De Bellis Magistrorum Militum: Wargame Rules for Ancient and Medieval Battle from 3000 BC to 1525 AD
De Bellis Magistrorum Militum: Wargame Rules for Ancient and Medieval Battle from 3000 BC to 1525 AD Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Design Philosophy
- Representational Scales
- Troop Definitions
- Organising Your Army
- Command and Control
- Setting Up a Battle
- Fighting the Battle
- Resolving Distant or Close Combat
- Combat Outcome
- If an element's total is more than that of its opponent
- If an element's total is equal to that of its opponent
- If an element's total is less than that of its opponent, but more than half
- If an element's total is half or less than half that of the enemy
- Pressing Forward Against Shooting
- Destroyed Elements
- Spent Elements
- Recoiling Elements
- Pushed-Back Elements
- Repulsed Elements
- Fleeing Elements
- DBMM 100 and 200
- Miscellaneous
- Appendix I - Brilliant Generals
- Appendix II - Inert Generals
- Appendix III - Terrain Changes for DBM Army Lists
- Appendix IV - Troop Changes for DBM Army Lists
- Diagrams
- Quick Reference Sheet
Design Philosophy
This follows the general principles used in other rule sets of the DB series, but with improvements intended to increase historical realism, speed play and generally move the emphasis from micro-management of elements to planning and tactics.
The command system is simple and arbitrary; but more realistic than anachronistic systems involving written orders, transmission by messenger and interpretation by recipients, which cannot be justified from the history of warfare in this period. It instead assumes that a regular C-in-C allocates roles to specific commands in accordance with an initial plan, which they continue to attempt to implement unless he risks confusion by changing his initial orders or is in the immediate vicinity to temporarily override them. It also simulates the rare historical generals of erratic brilliance or exceptional incapacity and allows a variety of the cunning tricks included by ancient authors in books of collected stratagems. It substitutes visible battle lines for the "fireworks displays" of individual units in pre-DB rules, while speeding play by eliminating the dice swapping, indecision and horse trading of DBM. The new Morale Equivalent system recognizes that masses of poor quality troops in the army's rear did not greatly bolster the morale of good troops fighting in front, but a reserve of top quality troops might.
Functional division into units is dispensed with. Movement and combat is by elements, each consisting of figures permanently fixed to a rectangular base. An element does not represent a unit, but the smallest sub-unit or body capable of operating independently. Units may still exist in that several regular elements may have the same dress or shield emblem and one of them include a standard and officers, but they have no function other than as a convenient group of elements. Elements always fight individually, but are supported by neighbors.
Troops are primarily classified by their method of fighting instead of by arms and armour. Finer grading within each type reflects perceived efficiency rather than unit prestige or title. The primary concern has been to reflect relationships between historically opposed types, and not to speculate unduly on the relative effectiveness of anachronistic opponents.
Real battles were in pulses, each side's initiatives being followed by the other's responses and initiatives. This is simulated by splitting play into alternate bounds. This allows distinctions between an element's own bound, in which it moves into combat and its impetus may improve its chance of instantly smashing through, and the enemy bound in which rear support may increase its ability to resist. Troops contacted in an enemy bound may be assumed to have countercharged. Whether they did so in good time must be judged by the combat's result. Tactical moves are the aggregate of movement during the approximately 10 minutes represented by a bound. This may have been intermittent, at different speeds or even in opposite directions. Unlike march moves, they are not based on time multiplied by a fixed speed, but on typical moves in real battles.
The traditional separation of combat into shooting and melee has no place in ancient warfare, where individuals comprising an element can be either throwing or fighting while rear rank comrades shoot over them. Combat is instead either distant or close. Distant combat can be initiated only by troops who historically shot in mass at long range. Close combat is when the bases of opposed elements are in contact. This does not mean they are at hand strokes, though they may be, but that they are engaged at the distance preferred by the dominant troop type. The 4 ranks of men represented by an element of spearmen occupy only 4 paces of its 30 paces depth and the leading men of an opposed element of skirmishers may be 30 paces back from its front edge. There is plenty of room for shooting from beyond spear reach.
Too much attention has been paid in the past to maximum rather than normal ranges. A horse archer could shoot at a spear formation from 200 paces, but would not, since the results would not justify the expenditure of arrows. He closed to 30 paces or less, where he was still safe and his accuracy and penetration maximized.
Combat is not evaluated in terms of casualties received and inflicted. A real general would not know these until after the battle. He could however see whether a body was forcing the enemy back, giving ground or scattering to the rear hysterical with fear, and this is the information the rules provide. The local effects of fatigue and morale are taken into account in combat results and their effects on elements to the rear and side. There will be a progressive loss of order as the battle progresses unless efforts are made to remedy this.
Representational Scales
Figure and Model Scale
This is expressed as the height in millimetres of a figure representing a man 1.83 metres or 6 feet tall. Naval elements use models of reduced scale. This can be rationalised as being seen at a distance by men on shore. 25mm, 15mm, 10mm, 6mm and 2mm figure scales are all fully compatible with these rules:
- 25mm is the oldest scale and offers most opportunity for detailed painting. It fell out of favour, but has been revived by new manufacturers' figure ranges, though some of these are in fact 28mm or 30mm. Especially suitable for public demonstration games, where visibility can be a problem for spectators.
- 15mm is the most popular scale and is still large enough for detailed painting and for players to easily recognise the types comprising their opponent's army.
- 6mm and 2mm provide the ultimate in visual realism, but reduce the opportunity for artistic detail.
Ground Scale
This is the relationship between distances on the table and those on a real battlefield. Distances in the text are in paces (p), each of 0.75 metres or 2.5 feet. This is because the length of a man's stride has remained constant throughout history, while such units as cubits, yards and metres come and go. 2,000 paces is 1 Roman mile.
Distances specified in the rules are multiples of troop element widths (i.e. 60mm for 25mm, 40mm if 15mm, 10mm or 6mm, 30mm for 2mm) each representing 80p. Most players now measure with a selection of rods cut to length, not with a card strip or metal tape. A rectangle 80p x 40p with a handle is handy for measuring gaps.
Troop Representation and Depiction
Each element represents, not a unit, but the smallest sub-unit or body capable of independent action. It consists of a rectangular base, to which are fixed several figures according to its troop type and the model scale. Elements vary in cost, and represent the number of men who would occupy that frontage, typically a nominal strength of 128-200 riders or 200-256 foot (varying with the army), either 3-5 deep if close formed or in a loose swarm if detached skirmishers; or a lesser number of more specialised troops usually in a single rank, such as up to 16 elephants, 25 scythed or 50 other chariots together with any runners and/or escorting horsemen, 2-6 heavy artillery pieces, 30 light bolt-shooters, 25 war wagons, 2 to 5 galleys or ships or 8 to 20 boats. An element of Hordes represents up to 1,000 men in a deep mass. Note that the first elephant element of an army can represent as few as 4 elephants, reflecting the disproportionate effect of even a few on men or horses unused to them.
Figures must accurately depict the troops they represent. The only exception to this is that generals, officers, standard bearers and musicians represent the majority type comprising their element.
