blocked Line of Sight to 15% of the mapsheet. (See the module on the development 1.,.1 (20); (20)! (20) (20) (20) .!\li.!ll1\li.!l!. J.,.

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1 4 GAME PROFLE: Soliers The fol/owing Game Protile on Soliers represeats a thir approach (Q Games. n two sections Lenny Glynn game's eveloper an Dave sby who researche an esigne Soliers cover in epth processes puttinq Soliers through mill at SP an assembling raw ata that makes Soliers an accurat simulation. by Lenny Glynn an Davi C. sby woul allow. But simplicity harest thing to achieve. turns out to be The original map that Dave use to test his prototype neee to be reone. A few changes were neee an at least one too many was mae: a confusing line that Dave treate as a stream translate into a rige a rige that blocke Line Sight to 5% mapsheet. (See moule on evelopment rnap.) Locations were assigne whimsical an unpublishable names an we began play testing with Dave's original rules. Besies Friay Night Crew SP's esign staff engages in a lot gaming on job. The games teste Friays have ir most basic flaws ace out uring week. The first our gallant company play testers to go "over top" on Soliers were Nick Maffeo an Bill PART}: The Development Process By time a Simulations Series Game goes to printer it has been criticize mole an polishe by virtually everyone in game epartment at SP an numerous interlopers (orwise known as "play testers" or Friay Night Crew). This process has been outline bee but this article aims to cover it in more etail with an eye human comey involve. The Game in question is Soliers latest in series tactical games. Soliers covers small unit tactics in opening months First Worl War bee igging Western Front largest mass grave in history. Although Soliers is being publishe in June 972 it was conceive in spring 970 in (now legenary) tenement basement which serve as worl heaquarters Simulations Publications (n known as Poultron Press). While Jim Dunnigan an A Ni chewe fat (as is ir wont) about problems esigning The Renaissance nfantry Dave sby joine conversation. sby was a British Viceroy in nia an a captain in Light Brigae in previous lives; an is now left hook S&'s -2 research team. Unexpectely Dunnigan change subject an sai to sby "Dave how woul you like to o a tactical game on Worl War One?" This was inglorious conception Soliers although pregnancy was long an birth pangs terrible.. ;-.. (20); (20)! (20) (20) (20).!\l.!lL\l.!l!. \l.!l J..;""' y For almost two years sby gare inmation a Worl War One Tactical game. e worke when he wante since game was not yet on any scheule. Early on he began playing prototypes solitaire an with friens. By early 972 sby felt his game was reay publication an brought it in. This is where came in. n March 972 ha been working at SP four weeks mostly pro-reaing an eiting copy. Soliers was assigne to me as my first responsibility in Game Development. John Young guarian angel game prouction gave me Dave's rules an map in early March. Work got uner way... _ The first step was to familiarize myself with tactical games. rea Grenaier Combat Comman an Grunt bee trying to play Soliers. From start hope to make Soliers as simple as historical situation Soliers requires SP's largest counter master (400) to recreate variety nations an unit types that fought in opening roun Worl War One. The Art Department outi mselves to show six.ifferent nationalities. The color combinations are white on ark green (British) black on ark green (French) black on light green (Russian) ark green on light green (Belgian) white on black (Austrian) an black on grey (German). Functional Game markers are black on white. The rules Soliers (right) inclue thirteen scenarios.

