Black Powder Skirmish Modifications

Use all the normal rules except for these adjustments.

Units

• Each figure is a single man and a unit represents a squad of around 10 men.
• Apart from commanders all actions are by units (as normal) so there is still no figure removal.

Command

• Troops must be ordered to Shoot which takes an Action. It is possible to shoot more than once per turn
• Troops must be ordered to Reload which takes 1 Action for muskets, 2 Actions for rifles and artillery. Use smoke markers to show unloaded status
• Only Units in Formations can be given a Brigade (formation) order
• Command Distance Modifier is 6” (changed from 12”). Drummers, horns etc extend this to 12” if the musician is within 6” of the commander. Musicians can only be used to pass orders to Formations
• Also see the new Reform, Close Ranks and Fire by Platoon orders detailed below

Formations

• Individual units must join with at least one other unit to be considered as a Formation. Only Units in Formations can be given a Brigade order
• Formations are created by announcing the formation type required and then using a move action(s) for the units to form up.  Same thing required to change formation from Line to Column, etc. Units must be touching each other to be in Formation
• A ‘Fire By Platoon’ order can be given so each alternate unit in a Line fires while the other unit reloads, all as one order

Movement

• Use half distances for all movement. It always takes one Action to change spacing (from close to skirmish etc), no automatic changes when moving between terrain types.

Disorder

• Is caused as normal, but can be removed by a ‘Reform’ Order
• Disorder is per Unit and causes that unit to ‘drop out’ of the Formation until a successful reformed order
• Elite units can try to remove disorder in the usual way before rolling for Command
• Units can still Fire or Reload on Initiative if disordered and they prefer not to try to Reform

Shooting & Hand To Hand Combat

• Shooting still happens after Command so markers should be used to determine who can shoot and how many times. Use the reload smoke markers but placed behind the unit
• Muskets (not Rifles) get -1 to hit at over half range
• All weapons get +1 to hit Column or Square
• All units (not just supports) must test if within 6” of a unit that breaks
• Units in Formation can be issued a ‘Close Ranks’ order to pass on a second or subsequent casualty to a unit in the formation with no casualties
• Vulnerability Of Commanders: The usual rules apply, but Commanders can also be targeted by one unit of skirmishers who either have him as the nearest target, or have been individually ordered to fire at him. Commanders count as a skirmish target and have a 3+ Moral save.

Modern Amendments for Bolt Action

Bolt Action is a great World War 2 game, so why not extend the fun into the modern period? Below are my initial amendments for Cold War to present time.

Assault Rifles: Treat these as normal rifles as it is assumed all rifles are now semi or fully automatic. For this reason there is also no longer any ‘Assault’ rule for weapons or Fire & Manoeuvre for the US.

Enhanced Sights: Assault Rifles with magnified sights have Range 30”, costing +1pt per man.

LMG’s: All squad belt fed LMG’s get ROF 3 and the helper can now also fire his rifle. Magazine fed squad support weapons are treated as Automatic Rifles. LMG’s in squads without a basic rifleman to act as helper lose one ROF. NCO’s and grenadiers can’t be LMG helpers.

Under-slung Grenade Launchers: Fire indirect but need line of sight, HE (D2) Range 24”. Not team weapon.

Automatic Grenade Launchers: Fire indirect but need line of sight, HE (D2) Range 24” ROF = 2. Fixed Team or Vehicle weapon.

RPG’s: Treat RPGs as Bazooka, LAW as Panzerfaust, Carl Gustav as Panzerchreck.

Guided Missiles: act as Fixed Team weapons but with the stats of medium, heavy or super-heavy Antitank guns depending on the weapon. They are Shaped Charge weapons. Guided Missiles can’t fire at Close Range but don’t get the -1 to hit at Long Range. Guided missiles need a Rally order to reload a launcher. Vehicles with multiple launchers can reload them all with one Rally order.

Shaped Charge: the -1 to hit still applies to unguided rockets (such as RPG’s) but not to Guided Missiles. The long range Pen modifier is always ignored as normal for Shaped Charge weapons.

Reactive and Chobam Armour: Reduces the Pen value of Shaped Charge weapons by 1D6. Reactive armour only works once per vehicle arc.

Moral Checks: Shooting Moral checks must be taken each time the unit takes casualties when it’s at half or under the original squad size. This makes the modern game deadlier without the need to add lots of extra firing dice.

Body Armour: Increase the Damage value by +1 at Long Range if wearing body armour. Costs +4pts per man.

Medics: Medevac rules? WIP