Index
Chapter I: Introduction 1
Designers Notes 1
Using this Rulebook 2
Spirit of the Game 2
The role of the Umpire 2
Your First Game of Standards of Valor 3
Chapter II: Game Scale and Definitions 4
Figure Scale 4
Basing your figures 4
Groundscale 4
Timescale 4
Equipment Needed 5
Die Type Shifts 5
Types of Die Rolls 6
The Clockface Direction Method 6
Pre-Measuring 7
The Counter Sheets 7
The Counters and Markers 7
Chapter III: Organizing Your Forces 8
Organizing Your Forces 8
Unit Descriptions 8
Movement Ratings 8
Armor Rating 9
Weapons 9
Unit Quality 9
Leadership Value 9
Confidence Level 9
Unit Quality and Leadership Type 10
Command Level 11
Sample Force Organization 12
Determining Quality and Leadership 12
Loss of Unit Leader 13
Balancing Forces 13
Chapter IV: Basic Principles of Play 14
Unit Integrity 14
Unit Integrity Effects on Combat 15
Modeling loss of Unit Integrity 15
Line of Sight and Line of Fire 16
Formed Units and Line of Sight 16
Airborne Units and Line of Sight 16
Measuring Ranges Between Units 16
Target Priority 17
Compulsory Targets 17
Effect of Woods 17
Cover and Concealment 18
Units in Position 18
Benefits of Being In Position 19
Shield Wall 19
Field Defenses 20
Chapter V: Setting up the Game 20
Terrain Setup 20
Random Terrain Placement Procedures 21
Fixed Battle 21
Encounter Battle 22
Chapter VI: Game Sequence 22
Overview of Game Sequence 22
Actions and Activations 23
Pass Activation 24
First Activation 24
Final Activation 24
Turn End Phase 25
Reinforcements 25
Fright Checks 25
Chapter VII: Actions 26
Available Actions 26
Motivation Actions 26
Leader Actions 26
Communications 26
Communication with units in combat 27
Direct Communication 27
Courier Communication 27
Special Communication 27
Transferring Actions 28
Reorganization Action 28
Shield Wall 29
Reform Action 29
Facing 30
Unit Integrity 30
Formation Adjustments 30
Rally Action 30
Regrouping 30
Detached Element 31
Forming Square and Refusing the Line 32
Suppression 32
Suppression Due to Close Combat 33
Suppression of Structures 33
Multiple Suppressions 33
Loss of Weapons Advantage due to Suppression 33
Loss of Integrity Due to Multiple Suppression 33
Chapter VIII: Confidence and Reaction 35
Mission Motivation 35
Fatigue Level 36
Confidence Levels 36
Confidence Tests 37
Threat Level Table for Confidence Tests 39
Results of Reduced Confidence Levels 39
Reaction Tests 40
Threat Level Table for Reaction Tests 40
Panic 41
Chapter IX: Movement 41
Movement 42
Normal Movement 42
Combat Movement 42
Base Mobility Distances 42
Terrain Modifications to Base Mobility 43
Terrain Types and Effects 43
Formation Maneuvers 45
Column Left/Right 46
Left/Right Oblique 46
Counter-Column March 47
Caracole 47
Movement Through Formations 47
Transportation of Troops 47
Travel Movement 48
Chapter X: Observation and Hidden Units 48
Hidden Units 48
Spotting Hidden Units 49
Firing at Unlocated Targets 50
Chapter XI: Characters 51
Independent Figures 51
Firing at Independent Figures 51
Reaction of Independent Figures 52
Concealed Characters 52
Going into Hiding 52
Snipers 53
Sniper Fire 53
Chapter XII: Weapons and Equipment 54
Personal Armor 54
Armor Table 54
Missile Weapons 54
Missile Weapons Table 55
Weapons Notes 55
Thrown Weapons 55
Area Fire for Bow Weapons 55
Volley Fire Weapons 56
Ammunition Supply 56
Close Combat Weapons 56
Hand-To-Hand Weapons Table 56
Cavalry Charging Weapons 57
Warhorses 57
Weapons Technology 57
Heavy Weapons 58
Heavy Weapons Systems 58
Heavy Crossbow (HXB) 58
Torsion Driven Weapons (TDW) 58
Gravity Driven Weapon (GDW) 59
Gunpowder Weapon (GPW) 59
Chapter XIII: Vehicles 59
Use of Vehicles in Standards of Valor Games 59
Vehicle Size Classes 59
Vehicle Design and Classification 59
Vehicle Armor 59
Mounted Weapons 60
Arcs of Fire 60
Chariots 60
Scythed Chariots 60
Chapter XIV: Fire Combat 61
Potential Shots 61
Area Fire 61
General Fire Procedures 62
