"My Solo Wargame Engine" Topic

Here is the engine I use to move OPFOR units when I play solo, regardless of the rules I am playing. Anyone else have something similiar? Any comments appreciated. Thanks.

Roll a d8 for each basic unit to perform:

Deployment
1. Reserve
2. Right side in rear.
3. Right side and forward.
4. Left side in rear.
5. Left side and forward.
6. Center in rear.
7. Center and forard.
8. Forward 18" in cover.

Roll a d6 for each basic unit to perform:

Movement
1. Hold
2. 1/2 move forward towards nearest enemy.
3. Full move -2" forward.
4. Full move -1" forward.
5+ Full move.

I play mostly solo games and I have never found the necessity for such a system.

Nowadays I frequently use a card based activation system that controls the order in which units are activated. I find this makes solo games far more interesting and enjoyable.

I had some thoughts for controlling a defence in a solo game.

Various numbered blanks would be distributed around. Then there would be a computerised list which assigned units to these or not, based on the probabilities from a TOE for a particular type of unit.

Then the idea would have been, as you moved a unit to input to the computer the type of unit (tank/infantry) and range then the computer would decide to fire or not depending on the type of hidden unit. This would be a mix of chance to kill, eg infantry won't open fire at long range on tanks, waiting to close range to get a good shot, and some randomness so that you can't be sure that as you enter into long range that the blank isn't an AT weapon.

Didn't get too far with this -- probably as I spent too much time on the random force generation bit, when it is probably more practical to input a list of available units and pick from these, either randomly or towards some total points value -- though obviously Mike wouldn't want that option.

"though obviously Mike wouldn't want that option."

!!!

I have never solo gamed,but I slavishly collect material on how to do it,because one day… However I've thought about something similar,to randomly drive the opponent. I've always thought that I might be too one sided and deliberatley cause the otherside to make mistakes,and an "engine" would be the answer. That way,if something happened that was a mistake,or foolish,it could be chalked up to the fog of war.

Here's one that I sometimes monkey with for solo WWII skirmish:

Offense (prepared assault)
1:Full frontal from line formation, Prep with
smoke & mortars once enemy position
is located, and then launch direct attack
2: Probe w/ advanced recon squad to locate
enemy positions & then attack in force
w/ rest of platoon at opportune point
3: Flank attack – 1 squad engages the center
from a distance while 3 squads maneuver
to assault a flank
4: Pincer – 2 squads engage broadly in center
at a distance while individual assault teams
manuever to outflank the position
5: Feint attack -- 1 squad feigns an assault
at a point in the defensive position, drawing fire
while the other 3 squads attack in force at
another point in the defense

Defense (static), general plan:
1: Dug in semi circle w/squad in reserve to re-enforce weak points & as observation post
2: Dug in semi circle w/ scout team in strategic outpost position for early warning
3: Dug in semi circle w/ 1 squad in advance as a delaying screen

Offense/Defense (mobile for patrols/encounter ):
1: Skirmish Line
2: Arrowhead
3: Platoon Column
4: Wedge

I also use this to help drive the tactical decisions during play:

Strategic Dispositions
Strategic Dispositions – roll 1d6 at start of each turn for each squad:
If score is 5 or higher, then increase disposition by 1.
If score is 2 or less, decrease disposition by 1.
If squad is having success or in Proximity to platoon HQ Officer +1,
If squad is faltering, or Squad leader killed or 1/2 squad killed -1

1 Heroic: uncanny knowledge of tactical/strategic significance of enemy units and will take best course of action to weaken the opponent while
working in coordination with his own units

2 Bold: -strong tactical initiative,will attack/advance/ engage enemy if there is opportunity -- good sense of the battlefield

3 Vigilant: understands the plan of action for his units and alert to the battle. Though there is less tactical initiative
unit is more apt to be aggressive tactically rather than cautious and will act quickly.

4 Prudent: understands the plan of action but will try to make a safer mover before a move that is more dangerous to his unit
will make sound tactical judgements but not aggressive ones.

5 Indecisive: very hesitant to make a tactical decision. Does not react quickly or aggressively to the battlefield situation
will follow the plan but not initiate a quick attack or forward thinking defensive manuever

6 Passive: -- will always opt for tactics that do not endanger the unit, will not engage unless strongly pressed by the enemy
will always require moral check if the plan calls for the unit to aggressively attack or advance under fire.

I set an objective or series of them for each side and then go with the "best decision" for each action. If I run into one where I am not sure then I flip a coin or roll a die depending on number and likelyhood of each option.

