Great Northern War

Great Northern War
Published by: Baccus 6mm Ltd 2015
Text Copyright: Nick Dorrell
Layout and Design: Baccus 6mm Ltd
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Photography: Peter Berry and Alexandra Barbareau
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Line Drawings: Marc Grieves
Buildings and Scenics: Timecast, Per Broden and Baccus
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Baccus 6mm figures painted by Peter Berry and Per Broden
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All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means
without the express written consent of the authors.
Produced in the UK
For more information about the figures and models used in this catalogue as well as the other rules sets
in the Polemos series, visit: www.baccus6mm.com
A Yahoo group has been set up to allow for discussion of all aspects of playing games using Polemos
rules. If you have any questions, are looking for tips and advice or just want to talk to other gamers, you
can join by logging on to http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/polemoshttp://httht
http://
games.groups.yahoo.com/group/polemos
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Introduction
ii
Part One – Setting up the Game
Firing examples
43-45
What you need to play
4
Close combat
46
Figure and base sizes
5-6
Close combat outcome
47
Organisation of the army
7
Rallying
48
Ranks and grades of officers
8
Risk to generals
49
Monarchs
8-9
Army Morale
49-51
Troop types
Troop quality
Markers
10-14
Climax test
52
Random commanders
52
14-15
16
Part Four – Army Generators
Terrain features
18
Terrain generation
18-19
Terrain effects
20-21
Visibility, Line of sight and weather
Deployment and scouting
The battle of Narva, 1700
56-59
22-23
The battle of Poltava, 1709
69-76
24
The battle of Helsingborg, 1710
77-80
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60-64
65-68
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Turn sequence
54
The battle of Kliszow, 1702
The battle of Lesnaja, 1708
25
26
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Officer placement
Using the lists
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Part Two – Laying out the Game
Part Three – Playing the Game
Tempo bidding
28
Bombardment
29-30
Tempo point costs
31
Movement rates
32
Interpenetration and reforming
33-34
Column of march and flalling back
35
Passage of Lines
36-37
Terrain features
38
Ranged combat
39
Charges
39-41
Firing
41
Firing and charging procedure
42
Part Five – Appendices
Great Northern War armies
81-90
Designer’s notes
91-93
Frequently asked questions
94-95
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This is the set of rules in the Polemos series for
warfare in the Great Northern War, 1700 to
1721.
Like many similar works these rules have been
built on others' work. I would like to take the
opportunity to thank some of the many people
who have helped.
It relies very heavily on the excellent work done
so far in the rules in the series, in particular the
War of Spanish Succession rules. I have kept the
basing etc. the same as the War of Spanish Succession set so that armies can be used with both
sets. Despite these facts I hope that you will find
that these rules are different to these other rules
and reflect the very different nature of ‘Eastern’
European warfare of this period.
Peter Berry: For giving me the opportunity to
write these rules but also for a number of other
matters. His articles on this war first got me interested in it, his encouragement generally and
work on the Polemos English Civil War rules,
and others, all helped greatly.
Chris Grice: For his work on the Polemos War
of Spanish Succession set and again for his
friendly help and advice generally.
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There is no set scale of figures that should be
used with these rules although it is probably fair
to say that the author envisages the smaller scales
being used generally. The‘standard’ figure size
used in the rules is 6mm but various playtesters
successfully used a variety of figure sizes. The
main focus of the rules is the war against Sweden, and her allies, fought by a varying coalition
of Sweden’s enemies. But also included are auxiliary operations, wars and battles to this central
conflict, for example the Russo-Ottoman war of
1711.
It should also be possible to use these rules for
other ‘Eastern’ conflicts of the period. The Hungarian revolt, the Imperialist campaigns against
the Ottoman Empire and the Russo-Persian wars
of the 1720s for example. The main focus is on
historical battles and campaigns but also ‘what if’
battles could be fought. What if the‘ Western’
powers had intervened in the Great Northern
War? What if Sweden had intervened in the War
of Spanish Succession? May be you would even
like to game the planned Swedish invasion of
Britain?
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The Polemos 'team' and discussion group generally: For their work on the rules, suggestions,
questions, etc, in the development of these rules.
The playtesters generally: In particular Keith
Gendle, Ian Cluskey, Colin Nash and the various
members of their gaming groups and also the
members of the Prague Historical Wargaming
Group and Wyre Forest Wargame Club.
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If they fail to do so this is solely the fault of this
writer. These rules are for fighting large battles in
the period 1700 to 1721. All but the largest battles should be ‘playable’ in a ‘normal’ gaming session, although of course this largely depends on
what ‘normal’ is!
Andrew Wharton and Harvey Charlesworth for
kindly proofreading the rules for me.
Last, but not least, I would like to thank my wife
Nina. Without her support and encouragement
this would have been difficult to do. But I would
also like to thank her for putting up with me and
my 'crazy' hobby generally.