2 5 Sullivan. At time each hex on map represente 50 yars an basic maneuver units were platoons. The iea was that on a higher level (i.e. company) battlefiel ominance artillery an machine guns woul be ilute. As we soon foun out Soliers prototype certainly avoie this problem: game was a uel between opposing artillery an machine guns. These uels were ten resolve by a single roll ie. nfantry units which attempte to avance were butchere. Realistic but unplayable? No simply unrealistic. There just was not that much artillery an machine guns in first phases war. We were showing" ir power in mini-tactical situations which exaggerate ir impact on larger battles i Sotters is set in 94 not 98) So first thing to change was scale: ex size oue to 00 yars turn time to ten minutes an basic units became companies rar than platoons. One thing that plague us in se early games was "Soliers are citizens Deem's grey lan" Soliers is a tactical (company level) game warfare in brief mobile phase at beginning First Worl War (August 94 - May 95. n this perio war armies were still able to maneuver: paralysing trench lines ha not yet been consoliate. GAME EQUPMENT The Game Map: 22" by 28" map shows terrain typical groun armies early Worl War fought over. t inclues hills varying height towns woos a canal railroa a line an a roa network. The Terrain Effects Chart explains effects se terrain features on movement an combat. A hexagonal gri has been superimpose over map to enable Players to etermine movement position an firing ranges ir units. The Playing Pieces: square ie-cut pieces (hereafter calle units or markers) represent platoon battery an company size uni military organizations several ifferent types an configurations. The number an symbols represent that unit's abilities with respect to movement an combat. (continue on page 7) lttltlit'llll W\X/ TACTCAL COMBAT Movement Allowance is basic maximum number hexagons which a unit may move in one Movement Phase. Stacking Value is relative amount "space" unit occupies in a given hex. No more than a total eight Stacking Points may be place in a given hex. UNT DENTFCATON TABLE Each nationality ha virtually unique combat mations an organizations which use as ir basic builing block company infantry squaron cavalry an battery artillery. The units represente in game each se nationalities are summarize here. BRTS nfantry Company Machine gun section This flow chart illustrates prouction process Soliers. Soli lines inicate irect control by one esign team members. Dotte lines inicate avisory contributions to evelop ment process. Proucts (i.e. finishe pieces work) are enclose in square boxes. Processes (i.e. work itself) are enclose in arrow-hea boxes that inicate irection flow work. The two-pointe boxes inicate an interaction process. Similar iagrams coul be rawn virtually every SP game. The evelopement Soliers took about eight weeks from prototype to final version a furr six weeks from final version through artwork to actual prouction. By time this MOVES reaches you Soliers will be available sale. But n most ubious step occurs: game passes into tener hans U.S. Postal Service. Cavalry squaron: mounte Cavalry squaron: ismounte Fiel gun Battery GERMAN nfantry company Machine Gun company (German only) Machine Gun platoon (German only) ""''' " '" ;J: " " is <0 "=> " go ". cg l2 - :::rz(l) ;; m '" ::ac::!j ) 5 ''''' ":t -/ :00'" c::om /....- l>8 ":!z -i--- 0 ' C. '<C: => - :::.. ":lj '"" :::!o =>=> "''' _./ '--- : L_ ::::! --oj / "''' / / TYPCAL UNTS Cavalry Squaron: mounte Cavalry squaron: mounte Unit Size Range Affowance Au". S""9'htB] 3 Unit Symbol C8J Stacking Value 4 5 Attilck Unit emiry Number Movement Allowance Stacking Strength caliber Value ----/< w25 4]04 Range Unit Allowance Symbol Unit enriry Number Movement Affowance cavalry Squaron: ismounte Fiel Gun b8ttery Fiel gun platoon owitzer batrery owitzer platoon Cevetrv squaron: ismounte orse rawn Machine Gun section (German only) Fiel Gun battery Fiel Gun platoon owiteer betterv DEFNTON OF TERMS Attack Strength is basic fensive power a unit (see Combat) Defens.e Strength is basic efensive power a hex regarless what units are in that hex (see Combat). Range Allowance is maximum number hexagons through which a unit may project its Attack Strength t.e.. fire its weapons. FRENC nfantry (AND JAPANESE Company Machine gun section owitzer ptstoon BELGAN nfantry company CopyrightO 972 Simulations Publications nc. Printe in U.S.A. (DQ]

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4 7 (continue TACTfCS The four maps shown trace evelopment Soliers from 970 to printing. The first version Map was Dave sby's private prototype. t inclue coal tipples by a central cross-roas to replicate tactical situations at Mons three small towns which staye basically unchange through all three versions a few woos an some hills. Map 2 is first mae at Simulations. t inclues infamous "Wrong Rige" which shoul have been a stream. Dave's stream permanently isappeare from later versions. The secon version expane towns an woos original map to provie more cover while leaving open center so a "mobile battle" coul evelop. n fact center Map 2 became an unobstructe fiel fire Artillery an Machine Guns an Players refuse to commit ir infantry to this killing groun after a few ba experiences. One aition in Map 2 was a new railroa. We planne to playas if Railroa