When I set out, at the beginning of the summer, to describe strategic-level play in the Valormr Campaign, I hadn’t the idea to write a set of rules. Tony Bath’s prose is completely coherent, and the rules he outlines in Setting Up a Wargames Campaign entirely playable as is. But much of Bath’s text discusses options and different ways the author ran the game, and the rules are more complex in some ways than I want for a simple campaign and don’t do enough in others.

So, I drew many ideas from the venerated text and adapted them to fit my own purposes. This, we might think, was Bath’s intent.

These strategic rules touch the tactical battlefield only at its entry and exit points: deployment and withdraw. I use Chainmail, but another wargames campaigner may use their choice of tactical combat rules. And while the Valormr Campaign is medieval fantasy, the strategic rules may be used in any ancient or medieval setting, fantasy or no.

These rules have not yet been tested in play. I embark, tomorrow, on a campaign that begins with a dragon’s predawn raid on a dwarven citadel and the encroachment of the Chaos Armies into an elven forest. With less than three weeks till summer’s end, this will be more a play-through than a play-test.

Valormr: Rules for Strategic Map Campaigns

For convenience I link the pertinent articles that comprise the rules. Entries marked by an asterisk (*) are not so much rules for the topic as examples from which to draw your own ideas.

• The Valormr Campaign
  
• A Simple Wargames Campaign
  
• Footnote in Histories*
  
• The Valormr Campaign Strategic Movement Map*
  
• Campaign Scenario and Objectives*
  
• Strategic Movement
  
  • Overland Travel
    
  • Waterborne Transport
    
  • Terrain Effects
    
  • Weather
    
• Orders of March
  
• Contact and Deployment
  
  • Support, Reserve, Maneuver
  • Map Contact
    
  • Terrain Reconnaissance
    
  • Engage or Evade
    
  • Avoid, Evade, Delay, and Withdraw
    
  • Deployment
    
• Valormr Orders of Battle*
  • Chaos Armies*
  • Ellriendi Elves*
  • Forces of Law*

In a wargame, one normally begins with a number of army points, with which to buy figures, respecting general proportions defined by the historical or fantastical context. In a campaign, the points are allotted for the duration, augmented by a small periodic point budget. Forces must be husbanded across the campaign’s several battles.

For the Valormr Campaign, I turned the process around. I sorted through my collection for all troop types and any creature types described in Chainmail. To those I added a couple others but kept additions to a minimum, knowing I would have to assign game stats to them.

With a few human armies on both sides, I foresee the need for up to four human regiments on the table for the climactic battle at least. The size of human regiments is based on the number of troop types I could recruit from the collection divided by four. All the humanoid troops are pressed into service.

According to the scenario, Anax Archontas raises the Chaos Armies at his leisure. It’s the dragon’s raid on the dwarven citadel that spurs the Forces of Law to muster troops. I separate out the Ellriendi Elves because, though they fight against the Chaos Armies, their priority is the protection of the forest and the secret they guard within.

Therefore, I want Chaos to have point-value superiority over Law, with the Elves somewhere between. I loaded the whole lot of figures into an electronic spreadsheet and counted them up by point value. I then adjusted up or down by adding regiments to armies.

Chaos enjoys the use of the majority of fantastic creatures in the “General Line-Up” (39). These are opposed by Law with heroes and wizards, of which Chaos has few.

The Chaos Armies are named after their commanders. The Elf King and Queen each maintain a royal force. Elf regiments take their names from their region. The province of origin lends its name to the armies of the Forces of Law.

Reading Map

Detailed orders of battle are forthcoming.

• Chaos Armies
• Ellriendi Elves
• Forces of Law

“All these rules can lead to some interesting and unusual battles and will make a change from the stereotyped affairs of both forces deploying on the baseline” (Bath, 84).

In the strategic rules, we endeavor to limit interference with tactical play. We do impinge on the wargames table, however, in the deployment phase, notably, in the drawing of baselines and, further, in a measured force deployment in the opening turns of battle.

