Bravado!
Era Specific Guidelines for the
American War of
Also Know As
The American Rebellion
1775 - 1783
Scale
One inch is about 50 yards for 15mm models.
5cm is about 150 yards for 6mm models.
Basing
Basing Requirements - Should be the same between opposing sides. Bases are described in standard "frontages", where 1 Frontage is the width of an infantry unit. "Bravado Standard" is 3" for 15mm models, and 4cm for 6mm models .
Infantry Base - 1 frontage wide by 1/2 frontage deep.
Cavalry Base - 1/2 frontage wide by 1 frontage deep.
Artillery Base - 1/2 frontage wide by 1/2 frontage deep.
Artillery Limber - 1/2 frontage wide by 1/2 frontage deep.
Before the Game
Determine Scenario - Have a clever and handsome individual determine an interesting scenario to play, Set up terrain, Determine Forces, and Deploy Forces.
Determine Pluck roll 1d6 per General
1,2,3 1 Pluck
4 or 5 2 Pluck
6 3 Pluck
Each pluck may be used to re-roll one Bravado Test.
Playing the Game
1. Choose Bravado Number and reveal simultaneously
2. Highest result wins initiative if tie, roll off highest result wins initiative
3. Player with Initiative chooses General who is unmarked
4. All units which are within Command Range (12) of the General AND
May MOVE.
Units may MOVE up to their total allowance, pivoting and wheeling at no cost.
Units that begin the turn outside 12 of enemy units may move at double rate, as long as they do not come within 12 of enemy units at any time.
Units may pass through friendly units at no movement cost.
Units that begin and complete all movement on a road may move at +50%
Units that do not move may recover from Disorder to Fine if there are no enemy units within 6.
The General may then move.
5. Any unit on either side may now make an immediate facing change (may not move closer to or further from nearest enemy)
6. Any unit on either side that has not fired may immediately FIRE mark unit with smoke
7. Any unit on either side that has not fired or fought melee this turn and is within 3 of an opposing unit may make a CHARGE move directly forward of 3. Resolve MELEE
8. Initiative player rolls a single d6. If less than Bravado number, the General is exhausted, and may issue no orders next turn (but still requires a bravado win to be reactivated)
9. Mark General as having completed their initiative phase.
10. If both sides have at least one General unmarked, return to phase one.
11. If all Generals of one side are marked, the turn ends. Remove all markers and smoke. Routed Units within 10cm of the Commander in Chief (and outside 10cm of the enemy) may recover to Permanent Disorder. All Routed units make a full move to the rear. Determine if either side has completed victory requirements. Return to Phase 1.
UNITS
Units have four attributes: TYPE, QUALITY, STATUS, and POSITION
TYPE: Line Infantry, Light Infantry, Cavalry, Field Artillery
QUALITY: Poor, Regular, Elite (Militia and Guard optional)
STATUS: Fine (no marker), Disordered (yellow marker), Permanently Disordered (red marker), Routed (yellow and red markers), Destroyed (unit is removed).
POSITION: Good, Bad, or Indifferent.
A unit is in a Good position if it is Defending a Town or Works, Melees enemy on the Flank, the Army Commander is attached, or is being fired on by Artillery at Long Range.
A unit in a Good position may always roll 3d6 for Morale Tests and choose the 2 highest results.
A unit is in a Bad position if it is Fired on by Close Range Artillery, is being Meleed from the Flank, or if being Meleed and there are no friendly infantry or Cavalry units within 5cm.
A unit in a Bad position must always roll 3d6 for Morale Tests and choose the 2 lowest results.
In any other position, a unit is said to be in neither a Good nor a Bad position.
A unit that is both in a Good and a Bad position is said to be in an indifferent position, and rolls 2d6 for all morale test.
FIRE
A unit may fire only once per turn, and is then marked with smoke (cotton wool).
A unit may fire at a single target that is within range.
Artillery may not fire if it has moved that turn.
The Target unit must test Morale once for each unit firing.
If the Morale Test fails, the unit moves down one Status Grade (fine to disordered, disordered or permanently disordered to routed, routed to destroyed) and fall back as necessary.
For Example:
An Artillery unit fires at Long Range at a Cavalry unit. The Cavalry unit must test morale. If it passes, there is no change. If it fails, it moves down one Status. A Fine unit would become Disordered. A Disordered or Permanently Disordered unit would Rout, and immediately fall back 1 full move away from the firing unit. A Routed unit would be destroyed, and taken fro the field.
