Simple Rules for a Skirmish Campaign

I’m been trying to cook up some simple rules for a Savage Worlds Skirmish Campaign set in World War Two. Thought I ought to set some down in cyberland.

For anyone that hasn’t been paying attention I’ve been running a skirmish campaign set on the East Front starting at the beginning of Operation Barbarossa. So far I’ve been completely “winging it” in terms of replacements and ammo and stuff. But I thought I’d like to come up with some sort of randomizing system to generate replacements and resupply, etc.

Wounds and Recovery - Extras

For each extra that was knocked out of action during the combat make a vigor roll (this is usually done at the end of a game – but can be done during the game if anyone goes to check on the downed comrade). The roll is modified by -2 if they were left on the battlefield and/or their side lost.

1 Killed in Action
2-3 Seriously Wounded
4+ (success) Lightly Wounded
8+ (raise) Knocked Out

A Killed in action extras is dead. Gone from the game for good.

A Seriously Wounded extra will miss the next game and roll again as above after the next game (feel free to apply any situational modifiers – harsh conditions, on the move, no medical attention, etc).

A Lightly Wounded extra will miss the next game but return the following game.

A Knocked Out extra was simply knocked out or otherwise temporarily combat ineffective, but is fit to return to action for the next battle!!

Any extras that are left on the table, and the enemy is in control of the field of battle at the end of the game, must check to see if they are captured. They must make a stealth roll to escape and evade (Lightly Wounded extras are at -2, Seriously Wounded extras are at -4). Failure means the extra is captured and remains a prisoner of war for the duration of the campaign and effectively removed from the game.

Wounds and Recovery - Wild Cards

This is dealt with as per the normal rules in the Savage Worlds book with the exception that each wild card may make one natural recovery roll between each scenario, regardless of how much time actually takes place (keeping in mind all situational modifiers; environmental conditions, on the move, lack of medical attention, etc). If there is a point in the campaign where the unit would be brought out of the line for an extended period of time the wild cards may make natural healing rolls for every full five days between actions.

If at all possible any wild card with one or two wounds may be evacuated to a hospital behind the lines – any with three or more will (if possible) be evacuated. They are out of the game until they recover (natural healing rolls every five days) and can return to action.

Experience – Extras

For every two actions that a team of extras takes part in they can have a level-up rank isn’t kept track of – they are limited to the improvements they can take in Showdown and must have all trait requirements to take the level up. Attributes can only ever be raised once each and attributes can only be raised every second level-up.

Replacement Credits

Each character with rank may make a replacement credit roll per turn. This is a d6-2 (or -3 if the unit is cut off from higher echelons that could supply replacements). Characters with rank may pool their replacement credits.

One replacement credit can replace one base level conscript with no experience. Replacements can be found for experienced units. A replacement for an experienced unit requires an additional replacement credit for each level-up the unit has had.

A Negative result on the Replacement Roll means one extra under the command of the Character in question is lost between games due to desertion, sickness, air or artillery bombardment, mines, etc…

Ammunition Credits

After every game, each wild card and unit of extras drops one ammo level. Before the next game each wild card and unit of extras will roll d4 to determine how much ammo they have been able to replace. This roll is modified as follows

-1 if in Good Supply
-2 if in Poor Supply – general lack of supplies or means to get it to the frontline units.
-3 if Out of Supply – looting corpses of friends and enemies

Again ammo credits can be pooled. Each Ammo credit will raise one wild card or unit one ammo level OR may be used to supply a unit/wild card with d4 grenades.

Fatigue

Each unit or wild card should check for fatigue if they are taking part in a second engagement within 6 (4? 12? 24?) hours, if they have been on the move and haven’t slept in over 24 hours, or if they are out of supply.

If a character had survival they may attempt to make a survival roll to avoid taking a fatigue test due to lack of supply (modified by -2 if on the move or in a region where food and water aren’t redily avaialbe – i.e. middle of a desert). For each raise another character or unit may ignore a fatigue test.