MBX Guidelines for determining Experience, Fatigue and Morale
The following is a guide to help both umpires and players predict the kind of effects combat can have on their troops. What follows is a set of -- not rules, but guidelines -- for determining the effect of combat on troops, naval units and air squadrons.
1. Experience
Experience refers to combat experience. As units experience more combat, they will gain advantages over opponents with less experience. In both ground and naval combat, these advantages include the following:
-- Less likely to be drawn into an ambush.
-- Less likely to run out of ammo in a prolonged fight.
-- Less likely to be "surprised" if enemy fires first.
-- Less likely to "break" or panic if enemy gains the upper hand quickly.
-- More likely to respond quickly to orders from higher command (the players).
-- More likely to detect enemy movement.
The rule of thumb in attributing experience benefits to units following combat has to do with the "barracks" rule. If the troops of a unit can all meet on a daily basis in the same barracks (or tent, or wardroom, or pilots ready room, etc.) then it is presumed that the experience of a few can be quickly learned by the other members of that unit.
Thus:
In ground warfare, experience benefits are applied to a battalion only when all companies in that battlaion (not including support units) took part in a battle. Combat experience can be accrued by different companies at different times, however . (All companies do not need to experience combat at the same time to get credit for combat experience.)
Experience benefits will generally apply to all ships within a group. They do not all need to fire weapons or receive incoming fire to gain experience. As long as the entire group took part in a combat action, the group as a whole will be awarded combat experience. (Generally, an increase in combat experience is not noticeable with naval units since naval combat takes place so quickly, and so violently.
Experience in air warfare will apply to the squadron which was involved. They do not all need to have fired weapons or be fired on to gain experience. As long as the squadron as a whole was involved in a combat action, the entire squadron will learn and gain from the experience.
The degree of benefits will be determined on judgement of the Umpire, but it will always be based on the number of hours of combat and the number of units within a battalion, group or squadron that were exposed to that combat.
There are special rules concerning experience for air squadrons, with distinct levels described as follows:
-- Recruit
-- Trained. (Same as "Novice" in H4).
-- Experienced.
-- Veteran
Unless otherwise noted, all squadrons in this game are rated at the Experienced level. This may change, however, as new, untrained units are thrown (too soon) into battle, or as experienced squadrons mature into Veteran aces. (For a description of what to expect from pilots at these levels, see H4 rule 6.1.7.)
2. Fatigue
Fatigue is determined by the number of combat missions a squadron is tasked for in a given period of time. Generally, fatigue is measured as follows:
-- Normal (no fatigue)
-- Fatigued
-- Exhausted
In most instances, all units will be considered to be in 'Normal' state unless otherwise noted. However, if a unit comes under attack suddenly and is cannot disengage, it may become fatigued before the "XO" (GM) is able to assess and "notify" the commander (Player) that the unit is fatigued. However, such situations will usually be obvious, which means the Player will usually have a pretty good idea that his unit is being tired out quickly without special notification. It is the more gradual, longterm effects that are difficult for commanders to track, which the XO (GM) may have to track for him.
In general, fatigue affects overall performance of the unit. In ground combat, units will take more time to execute their orders. This will increase the odds of the enemy getting in the first shot, since the fatigued unit is 'resting' in between combat phases (combat 'pulses', in TacOps-speak). In naval warfare, crews will become more "accident-prone" resulting in equipment breakdowns or perhaps fatal damage (e.g., a pilot pranging when landing on a carrier) and there is a greater chance they will miss detecting the enemy. In the air, pilots reflexes will be less sharp, resulting in a lower ATA rating (generally between -.5, and -1.5). This is especially true in air-to-air combat. Also, there is a greater chance of missing a detection.
3. Morale
Morale is gamed very simply, in four levels:
All units start out with Good morale, except special forces units or units that have just achieved a significant victory of some kind -- these units are at High morale.
Morale lowers one step any time one of the following occurs:
-- A unit takes on more than 50% casualties in less than 4 hours.
-- A unit has been in combat or nearly continuous combat for 48 hours.
-- A unit has been under continuous or nearly-continuous artillery barrage or air attacks for more than 8 hours.
-- A unit is under threat of attack while isolated, with no friendly units in its immediate vicinity for a period of 24 hours or more.
-- A umit experiences chemical agents and does not have gas masks
-- A unit experiences at least two forms of discomfort at the same time. Types of discomfort include:
- -- Hunger
- -- Cold
- -- Wounds (if more than 50% of the unit has received wounds)
- -- Exhaustion (See Fatigue, above)
- -- Disease (probably more suited to the tropical climates, but...)
In this game, morale is not a problem until it is "broken." At that point, there is a 50% chance troops will flee from battle, with a further 50% chance that they will not return (dissertion). "Broken" units that do not run will simply freeze in place, and will not execute any orders.
Improving Morale
Morale will improve as the absence of the factorrs that caused it are removed.
Rallying
Other than relieving the unit of the circumstances that caused the loss of morale in the first place, players can also increase a unit's morale by ordering their top commanders to make a personal appearance and rally the men. Some examples:
A brigade commander will have a 50% chance of rallying his men, bringing up morale one level in any 4-hour time span.
A division commander will have a 75% chance of rallying his men, bringing up morale one level in any 4-hour time span.
A *player* (who leaves home HQ and makes the trip to the front lines) will have 100% chance of rallying the men, bringing up morale 1 level for each 4-hour time span.
A commander who takes time out to go to the front and rally the men cannot issue any orders for any units during that time, except for the immediate parent command of the unit that required rallying. The commander's absence from his HQ will be governed by the normal travel times and distances depending on the method of transport for this commander.
In all cases, the highest a unit can go after being broken is the Good level.
END RULES.