Re: [GZG] Stuart Murray's Games at GZG ECC IX

Stuart sent me an email recently about what he calls his SGII Company
Mods. I personally find it fascinating. I remember my disappointment in
reading a discussion on the Yahoo 15mm SciFi group a few months ago
where people were saying that you couldn't really play SG with more than
50 figs per size. I read the DS rules and thought that there had to be a
way to come up with a compromise between the two. At GZG ECC IX I walked
up to "Contact, Wait, Out" and Stuart was running the game I imagined,
only it looked better! Grant walked up and made the observation that the
game looked very fluid, the attacker had made it across the entire
battlefield during the 3-4 hour game. 

So here's what Stuart had to say. I'd be interested in any comments. I'm
going to try this out, although I think I'll get some 30mm bases instead
of 1" because my figures are larger than Stuart's (his are Peter Pig
15's). Also, I don't think I'll permanently base my figures. Since my
15's are on steel washers I'll add a magnet to a Litko 30mm base and
create a "movement tray". It'll give me more flexibility as I work all
of this out.

Stuart Murray
SGII - Company Mods
(This does not relate to Cinegrunt, that's an entirely different beast*)

It became apparent to my gaming group that the typical platoon-level SG
game was over too quickly if one side lost a single squad from arty or
aerospace attack.  We kind of stopped using these in games so games
lasted a little longer.  I started thinking about this more and I
realized that what I wanted to play was a reinforced company level
combined arms game in which a small amour contingent could effectively
support a single company (including organic mortars/HMGs) and not skew
the game too much with its firepower.

One problem with using larger forces is the alternating action phase. 
Because opponents can react to the actions of a single squad operational
coherency quickly dissolved.  It seemed wrong to me that a company
commander could not gain an advantage by activating a whole platoon
rather than a single squad.

Another disadvantage of playing larger SG games is the time it takes to
move lots of individual figures.  While playing I observed that players
tend to worry greatly about the facing and disposition of individual
troops.  I noted that in larger games this focus on the individual
troops tended to distract the commanders from the 'larger picture' of
the tactical battle.

I began tinkering with how I could activate whole platoons in a timely
manner while lifting the tactical level from squad combat to
platoon/company combat.

To speed moving figures and relieve the player of worrying about
individuals I started to gang base squads.  I found that too much detail
was lost when basing squads so I dropped the multi-basing to the level
of fire teams.	I tried it a few times and it seemed to work out.  I
then tried lifting the tactical level by activating platoons/or platoon
equivalents (such as a pair of tanks) with a single chit, like Dirtside. 

I tried it a couple of times on gaming buddies before bringing it to the
GZG ECC.  The feedback from them was positive.	There is very little
'learning curve' and the leaner game appealed more than regular SG to a
player who was new to SG (he had only played a couple of times).

So, what I ended up with is a way to play faster, more complex, games of
SG in an evening and I still get to use all my little toys*

