The "Went the Day Well?" rules ("WTDW"), as traditionally used for the Herefordshire VBCW campaign, include a "Platoon Generator" in order to allow each player to build their own unique force. The "Platoon Generator" has been changed and experimented with over time, becoming more and then less and then more complicated, and new players have sometimes found it difficult to follow.
So this post sets out how to generate your standard Platoon for the October Big Game 2021. For this purpose, it replaces the traditional "Platoon Generator" (and any amendments thereto) but is subject to any prior contrary agreement between player and Umpires (see 'Umpires discretion' section below).
To avoid confusion, WTDW and the Hereford VBCW campaign work on the basis of "WYSIWYG" ("What you see is what you get") e.g. rifle armed figures should be carrying rifles, commanders or medics should be identifiable with acres of gold braid or red cross armlets as appropriate, spotters should have binoculars or telescopes or be visibly 'pointing' etc.etc. If you are fielding any figures that don't conform to the WYSIWYG rule, these should be pointed out to your opponents before the start of play ("by the way, this is my medic, I just haven't had time to put a red cross armlet on him yet.../"all hockey stick waving schoolgirls count as rifle-armed, and this one waving the lacrosse stick is my LMG"...) so that everyone is clear.
Overview
Your VBCW Platoon consists of a Headquarters Section, two support weapons, three sections of infantry, a Tank or a Big Gun, and "something VBCW" - which can be a fourth section of infantry, but is preferably "an eccentricity in the spirit of the period" (e.g. a home made armoured vehicle, a section of madcap cavalry, a rocket battery, a steam tank etc. etc.)
The Headquarters Section
Your HQ Section consists of your Platoon Commander, a No.2 to your Platoon Commander (usually a senior NCO), a Standard Bearer with flag, a Medic and 2 "Runners", the last being ordinary infantrymen serving as 'gofers'/messengers/tea makers for the Platoon Commander.
The Platoon Commander has a pistol, the No.2 a pistol, rifle or SMG, the standard bearer a pistol, the medic is unarmed, and the two "runners" have rifles or SMGs. Six figures in total.
It's conventional to give at least your Platoon Commander a name, which may or may not be part of your Platoon's name. Names can be as simple or as rococco as you like.
The Support Weapons
Your Support Weapons are of two types.
First, either a Mortar or a Heavy Machine Gun. If a mortar is chosen, it has a crew of three. In addition, it may have a 'spotter' attached for longer distance firing. If a Heavy Machine Gun is chosen, it has a crew of three; there is no need for a 'spotter'.
Secondly, some form of Anti Tank weapon. This may be an Anti Tank Rifle with a crew of two, or an Anti Tank Team (again two figures) armed with any form of anti tank weapons (gammon bombs, jemmies, etc. etc.)
Support weapon crews (including spotters) do not carry any sidearms, e.g. pistols, rifles, SMGs etc.
The Infantry Sections
You have three ordinary infantry sections.
Each infantry section consists of ten figures.
The usual configuration of an infantry section is - one junior officer figure armed with pistol, an nco armed with SMG, one LMG firing figure, one LMG loader figure with rifle, six ordinary infantry figures armed with rifles. No objection will be made if you want to drop either the officer or the nco and replace him with another rifle armed infantryman.
If you want to field an infantry section or sections armed differently (e.g. a 'close assault' section with less rifles, but more SMGs) this is possible subject to Umpires' discretion (see below).
A Tank OR a Big Gun
As it says in the title - choose either a tank or a 'big gun' of some description. We are pretty relaxed as to how the 'big gun' appears - on the back of a lorry, armoured with tracks, towed behind a van or lorry, or the traditional horses/drivers/caisson/wheeled gun set up.
Every "Big Gun" has a crew of four. In addition, it may have a 'spotter' for longer distance firing. None of the crew nor the spotter carry sidearms.
"Something VBCW"
This is where your imagination can run riot, provided that the result can be reasonably justified as 'within the period" of the 1930s and "within the spirit" of the VBCW. Armoured cars, rocket batteries, homemade armoured vehicles, anti tank guns, AA guns operating as anti tank guns, planes, balloons, rugby players, bee keepers, cavalry, dragoons, steam tanks - pretty much anything is allowable other than the unfeasible and/or plain daft (e.g. nuclear armed or powered anything) or the frankly ghastly and un-British (e.g. chemical weapons).
If your imagination fails, you can add a fourth infantry section (structured as above) to your Platoon as your "Something VBCW". Any cavalry/dragoon or other similar kind of "Something VBCW" section is similarly organised, i.e. limited to the standard 10 figures.
Umpires Discretion
And that's it - not that complicated!
IF, however, you want to change any of the above for the purposes of your Platoon, you can do so with the prior agreement of the Umpires (Clive and Roo). Some players may already have built forces for other rulesets or previous versions of the Platoon Generator, or simply want to vary things (e.g. see the "close assault" example given under 'infantry sections' above).
The Umpires will be entirely sympathetic to the temporarily distressed ("my newly ordered medic hasn't arrived in the post just yet - can I take two standard bearers instead"?) the enthusiastic painter ("I've done three cavalry sections - could I substitute cavalry for infantry sections?) the old hands ("I've always fielded this section with two SMGs and I'm b**gered if I'm going to paint a rifle armed substitute") and the imaginative or eccentric (examples abound - see blogposts passim). The Umpires will not be sympathetic to anything that will clearly unbalance the game ("could I substitute my Platoon with an Armoured Division?). Common sense applies and the Umpires are available by email as usual - please do not wait until the morning of the "Big Day" before asking for variation as (1). everyone is very busy at that moment; and (2). as they say, 'refusal may offend'.
Similarly, if you are in any doubt as to whether your "Something VBCW" section may be ruled out of order, please consult the Umpires beforehand by email.
And FINALLY
The Platoon Generator not only structures your force, but it also assigns "experience ratings" to your troops (e.g. "Green" (or "Raw"), "Trained" (or "Regular") and "Veteran" (or "Experienced"), It also allows for a number of grenades to be obtained by your Platoon. The aim this time round is to generate these factors ON THE DAY by dice throws between the players before any play starts. For these purposes (we'll go through it again on the day itself), each player should invite an OPPONENT:
(i). to throw EIGHT D6 for his Platoon, with the player then PUBLICLY assigning such dice as he wishes to (a). his HQ Section (b). each Support Weapon (2No.) (c). each Infantry Section (3No.) (d). his Tank or Big Gun (e). his "Something VBCW". For such purposes a die roll of 1 or 2 = Green/Raw; 3 or 4 = Trained/Regular; 5 or 6 = Veteran/Experienced.
(ii). then to throw ONE further D6 for his Platoon. The result is the number of grenades available to the Platoon, which should be immediately assigned to each Infantry Section or HQ ("so this lot have one grenade, this lot two, etc..")
Most people will probably be able to remember the results of the above dice throws, but it would not do much harm to write it down, so have a piece of paper and pen as required!
PSSST - MODELLING CHALLENGE 2021!
Want to get an edge on your opponents? Want to steal just the slightest advantage before a shot is fired? See the 2021 Modelling Challenge ("Up your Morale"). "If you make it, you can play it" in the Autumn 2021 Big Game!
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