In the citation above, Bath refers to an ingenious matchbox system for strategic as well as tactical maneuver and an engaging scouts mini-game to simulate intelligence gathering. In the Valormr Campaign, we incorporate scouts into the contact dice and forgo the matchbox array for overt moves on the hexagon map. To achieve variation in deployment, we combine orders of march with opposing dice throws. The results range from alert forces deploying on opposite ends of the battlefield to careless leading units marching straight into the opponent’s fields of fire.

Contact and Deployment

“Deployment” is the sixth of six parts of “Contact and Deployment” in the Valormr Campaign.

Baselines on the Wargames Table

Instead of one baseline for each side at opposite edges of the wargames table, we’re going to mark six. We make a calculation to determine each side’s forward baseline, then mark additional baselines at even intervals to the rear baseline.

Calculate Forward Baselines

There are two input values for this calculation. The first is the width or length of your wargames table (T), depending on which way forces face off across the battlefield. Here, I use width. The second is the maximum range of a short bow scaled to inches (R) according to your tactical wargames rules. Subtract the short bow range from the table width and divide by two.

B_f = (T − R) ÷ 2

The result is the distance from either edge of the table toward the middle, where the forward baselines (B_f) are marked. Between the two forward baselines is maximum short bow range.

Calculate Baseline Intervals

Now, take the distance from either edge of the table to the forward baselines (B_f), divide it by seven and round to the nearest half.

B_i = B_f ÷ 7, round to nearest ½

The result is the interval between baselines (B_i). We divide by seven instead of six because we want twice the distance behind the rear baseline.

Marking Baselines

From both edges of the table, measure B_f and mark the forward baselines.
From each forward baseline back toward the edge, mark five more baselines at the interval B_i. The sixth baselines, closest to the table edges, are the rear baselines. Number the baselines on both sides from 1 to 6, forward to rear, and again from 1 to 6, from rear forward.

Minimum Distance Behind Rear Baseline

This calculation works on tables at least 28½″ wide. For widths from 32″ to 35″ inclusive, the calculation leaves less than twice the interval behind the rear baseline. That might not be enough, since it isn’t uncommon that a regiment deploys in this space. If your table falls in this range, make the calculation for the forward baselines as above, but for the interval between baselines, use 1¾″, which leaves more room behind the rear baseline.

Precalculated Intervals by Table Length

The following table shows the baseline interval by table width or length. The calculations are based on a short bow range of 150 yards at a scale of 20 yards to the inch. All values are in inches.

 Deployment Dice

To start the deployment phase, all commanders roll a dice. The results determine which player has deployment initiative, each commander’s baseline, and to what extent—beyond that of the base deployment—the commander may deploy forces prior to the first tactical turn. Two of the modifiers account for high or low dice throws from the contact phase. Modifiers cannot raise the score higher than 6 or lower it to less than 1.

Deployment Initiative

The commander with the higher score has deployment initiative throughout initial and subsequent deployment. In case of a tie, the commander with the higher unmodified score wins the initiative. Still a tie, dice for it.

Deployment Baseline

Each commander deploys behind the numbered baseline that matches the modified deployment dice. The direction of count depends on the deployment dice.

• The commander with the highest score counts baselines from the rear baseline forward.
• Lower-scoring commanders count baselines from the forward baseline to the rear.
• In case of a tie for highest, all commanders count baselines from the forward baseline to the rear. That is, on a tie of 1s, the forces stumble upon one another at their forward baselines; a tie of 6s, they each halt at their rear baselines.

Three or More Forces on the Battlefield: In the case where more than two forces are in map contact and the engagements are not split into separate battles, the numerous forces are deployed according to their arrangement on the strategic map. Following the story from “Avoid, Delay, Evade, and Withdraw,” the photo below shows Hadewych opposite Ingegerd and Aeskrvald, who, on the strategic map, occupy the hexes to her fore and to her left forward flank.

Scoring high on the contact dice (left), Hadewych (top) managed to find more suitable terrain (not shown). To her deployment dice of 2, she adds 1 for the highest contact dice and another for all opponents in clear terrain, deploying on the fourth baseline counting from forward. With a roll of 5 plus 1 for her opponent in clear terrain, Ingegerd (lower left) deploys on her forward baseline. Aeskrvald threw a 4 and has the same plus 1 for terrain, so he deploys on the fifth baseline, counting from forward to rear.