Time Scale
Play is in alternate bounds. These do not represent fixed arbitrary divisions of time, but instead reflect initiatives and responses by the two sides. However, dividing known battle durations by the number of discrete phases that can be identified produces consistent enough results for us to define a pair of bounds as averaging (over the battle) 20 minutes in real life. Except in the case of march movement out of contact and routs (which are assumed to be continuous and during the preceding enemy bound as well as your current bound), move distances are not a function of time available and theoretical speeds, but based on typical moves in real battles.
Playing Area
The ideal playing area is 1.8m (72") x 1.2m (48"). If this is used for 25mm games, armies should not exceed 400AP, all dimensions specified in paces (p) in Generating Terrain are reduced to 2/3 normal (i.e. use 15mm scale terrain features) and distances quoted in Initial Deployment are halved. Alternatively, 25mm games can use a standard table tennis table of 2.7m (108") x 1.5m (60") without these changes and armies up to 500AP.
Dice
All dice used are the normal 1 to 6 spot type (numbered dice often cannot be read by opponents). One dice is used for each general, with no substitution or selection during the game to arouse suspicion of malpractice. Dice for irregular, ally or dummy generals must each be a different colour. Dice for other regular generals of the same army must all be the same colour. The use of a dice cup at least 2 dice widths in diameter (such as a plastic medicine cup) prevents cocked or lost dice and gives more random scores.
Troop Definitions
Troops are defined by battlefield behaviour instead of by the formation, armour, weapon and morale classes usual in earlier rule sets. We distinguish only between troops whose fighting style differed sufficiently to need to be treated differently by either their general or their foe. Each troop type therefore includes all troops that fought in the same way, had a generally similar ethos and morale and had an equivalent effect on the other classes. Each type is identified by a name descriptive of its function.
Mounted troop types are Elephants, Expendables, Knights, Cavalry, Light Horse or Camelry. Foot troop types are Spears, Pikes, Blades, Warband, Bowmen, Shot, Auxilia, Psiloi or Hordes. Train troop types are Artillery, War Wagons or Baggage. Naval troop types are Galleys, Ships or Boats.
Light Horse, Auxilia and Psiloi are referred to collectively as Light Troops.
Troops within each type are additionally graded for efficiency relative to the average for that type, taking into account lesser differences in morale, degree of training, equipment or mobility, but not in prestige alone. This is necessarily subjective, but follows thorough discussion, often with recognised authorities on individual armies.
- Superior (S): Troops recognized by contemporaries as significantly superior in morale or efficiency.
- Ordinary (O): Representing the most common or most typical troops of that type.
- Fast (F): Troops who move faster and further than average but are usually worse protected.
- Inferior (I): Brittle troops historically identifiable as of significantly inferior morale or efficiency.
- Exception (X): Troops treated as special cases.
All are also either Regular or Irregular. This somewhat arbitrary distinction chiefly reflects the ease with which they can be controlled by their general. Regulars are typically enlisted into units under officers appointed by the government and practised in manoeuvre and combat techniques. Irregulars typically join with acquaintances under local or tribal leaders, and are less accustomed to waiting for, listening to, or precisely and instantly obeying formal orders. If kept together for long periods as mercenaries or ruled with a rod of iron by a charismatic tyrant (such as Attila, Temujin or Timur) specific army lists may permit their upgrading to regular.
Some elements include a General, who can be the Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C), a Subordinate General or an Ally General. A few are rated as Brilliant or Inert, and most can use Stratagems.
Elephants
Of either anciently-domesticated species and various crew complements. They are used to charge solid foot; to break through gateways, and to block mounted troops, whose frightened horses are reluctant to close with them. They can most easily be killed by artillery or by the continued showers of missiles of light troops. They suffer a weather disadvantage in close combat in a Cold climate in winter. They are all irregular, but some can be specified in their army list as the mount of a regular general.
- Superior (S): Asian elephants with at least 6 crew and/or foot escort figures per model, such as escorted Seleucid elephants or heavily archer-crewed Burmese.
- Ordinary (O): Asian elephants with up to 4 fighting crew, such as those of Indian armies and Sassanid Persia.
- Inferior (I): Smaller African forest elephants with maximum fighting crew of 2, such as those used by Ptolemaic Egypt, Carthage, Numidia and Rome.
- Exception (X): Bolt-shooting engines mounted on elephants, such as those of the Khmer and Cham. They shoot and inflict shooting outcomes as if Artillery (F), but suffer shooting outcomes as if Elephants (I). They are treated as Elephants (I) in all other circumstances. Opponents use their CF against mounted troops if in close combat, that against train if not.
Expendables
Including scythed chariots fitted with scythe blades and spear points, usually with 4 horses and a single crewman, intended to be driven into enemy formations in a single suicidal charge early in the battle to break up or destroy them; and also all animals to be stampeded into enemy, such as cattle, buffalo or camel herds or wild elephants. They are most dangerous to troops offering a solid target that cannot dodge easily, so are often countered by Psiloi. Most scythed chariots are regular, but all other Expendables irregular. All Expendables are Ordinary (O).
Knights
Representing all those noble or heavy horsemen of high morale that charge at first instance without shooting, with the intention of breaking through and destroying enemy by sheer weight and impetus. The impetuous charge that enables them to sweep away lesser cavalry and all but the stoutest foot is also their Achilles' heel, leading to dangerously rash pursuit. They can be regular or irregular.
- Superior (S): French knights 1150-1350 AD, and other elite Europeans such as Royal or Ducal household gendarmes, Military Orders or the most powerful nobles, in full plate and/or mail, armed with heavy lances, riding with stirrups on heavy horses often protected by armour or textile caparisons, accompanied by lesser armoured and armed retainers such as coustilliers, squires, archers or pages, and charging fiercely at the gallop without regard to formation. Unscythed chariots with 4 horses and 4 or more crew including spearmen, such as later Assyrian or Indian.
- Ordinary (O): Other knights, gentry or men-at-arms, with similar followers and similarly equipped, mounted and trained, charging at the gallop, but less impetuous and less skilled in individual jousting. Unscythed charging chariots with 2 horses and 3 or 4 crew, at least one with long weapon, such as Hittite or Shang chariots and some Minoan or early Mycenaean generals' chariots, or 3 or 4 horses and 3 crew, at least one with long weapon, such as early Assyrian or Chinese chariots.
- Fast (F): Less heavily armoured riders on lighter horses charging fiercely at the gallop, and armed with lance but no shield such as Macedonian or Seleucid companions or Sarmatians, with javelins or light spears capable of being thrown and shields such as Goths, Vandals or pre-conquest Normans, with lance and shield such as later Normans with armour limited to helmet and mail hauberk, or with fire lance such as some Chinese cavalry. Un-scythed charging chariots with 2 horses, driver and 1 fighting man with spear, such as Minoan or early Mycenaean chariots.
- Inferior (I): Unskilled with lance and relying mainly on sword or mace, such as some Germans; or usually fighting dismounted, such as 100 Years War English; or forming the rear element of a deep (double-based) wedge formation and including a proportion of mounted archers or crossbowmen, such as Byzantine klibanophoroi or medieval Germans. Javelin cavalry on armoured horses, Sumerian four-wheeled battle-cars with 4 equids, armed driver and 1 runner with javelins. Indian bullock carts manned by archers to substitute for heavy chariots.
