WRG 1950-1985

[kyoteblue]

Any one play them ?? If so what do you think of them.

[Ivan Sorensen]

A bit chunky. Definitely an old fashioned kind of game but very playable. The few times we played, it was without a huge ton of figures on hte table but I think you could move a lot of stuff around, once you got the hang of the rules.

Do note it’s very old school. Some things are not explained that well.

[Rod Robertson]

Kyoteblue:

I used these rules for large scale Cold War games in the 1980’s and 1990’s. We would field up to regimental and brigade scale battles using these rules. To speed up the game we pregenerated randomised D6 rolls on paper and crossed rolls off as we used them. It made the games go faster. Rules are very basic but work well if you’re not a stickler for detail.

Cheers and good gaming.

Rod Robertson.

[DM]

Love them. We used to play massive battles back in the days of the old school wargames club in the 80s, but just as good for smaller actions too. We found them quick and simple to pick up, very well written, play flowed very nicely. We had a few players from the School of Infantry in Warminster and a few RTR tankies who played them too and they reckoned they were a very good representation. As and when I renovate my 1/300 modern collection (which has been languishing in various boxes since we lived in Southampton in the mid 90s) we’ll be using these again. I’ve played many other sets of modern rules since with other friends but none have come close in erms of playability, IMHO.

[Nick Turner]

Used them in the 80s whilst in Germany, still have a set for the odd peruse

[Ivan Sorensen]

Were they ever reprinted or is it all second hand now?

The copy I had years ago is well gone.

[Rules Junkie Jim]

They’re now a free download on the WRG website. There were later versions, but (IIRC) this version was considered the best.

http://www.wrg.me.uk/WRG.net/History/OLDWRG/Modern.pdf

 

[Ivan Sorensen]

Oh nice 🙂
Thanks for sharing!

edit: I like how the intro to a 40 page game warns people not to be put off by the high page count 🙂
Simpler times.

[Rod Robertson]

Kyoteblue:

These rules worked best with 1/300 or 1/285 scale micro-armour and each model represents one vehicle. I am not sure how useful they would be for gaming in 15mm. The ground scale is one inch represents 50 meters. A TOW missile under these rules is effective out to between 60-100 inches! You would be hard pressed to fit a battalion of Soviet armour on the board using 15mm models. You might be better off using other systems like Challenger II by Bruce Rea-Taylor or for bigger games one of Nordic Weasel’s rule systems.

Cheers.

Rod Robertson.

[Russell Phillips]

We played them a lot in the late 1980s, probably through into the early 1990s. On the whole, I liked them, and they allowed us to play large battles to a conclusion in a day.

Military history author
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[Ivan Sorensen]

Can someone clarify a few things?

1: If elements are hit but not knocked out,they become suppressed? Tanks as well?

2: How do elements recover from suppression?

Nevermind the second question, just noticed it lasts for one bound.

[Rod Robertson]

Ivan:

If hit and not knocked out elements can become neutralized for one or two turns, suppressed or just shake it off depending on what hit them. Units recover from suppression in the following turn automatically. Neutralization takes a whole turn more to recover from, double neutralization takes two full turns and more than double neutralization becomes and effective Knock-out.

Please find attached a copy of the rules to be used in this thread for reference purposes only:

http://www.wrg.me.uk/WRG.net/History/OLDWRG/Modern.pdf

If you want a copy go to the WRG website and get one for free.

Cheers and good gaming.

Rod Robertson

[Ivan Sorensen]

That’s what I was referring to. I just grabbed a copy off ebay for reference purposes.

[Ivan Sorensen]

Okay, so let’s say we have a Soviet platoon advancing, when they come upon some Imperialist bandits sitting in a treeline, 200 meters away.

The soviets have 3 BMP with MG and 30mm cannon, 3 rifle teams and 3 bipod MG teams.

In the tree lines are several american rifle teams and a trio of M113.

First, we need to roll to spot them.
Our rifles and MG teams will try to spot enemy infantry, requiring a 4+ (on 1D6) at this range.
We have poor luck (and drunk soldiers) and only 2 MG teams manage to spot a target.
The M113’s are spotted automatically this close.
2 BMP will fire at the vehicles while the third succeeds in a spotting roll and will fire at the infantry as well.

Firing our two MG teams first, at this range they need a 2 or better to hit, which both do.
We then need a 6 to actually kill them (stationary infantry are pretty tough) which both fail.
So two enemy elements are neutralized for one turn.

The BMP targeting the infantry fires its hull MG and neutralizes a target team.
I am not sure if you can target each weapon separately but I assume you can. The autocannon manages to knock out an infantry team completely.

Meanwhile, the other two BMP target the enemy APC’s they’ve spotted. Both shots hit and with the thin armour, both vehicles are knocked out.

Not bad, 1 rifle team destroyed, 2 M113 destroyed and 3 rifle teams are hugging the dirt. The bandits are in bad shape.

In the Americans turn, we roll a 4 for their reaction test. Minus 2 since two elements were knocked out and -2 due to a third of the total unit being neutralized gives them a total of 0.
This is raised to a 1, since they are occupying woods. The Americans can’t advance more than half a move but most likely, they are going to keep to the woods and return fire.

I’m unsure whether the elements that failed to spot anything could attempt suppressing fire.

[Rod Robertson]

Ivan:

If the Soviet Infantry are in the BMP’s then they can only fire as rifle groups. The troops which failed to spot anything could do suppressing fire.

Rod Robertson.

[Ivan Sorensen]

I figured they were all hoofing it.
Appreciate it. Trying to decipher the rules can be a bit of a challenge 🙂 It reminds me a lot of playing really old school D&D, which, given hte time frames, is probably quite accurate.

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