ran on a viauct an provie protection but this woul have create a too well protecte section map; in effect upper left corner woul have been a walle camp. So railroas were relegate to running on flat groun an ha no effect on combat. The Usine e Conom on rail spur was not only an interesting conversation piece but something a popular waystation passing Machine Gun units which rake almost entire central plain from this excellent cover. The town in upper left corner was name "la Mere" an set pattern an increasingly prurient series locale names. Remon Simonsen blew whistle on this in printe version by eciing to label each woos an town with a letter. The thir version Map was consierably change. First all a great eal urban renewal took place reucing towns from impregnable to assaultable positions. There was also a efoliation program sorts. There ha been too much an too eep cover bee. Soliers was intene to show open combat in Worl War One not street fighting or jungle warfare. ills were smoo out a lot mostly because complex an convolute rige system in Map 2 was literally impossible to write Line Sight rules.. The rige at bottom Map 2 was remove an one railroas became a roa. The crossroas in center boar accomplishe a very important object: it provie a goal to be fought over which i not itself provie cover. This ces players in certain scenarios to actually engage in open combat. This thir version is basically same as Map 4 printe version. f you look closely at Map 3 you can see a tiny line print running along ege. The line which appeare on all Soliers play test maps is from Wilfre Owen a British Poet kille in last weeks war. t reas "What passing bells those who ie as cattle?" N SOLDERS There is really only one tactic in Soliers an it was state with a crue simplicity by Nathan Be Forrest Confeerate cavalry genius "Get thar fustest with rnostest." n Soliers winning player is one who brings killing firepower to bear without exposing himself to effective return fire. "Effective" is a crucial wor since it is practically impossible to estroy an enemy without coming uner some fire. The key to keeping enemy fire ineffective is remarkably simple: outflank enemy fire positions. The interlocking fiels fire enemy units can always be approache an entere from flank without facing full ce fire. Blocking Terrain an friely units inhibit enemy fire. Freq4Q!Y a.position is hel by say six units hich ha ' ines Sight" to front tw ich can fire to tla acle in an enernvjf use in approaching a osition. On efense' every sh be mae to eploy in a roune posiion that is har to outflank an to go into mprove Positions with as many units as possible. The placement artillery an Machine Gun units must be one with great care especially if enemy has some avantage in se arms. Sometimes victory in a scenario or efeat can be ecie by one artillery uel which makes any subsequent infantry action anti-climactic. The canal provies excellent cover an in effect a protecte roa moving along. ills are valuable several reasons: y are superior efensive positions to level groun an y exten Line Sight over Blocking Terrain. The numbers printe on hills refer to elevation a small point that we faile to mention in Soliers rules. All players shoul use ntericti wh r possible since this enabl enemy assaults. nteri arely valuable in ma impassaqle tq'th s.tthat require < per use nterictiqg t very ifficult 7i ng efensive positions in Co Te in requires sacrifice units which must "rush" those positions to serve as "spotters" to irect fire or Frienly units. Finally mounte cavalry is very limite utility in Soliers. n scenarios that emonstrate cavalry actions se units are obviously significant but most part cavalry shoul be avance to important positions an ismounte to fight like infantry. French cavalry is more useless ismounte than mounte. n this case it pays to use French cavalry in "kamikaze" attacks because y really can't o much else what with those heavy breastplates an all. n essence Soliers will teach you lessons that will be highly valuable shoul you ever go to war: get uner cover ig in avance from cover to cover an if possible shoot enemy in back. AsG ai ut it "You on't win wars ntry; you win astar ie from page 5) use cavalry units as Karnikazes. A player woul sen his cavalry unit charging up to an Artillery or Machine Gun unit an wipe it out while losing cavalry. While this reflecte illusions cavalry commaners in 94 it far exceee ir operational ability. Surprisinqlv we in't fin a simple way to fix this f(j!.a_long while. After resolving se most basic problems sat own with Dave to write first raft rules Friay Night Playtesters. Dave is a fountain knowlege a veritable human Britannica. e provie inmation that mae every exception to a rule possible. As he explains in a separate article in this MOVES re was a fine graation in unit capabilities an tactical octrines in 94 that necessitate a wie variation in units an rules. The first raft rules got ir baptism fire next Friay. Ah Friay. t's a sacre ritual at SP initiation an purification rites every new game. Aroun 800 hours play testers begin to arrive. A Ni eploys m to various games an y have at it Since y only have raft rules an prototype maps to play with flaws in se components quickly become apparent As with all tactical games "hairiest" an most worke-over sections Soliers rules were those on Line Sight Line