- Exception (X): Completely armoured cataphracts in close formation on fully armoured horses, either wielding long kontos two-handed, shield-less and often carrying bows, such as elite Parthian or Sassanid warriors; or relying on heavy mace and shields, such as Byzantine klibanophoroi. They are treated as Knights (S) when shot at by Bows or naval, or in close combat against Cavalry, Light Horse, Spears, Pikes or Bows, as Knights (I) if in close combat against Elephants, Expendables, Knights except (X), Blades or Warband, otherwise as Knights (O).
Cavalry
Representing the majority of ancient horsemen, usually at least partially armoured, combining or following close combat shooting with controlled charges. Being less impetuous, cavalry can retire out of danger or to breathe their horses when knights would charge on to disaster. They can be regular or irregular.
- Superior (S): Well-armoured and often on partially protected horses, formed in solid bodies and fighting primarily with bow. They can each be additionally armed with a lance, such as Avars or Belisarius' boukellarioi; or be depicted with lance and in a regular formation combining ranks armed with lance and shield and other ranks with bow, [often double-based with Cavalry (O)], such as Maurikian or tagmatic Byzantine cavalry; or they may often lack lances but be trained in defensive halted "shower shooting", such as the Sassanids described in Roman sources and Mamluks; or they may have handgun instead of bow. Skirmishing chariots with well-armoured driver and archer, and 2 horses, also often armoured, such as Egyptian or Canaanite.
- Ordinary (O): Riding unprotected horses, and in more flexible formations. Armed as above but with less armour, such as early sipahis; or with javelins and shield and concentrating their missiles with circulating formations, like Roman cavalry; or with bow and/or spear plus sword, such as Achaemenids; or with bow and sword and sometimes shield, such as medieval Persian and rear rank Byzantine tagmatics; or making partial charges with lance, such as armoured Arab or front rank Byzantine thematics; or with halberd or crossbow. Skirmishing chariots with 2 to 4 unarmoured horses or other equids, and crew comprising driver and one or more unarmoured archers, such as Elamite chariots, or armoured or unarmoured javelinmen, such as British.
- Inferior (I): Poorly trained or inexperienced such as early classical Greek cavalry, early Indian cavalry, some Byzantine thematic troops and Vikings or Saxons attempting incompetently to fight mounted. Sumerian platform or straddle cars with a single javelin-armed crewman.
Light Horse
Including all especially swift riders who scout or usually fight in a loose swarm with missiles rather than in formation. They can be regular, but most are irregulars, often nomads gaining extra mobility from multiple remounts. If living in a Cold climate, these are best attacked in early spring before the new grass has grown, when they may be at a weather disadvantage, but in winter their ponies can somewhat surprisingly dig up old grass turned to naturally cured hay from beneath deep snow. A nuisance in small numbers, they become a menace in dense swarms, especially to foot that must endure without effective reply.
- Superior (S): Primarily armed with bow but ready to charge home behind a storm of arrows with sword, javelin or lasso (and if irregular exceptionally aggressive and persistent in close combat), such as Huns, Alans or Turkomans; or armed with lance and willing to charge but primarily tasked with scouting, such as Macedonian Prodromoi.
- Ordinary (O): Skirmishing with javelins, such as Early Thessalians, Numidians, Late Roman Equites Illyriciani or medieval Spanish Genitors, or skirmishing with lance, such as Arabs. Mostly employed to hang around and pester heavier troops, they were forced to close with bow-armed equivalents, their opponents' sensible desire to open the range often then turning to flight.
- Fast (F): Fighting in a thick swarm of small parties closing in succession at the gallop for short range shooting passes with bows and then using their speed to avoid contact, such as Parthians.
- Inferior (I): Dispersed scouts riding equids, camels or deer. Horsemen skirmishing with crossbows.
Camelry
Including all others who fight from camels. They are all irregular.
- Superior (S): Exceptionally heavily armoured or exceptionally feared and fanatical camel riders fighting exclusively hand-to-hand, such as Parthian 3rd century A.D. cataphract camelry or Tuaregs.
- Ordinary (O): Camel riders of nations that used them as the poor man's substitute for a horse or for raiding, the riders fighting mounted or dismounting to fight with bows such as Midianites, or with javelins or swords such as most Bedouin. Also cameleers improvised by mounting troops on pack camels such as those used by Cyrus against the Lydians.
- Exception (X): Camels disguised as elephants to frighten animals, and also Chinese paper lions: usually as an Unusual Troops stratagem. They move as if Baggage (I) except they can contact mounted. They fight as Elephants (I) against mounted and as Baggage (I) against other troops, except that they panic and destroy Elephants.
Spears
Representing all foot that fight in a semi-rigid line thrusting one-handed with spears over a continuous wall of large shields. (S) are always regular, unless dismounted knights. Others can be regular or irregular.
- Superior (S): Unusually well trained and confident elite regular spearmen such as Spartan hoplites, Hannibal's veteran Africans or the Varangian guard if equipped as spearmen.
- Ordinary (O): Regulars drilled to fight and perform simple manoeuvres in close formation such as mercenary hoplites or other Punic African foot; and also irregulars whose aggression and democratic leanings tend to submerge their training such as good citizen hoplites.
- Inferior (I): Reluctant or sketchily drilled spearmen, including regulars such as citizen hoplites dragooned into reluctant obedience by a domestic or foreign tyrant, or of effete cities, medieval town militia, or determined irregular peasants practised only in keeping line such as Saxon fyrd.
Pikes
Representing all foot that advance inexorably straight ahead in ordered ranks and files with a dense level row of pikes or long spears held in both hands projecting ahead to bear down opposition. (S) and (O) except dismounted knights are always regular, while others can be regular or irregular.
- Superior (S): Exceptionally effective elite pikemen such as argyraspids or Swiss.
- Ordinary (O): Other pikemen drilled to fight effectively in close formation with true pikes such as other Hellenistic phalangites and German landsknechts.
- Fast (F): Foot armed with long thrusting spears and fighting in dense formations in good terrain, but partly or entirely lacking effective shields and able to scamper quickly over hills, such as North Welsh spearmen or late 15th century Japanese ashigaru.
- Inferior (I): Peasant or militia troops with long spears or pikes grasped in both hands such as Flemings or lowland Scots, or drilled pikemen low in expertise or morale or hurriedly raised.
- Exception (X): As (I), but with at least the front rank carrying large pavises, such as Sumerian, Minoan or early Mycenaean spearmen. They are treated as Pikes (S) when fighting Cavalry, Bows or light troops, otherwise as Pikes (I).
Blades
Representing all foot primarily skilled in fencing individually with swords, axes or other bladed weapons, but moving their feet to dodge or strike but maintaining an approximate relative position with their fellows, sometimes supplementing this with hand-hurled missiles or bows. They typically fight in a series of pulses of heavy attrition to the leading edge of the opposing formation, as dense volleys of missiles are hurled or heavy cutting weapons wielded in a furious burst of energy, interspersed with comparative lulls of careful fencing before fresh fighters relieve them. They can be regular or irregular.
- Superior (S): European knights or men-at-arms completely armoured in plate or mail who have dismounted to fight on foot such as English men-at-arms of the 100 Years War or Wars of the Roses. Also the best-trained veteran Marian or Early Imperial Roman legionaries, Anglo-Danish royal huscarles, or Wars of the Roses retinue billmen stiffened by dismounted men-at-arms.