I do like the idea of adding some random ness into the deployment or timeline for offboard units to join.

Interesting ideas that I may have to borrow for my solo gaming.

Fred12df,I wrote an article for Lone Warrior mag detailing a similar system for force generation using counters and counter sleds.I do like how you have conditions built in for unit activation.

Also use a solo movement engine for controlling cloaked spaceships in Full Thrust as well,based on a system by David Manley for generating forces and terrain in Civil War era ironclad games.Found it to be simple and unpredictable way of using cloaked ships in FT.

Thanks for the neat ideas.

Mark

Hey great stuff here. I do find my thoughts on solo AI a little more complex but then I am designing it for use with Empire V tabletop and campaign rules. Although I have not posted much on this recently, I began publishing my thoughts on my blog at link

David
wardepot.blogspot.com
6to20painting.blogspot.com

I have seen some nice card driven engines for solo play.

Two great ideas that I have adopted come from Steve Jackson's "The OGRE Book".

First including at least one "attack rear" card in the deck. This allows the AI a lot more tactical flexibility and unpredictability than you might expect.

Second remove at least one card from the deck without looking at it. This helps throw off cardcounting strategies. I often use a deck built from a pool of larger than deck size, filling the deck randomly. Not knowing exactly what options the enemy has available builds suspense.

I also find that the sequence deck and initiative mechanics from Field of Battle are great for solo play. I assign both sides general and specific objectives and characterizations before play and do my best to have each side respond to the cards accordingly.

For example a "reckless" commander would use every movement card to advance at maximum possible movement speed, while a "cautious" commander would move more slowly and stop when units entered cover.

Mine is simply working through thought processes I would take IF I was the commander/s. Most are just logical thought and can be tabled. Such things can be turned into % out of 100. EG. If in foreign ground and contacted enemy force at a major map feature such as a town, ridgeline, crossroads, etc, enemy has a certain % to be on the defence. That % changes depending upon whether or not they outnumber your force, what nation they are, was there a contact earlier in a close by location, sort of troops contacted and so forth. Thinking through the options and playing around with the %'s leads to something that can be written down and used by anyone.

David
wardepot.blogspot.com
6to20painting.blogspot.com

Most of my Wargame rules are on our club website and are available to freely download as PDFs.
Apart from the 7 year war rules, they are all solo playable.
Enjoy!

link

Richard,

I sent you this as an email through Tyneside. Thanks for posting your colonial skirmish rules. I'm not clear how to calculate Risk Factors. Is this done per unit, per figure? Are the factors cumulative -- if so, the factors only run from -1 to 3, so how do I get to Risk Factor 9? Thanks for any help you have time to give.

Hi

Using different ideas/mechanisms in solo gaming will certainly help keep things interesting.

I use random deployment for the occasional game – but it can lead to some eschewed deployments: artillery on the flanks/cavalry in the centre/infantry way behind!

In re fights it may be unnecessary (should you use the historical deployment), battles within campaigns are likely to have deployment based on the whereabouts of opposing armies/dispersed troops (at least those known to you) and the overall 'strategic' value of the outlying land/towns/routes.

The 'depth/detail' of a campaign will dictate to a varying extent where the AI (opposing force – assuming you play against a programmed opponent) and yourself will attempt to deploy to best suit your objectives.

These objectives are really part of the ‘narrative' that is so important in keeping continuity within games – anything beyond an historical re fight will lack coherence if there is no reasoning behind the action taking place.

This subject is of course a books worth!

Thanks.

I use something similar for deployment, but once the game starts, "I" move from one side of the table to the other, playing that side with full commitment and vigor. The movement system is semi-sequential, such that I don't get into a rut doing IGOUGO: each turn starts with an "initiative" d6 roll; highest chooses who moves first; then the turns are divided into two "impulses". This makes for varied emphasis, turn by turn, such that I cannot simply move and counter-move with predictability. When you honestly don't care which side wins, you are both sides (and no side), just observing how the battle will turn out….

Using unit motivation cards works well for me. I represent each unit in the field with a card and also include one 'Turn Ended' card which is added to the deck at the begining of the game. Both forces cards and the 'Turn Ended' card are shuffled together and placed at the side of the table. A card is drawn and the appropriate unit is 'activated' and may act. Once the units action is complete the card is placed away from the deck. The system allows a very random activation sequence with one side possibly getting two or three moved on the trot before their opposition gets chance to react. Should the 'Turn Ended' card be drawn then all used (i.e. activated units) are returned to the stack and thoroughly re-shuffled before the process starts again.