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The PDT file for 15-minute turns

BG games use a text file called "main.pdt" to govern the way the elements in the game behave. PDT means parameter data table, and this table, or text file, can be amended to have certain effects on daylight times, the date of the battle, movement, combat effects and other parameters. Many people, including NHWC, find the casualties in the original games rather too high, the game being decided by physical losses rather than command, control, tactics and morale as seems to have been the case in reality. Those are some of the more major changes described here.

This page shows the format of the main.pdt file, line by line with notes to each line saying what it means and some of the thinking behind it. Different weather and ground conditions can be reflected by further changes in the values. Original NIR/BGW values are in black, notes to original values in blue and revised values for NHWC games and notes for them in brown . Text highlighted in blue is in the BGW/PTW files, only, and refers to the Prussian army. Text highlighted in pink is in the NIR files only.

 

2
File version. 1 = BGW, 2 = NIR

The Battle of ...
File name, as required

0
0 = French move first, 1 = Allies move first

5 0 19 0 1 4
Dawn (hours, minutes); Dusk (hours, minutes); length of twilight in hours after dawn time and before dusk time; visibility during twilight

15 60
Duration of each turn in minutes: daytime and twilight; night.
No change.

80 5 2 8 2 1 25
Stacking limits in 25-man increments: Infantry (25x80=2000); number used to divide that figure for artillery (2000/5=400=12 guns); number to divide by for cavalry (2000/2=1000); maximum number of units in a hex (8, including all types – skirmishers, artillery, etc.); unknown factor; unknown factor; number of men per strength increment (25).
In NHWC this becomes
160 16 4 8 2 1 25
Marcognet's division at Waterloo made its first assault in a single column of 4000 men, covering an area very similar to that represented by one hex in the game (125m x 75m). Donzelot's division did the same but was slightly larger and one or two battalions can be considered as trailing into the next hex, so a limit of 4000 will suffice (=160x25). An artillery divisor of 16 gives a limit of 10 guns per hex, reflecting the minimum spacing of guns. Cavalry should be about a quarter as many as infantry. Marcognet had 8 battalions in his single column, so a limit of 8 allows for even that single extreme example.

4 4 36 24 10
Factors for breaking down units into skirmishers or extended line: Infantry; cavalry; extended line denominators (36x25=900, 24x25=600); minimum number of guns that can form extended line.
12 3 36 20 9
Smaller skirmishers are created by using a divisor of 12. Cavalry piquets can be created with a similar factor, but squadrons were generally 3 or 4 per regiment so either number can be used according to the size of the cavalry units.

2 3 2 4 6 4
Command radius: Allied/Russian brigade; French brigade; Prussian Brigade; Allied/Russian division, French division; Prussian Division.
2 2 2 4 4 4
A level playing field makes the players the commanders and doesn't have the game helping the French to win. Brigade command areas could all be 3 and divisions all 5 or 6, according to the effect required.

1 1 1 9 15 75
Fatigue: caused by effective fire; loss; melee; maximum possible; % chance of recovery per turn in daytime; recovery chance per night turn.
No change. Hot weather can be reflected in higher fatigue rates and lower recovery percentages.

12 12 12 10
Movement allowance for: infantry; cavalry; artillery; wagons.
These are now 100 for all unit types. This means speeds can be seen as percentages when working out terrain effects. The different speeds in different terrain can be achieved by altering the cost of each hex and hexside. The resulting effective speed of most units is increased slightly, as the original maximum is about half of that possible at normal marching rates in the time for one turn. Cavalry is given greater mobility than infantry generally, though obstacles still have higher penalties for horse than foot.

