Simulation Rules: Skirmish - Part One

In the previous post, we saw that orders issued after receiving Contact Reports will bring the commands under Captains Winfield and Shearer into an engagement.

In THE WINTER WAR simulation, there are two types of engagements: Skirmishes and Battles.  When either side has less than 1,500 men on the field (at the same Locality), the engagement is considered a Skirmish. When both sides have more than 1,500 men on the field, the engagement is considered a battle.

Skirmishes are run in the TC2M game under AI (artificial intelligence), and players are not able to issue specific tactical orders.

Because Captain Shearer was given the order to attack, his command will be set to "Attack" in the TC2M game and advanced to within range of Captain Winfield's Confederate Cavalry and then left to AI. The Confederates elected to maintain their position, so Captain Winfield's command will be set on "Defend" and will not be advanced (unless it advances under direction of AI).

In the next post (Simulation Rules: Skirmish - Part Two), I will discuss when a skirmish ends and show what happened in the example of Captain Shearer (3rd Maryland Potomac Home Brigade) attacking Captain Winfield (Companies B & G, Ashby's Cavalry) on the Taylor's Ford Road (Green Spring Depot Locality).  I have not run it to the point of engagement yet, so I have no idea how it will turn out under the direction of AI.