Routing units

[KaVoo]

ROUTING units ...

Although it is not strictly related to the structure of the rulebook, but I found no other place on the forum to share some ideas as to the rules themselves. As Si mentioned earlier

As ever keen to learn and develop

I feel encouraged to share some ideas. Maybe the idea is not good, maybe it is something that could be re-thinked for future.

Taking into consideration that those great MeG rules are trying to be historically accurate, use great number of factors as well as chance component, I am still missing this kind of complex approach while deciding in what circumstances a UG is routing. The rules simply assume that TUG breaks while under 50 % and SUG while under 67 %. Needless to say, there were great number of battles in which some units routed earlier than expected, while other performed unexpected last stand irrespective of suffered losses. From my point of view the existing simplified approach is not consistent with the spirit of the game. In reality, poor quality units were much more willing to route if suffer 50 % losses than superior or exceptional units. It also mattered if the unit felt 'safe' (accompanied by friend) or exposed to flank fighting (with rear fighting really frightening) or that soldiers believed they can still face poorer troops or lost hope while confronting X legion ... so why not to simulate a morale factor in such a great game ?
This is why I would really welcome more sophisticated (but still simple and intuitive) rules on deciding if and when UG breaks, especially that the CCC system would make it fast and simple.

I would suggest a system similar to KaB test with some additional factors. The starting point is that each time a UG should break according to the rules it does not break automatically but makes a kind of morale check by rolling a dice. The dice color could be the same as in KaB test, i.e. poor=red, average=yellow, superior=green. exceptional/El=white. Only blank result allows UG to continue fighting in this phase, other results cause routing. The test is repeated in each next phase when UG should be normally subject to routing.
Factors (cumulative) for dice colours (basically generals/quality/losses factors, the factors list could be organized in the same fashion as shooting table):
- general fighting together with UG - one DOWN, C-n-C general - two DOWN
- general fighting with UG is killed/stunned/wounded - one UP, C-n-C general - two UP,
- each quality better than majority of enemy's fighting and supporting files in hth - one DOWN
- each quality worse than majority of enemy's fighting and supporting files in hth - one UP
- both flanks secure (secured from flank charges as in p. 121)- one DOWN
- UG fighting to flank - one UP
- UG fighting to rear- two UP
- another friendly TUG broken within 1 BW - one UP (if SUG tested: two UP or one UP if the other broken unit is SUG)
- SUG in hth with TUG - one UP
- TUG equal or below 30 % of initial bases = two UP
- SUG equal or below 50 % of initial bases = two UP
if above RED - additional red dice for each factor UP, UG routing if at least one result is blank
if below BLACK - additional black dice for each factor DOWN, each blank on one dice negates one S or X on other dice

At first looks complicated but in fact it is intuitive, fast and brings routing of units closer to reality, adding some fun and unpredictability/decision making factor.
It would also make chain-routing less common in pacto. Needs to be checked if would not have adverse effect on points cost attributed to units, possibly a bit lower cost on fanatic units (the proposed system makes units generally a bit more resistant, statistically elite units more resilient than poor).

It is just an idea, make use of it, take some parts or just skip it

cheers, Chris

[badhabum]

Nothing against it BUT it is more testing to do during the game, more testing means it wiull take time and many people dio struggle to end a game in the 3 usual hours of a trounament !

You just add a few moments, but 5 minutes here, 5 minutes there ..

And what is a "majority" when there is parity ? do you test for routing at each phase such as charging, shooting, manoeuvring and melee ?

[KaVoo]

And what is a "majority" when there is parity

majority is more than 50 %

do you test for routing at each phase such as charging, shooting, manoeuvring and melee

- yes, each time UG would be subject to routing. dice roll instead of automatic routing

it is more testing to do during the game, more testing means it wiull take time and many people dio struggle to end a game in the 3 usual hours of a trounament !

... agreed, you cannot eat and have a cake :/

[LawrenceG]

Would it help to think of lost bases not as casualties, but accumulation of things going wrong towards the point at which the unit routs?

In effect, every combat dice rolled by the enemy is a morale test for you. Those dice are affected by many of the factors that are taken into account in "morale tests". If a unit is isolated, for example, it will be getting more dice against it from supporting files.

While it is certain that the unit will break at a fixed number of losses, it is not certain when those losses will happen - as all dice have at least 1 blank (or  S, which is normally non-wounding) and 1 wound on.

[Agoz]

I think the morale system is fine as is. Can we stay on topic? This thread is about the structure of the book, not the rules.

[nikgaukroger]

I have split this off from the rule book structure topic as it is clearly a separate thing entirely. I am not sure why it was not posted as a separate item originally to be  honest. If in doubt, start a new topic 

[Jilu]

Would it help to think of lost bases not as casualties, but accumulation of things going wrong towards the point at which the unit routs?

In effect, every combat dice rolled by the enemy is a morale test for you. Those dice are affected by many of the factors that are taken into account in "morale tests". If a unit is isolated, for example, it will be getting more dice against it from supporting files.

While it is certain that the unit will break at a fixed number of losses, it is not certain when those losses will happen - as all dice have at least 1 blank (or  S, which is normally non-wounding) and 1 wound on.

it is losses and morale attrition combined. the rules as they are work well and are fast. and you can regroup/boost using cards to take a loss roken away.