Fighting crews; survivors: NEW SET OF RULES:

[STURM-FAKTION]

Aj,

I will engage a long Op. including a 8x6km map or so; and both sides with 30.OOO points each. Since it’ll be a mix of Wehrmacht and SS forces, with armors; there’ll be many possibilities and different combined arms HQ. Including a lot of role-playing such as-two trucks dedicated as embarking and evacuating wounded to a specific point(church) on map. The two trucks will be followed by a Kübelwagen supposed to act as the one carrying the battalion surgeon or alike.

 

*As previously in a similar scenario I experienced many sporadic crews ; here and here, successive to heavy bombardments; then an idea of rulesets come to me.

I’ve made tests and this is great.

>The rules are very simple. And this is important so you can quickly do the maths without switching to anything. It consists on only three additions of things. Plus, a bonus.

>The rules also have their «logic». As numbered crews are more likely to re-engage fighting one way or the other. And the sole survivor are more likely to quit.

>The rules take count on the experience level of those bailed out soldiers. But it also take count of their direct environment for an hypothetical recover.

>The rules matches perfectly with role-playing and others house rules. They are also likely to create unique situation and humanize the survivors. Giving a side story inside the battlefield where each have a side story.

Threads are referring to annoyances due to crews making suicidal recon; waves of small arms; interferences with armors like turrets being disturbed(…)so:

 

HERE ARE THE SET-RULES FOR «BAILED OUT CREWS» AND «SERVANTS SURVIVORS»:

 

Once crews have bailed out; or left their guns as servants/ they all have a base points which is determined by their numbers as survivors:

Crews number left alive: 

5=+5 points

4=+4

3=+3

2=+2

1= 0

 

Then, you add a couple of points related to their experience:

Elite= +3 points

Crack= +2

Veteran= +1

Regular= 0

Green= -1

Conscript: -1

 

Third step; is checking if the survivors have a LOS to any friendly units around. If they have LOS to such ranks or equivalent; add:

Maj= +4

Hauptmann= +3

Oberleutnant= +2

Other friendly unit= +1

 

YOU NEED AN OVERALL 6/12 TO RECOVER & FIGHT-BACK !

 

Finally add last bonuses:

Survivor(s) is(are) part of SS= +1

Survivor had a leadership abilities of Morale= +1; +2

Sighted friendly have a leadership abilities of Command= +1; +2

PS: I insist on the fact; only Morale count for the survivor, and only Command for the sighted unit you may rally.

 

AND THAT’S ALL : - )

*With all combined, it creates both a logical but uncertain issue to survivors to fight-back. As a well experienced Hauptmann with intrinsic/personal value of (+2) in Morale will be more likely to re-engage, will try to be brave, have a high points rate, but still…finally can’t see any friendly around him. Which is the only thing he needed to stand again.

>Plus; since crews reduced to a lesser number have a base points which is smaller; then it gives more chance that you obtain a lone soldier to failed the points calculation and then he’d stay put. Then you can role play a bit and imagine he is in such a shock state that he can’t move anymore. And only toss his head through the sky, or mechanically aim his gun at a close direct treat moving towards him.

 

>A crews unit consisting of two mens failing the points calculation can moves to the rear. And then you have now a brotherhood kind of act where one is helping the other to walk.

>Or again, they can stay put; but now, one administer morphine to the other.

 

>Three mens failing the points calculation are now a priority for field doctors or surgeon. And if as a house rule, you decided to dedicated specifics trucks for battalion first aid; then the truck may come to them for embarkation. And it makes more sense moving an emergency vehicle through battlefield for a group of three instead of one. - Or maybe, give priority to this failed officier ?

 

-Of course, you’ll have more «failed» crews units consisting of Conscripts, Green and Regular. And it makes sense.

 

>And on the other hand…A lone Green/Conscript will only recover and back to fight if he is in LOS of a Major with a leadership abilities +2  AND if he get the +1 bonus from being part of the SS, Volkssturm, or fanatical scenario. Then, this soldier really founds the guts in himself. Or maybe the fear from being looked at by a high officier.

(I’m a bit unaware how fanatical works, I know you don’t know who specifically is; but I don’t know if the info about one side or the other being fanatic is displayed).

 

Precise situations:

>>>After bailing out from a Panther D; the sole survivor SS-Obersturmführer will regain fight after he cooled his burns by plunging his hand into snow.

See ?

-Obersturmführer with (+2) in Morale= +2

-Experience level, Elite= +3

-Lone= 0

-Additional bonus from SS= +1

=6/12

 

-Yes. You needs really strong combinations of points to obtain such a result. But it’s worth it. If an Elite SS officier, all on his own can’t do that ? Then who ? What you’ve now is an heroic man still standing.

Still, it will not be the vast majority of crews units. Far from it.

 

>>-In a quite similar situation; then you get a totally different result and role-play perspective.

-A Panther D is hit. Crews bailed out. It’s not crews. You have a last man standing here; emerging from below the steal carcass. His name is Neumann.

-He’s a veteran= +1

-Lone= 0

-Additional bonus from SS= +1

=2/12

And now, hope strikes our guy. He can see his SS.Hauptsturmführer (+3 points). This precise officier which with he went through Kursk. This is the moment. Though, Steiner is not the noblest officier in service, still he have this charismatic tone in his voice (+1 Command). They wave at each other. And Neumann rejoins the gruppe. Overtaking everything around him, he now truly embraces the new man he is.

=6/12

See now ?

 

-And what about this other Oberstleutnant ? Panzer IVH knocked out. Lone survivor. He’s an Elite (+3). He got this magnificent (+2) Morale. After seconds to escape the tank, his mind totally avoiding these young men all over him, he finally got to sit and breath in the snow. He knows he can found the strength and get back. And with such a rank, he can’t just give it up. But thoughts comes to him. Where’s his officier cap ? Left in the tank…Gone and burned like the others guys. He could walk to a friendly unit. But he’s alone. No one in sight.

(then no bonuses from anyone around)/ He sat and wonders: Wife. Little daughter. He meant to one day, give his cap to a future son…Enough war.

=5/12

 

Part of all this; comes to my mind after I looked at my screenshots from @George MC

I had a tough moment with the mere hero from the series: Strachwitz.

During Strachwitz at Dubno; I had the main protagonist crawling in the woods after he escaped his enflamed armored horse. Then, in great poetry; others rallied to him as Hyazinth Graf von Strachwitz in person became for a brief moment the leader of an infantry assault.

 

I promised to myself; to never loose him during the whole series. But leaving him in rear was not something I would endure.

Max Wünsche in Kharkiv during Peiper’s series was a thing again…

 

I would really enjoy any of your feedbacks; thanks.

[chuckdyke]

You need to analyze before starting a scenario. Example you can bail out a driver and substitute a 2men crew. This is advantageous with British APC's you don't lose the .50BMG when the squad dismount. The driver can be dedicated as a medic to render buddy aid. It would be something for Engine 5, I would like a medic in the HQ's which could be split. Or a signal unit in the WW2 Soviet Army, no raio and they don't have anything. Happy gaming.

[STURM-FAKTION]

Still, I need to write down statistics with such points calculations. In a very dense operation like the one ongoing.

I would really appreciate the results showing a percentage of recovery between 15% or 20%. Maybe, up to a quarter and it'll still be acceptable. 

As it is now, it can gives the Chain of Command another interesting impact. And importance to maintain units well connected.