Next come movement costs per hex entered, except that 0 = no move allowed. Sequence of numbers = infantry line, column, cavalry, artillery, wagons

Original value
Terrain
NHWC %
0
0
0
0
0
Blocked
0
0
0
0
0
3
2
2
2
3
Clear
20
16
12
20
25
0
0
0
0
0
Water
0
0
0
0
0
5
4
6
8
8
Forest
50
25
50
0
0
4
3
4
6
6
Orchard
33
20
33
0
0
5
4
8
0
0
Marsh
33
25
33
0
0
3
2
2
2
3
Building
20
16
12
20
25
3
2
2
2
3
Chateau
25
20
14
25
33
4
2
4
4
4
Village
25
20
25
25
33
4
3
6
0
0
Rough
25
20
33
0
0
3
3
3
3
3
Field
25
20
16

25
33

Rough, forest and some other terrain types may be varied in effect according to the local or weather conditions. Other costs are now standardised at regular hex-cost intervals: 8%=12 hexes per turn, 9%=11, 10%=10, 11%=9, 12%=8, 14%=7, 16%=6, 20%=5, 25%=4, 33%=3, 50%=2.
Movement costs of more than 50% mean only one hex per turn is possible, but the amount of residual MPs available determine whether turning, crossing an obstacle or uphill movement is also possible.

Movement cost per hex side crossed, but 0 = not applicable (such as infantry in line cannot use roads).
Hexside reductions to speed are mostly lower except for roads - see notes below the table.

Original value
Terrain
NHWC %
0
2
2
2
2
Path*
0
16
12
20
25
0
1
1
1
2
Road**
0
14
11
16
20
0
1
1
1
1
Pike
0
12
10
14
16
0
2
2
2
2
Railroad
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
2
2
2
Stream
12
10
14
25
0
0
0
0
0
0
Creek
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
2
2
2
Hedge
9
8
10
20
33
2
2
4
6
6
Low wall#
20
16
25
0
0
2
2
4
0
0
Embankment
20
16
25
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
High wall
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
2
2
2
Gate##
10
8
9
8
9
6
5
8
0
0
Fort
50
33
67
0
0
1
1
1
2
2
Uphill
8
8
9
16
20

*2 = same as a clear hex, so no effect in clear terrain
** 1 = half normal penalty, so speed was doubled.
These are dirt roads and should offer a lesser speed increase over movement on open ground and may even slow men and particularly vehicles (muddy roads can be given lower speeds in the pdt). The main effect of roads and paths is in close terrain (towns, forests, marshes), where they form strips of open ground, allowing a little better than the same speed as in actual open ground. This also eliminates the need to worry about whether units are in road column or not when in an otherwise open hex. The units getting most benefit from roads are wheeled: artillery and wagons. Pikes (paved roads) were the same as dirt roads in the old PDT except for wagons. Now we give them a slight advantage for all and don't change the factors greatly for wet conditions.
# Why was a wall crossable by vehicles? A wall with that big a hole in is a gate, surely?
## A gate is more restricting than the road it covers, so it should hinder infantry in line, while columns and cavalry suffer a small delay in narrowing to fit through.

2 3 2
Changing facing, per 60° (one hex side) for infantry, cavalry and artillery respectively.
20 20 16
Artillery changes of facing will either be the only move in a turn when unlimbered, so the cost is less important, or at the end of a move into a position, when the facing of the column would transform easily into that of the positioned battery. The real penalty for artillery is that their fire factor suffers if facing is changed. For other units, turning about is easier than changing facing to a flank, so the figures are reversed for the two.

4 6 4
About-face, for infantry, cavalry and artillery respectively.
10 12 10
Meaning that turning about takes 10-12% of 15 minutes = 1½ minutes, whereas turning 60° or 90° effectively) takes twice as long. 50% is still the cost for changing formation to and from line, column or square, which seems a lot at 7½ minutes but this is built into the game and cannot be changed unless using the 5-minute turn PDT.

1
Moving to the rear or side in line.
8
1 hex, or 8%, is the minimum penalty.

24 1 1 1
Infantry ammo depletion probability: base figure; Allies/Russian; French; Prussian
100 12 12 12
1/24 is about 4%; this should be higher and 12% seems right. The figure can be modified for scenarios of know ammunition shortage or plentitude. This is doubled if firing in both fire phases, of course. See also notes on ammunition scales, below.

3 3 3
Artillery ammo loss per gun destroyed or captured: Allied/Russian; French; Prussian.
These need to be appropriate to there being three times as many “artillery rounds” with three times as many game turns and the loss is half a battery’s worth. See the artillery ammunition calculation page.