Range Bands 62
Moving and Firing 62
Handheld Weapons Ranges 63
Fire Resolution 63
Removing Casualties 64
Chapter XV: Artillery & Heavy Weapons Fire 66
Artillery 66
Heavy Weapons Range Bands 66
Impact Value for Heavy Weapons 66
Armor Values of Vehicles & Structures 66
Heavy Weapons Fire at Vehicles & Structures 66
Armor Penetration and Hit Effects 67
Non-Penetrating Hits on Vehicles 67
Indicating Damaged Vehicles 67
Casualties to Vehicle or Structure Occupants 67
Oversized Vehicles and Structures 68
Artillery Fire 68
Firing Accuracy 68
Area Effect Artillery 68
Heavy Weapons Fire Against Troops 69
Solid shot 69
Grape Shot 69
Canister Shot 69
Chapter XVI: Close Assault & Hand to Hand Combat 70
Initiating Close Assault 71
Defender Responds 71
Hand-to-Hand Combat 72
Removing Casualties 74
Confidence Test 75
Withdrawing from Hand to Hand Combat 75
Flank Attacks 76
Wedge Attack 76
Melee 76
Final Defensive Fire 76
Counter Charge 77
Cavalry Recall 77
Cavalry Wrap 77
Combined Close Assault Activations 78
Overruns and Follow Through Attacks 78
Chapter XVII: Advanced and Optional Rules 78
Advancing a Line/Brigade 78
Fire and Retire 79
Opportunity Fire 79
Overwatch 80
The Last Stand 80
Surrender and Taking Prisoners 81
Fire, Flame and Incendiary Weapons 81
Smoke 82
Weather Conditions 82
Heat 82
Wind 83
Fog 83
Rain 83
Snow 83
Storms 83
Chapter XVIII: Special Abilities 83
Phalanx 84
Testudo 84
Shock Missile Troops 84
Parting Shot 84
Drilled 84
Impetuous 84
Fear 85
Terror 85
Composite Units 85
Mobile Missile Platform 86
Chapter XIX: Record Cards 87
Mission Cards 88
Company Cards 89
Chapter XX: Campaign Games 90
Operation Level Campaign 90
Improving Troop Quality 91
Replacement Troops 91
Rest and Recovery 92
Chapter XXI: Scenarios 92
Scenario 1: Reconnaissance in Force 93
Scenario 2: Ambush! 93
Scenario 3: Hold the Line 94
Scenario 4: Fighting Withdrawal 95
Chapter XXII: Cost Estimation 96
Basic Costs 96
Quality Multiple 97
Final Cost 97
Leadership 97
Chapter XXIII: Example Organizations & Equipment 97
Chapter XXIV: Special Character, Skirmish Games and Heroic Combat 98
Special Characters 98
Skirmish Games 98
Heroic Combat 99
Missile Attacks 99
Hand to Hand Combat 99
Penetration and Effect 99
16
"The moral is to the physical as three is to one." ~ Napoleon
"Everything in war is very simple," Clausewitz notes, "but the simplest thing is difficult."
Standards of Valor: FMA in the dark ages.
By: Phillip E. Pournelle based on the game Stargrunt by Jon Tuffley.
Chapter I: Introduction
Legionnaires, Hoplites, Spearmen, Warriors, call them what you will – the infantry have been a round for as long as there have been armies. Over time they have developed new weapons, materials, and fighting techniques but someone still has to slog through the mud and take the fight to the enemy. These rules are for formed unit combat in historic (and not so historic) combat action using miniatures.
Yet another set of miniatures rules? While there are many excellent skirmish and unit level combat games available for play, Standards of Valor is focused on probably the most decisive aspect of warfare in any age, Command and Control. In actual combat leadership will decide the fate of men. Here leaders and heroes are not titans who wade across the battlefield dispatching their foes with abandon but men who inspire others to achieve great feats of arms.
Here the fog of war and friction of conflict reign. Your troops will not move in perfect synchronization like on a parade ground. Generals must place their troops carefully as they engage the enemy and choose where to assert themselves. This game is designed to make players think tactically. You will find that tactics of the era were developed and limited precisely because of the difficulty of controlling dispersed troops across a wide battlefield and the advantages gained by mutually supporting formations.
