Présentation
par Dean Carpenter

"FORTUNES OF WAR" Special Event Cards for the Wargamer

In every conflict there are those small unexpected events that often have a crucial effect on the outcome of the battle. There are few battles of the Napoleonic Era that did not suffer from misinterpreted orders, lost units, hidden obstacles, firing on friendly troops and so on. The Fortunes of War Cards are designed to represent these effects and to add a bit of variety into the battle.

They are written to be compatible with any set of rules or figure scale although they may need some modification depending on the way you play your games. At the start of a game each side draws one card for every 10 units or part there of in your army before any units are deployed. You might want to adjust this depending on the number of units in play especially for large battles. In multiplayer games for example each player might draw a card. These cards are then utilised as the game progresses at the discretion of the players. One to three cards per side per game seems to work best as too many cards can make the battle a little chaotic.

Some of the cards are beneficial, some not and many can be played against your opponent. Some can be particularly effective if saved until the right moment. The cards listed below are only an example. Feel free to add to the list as the more that there are to choose from the more interesting it will be.

To prepare the cards simply copy or print the details onto paper or a small card. This can glued to an old playing card or thicker cardboard for extra durability. These cards should provide for that element of uncertainty that is all too often missing from our wargames, especially for those players who play the rules rather than the battle. Most important of all they are great fun to use.

1. Forced March - You must play this card at the start of the game. The vanguard of your army has marched through the night to get to the battlefield first. You may deploy any FOUR units up to THREE normal moves onto the table at the start of the game.

2. Lost Patrol - You must play this card at the start of the game. A part of your army has become lost and arrives on the battlefield late. FOUR randomly selected units are delayed and not deployed at the start of the game. Roll d6 at the start of each turn for each unit. You must roll UNDER the turn number with the d6 for the unit to come on your base table edge.

3. Peasant Support - You must play this card at the start of the game. The local peasant population raises a battalion (24 figures) of Militia which joins your army at the start of the game.

4. Peasant Unrest - You must play this card at the start of the game. The local peasant population has been alienated by the looting and rapacious behaviour of your army. ONE randomly selected unit must be detailed to quell the trouble and can take NO part in the battle.

5. "Three Cheers for the Colonel" - You must play this card at the start of the game. A randomly selected unit in your army has a new commander who proves to be capable and popular. This effectively raises the units Morale status by one step (eg 2nd to 1st class Infantry) for the duration of the game.

6. "The Colonel’s a prancing fool" - You must play this card at the start of the game. A randomly selected unit in your army has a new commander who proves to be incapable and very unpopular. This effectively lowers the units Morale status by one step (eg 1st to 2nd class Infantry) for the duration of the game.

7. "I’m off home lads" - You may play this card on any ONE enemy unit that has failed its morale check at any time during the game. The unit scatters with no chance of being rallied and is removed from play. The unit counts as having been destroyed for victory purposes.

8. "Go again Sir?" - You may play this card on any ONE friendly unit that has failed its morale check at any time during the game. The unit automatically rallies and is so inspired that they may make a free movement outside the normal turn sequence.

9. Flank March - You may play this card during any of your movement phases after the first turn of the game. Up to FOUR units that were not deployed at the start of the game may now enter from either neutral table edge. Each unit must roll a 2 or better on a d6 to come on that turn.

10. Rough Ground - You may play this card during any of your enemies movement phases during the game. Any ONE enemy unit has encountered an area of unseen rough terrain such as a swamp or ditch. Their movement rate is halved for this turn only.

11. Bad quality Powder - You may play this card during any of your enemies shooting phases during the game. The effect of any ONE units shooting is halved rounding down. This can also be played against artillery batteries.

12. "Don’t shoot!" - You may play this card during any of your enemies shooting phases during the game. In the smoke and confusion of battle ONE enemy unit has mistakenly identified one unit on its own side to either its flank or front as an enemy formation and fires on them. Work out shooting results as normal.

13. "The General has been hit!" - You may play this card during any of your enemies movement phases during the game. An enemy brigade commander has been unhorsed or lightly wounded at a critical moment causing great confusion. NO unit from that brigade may move this turn. However they may shoot or engage in melee combat as normal.

14. Heroic Speech - You may play this card at any time during the game. The commander of any ONE unit has inspired his men with an heroic speech. The unit gains an extra movement and fights as one morale class higher for that turn only.

15. "Where the hell is that wagon?" - You may play this card at any time during the enemies firing phase. Any ONE enemy artillery battery has temporarily run out of ammunition and may not fire for this turn only.

16. Confused Orders - You may play this card at any time during the enemies movement phase. Any ONE enemy unit gets its orders confused and will do the opposite to what was intended. Note: If this is difficult to determine the unit simply has no movement this turn.

17. "The Prussians are coming!" - You may play this card at any time during the game.. Up to FOUR adjacent enemy units believe that they are being attacked in the rear. They must make an immediate morale check with the appropriate modifiers.

18. Enemy Deserter - You may play this card at any time during the game. A deserter from the enemies army reveals vital information. You may look at ALL of your opponents Fortune of War Cards OR remove from play ONE randomly selected Fortune of War Card.

19. Brilliant Scouting - You must play this card at the start of the game. You have outscouted your enemy and as such you may choose who deploys first.

20. Luck of the Irish - You may play this card at any time during the game. You are blessed by the gods of war with good luck. You may reroll any one dice roll and take the best result of the two.