hcg_napoleonics

7/21/2019 hcg_napoleonics

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hcgnapoleonics 1/8

Hex Command Gunpowder V.01. 3. 16 of 8

Hex Command

Napoleonic Era

Version 1/3/2016 8:34 AM

© Terry Cabak and R. Jeffrey Cabak




CONTENTS

1. HCG DIFFERENCES, SCALE,ORGANIZATION ........................... 2

1.1 Organization ............................. 3

1.1.1 Fatigue and CombatHits ....................................3

1.1.2 Formations: RoadColumn Fired Upon .............3

1.1.3

Formations: BattleColumn ..............................3

1.1.4 Formations: InfantrySquare ...............................4

1.1.4.1 Rules for Square ........ 4

1.1.4.2 Cavalry VersusSquare ........................ 4

1.2 Skirmisher Infantry, LightInfantry and Cavalry .................. 5

2. ARTILLERY ................................... 5

2.1 Artillery Movement ..................... 5

3. COMBAT ....................................... 6

3.1 Combat Process ........................ 6

3.2 Artillery Firing ........................... 6

3.2.1 Firing into Dead Zonebeyond Friendly Unitsand Obstacles .................... 6

3.2.2 Routing Artillery andEngaging Artillery inMelee ................................ 6

3.2.3 Mortars .............................. 6

4. MELEE .......................................... 7

4.1 Automatic Hit beforeMelee Contact ........................... 7

4.2 No Bayonets ............................. 7

4.3 Cascading Effects ...................... 7

5. NAPOLEONIC CVS CMTAI ............. 8

1. HCG Differences, Scale, Organization

The main difference between the rifled musket era (ACW) and this module is that:

• Rifled muskets though rare, were mostly used by skirmishers (roll Code to cause a hit) andfire at extended range (+1 hex).

• Skirmishers: Individual Battalions and divisions of cavalry cannot themselves send outskirmishers, though this historically was done. Each stand of dismounted cavalry (Dragoons,hussars, cheveaux leger etc.) is shown as two skirmish stands, one per hex, with a horsefigure behind each. Firing mounted: -1 Combat Penalty.

• Cavalry will see greater use in this era because of the short musket ranges. If cavalry

position at the edge of musket range to a target they can usually contact infantry in a singlemove. There is no charging in the Hex Command series but there are dice options for variablemovement distances. Be advised if cavalry does not contact infantry in a single move, theinfantry target may be able to form square to resist the cavalry if not in the same turn, thefollowing turn regardless who wins initiative.

• Artillery mostly operated in sections (2 actual guns) interspersed among battalions of abrigade and rarely collected as batteries: pass commander tactical to place sections inneighboring hexes of each other. Most all field artillery were 6lb and 7lb howitzers, except

that France had fewer, larger caliber guns than 6lb, although their horse artillery was 6lb.

• Range per Hex and Canister: One hex represents 25 yards (versus 100 yards per hex in ACW). This means that Canister range is 4 hexes. Automatic hit by artillery is 1 Red hitrepresenting canister. However, players can elect to NOT to fire canister and especially onmostly flat level ground, instead fire normal round shot which affects all troops passedthrough by the shot, with TE hits, and these round shots travel up to half the range of thegun before stopping. However, rain affects the ground and if the battle occurs after rain,

only the unit immediately hit by round shot takes any casualties.




1.1 Organization

• Each Infantry Regiment comprises 2 battalion stands. Each Cavalry "Division" (aka Battalion)comprises 2-3 squadrons. Each cavalry squadron is one stand. 2-3 Divisions comprise aRegiment of Cavalry.

• 2-3 regiments comprise a "brigade." Sometimes, especially early in the wars, "Demi-Brigades"consisted of 1.5-2.5 regiments.

• 1-3 brigades a "Division."

• A stand for infantry, cavalry and artillery is approximately 2" wide x 1.5" deep.

Typical organization with 1/72 figures has infantry with 6-8 figures per stand, and up 2-3 figuresper cavalry stand (a squadron) with 2-3 squadrons to a battalion and 2 battalions to a regiment.

Artillery is one gun (removable so as to enable showing it with no crew on the game table) with2-4 figures for crew, representing a section of 2 actual guns and the size of the base is generallyas already described however it can anything to accommodate the scene and crew for the type ofgun; with no more than one model per hex while limbers are always shown in the heximmediately behind where a gun is deployed; limbers can be no further than 2 hexes from thehex where the gun is deployed to operate normally; if limbers are placed further than thatlimbering up will take an entire turn. However, players may wish to keep limbers further awaysuch that they can be taken away by the owner should the guns be captured and thus will not

have any ammunition.

1.1.1

Fatigue and Combat Hits

1. In this module, TE hits are applied as usual for terrain effects but only one isrecovered by a unit standing still for an entire turn or by commanderproximity.

