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<title type="text">Jim’s SF novels and wargame rules</title>
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<updated>2024-03-23T14:51:10Z</updated>
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<title type="html"><![CDATA[Istan]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2024/03/24/istan/" />
<id>http://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/?p=2239</id>
<updated>2024-03-23T14:51:10Z</updated>
<published>2024-03-24T04:00:00Z</published>
<category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Uncategorized" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="China" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Hell and Fateful Decisions" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Kalashnikov Tribal" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Russia" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[All empires fall, and each seems to fall in its own peculiar manner. Yet sometimes you see similarities between one fall and another. With the third British Empire we had experience gained when losing the two previous ones, so did it differently. But others lack our experience. It’s fascinating to look at the fall of<a class="more-link" href="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2024/03/24/istan/">Continue reading "Istan"</a>]]></summary>
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img width="1024" height="576" data-attachment-id="2240" data-permalink="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2024/03/24/istan/zkr8dbwld7w31/" data-orig-file="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/zkr8dbwld7w31.jpg" data-orig-size="1200,675" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="zkr8dbwld7w31" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/zkr8dbwld7w31.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/zkr8dbwld7w31.jpg?w=750" src="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/zkr8dbwld7w31.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2240" srcset="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/zkr8dbwld7w31.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/zkr8dbwld7w31.jpg?w=150 150w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/zkr8dbwld7w31.jpg?w=300 300w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/zkr8dbwld7w31.jpg?w=768 768w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/zkr8dbwld7w31.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
All empires fall, and each seems to fall in its own peculiar manner. Yet sometimes you see similarities between one fall and another. With the third British Empire we had experience gained when losing the two previous ones, so did it differently. But others lack our experience.
It’s fascinating to look at the fall of Imperial Russia. As somebody who has always been into ancient wargaming, I confess to being struck with the similarities between the fall of that empire and the Seleucid Empire. For the Russians you had the collapse and shrinking of the empire after WW1. It then expanded to its greatest extent under Stalin, before collapsing again until it stabilised as the Russian Federation and Putin seems to be trying to rebuild it.
Compare this to the Seleucids where their empire, founded largely be Seleucus out of the wars of the successors of Alexander the Great. It started coming apart but was glued back together by Antiochus III (also called the Great) who pretty much restored it. Unfortunately he fell out with the Romans and things started to come apart. Antiochus IVth then started to rebuild it but with his death after his army had failed to recover Persepolis things got distinctly ropey and the empire was never again the power that it had been.
Interestingly the two empires have something else in common. Whilst extending over great distances, their centres of power, population and focus were very much in the west. In the Seleucid Empire the core was Northern Syria and Babylonia. For Russia, the importance of Moscow and Petersburg mean they dominate as a quick glance at the population map above will show.
 Another issue is that both empires seem to be focussed on their western boundaries when their true interests might indicate they looked more to their underpopulated easts.
But for the wargames campaign, the fall of empire is an interesting time. At the moment I suspect that for a lot of people, Russia is looking weak. If you just look at the case of Armenia. The forces of Azerbaijan overran Nagorno-Karabakh they did this in defiance of Russian support for Armenia. Indeed they cheerfully targeted Russian forces. They didn’t care. The calculation Azerbaijan seems to have made is that, ‘if we have Turkey supporting us, Russia is too weak and too overcommitted to do anything about it.’
So let us base your campaign on a nameless ‘Istan’ somewhere along Russia’s southern border. You were part of the Soviet Union. After the breakup you might well be at least nominally independent. But in your eyes, Russia has clung on to territory that is ‘rightfully’ yours. Stalin probably carved it off, or perhaps the Tsar did.
So your aim is to get that territory back, and at the same time be recognised as completely independent.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img width="1024" height="554" data-attachment-id="2243" data-permalink="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2024/03/24/istan/istan/" data-orig-file="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/istan.jpg" data-orig-size="1100,596" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"Jim","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1711197311","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="istan" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/istan.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/istan.jpg?w=750" src="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/istan.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2243" srcset="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/istan.jpg?w=1022 1022w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/istan.jpg?w=150 150w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/istan.jpg?w=300 300w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/istan.jpg?w=768 768w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/istan.jpg 1100w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
So let us have a Russian Power Projection Track.
120 to 144. Everything is normal. It’s a three day special operation, nothing to see here.
100 to 120. Of course we are not having problems. But half the units in the disputed territory are removed and replaced with conscripts.
80 to 100. Our borders are secure. All air defence assets not integral to infantry formations at brigade level or below are removed and sent west.
60 to 80. Russian mobilisation proceeds apace. All regular units are sent to Ukraine, and are replaced with two brigades of recently raised conscripts.
40 to 60. Fifty percent of all tanks and infantry vehicles are withdrawn from the area and are sent west.
20 to 40. All air assets are withdrawn from Russian area and are sent west.
0 to 20. All regulars are removed and the area is patrolled by lightly armed police units with no artillery and few heavy weapons.
Note that if you have a Russian score of 100, (for example) you are not sure just which band Russia is in. If you invade when it is exactly 100, toss a coin to decide. ‘We Demand Rigidly Defined Areas of Doubt and Uncertainty!’
Every strategic move (which is every month) roll 2d6+1d4 and deduct that from the Russian total.
The Chinese Power Projection Track
The treaty of Aigun, signed in 1858 between Russia and China handed over large areas of Manchuria from China to Russia and has been denounced since as one of the ‘Unequal Treaties’ that China intends to overturn. At some point it’s entirely possible that the Chinese government might decide that Taiwan can remain on the backburner, and instead they can quietly recover Manchuria and other territories they claim in eastern Russia. From their point of view it would solve many of their strategic problems giving them access to their own gas and oil. Also it is unlikely that the Americans or anybody else would step in to stop them. Indeed it’s difficult to see how anybody could step in.
So every strategic move, draw one card from a convention pack of cards for the Chinese. Add the value of the card drawn to a running total. So Ace equals 1, and a King = 13.
When the Chinese total is higher than the total on the Russian Power Projection track, the Chinese quietly move to annex considerable chunks of eastern Russia. This takes d6 months and at the end of the process, the game is over. If, by that time, you have conquered the area you wanted, and have made a strategic partnership with Turkey, you’ve won. If not, you are doomed to fade from being a Russian dominated buffer state to being a Chinese dominated buffer state.
Signs of collapse.
Each strategic move roll percentage dice. If you roll higher than the total on the Russian Power Projection track then the Russian oil industry has collapsed to a level where they may not even be supplying their home market. The Chinese are immediately dealt one extra card.
Strategic partners
This I’ve simplified, and rolled everything together in Turkey. Each move roll a d4 and once the total reaches 24 you have achieved a strategic partnership with Turkey.
If you buy equipment from Turkey you can roll a d6 instead. To achieve this, you as the wargamer have to buy models of Turkish produced equipment for your force.
Balance
There is a delicate balance here. If you work it out on your fingers, the dice rolls are knocking an average of 9 points a strategic move off the total on the Russian Power Projection track. Also with three dice you’ll never knock off less than three.
But the Chinese total is growing one card at a time. This is an average of 6.54. But then the Chinese have a chance of getting an extra card.
Now the optimum time for you to invade is probably when the total on the Russian Power Projection track is below 80. So that is probably eight moves. But in the same period the Chinese probably get 9 cards and that averages 58.6. So if you strike too soon, the Russians might be a bit tough, if you wait too long, then the Chinese are already moving and you’re struggling to make your mark.
Your campaign
I would suggest you look at the general area on Google Maps and just pick somewhere to be your theatre of operations. Mark out the area on your map.
Forces.
It really depends what you have. But I would suggest that at the start they are about equal. So if you have three ‘brigades’ of Russian troops with proper support, you would have a similar force as the gallant defenders of your Istan.
Initially Russian forces with be regulars with reasonably modern equipment. But conscripts will have older tanks and older APCs. You on the other hand will start off with the equivalent of reasonably modern Russian and/or Chinese equipment and if you buy some Turkish stuff you get to field that instead.
Playing the campaign solo. The Russian forces will dig in, try and form a coherent front and just try and stop your advance and win time. They won’t have the sort of support needed to produce their own Surovikin line, but they will have enough mines and diggers to fortify strong points and the approaches to towns. Perhaps a third of the front can be to that level.
<img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/2665.png" alt="♥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/2665.png" alt="♥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/2665.png" alt="♥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/2665.png" alt="♥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />
If you are looking for rules to play out the battles, then you might want to try Hell and Fateful Decisions. Available from Amazon in paperback for £10 or on Kindle for £4.
<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-provider-amazon-kindle wp-block-embed-amazon-kindle"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="embed-amazon"><iframe title="Hell and Fateful Decisions. (Wargames Rules)" type="text/html" width="750" height="550" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen style="max-width:100%" src="https://read.amazon.co.uk/kp/card?preview=inline&linkCode=kpd&ref_=k4w_oembed_BWw15Fns65fVY4&asin=B0CR7YLBPX&tag=kpembed-20"></iframe></div>
</div></figure>
Or from Wargame Vault in pdf for £4.
<a href="https://www.wargamevault.com/product/465582/Hell-and-Fateful-Decisions" rel="nofollow">https://www.wargamevault.com/product/465582/Hell-and-Fateful-Decisions</a>
The idea behind this set of rules, aimed at smaller scale figures, is relatively simple. It is to place the player in the position of Battalion Commander. They’re designed to be played with 6mm figures but obviously work for 2mm, 6mm, 10mm, and I know people who’ve used them with multiple based 15mm figures. Because of this the rules have been designed to limit the fine detail that the player has to handle. In a combat the Battalion Commander is not going to worry about the positioning of squad automatic weapons and the handling of platoon assets. Lieutenants are paid to worry about that for him. However, the distribution of Battalion heavy weapons and the co-ordination of support units attached to the Battalion from the Division is very much his responsibility. The rules include sections on solo play, ‘shaping the battlefield’ and they also attempt to cover drone warfare. The problem I faced in updating these rules is that warfare is undergoing a period of rapid evolution. The battlefield is a very different place to what it was when these rules were first published thirty years ago. On the positive side, these rules also include the remarkably popular Kalashnikov Tribal rule set, which took very little updating, because incompetence is reassuringly timeless.
]]></content>
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<title type="html"><![CDATA[Customer Service]]></title>
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<id>http://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/?p=2227</id>
<updated>2024-02-23T19:54:52Z</updated>
<published>2024-02-23T19:54:52Z</published>
<category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Uncategorized" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Derin Su" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Energy pistols" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="inverted commas" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Potted Plant" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Alasya smiled at the young waiter who had brought across her coffee. He had been brisk and efficient but had still managed an old world courtesy that was rare. From his accent she assumed he was recruited from Psi Albia, the registered home world of the Icon of Space. She had chosen her position carefully.<a class="more-link" href="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2024/02/23/customer-service/">Continue reading "Customer Service"</a>]]></summary>
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Alasya smiled at the young waiter who had brought across her coffee. He had been brisk and efficient but had still managed an old world courtesy that was rare. From his accent she assumed he was recruited from Psi Albia, the registered home world of the Icon of Space.
She had chosen her position carefully. It was on the mezzanine deck overlooking the main passenger lounge. If she wished she could keep an eye on all those leaving and entering below, but due to the positioning of a rather elegant potted palm, she was not easy to see.
As the waiter made his way back to the small bar, Alasya did wonder what he made of her. She had caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror as she had climbed the stairs. A short thickset lady in her fifties wearing a heavy tweed skirt that came just below her knee, and a matching jacket.
She smiled at herself, sipped the coffee appreciatively and picked up her bag from beside her chair. Opening it she took out the novel. It was a comfortingly thick fantasy of manners classic by the author Tarin Aslan. Found on a popup second hand bookstall in Touchdown Spaceport, it was one of the few things she had brought with her from the planet. That and the high-powered energy pistol that nestled snuggly next to the pouch which contained her embroidery. She took another sip of her coffee, wiggled her shoulders a little to sink more deeply into the chair and opened her book.
***
Alasya was forced to admit that Aslan was on top of his form. She didn’t notice the ship’s officer until he arrived on the mezzanine deck. She looked up from her book and smiled at him. He bowed slightly, and when she gestured to the chair on the other side of the table he sat down.
“To what do I owe the honour of this visit, I trust my papers are in order?”
That won her a smile. “Madam, I have rarely seen papers so bland and innocuous.”
“I hadn’t realised that my utter irrelevance would of itself bring me to your attention. I apologise for falling below the high standards of notoriety that the Icon of Space expects from its passengers.”
“It wasn’t your papers that attracted our attention. It is the fact that you arrived with one comparatively small bag. Whilst you did check a laser carbine in with our purser, within your bag you still have a blaster pistol of impressive efficacy. Our captain is a man of delicate sensitivities, with an instinctive nervousness when forced to contemplate the topic of pirates and hijackers. Thus he asked me, Johann, as security officer, to discuss the matter with you.”
Alasya opened her bag, allowing the officer to see the pistol. “The reason is simple. I am, by profession, a security consultant. There are times when I might feel my life is threatened?”
“But you handed over your laser carbine.” “That is a sign of my failure.”
The officer looked surprised, “Failure?”
“Yes. On the good jobs, I am a security consultant, wear a skirt and carry the pistol discreetly. When my luck runs out and work is short I am a mercenary, wear fatigues and carry the carbine.” She allowed herself to smile, “Generally wearing a skirt and carrying the pistol pays better and frankly it can be safer.” “I understand.” The officer glanced at the bag. “Are you expecting to be attacked on this trip?” “I am between jobs.” “Then given the fragile nervous state of our captain, would you make life easy for an underpaid security officer and let me look after the pistol for you?”
She reached into the bag and passed him the weapon, butt first. “And if I am attacked then I shall hitch up my skirts and flee at my best speed in an attempt to find you.”
“Here on the Icon of Space, company policy frowns upon those who try to assassinate our clientele.” He grew more serious. “So you are between commissions”
“Yes. I would be grateful for any suggestions as to where work could be found. In my last job I was rather out of the loop.”
