0168 - Fall Campaign Setup

 A lot of forces are going to be moving in the near future. We need some rules to help us organize troop movements and supplies as well as a simple mass-combat system, should units come into contact with enemy units.

 

Population Centers & Supplies

In order to simulate the necessity of spreading out the forces for the winter, we need a simple logistics system. The same rating system will be used for recruitment/replacement later. Units themselves will be living off the land on the move but when they establish a base or cantonment, we can assume that the local population is asked/begged/forced to help provide for the troops.

 

Each population center can provide for a certain number of troops. Housing is not the problem but food and medical supplies will be. In the following table, a regiment will represent approximately 1000 men and a company 100. Regiments are equal to ten companies, Companies to 4 25-man platoons. This is an abstract system and in reality, the regiment probably represents a brigade or division. Semantics are not important here since this  a compromise to reduce the necessity of have track the exact number of troops that can be supported.

 

Population Size Code	Description	Maximum Supported
A	Major City	5 Regiments
B	City	3 Regiments
C	Town	4 Companies
D	Open/Woods/River Hex	2 Companies
E	Swamp/Hills	1 Company
F	Rubble Hex	1 Platoon

 

The hex values represent villages or groups of villages within the hex. It is possible, for example, to send some companies to establish bases around a city or town. There they would act to secure the hex and provide advance warning of an attack.

 

In addition, the current season is going to have an impact. In Winter and Spring, the maximum number of supported units is reduced by 50%.

 

How does this fit into the world of T2K? The team is currently living with Cav Troopers from Bravo troop, 1/116 Cavalry in the town of Dobrodzień, Poland. Since it is a town, they can support a maximum of 4 companies. The current troop strength of the cav troop is approximately a company after the team returned with the POWs. We can assume that not all of the POWs returned to duty, so a number of 100 is a good estimate of the current combat strength.

 

During the winter/spring, the maximum number of companies that the town can support drops to 2. The cav troops can live comfortably in the town, as they are not that great a strain on the logistics of the town.

 

The area around the town can also support a garrison and are rated, based on their terrain type, as type D.

 

 

Recruitment

You need warm bodies to feed the machine and national distinctions have become irrelevant. Forces will use local recruiting to fill out their ranks. I imagine the situation to be similar to late in the Thirty Years War: being part of an armed group was probably not the safest of jobs but it gave you a better chance to have a full belly and maybe a bit of booty to boot. 

 

The number of recruits is not endless though and the city class can be used to determine the number of recruits available.

 

Population Size Code	Description	Number of Recruits per year
A	Major City	5 Companies
B	City	4 Companies
C	Town	3 Companies

 

Once the number of recruits is withdrawn, the population center is "tapped out" and no more recruits may be gathered for a year. There are only so many people willing to join the forces in the area. How the soldiers are recruited (rewards, by force, etc.) will affect the unit morale and increase the chance of revolt. More information on this is provided below.

 

Logistics on the Move

Units moving will generally have two days of supplies with them during the move. A unit will receive supplies if they can trace an unbroken line of supply to a friendly town by road or rail. Supply routes become broken when they pass through hexes controlled by enemy troops, marauders or any other settlement or force that is not friendly to the unit. If this supply route becomes broken, the unit is then out of supply and will exhaust its supply within two days.

 

Alternatively, a unit can live off the land and "collect" a number of supplies equal to the current hex type. In doing so, however, the hex is "spent" and no more supplies can be collected for a period of two weeks. Living off the land will quickly cause the land to become exhausted, forcing units to move on.

 

Captured Cities and Logistics

Enemy cities may be captured by driving off the defenders, after which the victors may take control of the city and use it for a base of operations. If the unit moves on, it must leave a garrison to ensure the "loyalty" of the population. If no garrison is stationed in the town, it will revert to being an enemy city.

 

The minimum size if the garrison depends on the size of the settlement.

 

Population Size Code	Description	Garrison Size
A	Major City	3 Companies
B	City	2 Companies
C	Town	1 Company

 

Revolt

If a population center is treated badly by the occupation forces, a revolt may occur. You should check once each time the Revolt Factor changes for a population center. Add the factors that apply from the table below and roll a D6. If the number rolled is equal of less than the Revolt Factor, a revolt occurs.