Initial Deployment

Each commander has a base deployment derived from the tactical march formation. To determine his or her initial deployment, the commander adds the base deployment and a number of units equal to the turn deployment—also derived from the march formation (see Summary table below)—multiplied by the difference in the deployment dice.

When more than two forces are on the field, each commander subtracts the lowest deployment dice from his or her own dice to determine the multiplier.

Initial deployment precedes the first turn of the battle. It is conducted in two rounds. The order of the first round is from highest deployment dice to lowest. In the second round, from lowest to highest. In the first round, each commander may deploy any portion, or none at all, of his or her initial deployment. On the second round, commanders must deploy the balance of their initial deployment.

The intent is to allow commanders with higher deployment dice scores to influence the deployment in the first round, while enabling them to observe the full deployment of lower scorers before deploying their remaining forces in the second.

Subsequent Deployment

The initial deployment completed, the first turn of battle takes place. The commanders deploy a number of units equal to their turn deployment in a deployment round before the second turn of battle. The order of deployment in these subsequent deployment rounds is from lowest to highest deployment dice. The deployment round takes places before each turn until all commanders have deployed their full forces.

Advanced: March Table

“Here, at the outset, only the leading elements of both armies will be present on the field; the rest will arrive at measured intervals, dependent on march tables” (Bath, 74).

A march table is a schedule of movement showing a unit’s location at specific times along a planned route.¹ I take Bath’s usage to imply an abbreviated table, showing only units in an order of march. In the simple campaign, our march tables show only regiments. We assume the commander has sufficient foresight to order companies within the march formation in the way best suited for tactical deployment, so the player chooses in the battle’s opening turns which units to deploy next. In an advanced game, the commander might create a march table, showing each company, prior to marching, thereby determining the order in which units are deployed, turn by turn, on the battlefield.

Notes

¹ British Military Terminology (PDF), Military Intelligence Service, Washington: U. S. War Department, 1943. March table: “a combined location and movement schedule for a march,” also, movement table, British (40).

Contact and Deployment

“Avoid, Evade, Delay, and Withdraw” is the fifth of six parts of “Contact and Deployment” in the Valormr Campaign.

A disengagement operation is conducted when a commander wishes to avoid map contact, evade an engagement, delay an opposing force, or withdraw from a battle. Each disengagement operation is explained below.

Summary: When a commander opts for one of these operations, both commanders roll a dice. The dice throws are modified by each commander’s situation. The disengaging commander subtracts the opponent’s modified results from his or her own modified results and consults the Disengagement Losses Table. Any losses are removed from the disengaging force’s assault regiment. Following a disengagement, the two forces are no longer in map contact.

Multiple Opponents: When one force wishes to conduct a disengagement operation while in map contact with more than one opponent, each commander rolls one dice. The disengaging commander’s modified result is used against each enemy commander’s modified result separately. All losses are applied simultaneously. So, if losses from two opponents are 50% or more, the force is effectively destroyed.

Time and Move Points: Disengagement operations themselves cost no move points and, except for the delay operation, take no additional time. The avoid operation requires that the force has move points for the move, which follows disengagement. The delay operation consumes the half period.

No Rest: A force in map contact may not rest during a half period in which any disengagement operation is conducted or any move points expended.

Disengagement: Once disengaged, the adjacent forces are no longer in map contact. A commander may use the maneuver action to force a second map contact in the half period. When no longer in map contact, a force with sufficient move points remaining may continue movement. Unless one or the other forces moves immediately following a disengagement, the forces are again in map contact at the beginning of the next half period.

Cost of Battle in Time and Move Points

A battle, though it may require only a few minutes of combat, takes a half period of time but no daily move points. Much time is assumed to be taken up with reconnaissance and deployment prior to a battle. Afterward, time is spent tending wounded, repairing or replacing weapons and armor, scavenging the battlefield on the victorious side, setting up a defensive position on the vanquished side, and resting.

Disengagement Operations

Avoid

To avoid map contact, a commander must have enough move points to move into an adjacent hex or be able to conduct a forced march. After avoiding contact, the commander must move into an adjacent hex.

Evade

Either after the contact phase or following terrain selection in the deployment phase, a commander may decide to evade the engagement. Following an evasion, the commander may continue movement.

