ACW II 1933. New Sacramento Campaign

[leadfool]

So a group of us are going to start a new campaign set in Sacramento CA. 1933, in the fictional world  of the second American Civil war after the assassination of FDR in Jan 1933.  Before he took office.  We are spending a lot of time on the why, just trying to put lead on the table.

Rules will be the excellent The Men Who Would Be King.  Modified of course.  7 players, 1 GM and 1locked down fake newspaper publisher, distributing general intelligence and humor.

I have attached our rules and hopefully you can see them.  The interweb is primitive in 1933.

[Ewan]

Would you mind if I shared the rules on the VBCW Facebook page. Thanks

[leadfool]

You are welcome to share the rules in the VBCW forum.  I would be honored if someone played them and commented.  The rules are still a bit of a work in progress. The game rules would also apply to the Back of Beyond.   

[has.been]

There was an SPI boardgame called 'Dixie'
It assumed the ACW was a draw & the South became independant.
Time move on & in the 1930s  war breaks out again. Might be of
some (campaign) use to you.

[Ewan]

Thanks, I will get them shared today.

A number of years ago there was an unsuccessful Kickstarter detailing the events around a second ACW in 1933.

You might find a lot of information in the Updates section that you could maybe use.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1926752146/1933-a-nation-divided

[leadfool]

Alex Bagosy tried that Kickstarter.  We are using his alternate history to create our campaign.  Commissar moody was involved as well.  Our previous game included LAFers Skrapwelder, Alfrick and black Cavalier.  They might get into this one along with some fresh blood. 

[leadfool]

Campaign game.

This will be a 28mm campaign set to start in 1933 after the January 1933 assignation of FDR by G Zancara.  The premise is that President Hoover would be out but the question would remain who becomes president?  The vice President elect, John Nance Gardener?  Someone chosen by the house of representatives?  The 20th amendment to the constitution answers this question, but it had passed the needed states approval but did not take effect until October 1933, and in our world FDR is killed in January before the inauguration.  (An actual attempt was made). Legally there was no answer. 

Factions can include Unionist, Communists, Constitutionalists, Anarchists, Fascists and anyone else that wants to take advantage of the situation.   The later would include the; KKK, silver legion, the Bund, Nation of Islam, Plan de San Diego adherents, etc.  Gangsters would no doubt see opportunities.  Gangsters can come in the big city or the moonshiner variety.  Someone can even field military forces of national guard or deserters, along with any law enforcement folks you want.   I fully expect to see some highway patrol or Texas rangers, FBI and treasury agents, The state AG special agents etc.  Communists at the time were divided between Trotskyites and Stalinists.

Each player will have a home territory and two subordinate territories that serve to protect the home territory.  There will be a number of other territories that the players can fight over.  They will each have a production value.  Depending on the number of players, will determine the number of territories.  The campaign winner will be the faction that controls the majority of these territories. 

Each player can decide his or her own faction, and make or break deals with other players that may not have been likely in the real world.  Players can also release propaganda.

Each player will need to have his own force, although I can lend figures to players for use during the campaign.  Basic unit is a 12 man rifle armed infantry unit.  If a player gets rich enough he can have multiple field forces along with his garrisons.  A field force will have a minimum of two regular or militia infantry units, and a command element.  For each specialty unit in the field force he needs to field another regular or militia infantry unit.  A field force is limited to one each of the following; Mortar, artillery, Heavy machine gun, sniper, political command unit, armored vehicle.  We may allow more armored vehicles later in the campaign by agreement.  A field force may have unlimited trucks and cavalry.  Any infantry unit can be upgraded or downgraded at will.  But no more than 2 light machine guns and two flame throwers may be in a field force.  Upgrades include submachine guns, light machine guns, elite or veteran or sharpshooter status.  Downgrades include, reluctant (unenthusiastic), or poor shots.  If you lack figures you can field an 8 or 10-man unit at a point reduction.  Any value of force can remain as a garrison, or automatically return to the home/HQ territory.  Home and subordinate territories will be considered to have a domestic militia value if attacked. 