The officer leaned back in his chair, the pistol on his lap. “Of the worlds we normally visit, Beruna is boisterous at times but in reality it’s both peaceful and civilised. Vordania Secundas might have work for you, but it’s more bodyguard stuff as politics can be a bit rough. Adhira is always hiring but I suspect you wouldn’t like it. Their government is a bit too authoritarian for my taste and they have trouble with a wide range of ‘subversives’.” Alasya was sure she could hear the inverted commas.
The officer continued. “There’s always Derin Su. A lot of companies, no proper government, and all sorts of interests keeping the pot well stirred.”
<img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/2665.png" alt="♥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/2665.png" alt="♥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/2665.png" alt="♥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/2665.png" alt="♥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />
Apparently people expected there to be more to the last episode I published, so I’ve had to work out what on earth has been happening! This story mentions Touchdown. In case you don’t know it, it’s mentioned in the novel, ‘In on a Chance’. Available from Amazon on Kindle for £3.50 or £11.00 in paperback There isn’t a prize for the person who finds Alasya <img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/1f642.png" alt="🙂" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />
<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-amazon wp-block-embed-amazon"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="embed-amazon"><iframe title="In on a Chance (Touchdown Collection Book 1)" type="text/html" width="750" height="550" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen style="max-width:100%" src="https://read.amazon.co.uk/kp/card?preview=inline&linkCode=kpd&ref_=k4w_oembed_GQZ6u30pMnbDQH&asin=B09FZSY7SB&tag=kpembed-20"></iframe></div>
</div></figure>
It’s also available from Wargame Vault in pdf for £3.50
<a href="https://www.wargamevault.com/product/370706/In-On-a-Chance" rel="nofollow">https://www.wargamevault.com/product/370706/In-On-a-Chance</a>
And Ali across at Iliada Game Studio is working on some 3D printed figures to go with the world of Derin Su (and all sorts of other places) You can see his stls here <a href="https://www.wargamevault.com/browse/pub/12750/IliadaGameStudio/subcategory/29755_44973/STLs" rel="nofollow">https://www.wargamevault.com/browse/pub/12750/IliadaGameStudio/subcategory/29755_44973/STLs</a>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>jwebster2</name>
<uri>http://jandbvwebster.wordpress.com</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Life on Derin Su?]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2024/02/15/life-on-derin-su/" />
<id>http://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/?p=2217</id>
<updated>2024-02-15T11:08:24Z</updated>
<published>2024-02-15T11:08:24Z</published>
<category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Uncategorized" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="submarines" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="tundra" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Yak" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Tasker, a middle aged nomad, yak herder, merchant, and doubtless much more, leaned against his yak and watched the ice in front of him. These were the coordinates he had been given. Behind him a dozen more of his clan were huddled, chatting, flirting, or just checking harness for something to do to keep themselves<a class="more-link" href="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2024/02/15/life-on-derin-su/">Continue reading "Life on Derin Su?"</a>]]></summary>
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Tasker, a middle aged nomad, yak herder, merchant, and doubtless much more, leaned against his yak and watched the ice in front of him. These were the coordinates he had been given. Behind him a dozen more of his clan were huddled, chatting, flirting, or just checking harness for something to do to keep themselves occupied.
As he watched the ice in front of him domed slightly. Then with a sharp crack, a submarine conning tower broke through. He studied the ice around it. It wasn’t shattering. Already a figure on top of the tower was waving to him. He waved back and turned to the waiting group. “Right, down onto the ice, let’s get this over with.” By the time they arrived close to the conning tower there were already a score of people on the ice. Tasker stepped to one side as his people started unloading yak drawn sledges. Crew members started passing these crates up to the submarine whilst the nomads loaded the sledges with the goods the submarine had brought.
“Why?”
Tasker turned and looked down at his son Arnar. He had brought the boy on this trip. It was as safe as any and the lad had to learn his trade at some point.” “Why what.”
The boy gestured at the submarine. “That’s a Delcorp boat. Delcorp have their own spaceport. So why do they need us?”
“The Delcorp spaceport is busy, all sorts of people pass through it. Who knows who is watching? But if they deliver to us, we can get it to the University research station and stuff can leave by the next shuttle flight.”
“And why here?”
“Satellite observation. There aren’t many that overfly this area and if you get the timing right, the sub has been and gone before anybody sees it.” He turned and looked to the four people who were walking towards him. “And these are the real reason. Half the crates are ours, trade goods and a nice bribe. The other half are theirs and grease the palms of shuttle crews and similar.”
He smiled at the four strangers. Three were dressed in nomad winter gear, it looked new and too clean. The fourth was smaller and their clothing seemed to be what had been begged from the crew of the submarine.
“I was expecting three?” He allowed the question to hang there. It was the smaller person who answered. “I’m the extra.”
The conning tower was already starting to sink back down. Tasker raised his voice. “Right, everybody, let’s get out of here. Doggo, you lead out, take Sari, keep an eye ahead, then our three guests here with a couple more folk to help them if they start to struggle. Finally the sledges, I’ll follow up at the back.”
Tasker looked round, the conning tower had disappeared, the sledges were moving off and Doggo and Sari were already climbing up the snow slope onto the island.
He turned to the fourth of his guests. “The other three I know. Delcorp wants them away. And you?” The person pushed back her hood so her face was visible. The low sun glinted on her snow goggles. “I arranged it myself. I got pregnant to the wrong man, there was trouble, killing and the security arms of two different companies came looking for me.”
Tasker asked, “And your passage money out?”
She shrugged. “I called in favours to get this far.”
“Right, so it looks like you’re one of us, at least for a while.”
“I’m an aeronautical engineer.”
Tasker smiled at that. “Welcome aboard. At least you’ll be useful. My father was in HR when he ended up on the tundra. It was lucky that it turns out that his training made him perfect for herding yak.” He paused. “How pregnant are you?”
“Seven months.” “Arnar, catch up with the last sledge, she’s travelling on that. Also somebody will have a couple of blankets.” He turned back to the woman. “They will stink of yak, but you’ll be glad of them just sitting on a sledge.” The woman looked at him with surprise. “Don’t you even want to know who I am?”
“You’re on your own on the ice. We don’t leave people out here, you’d be dead in a day. We have a summer camp fifteen miles south of here. We need to be there before we dare stop again. With shelter and hot food, then we can sit and swap stories.
<img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/2665.png" alt="♥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/2665.png" alt="♥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/2665.png" alt="♥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/2665.png" alt="♥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />
I’m working on a new world, Derin Su. This has oceans, pack ice, tundra, tropical islands that are all that are left when a continent sank, two different sorts of aliens, various very different types of human settlers, judicial volunteers, no planetary government and of course, commercial rivalries. 
Initially I was just thinking of using it for a scenario campaign book for Hellfire rules, but the more work I do, the more I think that there are going to be some Hell by Starlight scenarios as well. When I wrote Hell by Starlight, I worked on the principle that the user of these rules may well have purchased Hellfire. Consequently I put the rules together with everything pretty much in the same order. Similarly the rules are reasonably compatible. If you have a Hellfire scenario, you can basically take the troop types from it and run a Hell by Starlight scenario with them. Ok, so the reaction tables are different, but this is because I felt that we were dealing with shorter time periods and more intense action, therefore the system had to be different.
What this means is that when, during a campaign, you feel the need to destroy something, you have a choice. You can go with the classic infantry assault supported by air cover and a few improvised armoured vehicles. Or you can have a submarine drop off a few remarkably well trained frogmen just off the shore and when everything explodes, blame it all on careless smoking.
OK but why the fiction? Well at a very basic level if helps me get to know what’s going on, how things work on the world. Also it helps ‘fix’ things. At the most basic level, once you’ve read this, I’m stuck with there being at least one submarine with a conning tower tough enough to break through ice. Not only that I’m also committed to there being ice thick enough to need this. Other than that, who knows? With Tasker and the lady with no name appear in a scenario, even if just as collateral damage? Who knows? Certainly not me, yet.
If you don’t know Hell by Starlight, it’s available from Wargame Vault in pdf for £4 
<a href="https://www.wargamevault.com/product/384915/Hell-by-Starlight" rel="nofollow">https://www.wargamevault.com/product/384915/Hell-by-Starlight</a>
Or from Amazon, as a paperback for £10 or on Kindle for £4 
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-amazon wp-block-embed-amazon"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="embed-amazon"><iframe title="Hell by Starlight (Wargames Rules)" type="text/html" width="750" height="550" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen style="max-width:100%" src="https://read.amazon.co.uk/kp/card?preview=inline&linkCode=kpd&ref_=k4w_oembed_UMTNoCVhS4cSy6&asin=B09RB8KB24&tag=kpembed-20"></iframe></div>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>jwebster2</name>
<uri>http://jandbvwebster.wordpress.com</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Do you want ice with that?]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2024/02/08/do-you-want-ice-with-that/" />
<id>http://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/?p=2202</id>
<updated>2024-02-07T16:21:44Z</updated>
<published>2024-02-08T04:05:00Z</published>
<category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Uncategorized" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Amphibians" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Heavy tanks" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Hellfire" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="pack ice" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Obviously everybody realises that planets evolve with time. What people might not realise is that the same thing happens to imaginary ones as well. They just do so for different reasons. Derin Su was destined to be a water world. Ali wanted submarines and deep sea mining craft. Also there was a feeling that we<a class="more-link" href="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2024/02/08/do-you-want-ice-with-that/">Continue reading "Do you want ice with that?"</a>]]></summary>
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<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" width="600" height="600" data-attachment-id="2203" data-permalink="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2024/02/08/do-you-want-ice-with-that/map-6/" data-orig-file="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/map.jpg" data-orig-size="600,600" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="map" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/map.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/map.jpg?w=600" src="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/map.jpg?w=600" alt="" class="wp-image-2203" srcset="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/map.jpg 600w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/map.jpg?w=150 150w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/map.jpg?w=300 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></figure></div>
Obviously everybody realises that planets evolve with time. What people might not realise is that the same thing happens to imaginary ones as well. They just do so for different reasons.
Derin Su was destined to be a water world. Ali wanted submarines and deep sea mining craft. Also there was a feeling that we might get more interesting ships and underwater building complexes. But then you have to look at the technical details. Without bodies of land to break up the storms, you’d get the sort of weather and waves you get in the Southern Ocean, even more so. Indeed it is entirely possible you might see something similar to the Red Spot on Jupiter, a perpetual storm.
Still after a lot of reading I realised I could even have a legitimate alien species, the nonopus. Similar to the earth octopus, these are apparently capable of intelligence and can live down to a totally ridiculous depth. (Down to about 7,000m) These could play their own, enigmatic, role on the world.
Now one of the things I’ve noticed is that figure designers can come up with ranges far faster than it’s possible to build planets to set them on. Also with so much water and submarines being the only sensible form of transport, (they go under the storms) I had to produce a set of rules to allow for them. But still, I had the magma ocean cooling nicely, when Ali starting talking about Arctic dwellers. The problem is that whilst it’s easy enough on a water world to drop the temperature so you have polar ice caps, it’s not what you’d call a good living. So I built in a northern continent, (composed of very large islands, many of which are under permanent ice) so you have large areas tundra with parts of the coast far enough south to tempt people into a little agriculture and fishing. Thus our nomads were born.
Then somebody asked for landing craft. Oh yes, and Amphibians. Well there is no reason for anybody having landing craft on the world as it was. Also for Amphibians, the water is awfully cold next to the land. So something had to be done. Actually it was comparatively simple. One common phenomena is the chains of islands formed by volcanos. Certainly I could fit in a couple of them. But they tend to be in deep water. So whilst we have something to break up the constant storms, it wasn’t desperately interesting territory for our putative amphibians.
So I bit the bullet, built a continent and then sank it. This area is known as The Million Islands. This is because the number changes with the tide. Now there’s a large area where amphibians can frolic, grow their kelp beds, and generally have a culture. I also decided that the amphibians, unlike the nonopus, didn’t evolve here. Somebody fetched them, an awfully long time ago.
Also the thing about the million islands is that the whole idea is that most of them you can walk across. There are very few places where you cannot hear the sea, never mind see it. There isn’t much call for vehicles.
Inevitably, we reach a point where with Ali designing figures, Toby frantically printing and painting them, somebody said something about a scenario for Hellfire rules.
So here it is.
<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="671" data-attachment-id="2205" data-permalink="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2024/02/08/do-you-want-ice-with-that/424581775_10231920699063345_2237975699008743345_n/" data-orig-file="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/424581775_10231920699063345_2237975699008743345_n.jpg" data-orig-size="2043,1339" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="424581775_10231920699063345_2237975699008743345_n" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/424581775_10231920699063345_2237975699008743345_n.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/424581775_10231920699063345_2237975699008743345_n.jpg?w=750" src="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/424581775_10231920699063345_2237975699008743345_n.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2205" srcset="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/424581775_10231920699063345_2237975699008743345_n.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/424581775_10231920699063345_2237975699008743345_n.jpg?w=150 150w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/424581775_10231920699063345_2237975699008743345_n.jpg?w=300 300w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/424581775_10231920699063345_2237975699008743345_n.jpg?w=768 768w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/424581775_10231920699063345_2237975699008743345_n.jpg 2043w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The problems of transhumance.</h2>
It was set in the north, where a situation has occurred in Sounasken’s Sund. It divides the two islands of Longeyja and Nautaeyja. The northern parts of the two islands are covered by the ice sheet. Thus it is comparatively easy to cross from one to another. Obviously when moving herds, you want to spend as little time on the ice as possible.
The Nomads on Longeyja need the grazing provided by Nautaeyja, driving their yak across the sea ice early in spring and bringing them back late in autumn when the ice has frozen. Unfortunately the company Jedfund enters the picture. A mining company, Jedfund decided to set up a processing plant on the ice at the head of Sounasken’s Sund. Whilst most of their mining is deep sea, they weren’t averse to exploring the possibilities of mining the hills behind their plant.
