I plan to give these rules a test run in the coming days - just as soon as I dust off my old Roco Minitanks.
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Saturday, 18 November 2017
Armoured Action - Simple WW2 tank rules
As mentioned before I have always been a great fan of Charles Grant's rules for WW2 contained in his book "Battle! Practical Wargaming". On leafing through the book again, I was struck by the simplicity of his rules for tank warfare, which he explains in the chapter under Armoured Action. Essentially everything you need to fight a battle is contained in two simple charts, although Grant does employ a rather complicated measuring stick for calculating the strike angle of a shot. Here are the charts extracted from the book:
I am keen to try these rules out, but wondered if they could be modified to work on a hex grid, expanded to include more vehicles and simplified further. After some playing around, I came up with this:
I based the additional data on the calculations used by Grant in the book to be played on a five inch grid. I would see one vehicle being allowed in a hex. I have added factors for side and rear shots, removing the need for the strke angle tool. Now the ranges and moves have been calculated, any scale model and hex size can be used - I think! Thus, 1/300 scale tanks on a one inch grid could be used.
I plan to give these rules a test run in the coming days - just as soon as I dust off my old Roco Minitanks.
I plan to give these rules a test run in the coming days - just as soon as I dust off my old Roco Minitanks.
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There is something heart-warming when dipping back into the Grant / Featherstone rules. My one regret is that I got of those early books that were so highly influential in making this a life-long passion for me.
ReplyDeleteYes, this book has sat on my shelves for over 40 years, is well thumbed and often read.
DeleteDon't forget the visibility and to hit rolls! I have occasionally wondered how to convert Grants infantry rules to a grid, but the complexities of the MG fire cones have always defeated me.
ReplyDeleteMmm,! maybe I can get away with the hit roll only and perhaps assume good visibility out to 8 hexes? I shall have a rethink. I was going to have a go at the infantry rules later on - but that maybe too complex as you suggest.
DeleteThe to hit rolls were pretty simple as I recall. Most of the infantry fire was point to point, so easy to do. Perhaps a simple compromise for the MGs is to assume they hit one third of the figures in a hex, rounding up.
DeleteFeatherstone's simplified WWII rules suggestions in Battles with Model Soldiers could easily be adapted to a grid. The tank rules are very similar to Grant's but simplified as well. They are all a bit bloody as I recall.
ReplyDeleteI concur, and I think the solution might be to merge a number of mechanisms from the war-game pioneers. I am also looking at the Lyall's "Operation Warboard" for some ideas too. The one thing I do like in Grant's rules are the realistic ranges for the tank and anti-tanks guns, when compared to infantry weapon ranges.
DeleteI still have my copy of those rules and until very recently my "firing angle stick" which my dad made for me in the 70's. I always thought it was quite scientific really. Could the grids themselves not be used as angle indicators?
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