"Across a Deadly Field; ACW Rules" Topic

This is my review of Across a Deadly Field (ADF) the newly released ACW rules authored by John Hill of Squad Leader and Johny Reb (I, II, III) fame. They are published by Osprey.

I've had access to the rules via the Scribd subscription service for about a month now. I don't have the paper version yet (that's coming from Amazon).

I have read the rules thoroughly and have played out the introductory scenario provided in the rules (a first day of Gettysburg scenario) to get a feel for the rules and how they play.

This review is not comprehensive. It's just an overview and some impressions.

GAME SCALES:

So, the game scale is 1 infantry figure = 60 men, 1 Cav. figure = 30 men, and 1 artillery model = a battery. The number of gun sections in the battery is indicated by the number of crew figures on the base.

Units are infantry regiments, cavalry regiments, and artillery batteries.

This means units aren't very large, at least in the mid-to late war. For example, largest unit in the starter scenario (set in 1863) provided in the rule book is 10 figures. (600 men). There are some units that are only 4 figures.

The ground scale varies depending on the size of the figures your using. For 15mm, it's 1" = 80-100 yards.

The time scale is 1 turn = 30 minutes.

The rules say they can be played with any size figure; 25mm, 15mm, 10mm/6mm. The ground scale is a bit different for each scale and the rules give charts for each scale. Regardless of the scale though, each figure = 60 men, etc..

BASING:

The rules don't specify a size for bases. This is left up to the player.

They do state that units are supposed to be composed of the same number of bases, regardless of the number of figures in the unit. The options are two base units or three base units. This means that, ideally, you have bases with different numbers of figures on them to make up the units.

It's done this way so you can see a unit's morale status at a glance just by looking at the unit. Each unit starts at a certain morale point (called a Basic Morale Point-BMP). As it loses bases its BMP changes. For example, if using the three-base scheme an Elite unit that starts with a BMP of 3 (lower is better) would have a BMP of 6 when it's lost one base and a BMP of 9 when it's reduced to its final base.

TURN SEQUENCE:

The turn sequence is very simple. There is not movement phase, fire phase, rally phase, etc.

Each Turn is composed of two player-turns. The scenario will specify who gets the first player turn.

In each player turn there is an active player and a reactive player.

The active player chooses a unit and can perform two actions with that unit in any order; move, fire, rally, change formation, charge. So it could move and fire, fire and move, fire twice, move twice, move and charge, etc.

You finish one unit's (or group's) actions before moving onto the next. Actions are resolved strictly sequentially.

The active player can also designate a group of units to take their actions at the same time. These aren't permanent groupings, but instead can be chosen each turn. The units in the group have to be adjancent (usually within 1"), in the same formation, and all have to do the same thing.

While the active player is acting with his units, the reactive player can (you guessed it) react with his units. Allowed reactions are fire, change formation, change facing (I think Rally also).

The reactions can only be to reaction triggers. The active player triggers a reaction if his units fire, move more than 1" and/or take any action while within 2" of the enemy.

Each reacting unit can react only once. So if a unit fired at an active unit that moved if a juicier target comes along later in the sequence, too bad.

MOVEMENT:

Movement is what you'd expect. Distance depends on the formatio and terrain moved through.

There is an interesting move called a Disengage move. This lets a unit move a long distance in any direction at the expense of dropping a morale level. You use this when a unit is Shaken to get it out of the way so it can rally (a unit that is Shaken doesn't drop to Routed by using the Disengage move).

Units can wheel, oblique up to 45 degrees, move backwards at 1/2 speed, interpenetrate friends at the risk of being disordered.

A unit can only do one Charge action in a turn though.

FIRE:

Units calculate fire by figure, generating fire points per figure. You add those points to a die roll and consult a chart to see the effect. The number of dice your roll depends on the range (1 dice for long range, 2 for normal, etc.) There are also die roll modifiers for firing on the target's flank, first fire in a battle, etc.

