The Maxwellian Variant - rule modifications for The Sword and The Flame colonial rules.

Rules Modifications for
The Sword and The Flame

The Maxwellian
Variant

by Max Carr
Max wrote what became the codified "house rules" for the Ouargistan group for some time. They used the basic framework of Larry Brom's immortal colonial ruleset, The Sword and the Flame, Revision 1, but were adapted to speed play with large numbers of figures, to use mechanisms more familiar to the players in the group, and just because gamers love to fiddle with things.

Because a number of people have asked what our modifications were, here is a list of changes from the last version of The Sword and the Flame.

Remember that any particular game scenario will usually include additions and changes to these modifications. And please do not write with "rules questions" about these modifications. Make up your own solutions; that's what we did. You are just as qualified to micturate in Larry's chalice as we were.

NOTE:
Neither Max nor the Major General makes any claim that these modifications constitute an "improvement" on The Sword and the Flame, merely that they suited a particular group's preferences at the time. Lately, we have returned to playing the original TSATF rules with relatively few modifications. TSATF is a classic and outstanding ruleset which has stood the test of time. There is a great deal of wisdom in the way is written, and the new gamer cheats himself by making heavy modifications before becoming familiar with the original.

After Alan moved away from Dallas, he felt the need to write Rules Britannia, a somewhat more complicated simplified variant, derived in part from Max's, to reflect the practices of his new group (but mostly to make use of a marvelous pun).

INTRODUCTION

These rules are modifications for The Sword and the Flame (TSATF) colonial rules. They are not meant as a commercial product, but only for the enjoyment of the Imperial Club.

Sequence of Play
As per TSATF, except that, depending on the number of units in the scenario, initiative draws may be by the entire side, by the player, or by the unit.

Units
As per TSATF, except that Cavalry and Infantry units have one Officer and one NCO in each unit. Units represent whatever the players wish to consider them, i.e. platoons, companies, or even battalions.

MOVEMENT

Procedure
Card draw and dice roll as per TSATF.

Movement Rates
Similar to TSATF, but terrain penalties are different.

TYPE ROUGH
TERRAIN
PENALTY* LOW WALL
PENALTY HIGH WALL
PENALTY

Euro. & Colonial
INFANTRY x2 +2 inch +6 inch

Euro. & Colonial
CAVALRY x2 none none

Euro. & Colonial
ARTILLERY x2 none none

Native
INFANTRY normal +2 inch +6 inch

Native
CAVALRY normal none none

Native
ARTILLERY x2 none none

* All hills are rough terrain, unless the scenario specifies otherwise.

Charging
As per TSATF, except that: cavalry units and infantry half-units take only a half-die's worth of stragglers (round up); stragglers move half the distance of the main unit, and may not enter combat; stragglers must be chosen from figures not currently straggling.

Mounting and Dismounting
Cavalry mounting or dismount takes only 1/2 of their movment for the turn. Units may not charge in the same turn they mount or dismount.

Rough Terrain
Rough terrain is any area that would slow movement. European units pay double movement costs in these areas. Native units move at normal speed. Hills are rough terrain. All units have soft cover in rough terrain unless otherwise specified.

Contact before Movement
A unit that is contacted before it moves must stay in place. Cavalry may retreat using charge movement if it is attacked by infantry.

Concealed Units and Off-Table Units
As per TSATF, except: Concealed Native units may appear during the Native movement phase. They may move and charge as soon as they appear on the table. Off-table units must be placed on the edge of the table for their first turn and may not charge. They may fire. Hidden units are discovered by scouts when the scouts come within 6" or when regular troops come within 3".

Naval Movement
All boats move at Two Dice. Boats turn at the end of their movement only. They may turn up to 90 degrees. Figures must make a charge move to disembark.

FIRING

TYPE	TO HIT
European & Colonial Pistol	5,6
European Rifle	5,6
European & Colonial Carbine	5,6
European Artillery	(4),5,6
European & Colonial Machinegun	4,5,6
Colonial Rifle	6
Colonial Artillery	(5),6
Native Rifles	6
Native Spears	6
Native Artillery	(5),6

Procedure
This was changed from the TSATF single-die per unit system to accomodate players who were comfortable with the more familiar hit/save system, and those who just like rolling lots of dice.
1. Draw a card to see which player fires.
2. Indicate which unit is firing and where. (Units may split their fire against several targets).
3. Check firing chart for the range and number to hit for the firing unit's type.
4. Roll a die for each figure firing to obtain result. (Artillery roll 2 dice per crewman).
5. If a figure is hit and is in cover (hard or soft), it may take a saving throw to see if the cover protected it.
6. Draw a card for each figure hit. An ace means a leader is killed, a face card means the firer may pick casualty; on any other card, the owning player selects the casualty.
7. All hit figures, unless they make their saving throws, are killed. Ignore TSATF's rules on wounding. Personality commander-figures may be considered incapacitated for the rest of the game rather than killed, and may return, fully recovered, in the next game.

