This past weekend, I had the privilege of hosting a JR3 game at Patriot Point on Cemetery Hill at Gettysburg. During the wargame (which was of Cemetery Hill), I had a chance to chat with fellow gamer Bob Johnson regarding the rules and sequence for conducting and resolving charges in Johnny Reb 3. In a specific instance, one regiment of the Louisiana Tigers, supported by 3 other regiments, charged a portion of Ames’ Brigade along hasty works on the northern slope of Cemetery Hill. The Tigers were hit at normal range with musketry, inflicting 3 casualties on a 4-figure stand. The Rebs passed their check, came storming in, easily won the dice down for impact, and the Yankees rolled a 10 and routed off the position. My colleague’s opinion was that there should be more of a modifier for losses on an incoming regiment. In this case, losing 20% of the regiment as it came in was not enough of a deterrent to stymie the attack, and the chargers swept that portion of the hill (they were repulsed a couple of turns later and the Yankees won the game).
The question got me thinking about how fickle and die-roll oriented the charge sequence is. It is perhaps as good as it can get (although I do like P.J. O’Neill’s differential table). What is your opinion on the charge sequence? So many folks who don’t like JR3 point specifically to the cumbersome charge system as the major drawback of the rules system. Your thoughts?