Fire. Eventually all se rules were consoliate uner Combat section. Clear terminology in this section rules can save Players (an our complaint an question people) a lot heaaches. Basically problem is that people working on game get too "close" to it The rules become secon nature to m an y miss ambiguities. When someone asks a question like "Can infantry units fire own hex-sie between two town hexes?" y answer "Of course not" But question stems from an ambiguity in rules; in this case a provision that "any unit may fire along sies Blocking Terrain hexes but not through such hexes." This seems crystal clear to esigner an rules writer but muy to player. Some play testers are especially valuable etecting this type fault in a game an using it to win. Among play testers Dave Levine eserves special mention this. (For example while play testing Winter War Dave manage to capture Leningra with his Finns on a technicalitv.l Of course re were many ambiguities in early rafts Soliers rules but y were mostly ue to style an syntax rar than basic contraictions. There were also problems organization an structure. Nothing shoul be mentione or assume bee it has been explaine. The rules must interconnect with exceptions an previews (s.q. see Artillery a fuller explanation) serving to bin toger sections rules in same way a straight jacket bins arms a maman. Such comparisons rush to min after working on ambiguities an loop-holes in a set rules six weeks. n Soliers example rules on Line Sight seeme like a crumbling ike which sprung a new leak every time we plugge an ol one. t wasn't until John Young trie to rewrite final set rules that we foun a simple way to relate Direct Fire an "Observe" Fire. t turne out that every time a unit was in a position to use Direct Fire against a given Target it was also able to serve as an "Observer" to irect or Frienly units'

5 8 fire. Once we realize this a truckloa "irty" Line Sight rules literally woun up in scrap heap. can still remember my joy asl took scissors in han an cut Line Sight rules to pieces. By this time we were saying "goo riance" to any rules that gumme up mechanics while aing little to realism. The. memory problems things like which units ha use up too many Movement Points to fire in a Fire Phase which units were isrupte which in mprove Positions etc. were solve most part by making counters to inicate varying status units. This is easier an surer than alternatives which involve paper work or sheer honesty an memory. Dave sby eserves a Victoria Cross laborious research work which enable him to prouce more than ty scenarios testing. The majority se prove unworkable as games. They were historically accurate but ifficult or impossible to play-balance without fuging history too much. As it is many Soliers scenarios are unbalance to some egree an players shoul try both sies a given scenario bee looking at it as a measure skill. istory is simply not replete with evenly matche neatly balance battles. Most battles were pretty uneven in terms ce mix an simulations context allows more powerful player to exploit his avantages in ways his real-life counterpart coul not. We trie several methos introucing "Fog War" or limite intelligence into Soliers but foun that y mae game hopelessly "hairy" anlor unreal. After all given 94 tactical octrine relatively straightwar attacks how much "fog" coul re be in a piece terrain a mile across. Victory conitions are anor key source ifficulty. f re is some senseless an unrealistic way to "fulfill victory conitions" one Friay Night Crew will fin it an o it. Like most gamers trey play to win:no hols barre unless y are specifically bien in rules. Friay nights game evelopment team consist a seemingly enless series arbitrations rule isputes an notations corrections on xeroxe rules. Occasionally game esigner comes along an enlightens you about some minor rule he has been keeping to himself like "from now on units have no Zones Control." nming play testers about this kin rules change is a nasty task an always raws agonizing groans an gnashings teeth. But it's worth it. After three or four Friays a game begins to fall into shape. The rough eges get smoo an as with Soliers evelopment team gets overconfient. Worse yet one becomes physically sick at mention game's title. Don't get me wrong Soliers is a goo game: just on't come aroun an ask me or Dave sby to playa game it. At least not a couple years. This nausea begins to set in about fourth week after secon raft rules have passe through John Young's hans an final version has to be type. But what seem to be final rules still unergo changes right up to last minute. For example Remon Simonsen last rules eitor to touch any game bee publication rea Soliers f an on five ays an suggeste several changes incluing a new way marking change in a Cavalry unit's status from Mounte to Dismounte an vice versa. The whole process is outline in genealogy chart Soliers in this article. Jim Dunnigan also got his chance to assert esigner's machismo an make some changes at last minute. Finally process was over. Soliers was finishe; rules map an counters were sent to printers. For Dave sby an lour respite from Soliers will be all too brief. After we get back all our components pro-rea m an begin shipping we'll enjoy a few weeks peace. But inevitably some orwise sunny summer morning will be estroye by a small pile Soliers letters lying on my esk. 