- Ordinary (O): Partially armoured well-trained close formation troops, with hand-hurled missiles as well as sword and shield such as other legionaries; or with two-handed cutting or cut-and-thrust weapons such as later samurai, halberdiers or English retinue billmen. Also gladiators.
- Fast (F): Looser formation troops, such as Bronze Age infantry depicted running with sickle-sword or similar and javelins, Celtiberian scutarii, Dacian falx-men, Roman lanciarii, Viking raiders, some early samurai or warrior monks, Aztec suit-wearers or Spanish sword-and-buckler men.
- Inferior (I): Foot generally equipped like (O), but less thoroughly trained, such as newly recruited or imitation legionaries, Celtic ex-warband mercenaries imperfectly trained to obey orders, Arab swordsmen, Viking hird or English commission of array billmen.
- Exception (X): Men with weapons unusually dangerous to heavily armoured knights, such as Aurelian's (doubtful) Palestinian clubmen, Indian clubmen, Byzantine menaylatoi, Low Countries plancon-wielders or Swiss halberdiers. Treated as Blades (F), but destroy Knights scoring less.
Warband
Including all irregular foot that relies on an impetuous and ferocious collective charge to sweep away whole enemy formations, rather than on individual skill. They are all irregular.
- Superior (S): Fighting densely packed by forward pressure, and having a strong belief, often shared by their contemporaries, in their own invincibility, such as early Galatians or Chieftain's bodyguards.
- Ordinary (O): Others emphasizing mutual cohesion, but used to moving in woods or marsh, such as Germans and most Gauls, also dismounted irregular cavalry.
- Fast (F): Fighting in loose formation and emphasizing speed in the charge, such as Gaesati, Britons, Dacians, Galwegians or Aztec cuachics. Also war dogs, except these do not give rear support.
Bows
Representing foot who fight in formed bodies by shooting collectively with missiles at longer range than psiloi, often in volleys at command, and who rely on dense shooting, hand-to-hand weapons, personally prepared obstacles or accompanying pavise bearers for survival at close quarters instead of skirmishing or evasion, or who are packed too tightly to skirmish effectively. They can be regular or irregular.
- Superior (S): Exceptionally effective shooters with powerful bows and high skill, able to outshoot opponents and with sufficiently high morale to fight indefinitely hand-to-hand with sword and buckler, spear or long sword, maul or club such as English longbowmen, Ottoman janissaries or Tupi.
- Ordinary (O): Shooters with lesser bows or skill or with crossbows, able to maintain a prolonged shooting exchange and fight for a short time hand-to-hand, by virtue of armour, spears, shields, pavises, side arms or high discipline or morale, such as some Egyptians, Palmyrans and Romans, and also civic or mercenary crossbow companies.
- Inferior (I): Shooters lacking the protection or discipline to be able to prolong a losing exchange and unwilling to fight hand-to-hand, such as Elamites, Seleucid levy archers, Goths, Franks archers, and all bowmen who would be Psiloi (O) were they not too numerous to skirmish.
- Exception (X): Foot in a formation with front ranks armed with pike or with spear and a large shield or pavise, but most with bow or crossbow, and tactically emphasizing shooting rather than close combat, such as Achaemenid Persian sparabara, Alexander's experimental phalanx, 10th century Byzantine infantry, Italian civic infantry or Burgundian pike-and-longbow infantry. They can be double-based with an element of Bows (O) or (S) behind them, or on a single base alternating pike or spear-armed with shooting figures. They fight in distant combat as Bows (S) when enemy Bows or naval shoot or shoot back at them and score more, or if they are double-based with Bows (S), otherwise as Bows (O). They fight frontally as and have the outcomes in close combat of Spears (O) if regular and of Spears (I) if irregular. If double-based with Bows, these provide rear support. They are otherwise ineligible for rear support.
Shot
Including all hand-gunners that fight in ranks, such as Ming Chinese. Inaccurate and unreliable, their bullets could penetrate even heavy armour and the novelty, unprecedented noise and smoke could frighten men as well as animals. They are always regular and (I).
Auxilia
Representing foot willing to fight hand-to-hand, but emphasizing mobility or fighting in difficult terrain or against Elephants or Expendables rather than cohesion or aggression. They can be regular or irregular.
- Superior (S): Foot able because of their training, weapons, armour or shields to fight in close formation when necessary such as Hellenistic thureophoroi, Iberian scutati, Roman auxilia, Illyrians or Thracians. Also Arab Conquest or Saffarid elephant-killers.
- Ordinary (O): Less well motivated and trained regulars such as Late Roman border auxiliarii. Irregulars relying only on javelins or short spear and light shield such as most mountain tribesmen.
- Inferior (I): Other troops with javelins, but who are shield-less, lack confidence or would be Psiloi (I) if not too numerous to skirmish. Followers of early samurai cavalry with a mixture of mainly naginata, but also of bear claw poles, spears and probably of weak bows.
Psiloi
Including all dispersed skirmishers on foot shooting individually with javelin, sling, staff sling, bow, crossbow or hand gun, who fight in a loose swarm hanging around enemy foot, running away when charged. They are useful to delay or even damage unsupported heavy infantry, screen these against enemy psiloi, occupy difficult terrain or disrupt attacks and cover escalades with overhead shooting, but cannot survive unsupported in the open against cavalry. They are able to defeat elephants and scythed chariots by harassing them with missiles, using their agility to dodge them and avoid contact. They can be regular or irregular.
- Superior (S): Well-regarded skilled specialists armed with javelins and small shield such as Spanish caetrati, Roman velites or Greek peltasts, or with handgun, potentially dangerous unless countered.
- Ordinary (O): Armed with bow, sling, crossbow or staff sling, useful to support other foot (often from behind), or to counter horse archers.
- Inferior (I): Young, poor or otherwise marginal combatants told-off to make themselves useful with hand-hurled missiles, usually to pester and possibly delay closer formed enemy foot.
- Exception (X): Armed with incendiaries, corrosives or biologicals such as Greek Fire siphons, hand-hurled naphtha bombs, Chinese fire lances, quicklime or hornets' nests. They are treated in all circumstances as Psiloi (I), except that they substitute Artillery distant combat factors and effect when in close combat to their front against any but Auxilia or Psiloi.
Hordes
Including all unwilling or incompetent foot, brought to swell numbers and/or perform menial services, or attracted by desperation, religious or political fanaticism or greed, and too tightly huddled, scared, stupid or indoctrinated to run away. They are always irregular.
- Superior (S): Impetuous armed mobs, such as Crusader pilgrims, French peasant jacquerie, plancon-wielding German heerban or Scottish ribaulds.
- Ordinary (O): Peasants, unwilling levies or camp servants issued with cheap weapons, but with little confidence in their ability to use these and no stake in the battle except personal survival, such as Achaemenid or Sassanid levy infantry or Byzantine soldiers' servants.
- Fast (F): Unorganized enthusiastic rabble relying on numbers, ambush from concealment and/or street fighting skills, such as light-footed peasant freedom-fighters/bandits living in difficult terrain, Byzantine racing factions or Alexandrian rioters.
