A Stout Ensign (2025)

23/06/2025

New Rules Being Tested

The Stout Ensign has been quiet for the last seven weeks or so, but he has not been idle.

Two new sets of rules are in the pipeline and under playtesting. This Hallowed Ground is an American Civil War game while With Zeal and Bayonet is an American War of Independence game. Both are set at division level and are an adaptation of the card driven, area movement mechanic employed in Fire & Move and And March.

There are many similarities between the two sets, being based on a similar command and control mechanic. They differ in the makeup of the national decks and some special rules. In THG the two decks are almost identical as the two opposing forces shared the same military tradition, doctrine, tactics, weapons and leadership pool. With Zeal is different. The American army evolved, and improved, as the war progressed, and their deck reflects those changes. The British fought the war with a small, adaptable army that more often than not won, except when it counted. Their deck has cards not included in the American deck and vis versa. The French were there but they spent most of their time avoiding a fight rather than looking for one, except when it counted. Hopefully the French deck will reflect the French preference for column over line.

Work on the American and British decks is well advanced. The French are still a work in progress – it’s difficult to produce a deck that reflects how a nation fought when that nation hardly ever fought a stand-up battle.

Here are a few pictures of a play test game, the battle for Birmingham Hill, an action on the American right at the battle of Brandywine Creek.

These rules have not yet been added to the website but all the existing PDF are still available to download from:

https://astoutensign.wordpress.com

Let me know how they go in your games via Facebook or on the Contact page of the website:
https://astoutensign.wordpress.com/contact/

02/05/2025

Operation Postern, the Lae Campaign, September 1943

In September of 1943 units of the 2nd AIF (Second Australian Imperial Forces), in conjunction with US Army paratroopers and engineer, moved to capture the Japanese base at Lae on the New Guinea north coast. The operation was called Postern, and it lasted about two weeks.

Our version of this campaign will allow three or more gamers to retrace the steps of the 7th and 9th Division troops as they close in on the isolated and beleaguered Japanese garrison at Lae.

The PDF of this campaign can now be downloaded from:

https://astoutensign.wordpress.com/fire-move/

Let me know how they go in your games via Facebook or on the Contact page of the website:
https://astoutensign.wordpress.com/contact/

15/04/2025

The Japanese Special Naval Landing Force

The Special Naval Landing Force troop cards have been uploaded to the A Stout Ensign webpage. The SNLF were IJN marines. They were used to secure islands, garrison atolls and perform on land task for the navy when IJA units were not available.

Usually operating in battalion size taskforce groups, the SNLF was indifferently led and had a poorer class of rank and file. They were also not as well equipped as the IJA nor as well trained. Nevertheless, they were equally brave and committed to the Empire as any other Japanese troops. In Fire&Move they are considered second line Japanese.

Their troop cards can now be downloaded from:

https://astoutensign.wordpress.com/fire-move/

Let me know how they go in your games via Facebook or on the Contact page of the website:
https://astoutensign.wordpress.com/contact/

20/03/2025

New Romanian Tank Card

A Romanian R 1 tank card have been added to their troop card set. The Romanian troop cards V2 can be download from the Fire & Move page of the A Stout Ensign webpage:

https://astoutensign.wordpress.com/fire-move/

Let me know how they go in your games via Facebook or on the Contact page of the website:
https://astoutensign.wordpress.com/contact/

18/02/2025

New AFV Cards

The German, 8th Army, US Army and Hungarian troop cards have been updated with the addition of new AFVs.

The German troop cards (V3) now include the Pzkw IIB, Pzkw IIIE and F, Pzkw IVJ, StuG IIIA, StuG IV, PSW 234/4 and Sdkfz 250/8. The Churchill NA75 had been added to the 8th Army set (V2). The US Army (V2) set now have the M20 A/C, M24 “Chaffee” and Jeep (Recon). Lastly, the Hungarian troop deck (V2) has the 38M Toldi I and 38M Toldi IIA.

All four new PDFs can be download from the Fire & Move page of the A Stout Ensign webpage.

https://astoutensign.wordpress.com/fire-move/

Let me know how they go in your games via Facebook or on the Contact page of the website:
https://astoutensign.wordpress.com/contact/

18/01/2025

And March: Changes to the Mahdist and Egyptians

We have been doing some extensive play testing of the Mahdists and Egyptians in And March. This testing revealed that the Ansar were somewhat overpowered. As a result, some changes have been made to the Mahdist troop cards, their deck and the rules governing their behaviour on the table. Most of these changes are very minor, an extra point cost here, a tweak to one or two deck cards, a modification of how they can move on the table. All intended to bring them into balance with the other forces they’ll meet on the table.

The notes on the Egyptians have also been updated to include Bashi Bazouks and Bazingers.