The idea is players will send in emailed turns to me and I will figure out who has a battle and let those players know.  Then it is up to the players to arrange a game, and hopefully take and post pictures.  The players will transmit back to me the results of the battle and I will use that information for the strategic map placement.  The map will be very generic in that every player will have access to all territories except the other players home territories.  If players are unable to get the game in, I will determine outcome with dice.   

Points to be used from The Men Who Would Be King (TMWWBK) but translated into $100.00 equals 1 point of troop purchase.  Territories will generate points in 100-dollar increments. 

Leaders may be purchased to enhance a field force and use up extra resource points.
Stealing from the basic TMWWBK rules I have the following possibilities.

Leaders:
Lucky $100.00 may reroll 1 entire set of dice once per game. 
Fine Swordsman $100.00 2 extra melee dice
A Jolly Good Chap (aka a good egg) $100.00 Leadership 5+
Brave $100.00 May remove 1 pin marker for free each activation.

Destined for greatness, $200.00 Free action and then roll to activate for second action.
Hero of the cause.  $200.00 Leadership 4+. 

Standard Rifle armed 12-man unit.
Recruitment cost $600.00 Activates on a roll of 6. Speed 6”, firing 5+, fighting 5+. Discipline +1. (for pin/rally)
One noncom or officer may add a SMG or Shotgun at no cost.
May add a LMG or Antitank rifle at $100.00 each, or rifle grenades (3) or flame thrower at $200.00.

Rifle unit may downgrade to 10 figures at $500.00 or 8 figures at $400.00 recruitment fee.
Unit may also downgrade to save money to unenthusiastic (aka Reluctant), at -$100.00.  Discipline becomes 0.

Unit may upgrade to elite, discipline becomes +2 for $100.00.  May become sharpshooters +4 to hit, at $200.00. and fierce (Ferocious) fighting becomes 4+ for $100.00.

Militia unit
12-man unit costs $400.00.  Speed 6” fighting 6 firing 5+ Shotgun armed Discipline 0, activation on a 7.  May upgrade to well-armed with rifles, +100.00.  Sharpshooters, +4 firing $200.00. veteran discipline +1 $100.00 May be downgraded to Unenthusiastic (discipline -1) for $300.00 for the unit. 

Cavalry
8 figures $600.00.  Movement 10”, shoot 5” fight 4+ discipline +1, Activate on 5+ No activation to move. Carbine armed. 






Field forces moving into a territory can be given one of three general orders. 
Wary or cautious advance, which will reduce chances of success of capture of the territory and will reduce casualties if I am deciding the battle.
Regular advance, which give an even chance of success of capture of the territory and gives them average casualties, if I decide the battle by dice roll.
Aggressive advance. Gives a better chance of success of capture of the territory, depending upon the opponents’ size and orders.  However also increases the casualties to both forces if the battle is decided by dice roll. 

[commissarmoody]

Very cool, and thank for sharing the rules. I have been trying to avoid social media of late, but this is a group that is Simi active..that is into a early 1930s civil war setting.
I hope the link works. Might be able to find some more people interested in the game there.
 https://m.facebook.com/groups/2321359071511904?tsid=0.9371211086485296&source=result

[leadfool]

A few photos of vehicles.

[leadfool]

more armor

[commissarmoody]

Nice!

[leadfool]

Imported armored cars or Armoured cars. 

[leadfool]

BUF armor, The Brodrick Union of Fascists. 

[leadfool]

The Blues, Sacramento militia. 

[leadfool]

THE MAN WHO WOULD BE WARLORD

Based upon the rule set called: The man who would be king.

Standard units size.  A standard Infantry unit will be 12 figures.  Command elements can be 1-4 figures. Specialty weapon teams are 1-2 figures and crew served weapons are 4 figures. 
Specialty weapons include snipers and independent antitank rifles.  Crew served weapons include heavy machine guns, artillery and mortar.  Light machine guns, are two-man teams that are integral to the 12-man squad. It is possible to field smaller units representing casualties previously taken.