To ensure shipping can reach the plant, they like to keep the ice broken. Thus the Nomads can no longer cross from one island to another. I’m pretty sure they tried presenting their case in a reasoned manner, but that obviously didn’t work. So they decided to do things the hard way.
They have acquired allies.
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">The Amphibians.</h1>
Normally the Amphibians wouldn’t come this far north. The water is too cold and the weather frankly poor. But obviously somebody owes somebody a favour and they came. (OK so they were the figures we had painted. Cultures and Empires have risen or fallen for lesser reasons)
The Amphibians are not human so they have their own reaction tables, and even some of the definitions are different as well. So don’t get confused and use this with humans.
TABLE THREE:
<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td>Surprised.</td><td>Outflanked.</td><td>Melee.</td><td>Casualties.</td><td>S/O+ Cas.</td><td>M+Cas</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>q</td><td>q</td><td>m</td><td>o</td><td>a</td><td>m</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>a</td><td>o</td><td>m</td><td>o</td><td>b</td><td>n</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>b</td><td>a</td><td>m</td><td>o</td><td>b</td><td>n</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>b</td><td>a</td><td>n</td><td>a</td><td>c</td><td>n</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>b</td><td>b</td><td>n</td><td>a</td><td>c</td><td>p</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>c</td><td>b</td><td>n</td><td>b</td><td>e</td><td>p</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>
TABLE TWO:
<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td>Surprised.</td><td>Outflanked.</td><td>Melee.</td><td>Casualties.</td><td>S/O+ Cas.</td><td>M+Cas</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>q</td><td>o</td><td>q</td><td>o</td><td>d</td><td>n</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>b</td><td>a</td><td>m</td><td>o</td><td>d</td><td>n</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>c</td><td>b</td><td>n</td><td>a</td><td>f</td><td>n</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>d</td><td>d</td><td>p</td><td>a</td><td>g</td><td>p</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>f</td><td>e</td><td>p</td><td>e</td><td>g</td><td>g</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>g</td><td>g</td><td>e</td><td>g</td><td>l</td><td>l</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>
TABLE ONE:
<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td>Surprised.</td><td>Outflanked.</td><td>Melee.</td><td>Casualties.</td><td>S/O+ Cas.</td><td>M+Cas</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>b</td><td>a</td><td>n</td><td>b</td><td>d</td><td>n</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>d</td><td>e</td><td>p</td><td>c</td><td>f</td><td>p</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>f</td><td>g</td><td>p</td><td>c</td><td>g</td><td>f</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>j</td><td>g</td><td>g</td><td>g</td><td>l</td><td>I</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>l</td><td>l</td><td>l</td><td>l</td><td>l</td><td>l</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>l</td><td>l</td><td>l</td><td>l</td><td>l</td><td>l</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>
a) Group continues to advance to close the missile range, will charge into close combat if within reach
b) Group continues to advance to close the missile range
c) Group stops, counts as in as good a cover as possible, and will not open fire or expose themselves to enemy retaliation in any way. Count as pinned. If it is really good cover, the group may no longer be visible to enemy troops and is therefore immune to direct fire.
d) Group stops, goes to ground and opens fire at nearest threat.
e) Group makes a sensible controlled withdrawal for one move to nearest cover, or until it reaches better cover or is out of range of enemy. Will fire normally.
f) Group falls back in a straight line at maximum move speed, avoiding impassable terrain. It will not stop until in cover or out of range, will only fire at half effect.
g) Group falls back in a straight line at maximum move speed, avoiding impassable terrain and abandoning wounded and heavy weapons. It will not stop until out of range. This undermines the group’s self-esteem so deduct two points permanently from their Reaction Point Total.
j) Group places all groups they can see within weapons range under fire. Causes no casualties but friendly groups must test for surprise.
l)       Group ceases to exist.
m)     Group continues with what it is doing, but if contacted by enemy group counts as fully ready for close combat.
n)      Group does nothing but prepare for close combat. This preparation does include firing at the potential attackers but not at anyone else.
o) Group will turn and treat the outflanking force as its main target. Will advance to close the missile range
p)      Group packs up ready to go. If contacted it fights at less effect. However when called upon to move away from the enemy it gets a 50% bonus.
q)      Group will endeavour to close with the enemy with the aim of engaging them in close combat.
Amphibian Infantry
There are six units of Amphibian Infantry, each five bases strong. They appear anywhere along the water’s edge.
They carry personal projectile weapons. These fire darts underwater, on land they fire a heavy slug. They wear no armour.
Each base has one figure with a shoulder mounted rocket launcher. Under water it fires a torpedo. On land it’s a manportable self-fired rocket with an 8” range. They’re a bit temperamental, so on a 1,2,3 on a d6 it doesn’t fire.
On land they throw one dice up in close combat.
In the water, they throw two dice up.
Reaction total 2,2,3,2,1,2,2,1  15pts
Amphibian Float Plane
The Amphibians have got their own air support. They have a float plane with two door gunners (so can fire to either side simultaneously) and it carries a large (vehicle mounted) bomb. Until it drops the bomb it counts as a slow flier, when it drops the bomb its only armour is that it is a flying vehicle. Once the bomb drops it becomes faster, more agile, and can count as if it had medium armour.
Reaction total 3,2,3,2,2,2,2,1  17pts
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Nomads</h2>
They come in four moves after the start.
These wear heavily padded clothes which count as flak armour at ranges over 10”
The Nomad units are all five bases strong and they carry personal projectile weapons.
Yak riders
Reaction 2,2,3,2,2,1,2,1 15pts
Infantry
Reaction 2,2,2,2,2,1,2,1 14pts
They have two Fliers
Their sole armour is that they are fliers. They mount (for this operation,) a Crew served projectile weapon.
Reaction 3,2,3,3,2,2,2,1 18pts
<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="958" data-attachment-id="2206" data-permalink="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2024/02/08/do-you-want-ice-with-that/424926761_10231920700503381_3859412224828921349_n/" data-orig-file="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/424926761_10231920700503381_3859412224828921349_n.jpg" data-orig-size="1228,1149" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="424926761_10231920700503381_3859412224828921349_n" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/424926761_10231920700503381_3859412224828921349_n.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/424926761_10231920700503381_3859412224828921349_n.jpg?w=750" src="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/424926761_10231920700503381_3859412224828921349_n.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2206" srcset="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/424926761_10231920700503381_3859412224828921349_n.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/424926761_10231920700503381_3859412224828921349_n.jpg?w=150 150w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/424926761_10231920700503381_3859412224828921349_n.jpg?w=300 300w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/424926761_10231920700503381_3859412224828921349_n.jpg?w=768 768w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/424926761_10231920700503381_3859412224828921349_n.jpg 1228w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Defenders of the Plant</h2>
Security troopers.
There are two units of these deployed around the plant. Each is five bases strong and they wear flak armour and carry personal projectile weapons.
Reaction 3,2,3,3,2,2,2,1 18pts
Reinforcements
These arrive, purely by chance, at the same time as the Nomads. They come in from the open sea.
There are two units of Security troopers
Each is five bases strong and they wear flak armour and carry personal projectile weapons.
Reaction 3,2,3,3,2,2,2,1 18pts
Transport.
These arrive in a hovercraft which counts as light armour and mounts a crew served projectile weapon.
Reaction 3,2,3,3,2,2,2,2 19pts
Support.
There are two tanks. These have heavy armour, a vehicle mounted artillery piece mounted in the front. There is also a crew served projectile weapon capable of firing all the way round, and on the back is a rack of unguided rockets. Count this rack as containing two vehicle mounted unguided missiles, both of which are fired at the same time at the same target. It cannot be reloaded during the game.
Reaction. 5,5,5,5,1,1,1,1
Landing craft
The tanks are each transported in a landing craft. Each counts as having medium armour and a crew served projectile weapon.
Reaction 3,2,3,3,2,2,2,1 18pts
<div class="wp-block-image">
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Miscellaneous</h2>
There were scattered unarmed vehicles scattered about the town used by the staff. Also outside town, parked firmly on ice that had land immediately under it, was a Melkon University land train which was kitted out as a mobile research facility. It was neutral and could be relied upon to provide medical aid and media coverage.
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">So what happened?</h1>
The amphibians landed and were eventually spotted. There was an indecisive firefight, as the amphibians struggled to get their superior numbers into the combat. Then the nomads arrived. The Amphibian float plane bombed the facility, as much to break the ice as to damage the defenders. The Nomad fliers saw another plane and opened fire on it. Eventually they shot it down before realising that they were on the same side.
The Nomad yak cavalry advanced to take on the defenders who were deployed to provide flank cover for the facility. The problem was that they would come under fire, react, and frantically dismount and take cover. Then they would mount up again, come under fire, and frantically dismount again. Eventually, as the first Amphibian infantry approached the defenders on the flank, the yak cavalry charged into combat even as the Amphibians attacked from the other side.
The Yak cavalry were ignominiously thrashed but the Amphibians managed to sneak a win and the defenders ran for the facility.
The Nomad fliers then went to take on the relief force. One flier managed a lucky shot and destroyed one of the tanks even as it sat in the landing craft. The other landing craft and the hovercraft discharged their passengers. By this time two units of Amphibians, originally driven back by the defenders, turned on the new arrivals and plunged into close combat. The remnants of one unit fled in the hovercraft, the remains of the other fell back into a landing craft leaving the tank to take the Amphibians in close combat. Even as the Amphibians swarmed over the tank, the crew fought them off, forcing the infantry to withdraw, and the tank crew wondering whether there was room for them in the landing craft again.
One of the Nomad fliers was shot down by the hovercraft, the other succeeded in immobilising the last landing craft.
At this point with civilian workers and the remaining security personnel abandoning the facility and heading inland and west to avoid both Amphibians and Nomads, we decided the game was probably over.
<div class="wp-block-image">
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If you don’t know Hellfire rules, they are available from Wargame Vault for £4 as a pdf
<a href="https://www.wargamevault.com/product/361114/Hellfire" rel="nofollow">https://www.wargamevault.com/product/361114/Hellfire</a>
They are also available from Amazon for £4 on Kindle, or for £10 in paperback
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<entry>
<author>
<name>jwebster2</name>
<uri>http://jandbvwebster.wordpress.com</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[The Relief Column.]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2024/01/03/the-relief-column/" />
<id>http://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/?p=2170</id>
<updated>2024-01-02T13:32:35Z</updated>
<published>2024-01-03T04:00:00Z</published>
<category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Uncategorized" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Hell and Fateful Decisions" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Learning scenario" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Thunder Run" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Vietnam" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Proper authors, with budgets, technology, and half reasonable broadband connections will provide a YouTube video to guide you through their rules. Given I have a face for radio, a voice that would have wowed them all in the silent movie era, combined with a barely 20th century level of technology, I proudly present this. A<a class="more-link" href="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2024/01/03/the-relief-column/">Continue reading "The Relief Column."</a>]]></summary>
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Proper authors, with budgets, technology, and half reasonable broadband connections will provide a YouTube video to guide you through their rules. Given I have a face for radio, a voice that would have wowed them all in the silent movie era, combined with a barely 20th century level of technology, I proudly present this. A simple scenario set in Vietnam for Hell and Fateful Decisions.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Situation</h2>
The situation is simple. Look at the map and you’ll see at one edge of the board you have a local forces camp, defended by a company of stalwart supporters of the Government of South Vietnam. Their job is to patrol the area, and keep the crossroads and road bridge over the river safe for decent people.
Should they need assistance you will come barrelling down the main road entering the board at point X.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Wargames Table</h2>
<ul>
<li>The table is about 6’ by 4’ or thereabouts.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>It’s green on the map because it’s all pretty well overgrown. A lot of cover. The local forces have cleared an area 10 inches from their camp perimeter. The roads are cleared five inches from the centre of the road.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The roads are hard surfaced and it’s not easy to plan mines without them being detected. If a vehicle is travelling down the road with the crew out and looking, roll a d10. If you roll higher than the number of inches the vehicle is moving it spots any mine and can clear them without problems.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The bridge can definitely take M113s, but you’re not sure if anybody ever took an M48 over it. Won’t it be fun to find out.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The trails are not suitable for vehicles.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The camp has some wire but it only counts as a linear obstacle.</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How the Game Develops.</h2>
Early in the morning a chopper dropping supplies off at the local forces camp spots hostile elements crossing the river on one of the trails at Y. Similarly an early morning patrol made contact with Viet Cong at point Z.
The Local Forces Company
<ul>
<li>You aren’t entirely sure how strong the local forces company is. It has D6+6 bases, plus a heavy machinegun and a M20 75mm recoilless rifle.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>They also have a US team advising them and they can talk to all the artillery locally.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Roll a d6 and they’re green on a 1,2, normal on 3,4,5, and veteran on 6. On the other hand, anything to do with changing orders or communications they count as veteran.</li>
</ul>
The rescuing force.
<ul>
<li>This is technically about company strength. There’s a war on, so the company has d6+6 squads in M113s. So divide them into three platoons.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>You also have three M48 tanks.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>You have on call a 105 battery at your fire base, but there are two more 105 batteries within range and you can call on them as well. It takes one order point to call in each battery. The Local Forces camp can also call in these batteries.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>You can also call up an F4 with eight 750-pound bombs. Once you’ve got one, you can get another within d6 turns, and this continues for the rest of the game. But again you have to pay order points to call them in.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Just call them all Normal.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The rescuing force doesn’t come on immediately. It takes time to get people convinced they’re needed. You need to assign them 10 order points to get them onto the table.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Thunder Run. In Vietnam, one technique to make sure a road was unmined was to send a couple of M48s through at speed. If they did hit a mine, normally all that happened was they lost a track link or two and this was comparatively quickly fixed. If they didn’t hit any mines the assumption was that there weren’t any. But still walk where the tank tracks had cleared the ground for you. In honour of this tactic, if a tank does strike a mine, add +3 to the roll to see what damage there is. It means it’s more likely to just damage a track.</li>
</ul>
North Vietnamese
First you need a plan. I came up with two for them. One was to have the two companies of local forces attack the camp, to create a reason for the Imperialists to send a force to rescue them. The other two companies would follow the trail down to the road and ambush the Imperialists there.