Delay

The delay action is contact with the enemy up to the point of engagement followed by a withdraw. A commander states the intention to delay before the contact phase, thereby foregoing contact and deployment phases as well as the initial exchange of volleys and blows that would normally take place on the wargames table. The delay action costs no move points but takes one half period as if a battle had been fought—which it has, we’ve only cut it short by a few minutes.

Withdraw

By the military definition, a withdraw is an organized retirement from the field. For our purposes, the withdraw operation includes those in which the force is in retreat or rout.

A withdraw is initiated during a tactical battle. Whenever a commander deems the battle is lost, he or she may withdraw. To do so, a number of figures equal to or greater than 25% of the original force must be moved behind the baseline.

Formed in Good Order: When at least 25% of the original force is moved behind the baseline in good order, the force is considered to be formed and in good order.

In Rout: If 25% or more of the original force is routed off the table, the entire force is considered to be in rout for the purposes of the withdraw operation.

In Retreat: Otherwise, the force is considered to be in retreat.

Disengagement Modifiers

Modifiers to the disengagement dice are divided into categories. Each commander considers his or her own condition for each category and applies the best modifier. Only one modifier is applied from each category. For instance, a commander using the maneuver action adds 1 to the dice. If the opponent is unformed, he or she may order an aggressive pursuit, which adds 2 instead.

Disengagement Losses

The disengaging commander subtracts the opponent’s modified results from his or her own modified results and consults the Disengagement Losses Table. Losses are reduced from the force’s current strength.

After the terrain reconnaissance earlier, Hadewych chose to evade the engagement. To her throw of 1, she adds 3 (formed in good order, rearguard, unfavorable terrain). Ingegerd rolled a 4. She adds 4 (formed in good order, supported, favorable terrain). The difference (4−8) of −4 reduces the regiment by 10%. Hadewych’s result is also compared to Aeskrvald’s result, which is 6 plus 3 (formed in good order, favorable terrain). With a −5 difference (4−9), Hadewych suffers another 25% losses.

Notes

¹ The Disengagement Losses Table and its modifiers are derived from Bath’s section on withdrawing from battle (75-7). I adapted it to cover any disengagement. Where Bath uses a single dice roll, I prefer an opposed roll. So, I stretched out the results range to accommodate wider disparity. The tipping point, where losses increase rapidly, is preserved. The reaper marches before an army in flight.

Contact and Deployment

“Engage or Evade” is the fourth of six parts of “Contact and Deployment” in the Valormr Campaign.

Once the opponent’s force size and composition are estimated and the terrain upon which a battle may take place has been surveyed, each commander decides whether to engage or evade.

A commander with a 1 result on the contact dice, therefore unaware of the enemy, does not have the opportunity to evade.

• If both opt to engage—that’s what we dressed up for—go to the deployment phase.
• If both opt to evade, they are successful; the forces are no longer in map contact, and play continues on the strategic map.
• If one opts to evade while the other desires engagement, the evasion is handled by dice throws, which is covered in the next article “Avoid, Evade, Delay, and Withdraw.”

With two forces opposite her one, Hadewych desires terrain she can use in her favor. But a gully on her left allows an unobserved enemy approach, and both opponents have the higher ground. Dissatisfied, she evades the engagement.

Contact and Deployment

“Terrain Reconnaissance” is the third of six parts of “Contact and Deployment” in the Valormr Campaign.

Here we use Chainmail’s Terrain Selection rules (10) to get an idea of the lay of the land. The commander with the higher score on the contact dice first draws and places a number of terrain cards, one at a time, equal to the difference in the unmodified contact dice. In case of a tie on the contact dice, use the unmodified dice rolls to decide first draw. Still a tie, dice for it. After the first, each commander in turn draws and places one card until each commander has drawn four cards.

Note that, with a good throw, the contact dice winner may draw and place four or more cards in the first turn. In that case, the opponent then draws and places four cards one at a time. When the contact dice winner draws and places three or fewer cards in the first turn, he or she takes subsequent turns up to a maximum of four cards. Then the opponent draws and places the remainder of his or her cards.

For now, we don’t model terrain. We avoid spending time to make terrain when we aren’t sure yet if the battle will take place. It is this general lay of the land that serves as input to commanders in their decision to engage or evade.

