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Steel Beasts Online Campaign Rules
edition
31.12.01
- Overview: The Steel Beasts Online campaign
simulates a hypothetical Warsaw Pact vs. NATO conflict in Germany
circa 1988 in an abstract yet easily manageable form. While the
rules may seem complex they are actually very simple in nature
and designed to prevent unrealistic results. Care has also been
taken to reduce the ability for dishonorable opponents to feel
inclined to cheat. However, it is extremely important to note
that the entire ability for this site to function is based solely
on the honor and dignity of its participants to play within the
rules and boundaries of the game and most importantly provide
extremely accurate combat results. If anyone is suspected of cheating
by including but not limited to: consistent inaccuracies in reporting
combat results, intentionally delaying submitting or refusal to
submit orders or combat results, as well as any other type of
activity deemed dishonorable they will first be warned of the
activity (or lack there of) and repeated offenses will result
in the player being dropped from the roster. Failure to adhere
to any of these or the following rules will also result in the
participant or unit being dropped from the roster.
Campaign disclaimer: No disrespect is intended
towards any nation on either side, especially towards our current
CIS allies, nor is any disrespect intended towards any of the
actual counterparts to the brave military units that are depicted
on this site. This site does not condone or glorify such a conflict
had it happened nor does it glorify war in general; it merely
serves as a hypothetical scenario to allow Steel Beasts players
to relate to and participate in online units.
Site disclaimer: This
site is a non-political organization that was created for furthering
the enjoyment of the computer simulation 'Steel Beasts'. This
site is not affiliated with eSim Games and there is meant no offense
to the brave men of any countries' military forces especially
of the real counterparts to the units represented here. Many prior
and current service members as well as civilians participate and
anyone who enjoys Steel Beasts is invited.
- Strategic Operations: Strategic operations
refer exclusively to the operations performed on the strategic
map located on this site. Although everyone is encouraged to know
the operations at this level, it is mainly the primary concern
of the participating units CO’s, XO’s or any other key player
that may be making these decisions in their absence. Players uninterested
in decision making should at least read section
III. Tactical Operations
so they have a full understanding of the operations on the tactical
battlefield in Steel Beasts.
- The ‘turn’: The turn
is the foundation for all the rules listed here. It refers to
the duration of time for all units to input their orders to
the site and have them processed. Each turn
(which is a "day" in the scale of the game) will be
a period of one-week starting with Monday. The weeklong turn
was decided to give participants ample time to perform their
actions as well as enough time to coordinate their tactical
battles with other units. During this one-week duration all
operations pertaining to a unit will be completed. If none of
the units orders, combat, or combat results are submitted to
the web site during this allotted week then results will be
calculated through a series of mathematical calculations using
a specially designed program. If one unit has submitted their
orders and arranged for a battle against another unit which
does not participate in combat then an advantage modifier will
be applied towards the calculation for the unit that took care
of its responsibilities.
Unit orders will be submitted no later than midnight (CST)
on Tuesday of the turn week. Orders submitted
past this time will be discarded with the assumption that the
unit in question is remaining stationary and on the defense.
Combat will be coordinated and worked out between the two combatant
unit’s commanders and the results submitted no later than midnight
(CST) on Sunday of the turn week. Combat
results submitted after this time will be discarded using the
results from the unit commander that submitted during the proper
time period. If neither unit submits their combat results during
the allotted time then the combat will be simulated using a
seperate battle results calculating program.
- Issuing orders: Only unit CO’s may submit
orders and combat results (referred to here as after action
reviews or AARs). The one exception
to this is that a unit’s XO will conduct all operations for
the unit during the CO’s absence, or someone else made known
before hand to the webmaster.
All orders are final once they are submitted. If your orders
were incorrect at the time of submittance it will still be final
and will reflect confusion in the chain of command from fog
of war.
- Movement: All units may move to
one adjacent hex on the map provided in the form of cardinal
directions. Ex. 1st Brigade moves northwest (or
NW).
You may also move your units at a
special road movement rate of two hexes along an autobahn
if it meets the following conditions:
- The unit must only be moving into
and through friendly controlled hexes.
- The unit may not use its second
movement point to move into an enemy occupied hex
to conduct combat.
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The unit may not
move through a hex containing friendly units
that are at the maximum stacking limit.
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The unit must follow
the road and may not move its final movement point
off the road into a non-road hex. The unit may also
not move at the road movmement rate from one hex
to another that is not connected by the same road.
a unit moving at the road movement rate that
is attacked by movement to contact will be severely
restricted in its capabilities. The unit will have
next to no artillery support and will be deployed
in a tactical road march formation.
To utilize the special road movement rate, just
check the box on the orders page designating that
you would like to use this rate. If the unit does
not meet the above requirements then the unit will
only be moved one space. Use the movement
direction selection to designate what direction
will be your last movement if you will be moving
through a hex containing intersecting roads.