Artillery Field of Fire
Artillery's field of fire is increased to 90-degrees (45 degrees on either side of the muzzle line) to make judging by eye easier.

Line of Sight and Blocking
Similar to TSATF except:
1. A second rank, behind and touching the first may fire. If the firer and target are on different heights, any intervening figure or low blocking terrain must be closer to the higher figure than the lower for either to fire over it.

Soft Cover
Units behind fences, trees, in rough terrain, etc are in soft cover and save on a 5,6.

Hard Cover
Units in buildings, on large boats, in fortifications, etc. are in hard cover and save on a 4,5,6.

Hills and Trees
Hills are rough terrain and any figure on a hill is in soft cover. The target of a shot across a single level of a hill has hard cover, unless the firer is on the hill or behind and touching the hill. Two levels of a hill blocks fire.

Tree bases represent a grove of trees. They are rough terrain; they block line of sight to targets except when firer or target is on the tree base.

Prone Figures
Prone figures are in soft cover. It takes 1/2 move to go prone or to stand up.

COMBAT

Procedure
Basically similar to TSATF, but:

1. The Close to Combat and Stand and Fight rolls are ignored and the 'drop-back 6" ' provision is ignored.
2. Extra figures are lined up behind the figures in contact up to three deep. Any further figures may not fight this turn.
3. All casualties are considered killed. Reroll ties.
4. If, after all combats have been fought, there are still surviving figures in both units, the combat is resumed on the next turn. All or part of the unit that moves first may attempt to break off combat by rolling its morale.

Combat Modifiers

Natives Charge
+1

Hard Cover or Square
+1

Rear Attack
+2

Personality/Officer
+1

Eur. Cav. charges Nat Inf.
+2

Other Cav. charges Inf.
+1

Combat Modifiers
The list was simplified and changed. Other situations were left to the scenario sheet.

Rear Attack
A charging figure has a rear attack if the attacker was out of line of sight (behind the front edge of the target's stand) for its entire move. Rear attacks give the attacker a +2 die modifier.

MORALE

Procedure
Morale checks were simplified, and the rolls are made on a single die: Imperial Troops pass on 2-6, Colonials on 3-6, Natives on 4-6.

Rallying
Units may try to rally from a rout at the beginning of their movement turn. If successful, they rotate to face, but must stand in place that turn; they may fire.

Morale Check Causes
Morale checks are caused by the following:
1. Severe Loss (unit is below 50%). Check at end of turn when unit falls below 50%. Units must check thereafter when being charged by a unit at least half their strength or after taking casualties from firing.
2. Officer Loss - check at the end of the turn when the officer is lost. (All units must check when Staff Officer is lost.)
3. Cavalry Charge - native infantry charged by European cavalry must check before combat.
4. Rally - a routing unit may attempt to rally at the beginning of its movement phase.

Modifiers
+1 Staff Officer present (as part of the unit)
+1 Defence in square or fort
-1 Officer is a casualty
-1 Unit is routing
-2 Unit is below 25%

OTHER MATTERS

Scouts
Up to 2 figures in a unit may be used as scouts. Scouts can operate independently of the unit. Whenever a scout comes within 6" in line of sight of a hidden unit, that hidden unit must be placed on the table.

Interrogation, Torture, Wounding
Interrogation, torture and wounding rules are ignored.

RETURN to the Rules Page

TYPE	ROUGH TERRAIN PENALTY*	LOW WALL PENALTY	HIGH WALL PENALTY
Euro. & Colonial INFANTRY	x2	+2 inch	+6 inch
Euro. & Colonial CAVALRY	x2	none	none
Euro. & Colonial ARTILLERY	x2	none	none
Native INFANTRY	normal	+2 inch	+6 inch
Native CAVALRY	normal	none	none
Native ARTILLERY	x2	none	none