Consimworld Posting (July 6, 2000): By design Battle Cry from the outset is the most basic game in the entire Commands & Colors franchise.

The American Civil War, with very similar opposition armies, made up of basically three type of units, (Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery) was the perfect historical setting for this type of bare-bone, fast action game play. (And was the type of game that AH/Hasbro was looking for at the time.)

Other Commands & Colors historical periods are more complex. Over the years of development, we attempt to create a unique feeling of historical command and battle for each. They range in complexity from the American Civil War, American War of Independence, Mexican American War, Fantasy, Napoleonics to Ancients. But even the Ancient game is still not that difficult.

We truly believe the system at all levels has many decisions, some luck elements and one where you are constantly battling your opponent, not the rules.

During the past few weeks, (the game has only been out about six weeks now) a number of good comments and suggestions have been directed at Battle Cry. Many of these rule modifications will work and they will not break the system.... I know this because similar play ideas are already working just fine in other Commands & Colors historical period games. Once more, it is not that we did not like these concepts, it is just that we chose not to include them in the ACW game, because in our opinion they help give another historical period more depth, detail and/or feel.

Observations from the Field

Scenarios Played

Bull Run [2], Chancellorsville [1], Kernstown [1], Fredericksburg [1], Brawner's Farm [1], New Hope Church [1], Gaines Mill [1].

Tinkering is so Much Fun (Rick Barber, September 18, 2000)

Rick Barber (posting on Consimworld) shows how tinkering can lead to all sorts of fun.

I and the Bro-in-law spent a couple of hours Saturday night playing a huge, 2 mapper, using most of the troops from the two sets as well. One long creek snaking across both boards, lots of woods and fields, but only 1 Hill, IIRC - a smidgen like Chickamunga! We each had 16 units, though free to choose what we wanted to deploy within the limits of the mix. (we were playing using 6 figure infantry units, just to try it out - same firepower, but more 'depth'). I took 8 Inf, 4 Cav and 4 Arty, while Tim craftily went for 6 Arty, 3 Cav and 7 Inf. Each had 3 Leaders. We also used the 'no cards' version of the command rules, simply rolling dice to see what units could be activated (Icons as is, flags = any unit desired, Crossed Swords = 0). We went with 1 + number of Leaders currently in the Saddle, which had me down to 3 dice for most of the latter part of the battle due to an unlucky shot by his Arty! I ended up forcing a crossing of the creek on my left, while ducking for cover from his massive battery in the center. A bend in the creek towards my lines at the right end pretty much limited maneuver; once I was across I had a long, narrow corridor to travel, with 2 units of supported Arty to face at the end! Eventually I was able to force him back into somewhat of a pocket in his center, though at pretty heavy cost. His Arty proved to be somewhat 'brittle'; while they could dish out terrible firepower, with only two 'steps' they were pretty vulnerable to a concentrated attack. IIRC (and we had a growler of I.P.A from the Gettysburg brewpub, so that's not an incidental concern!) the final tally was 11 flags to 10, which put me over our agreed Victory point. We did forget to award flags for taking defensible terrain while in melee (adjacent) combat, which might have ended things a few turns earlier. Great game, though, and there's another in the offing next weekend!

Basic Strategy (Mark Montreuil, August 1, 2000)

Mark Montreuil (posting on rec.games.board) presents a very nice summary of basic game strategy.

All this talk about whether or not Battle Cry is a good game has got me to thinking about the basic strategies involved. As an aside, I really enjoy the game, for its simplicity and its variety. I have also won many more battles than I have lost, playing on either side, even on the side that is deployed most unfavourably.

I believe that you have to be extremely lucky to win at Battle Cry if you do not take into account the principles of basic military strategy, modified by the cards that you are holding. While many people have complained about the All Out Offensive card, we have yet to see it played in 10 battles. The reason it does not get played is that, for it to be truly effective, your troops have to be deployed in such a way so as that most of them will be able to move into effective firing position. True, it could be used to move all your units up the map, but this has yet to happen.

In many Battle Cry scenarios, one side is set up as the defender, and the other as attacker. Most defense deployments have a "less painful" approach, i.e., don't rush field works, flank them instead.

You also have to apply a measure of hand management. If you can build up a few cards that will complement each other, you have a better chance of pursuing your attack than if you only have one card on a certain flank. It can be worth discarding a useless card early in the battle, before the enemy has closed to effective range, in the hopes of getting a much more useful card. If you have a lot of right flank cards, but you need to make your push in the centre, use your right flank cards to move your units from right to centre. Play the line between the flanks whenever possible to give you extra flexibility.

I initially thought cavalry was almost useless, unless the Hit and Run card was played, but our last battle suggested to me that it has its place. If a cavalry unit is 4 hexes from an infantry unit, the infantry unit could fire from place for 1 die, or move up and fire for two. Cavalry is harder to hit than infantry, so it has slightly better odds of surviving an attack, but its greatest strength is its mobility. The same cavalry unit, 4 hexes from an infantry, can move up three hexes and attack with three dice, with better odds of hitting the infantry than the infantry has of hitting cavalry. I'm not saying that you should leave your cavalry out in the open, but you should not be afraid to send them in when you need to get in a quick strike.

