1 BC (One Brain Cell) Toy Soldier Rules

 

1 BC (One Brain Cell) Toy Soldier Rules

The rules

The 1 BC (One Brain Cell) Toy Soldier Rules by Pete Kautz, can be found on his website or directly downloaded. Note that the range for the HMG on the website is too short, but on the download its correct with 36".

The scenario

I've placed this skirmish to the United Nations largest mission in both scale and operational scope during the Congo Crisis 1960-65, when UN troops 'peacekeeping' was more offensive 'peace enforcement' with force.

Situation:

This skirmish is finding place in fictional place of Lumbaya in the early January of 1963, when the UN during operation 'Grand Slam' are turning their attention to the remaining Katangese strongholds in Southern Katanga after after securing the Katangese capitol of Élisabethville.

Place:

Lumbaya is a very small village located 80km south west of Élisabethville, and are made into a stronghold by a small platoon of Katangese Gendarmes. The village is one of several strongholds in the area to trying to hold the UN off while trying to keep the self-proclaimed president Tshombe by power of the self-proclaimed Katanga state.

Forces:

• Katangese:
• 2 rifle-squads each of 10 soldiers, a LMG and and a bazooka/flame thrower. Each squad can operate as 2 fireteams independently. 
• 1 HMG-detachment of 3 soldiers
• 1 sniper
• HQ-section with platoon-leader and 2 medics
• After turn 12: A QRF consisting of 1 truck with a HMG and a section of 10 'veterans' armed with assault rifles, a LMG and a bazooka arrives from the next village. Only if Lumbaya is still held by Katangese forces. These rules doesen't include vehicles and the truck must stay stationary with it's HMG if used.
• UN:
• 1 Platoon of 3 rifle-squads each of 8 soldiers and a LMG. The squads can operate independently.
• 1 Light mortar-detachment of  2 soldiers and an observer
• 1 bazooka-detachment of 3 soldiers
• HQ-section with platoon-leader
• 1 Jeep with HMG and 2 soldiers. These rules do not include vehicles, so the Jeep must stay stationary with the HMG.

Mission:

• Katangese: To hold the strongpoint of Lumbaya. Can request QRF-support as mentioned in the force-section from turn 12 if still holding whole or part of the strongpoint.
• UN: To take and hold the strongpoint of Lumbya, preferably within 12 turns, and take control on as many Katangese gendarms located there as possible.

AAR

Time:    2,5 hours

Turns:   12 

Result:   UN victory

Since these rules doesn't include vehicles, I just let the UN-Jeep act as part of the scenery and cover and a static emplacement for the UN HMG. This time I kept the UN-support weapons on the left side of the table, and let the UN forces advance towards Lumbaya through the dense vegetation.

The UN Forces lost their HMG support in turn 1, and that slowed the advance until the the Katangese HMG was finally taken out in round 12 (!). The mortar did'nt provide much support either as it missed it targets every time (!)

Not much support in these support-weapons...

So the UN-troops just had to advance slowly by 'Fire and Maneuver', getting closer to the village a little at time.

Fire and Maneuver between covers...

The Katangese sniper wasn't very skilled. He was more likely to miss, than to hit. Perhaps first day at work??

In turn 12 the UN-forces had entered the village of Lumbaya with 2 reduced squads, and taken control of the few remaining Katangese there, who all were either dazed, stunned or unarmed.

Pros

• It's a very simple and easy game to play, and a great introduction for new wargamers. This was actually the first game I cracked on, and also got my oldest son to play.
• It's very simple and can be played with easily available and cheap army men or toy soldiers. The rules are so easy and generic that it easily can be used for different periods and conflicts as well.
• Even though these rules doesn't have any rules for wounded and disabled, they differs hits with another roll of dice from casualties or just being stunned or dazed, and makes it possible to pin down other units for a turn or more.
• The rules include a morale test.
• Have rules for overwatch/On Guard.
• I liked the advanced turn sequence, moving one unit at a time decided by the roll of a dice, instead of moving all units before any action takes place simultaneously. Sometimes some units are just more offensive than others, and that may influence the order actions takes place in the battle.

Cons

• There are no rules for using Sub Machine Guns.
• There are no rules for including (fighting-) vehicles in this game.

Conclusion

This is like the names indicate, a very simple game. Still it's interesting enough. Therefore it might be a great introduction for new members to wargaming. It was the first wargame I ever played with miniatures.

Maybe it was a lot of bad die-rolling here, but I think these rules make it slightly harder to hit and kill the targets by any weapons, and especially by support- and automatic weapons, than the previous rules I've been previewed so far. Since the casualties also get to roll for a saving, the mortality is not so high, so you don't loose all your troops early in the game, but it pins down units though. I played the exactly same game and scenario again with my oldest son a little later, and got about the same result the second time as reviewed here.

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