Dawn of Battle Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• 1.0 Introduction
• 2.0 Game Components
  • 2.1 Game Board
  • 2.2 Player Aid Cards
  • 2.3 Status Markers
  • 2.4 Terrain Tiles
  • 2.5 Army Leaders
  • 2.6 Combat Units
  • 2.7 Action Cards
• 3.0 Unit Types
  • 3.1 Infantry Type Units
  • 3.2 Cavalry Type Units
  • 3.3 Other Type Units
• 4.0 Sequence of Play
  • 4.1 Remove Leaders
  • 4.2 Receive Action Points
  • 4.3 Determine Initiative
  • 4.4 Place Leaders
  • 4.5 Action Cycle
  • 4.6 Melee Cycle
  • 4.7 Turn End
• 5.0 Player Actions
  • 5.1 Initiative Bidding
  • 5.2 Formation Activation
  • 5.3 Individual Unit Activation
  • 5.4 Die Result Modification
  • 5.5 Melee Modification
  • 5.6 Event Purchasing
  • 5.7 Handicapping
• 6.0 Command Control
  • 6.1 Leader Command Value
  • 6.2 Leader Command Range
  • 6.3 Leader Movement
  • 6.4 Leader Casualties
• 7.0 Movement
  • 7.1 Movement Rate
  • 7.2 Disruption
  • 7.3 Facing
  • 7.4 Rotation
  • 7.5 Activation
  • 7.6 Enemy Zone of Control
  • 7.7 Map Edges
  • 7.8 Reinforcements
  • 7.9 Stacking
  • 7.10 Move and Fire
  • 7.11 Cavalry Charges
  • 7.12 Sidestepping
• 8.0 Ranged Combat
  • 8.1 Missile Units
  • 8.2 Range
  • 8.3 Arc of Fire
  • 8.4 Line of Sight
  • 8.5 Combat Resolution
  • 8.6 Rapid Fire
  • 8.7 Early Gunpowder
• 9.0 Rally
  • 9.1 Morale Check
  • 9.2 Automatic Rally
  • 9.3 Formation Rally
  • 9.4 Result Modification
  • 9.5 Army Panic
  • 9.6 Camp Exception
• 10.0 Melee Combat
  • 10.1 Remove Markers
  • 10.2 Melee Cycle
  • 10.3 Disruption Effects
• 11.0 Camps and War Wagons
  • 11.1 Zone of Control
  • 11.2 Arc of Fire
  • 11.3 Combat Limits
  • 11.4 Looting
• 12.0 Army Panic
  • 12.1 Casualties
  • 12.2 Army Panic
  • 12.3 Loss of Leadership
  • 12.4 Panic Movement
  • 12.5 Activity Resumption
  • 12.6 Additional Panic
  • 12.7 Map Exit
• 13.0 Victory
  • 13.1 Army Panic
  • 13.2 Wreckage and Pillage
  • 13.3 Glorious Slaughter
  • 13.4 Scenario Assigned
  • 13.5 Handicap
  • 13.6 Victory Level
  • 13.7 Sudden Death Victory
• 14.0 Events
  • 14.1 Starting Events
  • 14.2 Playing Events
  • 14.3 Drawing Events
  • 14.4 Rules Exceptions
  • 14.5 Random Events
  • 14.6 Ex Machina
• 15.0 Supplementary Rules
  • 15.1 Free Deployment
  • 15.2 Tournament Balancing
  • 15.3 Luck Versus Skill
  • 15.4 Barbarian Charge
  • 15.5 Impetuousness
  • 15.6 Discipline
  • 15.7 Double Attack
  • 15.8 Elephants
  • 15.9 Missile Unit Panic Fire
  • 15.10 Dismounted Cavalry
  • 15.11 Taking Heads
  • 15.12 The Code of Honor
• 16.0 Scenarios
  • 16.1 Map Setup
  • 16.2 Game Pieces
  • 16.3 Game Tracks
  • 16.4 Action Chits
  • 16.5 Scenario Special Rules
  • 16.6 Assigned Victory Points
  • 16.7 Starting Event Cards
  • 16.8 Let's Play
• 17.0 Design Your Own
  • 17.1 Army Dispositions
  • 17.2 Building Armies
  • 17.3 Map Setup
  • 17.4 Army Deployment
  • 17.5 Panic Levels
  • 17.6 Victory Conditions
• 18.0 Historical Scenarios
  • 18.1 Selecting a Battle
  • 18.2 Modeling the Battle
  • 18.3 Testing
  • 18.4 Palaver, Rinse and Repeat
  • Scenario Design Example
• Player Aid Summary (rear pages)
  • Ranged Combat Resolution (8.0)
  • Melee Combat Resolution (10.0)
  • Action Point Uses (5.0)
  • Random Event Icons (14.5)
  • Ex Machina Resolution (14.6)
  • Terrain Effects Chart

1.0 Introduction

Dawn of Battle is a two-player, tactical wargame depicting battles that occurred over a span of three millennia, from ancient Egypt up to the early adoption of gunpowder on the battlefield. In order to simulate so vast a period, the game examines units and tactics in a general and abstract manner, while still attempting to accurately portray battles as they did (or might have) occurred. Given the abstract nature of Dawn of Battle, it is not intended as a thesis on ancient to early gunpowder combat. Rather, its intent is to provide an accessible means of studying a broad period of history in relatively short chunks.

The rules are organized into broad topics that roughly follow the sequence of play. Each topic is organized numerically with more specific details organized into numbered sub-cases to make it easier for players to find answers to questions that might arise during play. Players are encouraged to read through the rules prior to play to get a sense of how the game is played. It is not necessary to memorize the rules as the game is quite straight forward, so memorization will come as the game is played. Rules marked with a star (*) symbol have been updated since the last printing of the rules.

2.0 Game Components

Below is a listing of the components used to play Dawn of Battle (in addition to this rulebook).

2.1 Game Board

A 34" by 22" game board provides a 15 by 16 grid of blank hexagons where battles are fought. Along the edge of this battle area is a column of shaded "half-hexes" allowing for another map to be "mated" to form a 15 by 32 grid of hexes where "epic" battles can be fought. This column of half-hexes is not used when playing standard battle scenarios. The shaded half-hexes along the top and bottom of the map are also not playable. In the center of the map is a numbered compass rose used to position units within a hex (sometimes randomly) or to randomly select an adjacent hex. On the opposite edge of the board are tracks used to indicate the current turn and the status of the armies engaged. Trees printed on the map are simply decorative and have no effect on game play.

2.2 Player Aid Cards

Each player is provided with a letter-sized card that includes various tables and key rule summaries for easy reference.

2.3 Status Markers

Several different types of markers are used throughout a battle to keep track of various game mechanics. Enough of these markers have been included to play out the battle scenarios provided. However, players are encouraged to create their own scenarios as well. If these custom battles exceed the limits of markers included with the game, players can augment the collection of markers as they see fit. However, Action chits should be limited to seven, unless an "epic" double-map scenario is being played. Status markers fall into these broad categories:

• 2.3.1 Active!: This small yellow marker is used to note those units on the map that have completed an action that does not deny them the opportunity to initiate melee combat.
• 2.3.2 Charge: This small black marker is used to note those units that have initiated a "charge" action during their movement.
• 2.3.3 Done!: This small red marker is used to note those units on the map that have completed an action that cancels a unit's opportunity to initiate melee combat.
• 2.3.4 Action Points: An army may receive up to seven of these markers at the beginning of a turn. These markers are "spent" to allow combat units perform a variety of actions on the game board. The two sides of these markers indicate the "unspent" or "spent" status of each action.
• 2.3.5 Army Losses: Each army receives two army loss markers. These are used to track the number of losses an army has sustained during the battle. One is used to track a number between 0 and 9, while the other tracks multiples of 10 (or 10 through 90). These are placed on the Army Panic track to indicate a value between 0 and 99. Once an army sustains a number of losses equal to its "Panic Level," it panics and is subject to panic movement (more on these concepts below). The reverse of these markers also notes a morale penalty that could occur during the course of a game.
• 2.3.6 Turn: This marker indicates the current turn and is adjusted at the end of each turn by moving it along the Turn track.
• 2.3.7 Initiative: This marker is used to indicate who currently holds the initiative. When an army takes the initiative, the marker is placed in the 0 box of their Army Panic track. The marker is moved to the next box on the track when initiative is retained.
• 2.3.8 Combat Value: This marker is used to aid players during melee combat. Place the marker on the map's turn track to note an army's melee combat strength.

2.4 Terrain Tiles

These large hexagonal tiles are placed on the game board within the hexes specified by the battle scenario instructions. They indicate the terrain over which the battle was fought, if it was not a simple, open field or plain. Each tile indicates one or more combat modifiers for units defending within or attacking out of that type of terrain. Specific rules governing the use of terrain is described later within these rules. The terrain types are as follows (a Terrain Effects Chart is provided for easy reference during play):

• 2.4.1 Clear: This plain, open field terrain is the standard map terrain. Entering a clear terrain hex costs one movement point.
• 2.4.2 Hill: This terrain represents slight to moderate rises. Entering a hill hex costs two movement points. Attacking a unit on hill terrain during melee causes a -1 penalty (even if the attacking unit occupies an adjacent hill hex). Hill terrain blocks line of sight.
• 2.4.3 River: The river terrain represents an impassable waterway. No unit may enter a river hex except via bridge or ford. Bridge and ford hexes may be entered by or exited to any adjacent, non-river hex (assuming the moving combat unit has sufficient movement points to enter that hex). When a river forms a junction with a stream, the tile is treated as a river tile.
  • 2.4.3.1 Bridge: Entering a bridge hex costs one movement point. Units attacking out off a bridge hex during melee suffer a -2 penalty.
  • 2.4.3.2 Ford: Entering a ford hex costs two movement points. Units attacking out off a ford hex during melee suffer a -1 penalty.
• 2.4.4 Rough: This is a plain type of terrain that might include natural features such as mud or man-made defenses like ditches or abatis. Rough costs two movement points to enter. Units defending in or attacking out of rough terrain during melee suffer a -1 penalty.
• 2.4.5 Stream: This terrain represents a narrow waterway that's shallow enough to cross at any point. Units must stop upon entering a stream hex. Units defending in or attacking out off a stream during melee suffer a -2 penalty.
• 2.4.6 Structures: This terrain represents the presence of sufficient construction in the area to impact movement and combat. This could be a single large structure (a church and its grounds) or several small structures (a village or hamlet). It costs one movement point to enter a structures hex. Attacking a unit in structures causes a -2 penalty. Units within a structure hex receive a +2 missile defense bonus. Structures block line of sight.

2.5 Army Leaders

These pieces represent the battlefield commanders that are leading an army to victory (or trying to save it from defeat). Players soon discover how vital they are to an army, and are worth protecting. However, they often must "lead from the front" if they are to receive the laurels of victory!

• 2.5.1 Leader Values: Each leader is noted with a command range and a combat bonus. Army generals are also marked with a number within a laurel symbol, representing a command value. The reverse of the leader units is a single laurel so as to hide their values from the opposing player until all have been placed on the map during play. Leaders that move beyond their command radius when the unit that they are stacked with moves are flipped face-down to indicate they cannot be used to create formations.
• 2.5.2 Army Morale: Army morale is critical to rallying disordered combat units as well as determining the number of event cards a player may hold. An army's morale value is equal to the sum of its available leaders' command values (leaders displaced off the map do not count). An army's morale may also degrade due to Fatigue (14.5.3), but never below a value of one.

2.6 Combat Units

These pieces represent the combat units or troops that make up a side's army. The units that comprise an army are defined within the battle scenario's setup instructions. Each combat unit has two sides. The front is its "good order" side, while the reverse represents its "disrupted" side (exception: artillery). Units may flip over (and back) during the course of a game as a consequence of actions. Each unit is noted with several values: Unit Type, Charge ability, Combat Strength, Unit Size, Movement Value, Missile Defense, Missile Attack and Missile Range.

