S.C.R.U.D.

Simple Combat Resolution Using Dice

by Timothy McCoy Price
(edited and with clarifications by John Kantor)
These rules are intended to be used as a simple method of resolving the combats that take place
within the larger framework of a game. They are meant for those battles that take place in the
boarding actions of Naval Games, the Open Battles that are encountered while playing Matrix
Games, and the confrontations that appear during back-to-back Map Games. In short, those small,
but vital, elements that are part of the whole that makes up a Wargame, that have to be resolved
quickly or the Game itself grinds to a halt.
The Basic Rule: one six-sided die = one combat unit
The size of that Combat Unit will, of course, vary from game to game. In the boarding action it
may be as little as 5-10 men; in a Map Game, it could be as much as an entire Brigade, or even a
Corps.
The Method: 1) Roll the Dice. 2) Line them up and pair them off, highest vs highest, etc.
If one side has more dice than the other, any dice that are extra and score less than the lowest dice
of the side with the fewer dice are ignored except for casualty purposes.
The Result. Each die represents a Combat Unit, and the scores on the dice represent how well they
did in that particular engagement. Compare each pair of dice: the higher die beats the lower die.
Equal scores represent an inconclusive result. Each die defeated represents a push-back in large
combats, or a death in smaller combats. For every three defeats, eliminate one of the opponents
units/dice (the one with the lowest base value, or if they have the same value, the one that scored
the lowest). (Note that this will often be one that was ignored for combat purposes.)
Variations. The strength in this system is in the number of variations you can build into a very
simple mechanism. Each defeat could be translated into a -1 on the next time the dice is thrown.
When you exceed -2, the unit is eliminated. The usual modifiers for: Troop Quality, Fortified
Positions, State of Supply, etc; can all be factored in with simple + or modifiers, and Matrix
Arguments can be used to make additional modifications to the values or results.
You could even take supply and fatigue into account by saying that each "6" scored on the initial
die roll indicates particularly heavy fighting. The Combat Unit involved fights with a -1 on the dice
until resupplied or rested.
You may decide that, despite any + or - factors, a "6" is the maximum any unit can score. This will
allow you to keep score more easily, as you can turn the dice over after throwing them, to reflect
the modifiers used, without having to use a piece of paper. It also means that two Elite units,
perhaps with +3 modifiers, are likely to have inconclusive combats (the same dice score) when
fighting each other, at least 50% of the time.
Reserves could be taken into account by adding one "pip" from the value of dice thrown "in
reserve" to the value of the first few dice thrown "in the front line". The results can also be easily
be translated into battle reports to pass back to the players, as each die represents a specific unit.
Thus, its fortunes can be plotted from battle to battle.

S.C.R.U.D.
Examples of Combat
As an example we will take part of the battle of Tannenburg during the First World War. The
German 20th Corps, under Scholtz, is attacked by elements of the Russian 2nd Army, under
Samsonov. The Germans have 4 brigades, the Russians 8. The Russians are poorly trained and
equipped and exhausted after advancing for days over sandy soil. Each Russian Unit = -1. The
Germans are very well trained, but are not in a defensive position. Each German Unit +1. The battle
is as follows:
Initial Dice Throw:

RUSSIAN: 2-1 5-1 5-1 3-1 3-1 1-1 3-1 3-1 (all at -1 base)
GERMAN: 3+1 6+1 3+1 3+1 (all at +1 base)

Lined Up and Modified:

RUSSIAN: 4 4 2 2 2 2 1 [1] (the lowest scoring dice are ignored)

GERMAN: 6 4 4 4

The Russians lose three matchups and are therefore pushed back with one Brigade Destroyed (for
the three losses - marked with [ ]) and two Brigades now fighting with a -2 (-1 for being poor
troops and -1 for losing in the first days battle). One of the German units has expended a lot of
ammunition, so loses its +1 advantage. The Russians order an attack the very next day.
Initial Dice Throw:

RUSSIAN:
GERMAN:

6-1
6+0

1-2
2+1

Lined Up and Modified:

RUSSIAN:
GERMAN:

5
6

4
4

1-1
3+1
[4]
3

2-1
2+1
3
3

6-2
1

4-1

5-1

The Russians succeed in pushing back one of the German units and forcing an already depleted unit
to use up ammunition (becoming a net -1), but are pushed back themselves and two units use a lot
of ammo (one of which becomes combat ineffective on -3). Overall, as the success is matched by
failure, the line itself holds. The Russians attack again, the next day:
Initial Dice Throw:

RUSSIAN: 6-1 5-2 5-1 4-1 2-1 4-2

GERMAN: 1+1 2+1 4-1 4+0

Lined Up and Modified:

RUSSIAN: 5 4 3 3 2 1
GERMAN: 4 3 3 2

The Russians, throwing their freshest units into the front line, finally overwhelm the German
defenders, who lose a Brigade (the depleted one). Had the German time to have fortified their
position, the outcome could have been very different. In the game, the combat resolution took less
time to work out, than it did for you to read this page.