GHQ Models Forums

We currently use GHQ models for demonstration purposes often in a double blind environment with umpires for rulings, however we are looking to run smaller war games with less people involved, mainly as an educational tool.

We have just invested in several copies of the GHQ rules but were ideally wanting to convert them to 1:1 for tanks and fire teams for infantry.

Has anyone tried this, or is there an accepted mod in existence?

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Any help would be much appreciated.

I've actually been working on some 1:1 scale wargaming rules that focus heavily on a simulated chain of command. So far that aspect has left a good taste in my fellow wargamers mouths, but the combat matrix was way to complicated, so I'll have to strip that down to something more manageable. PM me if you're interested in more detains on the game system.

Most people I know prefer a 1:5 or larger system, but I can't stand it. Hence why I made my own rules.

First question I would have for you, is your group playing Modern or WWII?

I have done quite a bit of experimentation with using the GHQ Modern rules in a 1:1 scale and played quite a number of play test games with positive results.

The conversion is really quite simple.

In the rules, a stand represents between 3 and 6 vehicles. Based on what most platoon size units actually field I used 4 as the average.

The rules have a scale of 1" = 100m.
To convert to a 1:1 scale, 1" = 100m/4 or 25m.

Time scale in 1:4 scale = ~3 mins
Time scale in 1:1 scale = ~3min/4 or ~45 seconds

Movement distances remain the same as in the rules. The units are moving at the same speed but they are moving for only 1/4 of the time.

Firing ranges are multiplied by 4 because your scale is now 1" = 25m.

In 4:1 scale 1 model represents 4 vehicles in a 100m by 100m area. To represent the same scale, in 1:1 multiply the the width and depth of one stand by 4. This puts 4 single vehicle models in the same area. 4"(100m) x 4"(100m), scale wise as one vehicle representing 4 vehicles in a 1" (100m x 100m) area. So if you are playing WWII as long as a platoon of 4 tanks all are within a 4" by 4" area they are in cohesion.

Now impact areas are also multiplied by 4. So a 1" square impact area in 4:1 becomes a 4" by 4" impact area. A 1" by 2" impact marker in 1:4 becomes a 4" by 8" impact area etc.

Now the time difference effects indirect fire by a factor of 4. Meaning there is a 4 turn delay, because remember each turn is now ~45 seconds.

You play with no changes to the combat results table and all other rules remain the same.

The biggest problem is getting people to mentally see the new scale.

Does that help?

---Daryl

Cheers

That's really helpful... We are using the modern armour as we are primarily concerned with current situations / armaments.

Do you divide the firepower by 4 as well or is this compensated for by the fact that the effective number of enemy vehicles targeted is reduced too?

You don't need to modify the firepower at all. It is as you said compensated by the fact that the effective number of targeted vehicles is reduced.

The results you will get on the table top when using modern vehicles will be a VERY leathel environment. The play test games that I did using these modifications mirrored my experiences at the NTC.

Please do post your experiences with converting to 1:1.

---Daryl

You don't need to modify the firepower at all. It is as you said compensated by the fact that the effective number of targeted vehicles is reduced.

The results you will get on the table top when using modern vehicles will be a VERY leathel environment. The play test games that I did using these modifications mirrored my experiences at the NTC.

Please do post your experiences with converting to 1:1.

---Daryl

Yeah the lethality might need reducing,

Play tests wont be for a while, currently we are designing and building a strategic simulation of soviet Afghanistan ... which unsurprisingly is taking up most of our time at the moment.

Thanks for the suggestions

I'm sorry I wasn't clear enough with my post on lethality.

The modern battlefield is VERY lethal. I watched an entire Battalion size task force destroyed in less than 10 mins at the National Training Center once.

If you want realism don't change the combat results table. Just use the CRT as is.

---Daryl

Daryl:

How would you handle "smaller" Heavy Weapons at 1:1 scale? (ie: SMAW, RPG's, MMG's, 60mm Mortars, etc.) I can't think of a way to do a conversion from the weapons charts in the rule book. I'd like to see GHQ come out with an "official" 1:1 conversion to the Modern rules.

The 1:1 conversion for the WWII rules will happen. I'm doing the adaptation for GHQ. They will probably be published on-line. Individual tanks, vehicles, and guns. Squads/sections for infantry, MGs, and light mortars. One minute turns and 25 yards/inch. Detailed OBs for US, Germany, USSR, Britain, France, Italy, Poland, and Japan. Just thought you'd like to know.

ShortRound70 wrote:Daryl:

How would you handle "smaller" Heavy Weapons at 1:1 scale? (ie: SMAW, RPG's, MMG's, 60mm Mortars, etc.) I can't think of a way to do a conversion from the weapons charts in the rule book. I'd like to see GHQ come out with an "official" 1:1 conversion to the Modern rules.

Smaller heavy weapons in the play test games that I have done were all treated the same as support weapon stands. This worked out fine.

Now RPGs/AT4s etc. We represented this in play test games rather simply. If a stand of infantry figures had for example an RPG then the stand could use it's AP factors, if it didn't have an RPG than it had a AP of 0. Either stand could use their full HE factor.

Daryl:

Thanks for the response. I'll have to try it out, and see how it works. Now that I think on it, your reply makes a lot of sense. Thanks again.

Gary

Quartette, it all depends on your scale of operation.

Real time or "fudge time". If you are doing 1 to 1 scale 1mm equals one foot, or 1 foot equals 100 yards which is close enough. In MOUT applications you will only be fighting over a few square feet. Anything that hits pretty much kills at these ranges, so the only variable is "can the shooter hit the target" or "can the individual who is charged with making the decision to fire make it in time"?

For our simulations with the military we use a "real time" based system that is not available for publication due to contractual obligation with DOD. The decision to fire, or move, or whatever, eventually gets done: it's just how long does that take and what has been screwed up as a result of the delay? What that means in game terms is that the "game" continues all the time and the time players take to make decisions directly interacts with all the other things that are going on all the time. There is no time to think once the clock starts. Delay at the sharp end usually costs lives.

Here is a link to a brief description of the system:
http://commandoperationscenter.com/serv0111.htm

Ops06