CRT

A Combat Results Table for Operational Games

This Combat Results Table (CRT) is based on research by Dr. John Dockery into the mechanisms of decision in battle. It is designed for use with operational games with one to three day turns and a scale of five to fifteen miles per hex. It can also be used at other scales and turn lengths as long as the unit size/turn length/ground scale mesh are approximately in the same ratio. For example, it would be appropriate for an army-level game with 100-mile hexes and 2-week turns or for a corps-level game with 20-mile hexes and one-week turns. This CRT is based on a database of approximately 500 1-day divisional battles during WWII.

To use this CRT, determine the raw combat power ratio (rounding down to a column if necessary) and then shift right or left based on terrain, casualty state, and disruption state for both sides. That defines a column for the five tables. Roll a fair six-sided die. The results for the attacker are above the results for the defender in each table entry. Look up the attacker's result in the table for the attacker's quality and the defender's result in the table for the defender's quality. (This accounts for variable cohesion and leadership.) For heterogeneous forces with variable quality, apply the specific table results unit by unit. If a force has different units at multiple casualty and disruption states, a table of multipliers is provided so that the modified combat power can be directly calculated. Note that permanent casualties are identical over the five tables, and that only the disruption results vary.

Results:

c permanent casualty (until replaced)

d disruption (one d is removed for each full turn in reserve)

r retreat

Each c or d applied to a unit shifts the combat one column to the left or right. Attacker c/d states are left shifts; defender c/d states are right shifts. Alternatively, the players can use the table below for calculating a force's modified combat power.

Casualties apply to all units involved in the battle. A unit at 5c is a cadre. 7c eliminates. ZOCs do not extend into hexes occupied by the same force at the beginning of the opponent's move (this means that overruns and retreats open up the defense to penetration). Players retreat their own units. An attacking stack with a modified attack of 5-1 or greater can accept a c2dr result on the defense and continue moving rather than fighting a battle. Terrain effects: city, 6L; light forest, 2L; medium forest, 4L; heavy forest, 6L; hills, 3L; mountains, 6L. A unit not in support range of its headquarters (a function of transportation assets and intervening terrain) takes a 3L shift when attacking. The combined arms bonus for a pure tank force operating with an infantry force of equal size in open terrain is a 3R (doubling) shift for the combined force. In close terrain, the tank force must operate with an infantry force three times larger to gain a 2R (adds 50%) shift for the combined force. In flat terrain, a tank force gains a 3R (doubling) shift automatically. An antitank or armored force on the defense negates the combined arms shift. For a force with a mixture of shifts, use the table below to work out a modified combat power. Leadership effects can be modeled optionally as additional shifts if the leader increases or decreases the combat power that the stack applies to the situation.

Formation and organization for combat can be used to modify the shifts as well. Start with no shift if both sides are in tactical movement mode (meeting engagement). Entrenchments (one day in place digging in) shift the battle left 3 (3L). Fortifications provide a 6L shift (or more).

WWII German troops are nominally category B. Western allied and Japanese troops are nominally category C. Japanese units treat d results as c results. Russian and Italian troops are nominally category D. Elite troops are one category better and second-line troops one category worse. Leadership can optionally modify category if the leader is responsible for improving or degrading the cohesion of the stack.

For the operational game, infantry divisions operate as divisions. Panzergrenadier, jaeger and mountain divisions operate as regimental combat teams. åTank' divisions operate as an appropriate mix of combat com-mands and motorized regimental combat teams.

Combining multiple units: (don't round)

Condition	Combat Power Multiplier
1 c/d	0.8
2 c/d	0.67
3 c/d	0.5
4 c/d	0.4
5 c/d	0.33
6 c/d	0.25
7 c/d	0.20
8 c/d	0.17
9 c/d	0.125
10 c/d	0.10
11 c/d	0.08
12 c/d	0.0625
12+n c/d	0.0625*the figure for n

Please provide comments to Harry Erwin, herwin@theworld.com

1-5

1-4

1-3

2-5

1-2

2-3

4-5

1-1

5-4

3-2

2-1

5-2

3-1

4-1

5-1

2c2dr

c2d

2c2dr

c2d

2c2dr

c2d

2c2dr

c2d

2c2dr

c2d

2c2dr

1-5

1-4

1-3

2-5

1-2

2-3

4-5

1-1

5-4

3-2

2-1

5-2

3-1

4-1

5-1

2c3dr

c3dr

c2d

2c3dr

c2d

2d3dr

c2d

2c3dr

c2d

2c3dr

c2d

c3dr

2c3dr

C	1-5	1-4	1-3	2-5	1-2	2-3	4-5	1-1	5-4	3-2	2-1	5-2	3-1	4-1	5-1
1	2c4dr	2c4dr	2c4dr	2c3dr	c3dr	c3dr	c3dr	c3dr	c2d	c2d	cd	cd	cd	cd	cd
	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	d	d	d	cd	cd	c2d
2	2c4dr	2c3dr	c3dr	c3dr	c3dr	c2d	c2d	c2d	c2d