 

Factor	Description
+1	Local population forced into military service
+1	Military presence in the population center is greater than the maximum number that can be supported
+1	Local population treated badly by the military force
+1	Military Garrison is too small for the population size

 

If the population center revolts, generate a revolutionary force of the same size as the number of recruits for the population center, even if the maximum number of recruits has been called up (a few that were hiding come out to defend their home). This is an additional force and should be tracked in your campaign as a separate force.

 

Units

Large units and their movements will be followed on the map. Factors such as their morale, leader competency, etc. need to be tracked in order to allow us to track the units reactions. The units strength and equipment will help us determine their combat power and movement speed.

 

Unit Card

Unit Cards can be used to track the relevant information about the unit. I have made an example below:

 

Unit Code	Unit Name	Faction	Morale Factor	Mutiny Factor	Commander	CCR	No. of Men (x morale)	No. of AFVs (x10)	Combat Strength	Travel Mode	Notes
SOV-129-01	129th MRD	Soviet	4	12	LT Valeriy Zhukov	3	60	2	266	Foot (2 hexes/shift)
US-116-01	B 1/116th	US	4	12	CPT Molly Warren	5	65	9	360	Motorized (6 hexes/shift)

 

You can adapt this to fit your needs and the needs of your campaign.

 

Leaders & Commander Competency

Each unit has a leader and they should be assigned a Commander Competency Rating (CCR). Like the unit morale (below), the scale moves from 1 to 6 and the following table can be used to help you pick a rating. Alternatively, you can roll a D6 for a random CCR.

 

CCR	Description
1	Inept
2	Inexperienced
3	Average
4	Average
5	Excellent
6	Superb

 

When a commander is replaced, roll again for the next commander. A great commander may be replaced by one of his inept staff officers. Such are the winds of war.

 

Combat Strength

The size of a unit and the number of vehicles has an effect on the combat power but morale and leadership also play a big role. The formula for the combat power is:

 

• Number of Men x Morale factor + Number of AFVs x 10 + CCR x 2

 

I assume that the units are equipped with small arms and support weapons, including mortars and ATGMs. The category AFV is to reflect all armored vehicles, including tanks, APCs and IFVs as well as self-propelled artillery and such. It is abstract, but it works.

 

You can adjust the combat strength as you see fit to reflect the situation. For example, if the defenders were in prepared defenses, it may be appropriate to multiply their combat strength by 1.2 to reflect their increase defensive capabilities.

 

Small units with good morale and leadership with a great number of vehicles may have a greater combat strength then a larger unit with poor equipment, leadership and morale.

 

Unit Morale

No one is going to fight to the death, the war has been going on too long for that. The suicidal types have already had their chance to die. Each unit should be given a morale rating from 1-6. This can be determined randomly using a D6 or use the chart below as a guideline:

 

Morale Factor	Description
1	Civilian population pressed into service
2	Newly raised troops without combat experience
3	Experienced militia troops with some combat experienced
4	Average mixed combat unit of experienced soldiers and locally raised troops
5	Regular troops with an experienced core of veterans
6	Elite force of battle-hardened veterans

 

At the start of your campaign, generated a rating for your units and use this rating for the entire units. As new recruits are brought in or other units merged, average the experience of the unit. Use can use this, for example, to track the morale of units at a company level or so and personalize those units.

 

Morale &  Losses

As units take losses, their morale will begin to be affected. Use the table below to determine how the unit will react:

 

Morale Factor	10% losses	20% losses	30% losses	40% losses	50% losses	More than 50% losses
1	Fall Back	Retreat	Flee	Flee	Flee	Flee
2	Fight On	Fall Back	Retreat	Flee	Flee	Flee
3	Fight On	Fight On	Fall Back	Retreat	Flee	Flee
4	Fight On	Fight On	Fight On	Fall Back	Retreat	Flee
5+	Fight On	Fight On	Fight On	Fight On	Fall Back	Retreat

 

If the result is Fight On, the unit maintains good order and continues the struggle. If the result is Fall Back, the unit uses fire and maneuver to break contact, employing all means at its disposal to disengage. Wounded and heavy equipment will be recovered and transported with the force. Retreat means the unit will leave the field as quickly as possible, abandoning heavy equipment and wounded if necessary. On a result of Flee, the units drops everything and runs for the hills.