The other plan was to have the two regular companies cut from point Y to the road following the river. At the bridge one company would dig in to defend against the rescue force whilst the other attacked the camp from the rear. Personally I preferred that one but it’s not the one the dice (or Party Political Officer) wanted.
<ul>
<li>You have two companies of local forces who are to attack the camp and keep it busy. They might even try and take it. Each company is d8+4 bases strong, they are Green. These are at point Z.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>You have two companies of Main Force guerrillas at point Y. They are accompanied by a battery of four 81mm mortars who will deploy near there.  There is a low hill which will allow you to see the camp. You can also mortar the road, but the problem is you’re firing from a map. And of course once the commander leaves you to go off with his two Main force companies, he’ll have to send messengers to ask for your support. There are five rounds per mortar, as some poor sap has had to man-pack them.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Your main force companies are d6+6 bases strong. Each company has four RPGs and two anti-tank mines you can lay on the road and try to disguise. Roll a d6 for each company, Roll a d6 and they’re Green on a 1,2, normal on 3,4,5, and Veteran on 6.</li>
</ul>
<h1 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center"> Move 1.</h1>
As I’m playing this out solo, I’ll do it properly and assign priority to various units to make sure I don’t have too much control. Priority decides who gets how many order points. Because they’re not ‘tactical’ the main force guerrillas count as one unit, jogging down the track. The mortars are a second unit. The two local force companies count as two more units.
For the Americans, until they get ‘tactical’ the rescuing force counts as one unit, and the camp as a second unit.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Viet Cong</h2>
The main force will get fixed priority. They’ll get the first three points. The rest will be shared out equally between those who are left.
They roll 3 for order points. The two main force units move 6” down the trail. Elsewhere it’s just awfully quiet.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Americans</h2>
I haven’t a clue what is wanted to I’ll give the camp and the rescue party joint priority, with any rounding going to the rescue force.
And again, roll a 3 but they get +1 because of the number of radios they have.
So that’s two points given to the rescuing force. In the camp they also have two points. They decide to talk to artillery batteries and call in two batteries to break up anything at point Z. They spend one order point per battery and roll more than 5 on a d20 for each, so both have dropped a smoke round in around the right place.
<h1 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center"> Move 2</h1>
Keeping the same priorities.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Viet Cong.</h2>
They roll a 4 and use three to send the main force companies another 6” along the trail to the road.
They use the remaining point to set the mortar team up.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Americans</h2>
They get a 2 plus one for radios which makes 3. So the camp gets one point, and brings in one of the two batteries. The rescue force gets another two points.
Because it’s unobserved fire, the artillery doesn’t kill anybody, but both companies count as under fire. This slows their movement. 
<h1 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Move 3</h1>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Viet Cong</h2>
They roll a 6. Three points move the main force companies another 6”. The front unit has reached the road.
The two Green companies creep forward because they’re under fire.
In another two inches these two companies will be at the edge of the cover and able to see the camp.
There is one point left over to fire the mortars. They fire indirect, but are being called in by their own spotter who stands on the hill and shouts down to them. They get 18 and it’s a hit. In this case they haven’t bothered with ranging rounds but just fired all four at once.
An 81mm mortar normally rolls a d6. In this case it gets one shift to a d8 because it’s a full battery, and another two dice shifts, going via d10 to d12 because it’s the first round and comes as a dreadful surprise to people just going about their lawful occasions.
The roll is a rather pathetic 2.
The American defence roll is a d6 (I rolled and the defenders are Green.) They rolled a 5 and the mortars have no effect other than the defenders are now under fire.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Americans</h2>
At last, the Americans got 6, +1 making 7. So 4 points go to the rescue force. This brings their total to 8.
In the camp they spend two points bringing down artillery on Z. Again it is unobserved fire so it just puts the enemy under fire and slows them down.
<h1 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Move 4</h1>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Viet Cong</h2>
They got 8 order points. They use this to move the two main force companies out of the trail, along the road and into cover.
The other four points allow them to bring their two local force companies up to the edge of cover where they open fire on the camp. (The order points are spent getting people to move. You don’t need points to fire, but you might want to spend them to stop people firing.) At this point we need to know the size of the units.
1st Local forces company is 13 bases strong, 2nd Local forces, obviously from a smaller community, is only 8 bases strong.
The defenders are 12 bases strong, plus two bases, one with the machine gun and the other with the recoilless rifle.
1st company opens fire and the defending company. It starts off at d8 because the firers are less than twice target strength. The target is now in cover (The base was just hit by mortars,) so that means the firer’s dice shifts to d6, and they’re dug in which is just a -1 on the dice. So the firer rolls d6-1.
The target, being green, just rolls a d6. The firer gets 6 (which becomes 5) and the target gets 2.
If the result of the targets die roll is less than, or equal to, the firer’s die roll, the target is pinned. So the defenders are pinned. But there is a chance of casualties. A difference of 4 on the dice means that green troops who roll 1,2,3 on a d6 lose a base. They roll a 3 and lose a base.
The 2nd Company also opens fire. They start at d6 because they are less than target strength and drop to d4 because the target is in cover, and -1 because they are dug in.
The target still rolls d6
The Defenders, with an obvious death wish, roll 1. But the attackers roll 1 on their d4, which with -1 means they have no effect on the defenders. Indeed because this is a firefight, the defenders fire has been more than the attackers could put down so they have pinned the 2nd company. You cannot take casualties in your own fire phase, but you can end up pinned.
The Viet Cong spend another point to bring the mortars in. This time the mortars roll a d8 for the full battery, which drops to d4 because the target is dug in. (More important when facing artillery than small arms, as with the latter, you’re trying to shoot back)
This time the mortars roll a 1, and the defenders get 4. The mortars have no effect as everybody is already under fire.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-left">Americans</h2>
They roll 8 order points so actually get 9. The rescue force get five, and use two to get the rescue force onto the table with three points to spend. They spend one point to move the column ten inches along the road, and spend another one to call up the plane, and the last point they use to bring down unobserved fire on the junction of the track and the road. In case the Viet Cong have reached that far, they want to spoil their day. They cannot raise the plane but the artillery drop a smoke round which seems to be in the right place. (Unobserved to they don’t actually know, they just know it’s far enough away not to be a threat to them).
The defenders of the camp have four points to play with. They can now see the attackers at the edge of the cover. So the first thing they do is to call down both batteries on the enemy 1st Company, which is causing them problems. Both batteries roll to correct their fire. A 105mm battery starts at d8, there are two of them so that is d10, but the target is in cover, dropping it to d8. The target is Green rolling a d6. The target rolls 1, the artillery a 2, so there is a hit and the target is pinned. There is a difference of 1 so the target loses a base on a roll of 1 or 2. They get a 1 and lose a base.
Next the defenders open up with the recoilless rifle. This is direct fire, and just shoots at one base. It starts off with d8 but then takes a shift to d6 for cover. The target is Green and rolls d6. Both roll a 4 so nothing happens. The machinegun also fires at one base (it could just add to the number of bases in the unit or fire separately.) Here is also targets a single base, rolling a d8, dropping to d6 but has no effect.
Now the rest of the defenders engage the 2nd Company, assuming the artillery and heavy weapons have pinned the 1st Company. They start out at d8, drop to d6, against the target’s d6. They roll 5 to the target’s 2 so the target is pinned (still) and with a difference of 3, the 2nd Company could lose a base on 1,2,3 on a d6. They get a 3 and lose a base. 
<h1 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">So let’s stop and assess the situation.</h1>
Around the camp it’s got bogged down. Everybody is pinned down, whether by small arms or artillery. All pinning does is make it expensive to move, so it’s unlikely that there will be enough order points free to allow the Viet Cong to mount an assault before the artillery eventually weakens them and their morale cracks.
This is built into the rules. If infantry get into prolonged fire fights they tend to bog down unless one side or the other gets support. Another unit moving in, perhaps to work round the flank can be good. Artillery raining down is also useful. Eventually one side will be weakened and will either fall back or be pushed out of position.
In the next move things are going to get serious on the road. With the rescue force try a Thunder Run led by the tanks, or are they going to mount a sensible advance with dismounted infantry covering their flanks with airstrikes and artillery to kill the enemy.
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If you don’t know Hell and Fateful Decisions, it’s available from Wargame Vault for £4 in pdf
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It is also available from Amazon for £4 on Kindle or £10 in paperback
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The idea behind this set of rules, aimed at smaller scale figures, is relatively simple. It is to place the player in the position of Battalion Commander. The idea is to cover the period from the First World War to tomorrow. They’re designed to be played with 6mm figures but obviously work for 2mm, 6mm, 10mm, and I know people who’ve used them with multiple based 15mm figures.
Because of this the rules have been designed to limit the fine detail that the player has to handle. In a combat the Battalion Commander is not going to worry about the positioning of squad automatic weapons and the handling of platoon assets. Lieutenants are paid to worry about that for him. However, the distribution of Battalion heavy weapons and the co-ordination of support units attached to the Battalion from the Division is very much his responsibility.
The rules include sections on solo play, ‘shaping the battlefield’ and they also attempt to cover drone warfare. The problem I faced in updating these rules is that warfare is undergoing a period of rapid evolution. The battlefield is a very different place to what it was when these rules were first published thirty years ago. On the positive side, these rules also include the remarkably popular Kalashnikov Tribal rule set, which took very little updating, because incompetence is reassuringly timeless.
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<entry>
<author>
<name>jwebster2</name>
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</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Relatively close pursuit]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2023/12/27/relatively-close-pursuit/" />
<id>http://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/?p=2161</id>
<updated>2023-12-26T21:00:39Z</updated>
<published>2023-12-27T04:00:00Z</published>
<category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Uncategorized" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Bandits" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Hellfire" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Hellfire Coast to Coast" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="hot pursuit" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[In a campaign setting, there are times when one force has no intention of standing and fighting. It isn’t there to fight. It has other aims and objectives. It might merely want to scout out what is going on. It might be more interested in damaging ‘infrastructure’ or just looting and getting away with its<a class="more-link" href="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2023/12/27/relatively-close-pursuit/">Continue reading "Relatively close pursuit"</a>]]></summary>
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In a campaign setting, there are times when one force has no intention of standing and fighting. It isn’t there to fight. It has other aims and objectives. It might merely want to scout out what is going on. It might be more interested in damaging ‘infrastructure’ or just looting and getting away with its loot.
When I was putting together some solo campaigns on the apparently little known world of Hind II, (Hellfire, Coast to Coast)I had to give some thought to this sort of operation.
One solo campaign allows for the player to take a caravan across the wastes. Now these caravans are quite strong and it takes a bold party of bandits to tackle one. As a throwaway line I mentioned that these caravans were safer than trying to cross the area when not in a convoy. I did sketch out a few ideas for players who did get their caravans raided and wanted to hunt down the raiders and their loot.
So at this point I felt that the blog was probably the ideal place to expand on these ideas. This is because the scenario will be almost infinitely mutable and you can move it gently to a score of different settings.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Bandits</h2>
First we have our bandits. The table below is a version of the one in Hellfire, Coast to Coast. Note that because these people might want to take prisoners, they can also have clubs or staves. Using them they don’t roll one dice better in close combat as they would do with proper close combat weapons. But potentially valuable people are less likely to die.
Roll d6 five times to see what you get. Roll d6+4 to get the number of bases in each unit.
Note that each unit/group you get will have suitably battered vehicles. These will be kept back, hidden so they don’t get damaged in the firefight.
1) They will have no armour, no missile weapons, but in close combat these desperados roll one dice up, to allow for a combination of desperation and a selection of wickedly bladed knives and swords.
Reaction. 2,2,2,2,2,2,1,1   14pts
2) They will have no armour, count as having obsolete projectile weapons. They fire at half effect over 10” but at normal effect under 10”. 
Reaction. 2,2,2,2,2,2,1,1   14pts
3) These have primitive missile weapons and no armour. Only half the bases fire and they do so at half range. Also in close combat these desperados roll one dice up, to allow for a combination of desperation and a selection of wickedly bladed knives and swords.
Reaction. 3,2,2,1,2,1,1,1   13pts
4) They will have no armour but will have modern projectile weapons. One base will have a crew served projectile weapon, which you might want to mount on a beast drawn cart or on the back of some monstrous creature. They are beast mounted but are mounted infantry rather than cavalry. These could be categorised as Aspirant Askaris.
Reaction 3,3,2,1,2,2,1,1 15pts
5) They have no armour and ‘reconditioned’ personal energy weapons initially sold on by a corrupt quartermaster from Tuinburg. To allow for the problem of weapon failures, the unit fires with one base less than it has. The unit has one base with a crew served projectile weapon.
Reaction 2,3,2,2,2,2,1,1 15pts
6) They have no armour and a motley collection of pistols, carbines and other short barrelled weapons which are easily concealed under their robes. They fire normally but only out to half range. Also in close combat these desperados roll one dice up, to allow for a combination of desperation and a selection of wickedly bladed knives and swords.
Reaction. 3,2,2,1,2,1,1,1   13pts
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The victims</h2>
The small party that has been attacked will be a mixture of trucks, private cars, carts pulled by draught animals, and pedestrians. Roll a d6 for each type and 2d6 for pedestrians.
For each truck roll a d6, on a 1 or 2 it is full of passengers, not goods. Roll a d6+6 for each passenger vehicle. That is the number of passengers. Each has a potential resale value in the indentured labour market of around 12 dirhams.
Roll a 2d20 for each of the rest of the trucks and the carts load of cargo to see what value you’ve got. The sum is the value in dirhams.
The defenders of the Caravan
The ‘caravan master’. The fool who organised this debacle, has one base of guards who are classed as ad hoc defenders. He also has enough personal projectile weapons to hand out the extra to those who don’t have them.