Units can pool their fire in groups. Up to 18 figures or 16 fire points. Aritllery can group up to 3 adjacent batteries. To do this they have to be designated as a group with the restrictions stated above. This is important to do because especially with smaller units and at long range where the fire of individual units won't likely have any effect alone.

The results of fire will be either nothing, a morale check on the target (sometimes modified), or lose a figure or figures and take a morale check as well.

One interestig point is that units have a Primary Fire Zone. This is, for infantry, straight ahead up to 9". A unit has to shoot at a target in its Primary Fire Zone if there's one there. This can sometimes make it difficult to mass fire on one target.

CHARGE/MELEE:

Units (or groups) can only charge in a straight line-no wheels, oblique, etc. (If you want to do that you do it with a move action before charging).

The charge distance is a normal move + a bonus move which is random. So depending on how far away you start you're not always sure you'll make it.

The target of the charge (and other reacting units) can fire at the charger. If the target has already used its reaction it can stil fire, but at a very reduced effect. The target can also hold its fire against the charger until it gets to point blank range. The target has to take a "Fear of Charge" morale check and if it fails that it's fire may be at reduced effect.

If the fire on the charger doesn't have an effect, or has an effect but doens't cause a morale failure, the target now takes a "fear of impact" morale check. (if it hasn't already done that in waiting to fire a point blank range).

The combat results are based on comparison of the charger's impact value to the target's. The Impact Value is the number of figures + a die roll – the Morale point. The higher total wins. The results are dependent on the difference as set forth on a chart.

Support is very important in the charge (and for morale in general). This is because each supporting unit reduces the units Morale Point by 1 (this is good, lower is better). So when charing you want to bring along friends for support and the defender wants to have friends nearby as well.

MORALE:

As alluded to, morale tests are taken throughout the turn in reponse to being fired on, having units rout past, being involved in a charge, etc. You can also take one as a Rally action.

To take a Morale test you take the unit's Basic Morale Point (which depends on how many stands are left) and add modifiers to get its Modified Morale Point.

The most common modifier is support from other units. The MMP is also modified by whether the unit is Disordered, Shaken or Routed.

You then roll two D6 and if you exceed the MMP you go up a level or two, depending on how far you exceed the MMP, or down one or more levels.

Effects of the Morale test are implemented immediately.

The practical effect of allthis is that you'll want to keep your units together to lend each other support. If you don't, you're likely to have trouble with morale tests.

OTHER STUFF I HAVEN' TRIED

There are rules for Leaders. Essentially they can provide a Leadership Bonus that helps units pass Morale Tests. If they get killed they'll cause your units to test.

There are rules for mounted and dismounted cavalry.

There are rules for Engineering activities.

There are rules for Big Artillery.

There is a point sytem for creating pick up games with equal forces (The rules call it a Muster System).

The rules include a mini-campaign set in the East in the Fall of 1863 using this.

SUMMARY:

I like ADF a lot. It's well written and nicely presented. The rules work and I think have the right amount of detail without being either too finicky or too abstract.

In my opinion the most interesting thing about it is the Action/Reaction Sequence. Ths should keep all the players involved and forces you to make some difficult decisions as the Reacting player (i.e. when and if to react).

I also like the restriction on targets for firing. This prevents units from ganging up on one target in what I feel is an unrealitic fashion.

The most annoying thing about it, for me, is the basing. I don't like the fact that I need to have a supply of bases with different numbers of figures to accomodate the rules as written. Yes, you can work around it, but I think that if the author had calibrated firing and fighting around number of bases rather than figures, the whole issue goes away. (Then you can use any bases you have and it doesn't matter how many figures there are on them).

This isn't a major quibble though and all things considered I give the rules a firm thumbs up. I'm looking forward to the release of the accopmanying scenario books.

Nice review.

My copy arrived yesterday from Amazon, it certainly is pretty.

I am not sure about the basing, either.

i'm very let down about how fee figures are in each regiment.
mean to say, the regiments look goofy…

Having different numbers of figures on bases IS a major quibble. Unless you use individually mounted figures with movement trays, most people's existing figures will not work for ADF. And that could prevent many from even considering the set.