'll reluctantly tear open first one an rea some classic query such as "Dear S&T uner Combat case (Al you say 'after first Player has complete firing his units Enemy Player may return fire.' What want to ask is: who is Enemy Player?" -Lenny Glynn PART 2: The istorical Backgroun The opening ays First Worl War saw eath ol Europe an terrible birth new. As Ewar Grey sai lights went out allover Europe. When smoke cleare structure orere worl 9th century was along with 20 million people a casualty First Worl War. nstea an orere civilization strange things such as "communism" "fascism" an "Czechoslovakia" set stage a century turmoil. n 94 however "final arbitrators" situation were armies. t is how se armies met in battle in early ays war that game Soliers is concerne with. Soliers is a tactical warga me meaning it eals with clash brigaes or regiments rar than armies nations. The battles between nations have alreay been presente in game m in Avalon ill's 94 an Simulation's Tannenburg but Soliers is a ifferent scope showing not what happene when Germany attacke France but rar what happene when specific units traine organize an equippe in accor with a nation's military ogma met in a specific area on a specific ate. A tactical game shows not only how training equipment an organization each nation interacte but also options open to a brigaier colonel or lieutenant in 94. Soliers is playe on a mapsheet with each hexagon representing 00 meters terrain an each game-turn 0 minutes time. This time an istance scale was selecte because it shows interaction all types arms. The units represent companies infantry about 250 men machine gun units are shown as companies six weapons or sections two. Cavalry is in squarons about 50 men an horses an artillery was in 8 6 or 4 gun batteries with 6 most common. These batteries can be broken own into two-gun platoons as well. Lenny Glynn's article escribes changes in scale we ha to make bee settling on this. Platoons an 44 meter hexes were just about only feasible scale an use to think best. But we foun that 00 meter scale showe quite accurately percentage casualties cause by each type weapon. t also oes not permit one to use unrealistic tactics. The tactics employe in Soliers are those use by combatants in 94-5 player must use se to best his ability if he is to successfully play Soliers. As with just about any tactical game heart Soliers is its scenarios. As it stans now game has thirteen scenarios plus a solitaire game. One biggest problems in proucing Soliers was researching scenarios. n fact i research some 40-o scenarios. The ones in game are best. There was one basic criterion each scenario: coul ecent inmation on troop strengths an eployment be foun? This was ten a problem an this brings us to sources use to flesh out scenarios. The major source was multi-volume ficial histories Britain an France my ignorance German preventing effective use German history Der Weltkrieg. The British history is far an away better than French. Not only is it in English with ata on weaponry an organizations that French lacks but most important it goes into great etail on small unit actions. Every scenario involving British except attack on Tsing-Tau which got from history South Wales Borerers one units involve use Official istory as its source. Some scenarios were however originally researche from "popular" histories such as Terraine's Mons an Tyng's The Marne. Most or scenarios came from popular histories or French fical history. Untunately much this ata was less than complete. The Russian front scenarios with exception numbers 6 an 2 were merely expansions brief mentions an names units those which were in vicinity at time battle. Several situations were inclue ir historical interest such as "Massacre nnocents" an Charge 9th Lancers. But many or historically important scenarios were rejecte because y were just too ifficult to make into ecent games. Several or actions wante to inclue prove impractical because course battle was change by super-human efts on part one or a few iniviuals. The Battles Nery where a single British gun hel f a German ivisional attack or E where one French company ce a German ivision to retreat from a possibly ecisive attack are examples. Exceptions this type prove impossible to incorporate in a game. ha hope to inclue among scenarios in 2n Worcesters at Ghevault probably most ecisive single battalion action war. So ashe f a scenario base on an account in a popular history. t in't work out. Research into or sources incluing ficial history showe that counterattack coul not be taken out context from events on its flanks which enlarge scope action beyon scale Soliers. Then foun out that no one was quite sure where German ces were at time attack. Attempts to relate etails action mentione in ficial history with those in or works only le me to woner wher y were escribing same battle. As was uner time pressure was ce reluctantly to let iea rop. Once ha one historical research a given scenario it n ha to be translate to context game. t is a ifficult thing to make 3 very ifferent battles fit on one mapsheet an still retain historical accuracy. The same is true victory conitions. This is area where things must be most finely ajuste. This "fine tuning" was one by Nick Maffeo who playe each one ty-o Soliers counterattack