- Inferior (I): Unarmed civilians driven ahead with whips by invaders such as Mongols.
Artillery
Whether gunpowder, torsion, tension, counterweight or powered by men pulling ropes. It is always regular.
- Superior (S): Torsion, counterweight or large rope-pull stone-throwers. Bombards or heavy cannon.
- Ordinary (O): Bolt-shooting tension or torsion engines, Late 15th century field guns on wheeled mountings. Crew-served rocket launchers.
- Fast (F): Bolt-shooting engines mounted on fast light mule-drawn carts, but not any on wagons.
- Inferior (I): Small rope-pull or gunpowder artillery including organ guns/ribaudequins. Man-held rockets.
- Exception (X): One-time use self-propelled animal projectiles such as flaming pigs and Chinese thunder-bomb oxen, usually used as an Unusual Troops stratagem. These are treated as if rockets except that they cannot be used across water or enemy fortifications or from behind other troops, are moved into contact with their target when fired and destroyed by the combat, and use Expendables combat factors, opponent combat outcomes and morale equivalents (ME).
War Wagons
Including all slow wheeled vehicles intended to be fought from and to move on the battlefield, but not ordinary transport wagons or carts utilised to laager camps. They can be regular or irregular.
- Superior (S): Large wheeled towers manned by bowmen and either pulled by oxen or manhandled, such as those attributed to the Achaemenid Persians by Xenophon in the Cyropaedia or used in sieges.
- Ordinary (O): Mantleted wagons filled with men shooting from behind cover with bow, crossbow, handgun or very light artillery, such as those of the Hussites, Poles, Hungarians or Gulai Gorod.
- Inferior (I): Improvised from transport wagons, such as those of migrating Sea Peoples.
- Exception (X): Republican Roman anti-elephant carts and similar blade-studded man-pushed wagons. These are usually used as an Unusual Troops stratagem. They are created as if (O), except they cannot shoot, can contact enemy, and have special combat outcomes against Elephants and Psiloi.
Baggage
Representing the army's logistic support, including all personnel, supplies and equipment that increase the physical or mental welfare of troops or generals. Its function is to increase staying power (since ill-fed or dispirited troops rarely fight well). Each general has 0-2 elements. An ally's must, and other general's can, remain with him as Command Baggage. All other baggage is held in common as Army Baggage. Each non-allied command without command baggage shares the effects of Army Baggage and it deploys in 1 of them.
- Superior (S): Litter carrying a general or inspirational sacred object (such as an Inca general or the Ark of the Covenant) or a standard wagon, (such as the Khazar royal wagon, that of St. Peter and St. Cuthbert at Northallerton, or an Italian City State carroccio), each guarded by picked foot.
- Ordinary (O): Static, such as tented camps or draft animals tethered in the centre of a wagon lager. It can include sutlers, soldiers' wives, drabs, slatterns or doxies, sacrificial altars and officiating priests, bodies of praying monks, a portable minaret and muezzin, or even a traveling seraglio (permanent buildings or monuments are more properly included in BUA). It can be on multiple element bases. Unlike other Baggage, it can start embarked on Ships (I), but cannot move on land except to disembark. It is the only Baggage that can defend TF it is inside.
- Fast (F): Baggage loaded on mules, horses, camels, elephants, yaks, reindeer, llamas or similar fast-moving pack animals, and herds of cattle, spare horses, ponies or camels.
- Inferior (I): Baggage loaded ready to move in wagons or carts or by porters or donkeys, and flocks of sheep and/or goats, or other animals that are difficult to hurry. It is difficult to defend.
Galleys
Including all swift rowing vessels intended to ram or use fire projectors. They are always regular.
- Superior (S): Large galleys suited to reinforce or break a battle line, with exceptionally powerful marine contingents and torsion or gunpowder artillery or fire siphons, such as hepteres, dekares, later Byzantine dromons or pamphyloi, or the heaviest-armed late medieval galleys.
- Ordinary (O): Smaller galleys still with large marine contingents, resistant to ramming and large enough for the line of battle, such as quinquiremes/penteres, tetreres, or large medieval galleys lacking powerful bow cannon.
- Fast (F): Fast lightly built galleys with small marine contingents backed by lightly armed rowers, such as triremes/trieres, trihemioliai, early dromons, early galea and corsair galliots.
- Inferior (I): Markedly smaller and slightly slower galleys, such as penteconters or Roman liburnians.
- Exception (X): Oared horse transport, such as Byzantine chelandion. Moves and fights as (O).
Ships
Including all slow, unhandy or primarily sailing vessels intended to carry cargo, and also galleys converted to carry horses or as unmanoeuvrable siege towers for sieges. They are always irregular.
- Superior (S): With stern and bow castles and large numbers of troops embarked, such as later cogs or uscieri.
- Ordinary (O): With large numbers of troops embarked, such as those of the Veneti and medieval navi or nefs.
- Inferior (I): Either acting as horse transports or transporting a Baggage (O) element.
- Exception (X): Fastened together in pairs to carry siege towers. They are treated as Ships (S) if shooting or shot at or if in close combat against fortifications, otherwise as Ships (I).
Boats
Including all primarily rowing vessels without rams. (F) and (XX) are regular, others irregular.
- Superior (S): Large wooden boats with several men per oar and filled with warriors such as Viking longships.
- Ordinary (O): Smaller un-decked wooden boats filled with warriors such as triaconters or lembi.
- Fast (F): Dispatch boats attached to galley fleets to carry messages or for scouting.
- Inferior (I): Hide and/or wicker boats filled with warriors such as Pictish or Irish curraghs.
- Exception (XX): Converted rowing vessels with penthouse for torsion artillery. Treated as Artillery (S) if shooting or shot at, otherwise as Boats (I).
Naval Landing Forces
Except for Boats (F), which have insufficient capacity, and Boats (XX), whose artillery is built-in, each naval element always carries and can disembark one land element of an appropriate type, as specified in our army lists. Its cost is additional to that of the naval element. Land elements can embark on or disembark from:
- Boats in bow or Galleys or Ships in bow or stern edge contact with a beach or a BUA foreshore.
- Boats in edge contact with the bank of a waterway, river or lake.
- Any naval element in edge contact with a quay, pier or jetty placed as part of a BUA.
- Impressed shipping (not represented by models) over a beach.
Ships (I) can carry any land element. Galleys (X) can carry Knights, Cavalry, Light Horse or foot. Other naval only carry foot. Impressed shipping can carry Knights, Cavalry, Light Horse, foot, Artillery or Baggage (O), but cannot be used by the defender. Mounted elements can abandon their mounts and embark as foot. An unladen naval element cannot be moved and does not recoil. It has fewer fighting men, so has less ability to defend itself or shoot and is more vulnerable to shooting due to its immobility and lack of men to extinguish fires. If, and only if, a naval element's battlefield entry edge lacks water access, its embarked troops deploy on land.