2.

Each successive TE hit when a unit is Fatigued causes a Red casualty hit.

3.

HOWEVER: troops that do not move do not go Fatigued (marked tan) unless, andat the conclusion of, a round of melee (in this case commander proximity doesnot keep units from going Fatigued).

4.

Also, troops that are moving and are in proximity of a commander do not goFatigued (tan) as long as they are in his proximity.

5.

When troops receive their 3rd TE hit and thus go fatigued, troops that are Fatigued:

• Have a Tan indicator (-1 CP, plus move one hex maximum as usual)

• Each combat hit causes a Red hit instead of TE hits (as usual)

• Keep the Tan indicator until they don’t move for a whole turn (are recovered at theend of the turn as usual) or an officer rallies them in proximity (as soon as they moveto proximity of the commander or he to them as usual)

1.1.2 Formations: Road Column Fired Upon

1.

In those cases where units are moving on a road and are said to be gaining the roadbonus, when fired upon the firer gets +1 CB.

2. Units in Road Column can NOT FIRE in any direction; troops must deploy to be able tofire (there was no training in the day for combat for March Column troops). Note that aRoad Column is not the same as Battle Column.

1.1.3 Formations: Battle Column

1.

The Battle Column existed to provide force of mass to march to and engage in melee thatcompels an enemy organization to break.



of 8 V.01. 3. 16 Hex Command Gunpowder

2.

Firing at Columns causes higher hits (+1 TE) but if the column makes contact with a non-column it will have +1 CB in melee.

3. However, if the column is forced to stop moving it fires at -1 CP until it is no longer inbattle column formation.

4.

Forming into a Battle Column is represented by battalions stacked one touching the otherahead of it, all using the first battalions location hex as their lead unit. Forming a Battle

Column occurs by all battalions around a selected hex unit, and takes an entire turn to

form; but all units of the battle column can automatically be placed into their own hexesthough back from the lead unit in a single turn (that is not beside it unless a game card orother ability is available).

1.1.4

Formations: Infantry Square

1.

All infantry battalions can be marked as formed Square, but the order to do so mustbe at the beginning of unit's activation movement phase.

2.

Units that have already activated can attempt to pass reaction to form square anyother time during the turn, but failing may involve negative consequences.

3.

Veteran and other experienced class units automatically form square withoutincident.

4.

Successful squares are shown on the game table with a template piece of paperunder the unit.

5.

All units forming square, at the end of the movement phase must check to see if

they completed the square without incident.

1.1.4.1

Rules for Square

1.

Firing at squares is +1 CB for infantry and small arms, and +2 CB for artillery.

2.

All squares fire with -1 CP but in a 360o arc.

3.

Only infantry units not fatigued can form square.

4.

Unless regimental or larger square, no objects are allowed to be placed insidesquares.

1.1.4.2

Cavalry Versus Square

1.

Only when cavalry contact to melee a Recruit (raw) unit, or a unit fully Fatigued(marked tan) are they likely to have a chance to cause damage to a formed square.

2. For Cavalry vs. Square: a cavalry unit moves into the neighboring hex of a squareand if Lancer, a Red hit to the square is applied automatically. After this initialcontact, melee continues as usual. The only time the hit is NOT appliedautomatically is if the square is in some form of cover such as being on higher

ground while the cavalry starts its turn on lower ground.

3.

If not lancer, the cavalry owner rolls a CnC die: On Code, the square receives a Redhit and the Cavalry receives a TE hit. If the die roll is not successful, the cavalryreceives a TE hit, does not contact and is moved up to 2 hexes away in a directionand facing as the cavalry owner desires.




1.2 Skirmisher Infantry, Light Infantry and Cavalry

1.

Skirmisher Infantry stands fire rolling a CnC die with Code to cause a TE hit at allranges; at targets in cover the to-hit advances one pip to CnC and so on. This reflects

their accuracy but not volume fire and they are unaffected by any bonuses. Skirmisherinfantry with rifles have extended range.

2.

When shown as dismounted, remove the cavalry stand from the game surface andreplace as already stipulated. When dismounted, horses are said to always be with the

stand unless the stand is surrounded wherein their horses are lost.3.

Light Cavalry and Light Infantry get an additional hex speed movement. Light infantrywith rifles (or Fusiliers) have extended range (+1 hex).

4. When represented as skirmishers (2-3 figures per stand, one stand per hex), LightInfantry Skirmishers and Cavalry Skirmishers ignore all terrain penalties exceptextreme terrain.

5. As skirmishers, infantry have auto-push back due to enemy contact unless contactedby mounted troops (not skirmishers). Dismounted cavalry skirmishers do not mountup and push back if contacted by mounted troops.

6.