• 2.6.1 Unit Type: This is a two-letter code indicating the type of unit. The category to which a unit belongs is noted by the color of this code. A white or yellow code indicates an infantry-type unit, with the yellow value indicating a gunpowder armed unit. A blue code indicates a cavalry-type unit. A red code indicates a special type of unit that requires some additional rules.
• 2.6.2 Charge Ability: Some cavalry units have an additional "arrow head" icon beneath their unit type. This indicates that the unit may perform a "charge" action.
• 2.6.3 Combat Strength: This numeric value is an expression of how many men (or beasts) comprise the unit. For example, a Greek Hoplite unit may occupy the same space as an Auxiliary unit, but it is comprised of many more men in tight formation. Note that Elephant units have a '?' rather than a strength value.
• 2.6.4 Unit Size: This letter identifier indicates the size of the unit. Units are either "heavy" (H), "medium" (M), or "light" (L). The physical size of the unit also indicates its size. Additionally, the color of this value indicates the status of the unit. A red letter indicates a disrupted unit. Camps are considered heavy units for the purposes of movement and stacking.
• 2.6.5 Movement: This numeric value indicates how many movement points a unit may spend while moving. Some units have this value noted in blue text, indicating that the unit may perform a "move-and-fire" action. This ability may be dependent upon the status of the combat unit (good order or disordered).
• 2.6.6 Missile Defense: This value indicates a modifier the unit employs when defending against a missile attack.
• 2.6.7 Missile Attack: This value indicates how many attack results the unit may draw when employing ranged combat. Only units capable of ranged combat are noted with this value.
• 2.6.8 Missile Range: This value indicates how many hexes distant an enemy unit may be and still be attacked with ranged combat. Only units capable of ranged combat are noted with this value.

2.7 Action Cards

Each player receives a deck of action cards for use during the battle. Each deck is comprised of 72 cards and each is identical. These decks provide the game "engine" for Dawn of Battle, as the cards are used in a variety of ways. Each card is comprised of the following features: Command Value, Die Roll, Melee Results Chart (melee strength, melee result, morale modifier), Event text, and Random Event icon.

• 2.7.1 Command Values: This is a value between one and three that is added to the summed values of leader command ratings to create a pool of action points at the beginning of a turn.
• 2.7.2 Die Roll: There are no dice included with Dawn of Battle. Instead, a die symbol specifying a value between one and six is printed at the bottom of each card. When calling for a random die result, reveal the top card from a player's action deck and note the die value indicated. If both players need draw die results for comparison (ex: checking initiative), the player holding the initiative should draw and reveal a result first. If the result cannot be countered, the other player need not waste a card draw. The color of the die symbol is related to the event symbol (see 2.7.5) and may be referenced in different ways by special scenario-defined rules.
• 2.7.3 Melee Result: Along one edge of each action card is a melee chart. When resolving melee, both players draw a card and compare these charts to determine the melee effect of each unit in combat. The chart is divided into three columns. The first column is a cumulative combat modifier. The second column shows a melee result. The third column (if not vacant) indicates a required morale check (see 9.1) with the modifier in the column. Failing this morale check increases the combat result by one level (a 'n' becomes a 'd', a 'd' becomes a 'D', or a 'D' becomes an 'E').
• 2.7.4 Result Modifications: During play, there are many instances where activation points or event cards might be used to modify combat outcomes. All of these modifications must be declared before any random results are determined.
• 2.7.5 Event: In the center of each card is event text that can be employed if a card is discarded for its event effect. Unless noted otherwise, events can be played at any time.
• 2.7.6 Random Event: The bottom of the card may display a random event icon that is triggered if drawn during the random event check segment of the turn end process (see 14.5).
• 2.7.7 Reshuffling: When the last card of a deck is drawn, immediately reshuffle the discard pile to create a new action deck. The deck is also immediately reshuffled (both the undrawn cards and discards together) when a reshuffle symbol is drawn as a random event (see 14.5.2).

3.0 Unit Types

In order to play out battles from the period of time that Dawn of Battle encompasses, a lot of different types of combat units are required. Also, given the scope of time involved, these units are treated in a somewhat abstract fashion, where a unit could represent one type of formation during the Hellenistic period and another during the 100 Years War. This essentially means that the units are relative, rather than actual representations. The combat units fall into the following broad categories and types:

3.1 Infantry Type Units

These are the foot soldiers of each era.

• 3.1.1 Light Infantry (LI): These are mobs of poorly armed, often untrained men. Typically, they have a shield, one weapon, and no body armor. They might represent peasant levies or barbarians.
• 3.1.2 Medium Infantry (MI): These units are adequately armed (either at their own or their government's expense), drilled regular infantry. You would find these among city-state armies, auxiliary and mercenary forces.
• 3.1.3 Heavy Infantry (HI): These units are heavily armed, well-trained professional infantry. Examples include Roman legions or Viking huskarls.
• 3.1.4 Phalanx (PX): These units represent heavily armed infantry, massed shoulder-to-shoulder with pikes (long spears). The wall of shields and spears provides good defense against missiles.
• 3.1.5 Pikemen (PK): These units represent a light, mobile Phalanx formation effective against cavalry (e.g. a Scottish schiltron).
• 3.1.6 Mixed Missiles (MM): These units primarily represent javelin throwers, slingers, and archers with limited hand-to-hand ability, such as Greek peltasts. They could represent regular infantry with a high proportion of missile troops.
• 3.1.7 Light Archers (LA): These units are bowmen or slingers with little or no body armor. Their purpose is to disrupt the enemy, not fight hand-to-hand.
• 3.1.8 Heavy Archers (HA): These units are armored bowmen (such as Assyrian archers or medieval crossbowmen). They can defend themselves in melee, but they sacrifice mobility.
• 3.1.9 Light Gunners (LG): These units comprise small formations of infantry armed with the early arquebus, such as Hungarian gunners of the Hussite Wars.

3.2 Cavalry Type Units

Cavalry type units use horses and camels for speed and, after stirrups became common in Europe during the 8th Century AD, increased striking power (i.e., "shock").

• 3.2.1 Light Cavalry (LC): These units are mounted troops with little or no body armor and usually armed with spears or javelins. They are used primarily as scouts for their army, to screen or turn the flanks of a battle line and attack the enemy's rear — then to ride down fleeing foes.
• 3.2.2 Heavy Cavalry (HC): Well-armored, main shock cavalry used for direct attacks along a battle line to execute charges and deliver decisive blows.
• 3.2.3 Mounted Archers (MA): Light, missile equipped cavalry units used by the Parthians and Mongols.
• 3.2.4 Cataphracted Cavalry (CT/HT): Very heavily armored, missile equipped cavalry units used by the Byzantine Empire.
• 3.2.5 Knights (KT): These are extra-heavy cavalry in chain or plate armor.
• 3.2.6 Camelry (CC): Camel mounted troops; this cavalry type unit is particularly effective against enemy cavalry.
• 3.2.7 Chariots (CH): These are light, two-wheeled wagons carrying two or three warriors and bowmen.
• 3.2.8 Battle Chariots (BC): These are a larger variety of chariot formation, geared toward a powerful initial shock, but not as effective afterwards.

3.3 Other Type Units

These are special combat units that do not fall into the Infantry or Cavalry categories.

• 3.3.1 Elephants (EL): These units represent groups of African or Asian elephants, each including a driver, a fighting platform (howdah), and several warriors.
• 3.3.2 Camp: This is the baggage of the army in the field. It may be fortified by a dirt moat or palisade or just by pulling the wagons into a circle. It contains the war chest, supplies, loot, and often the troops' families. Needless to say, it is very important to the morale and physical needs of the men. Camps units are the size and shape of terrain tiles to show their immobility, but are treated as any other combat unit.
• 3.3.3 War Wagons (WW): A mobile camp that has the same attributes of a Camp unit.
• 3.3.4 Cannon (AY): These units represent one or more early cannon, such as the culverin. Note that their strength value ("X") varies and is defined in the scenario setup instructions.

Combat unit samples (illustrated): Light Infantry, Medium Infantry, Heavy Infantry, Phalanx, Pikemen, Mixed Missiles, Light Archers, Heavy Archers, Light Gunners, Heavy Gunners, Light Cavalry, Heavy Cavalry, Mounted Archers, Cataphract Cavalry, Knights, Camelry, Chariots, Battle Chariots, Elephants.

4.0 Sequence of Play

Each game turn in Dawn of Battle is played out through a number of turns following the setup of a scenario (see 16.0). There are up to ten turns per game. Each turn follows a specific sequence of steps. These steps may not be taken out of order and each must be completed prior to the next step being started by either player. Once the sequence is completed, a single game turn has been completed. The sequence of play is described in detail below. Specific game mechanics necessary to complete these steps (movement, combat, etc.) are described in their own following sections.

4.1 Remove Leaders

Both players remove all of their leaders from the map and place them aside. They are returned to the map in a later step.

4.2 Receive Action Points

Both players sum the command values (laurels) of their active leaders (those that can be returned to the map on that turn). Commanders with a laurel value of zero provide no action points. If a side has no leaders (or only leaders without laurels), the total is zero. Each player then draws a card from their respective action deck and adds the command value of the card to the command provided by their leaders. Finally, draw a number of action markers equal to this value and place each so that its "unspent" side is showing. These will be flipped over as they are "spent."

Receive Action Points example: Bob has two commanders, one with a command value of 2 and another with a value of 1 for a total of three command points. Bob draws an action card and checks the command value. He gets a 2 for a total of five action points. Bob draws five action chits from his pool of seven chits and places them face-up for use during the turn.

4.3 Determine Initiative

Both players draw a die result, with the highest value winning the initiative. In case of ties, the player who held the initiative during the previous turn retains the initiative (redraw during the first turn). The player who held the initiative from the previous turn(s) deducts the number of the box occupied by the Initiative marker from his or her die result (thus increasing the odds that the initiative swings to the other player). Four is the highest value of this modifier. Once the initiative is determined, the player who did not acquire the initiative may spend an action to acquire it. The other player may then attempt to buy it back with an action. This back and forth continues until one player firmly gains (or retains) the initiative. Advance the initiative marker one space on the initiative holder's or place it on the zero box of the new initiative holder's Army Panic track.

Initiative example: Bob and Dave are determining initiative. Bob has held the initiative for the last three turns. Dave draws a die result and gets a 4. Bob draws a result and gets a 6. However, since Bob has held the initiative for three turns, this result is reduced to a 4 (-0 for the first turn, -1 for the second, -2 for the third), tying Dave's result. Since Bob held the initiative the previous turn, he retains it. Dave really wants to go first during the pending action cycle, so he spends an action chit to steal the initiative from Bob. Bob could spend a chit to steal it back, but decides he has better uses for his chits and cedes the initiative to Dave and flips the initiative marker over to Dave's side and places it in the 0 box on Dave's Initiative track (had Bob retained the Initiative the marker would be placed in the 3 box on Bob's initiative track).

4.4 Place Leaders

Both players return their active leaders to the map as desired (including those in the current turn box of the Turn track placed there due to wounding or looting), with the initiative player returning leaders second. A leader may be placed face-down, anywhere an enemy leader or enemy combat unit is not located (a leader may be placed in an empty hex if desired, but this could be risky). Multiple leaders may be placed in the same location (also risky). Once placed, leaders remain with the unit in the hex if it moves, or remain in an empty hex until eliminated or removed during the next turn's remove leaders step. If unable to place any leaders, a panic check (see 12.3) ensues. Flip the leaders face-up when used to activate a unit or formation.

4.5 Action Cycle

Both players alternate spending action points. The initiative player indicates who spends the first action point. This cycle continues until both sides opt to stop spending action chits. If the other player still has actions, these may be spent in sequence. As each action is spent, its marker is flipped to its "spent" side.

4.6 Melee Cycle

Following the action cycle, remove all Active! markers placed during the action cycle. Players then alternate in selecting units that are eligible to initiate melee combat. The initiative player has the first option to initiate a melee. If both players opt not to initiate melee in sequence (they both pass, one after the other), the melee combat cycle ends.

4.7 Turn End

Remove all Done! markers placed during the action cycle or melee combat step. Players then have the option to discard one or more event cards from their hand. Both players then check for random events. Following any events, advance the Turn marker to the next box on the Turn track, unless a random event results in an end-of-game draw whose value is less than or equal to the end-of-game value noted in the current game turn box, in which case the game ends immediately (see 14.5.4) and a victor is determined.

5.0 Player Actions

Prior to and following the action cycle, players have the opportunity to spend action points. During the action cycle, players alternate spending action points. The player holding the initiative determines who spends the first point. A player may opt to not spend a point, thereby "passing" his or her activation. A player that passes may not perform any more actions during the turn. Once both players pass, the action cycle is done even though action points may still be available. Action points that are unspent by the end of the turn are lost. What follows is a listing of how action points might be spent during the turn.

5.1 Initiative Bidding

When determining initiative, the player that loses the initiative determination die result may spend an action point to seize the initiative. The other player may counter this by spending a point. Players alternate this bidding until one decides to cede the initiative by not spending an action point.

