31 August 2013

Machine Gun and "Rapid Fire" Rules for Gilder Sudan




"Just remember Smithy...don't panic and she won't jam mate!"
 
Machine Gun Fire

The Gatling, Nordenfeld guns etc. have a special fire rule.

They fire off the normal small arms table however this type of gun can fire up to twenty (20) rounds per move, all shots being treated as instantaneous.

The firing player has to first decide how many rounds he will fire that turn.  He then throws a d20 and if he rolls over that number then that is the amount of equivalent “men” are firing. If he rolls under that number, then the gun jam has malfunctioned, has jammed on that number of rounds and after this round of fire (which is till calculated) must be cleared.

A jammed machine gun requires two unoccupied gunners to un-jam it.  On the first move after jamming, throw one d6.  A score of 1 indicates that it has been cleared.  On the second move a score of 1 or 2 is required.  Third move, a 1, 2 or 3 is required.  On the fourth turn a 1, 2, 3, or 4 is required and the fifth turn anything but a six will clear the piece.

If the gun is not cleared by the end of the fifth turn after it initially jammed then it is considered to be damaged beyond repair.



Young Halsey views the field for new enemy targets.
  
As an example a section of the Naval Brigade has decided to lay fire at an approaching horde of 30 Fuzzy Wuzzies some 18” away.  The Gardener Gun Commander, Lieutenant. Halsey decides that he will provide some support to the column and elects to fire 8 rounds this move. 

First he has to hit so he rolls on the Small Arms Fire table knowing that he needs a minimum of 5 on a d10 to hit.  He rolls a 7 – success!!

He now needs to determine how skilfully his crew have managed to work their deadly machine.  He picks up a d20 and rolls a 9.  His crew are very skilled and are able to fire off the equivalent of seven rounds and thankfully no jamming or other malfunction has occurred.

The Gardener Gun fires as the equivalent of nine men at 4” which is long range.  They roll a 3 on their Random Fire and Melee Table and have a modifier of   +1.  The end result is the infliction of 19 casualties on the Mahdi. 

Note that for example a roll of 18 would have resulted in 17 rounds being fired off but the gun jamming!  Mores casualties but correspondingly more worry for young Lt. Halsey!

Important not to run out of ammunition when doing the Queens work!

Rapid Fire – Special Fire Rule

All small arms and field guns of Imperial Troops may elect to rapid fire.  Machine guns do NOT have this option.

This enables your unit to double the casualties inflicted upon the enemy.

In order to be able to this the following criteria must be met:

a)                  The unit or gun must not have moved that period.
b)                  You may not “Rapid Fire” into an enemy that you will melee with this turn.
c)                  A unit which has lost its Officer may never order “Rapid Fire”.

Rapid Fire however costs three rounds of ammunition and this should be recorded on the appropriate unit chart.

Replenishing Ammunition

Every time a unit fires, an ammunition square is marked off the appropriate unit roster.

To prevent a Sudanese version of Islandwana (yes …I know this is all myth but it does make some great Hollywood style drama!), it is important to be able to re-supply the companies, batteries and battalions with extra ammunition as required.  This is done by representing pack animals with supplies such as ammunition in the game.

A single camel or mule is able to carry 120 rounds of small arms ammunition, twelve rounds of artillery ammunition and twelve magazines of machine gun rounds.  Furthermore for the animals to be under control, every two animals must have a dedicated native handler.

At the commencement of the game these handlers must be in addition to your own troops.  If for any reason these handlers may choose to “disappear” you may detail troops to lead the beasts.  These can be marked off with a “T” in your roster sheet and though they are technically not losses, they cannot fire or fight whilst with the beasts.

It takes two turns for units to have ammunition from a pack animal that is in base to base contact with them replenished.  Whilst being resupplied, the unit can take no further actions, including movement.


"No Rapid Fire for you boys...damned rules don't allow it!!"


However these boys from the Camel Corps certainly can..."Wait for it boys".

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

12 August 2013

Action at Trinikat


The square prepares for some excitement!
We had a small engagement over the weekend to sort through some of the firing procedures again to ensure that all is working well.  Without going into a full Battle Report the encounter was one of several elements of General Stewarts Brigade outside Trinikat and being strongly engaged by a force of the local Emir Bensufen.


Masses of Mahdist Cavalry with Camels to the rear.
 Despite the overwhelming odds the Imperial troops gave a very good account of themselves with no major reverses.

Fuzzies looking for a flank...any flank!!
 In the end Emir Bensufen was able to gin some local honour by dragging off several baggage camels which bolted from the Imperial square but little more.

Sudanese Regulars advance on the outskirts...too late too impact upon the battle.

All the figures are, of course, Connoisseur though I did throw in a few Essex and Redoubt figures as well on the outskirts.


Redoubt Miniature skirmishing Highlanders - lovely figures.



6 August 2013

Firing Procedures - Small arms


Marksmen encounter the 28th Bombay Native Infantry  "A" Company.
Firing Procedures

When researching everything Gilder for these rules the most frustrating aspect was not having the Firing Range charts for both small arms and artillery.  The methodology was there, just not the actual ranges etc. Then when re-reading some old Miniature Wargames magazines harking back to the mid 1980’s (yes I really am that old!) Peter Gilder mentioned that he had taken his casualty chart as a direct lift of the chart from TJ Halsalls’ “Rules for Colonial Wargames: The Colonial Wars” published by Newbury Rules in 1978.  Remembering that I once had a copy of those rules, a bit of searching found that was indeed the case and then the parts of the puzzle started to fit. 

