Table Of ContentChangelog
- V1.4.3 (8.25.22):10.3.3 Added, and 10.4.3 modified. These changes affect battery DRMs
based on the size of the battery firing. 10.3.3 applies -DRMs to Unopposed Arty Die rolls.
10.4.3 changes the +DRMs for artillery firing in support.
- v1.4.2 (7/26/22): Under consideration: another tweakto DRM rules based on battery size (not
yet adopted).
- Rule 8.8.5 added. - Infantry Charged by Cavalry in the Front
- v1.4.1 (7/18/22)Multiple rules revised under Artillery, to make artillery more intuitive to
resolve.
2
Kriegsspiel 2022 System
Rules composed and developed by Marshall Neal,
of the International Kriegsspiel Society
Copyright 2022, all rights reserved. Please do not print, share, or distribute without permission.
Release v1.4.3, August 25, 2022
3
Credits
I wish to thank a number of people for making this project possible. The Kriegsspiel
Society UK, for introducing me to Kriegsspiel many, many years ago, based on the work
of the legendary Bill Leeson. To Brett Bayley, who introduced me to the game itself in a
tough experience involving a law office, quasi-imprisonment in a basement, and an
occasional snack. Thank goodness for the football game. Again, to Brett Bayley for
sticking with me as we developed our own way of playing, in spite of the original rules,
learning lessons the hard way. Thank you to Mark Luta, who helped me launch the
Southern California Kriegsspiel Society, to Barry Lew, who is now in heaven telling our
creator about the design intent of creation. To Mike Sheeter, whose ideas provided the
means to move into the online realm, and to COVID which forced gamers to play with us
there. Additional thanks are due to Alex McBay, whose creative genius provided a
springboard for the K22 system and for play via Discord, and to Damon Mosier, Chief
Engineer of the IKS for his work on building the pieces and other critical components of
the Tabletop Simulator Module. I want to thank Jim Owczarski for his contributions to the
hobby and the IKS, as well as a very special thank you to James Sterrett and Mike Dunn.
Thank you to those who have supplied components to our members, Tommy Farmer,
Marshall Barrington and Command Post Games, and Too Fat Lardies.
I want to thank the Southern California Kriegsspiel Society and Strategicon for facilitating
our in-person games and development. Included in this is Bootsie Brenner, who always
made sure we had the space to play. I thank Kurt Keckley for his inspiration, as well as
Eugene Hourany and Matt Elstein for their encouragement.
In a broader sense, I owe a debt of gratitude to all the members of the IKS, especially
those most active in making it run and operate, as well as those whose ideas have made
a difference as we developed mechanics and tested ideas for this system and to solve
the problems created by porting Kriegsspiel into the realm of online gaming. Thank you
to everyone who aided in playtesting.
I also want to thank my family for putting up with me, and all those who have contributed
in any and every way to making this possible.
I want to issue some shout outs to Jan Heinemann, Eli “Gray”, Justin, Peter Fryer, Dave
Pumphouse, Lake Tzarina, and Winston, as well as all my supporters on Patreon; Juan,
“Plato,” Potbellied Slim, Matt Zimmerman, Don Levick, Ivan Torres, and Mind Ju. A
special thanks to Persephone and Demeter, participants in RvB know! (Also all the other
dogs: Adora, Eris, Apollo, Argos, and Zephyr to be thorough.)
Dedicated to Barry Lew, who is probably in heaven, explaining the designer’s intent.
May your dice in heaven always roll hits, at least until I get there.
4
Introduction
What is Kriegsspiel 2022, and why does it exist? Kriegsspiel 2022, or K22 for short, is a new presentation of
Kriegsspiel. The original Kriegsspiel, first conceived in 1812, by Georg Leopold von Reisswitz, and developed
into a training exercise by his son, Georg Heinrich Rudolf Johann von Reisswitz in 1824, was played by the
Prussian and German Armies over the course of about a century. The wargame was designed to train officers
and wargame various scenarios to teach fundamentals, evaluate officers, and plan operations. It spread
globally and many innovations developed for Kriegsspiel are now staples of modern roleplaying and
wargaming. It is still sometimes used for training. It is important to understand that the wargame played by the
Prussians was not intended to be played for fun, but for training. The 19th century rules require careful study,
and are best supported by knowledge andexperienceof the warfare of that century. Our modern
understandings come only from books and research, but we cannot reacquire the insight that came from the
direct experience of warfare of the period, nor should we wish to!
It is possible to play original Kriegsspiel, but the learning curve is steep and the games move slowly, especially
if the umpire is just learning the rules. In my experience, players are powerfully tempted to add minutiae to the
game, such as weapon types, tracking ammunition, casualties to the man, and even commander traits. This
can be done, but all it does is add to the workload while significantly slowing the game. Contrary to
assumption, none of this increases the fun of the experience. If anything, it ensures that many modern gamers,
with their busy schedules, don’t quite have time to finish a game. It’s often painful.