5.2 Formation Activation

A player may spend an action point to activate a formation of combat units (including reinforcements, see 7.8). All of the units within that formation may then complete the same of the following actions: rally, move, conduct ranged fire, move and fire, or fire and move (e.g. all must rally, all must move, etc.). In order to be part of a formation, a unit must: not be marked with an 'Active!' or 'Done!' marker, be within the command range of an available leader (see Note #3), be able to draw a line of continuous hexes that are empty or contain a friendly unit (activated or not) to the selected leader, and able to complete the action chosen for the formation. A formation must include a leader and may contain any number of combat units so long as each unit complies with the specified requirements. A formation may be a single unit that complies with these requirements. Once the units that comprise a formation have been determined, each performs the selected action individually. A single unit within a formation must fully complete its action before another unit completes its action.

5.3 Individual Unit Activation

Rather than select a formation, an action point may be spent on a single unit to move (including fire-and-move and move-and-fire), conduct ranged fire, or rally. When activating an individual unit, it need not be within a commander's command range. Cannon units do not belong to formations and therefore must be activated individually (although two cannon in a hex may be activated together, see 8.7.2.6).

5.4 Die Result Modification

Prior to drawing a card for a die result, a player may spend an action point to increase or reduce the result by one. Players may alternate spending actions to modify a die result until one cedes the modification or lack thereof. A die result may only be modified by plus or minus one. Only after the modification (if any) has been determined may the result card be drawn.

5.5 Melee Modification

Prior to determining the result of a melee, the attacking player (the one specifying the melee) may spend any number of available action points as modifications to the melee result. The defending player may then do the same.

5.6 Event Purchasing

A player may spend an action point either as an action during the action cycle or during turn end to purchase an event card. A player may not purchase an event that would increase the number of events available beyond his or her hand size (the total of the command values of available leaders). If necessary, an event card may be discarded to make space prior to drawing a new card, but only during turn end (not during the action cycle).

5.7 Handicapping

A player may spend an action point during the action cycle and place the chit on the current turn space on the Turn track. These discarded chits may not be assigned later during the game. At game end, each chit is multiplied by the circled handicap value noted in each space of the Turn track. The total of these values are summed to determine the chance of earning an additional victory point at the end of the game (see 13.5).

6.0 Command Control

Command control is the conceptual ability (or inability) for a commander to be everywhere on the battlefield. This is modeled in several ways within Dawn of Battle.

6.1 Leader Command Value

Some leaders are noted with a command value within a laurels symbol. The command values of each leader marked with them are summed to create an army's command rating. The command rating is used to determine any army's morale value (units attempting to rally must draw a result less than or equal to this value, see 9.0). The command rating is used to determine the number of activation points an army receives each turn. The command rating is also used to determine how many event cards an army might have available. If leaders are killed (or otherwise made unavailable), this rating drops.

6.2 Leader Command Range

Each leader is noted with a numeric command range value. This value is used to determine the size of a formation centered upon the selected leader's hex (use the Initial Position marker to clarify this location if the leader moves from that spot). The larger this value is, the larger a formation might be. Units that are outside of this range may only be activated through the expense of an action point. A leader command range is counted from the leader's hex (non-inclusive) to the unit hex (included).

6.3 Leader Movement

Leaders do not have movement values like combat units. During the removal and placing of leaders phases of the turn, leaders are positioned where a player believes they might do best. More than one leader may be placed in the same hex (although this could be risky). If placed with a unit, a leader must move with that unit, but if moved beyond its command range, that leader unit is flipped over to show that it is unable to activate formations for the remainder of the turn. If the unit that a leader is stacked with is eliminated, the leader must check for casualties (see below). If the leader survives, he remains in his hex until either eliminated, wounded, or removed the following turn as part of the leader placement process.

6.4 Leader Casualties

If a leader occupies a hex with a friendly unit that suffers an elimination (without the enemy advancing into the leader's hex) or involuntary disruption result, draw a die result for the leader. If the result is a six, draw another result. If the result is a black die, the leader has been killed and is removed from the game. If an enemy unit enters a hex that is only occupied by an leader (through regular movement or advance after combat), the player owning the leader draws a die result. If the result is a six, draw another result. If the result is a gray die, the leader is killed and removed from the game. Otherwise, the leader is removed from the map and returned two turns later. If the leader is not killed, place the marker in the Leader Holding box on the map. The leader is returned the following turn (this temporary displacement may modify an army's morale). Leaders temporarily removed in this fashion are considered unavailable (and may not contribute their command value) until returned to the map.

7.0 Movement

During the action cycle, units and formations may be activated for movement. Combat units are moved individually through the grid of hexagons printed on the map. Units are moved from their current hex to an adjacent hex. Hexes may not be skipped. The number of hexes through which a unit may move is dependent upon its movement value and the type of terrain through which a unit is moving.

7.1 Movement Rate

Each combat unit is noted with a numeric movement value. This value represents the number of points a unit may expend while moving. Moving into a clear terrain hex costs a unit one point. Moving into other types of terrain costs a varying number of points as described on the Terrain Effects Chart (TEC). If a unit does not have sufficient movement points to enter a hex, it may not enter that hex.

7.2 Disruption

Some units have improved movement values when disrupted. Therefore, any unit activated for movement may "self-disrupt" to take advantage of this improved movement rate. However, once disrupted, a unit must be rallied to return to its good order side.

7.3 Facing

Combat units must be placed so that the top edge of the game piece is facing one of the vertices (corners) of the hexagon it occupies. If this placement is unclear, the opposing player may position the unit to face one of the two questionable vertices. When placed correctly in a hex, the two adjacent hexes toward which the unit faces are considered its "front" hexes. The two hexes to the left and right of the unit are referred to as its "flank" hexes, while the two hexes "behind" the unit are its "rear" hexes. When activated, a unit may only move into one of its two front hexes. A unit may freely adjust its facing one vertex to the left or right when entering the left or right front hex, respectively. In other words, a unit entering its left front hex may freely rotate to the left one vertex, or to the right when entering the right front hex.

7.4 Rotation

A unit may rotate within its current hex or within a new hex (beyond the free rotation noted above) by spending one movement point (in addition to the cost of the terrain entered, but regardless of the terrain currently occupied). A unit may be rotated to face any vertex for a single movement point.

7.5 Activation

Once a unit has completed its movement action, it is considered activated. Mark the unit with an Active! marker (unless noted otherwise by the type of terrain entered) to indicate that it may still initiate melee combat later in the turn.

7.6 Enemy Zone of Control

The two frontal hexes of a combat unit are also considered its "zone of control." A unit that enters an enemy zone of control (EZOC) must halt any movement other than rotation. A unit in an EZOC may freely rotate when activated and is marked with an Active! marker. A unit may exit an EZOC when activated, but is marked with a Done! marker when its movement is complete (a unit may not exit one unit's EZOC and then enter another unit's EZOC). A unit that exits the EZOC of a charging enemy unit is immediately disrupted, unless already disrupted.

7.7 Map Edges

Unless specified otherwise by scenario special rules, a unit may not voluntarily exit a map edge.

7.8 Reinforcements

When specified by scenario special rules (SSR), reinforcements enter the game as a single formation activated by an action point, paying the cost for the map-edge hex entered. Place reinforcing leaders with any one of the entering units. Each unit may optionally enter the map disrupted (to maximize movement in some cases). Each unit's movement value may be doubled during this entry, but a reinforcing unit doing so may not end its move adjacent to an enemy unit. The movement rate for each reinforcing unit is reduced by one for each unit that precedes it onto the map through the same entry hex (units are marching onto the map in a long column, so units in the rear need to move through the same space as the units in front of them). If the hex through which reinforcements enter the map is blocked, assume that there is an adjacent hex just off the map containing any one of the reinforcing units. This unit may attack the blocking unit in melee (but not vice versa). The attacking unit is assumed to occupy clear terrain and may be stacked with any reinforcing leader(s). If the attacking unit is disrupted as part of combat, it must enter the map in that state and may not be rallied until on the map. If the attacking unit is eliminated as part of combat, it is treated like any other eliminated combat unit. A unit that is unable to enter the map following combat may attempt to do so on a later turn. This is the only attack that may be made on the entry hex on this turn. On later turns, the same or a different reinforcing unit may attack the entry hex.

Movement examples (illustrated; the cost in movement points spent is noted by circled numbers): In "A" the heavy infantry unit advances two hexes, gets a free rotation in the direction it moved (to the left), and is marked with an Active! marker. In "B" the disrupted heavy infantry unit advances two hexes, pays one movement point to rotate in the direction it is not moving in (to the right), and is marked with an Active! marker. In "C" the light infantry unit exits an EZOC by rotating 180 degrees for one movement point, advances two hexes, and is marked with a Done! marker, since it exited the EZOC. In "D" the cataphract advances into the red phalanx's EZOC and must stop. Since it moved at least three hexes, it may charge. In "E" the light cavalry avoids the red phalanx's EZOC hexes and rotates to enter the flank of the red phalanx. In "F" the other light cavalry passes through a light unit to enter the phalanx's rear.

7.9 Stacking

A hex may only contain a single combat unit (exception: for cannon units, see 8.7.2.6). A moving unit may never end its movement within the same hex as any other friendly combat unit. A moving unit may never enter the same hex as an enemy combat unit. Neither leaders nor markers have any effect on stacking (a hex may include any number of each). Depending upon their density (as noted by a unit's physical size) units may be able to move through another friendly unit, provided the moving unit has sufficient movement points to pay the cost of the occupied hex and the hex beyond it.

• 7.9.1 Light Units: Small (5/8"x5/8") units are considered "light" units. Light units may move freely through any friendly unit's hex (and vice versa), with no additional effect.
• 7.9.2 Medium Units: Medium (3/4"x5/8") units are considered "medium" units. Medium units may move freely through light units (and vice versa). Medium units may move through other medium units at the cost of one additional movement point. Medium units may move through heavy units (or vice versa), but both suffer immediate disruption. An already disrupted unit does not suffer any additional effect.
• 7.9.3 Heavy Units: Large (7/8"x5/8") units are considered "heavy" units. Heavy units may move freely through light units (and vice versa). Heavy units may move through medium or other heavy units, but both suffer immediate disruption. An already disrupted unit does not suffer any additional effect.

7.10 Move and Fire

Some combat units (chariots and mounted archers) may perform Ranged Combat (see below) either prior to or following movement when not disrupted. Both movement and combat are performed normally when employing this action. Units capable of this tactic have blue movement values. All units within the activated formation must either move and fire or fire and move. Support fire (see 8.5.1) cannot be used when resolving missile fire by a unit using this action. A unit employing this action is marked with a Done! marker. A unit may employ move and fire when beginning its activation within an EZOC.

7.11 Cavalry Charges

Good order Heavy Cavalry (HC), Knights (KT), Cataphracts (CT) and Heavy Cataphracts (HT) may perform cavalry charges. A charge involves the active unit moving through at least three hexes to a hex adjacent to an enemy unit without changing facing at any time during its movement (even if it moves more than three hexes). All hexes moved through must be clear terrain. Place a Charge marker on the unit to indicate its charging status. A charging unit doubles its Combat Strength during melee against units in its front hexes when attacking or being attacked. Charging units use their printed combat strength when being attacked from flank or rear hexes.

• 7.11.1 Target Change: It's possible that the original target of the charging unit moves away prior to melee. If the charging unit is still able to attack a different enemy unit during melee, it still retains its charging status against this other unit. Additionally, a charging unit may change its original target if there is a preferable alternative target.
• 7.11.2 Pikemen Effectiveness: Pikemen (PK) units formed "Schiltron" to neutralize charging cavalry and thus, cancel the charging cavalry bonus (doubling of strength). Also, when defending, PK units ignore vector modifiers from any attacking combat unit (see 10.2.3.3).
• 7.11.3 Charge Avoidance: Light units and quicker cavalry may withdraw from melee against charging units if possible (see 10.2.2).
• 7.11.4 Charge Cancellation: A charging unit may cancel its charging status by withdrawing prior to melee, if possible (per 10.2.2). If a charging unit becomes disrupted, the charge is automatically cancelled. Exchange the Charge marker for an Active! marker. Otherwise, a charging unit must attack an enemy unit in its front hexes.
• 7.11.5 Reinforcement Charges: A good order cavalry unit may charge an enemy unit while entering from off-map, as long as the requisite three hexes are moved and double-movement (7.8) is not employed.

7.12 Sidestepping

Any infantry unit that does not occupy an EZOC may move sideways (retaining its original facing), at a rate of two movement points per hex. Units with less than two movement points may still sidestep one hex. A unit may not sidestep into an EZOC.

