Johnny Reb

Regimental Grand Tactical American Civil War Miniatures Rules by John Hill

Johnny Reb, Regimental Grand Tactical American Civil War Miniatures Rules by John Hill.

The American Civil War was the division commander’s fight. Often a single division made the difference between victory and defeat; sometimes for a battle, sometimes for the campaign, and, possibly, for the war. D.H. Hill’s Confederate Division held Sumner’s Corps at Bloody Lane and saved Antietam for Lee. Sheridan’s Union Division held Polk’s Corps out of Rosecrans’ rear at Murfreesboro. Had Bowen’s Division of the rebs stopped McClernand’s Corps at Port Gibson, the Vicksburg Campaign might have ended with Grant surrendering. If Hood’s Division had taken Little Round Top from the Union III Corps, the battle of Gettysburg – And the war – might have ended differently.

The Game

Johnny Reb puts YOU in command of a division or corps. If you’ve never played miniature wargames before, then you’re perfect for the role of a Civil War general! Most of the officers in America’s bloodiest conflict were civilians suddenly thrust into the military, learning about warfare on the job! All the elements of combat are accounted for in the rules: weapons, morale, tactics, and terrain. YOU provide the element of command. The decisions of leadership are yours, but, as in all battles, luck will play a part. Can you, like the great leaders of the War Between the States, keep your head when your plans awry and disaster threatens? If you appreciate a game that’s authentic, exciting and challenging, you’ll want to play Johnny Reb.

Features

  • The rules can be used with 10mm, 15mm, 20mm, and 25mm miniature figures.
  • The basic unit is a regiment of 15 to 30 figures, divided equally between five bases.
  • One player can command a brigade of 3 to 4 regiments, a division of 9 to 12 regiments, or a corps of 18 to 25 regiments.
  • Every phase of the action is affected by morale.
  • Games can take from 30 minutes to 8 hours to complete, depending on the scenario and number of units used.
  • This is a moderately complex game, but 13-year-olds can be shown how to play.
  • Two or more people can play – Johnny Reb is ideal for team games.
  • Games can be played on a card table or up to a huge six-by-eight-foot table, depending on the scenario and number of units used.

What’s Inside

Rules Book. The game rules are written in simple language, with dozens of illustrations and examples of play, and indexed for easy reference.

Combat Tables. Each side has a card containing the outline of the sequence of play, and all movement, combat and morale tables for quick reference as you play.

Order Counters. Die-cut counters provide an easy and fast way to five orders to each unit in the game. Enough counters are included for up to twenty units per side.

Scenarios. Six complete, ready-to-play historical simulations are included. Each scenario has a map showing terrain and unit positions, plus orders of battle and clear victory conditions.

Dice. Four 6-sided dice needed for morale and combat are provided

Contents

  • Title: Johnny Reb
  • Period: American Civil War
  • Type: Regimental Grand-Tactical Wargame Rules
  • Time Scale: 1 turn = 30 minutes
  • Ground Scale: 1:1800 (1 inch = 50 yards)
  • Troop Scale: 1 figure = 30 men
  • Basing: 22 × 19 mm infantry stand with 3 or 4 figures
  • Casualty rate per minute at 100 meters range: (unmodified)
    • Infantry: 0.0033 hits
    • Cavalry (Union): 0.0033 hits
    • Cavalry (Confederate): 0.0021 hits
    • Artillery (Cannister): 0.5 hits
  • Game Research & Design: John Hill, Falls Church, VA
  • Game Developers: Steve St Clair, Bernie Kempinski
  • Format: 96-page rule book
  • Language: English
  • Publisher: The Johnny Reb Game Company, Falls Church, VA
  • Published: 1996