Merchant and freight drays and private cars have two ‘crew.’ These are a driver and an assistant. So every three of these vehicles produce one base of ad hoc defenders.
Passenger drays produce one base per vehicle as some of the passengers will join the ad hoc defenders.
Every six pedestrians produce a base of ad hoc defenders
The Ad Hoc defenders.
Work out how many bases you have and divide them into units with no more than 10 bases.
They have no armour, but do have personal projectile weapons.
Reaction. 2,2,2,2,2,2,1,1   14pts
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The ‘Battle’</h2>
It’s best if you take the part of the ambushers. The aim is speed and minimising casualties. Set up your ambush along a trail in the Badlands. You do have time for some preparations. So you can attempt to block the road, but not where it can be seen by anybody coming down the road. One unit is given the task of doing this. Putting down spiked boards to wreck the tyres, rock barricades or similar. When the road block needs to be used, roll a d20. Roll less than or equal to the reaction total of the unit given the job. If you make the roll, the road is blocked and vehicles cannot escape.
Next
Work out an order of march for the victims. Motor vehicles will tend to be at the front, pedestrians and similar at the rear.
The minute you open fire, roll a d20 for the lead vehicle. If it rolls over its reaction total, it just drives off along the road at speed. Next move roll for the next vehicle that is now in the front. Again if it rolls over its reaction total on a d20, it too drives off and tries to escape.
The vehicle with the caravan master in will get +2 to the roll.
Also in the first move the caravan master will broadcast a distress message asking for help.
How the fight develops.
Ideally your men pile in quickly. You can have them set aside knives and blades for clubs. You don’t want to get into a prolonged firefight, or shoot up vehicles as this reduces the resale value.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">And then the escape</h2>
<ul>
<li>At this point you might decide to switch to being the pursuer, or remain as the bandit leader, the choice is entirely yours.</li>
</ul>
You want to escape as quickly as possible with as much loot (which includes prisoners) as possible. Now pedestrians (valuable as they are) and draught and pack animals will slow you down.
<ul>
<li>If you’re going to flee with pedestrians you’ll roll a d4 for distance covered per move.</li>
<li>If you’re going to flee with draught animals etc then you’ll roll a d6 for distance covered per move.</li>
<li>If you’re going to flee with only overloaded motor vehicles you’ll roll a d8 per move.</li>
</ul>
You are assumed to have the battered vehicles you arrived in. If you have casualties, then you can load four prisoners onto the vehicles for each base lost. Each base can also hide about its vehicle goods to the value of one dirham. You will never see any of it, it doesn’t count to your final total, but it makes them feel happier.
You can swap cargos about among your captured vehicles. So if a cart has a more valuable cargo than a truck, you can dump the truck cargo and put the cart cargo in that.
Obviously you want as many of the trucks as you can. They too have a resale value. (Mind you so do draught animals) If they get damaged in the fight, there is a 50:50 chance of getting them fixed during reorganisation.
Reorganising after the fight (which includes treating wounded etc.) takes d3 hours. If you reorganise your force into trucks it can move at d8, otherwise it is d6 or d4.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The pursuers.</h2>
In Hell, Coast to Coast, because the action takes place on a campaign map, you know how far the rescuers have to travel.
Because we lack that sophistication, the fleeing bandits are assumed to have a 6 move (minus the d3 spent reorganising) lead.
<ul>
<li>In the first move, the bandits roll their appropriate dice. The pursuers roll a d8. If the pursuers roll higher, the difference is how much they catch up. If the bandits roll higher, the difference is how much they increase their lead by. Both sides travel the number of inches on the map that they roll on the dice.</li>
<li>In the second move, the bandits roll their appropriate dice, the pursuers roll a d10. Again the difference decides who gains on who.</li>
<li>In the third move the bandits roll their appropriate dice, the pursuers roll a d12.</li>
<li>In the fourth and subsequent moves the bandits roll their appropriate dice, the pursuers roll a d20.</li>
<li>If the pursuers want to keep their pursuit cautious, then they cannot roll more than a d10.</li>
<li>If the pursuers want to mount hot pursuit, they can add +2 to their die roll.</li>
</ul>
You might ask why the pursuers keep rolling larger and larger dice. This allows for both better vehicles, less overloaded. But also they have better logistics and information. So as the pursuit develops the leader of the pursuers has drones searching ahead. Then depending on the scenario they start getting information from satellite observation. Not only the bandit’s vehicles tend to break down more often and have to be got back on the road again. Also it takes into account that there won’t just be one lot of pursuers. Others will also be closing in on the fleeing bandits.
Looking at sensible die rolls, at the start of move 1 the bandits should have a four or five move start. At the end of the first move it should be about the same (assuming the bandits are rolling a d8) But the bandits will be really unlucky to be overtaken in that move.
From then on their chances of escaping diminish.
What you want is a sketch map. At one end is the place where they ambushed the caravan. At the other is safety. Assuming one point on the dice is one inch on the map I suggest that the map always has challenging terrain, but at a point 10 inches from the ambush point the terrain starts getting really interesting for a defender to hold up an incautious pursuer.
At 20 inches from the ambush point is a place where the bandits can hide their stuff and disappear, provided the pursuers are not within one inch of them when they do this.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The pursuer’s force</h2>
A local Squawtee settlement has send out an Expeditionary Company.
Expeditionary Company.
They travel by truck and a company will travel in three trucks. The company has ten bases of infantry with flak armour and personal projectile weapons. One base will have a crew served projectile weapon.
Reaction  3,2,3,2,2,2,2,2  18pts
Artillery
A truck mounted artillery piece that accompanies an expeditionary force is accompanied by an ammunition truck as well.
When supporting other Squawtees the artillery can fire indirectly. When working with Askaris, they haven’t the necessary training to allow this.
Reaction  3,2,3,2,3,2,2,2  19pts
Askaris.
There are two units of hired Askaris. These are riding in trucks and each unit is d6+4 bases strong.
They will have flak armour, perhaps hidden by robes, and modern projectile weapons. One base will have a crew served projectile weapon,
Reaction 3,3,2,2,2,2,1,1 16pts
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Fun along the road.</h2>
Looking at the map, there are obviously places where the bandits could hope to make a stand. Once you’re 10 inches from the ambush point the bandit is guaranteed somewhere.
Set up the bandits is some suitable terrain. If they want, they can have their loot, accompanied by one of their groups, continue on the way. If they do this and survive the attack, they can add +2 to their dice next time.
The pursuers write down their ‘order of march’.
<ul>
<li>If the Pursuers are being cautious, then they will deploy out of range, and mount a sensible assault supported by artillery.</li>
<li>If the Pursuers are in hot pursuit, the first unit appears on the table. It continues to advance until it is fired upon, at which point it starts acting sensibly. The next unit is d20 inches behind it, with the next d20 inches behind that and so on.</li>
<li>Otherwise the Pursuers arrive in order of march. The spacing between units is up to the player in charge. They stop and deploy when the bandits open fire.</li>
</ul>
At any point, when the Pursuers have halted or fall back, the bandits can make a run for it. This is surviving the attack so they get +2 on their dice.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Strategy</h2>
The problem for the pursuer is that two good die rolls will mean that the bandits get away. So caution is for wimps.
The problem for the bandit is that 20 inches is a fair way off. Whilst they might have a 5 inches lead, you still cannot really plan on covering the ground in less than three moves. If the pursuers are mounting a hot pursuit, they can cover a lot of ground in three moves.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="788" data-attachment-id="2164" data-permalink="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2023/12/27/relatively-close-pursuit/387872557_10161430100675746_8840148428552534662_n/" data-orig-file="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/387872557_10161430100675746_8840148428552534662_n.jpg" data-orig-size="2048,1576" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="387872557_10161430100675746_8840148428552534662_n" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/387872557_10161430100675746_8840148428552534662_n.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/387872557_10161430100675746_8840148428552534662_n.jpg?w=750" src="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/387872557_10161430100675746_8840148428552534662_n.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2164" srcset="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/387872557_10161430100675746_8840148428552534662_n.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/387872557_10161430100675746_8840148428552534662_n.jpg 2048w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/387872557_10161430100675746_8840148428552534662_n.jpg?w=150 150w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/387872557_10161430100675746_8840148428552534662_n.jpg?w=300 300w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/387872557_10161430100675746_8840148428552534662_n.jpg?w=768 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
Some of the pursuers. 6mm figures from Iliada Game Studio 
<a href="https://www.iliadagamestudio.com/" rel="nofollow">https://www.iliadagamestudio.com/</a>
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If you’re interested in ‘Hellfire, Coast to Coast’ it’s available from Wargame Vault for £4 as a pdf
 <a href="https://www.wargamevault.com/product/465045/Hellfire-Coast-to-Coast" rel="nofollow">https://www.wargamevault.com/product/465045/Hellfire-Coast-to-Coast</a>
Also from Amazon, £10 in paperback or £4 on Kindle. 
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</div></figure>
Another world, another selection of solo wargames campaigns for Hellfire, the 6mm sci fi rules for people with small figures and large imaginations. On the temporarily misplaced world of Hind II you can lead caravans across the wastes, jockey for power in an ancient city whilst trying to ensure that the barbarians remain outside the gates, dominate petty city states, or carve your way to eternal glory (other destinies are available) at the head of your band of doughty (again, other options are available) nomad warriors.
On a world barely three meals away from anarchy you know you’re the one who can make a difference. Your political survival might depend on getting good rains, lest you’re swept away by desperate peasantry or a starving urban proletariat. A decent grain stockpile might win you more battles that an armoured battalion. (To be fair, your chances of getting an armoured battalion aren’t good either.)
]]></content>
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<entry>
<author>
<name>jwebster2</name>
<uri>http://jandbvwebster.wordpress.com</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[So how do we handle Drones on the wargames table?]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2023/12/10/so-how-do-we-handle-drones-on-the-wargames-table/" />
<id>http://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/?p=2143</id>
<updated>2023-12-09T17:51:42Z</updated>
<published>2023-12-10T04:22:00Z</published>
<category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Uncategorized" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="drones" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Hell by Daylight" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="landmines" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="massed artillery" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[It’s one of the issues I’ve wrestled with for some time. Just how do we integrate them into wargame rules? Will this be very different when we consider 28mm skirmish to 6mm and 2mm massed actions? The problem we have, watching the Ukraine, is that all the participants seem to have shifted to 28mm skirmish,<a class="more-link" href="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2023/12/10/so-how-do-we-handle-drones-on-the-wargames-table/">Continue reading "So how do we handle Drones on the wargames table?"</a>]]></summary>
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It’s one of the issues I’ve wrestled with for some time. Just how do we integrate them into wargame rules? Will this be very different when we consider 28mm skirmish to 6mm and 2mm massed actions?
The problem we have, watching the Ukraine, is that all the participants seem to have shifted to 28mm skirmish, as the massed actions we see in 6mm seem to have gone out of fashion. The losses suffered early in Avdiivka showed what happens when you used massed armour attacks, (wash my mouth out with soap and water, those who fought at Kursk would laugh at me calling anything in the Ukrainian war a massed armour attack) you ended up with a lot of burning vehicles. Artillery laid mines, drones and 155mm artillery in support can break up an attack before the armour even gets within range of the front line. Once there, conventionally laid mines backed up by infantry anti-tank weapons, plus of course the ubiquitous artillery, finish the job. Now everybody seems to have reverted to fighting 28mm skirmishes with an assault being a dozen or so men, perhaps backed up with a couple of vehicles.
The problem is, when predicting the future, we are always in danger of refighting ‘the last war.’ Whilst the current Russian invasion of Ukraine is very much a current conflict, when it comes to ‘lessons learned’ it is the last war. So for the general wondering how he will fight his corner in 2029, or the wargamer wondering how to game the actions of 2029, what lessons can we learn?
The first is that this war is unique, pretty much like all wars. Nobody has air superiority, but there is an apparently infinite supply of landmines, (I shudder to think how many times some of them have been laid and re-laid) and both sides are scouring the world for artillery ammunition. This creates special circumstances.
Like the First World War, once you’ve got over the shell famine, a static front means that you can set up your gun lines and get plenty of ammunition to them. You can get your coms nicely organised, telephone wires or secure radio. The drone pilots are used to their patrol areas. They overfly them several times a day and recognise the terrain, so if somebody tries to smuggle something else in, it could well be noticed, no matter how well camouflaged, because there wasn’t a hummock there yesterday. Nothing moves within ten kilometres of the front without you knowing about it. Obviously strong winds, fog and other bad weather can spoil things for you, but still.
What happens when we get more mobile warfare? Will we ever get mobile warfare again? Well do this thought experiment? Take the first stage of the Invasion of Iraq beginning on the 19th March 2003. Had Iraqi had the Ukrainian level of drone numbers and capabilities, how much impact would it have had? Once you get into a war of movement, drones, like artillery, are constantly on the move, trying to keep up with the advance, or to avoid being overrun by the enemy advance. Is a drone as a capable as the Bayraktar going to be able to cope with an environment where the enemy has almost complete air dominance? Where you have planes flying combat air patrols just looking for something to shoot at.
Will your drone companies stay behind to attack the flanks of the enemy spearheads who have broken through, perhaps under cover of air superiority? Or will they be scurrying back like everybody else. After all, they too are trying to avoid being encircled or hit by the advancing infantry that is covering the front between the spearheads. An interesting question.
Obviously if we go further forward, then the Bayraktar has evolved and its metaphorical descendants are capable of slugging it out with air superiority fighters and we have to deal with an entirely different balance of power.
So pondering the ‘now.’
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Observation</h2>
I want something simple that can slot into ordinary game rules.
Just try slotting these into your normal Observation rules.
To know exactly where an enemy unit is, roll anything but a 1 on a d10. Note I assume mere darkness isn’t an issue.
Dice modifiers
+2 if you’re trying to see green troops.
-3 if there is a strong wind.
-3 if there is driving rain or it’s snowing.