8.0 Ranged Combat

Ranged combat involves hurling objects of some kind at the enemy from a distance, rather than engaging hand-to-hand. These objects may be arrows, bolts, spears, stones, or some combination of any of these. Ranged combat also includes the use of gunpowder, which is handled a little differently than non-gunpowder attacks.

8.1 Missile Units

Units that are capable of ranged combat include two additional values on their counters: Ranged Combat Strength and Range.

8.2 Range

The range value on a missile unit indicates how far away in hexes a target can be and still be struck by a ranged attack. Count the fewest number of consecutively adjacent hexes from the firing unit's hex (exclusive) to the target unit's hex (inclusive). If the range is less than or equal to the firing unit's range value, the target can be attacked (assuming the target is within the firing unit's arc of fire and a clear line of sight exists to the target).

8.3 Arc of Fire

A missile unit may only fire at an enemy unit occupying its arc of fire. This arc extends outward through the firing unit's front hexes. Enemy units outside of this arc may not be targeted. The shaded area in the diagram (not reproduced) indicates a unit's arc of fire.

Exception: Camps and War Wagons both have a 360-degree arc of fire.

8.4 Line of Sight

In order to fire at an enemy unit that is not adjacent to the firing unit, a clear line of sight must exist between the firing unit and its target. Draw a straight line from the middle of the firing unit's hex to the middle of the target unit's hex. If any hex crossed by this line contains blocking terrain or non-light combat units (friendly or enemy), line of sight is blocked and the enemy unit may not be targeted. Do not include terrain occupied by the attacking or defending units when determining line of sight.

• 8.4.1 Blocking Terrain: Hill, Structures, and Woods terrain block line of sight.
• 8.4.2 Hill Terrain: Hill terrain requires additional clarification. Large and medium sized units in non-blocking terrain do not block line of sight if either the firing unit or the target is in Hill terrain (other types of terrain still block line of sight). Hill terrain always blocks line of sight between units, even if both occupy Hill terrain as well (unless they are adjacent).
• 8.4.3 Hex Sides: If line of sight is drawn directly between two hexes (along the joining hex side), line of sight is only blocked if blocking terrain exists on both sides of the line of sight. Shift the line of sight away from the blocking terrain hex a smidgeon. If it crosses blocking terrain in another hex, line of sight is blocked.

8.5 Combat Resolution

Ranged combat resolution is a straight-forward process. Follow these steps:

• 8.5.1 Lead and Supporting Units: The attacker selects a lead unit to attack the target. This unit's ranged missile attack value is used. The attacker may also select any number of other ranged combat capable units to support the lead unit. These units must be otherwise able to perform ranged combat against the target.
• 8.5.2 Draw Attack Card Results: The attacker draws a number of die results equal to the lead unit's ranged combat strength, selects the highest value, and increases that value by one for each supporting unit involved in the attack to determine a final ranged attack value.
• 8.5.3 Draw Defensive Card Result: The defender draws a single card and adds the defending unit's ranged combat defense value (which could be a negative penalty) and any defensive benefit for occupied terrain to the die result to determine a final ranged defense value.
• 8.5.4 Attack Result: If the attack value is higher than the defense value, the defender is disrupted. Otherwise, there is no effect. If the target was already disrupted prior to the attack, the defending unit is eliminated instead.
• 8.5.5 Mark Attacking Units: Mark all attacking units that participated in the attack with a Done! marker.

Ranged Combat example: Bob is using ranged fire from a light archer unit (a ranged combat strength of 2) to attack one of Dave's phalanx units (defense of +2). Bob draws two cards with die results of 3 and 5. Dave draws a die result of 4 for a total result of 6. The shot is ineffective. The light archer unit is marked with a Done! marker. If Bob had employed two supporting units in his attack, the result of 5 would have been increased to a 7, and therefore been a successful attack.

8.6 Rapid Fire

Certain scenarios (e.g., those involving English Longbow men) allow some units to conduct rapid fire, an ability to fire several times when activated. When activated, good order units can either complete a number of individual ranged combats at the same or different targets, or they may combine these attacks into an enhanced attack with a greater chance of success, or a combination of the two.

• 8.6.1 Predesignating Attacks: The type and number of rapid fire attacks must be determined before any attacks are resolved, but the specific target unit is determined at the beginning of each rapid fire ranged attack.
• 8.6.2 Normal Attacks: When a Rapid Fire enabled unit opts to complete multiple individual ranged combats, each is resolved as per Combat Resolution rules (see 8.5). During its missile attacks, only that rapid-fire unit can function as the lead unit. Non-rapid firing units may only support a rapid firing unit's first such attack during a single ranged combat.
• 8.6.3 Enhanced Attacks: When combining two or three rapid fire attacks into a single ranged combat, multiply the firing unit's ranged combat strength by the number of available attacks. All supporting units are handled normally, regardless of their type.

Rapid Fire example: Dave is playing the British at Agincourt and his longbow men may use triple rapid fire. His light archer units normally draw two result cards. Using triple rapid fire, he can attack three units normally or draw six results against a single unit. He can also attack one unit normally and attack another unit with four draws.

8.7 Early Gunpowder

These rules extend the Dawn of Battle system into the early gunpowder period (circa 1300 to 1650 CE). Although most of the mechanics for handling gunpowder combat remain the same as those described above, this section outlines the few differences.

• 8.7.1 Ranged Attack Values: Unlike other missile units, a gunpowder unit's combat strength specifies its range as well. When firing a gunpowder unit, its combat strength is reduced by one for each hex the target is distant from the firing unit (e.g. a unit with a combat strength of '3' firing at a unit two hexes away attacks with a strength of '1').

Gunpowder Range Effects example: A Light Gunners unit has a combat strength of 3. Therefore, it draws two results against adjacent units and one result against units two hexes away. It may not attack units at three hexes away. It may draw three results if firing pre-melee (see below).

• 8.7.2 Pre-Melee Fire: Unlike other missile units, gunpowder units may fire when attacking or when attacked in melee if not already marked with a Done! Marker against units in their ZOC. This attack is resolved prior to melee resolution at a range of zero hexes (and therefore with full ranged combat strength).
  • 8.7.2.1 Simultaneous Fire: If both units involved in the melee are gunpowder units, both may fire simultaneously.
  • 8.7.2.2 Survival: If both units survive the gun powder attack, the melee must be performed immediately afterward. If the attacking unit was eliminated, the melee is canceled. If the defender was eliminated, treat the result as if it were eliminated in melee.
  • 8.7.2.3 Stacking: If a cannon unit is stacked with the defending unit, each unit resolves its fire separately (thus, a good order attacking unit could be eliminated prior to melee).
  • 8.7.2.4 Light Gunners Retreat: Good order Light Gunners may fire prior to melee and then retreat before melee combat (see 10.2.2).
  • 8.7.2.5 Defense: Cannon units may not be targeted by ranged fire, although another unit in its hex may be. A melee attack against a lone, defending cannon automatically results in its destruction, or capture if one action point is paid at the time of the melee attack (if two cannon are in the same hex, pay two action points). A defending cannon stacked with a friendly light combat unit can only be destroyed or captured in melee if the light combat unit is eliminated or withdraws and the attacking unit advances into the hex. When capturing a cannon, simply replace it on the map with one of the capturing side's cannon, in a limbered state.
  • 8.7.2.6 Stacking: A cannon unit may be stacked with another combat unit or another cannon.
  • 8.7.2.7 Status: A cannon unit does not have a "disordered" side. Instead, its reverse side represents its "limbered" (or ready to move) side, while its front represents its "unlimbered" (or ready to fire) side.

9.0 Rally

As a result of combat (and possibly movement), combat units are flipped to their reverse, disrupted side. As an activation, units may attempt to recover from this status. This process takes place during the action cycle at the expense of an action to rally a single unit or formation. All units that successfully rally are marked with an Active! marker (a unit may make several attempts to rally throughout the turn). All disrupted units within a formation activated to rally must attempt to rally.

9.1 Morale Check

Each army has a morale level equal to the total of the command ratings of available leaders (leaders displaced off the map as part of combat do not count toward this total). In order for a unit to pass a morale check, it must draw a die value less than or equal to the army's morale level at the moment the check is made. A die result of 1 is always a success, regardless of leader availability.

9.2 Automatic Rally

When an action point is spent to rally a single unit (not a formation), the unit is automatically rallied if not in an EZOC. There is no need to draw a die result.

9.3 Formation Rally

When attempting to rally a unit within a formation, a die result draw is required except for units stacked with leaders, which automatically rally without a result draw.

9.4 Result Modification

Units that are adjacent to a hex containing a friendly leader or good order camp deduct one (-1) from their rally result draw. This modifier is cumulative for each adjacent leader and camp. Prior to any result draws, an action point may be spent to apply a -1 modification to all results for units in the active formation. This latter modifier is cumulative with the modifier for adjacency.

Rally example: Bob decides it's time to rally his units before Dave can crush them, and selects a formation centered on a leader with a command radius of two hexes. Bob's army morale is currently a 3. The disrupted unit under the leader is automatically flipped to its good ordered side and marked with an Active! marker. Bob draws a die result of 4 for a disrupted unit adjacent to the leader. Fortunately, this adjacency reduces this result to a 3 and the unit is flipped to its good order side and marked with an Active! marker. Bob draws another die result for a disordered unit two hexes away from the leader and gets another 4. This unit fails its check and remains disordered. This unit may attempt to rally during another activation this turn.

9.5 Army Panic

If a panic event is drawn (see 14.5.1) when resolving a morale check, and the player's army has equaled or exceeded its army panic level, the army immediately executes panic movement (see 12.4). The opportunity to rally any other units within the active formation is lost.

9.6 Camp Exception

A Camp that has been disrupted may not be rallied (but War Wagons may be rallied).

10.0 Melee Combat

When the action cycle is completed due to both players passing, play proceeds to the melee phase where combat units engage in hand-to-hand combat. Only units that have not been marked with a Done! marker may initiate a melee combat. Any unit that is within an EZOC may be the target of a melee attack. Melee attacks are optional and players may opt not to initiate one (however note the effects of "passing" below). The melee phase is completed through the following process:

10.1 Remove Markers

Remove Active! markers from activated units (Charge markers are not removed). Leave Done! markers in place.

10.2 Melee Cycle

The player holding the initiative selects a unit to initiate melee and completes the process described below. The other player then selects a unit to initiate melee. Players alternate selecting units and initiating melee until one player opts not to do so (by passing). The other player is then free to initiate all remaining melees until he or she passes. When both players have passed, the melee cycle is complete. To complete a melee, follow this process:

• 10.2.1 Initiate Melee: The active player selects an unmarked unit that has an enemy unit within its zone of control. Note that the attacking unit need not be within the defending unit's zone of control as well (in fact, it is preferable not to be in an EZOC when attacking). Also, a defending unit may be attacked more than once during alternating melee activations.
• 10.2.2 Unit Withdrawal: A good order light unit that is not marked with a Done! marker may retreat from a non-light unit or a light unit with a lesser movement rate. Similarly, a good order cavalry unit being attacked by any type of unit with a lesser movement allowance can also retreat prior to combat. Units that withdraw prior to combat disrupt prior to retreating. Move the unit half of its movement value (rounded up) as far away from the attacking unit as possible using a standard move process (pay a point to rotate, pay costs to enter a hex, etc.). Stacking rules are in full effect during this retreat. Additionally, a unit may not enter an EZOC at any time. If a unit may not withdraw due to stacking issues or EZOC hexes, it must remain in place and accept the attack. Mark the withdrawing unit with a red marker.
• 10.2.3 Determine Base Melee Strengths: Both players determine their unit's base combat strengths by applying a series of cumulative modifiers, as noted below. The totals of these modifiers are then summed together and the lower total is subtracted from the higher total to determine the base melee strength of the stronger unit. The base melee strength of the weaker unit is automatically the reciprocal of the strength of the stronger unit. These base melee strengths may be further modified by the presence of leaders or play of events.

Base Melee Strength Calculation example: After applying modifiers, Bob's total is a 4, while Dave is a 1. The one is subtracted from the four, leaving Bob with a base melee strength of +3, while Dave has a base melee strength of -3.

• 10.2.3.1 Size Ratio Adjustment: The strength value of both the attacking and defending units are compared as a ratio (e.g. if the attacker's strength is two times or more than the defender's strength, but not three times the defender's strength, the ratio would be 2 to 1 ... if three times but not four times, 3 to 1, and so on). The player with the higher strength value receives a strength modifier equal to the higher ratio value (e.g., 2 to 1 would be +2 ... 3 to 1 would be +3). A higher strength that is not twice the opponent earns a +1 bonus. If the defender has the larger size, the adjustment is negative.