Exchanging Mounted and Foot Elements
Mounted troops must dismount to defend fortifications or embark. Knights, Cavalry or Light Horse can always deploy dismounted or dismount later, if specified in their army lists as able to do so. Elephants, Expendables and Camelry (X) cannot dismount. Others can dismount only if (a) to enter difficult going occupied by enemy of whom they are aware, (b) to embark, or (c) if less than 400p from either enemy War Wagons on a hill or enemy fortifications, or (d) if a general (plus any troops double-based with him). Dismounting by individuals when looting, attacking beached vessels, or in camel fighting or a cavalry melee is covered by mounted factors and outcomes. Unless specified otherwise by their army lists, dismounting troops are replaced by:
If armed with bow, crossbow or handgun:
- Knights with bow - if (X) as Bows (S), otherwise as Bows (O).
- Cavalry - if (I) as Bows (I), if with handgun as Shot (I), otherwise as Bows (O).
- Light Horse with bow or crossbow or Camelry with bow as Bows (O) if a general, (I) if not.
Otherwise:
- Knights (S), (O) or (I) in full armour as Blades (S), other (I) or (F) as Blades (O), (X) as Spears (S).
- Regular Cavalry - if (S) or (O) as Auxilia (S), if (I) as Auxilia (I).
- Irregular Cavalry or Camelry - if (S) as Warband (S), if (O) as Warband (O), if (I) as Auxilia (I).
- Light Horse as Auxilia (O) if a general, (I) if not.
Dismounters exchange 1 mounted element for 1 foot element, except that a pair of double based elements dismounts as 1 element of the front type. Except at deployment time, or to spontaneously advance against broken enemy, flee or rout, mounting or dismounting expends an entire single element tactical or march move for each element. If it is to remount, an appropriate cavalry-size base with mounts and holders must be provided to accompany each dismounted element adjacent to its rear, or that of the mounts of a dismounted element to its rear. This does not change a single element to a group. Rear rank dismounters close up to the front element.
If so specified in their army list, foot can be provided with mounts as Mounted Infantry. They can be deployed with or without additional bases with mounts and holders as above. If without, they deploy as mounted but then act as ordinary foot. While they have their mounts, they deploy, march, interpenetrate, flee and rout as Camelry if on camels, as Cavalry (I) if not, but otherwise move as foot. They always count as foot when shooting, shot at or in close combat, and so do not need to dismount/remount. Duplicate mounted figures are optional.
Dismounters' mounts are permanently removed when:
- They come into any contact (even corner) with enemy, or with friends who recoil or are pushed back.
- Immediately they have been shot at.
- Their owners have been destroyed or spent.
- Their owners make a tactical move except to remount, a spontaneous move, an outcome move on foot or (unless mounted infantry) a march move, or are in rough or difficult going off-road.
- They pass through or are passed through by any but psiloi.
Fortifications
These can be Temporary Fortifications [TF] defensible by any foot or train, such as a palisade and/or ditch and bank, wagon laager, plashed wood edge, or thorn boma, or Permanent Fortifications [PF] defensible only by foot or Artillery, such as a major earthwork or stone or turf wall with walkway, parapet and usually raised towers, comprising or part of a BUA. BUA more than 800p across must have PF and smaller BUA can be left unfortified or have TF or PF. These must completely fortify its perimeter, except optionally where it abuts the battlefield edge or a water feature, and include 1-3 on-table fortified gateways to which internal roads connect.
A fortification notionally consists of 80p sections (which are not elements). Except for isolated towers, or TF resting flanks on 2 terrain features to block passage between them, fortifications must be continuous with no gaps. If a BUA fortification intersects a battlefield edge, the off-battlefield part does not cost AP.
Towers must be at least 160p apart and can be occupied by only 1 element. Their external dimensions must be a little larger than 80p due to parapet thickness or sometimes non-rectangular tower shape. Artillery in a PF that are to shoot out [which cannot be (F)] must be deployed in and remain in a tower. Only exterior faces of a tower can be assaulted from outside and cost AP. Tower occupants can also be attacked from any entrances at wall walk or ground level. Corner pieces of no internal frontage used instead of corner towers are not paid for and cannot be assaulted, crossed or shot over. The internal angle enclosed by a fortification corner must be 90-270°.
Troops can enter fortifications only unopposed at a gateway, or by assault. Troops that assault a gateway pursue through it. Foot can only leave a permanent fortification, and mounted or train any fortification, by a gateway.
All tactical or march movement on to, upon or off PF is by single element moves. These are not measured and always expend only 1 PIP. A full tactical or march move is used to move between any of:
- An adjacent section of wall walk.
- Another wall walk section which is either adjacent or immediately beyond an adjacent tower.
- The top of a tower.
- The interior face at ground level of a wall or the ground level entrance of a tower.
An element already on a PF wall walk can move sideways, treating the flank edge in the direction moved as its front edge and the other as its rear edge. An enemy flank edge it contacts is treated as a flank edge if also fighting to its front against escaladers or stair climbers, as a rear edge if its other flank is counting as its front edge, otherwise as a front edge. Mutual flank edge combat is not "across a PF parapet". An element so contacted on both its flank edges is treated as contacted to both front (nominated by the side whose bound it is) and rear.
TF must be in the army's own deployment area unless part of a BUA. TF paid for at reduced cost for BUA cannot be used for camps and vice versa. TF paid for at full cost can be used for BUA, camps or elsewhere. A TF section that has been crossed by enemy is removed and the space vacated treated as difficult going.
Obstacles
Some army lists permit stratagems involving artificial obstacles. These can be:
Portable Obstacles [PO] include the stakes of English longbowmen, chains used to protect Turkish artillery or fasten War Wagons together, and camels tethered in front of Moorish foot. They are placed immediately in front of the owning foot or train element and require PIPs to set up (replacing a move). They can be taken up once, without using PIPs, and later set-up elsewhere. They are removed from play if their owners move again. They inflict an adverse close combat tactical factor on most enemy mounted. Enemy attacking the owners must have sufficient move to reach them, or else end the move just short of the PO without combat. The PO model cannot be more than 40p deep. They cannot be placed in an enemy TZ. They are permanently removed if friendly troops other than Psiloi cross them, or if their owners recoil from close combat, flee, rout or are destroyed, or if enemy cross them unopposed. Any pursuit by attackers is measured from the owning element's front edge.
Fixed Obstacles [FO] include ditches or multiple small pits to disorder charging enemy, anti-chariot stakes or caltrops used by Marian Roman legionaries, felled trees, ditches, stakes or barricades to block a road, and stakes, chain or a boom to block a river. They are prepared before the battle starts as a Hidden Obstacle stratagem and are a 40p deep strip of difficult going.
Organising Your Army
Army Size
Unless the battle is a campaign or scenario game, each side consists of troop elements, fortifications, obstacles and stratagems up to an agreed total of army points (AP), normally 300 to 500 AP, but games with up to 1,000 AP and 8 players or as small as 100 AP have been played. The accompanying army list books specify element types and numbers for all known historical armies of the era. All mentions of lists refer to these and not to a player's Order of Battle. AP spent on BUA fortifications are wasted if the invader or if BUA are not allowed.
