"Light Bobs 250' AWI Rules Reviewers Wanted" Topic

Light Bobs 250' Reviewers Wanted

This new version has been over a year in the works and we feel it is ready for others to have a look and hopefully share their thoughts on it. This is an entirely re-written set from the first edition. I am placing the Designer Notes here to help you decide it you are interested.

If you wuld like a pdf version please DM me here with an e-mail and I will send you a pdf version.

Those that find it of interest and help us with commenting, proofing and/or playtesting will get an autographed printed copy when it is released.

PARTIAL DESIGNER NOTES

INTRODUCTION
The game mechanisms in Light Bobs are designed to give a game that has the feeling of the period, not just the battle. Like most published games of the past and present, Light Bobs can be played as standalone game where players setup a game, have a great time and then pack up. To gamers just starting out in the hobby this is great, but it isn't too long before they yearn for a campaign.
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SOLO GAMES
The fog of war in the game due to the Command Card system and the First Move Generation of each game turn is so good that you can play a solo game and not automatically know which side will win. You would truly have to cheat to trick the game.
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CAMPAIGNS
In a campaign game you can truly prove who you are and how good you can be. But campaigns can be a black hole. When you rely on other gamers to participate in a campaign life always seems to get in the way. Players take longer and longer to submit orders or even play the battles generated by the campaign.
By using the Leader skill rules, the Mini-Campaign players can be in a mapless campaign. With the beginning of each new battle having been created by the Leaders themselves.
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LEADERS
The Leaders rules are designed to ensure that command is both a privilege and a peril. In Light Bobs your Leader is not an abstract bonus generator but a physical presence on the battlefield—inspiring men, altering momentum, and, falling to chance. By limiting each army to a single primary Leader (with additional subordinates in larger engagements), the system emphasizes hierarchy and responsibility. Command is centralized, but never safe.
Military Rank (MR) serves two purposes: it measures authority and determines survivability. A newly commissioned Captain (MR 3) is competent but far from invulnerable. As rank increases, so does resilience and command ability, but the risk never disappears. The fractional "Advanced" ranks reflect transitional stages in a career—moments where experience and growing influence have not yet fully translated into senior authority. This creates a natural narrative arc as Leaders rise through success or falter through defeat.
Leader Risk is intentionally unforgiving. The battlefield of the era was chaotic, and officers often led from the front. The simple dice thresholds and card-based injury table create suspense without excessive bookkeeping.
Promotion ties performance to progression. Winning improves prospects, but chance—represented by the deck—always has a say. Over multiple battles, this system encourages players not merely to win, but to preserve and cultivate their Leader. The result should be a growing attachment to the officer at the center of your story.
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PDF link :)

If you have gotten this far I thank you.

Chris Parker
Day of Battle Games
dayofbattlegames.com

What's described sounds interesting but the sequence of play and command and control rules aren't covered. Do units do what you want each turn ( subject to activation and ‘who good first'), or do they continue to perform their last order until a new one is received or their morale fails? I'd very much be interested in play-testing if it is the latter.

BillyNM

The game uses a deck of 54 playing cards for it's command system. Each player has a hand of cards and then decides what to do each turn based on the cards he has at that tim.e

I would suggest you request a set of the rules to have a look.

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3.1.2 COMMAND CARD DETERMINATION
If the player rolled a 1 it is Open-ended 1 and is re-rolled per the Open-ended dice roll rules. The adjusted score is compared to the Leader or Lt. Military rank. If the final score is equal or lower than the Military Rank the player draws a number of cards equal to the Military rank of the Leader. A Lt. may only draw 1 Command Card. If the final score is greater the Military Rank the Leader draws 1 Command Card less for each point greater. Successful Open-ended die rolls can each add bonus Command Cards (see 1.3).
MAXIMUM COMMAND CARDS
Players may hold a maximum of 5 Command Cards unless they have bonus Command Cards.
3.1.2.1 NO COMMAND CARDS
If a player fails to get any cards and he does not hold any cards, he may draw 1 card. This ensures that a Leader (not a Lt.) will always have 1 card at the start of his turn.
3.1.2.2 TRANSFERRING COMMAND CARDS:
• At the end of a side's Command Card Determination Phase, the Army Commander may transfer 1 Command Card to any or all Leaders under his command.
• Regimental Leaders may then transfer 1 card to any Lt. under their command.
• Transfers may not increase the held cards above their Military Rank limit.

The solo part of it and the campaign could be interesting, is there a career progression part to that for the leaders?

I do have detailed rules for that from the first edition, but have set them aside for now. I have given traits for them to gain and at the end of each battle win or lose they have a chance to be promoted to a higher rank called Military Rank. If used in a campaign setting allows the leader to raise (be given) a larger force of Units and better command.

Command Basic Rules are listed below and as a pdf at this link.