Size Ratio example: Dave is attacking with a Phalanx unit (strength 6) against Bob's Mixed Missiles (strength 3). The ratio of 6 to 3 is reduced to 2 to 1 or a modifier of +2. If Bob were defending with Medium Infantry (strength 4), the ratio would be six to four or +1.

• 10.2.3.2 Clash of Shields Adjustment: Cross-reference the attacking unit's type with the defending unit's type on the Clash of Shields table. If a value is present, apply it as an additional adjustment to the melee strength.

Clash of Shields example: Dave's attacking Phalanx versus Bob's defending Mixed Missiles results in a +2 modifier from the Clash of Shields table.

• 10.2.3.3 Attack Vector Adjustment: Note the direction in which the attacking unit is facing the defending unit on the flank adjustment diagram and apply the modifier noted. Attacking a unit from a "side" hex provides a +1 bonus. Attacking a unit from either "rear" hexes provides a +2 bonus.
• 10.2.3.4 Terrain Adjustment: The terrain both the attacker and defender may require melee strength adjustments. Check the Terrain Effects Chart.
• 10.2.3.5 Melee Adjustment: If the defender in a melee is marked with a Done! marker, the attacker gains a +1 modifier.
• 10.2.3.6 Exertion Adjustment: The attacking player may opt to apply a melee modifier of +1 per action chits discarded. This modifier can be nullified through the defender's play of any number of action chits to provide a penalty of -1 per chit played (to clarify: the attacker plays one or more chits, followed by the defender who plays one or more chits). If the attacker opts not to play a bonus chit, the defender may still play as many as he or she wishes.

Exertion example: Dave's Phalanx is carrying a +4 bonus against Bob's Mixed Missiles. Dave could add an additional +1 to that bonus by discarding one of his activation chits, but decides against it as he might need it for a less overwhelming melee elsewhere on the map. Bob, on the other hand, discards two activation chits to bring Dave's bonus down to +2.

• 10.2.3.7 Other Adjustments: There may be other circumstantial adjustments to make per the play of events or the use of optional rules (barbarian charges, impetuosity, scenario special rules, etc.). Make sure to include these as well.
• 10.2.4 Sum Adjustments: Players tally their adjustments into a single totals. Subtract the lower total from the higher total to determine the base melee strength of the stronger unit. The reciprocal of the stronger unit's base melee strength is applied to the defender. These values may be individually modified by the presence of leaders as well as the play of events. A melee strength may never exceed +6 or be reduced to less than -6.
  • 10.2.4.1 Leader Bonus: A unit stacked with a leader increases its base melee strength by the leader's combat bonus.
  • 10.2.4.2 Event Bonus: Some events provide a bonus or penalty to a unit's melee combat strength.

Melee Strength Bonus example: After calculations, Bob had a melee strength of +2, while Dave has a melee strength of -2. Bob's unit is stacked with a leader that has a combat bonus of 1, which increases its melee strength to +3. Dave's unit is not stacked with a leader, but plays the Heroics (increasing his units strength by +2) and Ground Down (decreasing Bobs units strength by -1) cards. Bob now has a total of +2 to Dave's 0. A much closer fight!

• 10.2.5 Determine Melee Result: Both players draw melee result cards. Assuming neither is an ex Machina card (see 14.6), the attacker reviews his or her card first and examines the result adjacent to the modified melee combat strength. The result is applied to the defending unit. The defender draws cards necessary to resolve any morale check and leader casualty. The defender then examines the result next to the defender's modified melee combat strength and applies the result to the attacking unit. Each result may be one of the following:
  • n: No effect.
  • n-d: Target unit must make a morale check using the modifier in the third column of the melee resolution table. If the morale check succeeds, there is no effect. Otherwise, the target suffers a 'd' result.
  • d: Simple disruption. Flip the unit to its disrupted side. If already disrupted, there is no additional effect.
  • d-D: Target unit must make a morale check using the modifier in the third column of the melee resolution table. If the morale check succeeds, the target suffers a 'd' result. Otherwise, the target suffers a 'D' result.
  • D: Special disruption. Flip the unit to its disrupted side. If already disrupted, the unit is eliminated.
  • E: Elimination. The unit is eliminated.

Modifier example: Dave draws a 'd-D' result with a +1 modifier, so Bob must therefore draw a morale check result and add one to its printed value. If the modified result is higher than Bob's army's morale level, the 'd' result is treated as a 'D' result and the combat unit is eliminated if it was already disrupted or disrupted if in good order.

• 10.2.6 Advance: When a defender is eliminated through melee combat or withdraws prior to combat, the attacker must advance into the vacated hex unless the attacking unit has been designated as "disciplined" (a disciplined unit has the option to advance or not, see 15.6). A unit must advance directly into the empty hex as if it were making a normal move, regardless of EZOC, without rotating.
• 10.2.7 Continuance: If, following advance after combat, an enemy unit (including lone leaders) occupies a charging, good order, non-light cavalry unit's zone of control, the charging cavalry unit may melee with the charge bonus again (and advance again if the hex is vacated). A cavalry unit may only perform a continuance attack once.
• 10.2.8 Exhaustion: After a melee has been completed, mark both the attacker and defender (even if the latter withdrew prior to combat) with Done! markers. If a defending unit was already marked with a Done! marker, there is no need to add another one.

10.3 Disruption Effects

Disrupted units still behave like good order units in all ways. Disrupted units are one hit away from elimination and typically have reduced combat strengths. Some disrupted units have increased movement values when disrupted. Additionally, disruption generally keeps units from being able to charge (7.11) or withdraw prior to melee (10.2.2).

Comprehensive Melee example: Dave (blue) is attacking the flank of one of Bob's (red) disrupted Scottish Schiltron (pikemen) with his English heavy knights in melee. Dave's knights are stacked with a leader with a combat rating of two, while the Scots are stacked with a leader with a combat rating of one. Dave compares his knights' strength of 5 to Bob's pikemen's strength of 4. This results in a ratio of 5 to 4. Since Dave's total does not exceed Bob's total by two, he gets a +1 to his melee strength. The attacking knights are compared to the pikemen on the Clash of Shields table, resulting in a -2 modifier (for a running total of -1 ... or +1 in Bob's favor). Since knights are attacking pikemen, they get no vector modifier. Dave is not impressed by this parity and decides to spend two activation chits to get at least a +1 modifier. Bob could counter this move by discarding an activation chit of his own, but opts not to. This leaves Dave with a melee strength of +1, and Bob with a melee strength of -1. Dave's leader increases his unit's melee strength to +3, while Bob's leader increases his unit's melee strength to zero. Finally, Bob plays the Heroics event to increase his result by +2. Dave draws a melee result card and checks the +3 row, resulting in a d-D with a +1 modifier. This is at minimum a disrupt result, but since Bob's unit is already disrupted it must make a morale check +1 to avoid the result turning into a "D" special disruption (which would eliminate his unit). Fortunately, Bob draws a 1 result, which when increased to a 2 is still less than his morale of 3. The pikemen survive! Bob draws a melee card and checks the +2 row, resulting in a n-d with a -1 modifier result. Dave draws a die result of 5 and reduces it by 1 to a 4. Unfortunately, Dave's army morale is a 3 and the morale check fails, resulting in the disruption of his cavalry unit.

11.0 Camps and War Wagons

Each army is typically issued a Camp or War Wagon (a mobile camp) as part of its composition. These units represent supplies, camp followers, and other assorted booty. These units are handled in the same fashion as other combat units with the following exceptions:

11.1 Zone of Control

The six hexes surrounding a camp or war wagon hex constitute the unit's zone of control. Neither a Camp nor War Wagon have flank or rear hexes. All surrounding hexes are considered frontal hexes.

11.2 Arc of Fire

Camps and War Wagons have no arc of fire. They may conduct ranged attacks in any direction and at any unit within range and line of sight.

11.3 Combat Limits

Camps and War Wagons are immune to incoming ranged fire. Camps and War Wagons may never initiate melee attacks, but are marked with Done! markers after participating in melee.

11.4 Looting

A unit that eliminates a Camp or War Wagon is also eliminated. This elimination does not affect army panic, however (the unit is simply removed from the game as if it never existed). Essentially, this unit is looting the Camp or War Wagon for the duration of the battle. Any leaders stacked on a looting unit must make a morale check. If successful, place the leader two turns ahead on the Turn track. If failed, place the leader in a turn box a number of turns later that is equal to the amount by which the morale check was failed (noting that failing a roll by one or two is equivalent to making the check, as the unit is still placed two turns ahead on the Turn track). These leaders are returned to the map when the Turn marker reaches their location on the Turn track. Looting leaders are unavailable and therefore not taken into consideration when determining army morale.

12.0 Army Panic

Each battle scenario notes an army's panic level. The numeric value represents the total losses an army can sustain before it loses all cohesion (when the individual soldiers start to think that life in the army might not be so glorious after all).

12.1 Casualties

When units are eliminated, adjust the army panic level a number of points equal to the good order strength of the eliminated unit.

12.2 Army Panic

Immediately when an army has sustained sufficient losses to equal or exceed its panic level, or thereafter upon drawing an Army Panic random event card when rallying or checking for random events, army panic is triggered. When this happens, first complete the action that caused the panic (why the die result card was pulled in the first place) and then continue to the Panic Movement step (see 12.4).

12.3 Loss of Leadership

If unable to place any leaders on the map during the Place Leaders phase due to casualties or events, army panic immediately ensues if the army has reached its army panic level. Complete panic movement as outlined below.

12.4 Panic Movement

When an army panics, immediately move all disordered combat units as far away from enemy units as possible (friendly artillery units are eliminated), using their full movement rate, unless stacked with a leader. Next, all remaining good ordered units automatically disrupt, unless stacked with a leader.

• 12.4.1 Blocked Movement: Units completing panic movement may not enter hexes containing enemy units or EZOC. If forced to do so, the units rout from the map and are eliminated as if through combat.
• 12.4.2 Friendly Traffic: Units completing panic movement may move through friendly units and must do so if it allows the moving unit to get as far from the enemy as possible. Stacking is in effect at all times and units disrupted as part of this process must be moved as well (e.g. a medium unit forced to move through a good-ordered large unit disrupts the large unit, causing the large unit to move away from the nearest enemy unit as well).
• 12.4.3 Command Control Reminder: A panicked unit occupying a hex with a friendly leader is immune from panic movement.

12.5 Activity Resumption

Once all panic movement has been completed, return to the sequence of play as if the panic movement had never taken place (of course, the plans for the turn will probably change given the new status of the army's units and their position!).

12.6 Additional Panic

Armies are subject to panic movement every time an Army Panic event symbol is revealed as a random event or during rally. This means that an army might have to move in this fashion several times during the same turn, or only once per game, depending on how the cards fall.

12.7 Map Exit

If a unit is forced to leave the map due to panic movement, it is eliminated as through combat.

13.0 Victory

Victory is achieved in Dawn of Battle through the accumulation of victory points. The player with the most victory points at the end of the game is the winner. Victory points are awarded at several points during the game as follows:

13.1 Army Panic

If the opposing army panics for any reason, gain a victory point. Note that this point is only achieved the first time the opposing army panics, not each time. This point is canceled if both armies panic.

13.2 Wreckage and Pillage

If the opposing army's Camp or War Wagon is captured, gain a victory point. This point is canceled if both Camps or War Wagons are captured.

13.3 Glorious Slaughter

The army that has suffered half as many total strength losses (or less) than the enemy earns a victory point. Add five points per eliminated leader, plus an additional five points per command point lost (a leader with two command points would be worth 15 points) to an army's total losses, prior to determining this result.

13.4 Scenario Assigned

Some scenarios may grant one side victory points at the outset as a balancing mechanism or to provide one side the impetus to attack.

13.5 Handicap

A player may discard one or more assigned action chits as an action (rather than activating a unit or formation) during the action cycle as an opportunity toward an additional victory point at the end of the game. Action chits set aside in this manner are no longer available for assignment when action points are received (players are typically limited to seven action chits, so setting some aside may seriously hamper an army's ability to operate). When played in this fashion, action chits are placed on the Turn track in the current turn's space. Every box on the Turn track includes a value for which each discarded action chit may be worth. When victory is being determined at game's end, players with banked action chits must reshuffle their respective action decks and draw a random die result. Reference the result on the chart below with the total value of banked chits. If the result is less than or equal to the value indicated, an additional victory point is earned.