6 9 scenarios several times seeing if it was balance an if it playe well. f re was something wrong Nick an sat own an iscusse what changes coul be mae to make scenario balance an workable while still retaining historical accuracy. Some scenarios however are eliberately unbalance although most m are fairly even. My attempts which hope were successful to get scenarios that work also prove to be one most ifficult parts esign work. Wars are fought with weapons an any wargame especially a tactical one must show relative effectiveness weapons perio. The events First Worl War were ictate by types weapons use yet weapons 94 i not provie ecisive means to break open war. Machine guns an masse artillery coul an i prouce a stalemate but y coul not open stalemate up. n 94 re were three arms: infantry cavalry an artillery. The infantry was organize into companies approximately 250 men an arme with bolt-action rifles. These rifles however varie greatly in quality which accounts ifferences in Attack Strength in infantry companies ifferent nations. The attack strength also reflects training soliers in 94. A rifle is worthless if you can't hit anything with it which is what was happening in 98. The calculations attack strength a unit also inclue amount ammunition available to it. The high attack strength () a British infantry company is because y use Lee-Enfiel worl's finest service rifle an because y were best traine army in worl. The men were all longserving volunteers not unenthusiatic conscripts as in or European armies. Years service an ir excellent rifle enable British soliers to sustain a rate fire 5 rouns per minute at ranges up to 800 yars. Better shots coul get f upwars 30 rouns per minute an hit targets over a mile away. To sustain se high rates fire y carrie large amounts ammunition. All in all a miable ce. The Germans ha as goo an army in 94 as possible base on conscripts. The German rifle Mauser '98 wasn't ba an as long as y ha ficers an NCOs irecting fire average German solier coul get f 0 rouns per minute although not as well aime as British. The Germans also ha larger units an ir ammunition supply was goo. This resulte in German infantry company 94 receiving fairly goo attack strength seven in Soliers. The Belgian infantry was superior to Germans in most respects but not by much. This couple with slightly smaller units also kept Belgians at seven. The Belgian army in fact was arme an traine much along German lines. The French are conspicuous because ir low attack strength three lowest any infantry company. This is ue to many reasons. First French ha not traine ir conscript army as well as y might have. Many men i not know ir jobs. When men who i not know ir jobs turne out to be ranking ficers results were blooy. This is shown in several Soliers scenarios where French units make poorly supporte frontal assaults. The main French failing was ir rifle Lebel '86. Unlike or rifles in use in 94 which coul be loae with clips up to ten rouns Lebel ha to have each roun fe into its magazine iniviually by han. French companies were also small an lacke low-level control an irection. The British were able to keep ir cohesion because superior training an skille troops Germans because ir rigi an well-thought-out systems comman but French isaine German system as overly authoritarian an ir men lacke British training. The tactics 94 were probably greatest cause bloobath Worl War One became. The technological avances in weaponry ha outstrippe avances in tactics. Weaponry overpowering tactics ha been a. tren since 85. Much too ten in 94 an avance consiste rows men walking through open in an attempt to isloge enemy from a position. All armies except British traine ir troops to attack in this manner. n ory avancing troops woul not be stoppe by enemy fire an woul ce enemy to withraw by threat bayonet. f enemy fire i stop attacking ce y woul lay own shoot up efening troops n resume avance. Souns simple? Try this on your Soliers game. Using se tactics a efener in covering terrain or in "improve positions" (ug-in) can efeat an attacker four or five times larger. Most nations hel to this iea throughout war. The Germans example until y thought "moern" infiltration tactics in 98 believe that way to efeat a efense bee sening in one usual attacks was to "sten up" enemy positions by bombaring it. But in 94 re wasn't always enough artillery an by time more artillery was available enemy was usually entrenche an resulting week-long bombarments still coul not crack efense lines. The French carrie iea an attack to extremes. They were convince that ir men woul not be eterre by fire enemy an woul keep going an clear enemy position. Neir French nor most ors thought that attacking troops stoppe by fire woul be ce to ig in. Many nations i not even bor to train ir troops to ig This is reflecte in Soliers by mprove Position rule. Using this rule a unit rolling a certain number may ouble efense strength hex it is in. Some nations' troops go into mprove Positions easier than ors. The "stupiity factor" also enters into this. An ficer may fail to give orer to "take cover" an his conscript troops woul not know enough to o it mselves. The French were ba in all epartments. Very few Frenchmen carrie spaes y were not suppose to ig in an ir generally half-traine troops woul not ig in without orers from ir equally half-traine ficers. The Germans were better f especially