"Patriots and Loyalists "permanant marker" " Topic

can anyone explain what a permanent marker is in the above rules, there is very little explanation in the rule book the only reference I can find is in section 18.5. "permanant marker determination step"

Does the marker have to be a counter with something written on it e.g. "disordered" ? which is then placed next to the unit, or is it something completely different.

I may have missed it in the rule book, but I don't think so. Any help appreciated.

old smokie

A "unit" has 6 or so stands.
A permanent marker is a marker that goes on a stand when something bad happens. They cannot be removed. I use small plastic curtain rings, by the way. Others use "casualty caps".
When a unit has accumulated one marker per stand, it has become totally ineffective, and is removed.
Whenever anything happens that is potentially harmful, the shooter does not roll a die. The "target" makes a morale test, and if he fails, he gets a "permanent marker". This is different from most games, and some do not like it. I do. YMMV.

Note how hard it is for elite units to accumulate markers, but once they get one, they become mortal. This is the only rules set I have seen which makes small elite units viable, but brittle. See the Guilford Courthouse scenario.

Think of it in terms of kills

Eew, another "remove the whole unit" rule, blah.

I really like this mechanic versus the "remove a stand" mechanics that are common in many rules. Removing a stand normally causes a line to shorten, which is not what would have happened (it would have thinned).

Seeing 5 rings on a 6-stand unit is a good way to know which units are going to break if pushed. I find this better than a roster, because both sides can see that it is wavering.

That is one point I like about the rules, taken from Shako I believe and also used by the Crusader rules.

thanks for the replies.

old smokie