Banked Points Value	Die Draw
16+	6
11-15	5
7-10	4
4-6	3
2-3	2
1	1

Handicap example: During the first turn's action cycle, Dave notes that he has one more action chit than he needs. He decides to bank this chit (it is worth 5 points when played during the first turn) and sets it aside. He now has a pool of six chits to draw command from. With an army morale of 4 and an excellent command draw at the beginning of the turn, he's denying himself a command point. At the end of the game, he makes a special draw and gets a result of 3. His gamble has paid off and he gets an extra victory point!

13.6 Victory Level

To determine the level of victory achieved following a battle, subtract the lower scoring player's total points from the higher scoring player's points and note the result for the higher scoring player:

Victory Points Earned	Victory Level
0	Draw
1	Marginal
2	Substantial
3+	Decisive

13.7 Sudden Death Victory

Once an army has panicked, it becomes very difficult to panic the other army if it has not approached its own panic level. Therefore, once an army panics, if the opposing army has suffered fewer losses than its stated panic level, minus ten points, the game ends immediately with decisive victory granted to the opposing army. For instance, if an army were assigned a panic level of 15, it would win automatically if the enemy army panics while it has sustained not more than five points worth of losses. The victory level can be reduced to a substantial victory with a successful handicap roll (assuming the necessary action points were spent) by the losing army.

14.0 Events

The title and text of an action card specify its event. A player may hold a number of event cards equal to the sum of his or her available commanders' command ratings (the same as the army morale value). If the army's morale value drops during the course of the game to an amount less than the number of event cards held, a player is not compelled to discard the excess, but will not be able to acquire any additional events until the number of card held is less than the morale value.

14.1 Starting Events

Each player begins a scenario with a number of event cards equal to his or her army's morale value.

14.2 Playing Events

An event may generally be played at any time, unless the card text specifies when it can be played or if the event modifies a random result (die draw, melee, etc.) in which case it must be played prior to the result being resolved. If both players wish to play cards simultaneously and the effects of these cards are in contention in some fashion, the player holding the initiative determines the order in which they are played.

14.3 Drawing Events

A player may purchase a new event card through the play of an action chit as an action during the action cycle. A card may only be drawn during the action cycle if doing so does not exceed the army's morale value. At the end of the turn, any number of events may be discarded to make space for cards to be purchased. Discarding only takes place at the end of a turn.

14.4 Rules Exceptions

Event cards are a means by which standard rules might be "broken." When playing an event, its text supersedes all standard rules.

14.5 Random Events

The icon at the base of a card indicates the occurrence of a random event. During the Turn End segment of the turn sequence, both players draw a card. If an icon appears at the base of a card, a random event has occurred.

• 14.5.1 Panic: A panic symbol indicates that the owning player's army has panicked if it has equaled or exceeded its army panic level. Initiate panic movement immediately (see 12.4).
• 14.5.2 Reshuffle: A reshuffle symbol means that the action deck must be reshuffled. Shuffle all remaining action cards and the discard pile (including the event card) into a new deck of action cards.
• 14.5.3 Fatigue: If both players simultaneously draw a fatigue symbol, immediately advance the Turn marker one space along the track. This indicates the general fatigue accumulation of the armies as they maneuver and battle. Otherwise, a single player drawing a fatigue symbol must draw a die result. If the value is less than or equal to the current turn, his or her army suffers a permanent, cumulative -1 modifier to their morale (i.e., morale is degraded). Additional fatigue symbols continue to degrade an army's morale until it reaches a value of one. An army's morale can never be reduced to less than one. Flip the affected army's army panic level marker to indicate this modifier (the markers can show up to a -3 modifier, more than that will need to be tracked manually).
• 14.5.4 End-of-Game: If a player draws an end of game symbol on or following the fifth game turn, another card is drawn. If the die value is less than or equal to the end-of-game value indicated on the Turn track, the game ends immediately. If both players draw an end-of-game event, the game ends immediately without an end-of-game check. Score victory points to determine the game's winner.

14.6 Ex Machina

Card numbers 71 and 72 are due some additional explanation as their use turns several conventions on their heads. First, these cards offer no command points. Armies only receive what their commanders provide. Secondly, when drawn during a melee resolution or played prior to drawing a card during melee resolution, they convert the process to a much more random outcome.

• 14.6.1 Melee Result Preemption: If one player draws an ex Machina card, but the other player does not, the other player's card is discarded unused and both players refer to the ex Machina card drawn. If both players draw an ex Machina card (unlikely, but still possible), each player refers to their own drawn ex Machina card.
• 14.6.2 Determine New Die Modifier: Each player refers to the Melee Results chart on the drawn ex Machina card to determine a die result modifier.
• 14.6.2 Determine Melee Outcome: (numbered 14.6.2 a second time in the original) Each player draws a die result and the players apply their die result modifiers as noted above. The player with the higher modified result wins the melee and suffers a 'd' result (flip the combat unit over or ignore the result if the unit is already disrupted). The other side's unit's fate depends upon the die result differential. If the result is greater than the opposing result, but not double, the unit suffers a 'd' result. If the result is at least double the opposing result, but not triple, the unit suffers a 'D' result. If the result is at least three times the opposing result, the unit is eliminated.

ex Machina Melee example: Referring to the chart, let's assume that Dave is attacking Bob in melee with a unit that has a melee combat strength of +3 to Bob's strength of -1. When drawing the result cards, Bob draws one of his ex Machina cards (#71). Dave does not draw an ex Machina card, so his card is discarded unused. Both players draw new cards and Dave adds +1 to his result. Dave draws a 4 which is modified to 5. Bob draws a 2 (which is not modified). Dave has won the combat and flips his unit to its disrupted side. Dave's result is greater than twice Bob's result, but not three times his result. Therefore, Bob's unit suffers a 'D' result. If Bob's unit was already disrupted, it would be eliminated. Let's further assume that, all else being equal, Dave drew a 2 (resulting in a 3) to Bob's unmodified 6. This would result in a two to one victory for Bob and Dave's unit would suffer the 'D' result instead. Even though Dave came into the attack with a clear advantage, ex Machina flipped it on its head!

15.0 Supplementary Rules

The following supplementary rules are provided for those who want to modify the game, or as required by a scenario's special rules. Note that these rules may be combined in any way that both players agree to. You are free to use any or all of these optional rules.

15.1 Free Deployment

As an alternative to the strict historical deployment of units as prescribed in a scenario's setup instructions, players can use this optional rule to freely deploy their starting units.

• 15.1.1 Side B Setup: The Side B Player (as designated by the scenario) begins by placing his or her camp unit. It must be placed on a hex that is at least three and no more than five hexes from any map edge hex. Then the Side B player sets up all of his or her combat units within three hexes of their camp and facing in the direction(s) he or she desires. Finally, the Side B player places the Side A player's camp unit anywhere on the map.
• 15.1.2 Side A Setup: The Side A Player sets up next, and begins by adjusting the location of his or her camp unit by up to three hexes. Then the Side A player sets up all of his or her combat units and leaders (including reinforcements) within three hexes of his or her camp and facing in the directions he desires. After this setup is complete the game begins normally.

15.2 Tournament Balancing

If using Dawn of Battle in a tournament environment, players should bid panic points to determine who chooses sides. The player bidding the most point selects his or her side and then reduces that army's panic level by the amount bid.

15.3 Luck Versus Skill

Extreme die rolls simulate the chaos of a battlefield, but some players may prefer a less random or more Chess-like game of careful planning that is less luck dependent. For them, consider these Rules:

• 15.3.1 Physical Dice: Play testing has indicated that a player burns through roughly 25% to 30% of his or her action deck during a single turn. This process may deny the acquisition of helpful events or may simply be too tedious a process for some players. If this is the case, replace the die result draws with an actual die. When using this option, note that any natural die roll of one initiates a panic check for the rolling player's army. At the end of each turn, both players must draw a card from their own decks to check for random events. Players must also continue to use the decks for melee results.
• 15.3.2 Re-Dos: Players may, beginning with the player holding the initiative, discard an event card to re-draw any single die result (by the original drawing player) under any circumstance, with the re-drawn outcome being the one applied. These draws can be re-drawn again if the opponent discards a card to do so.

15.4 Barbarian Charge

To reflect this military doctrine, and to give barbarian Light Infantry (LI) units a chance against stronger units, when a scenario designates a side to be "barbarian," the barbarian player may triple (x3) the combat strength of all his or her Light Infantry units for any one Game Turn. This declaration is made at the start of the action cycle. He may choose to save this bonus and use it when he deems appropriate, unless the following "impetuous" option rule is being used.

15.5 Impetuousness

Some units are "impetuous" and must draw for "restraint" when indicated in a scenario's special rules. After placing leaders, each side with impetuous units must make a morale check. Prior to drawing, each side may expend action chits to modify the result by -1 for each action chit used. If the result draw fails, all of the impetuous units lose restraint and must charge. Passing the morale check results in "no effect" (the impetuous units are still restrained). Impetuosity ends following the first loss of restraint, unless noted otherwise by special scenario rule. Impetuosity automatically ends once the army panics. Panic does not affect impetuosity in the opposing army.

• 15.5.1 Losing Restraint: All good-order, impetuous combat units must expend their entire movement allowance to close with and engage the enemy. If both armies lose restraint simultaneously, the initiative player moves his or her units, first.
  • 15.5.1.1 Impetuous Movement: Each unit must take the shortest route to move adjacent to the closest enemy unit. If unable to reach the closest enemy unit, each hex traveled must bring the impetuous unit closer to the next closest enemy unit (and so on). If the shortest path to the enemy unit involves moving through a friendly unit, the impetuous unit must move through the friendly unit (with both suffering the results of stacking, see 7.9).
  • 15.5.1.2 Impetuous Combat Effects: Impetuous units have their missile defense values reduced by -1. Impetuous units apply a -1 penalty to their melee strength. Impetuous units able to move-and-fire may fire before or after impetuous movement. These effects are canceled following any melee caused by the loss of restraint.
  • 15.5.1.3 Impetuous Melee: Those units that succeed in engaging (or begin the turn engaged with) the enemy perform an immediate melee combat phase, prior to the action cycle. If both sides lost restraint simultaneously, players alternate initiating melee attacks as during the normal melee cycle. Units in melee, including those withdrawing before melee, are marked with Done! markers, per standard melee rules. Advancing cavalry units may use continuance, if applicable.
  • 15.5.1.4 Failure to Engage: Those units that did not manage to engage an enemy unit are disrupted. Units capable of ranged attack following movement disrupt after the ranged attack is resolved. There is no effect upon units already disrupted. Units that fail to engage are marked with Active! markers due to their movement.
  • 15.5.1.5 Impetuous Charges: Impetuous cavalry units that successfully engage the enemy may apply the cavalry charge bonus if the charging unit adheres to all charge requirements.

15.6 Discipline

Some unit types may be defined by scenario as "disciplined." These units may optionally advance following the destruction of an enemy unit in combat or its withdrawal before melee (they are not required to do so).

15.7 Double Attack

Units with sufficiently large strength values may split their strength in half (rounding up) to attack enemy units in both front hexes (for clarity, assume there are two half-strength units of the same type attacking from a single hex). Add any available leader bonuses to both such attacks. Any other modifiers only affect one attack or the other as required. If such an attack is declared, both attacks must be completed, but the effects of each are applied after both attacks are completed. The implication is that two bad results for the attacker could result in its elimination.

Double Attack example: A Phalanx (PX) attacks two Mixed Missile (MM) units in its front hexes. This results in two +2 attacks. If a leader with a combat bonus of one were stacked with the PX, it would result in two +3 attacks. Assuming the first attack results in a disruption for the PX, the strength of the second attack is not modified as the PX is not flipped immediately (but has a disruption pending). Assuming the second attack results in a special disruption for the PX, it would be eliminated as the first attack result would have flipped it and the second result would eliminate the disrupted PX.

15.8 Elephants

Elephants added a significant level of chaos to the ancient battlefield. These rules are in effect when elephants are on the map.

• 15.8.1 Melee Effects: Elephants were more effective against packed formations of soldiers and less effective against disbursed or disrupted units. Therefore, Elephant units have a question mark for a strength value. This means that they have the same strength value as the unit they are engaged with in melee. When involved in melee, only modifiers for clash of shields, attack vector, friendly leadership (only leaders stacked with elephants count), and modifiers derived from events are applied. Elephants also increase the vector bonus by +1 when attacking from a flank or rear hex (+2 and +3, respectively).
• 15.8.2 Panic Effects: When an elephant is eliminated, apply a six-point loss to the owning army's panic track.
• 15.8.3 Control: Elephants were notoriously difficult beasts to keep under control. When playing a scenario that includes elephants and an elephant symbol is drawn at any time during the activation cycle (by either player), pause the current action for an elephant check. Each Elephant unit, regardless of the controlling army, must make a morale check (ignoring any other event symbols on that card). This check may not be influenced in any way. If the check(s) fail, draw another die result (also ignoring any event symbols), and compare the result to the table below. Resume the interrupted action once elephant status has been completed. Note that any leaders stacked on an elephant that loses control cannot influence that Elephant unit in any way, but suffer the effects of being stacked with that unit normally.

