Do You Use Medics in your WW1 & WW2 Games?

[Helen]

Hi Folks

With such companies as Artizan; BAM and Brigade Games, as an example of having medics contained in their ranges covering the two major conflicts of the 20th century, I'm interested in finding out from our gaming community folk if you use medics in your games and if so are there systems in place to facilitate such in the rules you use or do you make allowances to accomodate these figures available now on the market? Does your rule system have a wound category?

We know in the two past major conflicts for example the extreme heroism of medics, Chaplains and stretcher bearers over coming all obstacles to save lives on the battlefield. I don't take away the credit from the other arms as well, but using the former as examples.

For instance, our group incorporated a set of rules for medics
both in CLA and Sword in the Flame. For the former I came up with the idea of a transparent seemless system where your medic figure moves in the movement phase of the turn. He moves into base to base contact with the wounded figure. The medic remains for the phase of the turn and following on for your side movement phase occurring again the wounded figure is removed to the base line where your Fist Aid Post is located. The medic then moves on to the next wounded figure during this movement phase (its assumed that strecher bearers have taken the wounded figure to the aid post.  Victory points are allocated for saving such in the game. You lose victory points if you shoot your opponents medic, however in base to base contact and declaring your intentions of capture you also earn victory points. Own side medics treating the opposing sides wounded also attracts victory points. The medic becomes a casualty or other as follows:

The medic is caught in an indirect blast from ordannce delivered by any such weapon or human element dies or is wounded. (ie Hand grenade goes astray);

The opponent decides to shoot the medic and lose many a victory points as agreed by all sides even if wounded; and

Becomes a POW on base to base contact with the enemy.

Whilst we all like to be Gun Ho in our games its nice that we can also reflect a liitle compassion as well. Incorporating medics in the game just adds a little extra in the gaming sense. Of course I could be barking up the tree - so to speak! with thinking along these lines.

If you do want to incorporate your medics  in your rule systems then just sit down and come up with a simple set of rules. It means that the medic figure in the pack you purchase does not get left out on the gaming table.

Just my thoughts and thanks for listening.

[Westfalia Chris]

I like to include medics in WW2 games. Apart from being a "spot of light", both in "painting" and "background" terms, the rules we use (WPB) make them very useful to preserve your chain of command.

In "full" skirmish games, that´s even better, and whenever I write rules for gaming, I include "Medic" as a trait or skill or whatever you want to call it. One of the first minis I bought for Rezolution was the Field Medic with MediDronbot.

[Plynkes]

I always enjoyed the casualty system in the sci-fi rules "StarGrunt." Casualties are left on the tabletop, and need to be attended to. There are morale consequences for abandoning wounded figures to their fate, too.

Can't remember exactly how the system worked, as it is ages since I played it, but the extra dimension it added was enjoyable. Having more decisions to make always adds to the gaming experience.

Soon I shall be starting a "Rommel in the Great War" campaign. In one of the scenarios there is an option for the French side to have a medic and stretcher bearers. They can treat French figures that have become casualties, making a check to see if they are dead, wounded or walking wounded. Walking wounded may no longer fight, but must move off the table once they have been treated. Wounded figures must be carried off on the stretcher. I think it's probably unrealistic to have wounded troops bouncing straight back into action, so I kind of like this idea.

The advantage to the French player for doing this is that still-living casualties that are evacuated off the table do not count towards the German Victory Points total. I think this might prove an interesting scenario. I'll include this option if only I can find some suitable Early War French medicos.

At the moment I don't hold out much hope for that, but something may turn up.

[PeteMurray]

I was about to drop in and say what Poly did--Stargrunt and Dirtside handled it extremely well and I've used similar mechanisms in modern microarmor. Although, admittedly, in that last case it was because someone ordered Hummer ambulances instead of weapons carriers. The morale consequences are dire, particularly if you're playing with a handful of high-quality regulars versus a sea of idiots with pointy sticks.

In .45 Adventures having a guy with Medical Knowledge is a plus, so some of my pulp war games have had a "Doc" figure come along.

[fastolfrus]

I've used medics when playing PBI - 15mm WWII - the rules don't have wounded but do have morale based on uncleared casualties. (Basically you put down casualty markers every time you take casualties, and if you don't clear them you need to take morale tests, if you fail the tests badly your platoon leaves the board, but worryingly the casualties stay put and affect anyone else that comes near them. As an added point, if you clear enemy casualties you score VPs - as some of them my in fact be wounded and you've taken them prisoner), Medics make it easier to remove casualty markers.

[revford]

In the Two Hour Wargames rules, like Nuts, most people shot become Wounded, others Obviously Dead.  During the game the Medic can set up an aid post and men carry the wounded back.

When you are forced to withdraw, any wounded you have recovered can recieve medical treatment and hopefully later in the campaign return to their unit.  Any wounded men left in the field may become POWs.

The use of medics and recovering your wounded comrades creates some dramatic and heroic moments in games, especially in part of a campaign when you can see those men who were rescued come back to the unit and save the day.