Force Morale

An idea for force morale:

The force morale is the average of the morale of the units summed divided by
the number of units. Round in an appropriate direction. If you want to, give a
bonus for having a known, established leader with a history of excellence.
(This does tend to affect the morale of the
army after a while - as does winning consistently).

Force morale tests should be made when
- the first unit is routed or destroyed
- 25% of the formation is shaken, routed, or destroyed
- 50% of the formation is shaken, routed, or destroyed
- 75% of the formation is shaken, routed, or destroyed
- Force command unit is routed, surrounded, cutoff or destroyed
- First contact with an alien force or units that cause terror

Modifiers
- Overall commander quality
- Force history (a tight knit unit that works together and/or
has a string of victories will probably have higher force morale than a force
that is newly assembled or has taken a series of defeats)
- Odds (3:1 in favour of the attacker spells bad force morale for the
defender, although fortifications offset this)
- Enemy has destroyed or routed more friendly units than it has
sustained as casualties
- Enemy has destroyed or routed two times more friendly units than it
has sustained as casualties
- Reinforcements available, Support
- Importance of the Objective (Islamic forces defending their
homeland from the infidels might well get good bonuses)

If a Force Morale check is failed, and Force command exists, force must begin
to withdraw. If a Morale check is badly failed, and force command exists,
force must retreat rapidly or surrender units which cannot retreat. If a
Morale check is failed and Force command DNE, then each unit must roll vs
quality or withdraw or surrender (depending on situation). Ones that succeed
may (at the controlling players option) withdraw or continue to follow their
last known orders.

Just an idea. It is a little complex. Maybe someone has some simpler
suggestions. In SG2, my favorite game, this would only realy show up as
scenario based restrictions or events (at some point, if the force collapses
around the SG2 combatants, one side may realize it and have to start to
withdraw). This is more of a DS2 problem it seems, so I haven't got very rules
specific in my suggestion since I'm not up on DS2 rules.

Tom.
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> You wrote:

Good starting point!

> Force morale tests should be made when

Depends on unit wiped out. Routed, always. But if you loose a pair of your
scouts, it should be less severe than if you just had a platoon of MBTs ripped
apart by DFFG fire.

> - First contact with an alien force or units that cause terror

Only if they don't expect it, obviously...

> - Force history (a tight knit unit that works together and/or

Also include Esprit d' corps. A historically elite force with a tradition of
never saying die (Surrender is not a Ranger word) will have a higher elan than
regular line troops.

Also have a negative modifier for units leaving behind dead/wounded, if
such units have strong tradition of not doing so (Israeli, US come to mind.
Israelis launch major military operations to recover the remains of a single
soldier.)

> If a Force Morale check is failed, and Force command exists, force

Some forces may, instead, launch suicidal attacks, driving straight up the
middle of the board in clear terrain firing almost randomly. This
is especially apropriate for Japanese (Player _must_ scream BANZAI when
he fails the morale check) and certain religious fanatics.:) Other forces will
not surrender facing certain opponents (Israelis aren't going to surrender to
Muslims unless unconcious...)