What are your thoughts about it working with either 40 or 54mm figures? Those figures can easily be based individually and might make it easier to "make change" when casualties are taken.

What are your thoughts about it working with either 40 or 54mm figures? Those figures can easily be based individually and might make it easier to "make change" when casualties are taken.

Don't see why that wouldn't work. You'd have to change the ground scale, ranges and movement distances of course.

BTW, the game will work perfectly fine even if all your bases have the same number of figures on them. You just have to do some fudging and since your units won't all have the same number of bases, you can't use the number of bases to track units' BMP (Basic Morale Point). You'll have to keep track of that with either a roster or labels on the units.

For example, my figures are all mounted 3 to a 1" x 3/4" base for Regimental Fire & Fury. So if I need to make a 7 figure unit I have to use 3 of my bases and mark two figures off one of the bases as "not being there".

Yes, I then have to use casualty caps or what have you to keep track of casualties.

I think the trend in rules today is to do things by bases, or by entire units (e.g. the Black Powder family of rules don't have you removing any casusalties) so you don't have to use casualty caps or whatever. Doing it by figures is maybe a bit "old fashioned."

I agree about the base sizes. Wish the author would of given a base size. Now I have to worry about the base size and number of figures.
Reminds me a little of the way Stars & Bars where based. Otherwise the rules are clear and well written. Plus looks like fun to play

Thanks you Bede19025, very useful review. Still waiting for Amazon to deliver my copy.

I got a copy yesterday. I like the action / reaction system as well but do not like units of two square bases, they just looks silly to me. If it plays well I will probably go with 3 base units of 2 or 3 figures per base. This means I will have to debase my JR 3 units which have 4 figures to a base. It sucks but on the other hand I will have 40+ regiments per side when I am done.

Thanks for the review! With the basing issue I would use mini dice for the number of figs on the base/stand. I've been using Minibits dice trays mounted on the back of my WW2 bases for games where it's not element removal but figure removal.
My question is roughly what is the time frame for playing a game?
Thanks, Steve

Thanks for the review! With the basing issue I would use mini dice for the number of figs on the base/stand. I've been using Minibits dice trays mounted on the back of my WW2 bases for games where it's not element removal but figure removal.

I'm not sure how practical that would be. With each unit comprised of 2 or 3 stands and at least 10 units a side in a game (and that would be a very small game) that's a lot of mini dice that can go AWOL :)

My question is roughly what is the time frame for playing a game?

I've only played through the starter scenario in the book and that solo, so I don't have first hand experience.

And,naturally, a lot depends on the size of the game.

Bernhard;
You said- " This means I will have to debase my JR 3 units which have 4 figures to a base."

If you have only 4 figure bases, how were you able to field anything but a 480 man regiment (4 figs x 4 bases at 30men/figure)in JRIII ?

I think the author did not specify an exact base sizes, because he wanted players to "Use whatever bases you have", and any resulting "Unit Width" errors were not important.

Even with that flexibility, it still uses figures as casualties, and not stands.

I think the whole figures vs. bases thing is a major deterrence to adopting the rules.

And the size of units making for a rather forelorn looking battlefield unless you are doing a major battle.

But otherwise the rules are well thought out and the action-reaction is a great improvement over simultaneous movement.

LE

Steve- We have been playing a small scenario, a small piece of the 1st Day Gettysburg, that will be in the 1st scenario book. It is a Division of 4 Brigades against the same, and it has taken usually 2 – 2.5 hours.
Multiple Divisions per side might be 4 hours.

All my 600+ stands are based 4 figures to a stand, 1" wide (thank you, Litko). No problem as what I do is use 7 as a base number and just subtract the number of original stands to figure a per stand modifier for the morale checks. Works slicker than owl….uh, dung.