K22 addresses these problems by preserving the original features of Kriegsspiel that make the experience
compelling while eliminating the minutiae that subtracts from the value of the game. Those features being that
the game must be played double-blind, umpired, feature simultaneous movement, delayed order
implementation, dispatch transmission, and emphasize the fog of war. With K22, it is possible to preserve
these unique features and still play Kriegsspiel as a game, in a reasonable timeframe.
To be clear, this is Kriegsspiel. It is somewhere between the original Kriegsspiel and Free Kriegsspiel,
developed by Julius von Verdy du Vernois. It is a modern version of the rules which allows play as a game, in a
reasonable timeframe. It is meant to be simple and fast, while true to the original elements that make
Kriegsspiel so compelling and valuable as an experience.
I hope you enjoy learning these rules and playing the game. The rulebook is admittedly longer than I expected
it to be, but it is not as difficult to learn as it may first appear. Players should familiarize themselves with The
Six Steps, as these are the unique heart of the system.
If you disagree with a rule or a decision I have made, please feel free to modify these rules to taste. What
makes an umpire an umpire is their right and ability to make changes and exceptions to craft a realistic and
exceptional experience for players. I do expect all players and umpires to be respectful, honorable, fair,
consistent, and gentlepersonly in their play. That’s important. Being honorable is far more important than
“winning.” If you do not accept that, please play a different game. Be friendly and work together for fun.
Thank you for trying the system. I hope it provides you with as much pleasure as it has me and other members
of the International Kriegsspiel Society. Once you learn it, you will find you have the key to many creative
adventures, from small skirmishes, to large pitched battles, to long-running campaigns, if you wish to work out
a campaign system. When you do, you may find K22 is a wonderful system to model each battle.
Enjoy your adventures!
Marshall Neal,
Guadalupe, California, United States of America, April 27, 2022.
5
Table of Contents
I. Scale
II. Movement
III. Precision
IV. Combat Dice
V. Combat Value
VI. Disruption
VII. Losses
VIII. Infantry
IX. Cavalry
X. Artillery
XI. Combat
XII. Combat Results
XIII. Orders
XIV. Building Units
XV. Scenario Design
XVI. Cadence/Turn Cycle
XVII. Ending the Scenario
XVIII. Critique
XIX. Tips for Players
XX. The Six Steps
XXI. Combat results Tables and Player Aids
XXII. FAQ
XXIII. Illustrations
6
I. Scale
1.0 Scale: Games are best played at a proper scale.
1.0.1 Map Scale: A map is correctly scaled when 1 cm = 100 paces. 2,000 paces ~ 1 mile.
1.0.2 Tips for Map Scale: (20cm = 1mi)
20 CENTIMETERS ON THE MAP SHOULD EQUAL 1 MILE
2,000 paces is roughly 1 mile. The precise measurement, at the walk, is a little less than
2,000 paces. A kilometer is about 1,300 paces. Again, the precise measurement is a little
over 1,300 paces per kilometer.
2,000 paces = .95 mi
1,312 paces = 1 km
As long as your map is 100 paces per cm, you are scaled correctly.
The ruler can be used to check this on the map.
In all cases, it is helpful if there is a compass pointing north, and a scale on the map.
1.1 Official Unit of Measurement:The official unit of measurement on the map is a pace.
1.2 Pace: A pace is equal to 2.5 feet, or 30 inches, or 76 centimeters. There are 2,130
paces in a mile, or 1,312 paces in a kilometer.
1.3 Smallest Measurement: You want to be able to measure 100 paces on the map as the
smallest unit of measurement you are likely to use in game. As long as you can do this, any
map, of any scale and size will work for the game.
1.4 Common Measurements: In addition to being able to measure 100 paces, you will also
want to measure 200, 300, and 400 paces on a routine basis. Other useful measurements
are 600 paces, and 800, 1200, 1800, and 2000. The longer measurements represent
maximum artillery range, with different ways of calculating the effects, based on range.
1.5 Timescale: Time moves in 5 minute increments.
1.6 Fast Forward: If units are far from each other, and will not make visual contact for many
turns, it is acceptable to fast forward the game to contact.
7
I. Movement
2.0 Base Movement Rate: The base movement rate is the greatest distance a unit may
march in five minutes, without “complications.”
2.1 Base Infantry Movement Rate: Infantry’s base movement is 400 paces per one
5-minute turn. (Ordinary Step)
2.1.1 Quick Step for Infantry: 500 paces per turn.
2.1.2 Double Quick Step: 650 Paces per turn. Only 1 turn in 5.
2.2 Base Cavalry Movement Rate: Cavalry moving in column, along a road, moves 1,000
paces in 5 minutes (1 turn).
2.2.1 Hussar Movement: Hussars are an exception. They move 1,400 paces per turn.
2.2.2 Cavalry Mount/Dismounting: It is reasonable to impose a penalty on movement for
cavalry to mount and dismount. A 25% reduction in movement for such an order is a good
guideline.