Chainmail’s Terrain Selection Clarification

How eight (or even 20) three-by-five-inch index cards yields terrain on a four-by-eight-foot table mystifies. Perhaps a line or two of explanation is omitted from the rules. Perhaps not, but it makes more sense if we add that the position and orientation of an index card, as laid by a player, indicates the terrain type in that area—not just the card’s space—on the battlefield.

We model the battlefield based on the cards, scaling up the indicated terrain to fill the space in a logical if not natural way. For example, the marsh card in the middle of the table between a hill card and a river card some distance to either side becomes a marshy area, limited by a hill rising up on one side and a river running through the other. The river continues through the upper part of the marsh to the second river card, placed in an opposite corner. And so on.

Only hills are specified to be “variously shaped.”¹ This implies the shape is to be transferred to the battlefield. It stands to reason that the card’s orientation is also respected.

We might be tempted to draw the other terrain cards in particular shapes as well. Straight rivers occur in nature as well as on the wargames table. In play, we discover that the watercourse, while it might run through two cards, is dictated by high and low terrain. We might at least give way to the orientation of the card. Flowing from the first card, the river bends into the second.

Further, as the text instructs, “Terrain is placed anywhere on the table.” It isn’t clear whether the “eight blanks” are considered terrain and meant to be placed on the table, or whether the blank-drawing player is simply deprived of a turn. My table is half the size and my cards two-by-four inches. In first essays, I find that, though there is some power in placing clear between other features, playing the blanks may limit the freedom to shape the terrain.

Notes

¹ Aside, the four basic hill shapes I came up with resemble an egg, a bean, a guitar, and a painter’s palette.

Contact and Deployment

“Map Contact” is the second of six parts of “Contact and Deployment” in the Valormr Campaign.

When two or more opposing commanders occupy adjacent hexes, they are said to be in map contact. The terrain between them is a potential battlefield.

Half Periods: Contact is considered to occur within a half-period: morning, afternoon, evening, or night.¹ In terrain where forces move only one hex per day, it is the last half of the period. For example, in the afternoon for diurnal movement.

Moves First: All strategic moves for the period are completed before any map contacts are resolved. In the event of map contact in the first half period, the involved forces, assuming they have move points remaining, may continue movement after contact is resolved, whether by evasion or engagement.

Fight on the Morrow: At any time prior to the deployment phase, all commanders may agree to rest.² In that case, the forces are no longer in map contact for the remainder of the half period. Forces are again in map contact at the beginning of the next half period. If either one of two commanders disagrees, the contact phase begins.

Avoid Contact: A commander may avoid contact in the hex if he or she has enough move points to proceed immediately into another hex. This decision is made and resolved prior to the contact phase. A dice throw is required, and the operation is not without risks. Avoiding contact is treated, along with similar operations, in an upcoming article “Avoid, Evade, Delay, and Withdraw.”

Three or More Forces: When more than two forces meet, the conflict may be divided into separate engagements or conducted as a single battle, as decided by the players. Factors such as table size and number of figures involved versus the number available should be considered in addition to player preference. In case multiple battles are decided, contact and deployment are handled separately.

Battles at Sea

The present system is not useful for naval engagements. We got longships and pirates though, so we could make something up should the occasion arise.

Contact Dice

Upon making map contact, the commanders roll a dice. We use the dice scores with and without modifiers throughout the process, so it’s best to make note or leave the dice on the table for reference. The results determine each commander’s awareness of the opposing force, the hour of contact, and which player draws the first terrain cards and how many.

Modifiers

A commander’s contact dice is modified for each of the following criteria:

Contact

That the commander is aware of the dice roll, and therefore the range of the information’s accuracy, is of no consequence, as a commander may gauge the accuracy of the size by the composition details gathered.

Taking the dice left to right: Hadewych’s scout is killed. Her contact dice roll is four, to which she adds 1 as all her opponents are in clear terrain, for a total of five. Ingegerd, to her roll of three, also adds 1 for her opponent in clear terrain, total four. Aeskrvald adds 1 for terrain to his roll of five, plus 1 for a successful scout, to make it seven.