Mods for company gaming: (NB, I use 15mm figs)
I've nothing written down, its all in my head so here goes...
Basing
Fire teams, or functional groups (such as command, SAM, ATGW etc) are
based on a single base.  
I use a 1" base, usually square. This represents the team within a
10mx10m area (SG scale is stated as 1"=10m)
Fire teams are two (high tech and PA), to four figures (low tech) per
base.  Specialists are usually 2-3 figures.
Example Platoon *  Commonwealth Infantry Platoon
Command: Base of Lt., Sgt, RTO
3x Rifle Sections: Base of NCO and 1 rifleman, 2x (Base of 2 riflemen
and 1 SAW)
Support: Base of Marksman and 1 rifleman, Base of ATGW (2 figures)
Platoon rides in 4x IFVs
Company Command
Only company command has EW and artillery support chits.  Platoons do
not, this helps preserve the chain of command for such
request/priorities.
Activation
A single platoon group (or equivalent) is activated at a time.	When
activated all bases/elements in the group may perform independent
actions, i.e. in an infantry platoon some may fire while others move (An
example of cover fire and move, otherwise not modeled well in SG).  All
SG rules apply, such as leader replacement etc (in this case it will be
a base that is promoted).
Movement
I typically choose a base near the center of the platoon, measure and
move that base, then move all the other bases without measuring.  
Firing
Firepower is calculated per figure in a fire team, as SG. 
NB, the PLATOON is firing, so, it is up the player how they resolve fire
team firing.  Pick targets and detail how many fire teams are firing at
each target.
Example, a Commonwealth Infantry platoon firing on a Union infantry
group.	
The Commonwealth player chooses to target the Union group with three
sections (three groups of three fire teams).  First determine the
firepower for each section; resolve as SG for each section
independently.
GMS: Any figure with a GMS may fire with either the GMS, or with a
rifle/SMG etc.	I do not limit the GMS to 3/4 shots; the fire team will
carry reloads.
Mixed bases: bases with riflemen and a SAW gunner may fire either
combined i.e. SAW in support, or just as a SAW.
Casualties
Each base can take TWO wounds; this is independent of the number of
figures actually on a base.  
If a base gets one hit I place an untreated casualty marker next to, or
on, the base.  If the casualty gets treated I replace that with a
treated casualty marker (I use regular casualties for untreated and figs
on stretchers for treated). I use casualty marker castings from Peter
Pig.  If a base gets two hits it is dead and I replace it with two
untreated casualty markers.  (I adopted an idea from a historical gamer,
he used two sets of generic markers, one green, one grey, that way he
did not have to buy specific casualties, he used the same ones for
everything.  It sounds strange, but I find it is effective)
Any casualty (treated or not) is moved with the fire team.  Casualties
can be 'pooled' for protection, left at an aide point, or recovered by
medevac; if so I use a small marker (a small piece of pipe cleaner
placed on the base) to represent the base having one 'hit'. 
Alternatively, casualties can be abandoned like regular SG and the base
marked accordingly.

If I've forgotten anything I'll try to add later.

A few comments on 'Moving Things Along Quickly'

One thing I try to do ay the GZG ECC is move games along, if people feel
that I'm being too pushy, I'm sorry.  That is not the intention.

In Cinegrunt games I try to steer the game toward a suitably cinematic
climax.  The casualty in this is usually the SG rules.	I tend to play
them very loosely, perhaps players have already noticed this =8-).  I
feel that player involvement and a fun plot is more important than the
rules.

I tend not to run many 'normal' SG games.  When I do I'm pushy for a
different reason.  I'm trying to create something of the tactical
decision making atmosphere of the battlefield in the game.  

In combat a platoon commander has to make quick decisions, they may not
always be the right ones, but his men are depending upon him to make
decisions.  If a commander is slow and indecisive he may miss key
opportunities to turn the battle.  If this wasn't enough, junior
commanders are always under pressure from their higher command.

So, when I press players to 'use it or lose it' I'm encouraging them to
try to take timely actions/turns and not spend too much time agonizing
over strategies, that's the job of the higher-ups !

In my defense, I do try to balance this pressing. I only push players
who I think will respond positively and I also try to teach/coach during
a game.  I don't want players to feel I pushed them into a strategy that
they did not want.  I try to help them out with tips and pointers,
either how kit or rules work, or with tactical perspectives of how their
advance looks from the other end of the table (Its remarkable how few
players actually walk round and look at the game from the other end of
the table; me included when I'm gaming!).  

My goal is to try to show players an alternative style of SG game, it
may not always suit their style but I try to help make it a fun game. 
Finally, I'm no ogre; if you do play in one of my games and you feel I'm
pushing unreasonably please let me know.  It's a game; it should be fun
for you too.

Specifically regarding the 'Contact, Wait, Out' game.  I've seen a few
games like it at historical events and one real problem with
'deployment' games like this is the game stalling while the attackers
spend large amounts of time worrying about getting their toys on the
table.	I tried to prevent this from happening and keep a certain
dynamic tension during the game.  
Tom and Steve were under pressure to deploy and attack while being
simultaneously hit by air attack and arty fire.  I think they did a
great job of it.  They conducted a decisive and effective assault down
the table.
Damon and Joel did a good job of stalling the attack; they fought
doggedly to the last, they held the advance right to the edge of the
table.	If their reinforcement rolls had been different by one turn
perhaps the game may have turned out in their favour.

I think both sides played a good game and they appeared to enjoy it too,
a bonus!
Stuart.

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