"ACW Random Events" Topic

If someone has already done something similar, appreciate a reference…but what I have in mind is creating a list of 100 "random events" that could be used to add color and fog-of-war confusion to an ACW battle. Would have to be generic enough to work with any rules set.

Players would roll at a specified frequency for a random event…and when one occurred, would consult the table with percentage dice to determine what was happening. Once determined, the effect would be applied to one unit (presumably regiment or battery/section) on the tabletop based on requirements of the event, a specified process or by random determination.

Hard part is coming up with the list of 100 random events or effects. Here are examples of what I have so far.

- Inebriated officer (mandatory charge)
- Low on Ammo (negative shooting modifier until resupplied)
- Friendly fire (shoots at nearest friendly unit)
- Officer wounded (no action requiring command direction/points allowed that turn)
- Spooked (green unit takes mandatory morale test at negative modifier)
- Give Way (unit must involuntary rout)
- Impetuous (charging unit can make follow-up charges without becoming blown/disordered)
- Saw the Elephant (green unit reclassified as veteran for balance of game)

Another way to think of this is …what are the strangest things you have every heard of happening on a Civil War battlefield.

Appreciate any thoughts/suggestions for additions to the list or on the idea itself.

I like random terrain events, and use them in WWII games to give purpose to the recon units. They can include:
- soft ground or marsh
- deep ravine
- water deeper or shallower than expected
- slight rise (blocks LOS but not movement)
- unexpected trail or road through forest or rough terrain
- trail or road unexpectedly ends
- group takes wrong road or trail.

On thing you can do is put markers on the table that correspond to an event (toss in some No Effect ones for good measure). When a unit gets to that point, the marker is revealed. If it is obviously wrong (deep river where there's no water, ignore it). Otherwise, roll dice or have another method for figuring out how big a terrain feature to put down or remove. If I add a road or trail, I make it go the shortest route through some terrain, like through the woods or rough.

To me, this all makes sense, because the map, or even the earlier scouting may not be exactly right.

I like your ideas. Good luck.

As with just about every concept in wargaming, it's been done. The old Yaquinto boardgame, Battles and Leaders, used a table of 100 events for when a unit's leader attempted a heroic action. These were all meant to influence a unit's morale (a critical component in the game). The events were allegedly based on actual events. The table was later reprinted in an issue of MWAN. An example of a "negative" impact on morale was "artillery strikes the colonel's torso, killing him instantly, and his horse gallops the length of the unit with the lower half of the colonel's body still in the saddle." An example of a "positive" impact on morale was "a spent round enters the colonel's mouth striking his wooden dentures. Spitting out splinters and cursing up a storm, the maddeen colonel charges the enemy unit inspiring his unit."

-smarter that the commander (regiment retires with no command to do so)
-Officer killed gloriously ( pass all morale checks for the rest of the game.)

broken wheel – battery that just moved loses one gun.
bad powder – firing shell less effective
skilled gunner – one gun more accurate
caisson explosion – battery checks morale with minus

One idea: use 2 D10 and total the scores. That gives you a bell curve with 19 results. Put the more usual ones in the middle of the curve. And now for some suggestions.

Oops! Friendly officer shot (Johnston at Shiloh, Jackson at Chancellorsville, Longstreet at Wilderness)
Oops again! Officer approaches enemy troops, is shot (Zollicoffer at Mill Springs, McPherson at Atlanta)
Regiment routed by bees when hive hit by shot (130 PA at Antietam)
Wagon/limber breaks down, blocks road/bridge
Sudden local downpour wets powder of one unit
barrel of whiskey found! Lose one turn until officers get control back
Officer kills a colleague (Marmaduke at Little Rock, Davis at Louisville)
Veterans refuse to charge works (Petersburg)
regiment ate green fruit on way to field, needs to take a one turn break

The "Battles & Leaders" chart was actually one of evnts rolled using 2D6. One was a colored die and represented the tens digit. the other was white and represented the singles digit.

Thus you got results from 11-66 for 55 possible events.

The chart was modified for the ECW in the rules "File Leader".

Battles & Leaders was, IMHO, one of the best regimental rules systems for the ACW period ever developed. Played great as a boardgame or as miniatures. Yaquinto made so many good games that it's hard to think of anything they did that wasn't enjoyable, and easy to learn.

TMP link

Drop the mic.

About a decade ago in the Yahoo JR3 group somebody published a bunch of card for random events in JR games. They were pretty cool, and I'm sure could be adapted to other regimental level games.

Battles & Leaders was, IMHO, one of the best regimental rules systems for the ACW period ever developed.

TKindred:
The only real problem with Battles & Leaders was the fire results table. Larger units [in a hex] suffered fewer casualties than smaller units from the same fire.

The chart for "grand gestures" was a neat mechanic--and a lot of fun, lots of color. Officers could attempt to better a unit's morale with a 'grand gesture', which might be successful, or just get them killed.

If you're playing at a level below army commander, you could have a random event "Orders from Above" that requires a unit to do something arbitrary that might (or might not) be totally inappropriate to its situation -- like "Close up on Reynolds and support him," a la Chickamauga.

I like the system in(I think it's) MMP's Brigade Combat Series where orders have to be delivered (so there's a delay getting them there unless two commanders are in the same hex), and once they are received, they will be implemented, delayed, or ignored. Delay represents the time it takes staffs to get the orders to lower officers, and for those officers to act on them. Ignored means that the receiving officer either decided not to follow the orders, or the orders were so confusing that no one could act on them. The kicker is that, unless orders are ignored, when the orders are received and given a time slot, they must be implemented no matter if the situation has changed. (Nothing worse than having to carry an attack on a hill that was lightly defended two hours ago, but is now bristling with artillery.)

"but what I have in mind is creating a list of 100 "random events" that could be used to add color and fog-of-war confusion to an ACW battle." Placing gamers in a state of uncomfortable state of uncertainty is always IMO a praiseworthy thing. The overarching trick however is to prevent the game from turning into random event roulette.

As mentioned by other posters, this approach has been done over time in various guises and ways. Mwindsorfw's application of random terrain effects mirrors my own approach. Terrain detail on most maps was far more suggestive than definitive; and that fordable stream might actually not be fordable if heavy rain fell upstream yesterday. Players will suddenly become very fond of their skirmishers and scouts.

The "beehive hit by a cannon shot" or General Lee's horse steps in gopher hole" sort of random event I'm not so crazy about. Where does the line get drawn?

B

Found a reference at ACW Gamer to a set of random event cards for ACW battles entitled Ut Filious Mos by Robert Sweeney, but haven't been able to find a link to procure or more detailed info about how they work. Anyone have a set?

I wonder if that is the set I was referring to? Here are three of them. I don't know the copyright status, so won't show or distribute more. They were made specifically for JR3.

Now I remember! They are reviewed in Charge! #26. I have a copy because I contributed a scenario! You can use regular playing cards. I think the nicely printed ones were a limited edition run. Well worth it, or at least a look.

link