- Combat: A unit may attack another
unit that is adjacent to it only if it has enough assets
to cover the expense of the operation. Each sub-unit
must expend one asset from
its parent-unit in order to
conduct an attack. *Exception1: recon
units including US ACRs
and recon units may conduct
attacks without the use of assets,
however care must be taken as because of the small size
of such units it is easy for them to be completely destroyed
making constant attacks unwise. **Exception2: the only time
combat may ensue without the expense of an asset
is on the rare occasions that two opposing units give orders
to move into the same empty hex.
- Types of attacks:
- Deliberate attack: Deliberate
attacks provide the attacker a slight advantage in artillery
priorities resulting in the ability to obtain "top"
priorities of artillery (see: using
artillery points). Also a deliberate attack
may result in a cross-attached unit (increased
strength) to the tactical battle if the situation permits
and possible increased damage inflicted on the force
calculator. To obtain the deliberate attack status
the sub-unit must be dug in at level 1 or level 2 (see
below) by issuing the "dig in" order for your
selected sub-unit on the orders page. A unit eligible
to conduct a deliberate defense will be marked on the
large strategic map with either one entrenching tool
(level 1) or crossed entrenching tools (level 2).
- Hasty attack: For all intents
and purposes the hasty attack is the regular form of
attack in which the attacking unit did not occupy the
hex it is attacking from the previous turn. No modifiers
in the form of artillery or cross-attached units are
applied.
- Movement to Contact: If both
units submit orders to attack each other then a movement
to contact results with the winner of the battle occupying
the losers hex. A movement to contact also ensues if
two opposing units attempt to move into the same empty
hex, which is the only time a battle may occur without
a cost of an asset.
- Supporting attack: This type
of attack is only applicable if you do not wish a attacking
unit to advance in the event of a victory. This would
primarily be for multiple units attacking the same hex
and would control which unit will advance to the conquered
hex and which unit will remain in their original hex.
Consider it an "attack without advance" command.
A unit conducting a supporting attack will have
a yellow arrow in the direction of the attack.
- (b) Types of defense:
- Deliberate defense: Technically
the same as the deliberate attack in section II/B/2/a/i
except that the requirement is that the unit must be
dug in at level 2 (see below) by issuing the "dig
in" order for your selected sub-unit on the orders
page. Depending on the situation the deliberate defense
status effects applied toward the defender include,
but are not limited to: minefields, increased artillery
level, and increased resistance to larger attacks. A
unit eligible to conduct a deliberate defense will be
marked on the large strategic map with crossed entrenching
tools (level 2).
- Hasty defense: This is the normal
defense which occurs when either the defending unit
did not own the hex it is in the previous turn or if
it had launched an unsuccessful attack the previous
turn. (This also includes a unit conducting a failed
movement to contact by moving into an empty hex that
an enemy unit also attempted to move into). No modifiers
in the form of artillery or minefields are applied.
- (3) Combat results: A loss or
draw by the attacker results in the defender and
attacker remaining in place. A win by the attacker
results in the enemy unit moving back one hex in the opposite
direction with emphasis on staying as close to its parent
unit as possible and the attacking unit(s) will advance
forward and capture the assaulted area.
The determination of the destination hex of the retreating
unit is calculated by using the following steps: A defending
unit's first priority of retreat is a hex not bordering
an enemy unit in the opposite direction of the advancing
attacker. If this requirement cannot be met then a units
second priority is a hex bordering an enemy unit but already
contains a friendly unit. A units third priority for retreat
is an empty hex boarding an enemy unit which is the closest
to the opposite direction of the advancing attacker. A units
last priority is to retreat to any open adjacent hex.
If a defending unit is surrounded and cannot retreat it
will be eliminated if it has no assets
available to expend in its defense. If a defending unit
that cannot retreat has assets
available it will then take a slight increase in losses
(+1 multiplier on the force ratio calculator) but remain
in place at the expense of one asset.
The force
ratio calculator is consulted after each battle to determine
what the casualty modifier will be. The modifier is dependent
on the ratio of the opposing forces as well as the type
of engagement. The casualty modifier can be anywhere between
a max of x7 and a minimum of x2 and anything in between.
Study this tool to achieve the most efficient engagements!
An HQ unit may never conduct combat nor may it dig in
for a deliberate defense. When a hex containing an HQ is
moved into by the enemy the HQ is immediately displaced
in the opposite direction or into a space containing friendly
units (uses the same retreat priorities defined above).
If there is no available hex for the HQ unit to retreat
to it is eliminated from play.
An elimated HQ will return to play in two turns (not the
turn following its distruction but the beginning of the
turn after that) and it will begin play on a friendly supply
source hex located on the edge of the map. If no such hex
is available then the HQ will not enter play until such
a hex becomes available.
