MicroBattle - 2021 Version

 On my post about determining hits in RPGs, Dale asked for my MicroBattle rules. There is an earlier version from 2020 on my blog, but here is my latest incarnation.

Core Concepts

• I call the rules MicroBattle because they were initially designed to play wargames using small armies of small miniatures in a small space. I use armies of 4 - 6 units made up of 3mm miniatures on fields under 12 inches square. I imagine the rules could be scaled up. 
• MicroBattle is designed to be played on a gridded battlefield. I use a grid of 8 by 10 squares.
• The core mechanic is called the Resolution Test (hereafter called the Res Test or simply Test). Res Tests always work the same.
• Roll a D6. A roll of 4 or greater is a success
• The roll is modified if the testing unit has an advantage or disadvantage.
• Add 1 for an advantage or 2 for a significant advantage
• Subtract 1 for a disadvantage or 2 for a significant disadvantage

Note - I don't keep a strict list of advantages / disadvantages. I tend to just eyeball the situation and make a ruling. This keeps the game flowing, but that's because I play solo so I don't argue over my interpretation. If you play with an opponent, you may want to develop a list of advantages / disadvantages

Battle Rules

I have adapted the same general framework for massed battles, skirmishes, and RPGs. Here are the massed battle rules.

Unit Types

MicroBattle is designed as a rules framework that will allow wargames set in practically any era. I've played games spanning from ancient Greece to World War II. Therefore, you will see references to many different types of units. The list is not exhaustive, however. Feel free to add your own.

• In general, units can be classified as Infantry (foot soldiers), Cavalry (horse soldiers), Artillery (soldiers with big guns), and Armor (tanks). There may be specialized versions of each.
• Note that only 1 unit is allowed in any space at any one time

Turn Sequence

Each turn of the game follows this sequence

1. Initiative
2. Side A (side that won initiative) Acts
• Activation (optional)
• Movement
• Combat
• Rally (optional)
• Opponent checks Morale
3. Side B Acts - same sequence as Side A

Initiative

• Roll a D6 for each side. You may add or subtract 1 from the roll for exceptionally good or bad generals
• High roll goes first

Activation (optional)

• Each unit must make a Res Test to act during the turn
• Advantages - fresh troops, veteran or elite, in defensive works, etc.
• Disadvantages - damaged troops, poor quality, etc.

Note - I like activation rules because they add fog of war. They may be a bit much when combined with variable movement so I don't always use this rule.

Movement

• Infantry, artillery, and heavy armor can move D2 spaces (roll a D6 - 1-3 counts as 1 and 4-6 as 2). Others move D3 spaces (1-2 = 1, 3-4 = 2, 5-6 = 3)
• If a unit enters rough terrain (e.g. woods), it must stop its movement
• (OPTIONAL) A heavy unit (like armor) trying to move out of rough terrain must pass a Res Test

Combat

During its turn, a unit may attack an enemy if eligible

• A unit may be prevented from attacking due to movement
• Artillery and Heavy Weapons (machine guns) cannot move and attack in the same turn
• Most Infantry cannot attack if they move more than 1 space. Skirmishers and armor may move more and attack
• Most units cannot attack if they move into rough terrain. Skirmishers may still attack
• A unit must be in range to attack. Ranges are:
• Melee units - 1 space
• Bows or muskets - 2 spaces
• Rifles, armor - 3 spaces
• Early artillery - 4 spaces
• Modern artillery - 6 spaces

Note - I often fiddle with ranges. In medieval games, for example, I often bump up the bow range to 3 spaces. Feel free to play around with ranges until it feels right to you

If the unit is eligible, it may attack

• Pass a Res Test to hit the enemy
• Modify the roll due to unit traits (see below) or range (disadvantage at long range)

Unit traits - refer to the table to determine if a unit has an advantage or disadvantage while attacking or defending

Action	Advantage	Disadvantage
Attack	Warband, Knights, Heavy Weapons, AFVs	Skirmishers, Modern Cavalry
Defense	Heavy Infantry, Grenadiers, Heavy AFVs	Rabble

A unit that is "hit" then makes 2 Res Tests to defend against the attack.

• Defense Test - a success negates the hit, otherwise record the damage (I use markers)
• Units that take 2 hits rout (they are removed from play)
• Retreat Test - the unit must move back 1 space if it fails
• Modify both tests due to unit traits, cover (advantage), flank or rear attacks (disadvantage)
• If the defending unit is removed from play or retreats, an adjacent attacking unit may move into the vacated space. Cavalry or armor may then make a second attack

Rally (optional)

• An army is limited to 1 rally attempt per turn. A selected unit from the army may attempt to rally as its action for the turn. 
• Make a Res Test to remove 1 damage marker
• The unit cannot take any other actions, such as moving or combat
• The unit may not be in close combat (have an enemy unit adjacent to it)

 Morale

• When an army has lost 50% of its army, immediately make a morale Res Test. 
• Failure means that the army abandons the field. The game is over.

Luck

This is a neat little rule that I swiped from the Wargames Mechanics blog.

• At the beginning of the game, one side is designated as "lucky"
• The "lucky" side may reroll a Res Test at any time
• Once a reroll occurs, the "lucky" characteristic passes to the other side

That's All Folks

That's all I have written for MicroBattle. The rules are bare bones but that's all I need for playing solo. I tend to make rules interpretations on the fly, and then don't always bother to write them down.

For my next post, I will explain how I set up scenarios and campaigns.