hey everyone, here’s a little 5 minute wargame I made for rpg.net
Use a hex map, Units can move as far as you could expect them to move in real life. The hexes will probably be the size of about a kilometer and a half across (or a mile). Ticks could take place in hours, each unit being able to move about two hex. A unit for this purpose will be about 100 men also known as several platoons or a company. You can stack several companies ontop of each other to make a battalion but no more.
In more complicated games you might want to diversify the troop types. Generally each troop should reflect real life limitations of units if possible. Infantry units should be limited to burdened walking speed for 10 hours a day or take penalty (about 2 hexes an hour). Mechanized units speed should be about 40 hexes an hour and calvary should be about 2 hexes an hour. Artillery and archery will depend on the speed of the unit pulling it, but should take extra hours to move and set up before firing.
If you are going to differentiate the units further you should point out the obvious, Calvary will get +1 vs non pike infantry, Infantry will get +1 vs Artillery and Archery, Mechanized units get +1 vs all non mechanized units and archery/artillery can mass fire/bombard from 2+ hexes away (giving the target -1 to their next combat role and all that)
units are in adjacent hexes they fight, roll a d6 for each side and the bigger side wins. If the unit is doing something to deserve an advantage (attacking from surprise, attacking a smaller unit, etc) they gain a +1 to the roll or if the unit is doing something silly (force marches, really inferior equipment, artillery bombardment, massive casualties etc) they get a -1 to the roll. The Destroyed unit is completely destroyed.
I think it preserves most of the interesting aspects of positioning on a massed troops line, and the basics of the combat is fast and fairly accurate (you probably want to rush with 3 or 4 times the troops you are attacking, just like in real life. Battle lines and stacking are important.)
