Square Bashing
Free downloads
Battle sheet for the new Square Bashing rules
Counters for Square Bashing
Explanation of pre-game mechanism
ENGLISH PLAYSHEET
FAQ and Reminders
French Playsheet (Thank you to Pierre)
French Battle sheet (Thank you to Pierre)
Publication date 2012
Period of Warfare covered
Peter Pig games always cover a narrow period in order to capture that period. Thus, the most important aspects of that war can be modelled and the less important ones piled into the general mechanisms. 1900 to 1928. Early armies include boxer rebellion and Boer war. Then the book progresses through WW1. The rules finish just before the Spanish Civil war when technology changes in a big way. there are 55 armies in the accompanying army book. Each army is provided with at least one historical opponent.
Game setting
A divisional level battle.
Associated Peter Pig range
Peter Pig always makes sure that the necessary stuff to play the game is available. Range 16- WW1.
Game scenario generator.
Peter Pig games are never two equal sides "bashing it out". Yes. Pre-game players run through a series of 15 die rolls. Each die roll is either won , drawn or lost. A winner will reference his score on to a sheet dedicated to that army. The events are all historically appropriate to that particular army.
Game table size
Peter pig games should fit on a normal living room table. Square Bashing uses table size 4 by 3 feet. This is quite small as it is intended to represent part of a larger battle. therefore there are no off table flanks because battle is raging there too.
How much scenery needed
Peter Pig games use templates to represent scenery areas. The trees and houses are indicative not literal. 4 Pieces per player. Each piece 6x12". Many armies have limits to their scenery choice.
How many D6 needed
Peter games allow a bunch of D6 to be rolled in order to bell curve the outcomes. Results groups around the norm but extremes are possible. 20. Fights usually need 10D6.
Measurement method
If measuring has to be very accurate, time is wasted and cheating can occur. Grid system. 6" squares. you could measure in multiples of 6" if grids are an anathema.
Basing convention
Peter Pig rules use 3x3 cm bases for most troop types. this size is tactile. has the same frontage when turned and allows figure formations to have depth as well as width. 3x3 cm bases for 2,3 or 4 figures.
Typical army composition
Most PP games use about 100 figures a side. enough for PP to make some big sales and not too many to paint. All infantry and cavalry units start with 4 bases. they die by the half base= 8 increments. Guns and MGs are single base= unit.
Typical army would have 11 units of infantry (battalions), 3 units of cavalry (regiments), 3 artillery guns (batteries), 4MGs (companies). Heavy artillery is all off table (as it should be). A divisional higher command post is on table.
Number of army composition lists included
Narrow period focus allows "in war" diversity to be modelled.
Two army lists in the rule set and a further 55 in the separate army list book.
Unit motivation mechanism
There must be a reason for the general to be where he is. His presence should make a difference. No motivation needed. All units can move.
Moving mechanism
Something simple that can be memorised. PP rules give a move distance worth having. Each unit will move 1,2 or 3 squares. A D6 score needed to exit scenery. In each turn. One side moves and assaults. The other side shoots.
Shooting mechanism
Shooting takes into account amount , skill and modifiers but ends up with a bunch of D6. Saving roll gets both players engaged. Players shoot during opponent's turn with any units that have not been assaulted. There is no opportunity shooting because of the grand scale of the rules assumes that assaults include all effective close range shooting. shooting in SB covers long range fire only. MGs get a great number of dice when assaulted but few if themselves in an assault.
Fighting mechanism
Fight mechanism only consider about 8 modifiers. But these are the important ones for that period. another reason for keeping the period span small. A square fights a square. the basic number of D6 is based upon the number of units present. This is modified by the situation. The grid system makes it easy to decide which squares are in support etc. the result is applied to the whole square. Thus a retire result will cause the assaulted square to move all it's contained units back.
Game length
Most PP games last 6 turns. The games are always alternate move type but with interaction via saves, reaction and opportunity. A countdown system. A D6 is rolled each turn and deducted from a starting total of 21. This makes the end of the game unpredictable. Six turns is the norm. 2 Hours.