MELEE
Melee results when units move into contact due to a Charge. Both sides test Morale until both sides fail a test, or one sides routs or is destroyed.
|
A |
B |
Result |
|
Fails test - Disordered |
Fails test - Disordered |
Both units fall back half move and are disordered. |
|
Fails test - Routed |
Fails test - Routed |
Both units fall back full move and are Routed. |
|
Fails test - Disordered |
Fails test - Routed |
A remains in place disordered. B falls back full move and is routed. |
|
Pass test Fine or Disordered |
Pass Test Fine or Disordered |
Test again. |
|
Pass test - Fine |
Fails test - Disordered |
Test again. |
|
Pass test - Fine |
Fails test - Routed |
B falls back full move. A may pursue up to full move B destroyed if caught any enemy unit contacted results in immediate Melee (Each unit may only pursue once per turn) |
|
Pass test - Disordered |
Fails test - Routed |
B falls back full move. A may not pursue. |
MORALE TEST
Units testing Morale as a result of fire or Melee hope to score 7 or more on 2d6. A score of 6 or less is a fail, and the unit moves down one status grade.
A unit in a Good position may always roll 3d6 for Morale Tests and choose the 2 highest results.
A unit in a Bad position must always roll 3d6 for Morale Tests and choose the 2 lowest results.
The d6 results may be modified by Tactical Advantages/Disadvantages:
Heavy Cavalry melees Light Cavalry +1
Non-Disordered Infantry vs. Cavalry +1
Any unit Charging +1
Artillery being Meleed -1
Artillery fired on by Artillery +1
Poor Units -1
Elite Units +1
For Example:
An Elite Artillery unit is fired upon by Artillery at Long Range.
The Artillery is in a Good Position (fired on at Long Range), and so may roll 3d6 and choose the highest two.
The Artillery has the Advantage of being Elite, and may add +1 to the roll. In addition, the Artillery is being fired upon by other Artillery, so may add another +1 to the roll.
The player rolls 3d6 and scores a 2, a 2, and a 3. The two highest results (2 & 3) total to 5, which is less than the required Morale Test score of 7.
The player adds +2 for their advantages, bringing the score to 7.
The Test is passed.
A Second Example:
A Poor Cavalry Unit in Disorder is fired upon by Infantry from the Flank.
The Cavalry is in a Bad Position (fired on from flank), and so must roll 3d6 and choose the lowest two. The Cavalry has a -1 Disadvantage for being poor.
The Player rolls 3d6 and scores a 6, a 1, and a 4. The two lowest results are chosen, for a total of 5. 1 for being poor produces a result of 4. The result is less than the Morale test score of 7, so the unit fails.
The unit was already Disordered, and now becomes Routed and moves away from the firing unit a full move.
A Third Example:
A Regular Infantry Unit (Red) CHARGES another Regular Infantry unit (Blue). Neither unit is in a Good or Bad Position.
Both sides test morale simultaneously with 2d6.
Red scores 7 (Pass)
Blue scores 10 (Pass)
Both sides passed, so another round is fought
Red scores 2 (Fail)
Blue scores 9 (Pass)
The Red unit becomes Disordered, but the Blue unit passed, so another round of combat is fought
Red scores 5 (Fail)
Blue scores 10 (Pass)
The Red unit ROUTS, and falls back a full move. The Blue Unit may Pursue a full move, destroying the Red Unit if it is caught, or contacting a fresh unit to melee, OR remain in place.
Terrain
Only Light Infantry may enter woods. Move at half speed. Woods block all line of sight.
Only Infantry may end the turn in Towns.
Any unit may pass through a town or ford a stream at half speed. The unit is immediately disordered.
Hills and Towns block line of sight. Units below the hill may only see to the ridgeline (a line perpendicular to the line of observation, half way across the hill)
Complete Command Failure
If, at the end of a turn one side has all Generals Exhausted, the opposing side may AUTOMATICALLY activate each of their Generals in turn without winning Bravado Bid. All Generals are automatically restored at the end of the turn.
Alternative Simple Command Rules
Ignore everything after Deploy Forces and before Units.
Instead, roll 1d6. The highest score moves first, the lower score moves second.
Follow this procedure:
Repeat procedure for opposing player.
This is a liquid set of rules under constant revision and development.
Comments and Suggestions welcome via www.bsg.org.au rules development forum.
The End.