From: bieksza@erols.com Subject: Web Wargamer (Cowpens) AFAIK the Web Wargamer was intended to be a series of freeware board wargames -- download and print the rules and components, mount the counters, and start playing. Apparently only one edition was ever published, featuring _Cowpens_ (a small AWI battle) which was to be part of a quad game under the title _American_Legions_. Recently I finally had the components ready and gave it a try, solo. The design is extremely tactical: 100 yards/hex, 10 minutes/turn, and company-sized units. Companies are organized into regiments with leaders who issue orders which determine what activies can be carried out by the units. The sequence of play is: BRITISH PLAYER TURN British Command Phase British Movement Phase American Command Phase American Movement Phase [generally, half move] Mutual Fire Phase [British first] British Shock Phase American Shock Phase AMERICAN PLAYER TURN (same as above, reversing roles) Orders are: Move (no fire or shock) Fire (no move or shock) Move and Fire (both at reduced effectiveness) Charge (move and shock but no fire, and good only for current player turn) The first set of orders is issued "for free" but afterwards a regiment can change orders only by a successful morale check. Infantry are armed with either muskets or rifles, the latter having a longer range and a fire bonus but a shock penalty. Cavalry, as expected, can only charge. As a result of combat individual companies may become disordered but morale is checked (and rout may occur) on a regimental basis. _Cowpens_ is a small affair with only three regiments (plus skirmishers) on the American side and five (plus artillery) on the British side. The only terrain of significance is a hill which may block the line of fire. (Muskets have a range of 3 hexes, rifles 5.) The game lasts 7 turns and victory is decided on attrition, the elimination or routing of enemy regiments. My one play-through indicated that the design was successful. There was more to the game than just marching within range and blazing away -- both sides had to maneuver and apply a judicious balance of fire and shock. The British, incidentally, reversed history by emerging victorious. -------------------------------------------- | Dave Bieksza | bieksza@erols.com | -------------------------------------------- "The Net is vast and infinite." - Major Kusanagi, _Ghost in the Shell_ From: "Patrick R. Collins" Subject: Re: Web Wargamer (Cowpens) > Infantry are armed with either muskets or rifles, the latter having a > longer range and a fire bonus but a shock penalty. Cavalry, as > expected, can only charge. As a result of combat individual > companies may become disordered but morale is checked (and > rout may occur) on a regimental basis. Can they rally? > My one play-through indicated that the design was successful. > There was more to the game than just marching within range and > blazing away -- both sides had to maneuver and apply a judicious > balance of fire and shock. The British, incidentally, reversed > history by emerging victorious. How important were morale checks? Regards, Pat pcollins@prairienet.org Last Played: Bodyguard/Overlord, Fortunes of War (Mini), Naval Action In progress: AirLand Battle, Bitter Woods http://www.prairienet.org/~pcollins From: bieksza@erols.com Subject: Re: Web Wargamer (Cowpens) > > Infantry are armed with either muskets or rifles, the latter having a > > longer range and a fire bonus but a shock penalty. Cavalry, as > > expected, can only charge. As a result of combat individual > > companies may become disordered but morale is checked (and > > rout may occur) on a regimental basis. > > Can they rally? Certainly, by passing another morale check. But a cute twist is that all subordinate companies become disordered when the regiment routs, and when it rallies they have to be re-ordered individually (by more morale checks). > > My one play-through indicated that the design was successful. > > There was more to the game than just marching within range and > > blazing away -- both sides had to maneuver and apply a judicious > > balance of fire and shock. The British, incidentally, reversed > > history by emerging victorious. > > How important were morale checks? > > Regards, Pat Very important. A regiment had to make a morale check as a whole when: - any subordinate unit suffered an adverse result in fire or shock combat, - to change orders, - to rally. An individual unit had to make a morale check to: - to return to the map after suffering a double disorder result - to recover from disorder. -------------------------------------------- | Dave Bieksza | bieksza@erols.com | -------------------------------------------- "The Net is vast and infinite." - Major Kusanagi, _Ghost in the Shell_ From: "Patrick R. Collins" Subject: Re: Web Wargamer (Cowpens) > > Can they rally? > > Certainly, by passing another morale check. But a cute twist is > that all subordinate companies become disordered when the > regiment routs, and when it rallies they have to be re-ordered > individually (by more morale checks). Nice. > > How important were morale checks? > > Very important. A regiment had to make a morale check as a > whole when: > - any subordinate unit suffered an adverse result in fire or shock > combat, > - to change orders, > - to rally. > An individual unit had to make a morale check to: > - to return to the map after suffering a double disorder result > - to recover from disorder. This is too bad. I may have to get some more poster board and actually mount again! Thnaks for the description. Regards, Pat pcollins@prairienet.org Last Played: Bodyguard/Overlord, Fortunes of War (Mini), Naval Action In progress: AirLand Battle, Bitter Woods http://www.prairienet.org/~pcollins