 

Mutiny on the Warta

Morale is something for the short term effects in the game If a unit has a string of very bad luck and a poor leader, over time the mumbling voices will increase until action is taken and this usually ends in a mutiny in some form.

 

Each unit is rated with a mutiny factor that is three times as high as its initial morale factor. Circumstances will affect the mutiny factor. You can find some of these circumstances in the table below:

 

Modifier	Description
-1	For each day unsupplied
-1	Having a commanding officer with a competency rating of 2 or less
-1	For each defeat suffered
-1 / -2	For every 25% casualties suffered in battle / For every 25% casualties suffered in battle while unsupplied
+1	For each day supplied (after being unsupplied)
+1	For gaining a commanding officer with a competency rating of 3 or more
+1	For each victory achieved

 

If the mutiny factor is reduced to 0, the unit mutinies. The table below will help you determine how the unit reacts:

 

Die Roll	Description
1-3	Force disbands and deserts, creating new marauder groups
4	Force refuses to move or fight
5	Force begins to move toward its homeland with the intention of returning home. Roll randomly for the new commander and treat the force as unaligned.
6	Force joins the enemy

 

If the unit has not disbanded (or joined the enemy), the force may be brought back into the fold by removing the factors that lead to the mutiny in the first place, raising the morale above 0 again.

 

Unit Movement

Each unit has a movement category which determines the amount of hexes they move per shift. We can assume two shifts of movement per day. Some will argue that they could move faster and this is probably true but a tank division will not have everyone riding in tanks. Some will be on horses, wagons and maybe on foot. Maybe some of the units need to ferry troops back and forth in the few trucks that they have. In addition, units will move slow and have to stop frequently. Is there a possible ambush up ahead? Have some units fallen behind and the rest need to wait for them to catch up? Has there been a breakdown or is the bridge washed out ahead? All these things will slow down movement.

 

Campaign Events

You should consider using a campaign calendar. These can be used to record events as they happen or plan for future events. A simple method is to use an online generator to make a template for you. I used one to generate a calendar starting in July 2000 and extending for 36 months:

 

You can find the generator here: https://www.calendarlabs.com/customize/excel-calendar/monthly-calendar-01

 

Randomizing the Events

You don't want to cheat yourself of the fun by knowing what a unit will do. Each time a unit decides to move, attack, etc., write up three plans and roll a D6. One 1-2, the first plan is enacted, on 3-4, the second plan is used and 5-6 the third plan. Once the plan is executed or becomes irrelevant due to the situation, make three more plans and roll again. The units will follow the plans to the letter when executing them. When the plan is decided for the unit, mark the start of the movement on your calendar as well as the day the arrive at their destination.

 

An example: the soviet garrison in Kluczbork, Poland has orders to move back to the division cantonment near Jelenia Gora in order to establish winter quarters. The unit can move west, through Namyslow, joining another sub-unit of the 129th. It can move north, through Kepno before swinging west through Sycow. Alternatively it can move south, through Olesno and then turning west. A roll of 1D6 (5) reveals that the commander will move through Olesno.

 

Combat Results

I was considering using the CGS from Harpoon but then thought that is a bit too complicated for actions that will be happening in the "background". I decided to use a simple Combat results table to determine the outcome. The process is simple, determine the combat power relationships between the defender (round to the nearest number) and attacker and roll 2D6.

