British Army Tactical Wargame QRS
Source, British Army Wargame 1956, available from the History of Wargaming Project
Scales,
Major units are battalions (infantry), regiments (tank, arty), minor units squadrons/btty.
2km squares, 1 hour turns. Sqdns may only operate with Inf Bn. Amd Div may organise as
mixed tank/inf combat teams.
Turn sequence
Declare moves (for coming hour)
Declare future actions (digging in, battle plans, recce etc) with times and locations
Movement
Time Going Infantry Wheels Tanks/SP Art Amd Cars
Day Roads 2/3 5/12 5/8 10/14
X-Country 1/2 3/4 3/4 8/10
Night Roads 1/2 5/6 5/5 8/10
X-Country 1/1 3/3 3/3 4/4
Distances in squares. Lower rate for all units of Divs in contact. Bad going is impassable to
vehicles except on a road, amd units in combat on roads 1/3rd combat power.
1 major unit (+ subunit) occupies two road squares.
1 major Inf unit (+subunit) + 1 major Amd unit or 2 major Amd units per square for general
movement or deployed for defence.
In attack, up to 2 Inf + 2 Amd units per square.
Moving unit can pass through a static unit (dug in or deployed for defence).
Task Timings
Deploy for defence or move under cover* 1 hour
Take over dug in position, reorg after successful attack 1 hour
Prepare to move from defence/cover 1 hour
Take over enemy dug in position 3 hours
Deploy and dig in for defence 5 hours
Improved dug in for defence, incl take over 24 hours
*cover, at least 1square km wood/bua
Battle Planning
[Link] Team 1 hour
[Link]-planned Bn counter attack w. Sqdn + Regt. 2 hours
[Link] other Bn attacks with basic support (Tp/Sqdn/Bty) 3 hours
[Link] attack with Tp/Sqdn+Regt. 4 hours
Bde.2 Bn Pre-planned Ctr Attk w. Sqn/Regt + Arty Regt supt 2 hours + move to SL
Bde.2 Bn attack w. Tp/Sqn each + Arty Regt with one committed 4 hours
Bde.2 Bn attack w. Tp/Sqn each + Arty Regt 7 hours
Bde.2 Bn attack w. Sqn each + 2 Arty Regt 10 hours
Bde.2 Bn attack w [Link] each + 3 Arty Regt 12 hours
Div.2 Bde attack w. Regt each, all Div arty, reserve Bde 24 hours
Bde attacks may have objectives up to 5 squares deep, Div attack 10 squares. Only delay
attackers 1 hour for planning. Reserve Bn/Bde treated as pre-planned CA.
Battle with Bn 2-4 hours
Battle with 2 Bn 3-7 hours
Copyright Martin Rapier and John Curry 2008
50% planning time in daylight (night attacks, 100% planning in daylight). 50% of planning
time may be taken in movement to SL, but may form up 1 square back from SL and move up
in last hour. CA may not start until result of battle decided.
Visibility and Fire
Day, deployed unit observes all adjacent squares. Can detect movement and activity 2 or 3
squares from 1 or 2 contour.
No visibility across woods/BUA sides.
No visibility at night, can only see into own square.
Moving and undeployed units only observe and fire into own square.
Deployed major units cover by fire all adjacent squares, enemy must halt, withdraw or plan an
attack. At night only fire into own square.
Deployed defending units adjacent to attackers are mutually supporting.
Combat results and Losses
0-20% losses no effect on efficiency
20-40% losses half combat effect
40-75% losses retire from battle, 7 days to reorganise. Wiped out if overrun
75% or over wiped out, cannot be reorganised
Casualty replacement one level per night at midnight, arriving day after their receipt.
Armour/SP artillery replaced the same day.
Loser generally retires one (or more squares). Winner stays in place (defence) or occupies
square (attacker), but must spend 1 hour reorganising before they can advance. See times for
digging in/talking over enemy positions.
Ranges (orthogonal)
Field guns 6 squares
Med/Heavy guns 9 squares
Inf must dismount from tanks if under arty fire.
Moving Inf (not in battle) engaged by Regt must either halt or take 15% losses per hour.
Logistics
Isolated units get no replacements and fighting effect halved after 48 hours. Applies to river
crossings until bridged.
Isolated formations, half efficiency after 4 days.
Armoured Div Task Timings
Combat Team 2 Inf Co, 2 Tank Sqdn, SP Arty Bty 1 hour
Bn Amd Regt + Inf Bn + basic arty 2 hours
Bde 2 Amd Regts + Inf Bn or 1 Amd Regt + 2 Bn + basic arty 4 hours
Div 2 Bdes (mixed armour + inf) plus arty 8 hours
Copyright Martin Rapier and John Curry 2008
Task Timings Date:
0000
0100
0200
0300
0400
0500
0600
0700
0800
0900
1000
1100
1200
1300
1400
1500
1600
1700
1800
1900
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2100
2200
2300
Notes:
Copyright Martin Rapier and John Curry 2008
Umpires Notes
Battle times
Smaller is 1 Bn
1-5 = 2hrs, 6-8 = 3hrs, 9-10 = 4hrs
Smaller is 2 Bn
1 = 3hrs, 2-4 = 4hrs, 5-7 = 5hrs, 8-9 = 6hrs, 10 =7hrs
Casualties
Infantry
Defending Success 0-15 NE 16-77 1 hit 78-99 2 hits
Defending Failure 0-3 1 hit 4-69 2 hits 70-99 3 hits
Attacking Success 0-50 NE 51-95 1 hit 96-99 2 hits
Attacking Failure 0-15 NE 16-77 1 hit 78-99 2 hits
Armour
Success 0-15 NE 16-77 1 hit 78-99 2 hits
Failure 0-50 1 hit 51-99 2 hits
Air recce
If overrun into night then break off until next day.
Road/linear
0-19 Not spotted 20-79 Square occupied 80-99 Unit ID’d. Units under cover not seen, moving
units identified.
Photo interpretation 2 hours later re-applies probabilities but may see units in cover now.
4 square recce
0-49 occupied 50-99 Unit identified. Units under cover not seen, moving units identified.
Photo interpretation 2 hours later re-applies probabilities but may see units in cover now.
Replacements
1 step per day the day after losses sustained. Armour gets 1 step back but the same day.
Copyright Martin Rapier and John Curry 2008
