26 August 2013

Artillery Fire

British Field gun awaits orders to fire.
 
Artillery Fire

Artillery fire is very similar to infantry in terms of needing to determine ranges, arcs of fire etc.  Artillery in these rules may only as a single gun and not in batteries.  They may fire overhead if they are on higher ground.  Artillery have a different range band and obviously much longer reach upon the battlefield as can been see in the chart below.

All field and shipboard cannons have six range bands.  To achieve a hit you require a number equal to or greater than the band the target is in with the throw of a d10.

As a side note, in some versions of the reference sheets PG has mentioned a d20, in others, a percentage dice, or a d10 with the latter making more sense from a gamers’ perspective.  Feel free to alter as you see fit however experience of games played over many years suggests a d10 is the way to go.  For example a target in the first band requires a roll of 1 or above for a hit.

Once a hit has been made we then determine the effectiveness of the fire.    Different guns have a different fire factor.  They also fire at the rate of so many men so we can cross – reference on the casualty chart.  Once again all factors are cumulative.

ARTILLERY FIRE (d10)

Range
0 - 10 "
10-20'
20 - 30"
30 - 50"
50 - 100"
100 - 150"







To Hit
1
2
3
4
5
6


Modifiers to the roll “To Hit”
Target is more than 40 figures

-1
Target is less than 20 figures

+ 1
Gun is an old "Smoothbore"

+ 1
Mahdists/Egyptians firing guns
+ 1


Fire Factors once a hit has been made

Field Guns fire at a factor of 6 with 5 men





Screw Guns Fire at a factor of 5 with 5 men





Smoothbore has a factor of 4 with 4 men



Fire Factor Modifiers





Target is in improvised cover




-1
Target is in prepared cover or open order troops




-2


A British battery of three screw guns firing at a unit of 800 (80 figures) of Mahdists at 75” would need to roll a 5 less 1 (because the unit is greater than 40 figures making it easier to hit) which would translate into a 4 or
more on 1 d10.  Once it had hit, it would fire at a factor of 5 with the equivalent of 15 men for determining how effective the fire was remembering to add the random fire roll as seen on page 19.

Screw gun and crew from the wonderful Connoisseur range.

 
Random Fire and Melee Factors

We as wargamers always need the luck element – the extraordinary event which can turn certain defeat into a magnificent victory.  Sands of the Sudan is no different.

For every fire or melee result roll a six sided dice and cross reference the troop type and situation.  This will then give you a number which you can add to your result.

Random Fire and Melee Table

Dice Roll
European
Egyptian/Sudanese
Mahdist
Mahdist
(d6)
Fire/Melee
Fire/Melee
Fire
Melee
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
3
1
0
0
0
4
0
-1
-1
0
5
-1
-2
-2
-1
6
-2
-2
-3
-2

6 comments:

  1. Nice work for a pyjama wearer

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Colin - when's the next update over at Belle Alliance? Are wedding plans getting in the way of important things like basing!!!

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  2. More rules, more rules!
    Very interesting. I like a lot that British gun of the first picture.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Juan - I really do love the Sudan Connoisseur range. They are very subtle sculpts and look brilliant en masse as opposed to just as a single figure compared to other more modern figures of the period. Their is an animation about them which is evident in most of the Connoisseur range.

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  3. We rolled a d10 for artillery, percentile dice for Gatling guns after first stating which number of rounds up to and including 20 we would fire. A dice roll showing anything less than the stated number meant a jam after that many shots.

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  4. Thanks gents.

    Machine gun rules next and that is correct AJ, a d20 is required. One of my favourite rules.
    Cheers
    Carlo

    ReplyDelete