Chapters

  1. Setting the Stage
    • Time and Distance
    • What is needed to play
    • Modeling the Terrain
  2. Mounting the Miniatures
    • Officer Scale and Mounting
    • Infantry Scale and Mounting
    • Artillery Scale and Mounting
    • Cavalry Scale and Mounting
  3. Introduction to the Rules
    • Rule Organization
    • The Reference Charts
    • The Rules Presentations
  4. Infantry
    • Formations & Movement
    • Bonus Movement
    • Push Move or Quick March
    • Officer Movement
    • Formation Descriptions
      • Single Line & Extended Line
      • Double Line & Attack Column
      • Skirmish Line
      • March Columen
      • Disorder
    • Movement & Forming
      • General Movement Rules
      • Artillery and Cavalry
      • Changing Formations
    • Combat Resolution
      • General Procedure
      • Infantry Fire
      • Infantry Firing Procedure
      • Firer and Target DRMs
      • Casualties
      • Primary Fire Zones
      • Infantry Enfilade or Flank Fire
      • Fire against Disorder
      • Refusing End Stands
      • Variable Visibility, Area Fire
      • Out of Ammo
      • Fire Penetration
      • Fences, Walls and Works
    • Special Units, Weapons, and Tactics
      • Sharpshooters
      • Breechloaders and Repeaters
      • Laying Prone
      • Reserve Companies
      • Regimental Skirmishers
      • Brigade Column
      • Forming Square
  5. Artillery
    • Artillery Movement Rules
    • Artillery Battalion Morale Rules
    • Artillery Fire
      • Artillery Firing Procedure
      • Firer and Target DRMs
      • Cannister Restrictions
      • Arc of Fire
      • Artillery in Woods
      • Firing over Friendly Troops
      • Horse Losses
      • Prolonge Movement
      • Artillery Fire against Buildings
      • Disengaging Gunners
      • Spiking, Abandoning and Remanning
      • Artillery Ammunition
      • Uncommon Field Artillery
      • Siege Guns
      • Artillery Fire against Works
    • Artillery Enfilades
      • Artillery enfilading Infantry
      • Artillery enfilading Artillery
      • Infantry enfilading Artillery
    • Additional Fires
      • Procedure for additional Fire
      • Additional Fire by holding Unit
  6. Morale
    • Morale Overview
      • Good Morale
      • Shaken Morale
      • Routed
    • When to check Morale
    • The Basic Morale Point (BMP)
    • The Modified Morale Point (MMP)
    • BMP and Tactical Competence
    • Instant Rallies, Instand Routs
    • Multiple Morale Checks
    • Effects of Morale Loss
      • Overall Impact of Shaken
      • When an Infantry Unit goes Shaken
      • When an Artillery Unit goes Shaken
      • When a Cavalry Unit goes Shaken
      • When a Unit Routs ... It may Pickup
      • Overall Impact of Routed
      • Morale Point Summaries
      • Calculating the Modified Morale Point
      • Calculating the Impact of Morale Point
  7. Command & Control
    • Command Radius
    • Variable Leader Quality
    • Division and Corps Command
    • Artillery Leaders
    • Replacing Leaders
    • Optional Leadership Rules
      • Self-Activation
      • Order Limitations
      • Leading the Charge
    • Command Levels
    • Impact of Replacement Leaders
  8. The Turn Sequence
    • Phase One: Mark Orders
    • Phase Two: Routs, Rallies, Replace
    • Phase Three: Reveal Orders
    • Phase Four: Resolve First Fires
    • Phase Five: Move Disengaging Units
    • Phase Six: Resolve Charges
    • Phase Seven: Normal Movement
    • Phase Eight: Resolving Moving Fires
    • Phase Nine: Resolve Officer Casualties
  9. Cavalry
    • Cavalry Movement
    • Cavalry Organization
    • Mounting and Dismounting
    • Mounted Cavalry Formations
    • Cavalry Restrictions
    • Pistols and Shotguns
    • Battalion Loss
    • Cavalry Combat Overview
    • Mounted Charge and Countercharge
    • Cavalry vs. Cavalry
    • Planning a Cavalry Charge
    • Cavalry vs. Infantry
  10. Obstacles
  11. Fortifications
    • Hasty Works
    • Medium and Heavy Works
    • A Fortified Area
    • Artillery Fire against Works
  12. Hidden Movement
    • Hidden Movement Rules
    • Revealing Pickets
  13. Epilogue
    • What was it really like
  14. Index

Quick Reference Chart

  • Union 15 mm Quick Reference Chart (2)
  • Confederate 15 mm Quick Reference Chart (2)

Wargame Rules