The Leadership card can be devastating, even though you can only have a maximum of three generals. An infantry unit with an attached general ordered by Leadership has 6-5-4-3, and can more easily attack a fortified defender, or score a critical hit at longer range.

The Rally card transformed my last man standing infantry unit to a full strength military machine, as well as seriously demoralizing the enemy. Even though I could not attack that turn, I had denied an easy flag to the enemy. [NB: the rallied unit can battle that turn, but not move.]

At the beginning of the battle, you have to get the best use out of the terrain that you can, while inflicting casualties. Once you have a good lead in flags, you can try to play the odds a bit in your bid to take the last flags.

Battle Cry is certainly not a deep military game, but it does reward strategy, even though this is tempered by the cards an the dice. You will lose to opponents who make rash attacks, if they are lucky, but you should beat them more often than not if they do not take a more strategic approach. You also have to take advantage of military intelligence, i.e., if your opponent obviously has no cards for the right flank, hit him there!

I'm sure that most of you have already made these connections, but those of you who are playing your first wargames with Battle Cry may find something of interest. Yes, you can draw an awful hand, and your opponent can wipe out a full strength infantry unit with one artillery barrage. But this doesn't seem to happen all that often.

Matthew Hills responded on August 2, 2000 with some questions about working with terrain:

As a defender, do you typically go for a big field of fire from a building or woods hex, or do you go for the reverse-slope defense--with several units behind a line of trees, waiting to pound any unit that makes it into the woods?

Terrains like orchards or fields really seem to favor attackers, as they can enter the terrain and fire, and then receive defensive benefits on the subsequent turn. Buildings and fortifications seems straight-forward; and, my personal favorite--rivers. Any thought on the Gaines Mill scenario?

Montreuil replies:

I find that most scenarios will have some key terrain elements that you should occupy, both for the defensive benefit and to deny their occupation to the enemy. I don't have my game handy, so I can't give specific examples. Hills are one of the best terrain features to occupy, since you get a defense bonus, and if you are forced to retreat, you'll most likely be out of line of sight. Towns do not generally seem to be very well placed in most scenarios, but would be a great place for artillery.

One of the best things about the game is looking at the deployment of your forces and deciding how best to use the benefits of the terrain. Do you skirt the woods, or occupy them? Do you take the long way around, or try to charge straight towards the enemy?

One thing I forgot to mention about cavalry. If the unit you want to attack has one of his retreat hexes blocked, and you attack him from the other retreat hex, you effectively get hits for each flag rolled. If the target is infantry, this gives you a 4/6 chance per die of scoring a hit. If you have another unit that can attack after the cavalry gets in its licks, you should be able to get the flag easily.

The other thing that you can do is to use cavalry as a screening force. Advance the cavalry in front of your infantry unit, using them to block Line of Sight to the Infantry unit. Since they are harder to hit, they should be able to shield the infantry unit for a while. If you attach a general to this unit, you can get a 4 dice attack in before the infantry gets in range.

If you have enemies advancing towards the woods, you might be better off occupying the woods before they do, to take immediate advantage of the defense bonus. You're much better off attackling from the woods than attacking into the woods, unless of course you're attacking into a woods from a woods, which puts you at equality.

Always try to use a unit with attached general when trying to overcome these types of defensive bonuses. If you're lucky enough to draw a leadership card, the enemy won't even know what hit them.

Defensive terrain won't do you much good if the enemy isn't advancing towards you.

What Design for Effect Means (Brady Severns, August 1, 2000)

The mechanisms of Battle Cry are simple and in some cases so simplistic that you might find them disagreeable. An example is the Call for Reinforcements card, which permits the player to beam in a new unit out of the sky. Naturally, you might have to suspend your disbelief for this rule. In the spirit of the game, however, Brady Severns (posting on rec.games.board) articulates a way to see this kind of mechanism.

... many of the Battle Cards permit you you to bend, break, and otherwise do things beyond the normal bounds of the rules. (i.e., Force March, Bombard, Hit-and-Run, Sharpshooter...) The Reinforcement card is one of these, so just follow the rules on the card. I admit, it may not be much fun to be on the receiving end, but it is also possible that an otherwise available reinforcement may not be because you already have all available units in play. So the card can break both ways.

As has been said, Battle Cry is not a simulation, though the feeling it gives you watching the kind of spirited battles you read or see movies about is very close. That said, there can be many rationalizations you can make about the artillery unit suddenly poking its nose out of the woods, in the midst of the battle, to fire:

"It was at that moment, when General Severns, his staff, and the shattered, colorless remains of Smith's Brigade, were about to receive the warm reception of a volley from the jubilant 75th Georgia Infantry, that the winds shifted. There, as the clouds of smoke dissipated from the scene and over the edges of the Woody Lot, Major McEwen and the artillerists of C. Battery, 5th U.S. Artillery, made their surprising and most welcome appearance felt.

