Keeping Track in Volley and Bayonet Games

In Volley and Bayonet the rules are really shaped around keeping a roster of the units so that their strength points can be marked off as they suffer casualties.  This is great for providing a degree of fog of war and nervous tension to a game.  However, sometimes it is just nice to set up a quick game and/or allow the players to keep track, and take some of the burden off the umpire.

The main things that need to be recorded and kept track of in a Volley and Bayonet unit are:

1. Morale grade, usually between 3 and 6.

2. Unit strength during the game.  A Napoleon infantry brigade might start with between 4 and 6 points.

3. Whether the unit is stationary (infantry and artillery only).  In other words, it is deployed and in optimal condition/formation to defend against attacks.

4. If the unit is out of command.

5. If the unit is disordered.

6. If the unit is routing.

7. If the unit is permanently disordered.  A condition that a unit adopts if it ever has the misfortune to rout, and then rallies.

Now, items 1 and 2 would be dealt with on the roster.  But items 4 - 7 would have to be counters with the unit on the table.  For example, the following use pipe cleaners:

Yellow pipe cleaner to show a disordered unit.

Yellow and red pipe cleaners to denote that a unit is routing.

A blue pipe cleaner to signify that a unit is stationary.

I think you get the drift... and I haven't even put up photos with markers for out of command!

So, to tidy up a little AND to be able to ditch the paperwork of a roster, if I so choose, I've decided to try out a multi-coloured dice system.

The unit will have a green die to show the morale.  This number does not change during the game.  It also has a white die for the strength points.  This can and does reduce during a game.

Infantry unit with morale of 5 and current strength of 4.

Now if the unit becomes stationary in order to better defend a position, a blue die is placed.  The number showing is immaterial.  It's the colour that matters.

The same unit but now marked as stationary.

If the unit becomes out of command then replace the white strength die with a red one, making sure to keep the same current strength number showing.

The infantry now marked as out of command.

Now if the unit should become disordered, the green morale die is swapped for a yellow die making sure to keep the right number showing.

Yellow disorder die now in place and still showing the units morale rating.

If these merry fellows were to now rout, a red die would be placed in the empty position.  Routing units would be highlighted by having both yellow and red dice at the ends.

Yellow and red equals a routing unit.  It doesn't matter what number the red die is.  It's the colour that counts.

With a bit of luck and a dashing leader this unit rallies.  However, the damage is done and they are now permanently disordered.  So, replace the yellow die with the green morale die - keep the number right! This shows that they have rallied from routing.  The red die now stays with the unit... forever!

The red die on the right shows that this unit is permanently disordered.

"But what do you do if the unit is permanently disordered and out of command," I hear you ask.  Well, simply do as we did earlier.  Replace the white strength point die with a red one.

This is a regiment in some difficulty!  Permanently disordered AND out of command.

Now if you are thinking where do you put the blue stationary unit die if a unit is permanently disordered, you don't.  In Volley and Bayonet, disordered units can never be considered stationary.

And there you have it!  

Hopefully it will control the table top detritus and offer players the chance to keep track whilst unburdening the umpire from keeping rosters from time to time.  I'll have to see how this works in anger on the gaming table.  Plus, adopting it for other rule sets as appropriate.