

One Sided Combat

Units only inflict casualties during their own player turn.

Assess Casualties.

Units roll a die.

Unit Type	modifier
Swedish Infantry	+2
Cavalry	+2

The final score gives the number of hits the target acquires, which is modified as follows:

i. Cavalry. These units only inflict half the number of registered hits if attacking Swedish and Russian infantry (rounding any fractions in favor of the attacking unit).

ii. Terrain Advantage. Defenders in woods, towns, on a hill, or defending a river crossing, only suffer half the indicated number of hits (rounding any fractions in favour of the attacker).

iii. Flank or Rear Attacks. Units engaging the enemy flank or rear double the registered number of casualties.

iv. Unit deterioration. Units that lose half their strength (8 hits) subtract 1 from all dice rolls for combat.

v. Artillery are eliminated if contacted by the enemy.

Retreat. A unit that loses an element as a result of hand to hand combat must withdraw 10cm from combat facing the target. If the attacking unit fails to remove an element from its opponent then it remains in combat if infantry or withdraws 10cm from combat facing the target if it is cavalry.

Movement within Combat

Hand-to-Hand Combat only concludes with the elimination of one of the contesting sides. Units may however turn to face an

attack upon their flank or rear, but only if they are not simultaneously being engaged frontally and there is room to turn.

Eliminating Units

Units are eliminated upon the acquisition of 16 hits. A base is removed for every 4 hits.

Army Generation.

6 units

Die Roll	Infantry	Dragoons	Artillery	Cavalry
1	3	1	0	2
2	3	1	1	1
3	3	0	1	2
4	4	1	0	1
5	4	1	1	0
6	4	0	1	1

4 units

Die Roll	Infantry	Dragoons	Artillery	Cavalry
1	2	1	0	1
2	2	1	1	0
3	2	0	1	1
4	3	1	0	0
5	3	0	1	0
6	3	0	0	1

3 units

Die Roll	Infantry	Dragoons	Artillery	Cavalry
1	1	1	0	1
2	1	1	1	0
3	1	0	1	1
4	2	1	0	0
5	2	0	1	0
6	2	0	0	1