Standing Like a Wall
Tactical Rules for Warfare in the Seven Years War 1756-1763, 2nd Edition
Standing Like a Wall, or SLAW2, has been developed to simulate tactical warfare in the Seven Years War. It has been extensively play-tested and it is being continuously improved as new ideas emerge from players all around the world.
In SLAW2 combat (fire and melee) is resolved by stand/base. One stand, one dice. Easy, peasy! The tactical unit for maneuvers is the battalion of infantry, regiment of cavalry, and section of artillery. Miniature size and basing system are completely irrelevant as long as both armies are similar and appropriate adjustments are made to maintain a constant relationship between unit frontage and other distances. SLAW2 can be used to play both set-piece battles and skirmish games! Click on the thumbnails below-left to view scenes from a game where we had fun smashing each other's armies fighting for a petty village with our line and light troops!
SLAW2 is available as a PDF digital file, emailed after payment is received via Paypal. The PDF format is an inexpensive medium that allows prices to remain reasonable. It also allows for quick revisions, which are emailed free of charge to all paid subscribers. SLAW2 in PDF is available for €8. To purchase, including all feature revisions free of charge, click on the PayPal button.
DESIGNER'S NOTES (from the rules)
My main goal when designing Standing Like a Wall has been historical accuracy within the context of a fun and simple game. Take for example the initiative system. It aims for all players to be constantly at the edge of their seats, while the unpredictability of a turn’s length places significant importance on each decision they make; not unlike the situations a real commander-in-chief faced during the ardor of battle. Not to mention the hit-and-miss chance of getting orders delivered or even obeyed!
Another aspect of Standing Like a Wall is the pivotal role of frontage. Everything is based on the 150-yard frontage of a notional 600-men battalion in three ranks, which in this game translates into 6”. As real horsemen occupied about 1.5 times the frontage of footmen (all tightly packed, of course), a similar 600-men cavalry regiment in two ranks would have a frontage twice as wide compared to the above battalion. To make things simple and easy to remember, all movement and weapon ranges are multiples of this 6” frontage. This also allows units of a different frontage (to that recommended here) to be used with a proportional adjustment to all such measurements. For example, if your units have 8” frontage, then they should be advancing 4” per action point, whereas musketry maximal range should be 8”. Flexible enough?
The allotment of one die per stand is also a fundamental feature in Standing Like a Wall. First, it makes unit organization independent of figure size and number of figures per stand or unit. Nice! For example, if larger units are to be used with these rules, infantry and cavalry stands can still be removed after three and two hits, respectively; whereas guns become silenced after losing their prescribed number of figures. Second, although cavalry in melee is stronger than infantry (per stand), when one takes into account the cavalry’s extended frontage it is evident that cavalry cannot easily defeat steady infantry in close order. For example, a 600-men battalion (4 stands in our game with 6” frontage) has more punch (4 dice) than a cavalry unit of similar frontage (6” = three cavalry stands = three dice). This ought to take care of them cavalry frontal charges which we all are so fond of! No? Third, an infantry stand is more resilient to casualties (3 hits to remove) compared to a cavalry stand (2 hits), which reflects the more volatile nature of the horse arm, especially as with each stand removed the whole unit’s morale is increasingly at peril. So, Generals think hard how to use your heavies!
It should also be evident by now that Standing Like a Wall does not dictate generalship. The rules make certain actions extremely risky, whereas the use of proper tactics and maneuvers is certainly encouraged through modifiers and frontage relationships. Here are another couple examples: Order a unit to form square and there is a good chance it will break and flee. Why? Well, troops expected such a formation to be used only under the direst conditions and the worst certainly goes through their minds when you give such an order. Or, please do go ahead and try to close range with a three-section battery spitting canister while leading an attack column! Thus, the question becomes not if you are allowed to do it, but whether you really want to do it...
On another note, armies during this period did not fight it out to the last man. The commander-in-chief usually ordered the retreat while he thought he could still save at least some of his army to fight another day under more favorable circumstances. As without running a campaign this is difficult to simulate, morale rules have been added to represent the collapse, instead of utter destruction, of higher army formations. Thus, a broken brigade might trigger the collapse of a whole wing, which in turn might be the turning point in deciding the outcome of a battle. So, keep your flanks secure and seek those of the enemy!
Speaking of Generals, the death of such notables at the heat of the battle could thwart even the best laid plans. Thus, a fallen General must be replaced quickly or his units will not carry on as intended. Lose your commander-in-chief and you are in BIG trouble! But, Generals were not cheap to come by (well, except in the French army!), so if a higher ranking General assumes control of a lower formation, then he really gets his hands full and his performance is tested, at best.
This brings us to what can be done within any turn. Nearly anything, but each action requires time (action points) and with the exception of some really agile troops (Cossacks for example!), most units and Generals have a really limited number of action points per turn. Armies moved in a “stately” manner after all! So, expect the Prussians to dance around your formations…
And, a final word on army lists and army points. Their goal is to allow the formation of either small and highly efficient armies (for example, Prussians) or rather large but “clumsy” armies (for example, Russians). They should also be helpful in constructing scenarios. Feel free to modify them to suit your understanding of the period!
Before closing, a note on the title of the rules. When Frederick the Great saw two Swiss regiments resisting the onslaught of his troops at Rossbach he asked “what is this red brick wall that my artillery cannot manage to bring down?”
So, here’s your answer on how to repel them Prussians…Standing like a Wall!
Happy wargames!