- (4) Replacements/use of logistical points:
Replacements may be purchased using your unit’s logistics
point pool when givent the "replace losses"
order. Refer to the chart below in section
V for unit costs.
In order for a parent-unit
to receive logistic points
and assets at the end
of the turn it must be
able to trace an unobstructed line through friendly
controlled hexes to a friendly supply source hex.
To replace sub-unit
equipment the parent-unit
must be eligible by conforming to the following rules:
- Unit must have sufficient logistical
points in the parent-units
logistical points pool.
- The sub-unit
must not be adjacent to enemy units to receive replacements.
- Sub-units
must be able to trace an unobstructed line through friendly
controlled hexes from it to its parent-unit
HQ. The parent-unit
must then be able to trace an unobstructed line through
friendly controlled hexes to a supply source hex. (Thus,
a parent-unit may still
be able to gain logistic points
for a turn by being able
to trace an unobstructed line back to a supply source
hex, but not be able to provide replacements to its
sub-units because they cannot
trace an unobstructed line back to the parent-unit
(ie. Sub-units are isolated).
- Sub-units
may only purchase equipment listed in their OOB. Any
equipment requested that is not in the sub-units
OOB will be ignored. Also, you may never purchase more
units than your OOB allows for that sub-unit.
Items requested ( on the orders
page) that exceed the parent units budget will not
be purchased. If multiple items are requested but
the unit cannot cover all of the expenses then the
units will be purchased in the order in which they
are listed with all other requests being dropped.
(ex. Your parent HQ has 15,000 logistic points and
you request 50 M1A1 tanks for your 1st
sub-unit; 50 M1A1s for your 2nd sub-unit;
and 100 M1A1s for your 3rd sub-unit. Since
your 1st sub-unit is listed first they
will receive their 50 tanks bringing the total down
to 10,000 logistic points. The 2nd sub-unit
was listed next and their request brings the total
down to 5,000 logistic points. The 3rd
sub-units request exceeds the budget so only 50 of
the 100 M1A1s requested would be delivered.)
- (C) Stacking of units on the Strategic map:
Maximum allowed units in one hex is two divisions for Red
and six brigades Blue
(6 brigades = 2 divisions) and a combined Blue
ACR
counts as one brigade for stacking purposes. The parent
unit HQ units do not count towards stacking limitations
and are non-combat units. Red
recon units
also do not count towards stacking limitations.
The Ratio to the number and size of units present on the strategic
map is taken into consideration when combat occurs on the tactical
map and decide what the ratio of the composition of forces will
actually consist of.
- (D) Special units and their strategic abilities:
Recon units and ACRs
have the special ability to conduct offensive operations without
the use of assets.
- (III)Tactical Operations:
Once the strategic orders have been issued and the units are moved
then a time and place is worked out between the two unit’s commanders.
- Verifying the authenticity of the mission:
Once two units have moved into combat positions on the strategic
map then the webmaster will email both commanders the scenario
that they will be playing for that battle. This scenario should
be copied to your SB\scenario\downloads folder. The scenario
may not be changed in any way and to prevent this the commander
for the side that is not hosting the mission will need to join
first and make sure that SB does not prompt to download the
scenario. If the connecting commander has not edited the scenario
in any form and is certain that it was copied to the proper
directory but SB prompts you to download the scenario then the
scenario has been edited and cannot be played until it does
not prompt you to download. If the scenario does not prompt
the client commander to download then the players may join the
game and then download it from the host since it has been verified
by the client commander as being authentic.
- Hosting the battle: The defending side
should host the battle with a cable host. In the event that
a cable host is unavailable on the defender’s side then a cable
host from the attacker’s side should be used.
- Resolving the conflict: The battle will
then commence with after everyone has designated that they are
ready. This includes clicking the ready button in the Assembly
Area in SB, which lets the host know that all players are in.
If the commander of one side is still waiting on players then
the commander must not designate that he or she is ready. Out
of consideration the mission must not begin until "all
players are ready" is visible in the briefing screen. Once
these conditions are met then the battle will begin normally
and be fought the entire time designated for the mission until
the time limit is reached.
- Restarting the battle: The battle may
be restarted if more than one player on each side has
dropped within the first five minutes of play. Anything beyond
this time limit must be adapted to and overcome by the side
that lost the players with the obvious exception of if one side
has lost all of its players. If one side leaves the battle before
the mission is over then it will be ruled that the side that
remained in the mission won.
- Reporting battle results: Once a battle
is complete the commanders of both sides must remain in the
debriefing and review the battle. The debriefing will be reviewed
and discussed among the two commanders until a result in vehicles
destroyed can be agreed upon. This will be done by a combination
of watching the debriefing and reviewing the statistics. Once
a result has been agreed upon both commanders need to immediately
submit a AAR at the web site confirming
the results. The results will then be compared and updated on
the web site. *This area of the rules will require extreme
honor and integrity that should be present in the commanders
of the units on this site. Failure to be honorable in reporting
the results of battles will result in the breakdown of the entire
game system.