A new set of both the Mahdist troop cards (V2) and their deck have been uploaded to the A Stout Ensign website along with version 5 of And March which outlines the new rules for the Mahdists and the Egyptians.

Along with these additions a few minor changes to the rules have been made. How groups move has been clarified and the rules concerning how machineguns fire have been simplified. A PDF, titled And March V5 rule changes, outlining these changes has also been uploaded to the And March page.

You can find and download all these updated:

https://astoutensign.wordpress.com/and-march/

Let me know how they go in your games via Facebook or on the Contact page of the website:
https://astoutensign.wordpress.com/contact/

03/01/2025

AFV Flamethrowers

A recent game brought to light some missing information on a Russian flamethrower AFV troop card. In response I reviewed all the flamethrower AFV cards and found the need for some corrections and alterations. The result has been that the Russian KV8 and Kht-133, the 21st Army Group Churchill Crocodile and Australian Matilda Frog have had some values altered and their notes amended.

The relevant national troops cards files have been updated. The Australian troops cards V4, Russian troop cards V5 and 21st Army Group troop cards V2 have all been uploaded to the A Stout Ensign web page.

In addition to these changed the SU-85 card has been added to the Russian troop card PDF and the Wasp has joined the 21st Army Group set.

These updated troop cards can now be downloaded from:

https://astoutensign.wordpress.com/fire-move/

Let me know how they go in your games via Facebook or on the Contact page of the website:
https://astoutensign.wordpress.com/contact/

29/11/2024

And March: Troop Card Changes

When these rules were first published the number of artillery pieces was quite small. As the range of wars cover by the rules has grown so has the number of artillery troop cards. It seemed timely this week to do an audit of these weapons and bring some order to their FV values and points cost.

A number of changes have been made to the British troop cards, both the Second Afghan War and the Mahdist Revolt; the Afghan, and the Egyptian cards. Most of these changes are very minor though three new artillery pieces have been added to the British Second Afghan War set.

You can find and download these updated sets of troops cards at:

https://astoutensign.wordpress.com/and-march/

Let me know how they go in your games via Facebook or on the Contact page of the website:
https://astoutensign.wordpress.com/contact/

06/11/2024

Fire & Move V4 and LZ V3

Fire & Move is essentially an infantry skirmish game with a few vehicles thrown in for colour. The recent Smashing Hitler’s Panzers campaign with its emphasis on AFVs really put the armour rules to the test. As a result, holes were discovered, and we could see that some things needed to be simplified or clarified.

These changes have been made and a fourth edition of the rules, including these amendments, replaces third edition on the A Stout Ensign website. In addition, a summary of the changes has also been included and the rules changes from Nov 2023 removed.

In line with these changes LZ has also been updated to V3 and a summary of those rule changes have been added to the site and the Nov 2023 changes removed.

Fire & Move V4, Fire & Move Rule Changes Nov 2024, LZ V3 and LZ Rule Changes Nov 2024, can be downloaded from:

https://astoutensign.wordpress.com/fire-move/

or

https://astoutensign.wordpress.com/l-z/

Let me know how they go in your games via Facebook or on the Contact page of the website:
https://astoutensign.wordpress.com/contact/

31/10/2024

New Russian AFV Cards

Six new Russian AFV cards have been added to the ever-growing Russian troop card set. They are the KV-85, KV-8 (flamethrower variant), BT-7A, T-50, T-38 and FA-1.

These new AFVs have been integrated into the existing Russian troop card PDF which is now titled (V4). To make it easier for people who have already printed off V3 a separate PDF file containing just the six new AFVs has also been added to the site, “New Russian AFVs Oct. 2024”. This will stay on up for a short time. Both PDFs can be download from the Fire & Move page of the A Stout Ensign webpage.

https://astoutensign.wordpress.com/fire-move/

Let me know how they go in your games via Facebook or on the Contact page of the website:
https://astoutensign.wordpress.com/contact/

16/10/2024

Australian troop cards V3 for Fire & Move

Australian troop cards V3 have been posted on the A Stout Ensign webpage. The emphasis, graphicly, for this set is now New Guinea and the South-west Pacific. (A Mediterranean set may follow.) The Gun Crew and 6pdr AT gun cards have been changed in line with this new focus. In addition, the 75mm Pack Howitzer and the Matilda Frog (flamethrower tank) cards have been added, along with four Commando (Independent Companies) and three Papuan Infantry cards.

V3 of the Australian troop cards can now be download from the Fire & Move page of the A Stout Ensign webpage:

https://astoutensign.wordpress.com/fire-move/

Let me know how they go in your games via Facebook or on the Contact page of the website:
https://astoutensign.wordpress.com/contact/

07/10/2024

And March.

If you have a question about the And March to Your Front rules you can post them here.

A Stout Ensign