A typical field force will be 2 or more 12 figure units, with internal upgrades (submachine gun, light machine gun etc.), 1 command element, and attached specialty units (Heavy machine guns, armored cars, etc.). A game may include several field forces on each side.

Command elements allow a unit to retake a pin check if within support range, the element also adds a modifier to rally checks However many positive modifiers a unit may have, it always fails on a natural 2d6 roll of 2.  A rally or pin check always succeeds on a 2d6 roll of 12. Command elements are of two types. Standard command (officers, noncoms etc.) and Political Morale units (chaplains’, commissars, Demagogues, etc.). Political Morale units may either support an allied unit morale check OR it may attack an opposing unit in its activation. 

Reasons to take a pin check
Under artillery or mortar fire, under attack from a flame thrower, taking casualties, being harangued by opposing Political Morale command element, being charged by ferocious enemy.  Each casualty this turn is a negative modifier to the pin check roll.  If no casualties were caused there is no additional pin check modifier for artillery/flame thrower attack but the check must be made. 

Ranges
Standard rifle range is 36 inches, submachine gun is 18 inches but throw 3 dice, pistol 12 inches shotgun is 18 but throws one dice at short range and 2 at long range.  Short range is ˝ of a weapons maximum range.  Snipers are ineligible as targets until they fire or if within 6 inches.  Sniper range is 36 inches but there is no long-range modifier. There is no terrain cover modifier a single hit from a sniper is a kill.  A sniper may not move and fire
A flame thrower has an 8-inch range, ignores cover and throws 5 attack dice, with an armor penetration +1.  An Anti-tank rifle has the same range as a rifle and can be used to shoot at infantry, however it has an armor penetration of +4.  Light machineguns (including the B.A.R.) have a rifle range but throw 3 dice.  Heavy Machine guns throw 3 attack dice per crewman at rifle range.  If being used against vehicles they throw 3 dice with a +1 penetration.  Vehicle mounted Machine guns throw 4 attack dice against infantry, but 3 against other vehicles.

A unit, when firing throws dice equal to the number of figures, modified by weapons.  Hits are determined by the units shooting quality, but on average are 5-6 on a d6.  Each hit on a target infantry or cavalry unit equals a kill (figure removal).  At long range two hits are required to make a kill.  Cover modifiers are light or heavy.  Each of which requires an additional hit die to equal a kill.  So, dice rolls of 5 hits on a target in the open at short range would be 5 kills.  The same roll at a target at long range and in hard cover would result in 1 kill and one wasted hit.

Move and fire rule, a unit that passes an activation check may make a full walking move (6”) and fire with all figures, but with a doubles penalty, like long range.  All penalties are cumulative. 

Units may attempt to fire with 1 pin marker.  It must roll to activate with the negative of a pin marker.  If the unit passes the rally check, it may fire with a negative modifier, and then remove the single pin marker.  If it fails the rally check, the unit takes another pin marker, and falls back ˝ move. 

A unit with a single pin marker, may fall back without penalty up to a full move and attempt a rally check without penalty or risk.  If a unit fails this first rally check after moving away from the enemy, they do not suffer any additional pin markers.  The unit may still attempt to rally next turn or with the help of the command element, but does have the pin marker and may suffer additional pin markers if it fails. 

Units with more than 1 pin marker, may only fall back or attempt to rally.

Command element. The military command element may fire with its limited firepower.  However, its purpose is to inspire the troops.  Units within 12 inches and line of sight of the command element get a plus 1 to their pin checks and rally checks.  That is extended to 18 inches with a flag.  The command element, with its own initiative roll, may attempt to rally a unit, even if that unit failed to rally on its own. All pin markers on the unit will count against the unit but a failure of the command element will not add an additional pin marker.   The range of this rally is 12 inches from the command element.

Political or Religious Morale command element, A force may also have a Political Morale command element.  A political command element functions like a military command inspiring the troops and may have a flag.  The Political Morale unit may also attempt to rally one of its units during its turn in the same way as a military command element.  A Political Morale element and a command element may not attempt to rally the same unit in the same turn. 

