Many gamers have their 15mm regiments mounted for Johnny Reb III (JRIII) and while they prefer the look of JRIII’s large four stand regiments, they would like to use Across A Deadly Field (ADF) game mechanics as ADF does away with the necessity of marking what each unit is going to do, each and every turn. First, the four stand BMP morale chart will work nicely for the four stand regiments of JR III. The ground scale and turn time scales are close enough that is does work for gaming purposes.
Four stand units based for “Johnny Reb III” look great and can be used with “Across A Deadly Field” with a few simple modifications.
Since we would be using the JR III four stand units with one figure equaling 30 men, we will maintain the JR III 15mm ground scale of one inch equals 50 yards, so that our scale regimental frontages stay the same. In JR III a battle line can move 6 inches (300 yards) in 20 minutes and can do a moving fire with one less die, while in ADF a 15mm battle line can also move 6 inches (300 yards in the JR III, 15mm ground scale) in 30 minutes and then do only one fire action. In both game systems, moving fire is not as effective as a unit that is not moving and doing only firing. Of course, in ADF the regiment could choose not to fire and use both actions as movement actions which would mean it has moved 600 yards in 30 minutes – but would then have no active fire.
A four stand JRIII unit for use in more tactical ADF games.
The weapon ranges will be slightly different. At 50 yards per inch, in JR III the normal rifle-musket range is four inches or 200 yards; while in 15mm ADF (with the JR III 15mm scale) it is three inches or 150 yards. For firing, since you are “shooting” with twice as many figures, each shot will kill more figures; but, since the target regiment also has more figures, the percentage of loss will be about the same per shot. There will be some anomalies, but no more than in any other wargame or in real battle itself.
The ADF morale chart (BMP) for four stand units.
Good gaming,
John Hill