Weapons effectiveness (below). This has been transformed to make it more readable to human eyes than that read by the game program. Ranges along the top, weapon types down the left.

 
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
  
A
8
6
5
4
4
4
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
12 pdrs
B
8
6
4
4
3
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
        
6/9 pdrs
C
8
6
4
3
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
            
Howitzers
D
12
8
4
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
            
6 pdr horse guns
M
6
2
                                
Muskets
R
4
3
2
1
1
                          
Rifles
$
                                    
End of table sign

The categories of artillery have been changed slightly so that a 6pdr fires like a 6pdr whether horse or foot artillery. There is no reason for having horse artillery 50% better at 100m and 50% worse between 400m and 800m.
Howitzers have been given a weak spot at 400m where canister is ineffective and the range is too short for shells. Cavalry have a fire capability, for skirmishing only.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
A
8
6
5
4
4
4
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
12 pdrs
B
8
6
5
4
3
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
8/9 pdrs
C
9
7
4
3
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
6 pdrs
D
7
6
4
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
4 pdrs
E
6
4
3
2
2
1
1
1
Regimental guns
F
8
6
4
1
4
3
2
1
1
1
1
1
Howitzers
G
8
6
5
5
5
5
4
3
3
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
12 pdr + shrapnel
H
8
6
5
4
5
5
4
3
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
9 pdr + shrapnel
I
9
7
4
3
4
4
3
3
2
1
1
1
6 pdr + shrapnel
J
8
6
4
1
5
4
3
2
2
2
1
1
How. + shrapnel
M
6
2
Muskets
R
4
3
2
1
1
Rifles
S
4
1
Cavalry
L
4
1
Cavalry
$
End of table sign

Fire results table. The factor, on the left of each row, is indexed with a die roll 1-12
The original table:

108
12
                      
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
-1
-1
1
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
-1
-1
1
1
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
-1
-1
1
1
1
12
0
0
0
0
0
0
-1
-1
1
1
1
2
18
0
0
0
0
0
-1
-1
1
1
1
2
2
24
0
0
0
0
-1
-1
1
1
1
2
2
3
32
0
0
0
-1
-1
1
1
1
2
2
3
3
40
0
0
-1
-1
1
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
50
0
-1
-1
1
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
60
-1
-1
1
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
72
-1
1
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
84
1
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
6
96
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
6
6
108
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
6
6
7

This is considered an over-effective table for NHWC and effects can be reduced.

108
12
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
-1
-1
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
-1
-1
1
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
-1
-1
-1
1
12
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
-1
-1
-1
1
1
18
0
0
0
0
0
0
-1
-1
-1
1
1
2
24
0
0
0
0
0
-1
-1
-1
1
1
2
2
32
0
0
0
0
-1
-1
-1
1
1
2
2
3
40
0
0
0
-1
-1
-1
1
1
2
2
3
3
50
0
0
-1
-1
-1
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
60
0
-1
-1
-1
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
72
-1
-1
-1
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
84
-1
-1
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
96
-1
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
6
108
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
6
6

2 2 10
Fire results modifiers: enfilade; cavalry; maximum range for modifier (?)
No change

0 0 0 -1 0 0 -2 -3 -2 -1 0
Terrain fire modifiers
Blocked; clear; water; forest; orchard; marsh; building; chateau; village; rough; field
No change, but fields can vary: 0 for low crops, -1 for high ones.

0 0 0 0 0 0 -1 -2 -1 -4 -4 -2
Hexside fire modifiers
Path; road; pike; railroad; stream; creek; hedge; low wall; embankment; high wall; gate; fort
No change

-1
Modifier for firing uphill
No change

Combat results: odds in left-hand column. Results in each row are shown as attackers' loss (yellow) and defenders loss (blue) for each of 12 die roll results.