Die	Control Effect
1-3	No Effect
4	The elephant balks. Place an Active! marker on it. If there is already an Active! marker, exchange it with a Done! marker.
5	The elephant is frightened, but control is maintained. Place a Done! marker on it. If there is already a Done! marker on it, the unit becomes disrupted. There is no other effect, if already disrupted.
6	The elephant panics and moves into an adjacent hex. The owning player draws a random die result and compares it to the direction compass in the middle of the map. If needed, rotate the elephant until the selected hex is in the elephant's Zone of Control. If another unit occupies the hex, regardless of the unit's owner, melee combat ensues between the elephant and the unit occupying the entered hex. The attack occurs even if the elephant was previously marked with a Done! marker. Any melee attacks are resolved as if the elephant were the attacker. If the attack is against a friendly unit, the opposing player temporarily takes control of the elephant as if it were part of his or her own army until the attack is resolved.

15.9 Missile Unit Panic Fire

This option allows missile units that are not marked with Done! markers to fire at a unit attacking them in melee prior to the melee resolution. Doing so automatically applies a -1 modifier to firing unit's die resolution. If the attacking unit is disrupted, it still has the option to continue the attack. The firing missile unit is marked with a Done! marker regardless of outcome.

15.10 Dismounted Cavalry

At the beginning of a battle during a player's setup, each player may, beginning with the Side A player (as designated by the scenario), substitute cavalry type units for infantry units, as listed below. Note that units are still subject to impetuousness, even when fighting dismounted.

Cavalry Unit	Infantry Unit
1 Light Cavalry (LC)	= 1 Mixed Missiles (MM)
1 Heavy Cavalry (HC)	= 1 Medium Infantry (MI)
1 Knight (KT)	= 1 Heavy Infantry (HI)
1 Mounted Archers (MA)	= 1 Light Archers (LA)
1 Cataphracted Cavalry (CT/HT)	= 1 Heavy Archers (HA); or
1 Cataphracted Cavalry (CT/HT)	= 1 Medium Infantry (MI)

15.11 Taking Heads

This option should be used for scenarios involving chivalry or bushido, but is an option for other battles. When using this option, disregard the Glorious Slaughter victory point bonus (see 13.3). Instead, use a marker to track damage done as the battle progresses on the Turn track. During the Turn End phase, count the difference in damage between the enemy armies. Each disrupted unit earns one point, while an eliminated unit earns two points. An eliminated leader counts as double its command value. At the end of the game, the player who has a higher point total earns one victory point towards determining the scenario victory. If the difference in points during play exceeds ten, before the enemy army reaches its panic level, that side immediately gains the victory point.

15.12 The Code of Honor

This option should be used for scenarios involving chivalry or bushido, but is an option for other battles and provides some additional flexibility for leader units. When using this option, the Dummy Leaders (15.13) option may not be used.

• 15.12.1 Leader Movement: Rather than removing and replacing leaders, a leader may only be shifted from their current location to a location no more than four hexes distant during the Place Leaders step. Impassible terrain and enemy units may not be entered. All other terrain may be traversed at no additional cost. Leaders moved in this fashion are not marked in any way. Leaders that were displaced as part of combat are placed normally.
• 15.12.2 Leader Combat: Leader units alone in a hex and adjacent to an enemy unit or leader may initiate melee combat as if they were a combat unit (they may not be targeted). The combat strength of a leader unit is equivalent to its combat bonus (i.e. a leader with a combat bonus of '1' has a strength of '1' and a combat bonus of '2' has a strength of '2'). With regards to determining vector modifiers, all hexes surrounding a Leader unit are considered frontal hexes. Attacks involving leaders ignore the Clash of Shields table. All Leader units involved in melee treat all 'n-d' and 'd' results against them (regardless of modifier) as "no effect" results. Any other result eliminates the Leader unit, regardless of modifier (if any).

15.13 Dummy Leaders

Each side may begin a scenario with an additional "dummy" leader unit. When placing leaders, add this unit to the map as if it were a normal leader. This adds a bit of "fog-of-war" with regards to where a player is committing the army's command. When the units are flipped over, remove the Dummy marker.

15.14 Quicker Play

Rather than playing out a scenario to a final turn, the game ends when one army reaches its panic level. This army is assumed to have panicked and been routed from the battlefield, granting the enemy one victory point. Calculate any additional victory points and determine the scenario victor.

15.15 No Draws

For those players who are unhappy with a scenario ending in a draw, award a half victory point to Side B in each scenario. These armies "win" when a draw occurs.

16.0 Scenarios

The battles fought using Dawn of Battle rules are specified in individual scenarios. To play a scenario, select the battle to be fought and who will represent each side in some mutually agreeable manner.

16.1 Map Setup

Refer to the map setup diagram and place terrain tiles if necessary.

16.2 Game Pieces

Each player selects a set of game pieces and places their units on the map as indicated. The makeup of each set of pieces are identical, so it does not matter who uses which set. Use the map setup diagram to place units properly. Set leaders and reinforcing units aside until they are needed.

16.3 Game Tracks

Place the Game Turn marker in box '1' of the Game Turn track. Place each side's Army Panic markers in the '0' box of the Army Panic track. Place the initiative marker in the '0' box of Side A's Army Panic track.

16.4 Action Chits

Each player should also place his or her seven action chits within easy reach.

16.5 Scenario Special Rules

Scenarios might include special rules (SSRs) that specify additional set up requirements, reinforcements, or optional rules that must be heeded. Examine these carefully and follow their instruction.

16.6 Assigned Victory Points

If necessary, grant one side its scenario defined Victory Point marker.

16.7 Starting Event Cards

Prior to play, each player draws a number of event cards equal to their army's morale value (see 14.1).

16.8 Let's Play

Once the scenario has been setup, start with Step 1 of the sequence of play. Have fun!

17.0 Design Your Own

Even though there are dozens of scenarios already defined for Dawn of Battle, it's likely that players may want to design their own, or even throw something together ad hoc. One of the benefits of simple units and a standardized combat system is that scenarios can be easily created. When creating a new scenario off-the-cuff, players receive a set amount of build points with which to create their respective armies, thus creating a mathematically balanced situation. This Design Your Own (DYO) system can also serve as the basis for developing campaign games. Follow the steps outlined below when creating your own scenario.

17.1 Army Dispositions

There are two standard scenarios: Meeting Engagements and Assaults, the latter which involve a clearly defined Attacker and Defender. The type of scenario chosen indicates the relative sizes of the opposing armies in Build Points (BP).

• 17.1.1 Meeting Engagement: In a Meeting Engagement scenario, both players receive the same amount of BPs.
• 17.1.2 Assault: When playing an Assault, the Attacker should have 25% more BP than the Defender receives (to offset the Defender's positional advantage in using terrain, rounding any fraction up.

17.2 Building Armies

Players build their respective armies by selecting either a Camp or a War Wagon (WW) unit and then spending BP from their respective pools to purchase their remaining units. Players can set the amount of starting BPs by mutual agreement, however 100 BP is a good starting point.

Combat Unit	Unit Cost
Light Infantry (LI)	3
Medium Infantry (MI)	5
Heavy Infantry (HI)	7
Phalanx (PX)	12
Pikemen (PK)	4
Mixed Missile (MM)	5
Light Archers (LA)	4
Heavy Archers (HA)	5
Light Gunners (LG)	7
Heavy Gunners (HG)	13
Light Cavalry (LC)	4
Heavy Cavalry (HC)	6

• 17.2.1 Combat Unit Costs: The costs for each unit type are as shown on the Build Cost Chart. Note that a Cannon (AY) unit has a variable cost, depending how much firepower it receives (up to five). Each point of firepower costs four points. For example, a player opting to purchase a AY unit with a 3 Firepower Value would spend 12 Build Points for it.
• 17.2.2 Leader Costs: The costs for each leader depends upon his or her values, according to the following formula: Cost = (4xCommand) + (2xRadius) + Combat Bonus
• Leader Cost example: A 2-3-2 leader would cost 8+6+2 or 16 points, while a 1-1-1 leader would cost 4+2+1, or 7 points.
• 17.2.3 Leader Purchase Limit: Regardless of the number of points spent, the total command values of all leaders cannot exceed four.

17.3 Map Setup

Generally speaking, any Meeting Engagement scenario should use an open, terrain-free map. When playing an Assault scenario, the defender determines the terrain over which the battle is fought.

• 17.3.1 Historical Setup: When designing a historical engagement, select the terrain tiles that create a close approximation of the historical terrain, see 18.0 of the rules for an extended sample on how to create a historical scenario.
• 17.3.2 Ad Hoc Setup: When playing a random, ad hoc scenario, the defender should roll a die to determine the number of terrain features available. An additional die roll is made for each terrain feature, indicating the number of tiles that make up that feature. Terrain features may be placed anywhere on the map with the sole restrictions that different types of terrain cannot be adjacent, and that water features cannot be selected.

Ad Hoc Terrain example: The defender in an assault scenario rolls a die and determines that the map needs three terrain features. The defender opts for two woods features and one hill feature. A die roll is made for the first woods feature, resulting in four woods hexes. The next die roll indicates a mass of three woods hexes. These can be combined into a single mass of seven woods hexes. The third roll determines a hill mass of five hill hexes. None of these hill hexes may be placed adjacent to a woods hex.

17.4 Army Deployment

Armies deploy using the Free Deployment Option Rule (substituting a War Wagon for a Camp unit's placement, when necessary). In an Assault scenario, the Defender is Side B. In a Meeting Engagement scenario, the Side B player is the one who spent more on his or her army (if tied, roll a die or flip a coin to determine who Side B is).

17.5 Panic Levels

An army's Panic Level equals 50% of its total at-start, non-disrupted combat strength. When creating historical scenarios, panic levels can be adjusted to reflect historical circumstances or as a play balancing device.

17.6 Victory Conditions

Victory is determined in the usual manner. When creating historical scenarios, one side or the other might also receive a "scenario assigned" victory point marker to reflect historical circumstances or as a play balancing device.

18.0 Historical Scenarios

This guide takes you through the scenario design process, moving you along the path to contributing new scenario(s) to the ever-growing collection. We can't have enough scenarios for this great game series!

18.1 Selecting a Battle

It is not enough simply to want to recreate a favorite battle. You must first be confident that you have acquired sufficient knowledge of the subject to create a scenario that at least approximates the struggle it depicts. To accomplish this, you must research a solid account of what happened, answering the proverbial five "Ws."

• 18.1.1 When did the Battle Occur? Although this is usually the easiest information to acquire, depending upon the battle and historic sources, it might be a debatable matter.
• 18.1.2 Who Participated? While it might be easy to ascertain the names and ability of the battle's leaders, getting an accurate account of the numbers and types of troops present can be difficult. Accurate records were seldom kept by (or survived from) ancient sources, so we must use available sources which are often vague or biased depending upon the sympathies of the writer. In addition to the numbers of troops present, their types must be determined. When accounts of the battle lack this information (as they often do), take a look from a higher vantage point and try to determine what the typical make-up of an army from that period might be and then extrapolate from there. In this way, you can make an educated guess what the OOB (Order of Battle — a listing of the types and quantities of troops and their military organization into a larger unit) for both sides is to a reasonable degree of accuracy.
• 18.1.3 Where did the Battle Occur? This should be obvious, but can be quite difficult to ascertain. Many famous battle sites remain a matter of conjecture. And even for those battle sites where the location is well documented, the terrain likely looks nothing like it did 500 years ago, let alone 3000, so using Google Earth might not be the easy answer you seek. Instead, look to accounts of the battle describing the preeminent terrain features and how they impacted the fighting and the outcome. If you're lucky, you might find a more contemporary map or diagram of the battle site, or at least some historian's interpretation of it.
• 18.1.4 What Happened? Ultimately, this is what your scenario tries to depict. How long did the battle last? Did environmental factors (air and ground conditions, key terrain features, omens, etc.) play a key role? Which side won and how decisively?
• 18.1.5 Why did the Battle Take Place? You might think this factor is irrelevant, but it is not enough to merely know that it occurred. If you are to create proper victory conditions, it is vital to understand the motivation of the opposing forces. Without this understanding, every victory becomes hollow, and the struggle stripped of its romance and terror.