It appeared that Peter Gilder wanted his Colonial games to be a far simpler and quicker game than the Newbury rules but he had taken the liberty of taking some of their excellent charts etc for his own workings.  Looking through his notes and reference sheets the range bands for artillery and small arms married up very well to what charts were in the rules by Mr Halsall.  The fact that Peter Gilder mentions a six range artillery chart in his sheets and the Newbury rules had their artillery chart in a six range band as well was good enough for me. 

We transferred the same small arms range chart over as well as this also suits the six range band methodology that Peter Gilder used in these rules.  Remember that only the ranges have been used, the factors to hit themselves are directly from the original Sudan rules from the WHC.  We hope you also find that suitable as well. 

Following all Imperial and Mahdist movements, firing is determined and calculated.
This is the fifth part of the turn sequence and is considered to be simultaneous.

Highlanders prepare for action!
Troops entitled to fire

Two ranks of Imperials are permitted to fire at up to 30 degrees from the edge of their base.  Artillery also have the same angle of fire.  Mahdist Riflemen fire the number of figures they have on their base (5) but cannot fire overhead.  A formation of four bases of Mahdist riflemen with two bases in the front rank and two bases in the rear would therefore only be permitted to fire 10 figures.

Moving and Firing

Infantry (including skirmishers) may only move up to 6” and still fire that turn.

A screw gun takes a full move to be assembled or taken apart.  Once it is fully assembled it can be moved 6” a move and still fired without any movement penalties.

A Field Gun takes ½ a move to unlimber/limber.  It may move ½ a move unlimber and fire.  A field Gun may be man-handled 3” and still fire fully.

Machine guns, if drawn by a limber, may also take a ½ move to limber/unlimber.  It may also take a ½ move, unlimber and fire.  However machine guns may be man-handled 6” and still fire.

Overhead Fire

This is allowed by Imperial troops only if the target is clearly visible.  As a common sense approach there should be at least a 6” gap between the target and other friendly imperial troops.

Procedures

Declare the units firing and determine ranges and correct firing arcs.  When declaring fire from Imperial Troops, please also declare which companies will be firing in advance.
Range is determined by measuring from the centre of the unit firing to the nearest figure of the enemy. 

These should be conducted by company if at different ranges however gentlemen always prefer to take the policy that the majority of figures at a particular range should mean all fire at the same range. 

Once this is done, roll a ten sided dice (d10).  The minimum number required to hit is detailed in the table.  For example, three companies of the Cameron’s totalling 36 figures at 15” from an enemy foot formation require a minimum roll on a d10 of a 5 to hit.

SMALL ARMS FIRE TABLE

Range
0 - 1"
1 - 3"
3 - 7"
7 -12"
12 - 20"
20 - 30"

Close
Medium
Medium
Medium
Long
Long
To Hit (d10)
1
2
3
4
5
6


Imperial Troops to hit modifiers – all factors are cumulative and +/-  to the raw dice result

Egyptians or Sudanese
                              - 1
Officer Lost

                              - 1
Firing at Foot charging

                              - 1
Firing into cover
                              - 2
Firing at open order troops                                                                      - 2
Firing at Mounted Charging                                                                     - 2
Firing from a prepared position                                                               +1


Mahdists to hit modifiers - all factors are cumulative and +/- to the raw dice result

Firing at an open order target
                                - 3
Firing on charging enemy                         
                                - 1
Troops are designated as marksmen

                         + 1
Firing from a prepared position                                                               + 1

Fuzzy Wuzzies view the enemy and prepare for battle.


Mahdist firing at some skirmishing Sudanese regular troops to their front 6“ away would normally require a 3 on a d10 but since the target is open order the minimum roll required to achieve a hit would be a 6 as a -3 modifier needs to be applied.  If those same Mahdist Riflemen were marksmen they would receive a +1 bonus meaning they would only need to roll a 5 on a d10.

Determining Casualties

Once we have established if a hit has been made we then need to work out just how effective that fire was.

All troops in The Sands of the Sudan have a fire factor which is a method of determining their training, weapon type and general ability to lay down fire of varying degrees of effectiveness upon the enemy.

You would have noticed that in the Firing Range Table beneath the inch graduations on the chart there was a definition of which range was considered to be close, medium or long. 

The following table determines what their base fire factor is at that range as well as further factors which either enhance or reduce the effectiveness of that fire.

IMPERIAL TROOPS SMALL ARMS FIRE FACTOR TABLE

Troop Type and Opponent
Close
Medium
Long
Foot v Foot
4
0
-2
Foot v Mounted
5
1
-2
Mounted v Mounted
3
-1
-4
Mounted v Foot
2
-2
-5



MAHDIST TROOPS SMALL ARMS FIRE FACTOR TABLE

Troop Type and Opponent
 Close
 Medium
Long
Foot
3
-1
-3
Skirmishers
1
-3
-5
Mounted
2
-2
-5
Troops in Improvised cover
0
-2
-6
Troops in Prepared cover
-1
-4
-8


Carrying on with our example, those Cameron’s have hit and now need to see how effective their volley was.  At 15” the range is considered to be “medium” so their base fire factor is 0 against foot.  The target is not in open order, charging etc so the base factor remains at 0.

Firing and Melee Table - can someone tell me how to post a PDF???

We would then roll a d6 on the random fire and melee table to get a final factor to cross reference on the casualty table.  A roll of 1 would give a plus 2 result making the final equation 36 figures firing at factor 2 for a total of 90 casualties on the enemy.  9 figures would be removed or simply marked off their roster box (see Appendix).

Highlanders prepare to volley fire at the enemy!
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



Next post - Artillery Fire.