Command friction & delay

With prior planning, a side may jam; the controller rolls every 4 bounds per targeted company or fire unit and on 4+ all FM voice orders and fire requests are halted for 4 bounds. Optionally, a suppressed command vehicle cannot communicate for two turns and a killed one for three; a 5-second limit on orders may be used.

A 4 or better on a single di¢ means jamming is effective for the next 4 bounds of the targeted unit. During that time, all— orders/fire requests normally passed by FM voice are halted.

Four d10 rolls are made each strategic turn, in an order changed every turn: one for weather, then one each for the Confederate and two Union players. Matching hex digits freeze units, representing looting, disobedience and supply problems. A suggested variant has Shields roll once, Banks twice, Fremont thrice and Jackson not at all.

If the number the commander rolled on the 1die is the same as the last digit of any hex that his units are in, that unit/counter may not move for that day's strategic day.

Orders and reports travel via the umpire, taking Züge to arrive (gallop up to 2000 paces, beyond that 700 paces per Zug). The time a commander takes to read a report and dictate orders is measured with a watch, and half as many Züge as minutes elapsed are charged, plus transit time, before orders reach the troops. Meanwhile local commanders act on their own initiative via the umpire.

Halb so viel Züge als Minuten vergangen sind, werden in Rechnung gebracht, und dazu wiederum die Zahl der Züge addirt , welche erforderlich sind, die gegebenen Befehle den Truppentheilen zu überbringen.

A signal hoisted at the start of a move cannot be executed in that move; the fleet stands on at its existing course and speed, and at the start of the next move the commander may haul it down to execute or keep it flying to delay. Signals may be annulled and replaced, but the replacement is again subject to the 2.5-minute rule; abbreviations like 'H V 4 R' are used. In the Strategic Game telegraph messages take one hour per 1,000 miles by day and 1.5 hours at night, with signal, wireless and searchlight ranges limited by table.

Each signal must be flying at least one move (two and one-half minutes) before it may be hauled down

Messengers move as horse in column and cannot fight or be shot; in any bound they move they are killed on a 1 on 1d6, after which a replacement may be sent.

Messengers move as horse in column and can’t shot, be shot at or melee; they are killed if a 1 on 1d6 is rolled in any bound they are moving

Manoeuvres, targets and bursts are not disclosed in advance; only smoke, fire, spins and destruction are announced. Pilots may not jointly plan manoeuvres since aircraft had no radios, except formation flying with a designated leader.

Players may NOT jointly plan their maneuvers, as aircraft did not have radios. Once in the air, pilots are on their own.

Target = sum of both commanders' ratings (1 poor to 4 excellent), -1 per 10" between them, plus a modifier by the current order (e.g. Reserve +2, Assault -2, Maneuver -1, Hold Ground +1). On failure a marker adds +2 next turn, rising by 2 each consecutive turn; no new order can be sent until the first is adopted. In play this gives about a two-turn lag.

To successfully change an order the player must roll on a D10, less than or equal to the sum of the two commanders' ratings

Each Hegemon may issue one vocal (written) order per turn to a single officer if he is not in melee, rout or pursuit. The runner counter travels 8" per turn, may not pass within 3" of the enemy, and the order is implemented on the turn after receipt. Orders are only for actions outside the salpinx signal parameters, e.g. a flank march.

It must “travel” (by runner) to its target unit or strategos at a rate of 8” per turn. It may not move within 3” of an enemy unit.

Hordes are commanded only if they host a general, touch one, or trace an unbroken line of undisrupted friends to one. Aggressive units not under command automatically attack any enemy within their normal move at the start of their movement phase. Aggressive hordes break out of a shield wall when out of command.

Aggressive units will automatically attack any enemy units that come within their normal move range if they are not currently under the Command and Control of a General.

Orders take turns to arrive according to how many roads the detachment is distant from the commander; a detachment receiving superseding orders completes the old ones before starting the new, unless the commander is in contact with it.

You have to write 1 turn of or deis for each road the, are distant at the start of a tur&ạ&when ... ones, they will complete the old ones before starting on the new

Order changes are carried by courier figures that move at cavalry rates. Once an order change arrives, it takes one full turn to read, digest and write order changes for the next command level, so delays compound down the chain.

Order changes, once written, will be transmitted down the command chain via courier figures which move at cavalry rates. Once an order change has arrived at its destination, it takes one full turn to read, digest and write order changes

A house rule: any player who knocks over a timer, drops dice or otherwise disturbs the battlefield must stop and restore order, which costs them real time. This models battlefield accidents, which increase as players get stressed.

Every time a player messes up the battlefield (by dropping dice on the floor, knocking over an hourglass, or some such thing), they must stop what they’re doing an “reestablish battlefield order”.

General orders may be given verbally before the action only. During action the admiral calls coded signals (e.g. '8 S.P.'), captains answer or reply 'Not understood', and the admiral calls 'Act on signal'. Verbal directions outside the code are known to any enemy in signalling distance; ships without masts or halliards cannot signal; maximum signalling distance 10,000 yards.

If any verbal directions are given, other than by signal code, they are to be known at once by any enemy within signalling distance.

Whenever French infantry checks morale and rolls a 1, it premeasures its charge distance (by formation); if a German unit is in range it must use its next two operations to charge, cannot fire first, and must leave buildings, obstacles or woods to do so, even beyond its commander's range. Cavalry, artillery, mitrailleuses, engineers and pioneers are exempt.

Whenever a French Infantry unit checks morale for any reason, and rolls a 1, the unit must automatically charge

A C-in-C may order any unit by courier, which moves 3d6" per round on the C-in-C's card; any doubles mean the order has gone awry. Only one courier may be on the board, and couriers cannot rally shaken or routing units.

A Courier moves 3d6 inches per round (on the C-in-C's card), but any doubles on the dice indicate the order has gone awry

Order chits are placed in the final phase and revealed in the first phase of the next turn, so commanders work with a one-turn (one-hour) delay. Combined with the random corps move order, this is meant to stop players acting as all-seeing generals.

This, together with the existing command and control rules creates enough of a "buggeration factor" to prevent the clairvoyant demigod approach to wargame generalship.

Fair-quality stands that want to exit cover must take a Quality Check, and if they fail they refuse to move out.

"Fair" quality stands must take a Quality Check to exit cover. If failed, they refuse to move out!

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).

Writing an order costs 2 CPs and a unit takes one full turn to react to a written order. Orders given directly by a commander require the unit to be within 6" command range.

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