Standards of Valor is designed to simulate combat between opposing forces from the stone ages through the American Civil War. It can also be used to simulate combat between eras or between forces having different levels of technology such as British colonial eras, etc. For eras approaching or beyond World War I, we recommend using Ground Zero Games’ Stargrunt.
Designers Notes
Standards of Valor is based on the FMA system designed by Ground Zero Games and is an adaptation of the squad level combat game titled Stargrunt. (Stargrunt can be purchased from Geo-Hex at www.geo-hex.com, GZG’s American distributors). We have tried to develop a set of rules that encourages players to think tactically. The rules for Confidence, Motivation, Suppression, Cohesion, etc. are designed in a way that simple frontal assault will in all likelihood not work. On the other hand command and control efforts in the ancient world required battle lines. Players will have to make decisions on where to place their leaders and make their main effort to succeed.
As with Stargrunt, Standards of Valor is a generic rules set – it is designed to be tailored to whatever forces, figures and background you wish to use. We have provided a limited set of army lists for both historical and non-historical armies. If you wish to use your own background or lift one from a film or set of stories, then you may have to adapt some of the rules to fit the particular hardware and style of action from your chosen source. Standards of Valor is also compatible with other GZG products such as Stargrunt and Full Metal Anorak. There are notes on how to use both rules to simulate encounters between cultures at different technical levels.
Using this Rulebook
Throughout these rules, we have included brief Rules Summaries (in the highlighted panel). Much of the main text of the rules is discussed and explained as to why we have done things in a certain way, as well as explaining how the rules actually work. Once you have read through this and understood it, you should only need to refer to the highlighted summary to remind you of how the rule works in play.
For your convenience we have collected all the most important summary boxes together in the Playsheet. Once you are reasonably familiar with Standards of Valor, you should be able to play most games using the Playsheet and minimal reference to the rulebook.
Spirit of the Game
As a reformed power gamer (some would still call me overly competitive) I’d like to provide a word of caution. Many games have exploded in their length and complexity as they attempt to close every loophole created by those seeking to exploit them. The main reason to play is for fun. While players should attempt to play competitively, it is not fun if players seek out and attempt to exploit gaps in the rules. The best ways to prevent this is the use of an impartial umpire to adjudicate rules.
If you do not have an umpire to adjudicate your game, then it is up to the players to think in terms of the spirit of the game, rather than the letter of the rules. Never lose sight of the fact that the rules are simply here to provide a framework to make the game function. You are trying to simulate “real” events (that is events either recreated from history or consistent with your chosen background). You are not playing chess or some other highly formalized game. If something occurs during a game not covered in this rulebook, try to work out logically what would be the most likely outcome if the situation were to be real. If you still can’t agree, then let a die roll decide it.
Above all, remember: Don’t play the rules, play the game.
The role of the Umpire
Umpiring a game can be a lot of fun – often more fun than being a player. This is because you know exactly what is really going on. The players know only exactly what you have told them, which of course may or may not be entirely accurate depending on their intelligence and scouting. This could be based on a historical battle, scene from your chosen genre or a twist upon the theme.
The role of an Umpire in Standards of Valor is similar to that of a game master in a role playing game. You are responsible for running the scenario (and probably for designing it in the first place), informing the players what they can and can’t do, and adjudicating their disputes. Umpiring a miniatures game is not quite as detailed as running an RPG, as most of the time the players are taking care of the turn-by-turn mechanics of play. You are there just to oversee things. You must of course, be fair and impartial. Any dirty tricks you throw in should have the chance of affecting both players. That is unless you are using them to balance an otherwise one sided game.
Good umpiring can make an enjoyable game out of the most unbalanced forces. If one player shows up one night with a “super” army and another has only a motley bunch of poor troops, they can still fight; the umpire just has to bias the scenario so the powerful player has a lot of obstacles put in his way, while the weaker force has much easier objective that is within the grasp of even his limited resources. This gives everyone a good game, as well as putting the clubs power gamer in his place.
Your First Game of Standards of Valor
If you are new to miniatures or to the FMA style of rules in particular, we strongly recommend that you keep your first game or two as simple as possible. Standards of Valor is very straightforward in its basic concept, but some areas are quite unconventional and may take you a while to get used to them.
Read through the rules (just the main sections – don’t worry about the advanced or optional portions just yet) until you are happy that you have grasped the basics. It is important to fully understand the turn sequence, actions/activations, the confidence/reaction systems and the close combat system. Now set up and play a game or two using very small simple forces. We suggest for your first games using only three or four small companies per side. Don’t worry about additional troops like chariots, elephants, or artillery.