because y ha more spaes an ir cohesion was better. Thus Germans may enter improve positions on a ie roll "" or "2" while French will only o it on a "".. Of 0 Million soliers who ie in First Worl War some 39% were kille by bullets. Most se bullets were from a weapon some people such as Marshals Foch aig von Falkenhyn Jfre an Kitchener regare in 94 as a "noisy toy" machine gun. Most nations attache one section two machine guns to each battalion four companies. The Belgians an sometimes even Russians woul attach a few extra machine guns when y ha m. The Germans groupe ir machine guns toger in groups six. This was not an effective way organizing things - machine guns tene to be over-concentrate an y were use in front firing line rar than being place in more vital positions on flanks. Their guns also ha armore gunshiels an were mounte on sles year roun. Most machine guns were Maxim types except French who use air-coole otchkiss an Austrians who use Schwarzlose both inferior weapons. The British Machine Gun units are strong because training crews while Belgian guns were exceptionally mobile being mounte in light carts pulle by traine ogs. The Russians suffere from a lack traine personnel an ammunition which is also reflecte in ir attack strength. The German machine gun company coul break own into three sections if nee arose although y usually woul not. They were less effective broken own as section leaers were not traine inepenent action an all ammunition was hel by company O. So y perme less well broken own. The Artillery was great killer First Worl War casuing 58% casualties. Most artillery was basically same fiel guns bertween 75 an 84 millimeters in caliber. The British Germans an Austrians also use light fiel howitzers slightly heavier than guns which were able to fire high angles over terrain such as woos an riges which woul normally block ir fire. This is represente in Soliers as y can fire over covering terrain an also exten ir range with ai a spotting unit. The range artillery in Soliers as with all or weapons is effective range. For example while British rifles coul hit targets a mile away y i ir real estruction at closer ranges. Artillery ranges were also limite by visibility an poor communications era. One feature artillery was ir ability to put own "curtains fire" that enemy troops woul not avance through. This was use to isolate sections battlefiel. Machine guns coul also execute a similar maneuver. These tactics are represente in Soliers by interiction rule. Of artillery units in Soliers most unique is French. These were famous French '75's. They were traine to use any available cover much more so than or nation's artillery so in Soliers y are only artillery that can enter mprove Positions uring course game. Being light an mobile an again being traine it y are able to move an fire in same phase. Probably most irect link to Mile Ages in 94 (asie from German conuct occupation Belgium) was cavalry. As it ha been since Alexaner Great cavalry was a man on a horse with a swor. Untunately what worke in 066 woul not work in 94. Even more untunately most cavalry commaners i not believe this. n 94 all cavalrymen were still equippe with eir sabre or lance. As a somewhat gruging concession to reality most carrie a carbine as well. These carbines lightene versions infantry rifles were less effective than normal rifles. The French an Russian carbines however were somewhat riiculous being similar to ones use in Franco-Prussian War. n French case it wa s mae worse by fact that some 25% ir cavalry still wore boy armor just like knights in Mile Ages an if se armore cavalry were orere to "hit irt" y woul be so weighe own y couln't get up. All this woul be rar funny if so

7 0 many brave men who believe that cavalry was still ecisive arm ha not been kille fining out iiocy ir beliefs. The British as usual injecte a note realism into picture. Their cavalry carrie same rifle as infantry an was traine to fight ismounte as well since excellent British -cavalrv octrine saw main role cavalry to be ismounte fighting. One harest problems in Soliers or any Twentieth century tactical game is writing rules visibility an line sight that are both accurate an playable. n his article Lenny Glynn talks about great ifficulties we ha figuring out se rules. Basically one cannot hit what one cannot see. Troops in woos or in built-up areas will avail mselves. concealment. Any rule that woul permit units to fire at what y cannot see woul have to be couple with an ammunition limitation complications woul be loath to get tangle in. One more ifficult parts in research Soliers was Combat Results Table infamous "CRT". Working out a playable an accurate CRT was a prerequisite to any serious play testing Soliers. A CRT ha to relate chances firepower a specific unit represente by its attack strength to its chances oing amage to a unit in a certain sort terrain. The number bullets that were suppose to hit was foun in contemporary books on rifles an tactics. Furr research into topic showe that almost all time small units which were "estroye" were not wipe out to last man although this i happen in some instances. Rar a unit which took heavy enough casualties woul lose its cohesion an comman control an become useless fighting uring relatively short span time represente by a Soliers scenario. n most cases in Soliers a "estroye" unit