Size Estimation

To determine the estimated size of the enemy force, multiple players without a referee need only choose a percentage in the given range, make the calculation, and inform the opponent. A referee or solo player might do the same or roll two dice on the table below.

Contact Hour

Take the difference in the highest and lowest unmodified contact dice. Subtract the result from the current half period’s end hour to determine the hour in which contact occurs. Sunrise marks the 1st hour of the day. Thus, depending on the half period of contact and the difference in the contact dice, a battle may take place in any hour of the day or night.

Notes

¹ Contact occurs within a half period even when forces may move three or more hexes per day. With mainly infantry on the map, moving so far is rare. With more cavalry, moving three or four hexes is more common. But we avoid dividing a period into thirds or fourths in favor of simplicity.

² This is not an actual agreement between commanders. The agreement is implied by the lack of further action on both sides.

Support and Reserve

Support and reserve are roles that may be assumed by forces when an allied force is in map contact. The roles permit the relief, reinforce, support, and exploit operations as explained below.

These rules assume already that regiments serve assault, support, and reserve roles within the same hex. Support and reserve roles may only be assumed by forces of different armies from each other and from the supported force. For example, Ingegerd’s army may support Arn’s army, and Aeskrvald’s army may be in reserve. But Arn could not separate his army into its three regiments, moving each to a different hex and putting them in support and reserve to each other.

The relief and support operations permit two forces to “switch” hexes, a move not normally permissible. The first time per turn a force (commander figure) participates in a relief or support operation costs no points and requires no time. The second or subsequent times in a turn that a force conducts such an operation, the necessary time and move points are required.

Note: There is a difference between the support role and the support operation. I’m open to suggestions for a better term for the latter to avoid confusion.

Contact and Deployment

“Support, Reserve, Maneuver” is the first of six parts of “Contact and Deployment” in the Valormr Campaign.

Support

A force adjacent to an allied force and not in map contact with an enemy force may support the allied force. A force so supported gains a bonus when conducting disengagement operations (explained later) or when opposing such operations.

Relief: A supporting force may switch hexes with the supported force. Their roles are also switched. The support force becomes assault, assault becomes support. The relief may take place at any time before contact dice are rolled or after any disengagement.

Reinforce: If the results of a disengagement operation indicate displacement, the supporting force may opt to reinforce the supported force, thereby preventing the displacement. The disengaging force then takes normal losses.

Reserve

A force adjacent to an allied force currently supporting another allied force can act as reserve to the supported allied force.

Support: Similar to the relief operation above, a reserve force may switch hexes and roles with the supporting force. Unlike relieving the assault force, the support operation may take place at any time.

Exploit: A reserve force may use the exploit operation to move two hexes. The intermediate hex must be the hex occupied by the supporting force, which the reserve force moves through, and the destination hex must put the reserve force in map contact with an enemy force. The exploit operation costs move points only to move from the intermediate hex into the destination hex. It takes place immediately following contact resolution, including after a battle.

Maneuver

A force in a hex adjacent to an enemy force may use the maneuver action. The maneuver action costs move points to move into the figure’s current hex but takes no additional time. Only a formed force which is not fatigued may maneuver.

The maneuver force gains a bonus on the deployment dice and any disengagement dice during the half period. Furthermore, the commander may force a second map contact in the half period, immediately following resolution of the first. A commander may begin the maneuver action, spending the move points and gaining the bonus, at any point during a half period, but the maneuver action ends with the half period.

Between map contact and the opening moves on the tactical field, play is conducted in two phases: contact and deployment. Each phase is resolved by dice throws, accompanied by commanders’ decisions.

In the contact phase, commanders inform themselves about the enemy’s size and composition and survey the potential battlefield. At the end of the contact phase, commanders decide whether to engage or evade. In case of engagement, forces are deployed and the battle begins.

Reading Map

I thought to have a few words about making contact on the strategic map and subsequent deployment. Turns out the draft has a couple thousand of them on the first topic, and the second isn’t yet fully elaborated. I split the lengthy whole into the following articles:

• Support, Reserve, Maneuver
• Map Contact
• Terrain Reconnaissance
• Engage or Evade
• Avoid, Evade, Delay, and Withdraw
• Deployment