As far as ADF, I agree about the 2 stand regiments. Not only does it look silly, but there is one other issues, for me, anyway. The battlefields – other than the large battles, like Gettysburg, Chickamauga, and so forth, are pretty small and hard to get a bunch of guys around. I mean, north half of Antietam from above the North Woods down to the Sunken Road only occupies a table space of 30" X 36". It feels almost like a boardgame size-wise. What I have been doing is doubling the ground scale to 1" = 50 yds and using the 25/28mm ranges and movement rates with the figures then being 1 figure = about 25-30 men. So one of my 4 figure stands is anywhere between 100 and 120 men. Considering how difficult to figure exact counts of men ready for duty in the regiments during the civil war at any one time, it works pretty good. This gives me regiments of between 3 and 5 stands. It also means I can fight the battles, or segments of battles, on a good size area – which is important when our gaming group gets together and there are 5 or 6 guys crowding around – and get a little more detailed battle.

I like the mechanics of ADF very much. I just wish John Hill had designed it for 1:50 terrain scale rather than 1:100.

Rev Zoom;

Johnny Reb III was designed at 50yds/inch. In order to do Corps sized battles, ADF had to be bigger- 80-100yds/inch for 15mm

Surely, as long as 3 stands of figures represents a regiment it isn't necessary to have a different number of figures on the stands itself. So long as I accept that a regiment is a regiment and 3 stands whether it is historically 600, 720 or 900 men strong. I should only have problems when attempting to represent the actual number of men in a regimental unit which I probably won't attempt to do.

As to how the table will look with 2 or 3 stand regiments, if the players move and fire their units as Brigades, which the rules encourage, the armies look alot like F&F (Brigade level). It is really a Brigade level game, in which you CAN maneuver Regiments.

urely, as long as 3 stands of figures represents a regiment it isn't necessary to have a different number of figures on the stands itself. So long as I accept that a regiment is a regiment and 3 stands whether it is historically 600, 720 or 900 men strong. I should only have problems when attempting to represent the actual number of men in a regimental unit which I probably won't attempt to do.

That would work, but keep in mind you calculate fire and remove casualties by number of figures.

You will need a roster or some other way to keep track of how many figures are remaining on those three bases.

Also, you'll need to know how many figures are on a base so you know when to remove the base.

I am going to get these rules even with having to track the casualties, as I like the idea of divisional level (or higher) commands but still with the ability to manoeuvre regiments. That is why I like Shako also.

Having to track the casualties on a roster or with markers is a feature of many other rules that I play and I can live with that.

There is always the option of a roll for any remainder casualties to see if the whole stand will be removed eg. less than four casualties scored in a single turn means a dice roll to see if the stand stays or is removed ; one casualty = remove on a 1. two casualties = remove on a 1,2. three casualties = remove on a 1,2,3 . Would need testing but would remove the need to keep a roster in a larger game.

Thanks Bede19025 for the review, my order is about to go in!

Having to track the casualties on a roster or with markers is a feature of many other rules that I play and I can live with that.

The other thing you can do is just not worry about trying to keep all units with the same number of bases.

Just keep track of figure losses and increase a units BMP at 33% and again at 66% losses.

Again, the only reason the rules specify that all units should be the same number of bases is to keep track of the BMP, not the frontage of the units.

PJ – I know ADF was designed for Corps sized battles. But it is so much better than JR III that it should have been done as a replacement for that AND for Corps sized battles. All it takes is a different set of charts. The mechanics stay the same.

What I have been doing is doubling the ground scale to 1" = 50 yds and using the 25/28mm ranges and movement rates with the figures then being 1 figure = about 25-30 men.

Shouldn't you be halving the fire points too then? Otherwise you're going to have a lot of casualties, in terms of figures at least (in men it might end up the same I suppose).

I am doing it as John Hill recommended. You may have twice as many casualties, but you have twice as many figures. Mathematically, it's a wash.

Between 10-4 figures per regiment. I might have to get my old Marx plastic guys down from the attic. I'm already starting to feel like a ten year old just thinking about it.

Rev zoom- no reason not to play JRIII with ADF mechanics- John Hill has some recommendations on that in the new Q&A section of CigarBoxBattles.com, which has become a resource for ADF.

