Loose Files and American Scramble

1st-3rd Class units move one or two Average Dice x inches; 4th/5th Class one AvD or AvD + D6. Skirmishers may add a D6, cavalry one or two D6. All troops except skirmishers take 1 DP for each 1 or 2 rolled (1-3 in woods). Woods/uphill -1" per die; on roads the player may choose the value of average dice.

All troops except skirmishers take l DP for each 1 or 2 rolled. In woods, take 1 DP for each 1, 2, or 3 rolled.

Each unit involved takes 1 DP. Retreating or routing units move around supports that have fewer DPs but run through and collide with units equally or worse formed.

Retreating or Routing units move round supports that are better formed (i.e., have less DPs), but run through and collide with units equally or worse formed.

Cavalry at rest may move off at up to two dice; at top speed (four dice) they can only slow to two dice next turn. When intending to close to contact a cavalry unit must roll at least three dice regardless of distance, taking any DP penalties.

Cavalry: May only change speed by one or two dice in a turn (i.e., if a unit is at rest, it may only move off at up to two dice x inches

Regulars use line and column (column as attack formation only vs fieldworks, bridges, defiles); militia and light infantry may skirmish. Changing formation takes a turn and 1 DP (2 under fire); limbering takes two turns; wheels are treated as uphill and cost 1 DP; about face or crossing fences costs half a move.

Change Formation: Takes one turn. Take 1 DP (2 DPs if under fire).

Woods/uphill subtract 1" from every die rolled and raise the DP threshold to 1-3. Minor obstacles take a turn and 1 DP (2 under fire); fences/walls take half a move; major obstacles like abatis are set by players.

Woods/Uphill: -1" from all dice rolled.

C-in-C has Average Die + 1 CPs (unless set by scenario); brigadiers have an Average Die's worth (3 in the 1987 text). Costs: move one die x inches 1 CP; order a unit or brigade within 6" 1 CP; written order in multiplayer 2 CPs (one turn delay); inspire +1 in combat 3 CPs; rally one DP 2 CPs. Allocation was tracked with pins on a cork tile.

Move up to one dice (average or D6, as you choose) x inches = 1 CP. Give an order to a unit (or to more than one unit in the same Brigade to do the same thing): 1CP (Command range is 6").

Writing an order costs 2 CPs and a unit takes one full turn to react to it; couriers move up to four dice x inches. Scenario reinforcement requests use the same write-and-read CP costs.

Write an order (in multiplayer games) = 2 CPs (note: a unit takes one full turn to react to a written order).

Attached commanders must stay until combat is resolved and share the unit's fate. If the unit takes a DP from fire or any casualty, roll a D6 (max once per turn): on 1 roll again: 4-6 light wound (-2 CPs), 2-3 serious wound (leaves the field), 1 killed.

1 = Hit. Roll again: 4/5/6 = Light wound. Lose 2 CPs. 2/3 = Serious wound. Retire from field. Loses all CPs. 1 = Killed.

Musket 0-8", rifle 0-10". Roll one D6 per company (or group of three skirmishers) minus the unit's DPs; halve vs artillery or skirmishers, halve again vs fieldworks/buildings, rounding up. Each 6 inflicts 1 DP; only skirmishers may fire and move in the same turn.

Roll one D6 for each company or group of three skirmishers firing, minus the number of DPs on the firing unit.

Light, field and heavy guns; long range 10-36" (-6" light, +6" heavy), short under 10". Modifiers include +1 for repeating the same target at the same range, -1 per DP on the gun, -2 vs skirmishers or fieldworks. Long range: 4+ inflicts 1 DP; short range: 2-3 1 DP, 4-5 2 DPs, 6+ 1 DP and 1 casualty.

At long range inflict 1 DP for final total of 4 or over. At short range inflict 1 DP for total of 2 or 3, inflict 2 DPs for total of 4 or 5

Artillery effect is rolled on one D6 per gun with modifiers. +1 applies if the gun fires at the same target at the same range as in the previous turn; -1 applies when firing at a new target. This rewards steady fire and penalises switching.

+1: Firing at same target, at same range, as in previous turn. -1: Firing at new target.

Combat occurs when a unit advances within 4". Modifiers: +3 per training grade above the opponent, +3/+2 fortifications, +2 British bayonet attack, +1 terrain, +1/2 inspiring general, -3 skirmish order, -3 flank/rear, -2 per DP, -2 per casualty, -1 to -5 for outnumbering (cavalry figure = 3 infantry, gun = 6). The difference gives each side's result from Easy victory (+4) to Routed (-9).

Result: Compare scores. If side A’s total is, say, +3 and side B’s is -2; then side A is the winner by a total of +5 and B is the loser by-5.

+4 easy victory (1 DP; 4th/5th class pursue); +2/3 success (1 DP, maybe 1 casualty, halt); +1/0/-1 standoff (both 1 DP and casualty, continue); -2 to -4 driven back (2 DPs, 1 casualty, retreat a move); -5 to -8 defeated (2 DPs, 2 casualties, retreat behind next line); -9 routed. Cavalry standoffs against infantry count as driven back.