is one in which between 33% an 66% men have become casualties along with almost all ficers an NCOs. The unit is no longer an effective fightir:g ce an in context game is estroye. "Disruption" is a harer term to efine. When a unit is isrupte it means that effects enemy fire regarless wher y have prouce casualties or not have interefere with comman control a unit enough it to be unable to take any efinite action classic situation troops pinne own uner fire is represente in Soliers by isruption. n fact play test versions Soliers use wor "pinne" instea isruption. These results combine with effect fire on units in ifferent sort terrain. For example if a French cavalry squaron 50-o men charges a German machine gun company six Spanau machine guns Soliers CRT woul make every Frenchman a casualty 4.5 times. n Soliers os woul be 34- against cavalry - absolutely no chance survival. The CRT reflects possibilities open in 94. One can use enormous amount firepower to create a ealy stalemate or use it to open up enemy position. The CRT gives you material. The choice how to use it is player's. - Davi C. sby Woul You Like to Work at SP Just about everyone at SP has one thing in common. They were originally subscribers to S& T or ye-in--wool game freaks. We are still expaning rar rapily an fin that we continually nee new people. To save us some trouble (an perhaps get some you an interesting job) we ecie to go right to source most our present employees: people who use our proucts. The following types jobs are open from time to time: EDTORAL eiting an in general. taking goo care written material we generate here (incluing game rules). Also involves working on games an oing research. Requirements job: maturity sense responsibility ability to get along with a collection crazy people ability to keep track a whole bunch things at once. Shoul be able to write clearly an prorea. Above all you have to able to o what's aske you an get job one. College eucation not necessary; shoul be over 8. Salary: 500+ (per month) to start. Rapi raises after that if you can hack it. GRAPCS - Two positions are available: Boarman: eavy mechanicals some layout type-styling an spec. Must have goo rafting ability an goo general knowlege art-preparation fset reprouction. Must be able to work with a minimum irection. One to three years prior pressional experience is a necessity. Will be expecte to have (or acquire) a etaile knowlege simulation games. Salary: $600 to $700 per month to start increases commensurate with ability an permance. Assistant Boarman: Mechanicals an pasteup supporting work esigners iagramatic an chart work. Must be able to o neat an precise work. Must have familiarity with fset reprouction requirements. Recent grauate accreite art school or two years pressional.. experience. Salary: $500 to $540 per month to start. Salary an responsibility increases with ability an permance. FNANCE: re are a number responsible jobs permanently open in this area an more that will open in future. Basically re is a full charge bookkeeping position involving General Leger an all subsiiary journals an legers incluing Accounts Receivable an Payable Cash Receipts an Cash Disbursements etc. No eucational backgroun is necessary (though nice) but operational backgroun (experience) is a must. Then re is a higher level accounting job involving supervision two or more bookkeepers (an helping m finish work when necessary - no prie in this job!) constantly upating cost analysis verifying an maintaining outsie supplier costs cash flow analysis etc. This job requires some eucation (preferably at least two years accounting in college) as well as some experience. Areas knowle.ge neee are taxes (local state an feeral) all bookkeeping some statistics an preferably a little computer experience. n both jobs we hope to get people qualifie to evelop games. We are perfectly willing to take young people out school an give m practical experience neee if y are enthusiastic an work har. The bookkeeping job starts at $500 per month with increases base on permance an ability to assume responsibility. The accountant starts at $600 per month or more epening on qualifications. t is expecte that this will be a high growth job anyboy willing to work long hours an perm. The salary will be increase rapily after a short probationary perio; basically it goes up to what we can af. To apply any se jobs simply write us a letter (on't call or come in) telling us all about yourself. Also let us know when you coul start working (assuming you like what you saw after we' talke to you). Some se jobs are open now but probably not long. What we' like to o is buil up a file people who want to work here. When a job opens up we'll just start working our way own list. Working Conitions: You wear what you want to work an have consierable flexibility in your working hours. The main thing is to get job one with minimum amount noise an aggravation. There's a company health-insurance plan which will keep you alive if you get wrecke. We have our own typesetting facilities an an BM System 3 computer to keep track etails. Cash flow averages over $2000 a week as August '72 an we're proucing one magazine an over two games a month. So re's a lot work. f you're intereste an think you can fit in aroun here write us: Personnel Dept. Simulations Publications 44 East 23r Street New York N.Y. 000 nc.