Field Of Battle/Seasons Of Battle - First battle completed and post battle adjustments

Finished off game today with the Russians failing their Army Morale at first attempt.
This then leads to a Post Battle Adjustment phase in Seasons Battle which I will outline here.

Russians finished with of course zero Army Morale with Prussians on a mere 5 remaining but with having 8 'awarded' from Russian pool, as once an AMP level reaches zero any further losses are transferred to enemy as 'boost' to their AMP level.

Both sides calculate effect on their Campaign National Morale Points which is a combo of original AMP, lost/gained AMPs and VP level of Engagement Area if winner.
Will not bore you with the simple equations/calculations suffice to say the Russian NMP plummeted from 63 to 38 whilst Prussian victory at Blomberg saw their NMP adjusted to 40 from 44.

A Margin Of Victory is established based on a ratio of remaining AMP for victor vis starting AMP.
In this case the Prussians were deemed to have won a Decisive Victory (levels possible are Marginal, Decisive or Crushing).

The Russian Commander then checks to see if he is replaced rolling an adjusted Leadership dice vs a D12, but in this case Fermor remained in command.

Rolls on a D12 (sometimes adjusted by use of Discretionary Points -see below) are made for Eliminated units, units that Routed Off-table, units Routed but still on table and for Leaders, with a 1 indicating degradation of unit or a 12 an upgrading.

A winning side gains what are termed Discretionary Points after battle essentially his total remaining AMP in this case 13 (5 plus 8 'transferred' from Russian pool).
These can be used in a couple of ways namely:

1- to assist in Pursuit of remaining on-table enemy by allocating a max of 3 points which are added to 1 then a D12 is rolled and if equal to or under this Pursuit Level the enemy drops one Quality level (or Combat level if a minimum D4 quality)

2- as Recognition Points with again a max allocation of 3 points being added, this time around, to a D12 roll for a friendly unit with any total of 12+ granting recipient a Up1 to quality level to max of D10 (or to Combat Level to max of C12+1 if at max quality).

In my example the Prussians had no Eliminated or Routed status units (!!) at game end but still roll for possible adjustment.
I allocated 3 Discretionary Points to Recognition for 1st Artillery Battery (started out a lowly C6 D6) but no change occurred.
But vagaries of dice rolls saw NR17 Musketeers and Dragoon Regt 5 both degraded (they then roll anew of Unit Rating table for next battle) but Kuirassier Regt 2 upgraded to a lofty D10 (however they turned out as C10 D10 overall, still petty good as the D10 with give them an Up1 in melee combats).

The Prussians allocated 2 Pursuit points to 5 Russian units to try to downgrade them but not a single such unit was affected.
However in other adjustment rolls the 2nd Grenadiers who had been destroyed are now permanently lost to the Campaign (ie roll of 1 when Eliminated) and Serbski Hussars were downgraded and additionally will miss next Engagement (returning as C12 D4 instead of original C10 D6).
++ In my previous post I stated that I thought there was less Routing units in FOB3 this proved to be a fallacy for the Russians at least who ended up with 3 units Eliminated and a further 6 units Routed all told !! ++

Leaders are also rolled for POst Battle but in my case none were affected on either side (they can go Up or Down 1 Command level).

Bit of confusion re what happens after battle on Campaign Map (queried with Brent) but I decided that the Prussians could advance the Engagement marker one Region.

So that completes one Full Season of SOB with one battle generated and completed.
Next it will be to re-deal the SOB cards and play another Season and its battle at wherever this may occur.
Found it all slick and easy to pick up (just a matter of following the rules !) and indeed play through and a tad more difficult to outline succinctly.
It is tempting to think "I could adjust this or that or add this or that" to system but I do think the KISS principle is best as it works as is and as stated (ie quick battle generation system).

However if not playing a full SOB campaign I would likely use FOB2 Fate system as bit easier for stand lone scenario/game.

Hopefully some insight to SOB for the uninitiated and I hope to proceed further with it at future date but couple of other projects in my tiny mind at present (not least a game with FOB WW2)




The game ending Army Morale roll, although a sensible Russian would likely have yielded voluntarily on this card to avoid further 'Campaign' damage.

Cossacks  have managed to out flank Cuirassier but not able to immediate melee

Russian losses mounting

Two of these three Routing units ended up off table

Battle of Blomberg concluded

And in other 'news'...........................