2.3 Artillery and Wagon Train Movement: Artillery has two states, limbered and
unlimbered. Limbered means the guns are hitched to horses and are ready to move.
Unlimbered means they are unhitched and ready for action. Artillery that is limbered keeps
up with its parent brigade. Artillery that is unlimbered cannot move, except perhaps for 100
paces, if the umpire feels it would be reasonable. Moving guns by hand is hard, and should
be allowed only rarely. However, artillery can move up to 100 paces, and change facing, and
fire on the same turn, but beyond this it must be limbered, or it should not fire. If the
movement is extensive, consider adding a negative DRM to the fire.
2.4 Supply Wagon Movement: Supply wagons move as artillery does, and never unlimber.
2.5 Limbered Artillery and Supply Wagon Pace: Limbered units and supply wagons keep
up with their parent units. If moving without these units, supply wagons move at the same
rate as infantry. Foot artillery, likewise. Horse artillery moves at the speed of regular cavalry.
2.5.1 Hussar Exception: An exception is that supply wagons and artillery do not move at
the Hussar rate.
2.6 Limbering and Unlimbering Artillery: Artillery should take about three-quarters or all
of its movement for a turn to limber or unlimber. Generally, a little movement before or after
limbering is reasonable. Firing should not occur until a subsequent turn.
2.7 Courier Movement: Couriers move 2,000 paces per turn on a road.
2.7.1 Officer Movement: Officers move 2,000 paces per turn on a road.
8
2.8 Complications to Movement: Anything that complicates movement is called a
“complication.” Anything can be a complication, but here are the common ones:
- Moving in formation (instead of column)
- Moving uphill
- Moving off road
- Moving through forest or brush (not on a road)
- Moving through a settlement
- Moving through another formation
- Changing formation
- Any other complications that may arise, at the umpire’s discretion
2.9 Effect of Complications: Complications reduce movement by 25% for each
complication. However, units always move a minimum of 100 paces, provided the terrain is
passable. Impassable terrain, such as water features that cannot be forded, abrupt changes
in elevation, etc., logically cannot be passed.
9
III. Precision
3.0 Does Precision Matter?: Precision does not matter in Kriegsspiel as much as it does in
other games. In the conflict between precision and time, time is more important. Therefore,
as an umpire you do not want to constantly use a measuring tool to calculate movement.
Obviously, you want to be close and as precise as possible, but it is acceptable to just be
close. In other words, you should get good enough that you can “eyeball” your
measurements and apply them. This simulates the natural variability in movement that
occurs in real-life.
3.1 “Kriegsspiel is the Land of Fudge.” It is okay to “fudge” or tweak things to get them
right. It is also okay to make mistakes and keep them. For example, if an umpire
misinterprets an order and moves a column down the wrong road, at their discretion they
may choose to keep the mistake and thereby create another problem the commander must
solve. The key to this is to be fair and not to make mistakes too often. However, when they
occur, sometimes it is interesting to keep them rather than correct them. Consider the
players, their plans and personality when deciding what to do, as well as how fair a fudge
would be to the opposing team. (Consider: Has the opposing force seen the movement?
Has the opposing side reacted to the mistaken move?)
3.2 Gamey Tactics: Kriegsspiel is not about rules or “gamey” tactics. If a player has learned
the rules and develops an “exploit,” consider forbidding, changing the situation, or punishing
the behavior to discourage it. This can be tricky. Generally, players have the right attitude
and self-regulate, so this is not often a problem. Players that are exceedingly
hyper-competitive should play something else. Anything a player does that is based on
knowledge of the rules rather than sound tactics, based on the knowledge a commander
would have on the field, should be prevented. Options include preventing the combat from
occurring; such as denying compliance with the order, asking the player for a different order,
preventing the combat from being effective, or to punish the maneuver in the worst cases. A
good way to prevent rules exploits is to keep the rules secret. However, in all cases, you
must be prepared to justify your decisions, post game.
To be clear, an example of a “gamey tactic” would be a player who knows units can only
“defend twice.” So, the player orders two small attacks first, then a third major attack. This is
something you may see in an online hex-and-counter game. In reality, no actual commander
would do such a thing in real life, or micromanage to that degree, nor would the enemy
oblige. (The defend-twice rule is intended to reflect that a defending commander may be
resourceful and capably defend on multiple sectors, but is still limited in their abilities;
nobody is just going to stand there and not defend themselves against an existential
danger.) In reality, the game system, when properly applied with physical limits on frontage,
movement, and time, should naturally regulate this, but players can be rather ingenious. As
an umpire, it is your responsibility to manage that, should it develop.
10
3.3 Umpire Rulings are Final: During the game, the players are not allowed to dispute any
decision made by the umpire, for any reason. (This sometimes results in some humorous
situations, such as a tiny stream being ruled “unfordable.” It’s all part of the challenge!)
