Unternehmen Launenhaft – some rules

Having tested about three other sets of rules for this game, I am now playtesting a new home-grown set.

A couple of weeks ago I was invited to a four-player game set in the Crimea in the 1850s. The rules used were a period-specific adaptation to a set that we have used for two games at the Wargames Holiday Centre for Victorian era Colonial games. The original rules were titled “Will Victoria be Amused?”

I decided to try to adapt them for 1940, and after a couple of game turns they seem to work. The whole basis of the game is dice that show either red or black (it originated as a playing card driven game). Each turn, for each unit, a player can either play one action with no risk or gamble for two actions. The odds are: one action (one red, one black) =1/2, two actions (two reds) = 1/4, no actions (two blacks) = 1/4.

If either two reds or two blacks are rolled, a third die may be rolled. If after two reds a black is rolled, the player is back to one action. So for a third roll the odds are: only one action 1/2, three actions 1/2. After two blacks, the third die is red (1/2) for one action, or (black) 1/2 for a command blunder.

It is possible for elite troops, troops with a command element present, or troops with specific command orders to re-roll one black die in the hope of getting a red.

So the game is very much based on the morale of the force commander/player. Play safe and move slowly or risk a bit for a possible advantage?

Here are a few worked examples from this morning’s gaming:

An ME109 fighter with 2 x MG and 1 x 20mm cannon fired at a British light tank mark VI at 100 yards. Attack dice rolled: 2 x HMG@4, 1 x 20mm cannon@2. Total 10 dice. 4 reds, 6 blacks = 4 hits. The tank has an armour value of 2, so could only roll 2 dice in defence. Both were black, so no saves and with 4 hits the tank was destroyed.

A company of 1 Pz III and 1 Pz IV fired at a British light tank mark IV at 100 yards. The Pz IV had 3 dice and the Pz III had 2 dice. Only 1 red was rolled, and with 2 dice in defence the British tank shrugged off the attack by rolling 2 reds.

A previously concealed German infantry company of 4 Rifle platoons and 1 MG platoon fired at a British artillery regiment deploying. Range was 200 yards. German fire: 4 rifle dice – 2 for range + 1 MG @ 2 for range = 4 dice. Two reds rolled for 2 hits. British rolled 1 die for vehicles to save and rolled 1 red. Thus 1 hit was 1 Disruption Point on the unit. The unit may, in its next activation, continue to deploy and maybe fire with a -1 die effect or can spend one action to rid itself of the disruption point.

Attached is the draft rule set for 1940. I may have missed out parts as being obvious to me, but not to new gamers, so any comments for revision will be welcome.