-2/-3/-4: Driven Back. Take 2 DPs and one casualty. Retreat one move at maximum speed (no deduction for about face).

Open only to British regulars, declared before the attack. On a standoff the defender takes no casualty, so the attacker goes into the next round worse off (-4 vs -2). Infantry facing cavalry also avoid standoff casualties.

+ 2: Making bayonet attack (option open only to British regulars. Declare before attack).

DPs come from movement rolls, manoeuvre, collisions, morale, fire and combat; each DP gives -2 in combat and -1 die in fire. A unit can hold at most 5; further DPs from fire, combat or morale become casualties. Counters (pebbles) beside the command group show DPs openly.

These represent the temporary Disorganisation, Demoralisation, and Desertion that can affect a unit’s performance in action. Unlike casualties (see below) DPs do not have a permanent effect.

Troops ignore retreats of lower-grade friends but take 1 DP if one routs past within 6". An equal/higher grade unit retreating past within 6" gives 2 DPs; an equal grade rout gives 2 DPs and 1 casualty; a higher grade rout gives 3 DPs and 1 casualty.

If higher grade unit routs past within 6" take 3 DPs and l Casualty.

1st Class remove up to 2 DPs if stationary and not in combat; 2nd Class 1; 3rd Class 1 only if also not under fire; 4th Class only via a commander's CPs; 5th Class only via the C-in-C's CPs. Rallying costs 2 CPs per DP.

4th Class units may only remove DPs by a commander using his Command Points. 5th Class units only remove DPs if a commander-in-chief uses his Command Points.

Arnold may send a 2-CP written request to Gates; the reply, read for 2 CPs next turn, is rolled on a d6 table modified by which side has units retiring, deciding which brigades arrive and when. Hessian arrival is rolled in turn 5.

Reinforcements: If on table, Arnold may send a request back to General Gates for reinforcements from Learned’s Brigade. This request takes 2 CPs to write and send.

Freeman's Farm gives British VPs for holding the farm and creek crossing, killing leaders, minus for weakened units and lost guns, ending at turn 9 (nightfall); Fort St. Jean scores recovery of captured supplies, extricated bases and casualties.

5+ Victory Points = Decisive British victory 3-4 Victory Points = Tactical British victory Anything else is an American victory.

Each provides background, map, orders of battle with CPs per commander and training classes per unit, deployment and special rules (e.g. Morgan's Rifles kill leaders on a 1 without the second roll).

Loose Files and American Scramble Scenario for Andy Callan’s American War of Independence rules Freeman’s Farm 19 September 1777

An average die is a d6 numbered 2/3/3/4/4/5, giving a 3.5 mean with a narrower spread; it is used for most movement, combat rolls and CP totals, while d6s add variance for militia, skirmisher and cavalry extra movement and for fire.

And what about 'Average Dice'? (six-sided, but numbered 2/3/3/4/4/5 so they give the same 3.5 average score as a D6 but with a more even spread).

In infantry fire, skirmishers that roll a 5 roll again, inflicting 1 DP on a subsequent 4, 5 or 6, making their fire more effective than formed troops.

Inflict 1 DP for throws of 6 only. Skirmishers roll again for throws of 5, with subsequent 4/ 5/ 6 = inflict 1 DP.

1st Class grenadiers and light infantry; 2nd regulars, Continentals, rangers, jagers; 3rd raw regulars, veteran militia, loyalists; 4th militia; 5th other Indians. Grade sets movement dice, ability to redress ranks, and +3 per grade advantage in combat.

lst Class: Grenadiers, Light Infantry. 2nd Class: Regulars, Continentals, Rangers, Jagers. 3rd Class: Raw Regulars, Veteran Militia, Loyalists.

Infantry units of 9-30 figures in three-figure companies; cavalry 4-12 figures in two-figure troops; skirmishers individually based and firing in threes (max 15); each gun has three crew. One base per unit is the command group. 1 figure = 10 men, 1" = 25 yards.

Infantry: in ‘companies’ of three figures on a base. Unit size = 9 - 30 figures.

Casualties come from combat results, morale contagion, short-range artillery and DPs in excess of 5. One casualty removes a three-figure infantry company or two-figure cavalry troop; a gun that takes a casualty is knocked out. Each casualty is -2 in combat.

Loss of one ‘casualty’: Remove one company (three figures) of infantry or one troop (two figures) of cavalry. A gun that receives a casualty is knocked out.

1 compulsory retreats/routs from last turn; 2 morale effects of these; 3 firing; 4 allocate Command Points and move commanders/couriers; 5 movement with declared advances to contact; 6 combat; 7 units that did not move redress ranks by training.

ORDER OF PLAY IN A TURN (All Movement is Simultaneous)