Thanks, I haven't looked at it in a couple days.

I am doing it as John Hill recommended. You may have twice as many casualties, but you have twice as many figures. Mathematically, it's a wash.

Well there is one difference. With more figures firing there's more of a chance for causing an effect at long range.

A fire needs to have a total of at least 12 before there's any effect on the target.

At 1:60 a 10 figure regiment will cause an effect on a roll of 7 or more (10 figures x 1/2 for long range + 7).

That same regiment at 1:30 would be 20 figures and would now need only a 2 or more to cause an effect at long range.

So long range fire will be much more effective.

Bede- In both JRIII and ADF the effect of Long Range is one less D6- not 1/2 Firepower.

Bede- In both JRIII and ADF the effect of Long Range is one less D6- not 1/2 Firepower.

Doh! Don't know what I was thinking. Just ignore me. :)

I'll try both with our gaming group – same scenario (Northern flank – Antietam dawn attack) so the only variable will be the fire chart and we'll see how each turn out. The real results are pretty well known :-) so it gives us a standard against which to measure.

I will play my first game on Sunday. I think I will try using 3 instead of 2 stands per regiment. It looks better. Since my unit sizes will be 6, 9, and 12 instead of the usual 4,6, and 8 figures as recommended in the rules my regiments will have more figures. I will account for that by adjusting the number of dice they roll in combat. I will simply roll 1 less D6 than normal for all fires. In the case of long range infantry fire which normally only gets 1D6 I will use 1D3. Since the average roll is a 3.5 and since I am adding an extra 2-4 figures per regiment the results should be the same. The regiments will last a little longer since they have more figures but I do not think that will mess up the game too much. There will be less variability. I will also use the 25mm movement rates and ranges since my Infantry units will be 50% larger. I am also tempted to use 2 instead of 1 gun model to represent Artillery, as in JR2, it also looks much better, especially if you are representing mixed batteries. The trouble is that I think it takes up too much space in relation to an Infantry unit, too bad.

For anyone interested in playing Jonny Reb scale with ADF mechanics, the Cavalry Fire Table is already calibrated for a 1:30 ratio and could be used for Infantry and Cavalry fire. Max figures for 1 fire would be 32 with max firepower at 36.

I'm going to have to get this set. I have been looking for rules to use for 6mm with Baccus figs. This sounds perfect if I use 20 mm square bases, one base representing one figure in the rules with two Baccus strips on a base.

I would just figure out a formula so each base equals a certain number of men. Say each base is 150 men. Then a 600 man unit would be 4 bases. I would not think the enemy would know a unit's morale by sight anyway unless they were distintive in some way. For example the Iron Brigade with their Hardee hats or maybe by their standard like the Irish Brigade. So not know the units morale by the number of figures on the stand would be a plus for me. I guess this would fall under the "home" rules. I got my copy today from amazon. They are pretty! I do wish the book was a little larger however.

We just had our first game. I'll try go get an AAR posted in a day or two.

I hosted the game depicted above. We used three stand units of 6, 9, and 12 figures each instead of two stand units of 4,6, and 8 figures, and used the 25mm chart with 15mm figures. I adjusted the Infantry combat chart slightly to account for the extra figures. On the plus side the game was fun, looks right, and rewards historical tactics. The Artillery system elegantly differentiates US from CS as well as gun calibers which Johnny Reb3 does not. It was our first game and it flowed quite well. On the minus side the game is very chart heavy which is time consuming. The action reaction system can also slow the game down a bit, especially if you have multiple players per side. Charges are also quite complicated. Overall, I like the game better than JR3 which is saying something as I am a big fan of JR3.

The quick play charts used by the playtest team are available here:

link

How's command and control? Does it make a difference if your subordinate is Hancock or Butler?

Yes, inferior commanders have a more restricted command range. A Uni
To which is out of command range may only perform 1 rather than 2 actions.

Aspern: thanks for the link.

Here is a link to a slightly larger font 4 page quick reference ADF chart -

link