PDF link

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Light Bobs uses a fixed Turn Sequence, with the scenario determining one side as the Attacker and the other side as the Defender. Both sides will get to move, Fire, and melee with their Leaders and Units during the Action Phase of their half of the Turn.
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A game is played in a series of game turns. A game turn starts at Phase 1 which determines which side will be active first. The active side then follows through to Phase 5. At that point the inactive player becomes active and starts at Phase 2. If both sides have been active the turn ends and play returns to Phase 1.
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Note: It is possible that a side will move 2 turns in a row.
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All turns are the same with the exception of the first turn of the game when both players perform Command Card Determination simultaneously. This is to ensure all players have Command Cards at the start of a new game.
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In each Turn, there are five Phases which are played through in order, (see the table below).
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TURN SEQUENCE
1 First Move Determination: At the start of each turn both Army Commanders draw a Randomizer Card. The card value may be modified by the First Move Determination table below. The player with the highest modified score decides who the active player is for that game turn. A joker always wins (see 3.1.1)
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2 Command Card Determination: At the start of an active sides turn each Leader and Lt. on that side will roll 1d6. If the modified die roll is equal to or less than their Military Rank, they may draw as many cards as their Military Rank. Exception – a Lt. may only draw 1 card unless his die roll was Open-ended 1 (see 1.3). Held cards are counted towards the total cards they may hold (see 3.1.2).
Morale Markers and Smoke are removed at this time.
Command Card transfers take place at this time.
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3 Action Phase: Units are activated individually and in any order the player wishes. When activated a Unit may perform any of 3 actions as long as there are Command Points on the single card played on it to do so (see 3.2).
3.1.0 Who Can Fight. A targeted enemy Unit may respond to being attacked if: 1) It is at Close Range or in Melee, 2) A Commander is attached, 3) A Command Card or Staff Card orders the unit to Fire back.
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4 Morale Checks (both sides): Units or Commanders suffering hits or lost are causes (see 5.1).
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5 Free Reorder: Any Unit outside of 8" distance from an enemy may remove DIS for free (see 4.4).
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Light Bobs uses a 54 set of playing cards. Their values are as follows. The card color is not important in the Command Section of the rules.
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COMMAND CARD VALUES:
Joker: 3 single Command Points that may be used on multiple Units.
Ace: 3 Command Points that can be used on 1 Unit.
Face: 2 Command Points that can be used on 1 Unit.
Numbered 2-10: 1 Command Point that can be used on 1 Unit.
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3.1.2 COMMAND CARD DETERMINATION
If the player rolled a 1 it is Open-ended 1 and is re-rolled per the Open-ended dice roll rules. The adjusted score is compared to the Leader or Lt. Military rank. If the final score is equal or lower than the Military Rank the player draws a number of cards equal to the Military rank of the Leader. A Lt. may only draw 1 Command Card. If the final score is greater the Military Rank the Leader draws 1 Command Card less for each point greater. Successful Open-ended die rolls can each add bonus Command Cards (see 1.3).
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MAXIMUM COMMAND CARDS
Players may hold a maximum of 5 Command Cards unless they have bonus Command Cards.
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3.1.2.1 NO COMMAND CARDS
If a player fails to get any cards and he does not hold any cards, he may draw 1 card. This ensures that a Leader (not a Lt.) will always have 1 card at the start of his turn.
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ACTION PHASE
Units are activated individually and in any order the player wishes. When the active side has completed all its actions, play passes to their opponent returning to Phase 2. When the both players have completed all their actions, the game turn is done and returns to Phase 1.
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TYPES OF COMMAND:
One card may be played on a Unit to perform any of the following actions. There are 4 commands possible:
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• Move
• Charge into Melee
• Fire
• Rally
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MULTIPLE AND DUPLICATED COMMANDS:
• A Unit may perform as many actions (including duplicates) as the Command Card played allows.
• Each action is separate and must be completed before the next one is carried out.
• Each additional action adds 1 additional DIS to the Unit.
• If not already reordered with the first card a second card may be played to reorder the Unit.
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COMMAND COST IN COMMAND POINTS:
• 0 CP: Move a Leader once, up to 15 inches, 6 inches if wounded at any time during his turn.
• 1 CP: Move or Fire a Unit or all the Units in a Battle Line.
• 1 CP: Remove 1 DIS from a Unit or from each the Units in a Battle Line.
• 1 CP: Charge a Skirmisher or charge a Unit from the flank or rear.
• 2 CP: Declare a frontal charge with a Unit or a Battle Line.
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SPENDING COMMAND POINTS
When a Unit is selected to active its actions must be finished before another Unit may be activated. Remaining Command Points on the Unit are lost.
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• Face cards and Aces may be used to issue a command, but any unused Command Points remain with that Unit until they are either spent on additional actions during the same turn or discarded unused.
• The Joker is the only card whose Command Points may be distributed across more than 1 Unit.