Book keeping
Usually a few numbers to write down at the beginning but nothing after that. Most games have a planning sheet available as a free download on the PP website. Just the asset system.
Principal victory conditionS
The two sides usually have different criteria to win. Most victory conditions are awarded D6 multiples so their exact worth is not known until the game end.
Attacker needs to capture the objectives (4 of) and the middle rows of the table. The defender needs to hold the middle rows of the table. The game takes part in the centre of the table rather than have the defender sit on his base line and hold the edge of the world.
Changes needed for 25mm gaming
Not all PP rules can be played with all figure sizes. usually the rules are written for 15mm. Some bigger sizes such as 18/20mm can use the same basing and measurement without any change needed. 25mm will be given a conversion factor. Use a single figure in 20/25mm size to replace a base in 15mm size.
Accompanying scenery range
PP likes to provide a one stop shop. Yes. Gun turrets, barricades and buildings in scenery range 22.
Best parts
Bits we like about the game. The asset system. Each army has a number allotted to each potential asset. e.g a point barrage asset of 9. This is the number of D6 available for that asset. A player can use any or all of the available D6, roll them. A score of 6 will allow the asset to arrive. The barrage asset might be used as 4D6 in one turn and 5D6 in another. Only one asset can be attempted per turn. Late war British and Germans have the best asset amounts. Bulgarians have it quite bad. Some assets, such as aircraft, are not allowed to some armies.
Notes
This might be of interest. The rules include canals , forts and trenches as extensions.
Square Bashing army book
Contents
1. US Army 1898-99 (Philippines and Cuba) 5
2. Spanish Army 1898-99 (Cuba) 6
3. Boer army 1899-1900 7
4. British Boer war army 1900 8
5. Boxer Rebellion Imperial forces 1900 9
6. Boxer rebellion Chinese army 1900 10
7. Bulgarian Army 1912-1913 11
8. Serbian Army 1912-1913 12
9. Ottoman (Turkish) Empire Army 1912-13 13
10. Greek Army 1912-13 14
11. Austro-Hungarian Early war 1914-15 15
12. Austro-Hungarian Late war 1916-18 16
13. Belgian early war western front 1914 17
14. British 1914 -15 BEF 18
15. British Mid-War Western Front 1915-17 19
16. British late war western front 1918 20
17. Bulgarian Army 1915-18 21
18. French 1914 22
19. Mid War French Army 1915-16 23
20. Late War French 1917-18 24
21. German 1914 - 1915 25
22. German 1915-16 26
23. German Late War Western Front 1917-18 27
24. Italian 1915-18 28
25. Germans in east Africa 1914-18 29
26. British in East Africa 1914-18 30
27. African Native army 31
28. Turkish Army (Europe and Caucasus) 1915-18 32
29. Turkish Army – Middle East 33
30. Arab Revolt 1916-18 34
31. British Revolution Left wing Army 1919 35
32. British Revolution right wing army 1919 36
33. German Spartakist 1918-19 37
34. German Freikorps 1918-19 38
35. Japanese Army 1904 39
36. Russian 1904-05 40
37. Russian early WW1 1914-15 41
38. Russian late WW1 1916-17 42
39. Cossack Host 1900-22 43
40. Russian Red Army Early RCW 44
41. RCW Budenny’s cavalry army 1918-20 45
42. RCW Red Shock Army 1918-20 46
43. RCW White Army 47
44. RCW Semenov (white) railway army 48
45. RCW Archangel Field Force 1918-19 49
46. RCW Ukrainian peasant army 1918-20 50
47. Polish Army 1919-1922 51
48. Mexican Federal Army 1914-16 52
49. Mexican Revolutionary army 1914-16 53
50. US Army 1917-18 54
51. Chinese Warlord Army 1911-27 55
52. Rif War Spanish 1921-27 56
53. Rif War Rifians 1921-27 57
54. Bolivian army—Chaco war 1928-35 58
55. Paraguayan Army- Chaco war 1928-35 59
Scenario 1 Battle at Lake Tanga 60
Scenario 2- Battle of El Caney 63
Scenario 3-Battle of San Juan Hill 64