Nick Dorrell, March 2005
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WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY
The actual position of the figures on the base is
not important, as it is assumed that the officers
know their business well enough to adopt the most
suitable formation for any given circumstance.
There are a number of required components for
a game of Polemos Great North War:
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Two armies of miniature figures.
A playing surface with relevant terrain.
This rulebook and enclosed quick reference
sheet.
A six sided die(D6).
A measuring stick or ruler.
One or more players.
Nor is it vital that the base sizes given below are
strictly adhered to, these are simply recommendations based on what we think would look right on
the table. As long as both armies use the same
basing system, the rules should not be affected.
We do recommend, however, that the 2:1 ratio of
base width to base depth is retained. All distances
are given in base widths (BW) or base depths
(BD), so if you do wish to use a one figure: one
man figure scale using three foot wide bases,
please feel free to do so as the rules should still
work!
You may also require ten sided dice (D10) and average dice (DAv) - a six sided dice numbered
2,3,3,4,4,5) for some operations, while you may
also find the army lists useful as well.
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The basic playing piece in Polemos is the Base.
An army is comprised of a number of bases, either
from historical orders of battle or on army lists,
and grouped into brigades.
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Polemos Great Northern War is designed to allow
the player to represent an army using a limited
number of bases each of which represents a tactical element that may act individually.
The game mechanics will work with any basing
scheme, provided it maintains a 2:1 proportion.
There is no set base size, but we have found that
the optimum for 6mm figures is a 60mm x 30mm
base. Bases of 20mm by 10mm, 30mm by 15mm,
40mm by 20mm, or 80mm by 40mm are also suitable.
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Table
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Armies
The size of table you use depends on three factors:
(a) what you have available, (b) how much are a
you wish to represent and (c) the base sizes you are
using. We have found that using 60mm x 30mm
bases we can fight with two small to medium armies of about 20 bases each, on a table 150cm x
90-120cm (5' x 3-4') and enjoy a good game of manoeuvre. In more restricted terrain a smaller table
is feasible. Guides to table and terrain construction
can be found in the wargaming press, and a number of websites.
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SCALES
As mentioned above, the actual composition of
bases is left to the individual gamer, but here are
some suggestions.
Ground Scale
One base width (1BW) represents around 200
paces. One base depth (1BD) represents about
100 paces. All measurements, base sizes, etc are
based on multiples of these two distances.
The numbers of figures quoted are for 6mm figures on these size bases. Half of these numbers
of 10mm or 15mm figures could possibly be
used with similar sized bases. The suggested
standard base width and depth is 60mm and
30mm respectively.
Figure Scale
The actual ratio of figures to real men will vary
depending on how many figures you put on a
base. A base represents the following:
Infantry using the Dutch (DS) system,
typically drawn up in 3-4 ranks, can be depicted by two ranks of twelve figures each.
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Infantry using the Russian (RS) system,
typically drawn up in 4-5 ranks, can be depicted by two or three ranks of 12 or 8 figures each. Four to eight of the figures will
normally be pike-armed.
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Infantry using the GåPå (GP) system, typically drawn up in 4-5 ranks, can be depicted by two or three ranks of 12 or 8 figures each. Normally eight of these are pike
-armed and are placed in the centre of the
unit.
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Infantry using the Charging (CI) system,
typically in a ‘mob’ formation. These are
24 to 36 figures in three or four loose
ranks, i.e. in a ‘mob’ formation.
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Infantry using Skirmish (SI) tactics can be
depicted by a single, loose, rank of figures.
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Dismounted dragoons (DD) can be depicted by a single rank of dismounted figures. Their mounts, with suitable horseholders, should be based at the rear of the
stand. Alternatively, a single stand of dismounted dragoons may be represented as
two stands, 100 paces deep. With the
horses on one base and the dismounted
dragoons on the other.
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A base of cavalry, dismounted dragoons
and skirmishing infantry represents two to
three squadrons or similar groups, representing 200 to 300 men. A cavalry base is
assumed to include wide intervals between
squadrons, allowing friendly cavalry bases
to pass through each other.
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A base of infantry, except skirmishing infantry, represents between 400 and 600
men. They can be a single large battalion,
a pair of smaller ones or a group of subunits up to this approximate strength.
Infantry using the a prest (AP) system,
typically drawn up in 4-5 ranks, can be depicted by three ranks of eight figures each.
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An artillery base represents four to eight
guns. The number of guns that a base
represents varies depending on the size of
the real guns. Four heavy guns will be represented by one base. While eight light
guns will also be represented by one base.
Base Sizes
A standard base for infantry or cavalry is 200
paces wide and 100 paces deep, i.e. 1BW by
1BD.
Dismounted dragoons, eastern horse, light horse,
charging infantry and skirmishers bases are 200
paces square, i.e. 1BW by 1BW.
Commander and artillery bases are 100 paces
square, i.e. 1BD by 1BD.
A train base is a standard 100 by 200 paces, i.e.
1BD by 1BW.
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