Element Cost
Basic cost in AP:
| Troop type | Regular (S) | Regular (O) | Regular (F) | Regular (I) | Regular (X) | Irregular (S) | Irregular (O) | Irregular (F) | Irregular (I) | Irregular (X) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elephants | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | 16 | - | 12 | 22 |
| Knights | 15 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 9 |
Adjustment for all grades if:
| Regular | Irregular | |
|---|---|---|
| Mounted infantry | +1 | +1 |
| Rear element of double base if required by army list | -2 | -1 |
| If Knights or Cavalry in chariots, Boats (S) that cannot shoot or war dogs | -1 | -1 |
| C-in-C's or subordinate general's element | +20 | +10 |
| Ally general's element | +10 | +5 |
| Extra if a Brilliant general | +25 | +25 |
| Reduction if a C-in-C who is Inert | -75 | -75 |
| Reduction if an ally general who is Inert | -25 | -25 |
Fortification or Obstacle Sections:
- Portable obstacle [PO] to cover the front of 1 element: 1
- Temporary fortifications [TF] or fixed obstacle [FO] to cover the front of 1 element or 80p wide: 2
- Adjustment if TF part of a BUA or specified in army list as defending camps or baggage: -1
- Permanent fortifications (PF) to cover the front of 1 element: 2
- Adjustment if a raised PF tower: +1
- Adjustment if a gateway: +2
Non-outward-facing walls of a tower are free, so for example: A square PF of four corner towers (4 x 6AP), 1 gate tower (1 x 5AP), 3 interval towers (3 x 3AP) and 8 wall sections (8 x 2AP) costs 54 AP.
Element Basing
An element consists of several figures fixed to a rectangular card base. Naval elements often use models of reduced scale (most often 1:1200), which can be a different scale to those of opponents.
| If figure scale is: | 20-30mm | 15-6mm | 2mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frontage of all element bases | 60mm | 40mm | 30mm |
Depth of element base if:
| 20-30mm | 15-6mm | 2mm | |
|---|---|---|---|
| War Wagons, Baggage (S) or naval | 120mm | 80mm | 60mm |
| Elephants, Expendables, all Chariots, Knights in wedge unless double-based, all Artillery, Baggage except (S) | 60mm or 80mm | 40mm | 30mm |
| Other Knights, Cavalry, Light Horse, Camelry, Hordes | 40mm | 30mm | 15mm |
| Pikes (F), Blades (F), Warband (F), Auxilia, Bows, Shot, Psiloi | 30mm | 20mm | 10mm |
| Spears, other Pikes, other Blades, other Warband | 20mm | 15mm | 10mm |
Figures per element (unless chariots) if:
| 28-30mm | 15-25mm | 10mm | 6mm | 2mm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light Horse (including (I) mounted on camels), Psiloi | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| Knights (S), (O), (I) or (F), Cavalry, Camelry | 3 | 3 | 4 | 11-12 | 2 |
| Pikes (F), Blades (F), Warband (F), irregular Auxilia, irregular Bows | 3 | 3 | 5-8 | 11-12 | 2 |
| Knights (X) | 3-4 | 4 | 5 | 15-16 | 2 |
Models per element if:
| 28-30mm | 15-25mm | 10mm | 6mm | 2mm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elephants, Chariots, Camelry (X), Artillery (S) or (F) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Artillery (O) or (I) | 1 | 1-2 | 1-2 | 2 | 2 |
| War Wagons (S) or (I), Galleys, Ships, Boats (S) or (F) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Other War Wagons | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
Elephants (S) add extra crew or 2 or more escort figures and Artillery 2 or more crew figures per model.
15mm and larger figures should be in one row, those Knights in wedge with the centre figure further forward. Irregulars are best if figures of differing type, pose and/or colour scheme placed more randomly. Smaller figures should generally be in 2 equal level rows if regular, in a clump with an odd number of figures if irregular.
Some deep formations of Knights, Cavalry or Bows (X) are required by army lists to be represented by basing 2 elements on a single 2 element depth base and are allowed special rear support factors. This is because they integrate specialized ranks of different troop types which cannot survive the loss of the front type. Double-based Knights, instead of 2 rows of 3 25mm or 15mm figures, have 1 each of 2 and 4, or interleaved rows of 1, 2 and 3. 28-30mm can have interleaved rows of 1 and 2, 10mm interleaved rows of 2, 3 and 4, and 6mm rows of 4, 6, 8 and 10. Other troops (most commonly Warband) can be double-based for convenience, or if Baggage multiply-based, but do not receive special factors and are replaced by single elements if 1 element is destroyed. A double element counts as 2 elements, except:
- It moves as if a single element with the maximum permitted move of its slower type.
- It normally expends PIPs as if a single element of whichever type would expend the most if alone. However, if it moves backwards (i.e. any part of it crosses the original line of its rear edge), it expends PIPs as if 2 single elements, unless both its elements are Cavalry or light troops.
- It contacts enemy or responds to enemy as if a single element.
- If contacted in the rear, it fights as the rear type.
- It makes outcome moves as if a single element of the front type.
- A required double-element is destroyed if either of its elements is destroyed.
- It measures recoils, pursuits and the distance behind it at which friendly elements are destroyed from the rear of the front element, which is usually at half the depth of the double-base.
Command and Control
Generals
An army is divided into 1-4 Commands, each of 4 or more elements, plus a General's element which must be recognisable by his figure or standard. Train can form an extra 4-10 element command without a general.
A command is Regular if its general's element is regular or it is entirely regular train, and Irregular if not. There is one partial exception to this rule. An Elephant general who would otherwise be regular commands as if and costs the same additional AP as if regular, but has irregular element cost and movement.
The army's senior general is the Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C). Junior generals are Subordinate Generals if under the C-in-C's direct command, but Ally Generals if not. A general of the C-in-C's own nation is usually a subordinate general, but may be specified as an ally general if of doubtful loyalty or politically semi-detached or sharing command. A general commanding a contingent sent by another nation is always an ally general.
Planning PIP Allocation
One dice will be thrown each bound per command, the score of which is its Player Initiative Points (PIPs).
A regular C-in-C's formal command structure allows him to make a plan and give his regular subordinate generals orders to implement it. This is simulated by recording at the end of initial deployment which of all his non-allied regular commands will always be allocated the highest PIP score, which the next highest, and which the lowest. He may instead wish to treat some or all equally, since dull generals could often think of no better plan than to line up and advance. If so, all or any command's dice can be specified to use the rounded down average of their scores. The allocation of a flank marching or delayed command takes effect when its general arrives on the battlefield. A regular C-in-C with only irregular subordinates can choose each bound whether to exchange his score for that bound with that of a subordinate less than 400p away and closer than any other.
Dice allocation can be changed during the battle if the generals concerned are within 2,000p of the C-in-C. If so, the new allocation takes effect in the side's next bound, and in accordance with the principle "order, counter-order, disorder", confusion increases their PIP expenditure in that bound.
An irregular C-in-C may also have a plan but cannot rely on obedience from irregular subordinates, so each dices independently. If an irregular C-in-C starts with a single regular subordinate general, his score is exchanged with that of the C-in-C if the C-in-C's score is higher. If an irregular C-in-C has more than 1 regular subordinate general, their dice are allocated as if a regular army and he keeps his own dice.
Allied commands and commands whose general is lost or has not yet arrived from a flank or delayed march, or that are broken, dice independently and are not currently included in allocation or averaging.
Unreliable Allies
An ally general is potentially unreliable. His reliability will not be established until his first PIP dice of the battle or he arrives from a flank march (An unreliable ally would not arrive!). If he is not flank marching, and his 1st unadjusted PIP score is 1, he will not commit his command until the end of a bound in which either:
- Enemy were seen to be closer than 240p to, or shot at, any of his elements not concealed in ambush.