18.2 Modeling the Battle

Fortunately, Dawn of Battle has a well established heredity, so actually modeling a battle is pretty straightforward.

• 18.2.1 Selecting Units: There are over twenty different unit types available. Match these types to their historical counterparts from your research.
• 18.2.2 Determine Numbers: With regard to selecting the numbers of units on both sides, the actual quantities you choose are not as important as their proportion. Since you are designing a scenario for an abstract system, you can set the scale of the scenario to fit your impression of how the battle should "feel" to capture the flavor of the historical narrative. Simply put, how many total pieces should go on the game board is a Goldilocks porridge problem — if the number of unit in play is too small, the scenario ends too quickly; if the number of units in play is too large, then the scenario may become too static. One useful way to determine how many units should be deployed during the game's set up is to let the terrain on the map "speak." If you have managed to find a good map or diagram of the battlefield, use it to recreate that battlefield on the game board with the terrain tiles provided. Of course, if the battle took place in a vast, open, Zama-like plain, that makes cooking up the OOB more problematic, but where terrain constraints anchored the initial deployment of forces, you can use those distances on the maps to tell you how many units are required to form appropriate-length lines of troops.
• 18.2.3 Leadership: With the armies arrayed upon your battlefield, you must get them moving. This is done in Dawn of Battle through the proper assignment of Leader units. There are lots of Leader units to choose from and their selection determines how the armies act and react once the dancing on the battlefield commences. The greater the number of high quality Leader units available to one side, the more flexible its forces are. Conversely, an army with a dearth of quality leaders soon finds itself mired and immobile. When determining which types of Leader units to assign to an army, look beyond the personalities themselves and examine how the army behaved under its commanders at that battle. Even Julius Caesar had bad days, so don't feel compelled to give him high ratings in every scenario where he appears. Quality armies need command ratings to provide activation and morale. Leaders with larger command radii allow more units to activate at a time. If the battle had individuals who clearly led from the front, a higher combat rating may be required.
• 18.2.4 Army Panic: In addition to leadership, army panic levels affect the tenor and tempo of battles. The higher an army's panic level, the more losses it can sustain before breaking. In game terms, an army's starting panic level is equal to one-half of its initial strength (i.e., the sum of the strength of all units within that army), but see below.

18.3 Testing

Okay, you've got your scenario built: the map is laid out, the units are set up and any Special Rules noted. Now you must test it.

• 18.3.1 Solitaire: Solitaire is a good way to start. Push the pieces around a few times and make sure it feels right. If you have sufficient information concerning the historical outcome, try to recreate it exactly (even if you have to fudge a few die rolls). If you're confident that your scenario could accurately depict the battle, you're on the right track. If not, reconsider the use of Special Rules if necessary to bend it into shape, and then keep testing yourself until you've brought it along as far as you can.
• 18.3.2 Blind Testing: When you have it where you're satisfied and everything looks and feels right, it is time to hand it off to a friend or two to test out. A game or scenario is not properly tested until someone with some knowledge of what's supposed to happen (other than the designer) has tested it. If it survives this testing, then it's good to go — congratulations! If the testers' feedback tells you that some more changes might be needed, consider their comments and, if they ring true, tweak the battle, even if it means undoing a lot of your hard work or rethinking your premises. This sort of thing happens all the time making games!

18.4 Palaver, Rinse and Repeat

Game and scenario design is a very rewarding learning process. While players can glean a lot of information about a battle through playing a scenario, you will learn even more while digging into its internal workings at the level required designing it. Well done! Now you have the tools you need to recreate your favorite ancient battles. Go to it!

Scenario Design Example

The following is a detailed example of how to design a scenario for Dawn of Battle. After flipping through my copy of Michael Rayner's English Battlefields, I've decided to create a scenario for the battle of Fornham St Genevieve. Let's run through the five Ws:

When: This battle occurred on 17 October 1173. There is no specific reference to this date in my primary source, so I hopped onto Google Books and found the date reference in A History of the Art of War by Sir Charles William Chadwick Oman (1898).

Who: The battle involved Rebel forces under Robert Earl of Leicester and Hugh Bigod Earl of Norfolk against Royalist forces under Richard de Luci (the King's Prime Minister) and Constable Humphrey de Bohun. According to my latter source, the Rebel army consisted of eighty knights and 3,000 Flemish mercenaries (both mounted and unmounted). The Royalist force was made up of a handful of knights and 300 of King Henry II's employed horsemen. These elite forces were bolstered by over 10,000 levies armed with flails and pitchforks. So even though the Royalists clearly outnumbered the Rebels, the latter had a major advantage in quality troops.

Where: This battle took place adjacent to the church of Fornham St. Genevieve, on the eastern bank of the River Lark, just north of Bury St Edmunds. There are contemporary writings indicating that this was the location of the battle and these writings have been confirmed through archaeological evidence.

What Happened: The actual details of the battle are sketchy, so it is assumed that the battle became a general melee following a charge by the Royalist cavalry. The Royalists had crossed the River Lark at Bury St. Edmunds and caught the Rebels as they were crossing the river further north. There is an indication that the Rebels were caught by surprise with their backs to marshy terrain. The smaller force of Royalist cavalry was far superior to that of the rebels, and the supporting levies had a severe grudge against the Flemish mercenaries, the latter of which had been marching through the countryside claiming how they would be taking over! So, surprise, superior position and a motivated army allowed the Royalists to quickly rout the Rebels (who were cut down against the bank of the River Lark).

Why: This battle was the largest of the Leicester Rebellion (or Revolt) of 1173-74, where forces under Prince Henry (the "Little King") rose against his father, Henry II, after the latter had granted previously promised lands to his youngest son rather than Henry. The nobles advising young Henry (including Leicester) saw this rebellion as an opportunity to increase their holdings. This battle was the result of Leicester's attempt to do just that.

Designing the Scenario: The five Ws provide enough information to build this. I found a diagram of the terrain I used to create the map, which was my first task. I noticed that there is a river to one side and a church toward the forces' flank. What was not shown, but mentioned in the text, is that the Royalists started on high ground and that the Rebels were backed up against marshy terrain.

With the map diagram interpolated into a map for my scenario, the next task was to turn my research on the forces into game pieces and their scenario set up. Starting with the Rebels, I saw their forces as a few knights and a whole lot of mercenaries. The knights translated easily as a couple of Knight units (40 men each), but what about the mercenaries? Light Infantry pieces are probably too under-powered (although they are just right for the Royalist levies). So, I felt that something larger was required. Now, given that history records these units gave way pretty easily, Heavy Infantry is probably too good, so that leaves some nice, thuggish Medium Infantry pieces; say a half-dozen (representing 500 men each).

The bulk of the Royalist army should be comprised of Light Infantry units to represent the levies (with over 10,000 men, let's make that a neat dozen game pieces). The mounted contingents include knights (one Knights piece to represent the "handful" there) and the King's paid horsemen who were of high quality, so we use two Heavy Cavalry units to represent them in our scenario.

Looking at the numbers, we know that the Rebel forces outnumber the quality Royalist forces by about ten to one. This does not mean that we have to have ten times the number of Rebel units to Royalist ones. There simply isn't enough space on the map! Instead, a nice three to one ratio should be enough to provide a palpable threat. Remember that in an abstract game like Dawn of Battle, manpower ratios are fluid. With this in mind, we need to include enough levies (light infantry) to give the mercenaries pause. Even though the historical ratio was around four to one, two to one should suffice.

Now let's consider leadership. The Royalist army was much more effective, so their leadership should be better. According to sources, the Royalist army included not only de Luci and Humphrey, but also the Earls of Arundel and Cornwall. Given this, let's give the Royalists 1-2-1, a 1-1-1, and 0-1-1 Leader units. There's no indication that Leicester was less competent than his opponents, so we'll give the Rebels 1-2-1 and a 1-1-1 Leaders as well. Both sides also get a Camp unit which will be placed far from the action.

To add that last bit of historicity, we need a few Special Rules. Given the ire of the levies, we'll let them enjoy the Barbarian Charge rule. We'll also specify that the River cannot be crossed, nor the church be entered.

Finally, we set the Morale Levels to 25 for the Royalists (slightly better than half their strength) and 17 for the Rebels (half their strength).

Playtesting Modifications: After testing the scenario, we discovered that the Royalists were having far too easy a time of it. While the results were historical, they didn't make for much of a game challenge. To rectify this, I lowered the Royalist Morale Level back to a "normal" 22 (letting them feel more pain, at least) and gave the Rebels a Victory Point at start (to put the onus of attack on the Royalists, where it was historically).

Player Aid Summary (rear pages)

Ranged Combat Resolution (8.0)

1. The attacker selects lead and support (if any) units.
2. The attacker draws a number of attack card results equal to the lead unit's missile attack value and select the highest result. Increase this result by the number of support units.
3. The defender draws one die result and adds (or subtracts) the defending unit's missile defense value.
4. If the attacker's modified value is greater than the defender's modified value, the defending unit is disrupted. If the defending unit was already disrupted, it is eliminated. Otherwise, the attack has no effect.

Melee Combat Resolution (10.0)

1. The active player selects the attacking and defending units.
2. The defending unit may retreat, if possible.
3. A defending gunpowder unit may fire, if possible.
4. Determine base melee strength (using the modifiers below), by subtracting the lower total strength from the higher total strength. The player with the higher total has a base melee strength equal to the difference, while the other player has a base melee strength equal to the reciprocal value. Modifiers: (1) Size Ratio Adjustment; (2) Clash of Shields Adjustment; (3) Vector Adjustment; (4) Terrain Effects Adjustment(s); (5) Melee (red Done! marker) Adjustment; (6) Exertion Adjustment; (7) Other Adjustments.
5. Each player adjusts their base melee strengths by the availability of a present leader's combat value and the play of event cards.
6. Both players draw event cards. If not "ex Machina" cards, each player determines the combat effect upon the opposing unit.

Action Point Uses (5.0)

1. Steal or Retain Initiative
2. Activate Unit or Formation to: Move; Fire; Move and Fire (BC, CH, MA only); Fire and Move (BC, CH, MA only); Rally
3. Modify Die Roll (+/- 1)
4. Purchase Event Card
5. Bank for Handicap
6. Melee Exertion (+1)
7. Capture AY Unit (1 per)
8. Other by Event

Random Event Icons (14.5)

• Panic: If the drawing army is at or above its panic level, initiate panic movement immediately.
• Reshuffle: Shuffle all remaining action cards and the discard pile (including the event card) into a new deck of action cards.
• Fatigue: If both players draw this event, advance the turn marker one space to the right. Otherwise, a die draw less or equal to the current turn causes a -1 to all future morale checks.
• End-of-Game: Draw a die result and compare its value to the end-of-game indicator on the turn track (if there is one). If the result is less than or equal to the indicator value, the game ends immediately. If both players draw this event, the game ends immediately.

Ex Machina Resolution (14.6)

1. If one player draws or plays an ex Machina card, the other player's card is discarded unused. Otherwise, each player refers to their own ex Machina card.
2. Players reference their Melee Combat Strengths on the ex Machina card to determine a die draw modifier.
3. Each player draws a die result and modifies it accordingly.
4. The unit belonging to the player drawing the higher modified result receives a 'd' result. The opposing unit receives a result dependent upon the difference between the two results, per the table printed on the ex Machina card.

(The Handicap VP Resolution, Victory Level and Elephant Control Draw tables on this page repeat 13.5, 13.6 and 15.8.3 above.)

Terrain Effects Chart

Terrain Type	Movement Effects	Combat Effects
Clear	One movement point to enter.	None.
Hill	Two movement points to enter, even if entering from an adjacent hill.	Attacking units on hill terrain in melee causes a -1 adjustment. Hill terrain blocks line of sight.
River	May not be entered except at bridge or ford.	None.
Bridge	One movement point to enter.	Units attacking out of bridge terrain suffer a -2 adjustment in melee.
Ford	Two movement points to enter.	Units attacking out of ford terrain suffer a -1 adjustment in melee.
Rough	Two movement points to enter.	Units defending in or attacking out of rough terrain suffer a -1 adjustment in melee.
Stream	Units must stop upon entry.	Units defending in or attacking out of stream terrain suffer a -2 adjustment in melee.

Note: the Clash of Shields table, Size Ratio table, Vector diagram and Melee Results tables are on the separate Player Aid Cards (see the companion file) and are not part of the rulebook text.