When Dismounted Cavalry Skirmishers are Hit: Upon their first Red hit the stand

mounts up and pushes back 3 hexes; the partner stand can choose to follow suit. On asecond red hit on a single stand, the dismounted cavalry stand and its partner areeliminated.

7.

Firing from the saddle is -1 CP and only one firing per turn when mounted. However,

mounted troops can fire, move then dismount to fire again.

2. Artillery

2.1 Artillery Movement

Players can choose not to show limbers on the table as they are decorative only.

a)

Horse: 4 hexes / turn. (all crew mounted); can move set down and fire (-1 hex), or fire, limberand move (- 1 hex).

b) Foot: 2 hex / turn. (no crew mounted); can move set down firing next turn, or fire and limberup.




3. Combat

3.1 Combat Process

1.

Units must be marked Hold (and not moved) to fire Any Time during the Turn.The owner of non-moving units declares they are firing anytime during the turn.

2.

Moving units stop temporarily to receive the combat.

3.

Mark all firing units with Fired indicators.

3.2 Artillery Firing

1. Each range band equals TWO hexes. However, canister range is up to 4 hexes with thefirst two hexes as automatic and the next two hexes being rolled (blue aka "Color" to hit).Canister causes a Red casualty hit; non-canister firing causes only a TE hit. As there is norifled field artillery only heavy artillery will get an additional CnC range band.

2. As howitzers are evident in this era players should be aware of using Howitzers/mortarsfiring over friendly troops and obstacles.

3.

No artillery in this era even when larger than 4-gun batteries is allowed to splittheir fire in different directions. Each battery can fire at different targets but a single

battery cannot fire in more than a single direction.

3.2.1

Firing into Dead Zone beyond Friendly Units and Obstacles

1.

Dead zone distances for howitzers are halved but this does not mean they seebetter than normal artillery. Dead zone size for artillery:Distance to friendly unit or edge of obstacle = 1/2 that distance beyond is the Dead Zoneinto which targets cannot be hit.

2.

This also applies to the distance from firing location to edge of hill/edge of forest when

firing from the same level. Firing from an additional level cuts the dead zone in half againbut thereafter no additional reduction is made in the size of the safe zone.

3.2.2

Routing Artillery and Engaging Artillery in Melee

(standard rule reprinted here) Just prior to melee contact, non-phasing artillery can get “robbed”of a chance to fire especially if they have not already fired prior to melee contact because of themechanics of the game. Even when they are not activated, artillery that has not already fired inthe turn should at least be able to try to fire just before melee contact or being overrun. For thisreason, Roll Color to succeed and be allowed to fire then the crew is pushed back if the enemy isnot pushed back, leaving their guns in place. Roll Code to turn and fire at an enemy outsidetheir primary arc (but not the rear). Failing means the guns cannot fire and the crew is captured.

If routed by combat Foot artillery crews abandon their guns and move as routed. Horse

artillery take their guns. When rallied, crews return to the guns if the guns are still present.

3.2.3

Mortars

1.

Mortar fire uses the Shot-fall procedure at a named target hex and if 5,6 is NOT rolledthen roll to see where around the hex the shot has fallen. On 5,6 on the first

roll the shot lands in the hex.

2.

Mortar fire is not influenced by commander presence.

3.

Mortars have a dead-zone in their front facing into which they cannot fire into: 2 hexes

for medium mortars and 5 hexes for all heavier mortars. Maximum range of portable(field) mortars is 12 hexes.




4. Melee

4.1 Automatic Hit before Melee Contact

Automatic musket fire Red hits occur just before melee contact for units that have NOT alreadyfired in the turn. If units HAVE already fired, only an automatic TE hit will be applied to a target.

4.2 No Bayonets

Units without bayonets suffer +1 TE prior to melee contact due to fear factor.

4.3 Cascading Effects

Units that rout may have cascading effects on any nearby units (check them using the method

below) and units that have opponents rout in front of them may pursue without control. To checkunits, roll on the Commander's Morale value (as determined by the CVS): if it is Zero: unitswill fail on Color (3 in 6 chance); at 1 they fail on Code (2 in 6 chance), on 2 they fail on CnC(1 in 6 chance).




5. Napoleonic CVS CMTAI Allies for each nation begin at one year band lower. Main commander listed. Determine additional

commanders: C=hange qty of values, by 1 (either up or down) using percentile dice: plusprobability/negative probability (TAI are worse as value increases ):

YearBand

Francec3-

60/40

Austriac2-

40/60

Russiac1-

30/70

Prussiac1-

50/70

Englandc2-

40/601790-99 01555 01777 00778 00778 00677

1800-05 11655 11677 01677 00777 01677

1806-09 21556 11666 11677 01766 11676

1810-13 21566 12666 12676 11666 11666

1814-15 22555 12655 12655 21665 22565

hcg_napoleonics

Documents