-4 if there’s fog (doesn’t go with any other weather condition.)
+5 if the unit has opened fire.
-4 if either side has a lot of jamming.
If you succeed it means that the drone operator has seen the target. They can automatically get the information through to use a drone to attack the target you have found.
If you want the information to go up the chain to the rest of the troops on the table, the artillery and the air force, roll again. Success depends on the level of integration of forces. So at the moment it looks as if the Ukrainians are achieved a pretty good level of integration, the Russians far less so.
Roll the d10 again. On a 1, word doesn’t get through this move for anybody.
Now then it gets subjective. Pick a number for each side. This is purely for this scenario. So you might decide that side A warrants being able to achieve this level of integration so you only give them a -1. At the same time you decide that side B can only dream of achieving this level of integration so give them -5.
Other factors
-4 if either side has a lot of jamming.
-3 if the unit trying to send the message moved in the previous move.
The proposed end result
Rather than hidden movement, everything is on the table. Even if you cannot ‘observe’ something, you have a good idea that there’s something there. While you cannot aim at targets you cannot observe if the rules you are using allow you just to fire at areas, you are entitled to go for it. So the wargamer’s godlike view of the table starts to have some level of justification.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Drones ‘shooting’</h2>
An attack drone available?
Have you a drone which can actually make an attack? Rather than have to keep track of a varying number of drones, I think that this can be abstracted. If a drone observes a target, roll a d6
On a roll of 5,6 you have a drone available to attack that target that very move.
Each move, if you want, re-roll the d6, but add one every move. So inevitably one will turn up.
But
I would suggest a limit, not on the number of re-rolls but on the number of times you can hit with drones in a move. So whilst you can always re-roll to see if a drone can attack a target, you cannot roll for more than two drones per move. If a third target appears which you really want to hit, you can roll to hit it, but you have to abandon one of the other two.
This is something you can tweak in the scenario. Side A might be able to manage two, side B might be able to manage 3.
Hitting and damage.
Here with drones increasing in variety and capability I think we have to generalise and be prepared to update our thinking. I suggest that we take as our base level the equivalent of a first person view drone with something like an RPG warhead strapped to it. To ‘fire it’ just have the pilot ‘fire’ an RPG at the target at very close range, but almost certainly aiming at the roof, top deck, or at worst the side armour.
You then get the heavier drones, often called ‘loitering’ where they have a lot bigger warhead. Here I suggest you treat it as firing a guided antitank missile or similar. Again it’s the skill of the pilot that determines the accuracy. 
When targeting infantry, depending on the size of the drone I suggest you have the drone drop either a hand grenade or an 81mm mortar round at the aiming point.
So here it is, next week, next month, next year will need an upgrade.
As they often used to say with essay questions, Discuss.
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In case you’ve not come across them, Hell by Daylight rules are available from both Wargame Vault, for £4 in pdf.
<a href="https://www.wargamevault.com/product/380527/Hell-by-Daylight" rel="nofollow">https://www.wargamevault.com/product/380527/Hell-by-Daylight</a>

Or from Amazon, at £4 on Kindle or £10 in paperback
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>jwebster2</name>
<uri>http://jandbvwebster.wordpress.com</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Backs to the Sea]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2023/10/07/backs-to-the-sea/" />
<id>http://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/?p=2110</id>
<updated>2023-10-07T05:11:18Z</updated>
<published>2023-10-07T03:00:00Z</published>
<category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Uncategorized" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="clan warbands" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Hellfire" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Tannhäuser" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Technicals" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Rebels move into the settlement. This is designed to be a science fiction solo scenario to play using Hellfire rules in 1/300. Obviously you can tweak things, use other rules, other periods and even play it with an opponent. Still the thought is there. The background is simple. There is a war on. A huge,<a class="more-link" href="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2023/10/07/backs-to-the-sea/">Continue reading "Backs to the Sea"</a>]]></summary>
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Rebels move into the settlement.

This is designed to be a science fiction solo scenario to play using Hellfire rules in 1/300. Obviously you can tweak things, use other rules, other periods and even play it with an opponent. Still the thought is there.
The background is simple. There is a war on. A huge, galaxy spanning war. Great fleets of star ships meet in cataclysmic conflict. Pedants insist that there are ‘Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion…’ In fact one observer commented that, ‘I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate.’
On reading these reports, the Confederacy garrison commander. Titus Newhanner, on the world of Cowley is reported to have commented, “All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain… Time to die.” In his case his words were prophetic. He was killed in bitter fighting around Walmer Bridge as he tried to win time for what was left of the garrison to fall back.
Confederate defence of the sector was based on worlds having small, competent garrisons which were adequate for ‘colonial policing’ but with strategic reserve forces held near the sector capital where they could be rapidly deployed to assist the local forces.
Unfortunately the strategic reserve was deployed out of the sector in a desperate attempt to prop up a crumbling front, and a new strategic reserve was created by the simple expedient of transferring troops from the worlds within the sector. Thus Cowley lost its heavy armour and much of its combat aircraft. Given that the Confederacy no longer has the naval resources necessary to ship troops about in a largely abandoned sector, Cowley is on its own.
On Cowley, the problem started when some of the larger cities saw the writing on the wall and raised their own militias for self-defence. At the same time, the various clans in the less developed west threw off their allegiance and started attacking isolated garrisons.
As Cowley forces were largely locally recruited, they lost perhaps a third of their combatants who deserted and returned to serve with their own people. Whether this meant serving in a city militia or a clan warband depends entirely on the origin of the soldier. There has also been an attempt by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Cowley to take control of the rebellion. This hasn’t been entirely successful. General Newhanner decided to pull his forces back around the capital, Clapton. In many cases this meant a fighting retreat, especially as the aim was also to use the time gained to recover stores and equipment which was scattered around the area in small stockpiles, designed to be convenient for the defenders should the world be invaded.
With Newhanner dead, you are now in command of one front and must both pull your troops back and bring stores, and those civilians who want to flee, with you.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Campaign Map</h2>
This I suggest you keep quite simple. Take a pack of cards. Pull out the face cards, you don’t need them at the moment. You only want 36, so get rid of four black cards. Deal the cards into a square, 6 cards by 6 cards. Red cards are dry dusty wastelands. Black are somewhat more fertile, but we’re not talking about the Garden of Eden here. But you do have a chance of finding running water.
Once you’ve got the map set up, the edge with the highest level of fertility is your ‘base line’. This is the coast and ideally you don’t fall back further than this. We will call this the southern map edge.
Now with three court cards, these are towns. Place one on the coast (roll a d6 to place it at random.) This is the port.
The other two cards place at random. Roll one d6 to say which ‘rank’ the town is in, and another d6 to say which ‘file’.
Now place supply depots. There will be no supply depots in the row of cards furthest from the coast.
Supply depots will all be on black cards. But they will not be adjacent to towns and they will not be adjacent to each other. So put on the supply depots.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Scale and Movement</h2>
I’m going to say that a card is 25 miles across. This has the advantage that a force in vehicles can cross one card a move, and at the same time, vehicle mounted artillery can fire into the next card. If the speeds seem a bit low, remember you’re moving a military force in wartime.
Vimana aircraft can travel two cards per move. Airshock air support could move faster but stay with the formation they are assigned to.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sequence of play</h2>
At the start of the campaign, there are no rebels on the map, so deploy your forces as you consider appropriate.
Each move roll a d6 for each card on the perimeter of the map (except for your baseline, the sea, the southern map edge).
For cards on the northern edge, on an odd number, a rebel force moves onto that card.
For cards on the eastern and western edges, if you roll a 1, a rebel force moves onto that card.  You keep this process up until all the supply depots are looted and the only territory the Confederacy controls is the Port. From then on you’re still harassed by rebels who are already on the map but the rest go to raid somewhere more lucrative.
Note you don’t know what a rebel force consists of until it enters the battlefield.
Rebel units on the map will move to the nearest of the following
<ol type="1">
<li>To the nearest full supply depot. When they arrive there they will attack it.</li>
<li>To the nearest supply convoy. When they catch it they will attack it.</li>
<li>The nearest town. When they arrive there they will attack it.</li>
<li>The port. When they arrive there they will attack it.</li>
<li>If two rebel forces land on the same card in the same move they will spend a move stationary, amalgamating.</li>
</ol>
Be flexible with this, if the rebels are following a supply convoy, they could well abandon it to attack a town or a well-stocked supply depot. Roll a d6. Odd they’ll keep following, even they’ll abandon it.
Then as the defender you can move your forces in response to the rebel movements.
Note that both rebels and defender can cross wasteland areas. But neither will cross two consecutive wasteland areas unless there is no alternative. If a force does attempt to cross the wasteland for two (or more) consecutive days, roll a d6 for each unit within that force. On a roll of 2 or 3 the unit is forced to turn back and may end up on any fertile card adjacent to the first wasteland card it tried to cross. On a roll of 1 the force survives but loses half of its vehicles which emerge from the wastes overloaded with the crews of abandoned vehicles. It looks more like a refugee caravan than a military force. Note that in this case you can overload trucks but half the technicals become ordinary trucks to do it. You lose their heavy weapon.
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">The Forces</h1>
Both forces have a lot in common, as they have access to the same basic equipment. The rebels use more civilian vehicles, the government forces equipment is (probably) better maintained and more reliable.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Government forces</h2>
Armoured units.
An armoured company consists of six, eight-wheeled vehicles with medium armour and improvised ECM.
Two with vehicle mounted artillery in turret. Note that they’re not trained to do indirect fire.
Two with twin crew served projectile weapons mounted in the turret. (Both have to fire at the same target.)
One with two vehicle mounted guided missiles.
One command vehicle which has vehicle mounted ECM, and can call in off table artillery.
The company also has a recce platoon. This has three, eight-wheeled vehicles with medium armour and vehicle mounted ECM. It has a single crew served projectile weapon mounted in the turret. They can also call in off table artillery and even the vehicle mounted guided missiles from their company vehicle. Provided it is at least on an adjacent card. These vehicles can be deployed away from their recce platoon, to support other forces.
Armoured units are well trained and have
Reaction 5.5.5.5.1.1.1.1   24pts
Artillery
You have three artillery companies, each of which consists of one, vehicle mounted tube artillery piece, plus another two vehicles with crew and ammunition. These are proper artillerists who understand indirect fire. Depending on how things happen, it is possible that they could provide fire support for two or more battles simultaneously. Rather than indulge in complex paperwork which transcends both time and space, just accept it. They’re good.
Infantry
The basic infantry company has ten bases of infantry, plus three heavy weapons squads.
The infantry have flak armour and personal projectile weapons.
The heavy weapons squads also have personal projectile weapons. The three heavy weapons squads are
<ol type="1">
<li>Three troopers each with a man portable unguided missile,</li>
<li>A mortar,</li>
<li>A heavy crew served projectile weapon.</li>
</ol>
In theory the infantry would have armoured personnel carriers, but these luxuries were shipped out as replacements to help rebuild units on distant worlds. Thus they just ride on the back of trucks. They tend not to mount heavy weapons on the trucks because they need all the space for transporting men, and the trucks tend to be held well back during fighting as they’re too valuable to risk.
Reaction.
For Hellfire, reaction is an eight number code (which adds up to the reaction total). So an infantry company reaction might be
Reaction 3.3.2.2.3.2.2.2    19 pts
However you could allow a little randomness. When you first commit a company to the battlefield roll a d6
1. Reaction total 15
2. Reaction total 18
3. Reaction total 19
4. Reaction total 19
5. Reaction total 20
6. Reaction total 22
Tweak the reaction code to allow for the new total.
If you’re rolling for a town militia company then deduct 2 on the dice. You can designate one battalion as a ‘central reserve’ which gets +2 to the die for each company. A final score of less than 1 is 1. A score of more than 6 is 6.
Initial force strength
Each town has a ‘battalion’ with three companies.
You have one, three company, battalion which is held back as a central reserve. There are four independent companies which are deployed to protect the northern most supply depots. You can of course move them, you are in charge.
There are also two armoured companies and three artillery companies.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Rebels</h2>
They are a mixture of Clan and Popular Front forces.
They comprise ‘technical’ companies and infantry companies.
<ul>
<li>Their technical companies have civilian vehicles which mount a heavy crew served projectile weapon.</li>
<li>They might have a mortar, but this cannot be fired from the vehicle (at least not twice). The vehicle has to stop. Next move the mortar is dismounted and set up, in the following move it can fire.</li>
<li>Any other weapons you have about</li>
</ul>
A technical company will be d6+1 vehicles strong.
An infantry company will be 3d4 bases strong. For each four you roll, you get one trooper each with a man portable unguided missile. They have one civilian vehicle per two bases. 
The maximum number of bases that can travel in/on a civilian vehicle is three, and one extra can be carried on a technical, but the technical has to drop their passengers off before the technical can engage in combat.
Clan troops are unarmoured and have personal projectile weapons. With regard to reaction, again I would allow a little randomness. When you first commit a company to the battlefield roll a d6
1. Reaction total 13
2. Reaction total 14
3. Reaction total 15
4. Reaction total 15
5. Reaction total 16
6. Reaction total 17
Tweak the reaction code to allow for the new total.
For popular front forces add +2 to the die roll.
Popular front armour.
The Popular Front have managed to put together some ad hoc armoured units from captured or abandoned vehicles.
An armoured company consists of d6, eight-wheeled vehicles with medium armour and improvised ECM.
Roll a d6 for each vehicle
1, 2 One vehicle mounted artillery in turret. Note that they’re not trained to do indirect fire.
3, 4 One twin crew served projectile weapons mounted in the turret. (Both have to fire at the same target.)
5 One with two vehicle mounted guided missiles.
6 One recce variant with a single crew served projectile weapon mounted in the turret. They can also call in off table artillery. In the case of rebels mortars can be left off table and called in using a scout vehicle.
Air support
The Popular Front managed to overrun an airfield and liberate some Airshock support craft. Each has a crew served projectile weapon and two rocket pods each capable of firing five unguided man portable rockets.
