The Commander Series Forum

I’m thinking about how to speed up the playing time of CWC and get over the disappointment of achieving 5 hits on an M1 only to have the Hits ‘reset’ in the next turn. I'm considering the idea of having a reduced marker so that any unit which receives 50% + hits in a turn receives reduced status and fires at ½ rounded up attack dice-two reduced markers would destroy the unit. This would increase the spread of fire -as getting a reduced result over two or more enemy units could be more beneficial than 1 KO result in some circumstances due to the reduction in returned fire. Close assaults dice would also be ½ rounded up for reduced units. I can’t see how this would significantly alter play other than to increase tactical decisions, quicken play and impose an addition level of unit attrition. Reduced units could also take a -1 command modifier. I would be interested to hear comments (pros & cons) from other players & Pete about introducing a reduced unit marker.

It's definitely worth a try.

Hits would come off at the end of the turn but the reduced marker would stay on. So an M1A1 'reduced' in the last turn would fire with 3 dice not 6 and if it took an additional 3 hits would be KO'ed

Hits & Attacks are rounded up.
so a reduced M2 bradley Attacks 3 (now 2) Hits 3(now takes 2 to KO)

I understand the motivation behind this, and I think it's a good idea. However I disagree with the idea that this would speed up play. The whole idea of hits resetting at the end of the turn was an abstraction to speed up play, and any extra persistent unit status tracking goes against this.

But like I said, I like the idea itself. I would be interested to see how playtesting goes.

Hi Zephyr40k,

I use laminated marker tokens for keeping track of Hits, Suppressed, Opportunity fire, ATGW fired etc in the game so dropping an extra marker won’t slow the game down for me, having the unit attrition and the ability to gradually degrade units like the M1A1HA over several rounds alleviates some of the frustrations of throwing 20 X D6 with no effect.

Some forum members have advocated keeping hits over the turn but I think this would prove to be too deadly.
Artillery is still a little too powerful on armoured units and this system would increase its lethality, I would consider making standard artillery Vs armour have suppression results only.

The more I think about the "reduced" rule the more I like it. I might have to try it out.

By the way, I wanted to ask you about laminated counters. How do you do the lamination - a little pouch for each counter, or do you make up a large sheet of counters, laminate it, then chop it up? If the latter, does the lamination stay after cutting it up, or does it tend to peel apart? I am going to make some counters too. Too bad Litko doesn't have a CWC counter set (hint, hint, Pete
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Hi Zephyr40k,

Yes, markers really help with keeping track of unit status over the ‘variable’ game turn
I use the following counters
Red Hits 1-5
Blue Hits 1-5 (non- damaging)
Opportunity fire -1 (for command rolls)
Evade -1 (for command rolls)
Suppressed
Reduced (½ hits & ½ attack dice)
IATW, ATGW fired (can only fire once in turn)
As previously stated I would only allow armoured vehicles to receive Blue (non-permanent damage) from standard artillery Hits.
I laminate the markers (made up on Microsoft Word Tables) by printing out a sheet - you can glue two sheets back to back then cut them up , arrange in the laminating pouch - rest on a piece of paper so they don’t move about too much, then feed into the laminator and cut out.
You can’t laminate a whole sheet of multiple counters- if you cut them out they will delaminate.

Hope this helps,

Dave-K

I like the sound of this, and could certainly see trying it sometime.

I currently use dice to mark the number of hits and red plastic beads to mark suppression, and it would be easy enough to use another color of bead to mark "reduced" stands.

I already use other colors of beads to mark those that used opportunity fire or an initiative action.