In the last year and a half (or so) I have been working as a freelancer for Alternative Armies (15mm.co.uk), writing new rulesets and booklets for their USE ME (Ultra-Simple Engine for Miniature Engagements) 15mm wargaming rules. My latest work, to be published soon, is Valiesk - a war-torn fictional baltic island perfect as a setting for Ultra-Modern miniature gaming.
Now I am starting work on a new USE ME project - this time adapting the USE ME rules to the 6mm scale and to strategic-level wargaming. While in standard USE ME 1 figure or vehicle mini was, respectively, 1 soldier or vehicle on the battlefield, in this version each base on 6mm infantry will represent a whole infantry platoon, and a single vehicle miniature will represent a squadron of vehicles (say, 2-5 tanks). the scale will be, roughly speaking, 1cm=100m. So your average 120cm (4ft) table will represent 12km of battlefield...
Combat will be appropriately abstract. Pure infantry (without heavy support weapons) will only be able to attack in Assaults (i.e. "Melee"), representing infantry engagements at rifle range (circa 100m). Infantry with heavy weapons will have a range of 2cm; tanks, usually 8-12cm. Bigger guns (artillery) will have an even longer range. Damage will be abstract - an infantry platoon will be either Supressed (instead of Winged), Struck or Dispersed (instead of killed) - when an infantry unit is "destroyed", this will not necessarily mean that each and every soldier dies in battle, but rather that this unit no longer functions as a significant fightring force due to casualties, morale loss and lack of cohesion. A Supressed unit could Regroup by rolling its ELAN or less on one die; one attempt of this takes one action.
Most artillery will find its place on the tabletop; aircraft will fly over it. Only orbital support and strategic bombers will not be represented on the tabletop itself.
The rules will cover 6mm engagements in both WWII, Ultra-Modern and Sci-Fi.
Input, thoughts and ideas will be welcome! :)