Or the political Morale unit may attempt to Harangue an enemy unit.  To Harangue, the unit must first pass an initiative roll.  If successful the unit “fires” its message with 4 attack dice.  Modified for range but not cover.  The target unit then takes a pin check with “hit” modifiers but without taking actual casualties.  The Political or Religious Morale element must speak the same language as the target unit. 

Grenades, A grenade armed unit attacking/assaulting a target unit that is entrenched or barricaded, cancels the cover modifier in hand to hand combat.

Rifle Grenades, usually only formal military armed units have rifle grenades.  Three figures in a unit may be upgraded to rifle grenades.  A rifle grenade can be used at long range and the dice accorded to the grenades do not undergo the range penalty, and ignore 1 degree of cover. 

Vehicles, Vehicles may move on the road without penalty.  Movement off-road requires an initiative check. 
Each vehicle will have an armor rating and a hull value.  Hull value is the number of penetration hits a vehicle can sustain before it ceases to function.  Vehicles that have 0 armor, i.e. Trucks and cars, can be damaged by small arms fire.  Armored vehicles can only be damaged by weapons with an anti-tank penetration value.  Vehicles are light armored or heavy armored.  Vehicles have varying hull points depending on their size. 
 
After an antitank weapon hits a target, a separate penetration roll is made.  The penetration value of the weapon is added to a d6 roll.  The value is compared to the armor value, 6 unarmored, 7 light armor, or 8 heavy armor, of the target.  If the combination equals or exceeds the armor value, the hit penetrates and causes a hull damage. 

HULL DAMAGE, A vehicle takes hull damage with each penetration.  The vehicle loses one shooting dice for each weapon and the movement value of 1” per penetration.  This will eventually render a vehicle unable to fire.  That is usually a good time for the vehicle to attempt to leave the battlefield.  When the total hull value is reached, the vehicle ceases to function, and can be considered to be on fire or abandoned. 

A motorcycle is harder to hit then a truck, so the first hit (6) on a motorcycle does not count.  However, a motorcycle only takes 3 hits for it to be put out of action.
A car takes 4 hits to take out of action, a truck can take 6 hits and a large or heavy truck takes 8 hits. 
Armored cars vary from 4-8 hits, tankettes, like a motorcycle do not count the first penetration dice as a miss.  But a tankette only has 4 hit points, a regular tank has 6 and a large tank has 8. 
If a rifle round penetrates a truck, that is carrying passengers, the hit does not damage the vehicle but kills one of the guys riding in the back, on a roll of 5-6.  An Armor-piercing round hit always kills a passenger in addition to damaging the vehicle. 
Rifle caliber weapons only penetrate (wound) an unarmored vehicle. Pistols can’t penetrate a vehicle at all.



If a sniper scores a hit on an unarmored vehicle, the sniper then rolls another die.  If it comes up a 6 he has hit the driver.  He then rerolls that driver hit.  If it is a 1-3 it will reduce the speed of the vehicle by 3 inches, if it is a 4-5 it will stop the vehicle immediately as the diver passes out. If the die roll is a 6, the vehicle crashes and the passengers have to take d4 kills and the unit takes a pin check and is ejected from the vehicle.   

Movement
Walking 6 inches, running 12 inches.
Crew served weapons move at walk rate. And may not move and fire.
Cars/Trucks 24 inches, light tanks and armored cars 18 inches heavy tanks 12 inches.

Ranges Rifle 36,
SMG 18,  3 dice
LMG 36, 3 dice
MMG 36 inches, 4 dice vs inf. 3 vs vehicles with +1 armor penetration
HMG 48 inches, variable dice +1 armor penetration
sniper 36,
pistol 12 inches
shotgun is 18 but throws one dice at short range and 2 at long range.
flame thrower has an 8-inch range, ignores cover and throws 5 attack dice, with an armor penetration +1. 
Anti-tank rifle 36 inches, armor penetration of +4.   





WRITTEN BY Michael Branum and Mark A. Steinberg, Copyright 2020.
Sacramento CA
Play tested by Vince Blackburn and Jon Burgess With ideas borrowed from Pierre Aymeric