Campaign Nitty Gritty

One of the problems in any campaign system is to resolve losses. Here's the system that I developed and have been using.

1. All losses are calculated on the tabletop unit. This is brigade of horse, regiment of foot, and battalion of artillery.

2. Half of all losses come back the next morning. These are the 'just scratched', those who ran away and came back, and so on.

3. An additional 1/2 casualty can come back for a drop in morale grade. This does not apply if the unit only suffered one hit. A unit that lost only one hit cannot be restored to 3 hits, but has to remain at 2.

4. Artillery battalions that are knocked out other than by melee are allowed to recover, but they drop one morale grade. This is the only exception to the "one hit" rule above.

An example: the von Plotzdorf foot, MG=5, EFD, PT, EP (morale grade 5, early firelock drill, partially trained - i.e. don't march in step with drill to match - elites - grenadiers - present) lose 1 hit. They are now 2 hits, MG=5, etc. If they'd lost 2 hits, they'd get 1 back, and still be MG=5, etc. If they'd lost 3 hits, they'd get 1 back automatically, round the 1/2 up for a drop in morale grade. So they'd be 2 hits, MG=4, EFD, PT, EP. After a while on campaign, troops get run down and have to be sent to the rear.

5. There are no replacements except by whole units in the campaign.

An example: von Plotzdorf is reduced to MG=3, 1 hit. They cannot be recruited back up to full strength during the campaign. Instead they go to the rear to be recruited up. The Katzenjammer Fusiliers show up as a new unit, MG=5, EFD, PT, EP.

No provision is made in Volley & Bayonet for command casualties. I like them, Frank doesn't. Maybe we'll do it someday. That can be sort of fun.

Other things we'll try:
a) all of the neat rules in version 2.
b) subordinate commanders have their units "in command" by touching, not by 6". This is controversial (i.e. there was a lot of discussion about it). This also means that before we do that we'll have to try lots of small commands vs. a few large commands.

I can't wait to play some more VnB.