IV. Glossary:
AAR: After Action
Review; refers to the actual submitting of combat results
by the two commanders that participated in combat.
ACR: Armored Cavalry
Regiment; refers to the US version of a recon
unit with the exception that ACRs may perform entrenching
operations (dig in) for deliberate attack and deliberate defense
status.
Asset: Assets refer
abstractly to the stockpiling of supplies and resources needed
to conduct an offensive operation. This includes but is not limited
to: a surplus in ammunition, fuel, rations (MREs and T-rats J
), as well as representing the increased amount of coordination
among an undisrupted chain of command to conduct such a task.
An asset is required for a sub-unit
to launch an offensive operation in which the asset is spent regardless
of the outcome. An asset may also be spent by a surrounded unit
to prevent it from being destroyed when it is forced to retreat.
Red units
begin the campaign with 12 assets each and Blue
units begin the campaign with 0 assets each. Each unit on both
sides automatically gets 1 asset at the beginning of each turn.
More assets may also be purchased using logistics points (see
the replacement pricing chart in section V).
Logistics points:
This abstractly represents supply at a higher level. This represents
everything from manufacturing vehicles to supply depots.
Parent-unit: This
refers to the actual unit that the sub-unitare
attached to. Ex. 1st Armored Division is the parent-unit
to its 3rd Brigade "Bulldogs" and it represents
the actual unit responsible for supply distribution for its sub-unit.
Recon unit: Refers
to a red small unit designed for scouting roles, which also obtains
special abilities in the campaign. These units may attack enemy
units without the use of assets however because of their small
size they may not perform entrenching operations (dig in) to gain
deliberate attack and deliberate defense status nor may they maintain
a dug in hex. However, they may move into a hex that already has
this status and benifit from its abilities. Their primary goal
should be to harass enemy movement or conduct blocking or rear
guard actions for other units. In certain instances (in Steel
Beasts) it is also extremely wise for the recon unit commander
to inflict losses and then withdraw from the tactical map by delaying
the enemy and hiding for the battle time limit.
Sub-unit: This refers
to the units that are attached to the parent-units.
Ex. 3rd Brigade "Bulldogs" is the sub-unit
of 1st Armored Division.
Turn: The turn refers
to a day of actual operations of the units on the map but in the
scope of game play refers to one week of issuing orders through
the web site and coordinating and resolving battles.
V. Replacement
units pricing chart: (subject to change after testing)
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Tanks:
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Cost:
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M1A1:
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100
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Challenger 1 *:
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100
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Leopard 2:
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90
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M60 *:
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70
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Leopard 1 *:
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70
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30*: |
70
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T80 *:
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60
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T72 *:
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30
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PCs:
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Cost:
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M2A2 Bradley:
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45
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Marder:
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45
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AMX 10P *:
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45
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Scorpion / Scimitar *:
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45
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BMD2:
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27
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BMP2:
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25
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Stormer *:
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25
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M113:
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25
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VAB*:
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25
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BMP1:
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20
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MTLB:
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15
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BTR80:
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15
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Other:
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Cost:
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Jaguar:
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30
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M901:
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30
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Striker *:
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30
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VAB (Milan)*:
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30
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Luchs:
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15
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Fox *:
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10
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BRDM2:
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10
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HMMWV:
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8
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VBL *:
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8
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Troops:
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5
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Truck:
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TBD
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Asset:
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TBD
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Units marked with a * are represented by other
vehicles in the tactical battles, refer to the Alternate units
chart in the next section.
- Alternate units chart:
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Vehicle on the site:
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Vehicle used to represent
it in the tactical battles:
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T80
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Leopard 2A4
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T72
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Leopard 2A4 (no TIS)
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Leopard 1
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Leopard 2A4 (no TIS)
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M60
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Leopard 2A4 (no TIS)
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AMX 30
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Leopard 2A4 (no TIS)
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Challenger 1
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M1A1 (HA)
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Luchs
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BTR80
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Grizzly
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BTR80
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VAB
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BTR80
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Scorpion / Scimitar
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Marder
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AMX 10P
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Marder
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Striker
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Jaguar
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Stormer
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M113
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VAB (Milan)
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BRDM2 AT
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Fox
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BRDM2
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VBL
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HMMWV
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VI. Miscellaneous: The following
are rules that do not fit in any of the above rules.
A.
Unit award and citations:
1. Battle
streamers: TBD
2. Soviet
units Guard status: TBD
B. Special
Circumstances: On the first turn Blue may
not issue orders as Red has launched a surprise attack into
West
Germany. Blue also does not receive any assets at the
end of the first turn nor are any of their units in
deliberate
defense status.
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