"The battery, which had spent much of the day laboring tirelessly (and unnoticed due to the noise, smoke, and confusion of the many skirmishes) to reach that far forward position, then let loose with such a withering barrage of cannister and grape that the proud 75th, the last prime unit in Blakely's Brigade, was reduced to a screaming mass of red ruin in the span of 5 short minutes. Finally in place, C. Battery checked the rebel advance and kept the approaches to John's Farm clear for the counter-attack that soon followed...."

It happened that way sometimes....

My Thoughts on Rule Variants (John Foley)

The temptation to modify this excellent game is very great as witnessed by the many variants already published. I strongly prefer to countenance the smallest modifications to the mechanics and rules possible. Most of the published variant rules regarding special terrain should be employed as needed by scenario designers. The same holds true for the excellent variant rules regarding Dismounted Cavalry and Rifled Artillery and the like. Below I list the few variant rules I like the most for this great game.

Terrain Victory Points Rick Barber came up with this very fluid, simple idea. What makes it so appealing is that players will engage in a fresh game of chess in each scenario playing, determining what is actually important during the press of the current battle.

• Each time a hill, very rough or breastworks hex is captured in adjacent combat, or is vacated by an activated unit with an enemy unit adjacent who follows up, place a Flag token in the space showing the capturing player's colors. This now counts as a Flag for Victory Point purposes.
• However, since that particular hex has now been contested, it is flipped to the other player's colors if he recaptures it by moving a unit into the hex.
• A defensible hex does not become contested if the occupying unit vacates it with no enemy unit adjacent.
• It now takes 9 Flags to win the game.

Revised Command Deck Structure This idea (from lee70) appears to be the variant that fully addresses the greatest issue players have had with the game, namely the matter of an unbalanced draw of cards affecting the game. Its merit is that it does not call for the removal or rewriting of any of the command cards (many of the variant rules do this and I do not like either method). Furthermore, it does not change the game's basic mechanism of one card played or discarded being replaced (ultimately) by only one new card. Although the delightful variant rule called Strategic Battle Plan Review and Reorganization was well thought out, it strays from the basic play-one-replenish-one design. Note that I have modified the original idea to rule out the sit-and-fish problem at the start of the game.

• Each player pulls cards from his own command deck.
• Each command deck is made up of an identical set of cards, 3 skirmishes, 6 probes, 3 attacks, 3 assaults and 2 coordinated attacks. Note: this card distribution is slightly different than proposed by lee70 in that it is completely balanced in the distribution of left, center and right.
• A special deck is formed out of the 8 remaining regular order cards and all the special order cards.
• A player may either A) announce he is drawing either 1 or 2 from his own command deck (and if he draws 2 he must discard 1) or B) draw 1 from the single special command deck.
• The special cards are marked on the text side, and all three decks have their own discard pile. Each is reshuffled when empty, all are reshuffled upon the play of the All Out Offensive.
• The special command deck may not be used by a player until he has won at least one battle flag from his opponent.

Infantry Marching in Column The rule change is a very modest option for infantry movement that permits the action to develop more quickly when the forces are still far apart. One of the variant rules that increases infantry movement in general to 2 while reducing the fire range and effectiveness attempts to do this, but I think the change is too great, having tried it in Gaines Mill (Scenario 5) only to find that the units were zooming around much too quickly. The rule variant below permits the option of moving as if the unit were in column. Of course, players may risk moving like this across terrain such as a stream.

• Infantry in Column may move 2 hexes but then may not fire. The Force March special order card may not be used.
• Otherwise infantry move and fire as currently defined in the rules.
• All terrain restrictions reply as usual.

Retreats The disastrous cliff-at-the-board-edge effect is disliked by many players not because of the need to motivate players to get into the action, but rather because key terrain in some scenarios is untenable (Little Round Top comes to mind). The rule below is written in its general and simplest form. This change will correct the board-edge problem, but it will also make it harder to dislodge units from strong positions. This is why I think that infantry should retain the range (4) and effectiveness (4/3/2/1).

• In lieu of retreating one hex for each flag rolled, a player may eliminate one figure from the affected unit.
• This is cumulative for each flag rolled.

Prepared Fire Given that infantry could not move and fire effectively at the same time, and that fire effectiveness was clearly better given some amount of time for preparation (all other things being equal), it seems worthwhile to consider penalizing the player for moving and firing a unit on the same turn. Brien Martin suggests porting an approach from ASL, namely, that moving units are penalized as if it were the Advancing Fire Phase.

• Infantry and Artillery Units which are activated but which are not moved during a turn, fire at normal effectiveness.
• If these same units are activated and move during a turn and then wish to fire, they are penalized. The penalty is that only exact dice results score hits, that is, the crossed-saber result is not used.