"Weather in a wargame." Topic

Of course, I'm talking about the "weather" in a wargame, not in the open (smile).

Do you used some rules about weather in your wargames?

As wind (for the benefit or against the cannon balls or rockets).

Sun (for those Armies who had the sun directly to their eyes).

Rain (lack of firepower in your infantry and broken squares by the cavalry).

Mud (in consecuence of the rain) (heavy terrain were your artillery had to used double-teamed of horses).

Others like overflowing rivers, severe storms that reduce visibility to near zero, crumbling rocks in mountains, etc.

I had tried with the heavy rain and it was a loooong battle with very slow movements of troops and interminable hand to hand close combat.
I still used the "wind" for artillery or rockets.
No more.

Amicalement
Armand

As much as I like Chef', I do not do it now. It really is overkill for an abstraction to start with. It may affect movement and such (which I do use), but when you start using it to add modifiers to gunnery tables…. it has gone too far….
Like: it is 3 pm, troops facing into the sun and firing uphill recieve a -1 on all fire dice….

No, definitely not.

Sometimes. Depends on the game.

I had tried with the heavy rain and it was a loooong battle with very slow movements of troops and interminable hand to hand close combat.

Quite realistic, then.

I'm mostly a naval gamer and weather plays an important part in many of my games. I've played a few land games where weather has had an effect, for example, Napoloeonic games played in heavy rain, affecting firepower, and an ACW game played in heavy fog that lifted during the "day". I don't use such aspects regularly, but if used sparingly they can spice up an otherwise average scenario.

Do you used some rules about weather in your wargames?

Yes.

Al | ravenfeastsmeadhall.blogspot.com

Yes – use weather rules sometimes, which usually slows things down!

All the time.

Brian

I have added weather conditions to historical scenarios only when it benefited one side over the other. If the weather conditions cause parity, what is the point of saddling yourself with a lot of added, ponderous and boring detail?

A few medieval examples where I have made weather conditions affect the battle are: Hattin, where a shifting wind screws with Saladin's tactics (I like to play a variant where the wind blows away from the Crusaders; it tends to change a lot of what happened next); Crecy, where the Genoese crossbow can't reach the English longbow before the longbow can reach them; same thing Towton, when it was snowing and the arrows fell short for one side yet carried farther for the other side; Agincourt has rain the night before turn the field into mud, and the French get screwed by it because they are the attackers.

To not consider weather in battles like these would be to ignore very key factors in determining the outcome….

Yes

Currently playing a practice game for our upcoming 1814 campaign using Empire V and 28mm Napoleonics. Got 4 corps engaged and the 4th hour of fighting saw heavy snow – no infantry fire, 50% artillery fire, 50% movement – cavalry running amock! Lots of hand to hand fighting.

David
wardepot.blogspot.com

I hate weather rules when essentially all they do is slow the game down either through ponderous adjustments or charts or through slowing movement down.

At the same time, I hate simplified rules that basically make near-meaningless alterations to play.

Given a choice I'd usually skip weather rules unless they add to the enjoyment and experience. As just visiting says, why add detail when it affects both sides equally?

I like once the "sun" effect against one of the Armies on their eyes.
Dices for shooting decreaced and even the veterans units failed against their enemies.
It balance when a militia unit charge against a veteran or elite one.

Amicalemente
Armand

As a pure random event: no.

As a significant part of the scenario: yes.

Yes I have used the weather, for doing things like e.g. the whole Arnhem campaign, weather is vital (airdrops, air resupply, air support etc).

The most common form of in-game weather is rain and/or mist which restricts visibility and/or mobility. Makes an enormous difference in twentieth century engagements.

In operational games I've also done the effects of prolonged rainfall, flooded ground etc which gives the engineers lots and lots to do keeping the few working routes open for supply vehicles etc. Until cunning players realise they can use their Kangeroos to haul supplies across country where trucks just bog down.