Battleground

Wargame Rules Review

Battleground Wargame Rules by Steve Carroll.

Battleground is a set of rules for company to battalion level miniature wargames of World War Two. The rules may be used for earlier and later conflicts, possibly with some modifications. The game is easy to learn, and yet requires thoughtful strategy for excellent play. Battleground was designed as a fun game, not a simulation of actual warfare. Basic and optional rules cover most aspects of WW2 ground warfare, including simple vehicle and artillery rules, cavalry, smoke, visibility at night, flares, minefields, mine clearing, prisoners, medics, low altitude air-attacks.

The order of movement and firing phases is regulated by playing cards drawn from a poker deck, including jokers. If clubs are drawn, the Axis player may fire all his units. If hearts are drawn the Allied player fires. Diamonds or spades allow the Axis or Allied player to move all his units. Depending on the order of the cards drawn, one player may move first, and fire later, or vice versa. When an Ace of a particular suit is drawn, the owning player may move or fire only one of his units. This action may be the players only move or firing action for that turn, if the ace was drawn as the first card of that suit. Otherwise, the single action may be executed in addition to an earlier move or fire action. A complete game turn ends when all four suits have been drawn, or it may end prematurely, if a joker is drawn. The randomess of the card play phase adds a lot of excitement to the game.

Contents

  • Title: Battleground
  • Period: World War Two era small unit actions
  • Type: Tactical Wargame
  • Time Scale: none given
  • Ground Scale: none given
  • Troop Scale: 1 figure = 1 to 5 men
  • Basing: 58″ for single figures
  • Armour penetration benchmarks
    • Sherman vs. Lingèvres Panther: 13 % per game turn
  • Author: Steve Carroll
  • Format: 20-page rule book
  • Language: English
  • Publisher: Carpe Diem Enterprises, Denton, TX
  • Published: 1997

Chapters

  1. Introduction
  2. What you need, 1 page
  3. Your infantry units, 1 page
  4. Sequence of play, 2 pages
  5. Movement, 2 pages
  6. Shooting, 4 pages
  7. Melee, 2 pages
  8. Terrain, Buildings, Emplacements, 1 page
  9. Additional rules, 4 pages
  10. Advanced and optional rules, 2 pages
  11. Scenario design, 1 pages
  12. Scenarios, 2 pages

Battleground is a fun and easy wargame for beginners and experienced players alike. The sequence of movement and firing is randomly determined by a card draw phase which adds a lot of excitement to the game.

Wargame Rules