9
12
                                              
1:3
12
0
11
0
10
0
9
0
8
0
7
0
6
0
5
0
5
1
4
0
4
1
4
2
1:2
7
1
6
0
6
1
6
2
5
3
4
1
4
2
4
3
3
1
3
2
2
3
2
4
2:3
6
1
6
2
5
1
5
2
5
3
4
1
4
2
4
3
3
1
3
2
2
3
2
4
1:1
5
1
5
2
5
3
4
1
4
2
4
3
3
1
3
2
2
3
2
4
3
5
2
5
3:2
5
3
4
1
4
2
4
3
3
1
3
2
2
3
2
4
3
5
2
5
1
5
2
6
2:1
4
2
4
3
3
1
3
2
2
3
2
4
3
5
2
5
1
5
2
6
1
6
2
7
3:1
3
1
3
2
2
3
2
4
3
5
2
5
1
5
2
6
1
6
2
7
1
7
0
7
4:1
4
3
3
4
3
5
2
5
1
5
2
6
1
6
0
6
1
7
1
8
0
9
0
10
6:1
3
4
3
5
2
5
1
5
2
6
1
6
0
6
1
7
1
8
0
9
1
10
0
11

The effects are reduced by up to 25% in many cases

9
12
1:3
8
0
8
0
8
0
7
0
6
0
5
0
5
0
4
0
4
1
3
0
3
1
3
2
1:2
5
1
5
0
5
1
5
2
3
2
3
1
3
2
3
2
2
1
2
1
1
2
2
3
2:3
5
1
5
2
4
1
4
2
4
2
3
1
3
2
3
2
2
1
2
1
1
2
2
3
1:1
4
1
4
2
4
2
3
1
3
2
3
2
2
1
2
1
1
2
2
3
2
3
2
4
3:2
4
2
3
1
3
2
3
2
2
1
2
1
1
2
2
3
2
4
2
4
1
4
2
5
2:1
3
2
3
2
2
1
2
1
1
2
2
3
2
4
2
4
1
4
2
5
1
5
2
5
3:1
2
1
2
1
1
2
2
3
2
4
2
4
1
4
2
5
1
5
2
5
1
5
0
5
4:1
3
2
2
3
2
4
2
4
1
4
2
5
1
5
0
5
1
5
1
6
0
7
0
8
6:1
2
3
2
4
2
4
1
4
2
5
1
5
0
5
1
5
1
6
0
7
1
8
0
8

 

100 2 3 3 4 5 2 3 3 4 5 2 3 3 4 5
Leader casualty values: base; Allies/Russian: fire wound, kill; melee wound, kill; melee capture; French: fire wound, kill; melee wound, kill; melee capture; Prussian: fire wound, kill; melee wound, kill; melee capture
This need not be changed.

0 0 0 15 5 0 0 10 10 0 2 2
Terrain height in metres: blocked, clear, water, forest, orchard, marsh, building, chateau, village, rough, field, height of a unit
No change, unless heights of crops are to be shown, "orchards" represent low scrub, etc.

6 1 -1
Unknown

The following lines are in NIR only.

4
Golden morale modifier
1
An addition of 4 to the morale checks of defending Russians makes them just too ready to die where they stand. This well-known characteristic can be reflected by a much smaller modifier. In a scenario of desperate defence this can be changed to 2, perhaps.

8 8
Artillery ammunition added with the arrival of a reinforcement battery
This should be as per the calculated artillery ammunition: see the artillery page.

 

Infantry ammunition scales

Infantry ammunition is made available in each division's wagons at one replenishment point per two battalions. This equates closely to the standard BG 'wagon' of 6 points per division but allows for very large or small divisions having proportionate supplies rather than a blanket allowance of 6. At corps level, 50% of this scale is added in a number wagons at a suitable part of the required total. For example, French I Corps in June 1812 has:

1st Division = 17 battalions => 9 ammo points (rounded up)
2nd Division   17   9
3rd Division   18   9
4th Division   16   8
5th Division   20   10

The total held in the divisions is therefore 45. Corps additional = 45 x 50% = 22 (rounded down here because division totals were rounded up) in 2 wagons of 6 and 2 of 5. The number of corps wagons can be fewer than the number of divisions, just to add to the command question of where to allocate them!