By definition there are not many of them.
Forces coming on the table. If a force comes onto the table, roll a d6 for it. On a 6 it has a popular front armour company.
It also has d6 infantry companies and d6 technical companies. If there are fewer than 6 companies in total it is a Popular Front force.
If it is a Popular Front force. Roll a d6. On a 6 you get one Airshock providing support.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="682" data-attachment-id="2114" data-permalink="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2023/10/07/backs-to-the-sea/1-3/" data-orig-file="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/1.jpg" data-orig-size="1417,945" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="1" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/1.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/1.jpg?w=750" src="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/1.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2114" srcset="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/1.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/1.jpg?w=150 150w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/1.jpg?w=300 300w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/1.jpg?w=768 768w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/1.jpg 1417w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
A rebel technical blocks the road out. 
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Supply dumps and supply columns.</h2>
We have mentioned supply dumps. Technically these are efficiently managed and brimming with all sorts of useful things. But we have a breakdown in government and some may well have been looted.
Each supply dump has one squad of ‘personnel’ in charge. When you evacuate the dump you can add that squad to a unit to help replace losses. But it’s not going to fight any heroic last stands to defend the dump.
When one of the defender’s units arrives at a supply dump, roll d12. This is how many supply points there are. Each supply point can be moved by one truck. A truck can be loaded in one move on a wargames table, by a Mocra crane, or in four moves by an infantry squad. (Two infantry squads load a truck in three moves, three infantry squads also load a truck in three moves.) If the depot is emptied during the ‘map’ phase with no enemies close at hand, one map move loads everything. After all, no pressure, who’s hurrying?
From the point of view of the defenders, the supplies have to be kept out of the hands of the rebels. But they’re far too valuable to just be destroyed. They have to be recovered and brought to safety.
So the supplies are collected and supply convoys take the supplies to safety. The defenders have two supply columns, each with one crane and ten trucks. (The same sort of trucks as are used to move troops about in case you wondered.)
Impact
If a supply convoy is destroyed without defending forces attempting to protect it, lose 1 point from the reaction total of every company in the defending forces.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Repairs and replacements.</h2>
After a battle, the winner gets one squad per Infantry Company back automatically. The second squad of casualties roll a d6. You get it back on 4,5,6. Any subsequent squads you get back on a 5,6.
If there is a supply company or an untouched supply dump at least on an adjacent card, then add +1 to each die roll. This takes 1 point of supply per company.
The loser, for the second squad of casualties roll a d6. You get it back 5,6. Any subsequent squads you get back on a 6.
With Armoured and Technical companies the side who ‘holds the field’ after a battle salvages damaged vehicles that haven’t driven off under their own power. Roll a d6 for each vehicle. On a 6 you get the vehicle back, fully working. If there is a supply company or an untouched supply dump at least on an adjacent card, then you get the vehicle back on 4,5,6.
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Refugees</h1>
When you abandon a supply dump, the civilians living in the community around it may well want to leave. Roll d10. That is how many vehicles loaded down with civilians join the convoy heading for safety.
If you have to abandon a town, then you are going to get even more refugees, roll 3d10. This column of vehicles sets off heading for the port.
If a column of refugees is contacted by rebels, they will kill civilians as enemies of the people and loot the convoy.
Impact
If a column of refugees is destroyed without defending forces attempting to protect it, lose 1 point from the reaction total of every company in the defending forces.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Vimanas</h2>
These unarmed aircraft are purely commercial, the ‘tramp steamers’ of the planet. They can be requisitioned by the Defenders. If you arrive at a supply depot roll a d6. On a 4,5,6  there will be a Vimana present, which you can take over. Add two to the dice if it is a town.
A Vimana can carry 3 points of cargo (but has to be loaded by hand.) It can also carry three vehicles worth of refugees (minus the vehicles obviously, but you might have a use for them)
They are unarmed and if somebody fires at them they will just leave, even if loading isn’t finished.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="682" data-attachment-id="2116" data-permalink="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2023/10/07/backs-to-the-sea/3-2/" data-orig-file="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/3.jpg" data-orig-size="1417,945" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="3" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/3.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/3.jpg?w=750" src="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/3.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2116" srcset="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/3.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/3.jpg?w=150 150w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/3.jpg?w=300 300w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/3.jpg?w=768 768w, https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/3.jpg 1417w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
Loading the trucks. A Vimana waits to see if there is any cargo for them
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Winning.</h1>
Look, if you get back to the Port, you’ve done OK. Government policy is to hold the port as a bridgehead on this continent. If you manage to hold one of the towns as well, you’ve excelled yourself. If you’ve had fun and some close shaves, then you’ve won.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Figures</h2>
I used a lot of the 6mm figures produced by Iliada Game Studio at <a href="https://www.iliadagamestudio.com/" rel="nofollow">https://www.iliadagamestudio.com/</a>
All figures used are available as stl files from Wargame Vault
<a href="https://www.wargamevault.com/browse/pub/12750/IliadaGameStudio/subcategory/29755_44973/STLs" rel="nofollow">https://www.wargamevault.com/browse/pub/12750/IliadaGameStudio/subcategory/29755_44973/STLs</a>
Just to wet your appetite, the civilian vehicles, technicals and cargo come from the Fargone range. The armoured vehicles are from the Quick Attack Force. The crane is the Mocra 
 at <a href="https://www.wargamevault.com/product/449400/MOCRA" rel="nofollow">https://www.wargamevault.com/product/449400/MOCRA</a>
The Airshock is a vehicle I’m very fond of, 
<a href="https://www.wargamevault.com/product/451972/AIRSHOCK" rel="nofollow">https://www.wargamevault.com/product/451972/AIRSHOCK</a>
For those without a printer, fear not as Ali at Iliada will sell you the printed figures.
Finally the buildings, they’re also from Iliada 
<a href="https://www.wargamevault.com/product/446087/PREFABRIKA" rel="nofollow">https://www.wargamevault.com/product/446087/PREFABRIKA</a>
<a href="https://www.wargamevault.com/product/453290/Northern-Dryland-Buildings" rel="nofollow">https://www.wargamevault.com/product/453290/Northern-Dryland-Buildings</a>
<a href="https://www.wargamevault.com/product/445138/Dryland-Buildings-Set" rel="nofollow">https://www.wargamevault.com/product/445138/Dryland-Buildings-Set</a> 
<img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/2665.png" alt="♥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/2665.png" alt="♥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/2665.png" alt="♥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/2665.png" alt="♥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />
Hellfire rules are available from Wargame Vault for £4
<a href="https://www.wargamevault.com/product/361114/Hellfire" rel="nofollow">https://www.wargamevault.com/product/361114/Hellfire</a>
They’re available from Amazon for £4 on Kindle or £10 in paperback
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<title type="html"><![CDATA[Lording it over hoi polloi]]></title>
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<updated>2023-09-24T14:20:44Z</updated>
<published>2023-09-25T03:00:00Z</published>
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<summary type="html"><![CDATA[People have asked me where the forces came from for Hellfire in the City, what was their backstory. Well it isn’t complicated, and struck me it might make an interesting solo game. Well south of the great, if somewhat shrunken, city of Velonopolis on Kalaw III, there is an area called ‘the Castors’. The inhabitants<a class="more-link" href="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2023/09/25/lording-it-over-hoi-polloi/">Continue reading "Lording it over hoi polloi"</a>]]></summary>
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People have asked me where the forces came from for Hellfire in the City, what was their backstory. Well it isn’t complicated, and struck me it might make an interesting solo game.
Well south of the great, if somewhat shrunken, city of Velonopolis on Kalaw III, there is an area called ‘the Castors’. The inhabitants largely practice subsistence agriculture and pursue basic crafts. Thus they build their own vehicles which they fuel with biodiesel. But they also make considerable use of draught animals as well.
The settlements are scattered, proudly independent, and survive by trading both with each other, with Velonopolis, and with the towns to the south of the Castors. In between the settlements there are the ‘tribes’. These are pastoral people, following their herds. Each clan has its own range over which the clan will move. At the same time the clan will have a good working relationship with the settlements in its area. The clan will also ‘escort merchants’ that pass through its range. This is a polite way of saying that they charge for protection, but do indeed provide the protection.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Relationship with the settlements.</h2>
The clans and settlements have a patron/client relationship. A proportion of the clan’s population will probably live in one of the settlements. The clan leader will normally maintain a house there and will, at least nominally, be a member of the semi-elected committee of worthies who provide what government the settlement needs. They may even station a unit there to bolster the settlement’s militia. Certainly the Mahina can be based there.
But should the settlement need a military force, rather than just relying on its own small and somewhat ragtag militia, it will grant the clan chief ‘imperium’ and appoint him as commander of the settlement’s armed force. In reality this means the clan forces with concentrate to defend the settlement. Such is the action of a dutiful patron.
At other times the settlement will pay tax to the clan and the settlement’s trade goods will leave via the clan’s caravan. The settlement will also ensure the services of the settlement’s tradesmen are available to the clan at purely sensible rates.
The Map I suggest a pack of cards at this point.
Red cards (of whatever suit or value) are just ‘rough grazing.’ This term can cover a multitude of sins, extending from a rather infertile piece of steppe, but including scattered grazing marshes, and even the sort of rough fell you might find in, say, the Lake District.
Black cards are more fertile terrain. All have a nominal value of 1, except for court cards.
Jack. Small town, on a roll of 4,5,6 on a d6 they can probably fix any vehicle. The militia consists of two units
They have nine bases of infantry who count as having obsolete projectile weapons. They fire at half effect over 10” but at normal effect under 10”. (Some of them don’t have proper rifles).
Reaction 2,2,3,2,1,2,1,1 14pts
There is one crew served projectile weapon for every two militia units.
Can support a patron with one unit and will pay 500c every other month.
Queen. A middling sized town who can fix anything unless they get a 1 on a d6.
The militia consists of four units
They have nine bases of infantry who count as having obsolete projectile weapons. They fire at half effect over 10” but at normal effect under 10”. (Some of them don’t have proper rifles).
Reaction 2,2,3,2,1,2,1,1 14pts
There is one crew served projectile weapon for every two militia units.
Can support a patron with two units and will pay 500c per month
King. A large town, not only can it fix most things (unless they get a 1 on a d6), on a 4,5,6 they can build you a technical or artillery piece. You have to pay for them, but they’ll do a nice job. On a 1,2,3 they’re short of parts and you got a technical or artillery piece drawn by draught animals.
The militia consists of six units. Two are ‘regular’.
They have nice bases of infantry who have personal projectile weapons and flak armour.
Reaction 2,2,3,2,2,2,2,1 16pts
The other four units have nine bases of infantry who count as having obsolete projectile weapons. They fire at half effect over 10” but at normal effect under 10”. (Some of them don’t have proper rifles).
Reaction 2,2,3,2,1,2,1,1 14pts
There is one crew served projectile weapon for every two militia units.
Can support a patron with three units and will pay 1000c per month.
Terrain and rivers
Ideally you’d have at least two rivers cross the map. They will tend to flow the more fertile territory but can flow through rough grazing areas. (By definition such a territory with a river running through it is not likely to be rough fell)
Your towns are likely to be on rivers. If so, they will have bridges or fords.
Trade routes
Next put in the trade routes running north to south. These can pass through rough grazing areas (after all the Clans will provide security etc) but they can only cross rivers at bridges or fords (so at a town) and every town will be on a trade route. Just not necessarily the same route. Ideally have as few trading routes as are necessary to satisfy the above.
Urban territories
Now you’ll have twenty black cards which aren’t court cards. Divide these territories between the cities. The two Kings get 5 each. The two Queens get 3 each, and the two Jacks get 2 each. Ideally the cards should be ‘contiguous’ but can be separated by rough grazing if necessary.
Clan territories
Roll a d6.
1,2 There are five clans
3,4 There are six clans
5,6 There are seven clans.
There are 26 territories that have red cards, so divide them equally between the clans so each gets about the same number.
If a clan territory is adjacent to a settlement, then there is a chance that the settlement will be a client of theirs.
<ul>
<li>If a clan has only one settlement adjacent to their territory, that is their client.</li>
<li>All other things being equal a clan adjacent to more than one settlement will chose the biggest to be a client.</li>
<li>Otherwise if a settlement is adjacent to two clan territories, toss a coin to see which clan the settlement goes with.</li>
<li>If at the end of the process there are settlements without patrons, perhaps because the nearest clan doesn’t want them, then the next nearest can become their patron.</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Clan troop types</h2>
When you pick your initial force you get six choices. For five of them you roll a d10 and take what you’re given but you can freely chose a 6th choice, and you always get one band of mahina. So if you don’t roll one at random, and don’t pick mahina as your free choice, you could end up with seven units.
With regard to replacements, Hellfire in the City has a reasonably comprehensive system. But for this game we’ll keep it simple. At the start of a new year just pay an extra month’s wages for each unit that has gaps you want to fill.
Recruit table
1) One warband of Piling Tao, your elite warriors.
 Each warband has eight bases of infantry armed with personal projectile weapons and a ninth base equipped with a crew served energy weapon. They wear flak armour.
Reaction 3,2,3,2,3,2,2,1 18pts
2,3,4,5) One warband of Tabak, the standard fighters of your people
Each warband has 8 bases of infantry armed with personal projectile weapons and a ninth base equipped with a crew served energy weapon. They wear no armour.
Reaction 3,2,2,2,2,1,2,1 15pts
6,7) One band of Mahina. These are the older men, youths, women and children who guard your camp and who are your people. They are ten bases of infantry who count as having obsolete projectile weapons. They fire at half effect over 10” but at normal effect under 10”. (Some of them don’t have proper rifles).
Reaction 1,2,3,2,1,2,1,1 13pts
8) One Kanyon Kulog.
This is a vehicle mounted artillery piece, although in your case it might be towed by oxen, bantha or even mounted on a vehicle. The crew are competent. They can be represented by three bases of infantry with personal projectile weapons and no armour.