 

2D6 Roll	1:3	1:2	1:1	3:2	2:1	3:1	4:1	5:1
2	AE	AE	AE	*30%/-	30%/10%	*20%/-	20%/5%	10%/-
3	AE	AE	*30%/-	30%/10%	*20%/-	20%/5%	10%/-	10%/10%
4	AE	*30%/-	30%/10%	*20%/-	20%/5%	10%/-	10%/10%	-/10%
5	*30%/-	30%/10%	*20%/-	20%/5%-	10%/-	10%/10%	-/10%	-/20%*
6	30%/10%	*20%/-	20%/5%	10%/-	10%/10%	-/10%	-/20%*	-/30%*
7	*20%/-	20%/5%	10%/-	10%/10%	-/10%	-/20%*	-/30%*	DE
8	20%/5%	10%/-	10%/10%	-/10%	-/20%*	-/30%*	DE	DE
9	10%/-	10%/10%	-/10%	-/20%*	-/30%*	DE	DE	DE
10	10%/10%	-/10%	5%/20%	-/30%*	DE	DE	DE	DE
11+	-/10%	5%/20%	-/30%*	DE	DE	DE	DE	DE

 

The results in the table have the following meaning

 

• AE: Attacking unit(s) completely Eliminated. Unit is removed from the unit list and has been effectively destroyed. Stragglers from the unit may be encountered in the area later.
• DE: Defending unit(s) completely Eliminated. Unit is removed from the unit list and has been effectively destroyed. Stragglers from the unit may be encountered in the area later.
• Intermediate results (reflected by a slash separating two values): the number to the left of the slash represents the losses suffered by the attacking force, the number to the right of the slash represents the losses the defenders might suffer (losses may result in the dissolution or destruction of sub-units and/or the overall distance a force may retreat). A dash represents no effect to the force indicated. A star (*) indicates that force is forced to retreat and breaks off combat, immediately moving 1 hex away from the enemy.

 

Losses taken affect men and AFVs in the same proportion. If the  unit has 10 vehicles and takes 30% losses, 3 of the vehicles have been destroyed in the fighting.

 

Losing Commanders

The overall percent of losses for the unit is also the percentage that the commander is killed. If the unit suffers 40% losses, the commander has a 40% chance of being killed. Roll a new commander CCR and assign him to lead the unit.

 

Combat Example

Let's assume that the unit of the 129th MRD is attempting to force the cav troopers out of Dobrodzień, Poland. The cav troops are in defensive positions and their combat strength is multiplied by 1.2. The Soviets have an effective combat strength of 266 and the cav troopers 360 x 1.2 or 432. This gives us a ratio of 360:432 or 1:1.2. We round to the nearest number and it give us a ratio of 1:1. Next, we roll 2D6 and get a 4. Cross-indexing the ration 1:1 with a roll of 4 give us  30%/10%. The Soviet suffer 60 * 30% = 18 casualties while the cav troopers suffer 65 * 10% or 6.5, rounded to 7. The Soviets lose 2 * 30% = 0.6 ,rounded to 1 vehicle while the cav troopers suffer 9 X 10% = 0.9, rounded to 1 vehicle. Both units have a morale factor of 4 and will choose to fight on. We adjust the combat values and continue on.

 

Lt. Zhukov has a 30% chance of being killed in the exchange and Cpt. Warren a 10% chance. We roll for both and the results are 5, 84 indicating that Lt. Zhukov has been killed in action. We roll the CCR for his successor and he has a 1. The mutiny factor of the unit is lowered by 1 because of the fact they suffered 25% casualties and 1 more because their new commander has a CCR of 1.

 

Unit Code	Unit Name	Faction	Morale Factor	Mutiny Factor	Commander	CCR	No. of Men (x morale)	No. of AFVs (x10)	Combat Strength
SOV-129-01	129th MRD	Soviet	4	10	SGT Savva Kozlov	1	42	1	180
US-116-01	B 1/116th	US	4	12	CPT Molly Warren	5	58	8	322

 

Conclusion

Ultimately it is important to remember this is the background of your world and provides information that makes your world alive, but these events should not cost you a great amount of time. No one will thank you for the fact that you played out the engagement at a 1:1 scale if it does not really affect their characters. It is not meant as an ultra-realistic combat tool but rather a tool to help you add fluff to your campaign.