Reaction 3,2,3,2,3,2,2,1 18pts
9) One warband of Anino Tabak
They are scouts, the shadow warriors of your force. They are good at infiltrating, so even when they’ve ‘gone to ground’ they count as in cover. It they are ‘in cover’ they cannot be seen unless they fire, unless the enemy has figures within 5cm of them.
Each warband has eight bases of infantry armed with personal projectile weapons. They wear flak armour.
Reaction 3,2,3,2,3,2,2,1 18pts
10) Drone Master Team
This is a small group of experts who can control three drones. In reality it doesn’t matter if you model them as men controlling small flying machines via complex technology, or telepathically directing genetically modified and cyber enhanced raptors whose eyes they can see through, and whose brains they can command.
However it is configured, a drone can see troops who might be hidden from visual observation. Either because the drone is higher than the wall they are hiding behind, or is looking for heat signatures or similar. Also a drone can carry one manportable explosive round which it can drop on a target it has acquired.
A drone master team can provide anybody on the same board as them with improvised ECM as well.
Each team counts as six bases of infantry armed with personal projectile weapons. They wear flak armour. Three bases might be vehicles if the drones are flying machines. You can split this company up if you want to, and deploy the three components in different districts.
Reaction 3,2,3,2,3,2,2,1 18pts
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Clan economics</h2>
<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Unit type</td><td>Monthly Unit cost</td><td>Raising cost, equipment only</td></tr><tr><td colspan="3">Tribal troops</td></tr><tr><td>Tabak</td><td>450c</td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Piling Tao</td><td>500c</td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Anino Tabak</td><td>500c</td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Kanyon Kulog</td><td>500c</td><td>1600c</td></tr><tr><td>Drone Master Team</td><td>500c</td><td>1900c</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>
One wilderness territory will support one unit of Tabak, or one band of Mahina.
The others need paying. Your clients will contribute, see above.
Merchants and trade routes will also contribute. You get 100c per month for each area that a trade route passes through that is under your control.
<ul>
<li>It is under your control if the route passes over a card controlled by a client.</li>
<li>It is also under your control if it passes over a rough grazing card you control.</li>
<li>If the trade route crosses a river at a bridge or ford you control you get an extra 200c.</li>
</ul>
Note that for every 800c or part of 800c you get from merchants you are expected to provide at least a unit of Tabak to act as caravan escorts. So if you get 900c you have to provide two.
These are assumed to be spread out over the entire caravan route and it takes two months to concentrate them if you want to use them as a unit. When you’re doing this, you don’t get any money from the merchants.
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Warfare</h1>
In simple terms a move is a month and there are ten months in the financial year.
With regard to warfare, in one sense there is none. No massed artillery, air support or human wave infantry attacks. But there is generalised unpleasantness, and what passes for warfare has a certain feel of ritual about it.
Raiding
A clan can descent on a card/area which is part of the territory of a settlement that is not a client of theirs. They proceed to pillage. If undisturbed for a month (or if disturbed but they defeat those who disturbed them) they will gather enough loot to support the pillaging units for a month so they do not need paying.
The settlement who has seen its territory violated appeals to their patron who is duty bound to turn up with everybody he has (so not those guarding convoys or currently busy somewhere else) and drive the pillagers off. This will take either a successful action or the pillagers will flee as the patron is obviously too strong to be faced.
The settlement will place up to half its forces under the control of the Patron.
Total the number of pillaging units. If the settlement rolls less than that number of a d10, the settlement is financially embarrassed and cannot afford to pay the Patron next month. (It’s the patron’s fault, had the clan responded with greater alacrity, there would have been money.)
Encroachment.
With this a Clan merely places forces on a rough grazing territory held by another clan. Again the other clan will respond immediately with everybody they have and there will be a battle fought. The loser falls back and the victor has a fair claim to the territory.
Moving the boundary stones.
One settlement decides to annex one of the territories belonging to a neighbouring settlement. This is a two stage process. The attacker sends up to half their forces, plus any units their patron has in the settlement. The defender may respond with up to half their forces plus one unit and any units their patron has in the settlement.
The victor from that action will hold the area, but both sides will now demand their Patron comes to rescue them from the product of their folly. Thus clans who are otherwise friendly might end up fighting because the peasantry got uppity.
After this battle the territory is held by the victor.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How often do actions happen?</h2>
<ul>
<li>Each month roll one d6 for each clan. On a 6 they will do something. Toss a coin, heads they’ll encroach, tails they’ll raid.</li>
<li>Each month roll one d10 for each settlement. On a 1 they will try to move the boundary stones.</li>
</ul>
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Winning and losing</h1>
If you enjoy yourself you’re winning.
But eventually some of the clans will get pushed out. These can drift north, pass through ‘A stop on the road.’
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-jims-sf-novels-and-wargame-rules wp-block-embed-jims-sf-novels-and-wargame-rules"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="Fg7PT7rpYr"><a href="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2022/11/29/a-stop-on-the-road/">A stop on the road</a></blockquote><iframe class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" title="“A stop on the road” — Jim's SF novels and wargame rules" src="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2022/11/29/a-stop-on-the-road/embed/#?secret=TklbHlp9TC#?secret=Fg7PT7rpYr" data-secret="Fg7PT7rpYr" width="600" height="338" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
</div></figure>
And if successful there, they can make their way to Velonopolis where glory awaits.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Troops and figures.</h2>
As always I recommend you use what you want. Every wargamer I know has fallen in love with figures for which they have no conceivable use. Well, now you can get to use them.
<img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/2665.png" alt="♥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/2665.png" alt="♥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/2665.png" alt="♥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/2665.png" alt="♥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />
If you’ve not come across Hellfire in the City, it’s a supplement for Hellfire rules and is available from Wargame Vault in pdf for £2.50
<a href="https://www.wargamevault.com/product/417977/Hellfire-in-the-City" rel="nofollow">https://www.wargamevault.com/product/417977/Hellfire-in-the-City</a>
It’s also available from Amazon, on kindle for £2.50, or in paperback for £6.50
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<entry>
<author>
<name>jwebster2</name>
<uri>http://jandbvwebster.wordpress.com</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Behind on scheduled maintenance]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2023/08/28/behind-on-scheduled-maintenance/" />
<id>http://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/?p=2091</id>
<updated>2023-08-27T18:47:54Z</updated>
<published>2023-08-28T03:00:00Z</published>
<category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Uncategorized" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Hellfire" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Low Maintenance" /><category scheme="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com" term="Vimana" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[When exploring warfare on distant planets, far into the future, we seem to expect a lot from the protagonists. So, for example, it is claimed that modern fighter jets have been designed to withstand 8,000 total hours of flight time (on average) during their operational lifespan. This is a lot, at a sedate 20hrs peacetime<a class="more-link" href="https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/2023/08/28/behind-on-scheduled-maintenance/">Continue reading "Behind on scheduled maintenance"</a>]]></summary>
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When exploring warfare on distant planets, far into the future, we seem to expect a lot from the protagonists. So, for example, it is claimed that modern fighter jets have been designed to withstand 8,000 total hours of flight time (on average) during their operational lifespan. This is a lot, at a sedate 20hrs peacetime flying a month, this gives them a thirty year life. The trouble is that in wartime, the twenty hours a month might happen in a few days. Suddenly you’re burning life expectancy like it’s going out of fashion.
Not a problem, with the proper kit you can rebuild and get your plane more hours. This tends to involve working closely with the manufacturer. Which is fine if you’re based on a world which has such things as manufacturers. But if you’re some backwoods world where your air force is picked up second or third hand from glorified scrap dealers, this level of support is a luxury you cannot even dream about.
And that’s military equipment where there are systems in place and people who have nothing better to do than to make sure stuff runs properly. Can you imagine what it must be like with the ordinary civilian kit? In point of fact I can imagine it because I’ve had a lifetime in peasant agriculture. A friend of mine was in the Royal Navy and for part of his career was a naval officer responsible for Royal Marines. His general feeling was that Royal Marines and farmers have a similar attitude to health and safety, maintenance, discipline, and obeying orders. But then, as he used to say, at least they don’t issue farmers with automatic weapons and explosives. Mind you, if he’d had his way, he probably wouldn’t have issued them to Royal Marines either.
Still I fondly remember an old tractor we had that had a lever at the front of the engine block. If you lifted the lever up, it took the compression of the engine, so it raced. Then if you dropped the lever down it brought the compression back. So effectively you could ‘bump start’ the tractor without moving it.
It was an elderly tractor (older than me) and the start button no longer worked because a wire had come undone. But that didn’t matter because you held the wire underneath the button until it made contact with the terminal it used to be soldered to. That made the circuit and the engine would fire up.
On a cold morning the first thing I would have to do was to put the battery charger onto the battery. Not so much to charge it as to warm it. Then I’d come back ten minutes later, in the dark, with one hand under the bonnet reaching for the lever, lifting it up, and the other hand trying to make contact with the wire to get the engine to fire. Once it did I’d let in run for a while, drop the lever and hopefully it would roar into life. Never knock a system that works.
With that I’d unhook the battery charger and drive the tractor out of the building to where it was needed.
So I suppose that this set of rules/scenario is dedicated to that old David Brown tractor.
Whilst I use this scenario with Hellfire, you can tweak it for any rule set. The vehicle that caught my eye was the Vimana
<a href="https://www.wargamevault.com/product/450632/VIMANAS" rel="nofollow">https://www.wargamevault.com/product/450632/VIMANAS</a>
For 6mm (although I know people who’ve printed it out in 15mm) it’s a pay what you want stl and well worth a look. Even if you don’t have a printer, it’s getting to the stage where most people have a friend who has one. At the very least I suspect Iliada Games Studio would print some out for you.
To me, just looking at it, the Vimana is obviously the local planetary workhorse. It (or local variants) are doubtless popular across scores of worlds where they’re too busy to worry about maintenance schedules and suchlike fluff. The Vimana is valued because it is rugged, (almost indestructible) and even somebody with only the minimum of mechanical aptitude can keep one flying. Admittedly they don’t fly at any great height. There are two schools of thought about this phenomenon. The first claims that those running a Vimana don’t want the expense of climbing when you’ll only have to descend. The other school points out that provided you’re belted in, a Vimana hitting the ground from a mere hundred meters is barely going to ruffle your hair or scratch the vehicle’s paint.
So let us assume that your two combatants are fighting over a largish but very sprawling town, or several villages. Mark out six different areas where somebody might want to make a Vimana delivery. Their cargos are mixed. It could be cut flowers, fresh vegetables, hides, metal ingots, parcel delivery, bagged night soil to take to a market garden. It could even be any or all of these simultaneously.
Then mark your table edges. I’m assuming a square or rectangular table with four sides. So mark the sides one to four. If you roll one of these numbers on a d6, that is the side where the Vimana appears. On a 5 or 6 then there is no Vimana this turn.
Obviously if you have a six sided table, to make it easier to transfer action from your campaign hex map, I suggest you roll a d8 or even a d10.
Which Vimana do you get?
Roll a d12. I suggest that you do this every move. I find it induces a comforting humility in players when they realise that the universe is filled with busy people with jobs to do, and they don’t have time to stop everything just because you’re having a brawl.
1) Due to faulty shielding, there is electrical interference within 20cm of the vehicle as it travels (at 20cm per move). Missile guidance systems and similar don’t work within the radius.
2) Moves erratically, 4d10 cm per move. There’s a shrieking noise coming from the drive at irregular intervals. Each move roll a d10 and on a 1,2,3,4 there is a shriek. Smaller remote unmanned vehicles (drones) within 20cm of the Vimana just switch off and crash to the ground. Larger ones with more processing power land first before switching off.
3) Moves at 20cm per move. Everything is fine, until it lands and opens its hatches. This produces a Repetitive electrical impulse noise (REIN) fault which stops all data transmission visible and within 20cm of the hatch that is open.
4) It travels at very low height, at 10cm per move. Every move on which it rolls a 1 on a d6 it produces a belch of thick black smoke which fills a 5cm diameter. This counts as machine smoke for blocking energy weapons, and obviously blocks visibility.
5) Travels at 15cm per move and seems perfectly innocuous. Except that units within 5cm of its flight path complain about a high pitched whining sound which breaks concentration. Anybody firing counts enemy in cover for that move. If they are in cover then they count as dug in as well.
6) Travels at a low height, at 15cm per move. Each move roll a d6. On a 1 there is radio interference within 10cm of it for that move. Basically you cannot use a radio in that turn.
7) Travels at 30cm per move, On a 1 on a d6 it produces a burst of Electromagnetic Interference which means that anything ‘fly by wire’ or even controlled by radio, loses contact if within 10cm of it.
8,9,10,11,12) OK so they’re not perfect but at least they have no obvious problems. They move at 20cm per move.
<ul>
<li>Attempting to contact a Vimana is unlikely to work. If it has a working radio it’ll be tuned to the sport, the shipping forecast, or talking to a supplier organising the next load.</li>
<li>Shooting at one is possible. If you do, count it as heavy armour. This is just an expression of the rugged nature of the vehicle. It has no defences and no weaponry. If hit and not spectacularly destroyed, it will land and when landed it will continue doing whatever it was doing that irritated you in the first place. This includes the black smoke in this case, but every move <img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/1f642.png" alt="🙂" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></li>
</ul>
Unloading and loading
The Vimana will reach its destination. It will then take d10 turns to unload and load. It will then roll to see what table edge it wishes to leave by.
Whatever failings it had when flying, it will exhibit when landed. (With the exception of the black smoke) Have fun
<img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/2665.png" alt="♥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/2665.png" alt="♥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/2665.png" alt="♥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/2665.png" alt="♥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />
If you don’t know Hellfire, the rules are available from Wargame Vault as a pdf for £4.
<a href="https://www.wargamevault.com/product/361114/Hellfire" rel="nofollow">https://www.wargamevault.com/product/361114/Hellfire</a>
It’s also available from Amazon, £10 for paperback, £4 on Kindle. 
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