- 4 more enemy than friendly elements were lost or became broken.
- His PIP dice is 5 or 6, in the bound following that in which the C-in-C expended 3 PIPs to activate him.
This simulates delay while the situation becomes apparent, the sending of threats concerning the person of the general or hostages or promising bribes, temporizing, renewed appeals and so forth.
Until his reliability has been established or his command committed:
(a) His troops cannot shoot, make a spontaneous advance, or move closer than 800p to any known enemy. (b) If any of his side's commands were broken last bound and no enemy command is broken, either:
- If either he is irregular and of a different nation, or the two armies are of the same nation, existed at the same period and fought each other in a civil war during that period, then his command (including baggage) will change sides and become a committed enemy command.
- If neither of these two, all elements of the command become permanently disheartened.
Brilliant or Inert Generals
A few generals are additionally defined in their army list as Brilliant. This is not a judgment on their overall ability (many much better generals do not qualify), but because they historically proved capable in a campaign or battle of a brilliant unexpected rapid manoeuvre that threw the enemy off-balance. They were often also difficult subordinates to their seniors, unsettling to their own subordinates or the victim of political jealousy and took dangerous personal risks. They can be the C-in-C, a subordinate or an ally general. They are allowed 2 brilliant strokes during the battle, but only 1 in a bound. A brilliant stroke can be used to specify a stratagem otherwise not available, to increase PIPs, to change orders, or to gain an advantage when moving into close combat. Be warned that only good players have the necessary situational awareness and sense of timing to benefit and even then equally competent opponents may deny them opportunities. A brilliant C-in-C cannot average his own command's PIPs or change orders except with a brilliant stroke which he is assumed to have planned in advance and prepared for (his original plan is either a brilliant success or a glorious failure).
Some other C-in-C or ally generals (inertia in subordinates is rarely tolerated) are defined as Inert. This is because they consistently handicapped their troops by lethargy, indecision, timidity, over-confident neglect of elementary precautions, failure to take firm control of subordinates, innate incapacity, jealousy or extreme pig-headedness. They have a negative AP value, but the AP total of their own command must be positive.
Stratagems
Stratagems are cunning tricks used by generals to give their army an advantage. Those permitted are taken from those listed by Polyaenus and Frontinus or included in other ancient manuals and historical accounts. Any C-in-C can specify and pay for up to 5 of the stratagems below in his Order of Battle and choose up to 2 (different) of these at stage 1 of deployment in each battle. An Inert C-in-C can use only Feigned Flight, Portable Obstacles, Delaying Battle and Unusual Troops (but only with Scythed chariots) stratagems. Some stratagems can be specified only by Brilliant generals or if included in army lists. Stratagems can be:
Scouting
Skilled scouts are sent to detect hidden troops by such signs as flocks of birds rising from woods and discover any concealed obstacles.
The C-in-C allocates a small number of Cavalry, Light Horse or Psiloi elements of his own command to scout. These elements are not deployed with the rest of the command, but each dices at stage 3 of deployment. All enemy elements used in Ambush, Unusual Troops or Concealed Command stratagems or FO used in Hidden Obstacle stratagems must be immediately deployed or an army encamped at night start PIP dicing if any scouting element scores 5 or 6, but only the furthest forward ambushing element be deployed if the scouting element scores 4. Each scouting element scoring 1 (or 2 if the enemy has deployed more scouts) is destroyed. Scouts that are not destroyed are spent if Psiloi, otherwise deployed within 80p of their C-in-C. Disguised Troops or Exaggerating Army Size stratagems and flank marches are not detected. Cost 5AP.
Feigned Flight
Troops (or Galleys) pretend to flee from the enemy to tempt them into a rash pursuit, often into an ambush.
The C-in-C expends 3 PIPs or a brilliant stroke at the end of his bound to trigger an immediate flee outcome move by all elements of a command (except ambushers) closer than 800p to enemy. Next bound, all enemy less than 400p from elements feigning flight must make a spontaneous advance unless halted or train. Up to 2 more feigned flights can be made later for 2 PIPs each by the same or different commands. Cost 5AP.
Guides
An invading C-in-C searches for and finds a peasant who tells him of a route for a column, unknown to the defender, which can be used to pass an inconvenient terrain feature; such as a path over difficult hills or through marshes or woods, or an unmarked ford (There are no historical instances of this being done by defenders).
The invader marks the position of the path or ford on a map at stage 1 of deployment and passage counts as if along a road, except that the leading element dices when halfway across the feature. A score of 1 indicates that the peasant is treacherous or has got lost, and the terrain then reverts to its normal state, except that all moves made while crossing it that bound expend an extra 1 PIP. Cost 10AP.
Changing Deployment
A C-in-C can exchange the positions of two of his commands after the enemy has become used to his habitual scheme of deployment.
This can be done only by a Brilliant C-in-C as a brilliant stroke; and then only if deployment finishes between sunrise and 1000, and there is no mist, fog, snow or sandstorm. The 2 commands are deployed in each other's rectangles and exchanged in stage 4 of deployment (without changing the relative position of each command's elements except optionally reversing their order from left to right). All moves during those commands' 1st bound expend an extra PIP (friction due to unfamiliarity with the deployment). Cost 5AP.
Exaggerating Army Size
Dust created by towing brush behind cavalry or moving cattle, or extra trumpet calls, standards, tents or camp fires, or shallow formations are used to give the impression that the army is stronger than it is.
1 or 2 extra ranks (or part ranks) of elements are added directly behind 1 group of real elements of the same types and must move as part of that group. These are all removed immediately any of them become visible to enemy up to 400p away. If real elements are placed in such a position that the enemy incorrectly assumes them to be fake, this simulates the contrary ploy of using less standards, tents, trumpet calls or fires than normal to give the impression that the army is smaller than it is. Cost 5AP.
False Reinforcements
Camp servants or similar non-combatants with fake standards appear on a hill behind the army and convince the enemy that it has been reinforced.
This can be used only by armies with Baggage (O) and whose list specifies it. It also requires there to be a hill crest no further than 1,200p from the army's rear battlefield edge for them to appear on. The reinforcements are not deployed until the C-in-C expends a PIP to move them over the crest or enemy can see behind it. Each enemy command that is then aware of them and has none of its elements less than 400p away from them has its ME total temporarily reduced by 2ME during this bound and the immediately following bound. If it becomes broken due to this, it remains broken even if the cause is removed. Cost as specified by army list.
Hidden Obstacles
Obstacles of which the enemy is unaware are constructed in advance; such as a road or ford blocked by pits and stakes, river passage obstructed by a boom, chain or underwater stakes, trees prepared for rapid felling to block a road through a wood, stakes or pits to hinder chariots or knights, or a trench dug for enemy mounted to fall in. [Plashing is a TF not an obstacle.]
If specified by their army list, an FO (see p.11) the width of a road or river, or up to 400p long, or to cover the front of a specified number of elements, is marked on a map at the end of stage 2 of deployment. It is placed only when it is discovered by Scouting, friendly troops cross it, or when enemy reach it. Enemy that reach it move their full distance for the going they start in, but count for any subsequent close combat during that bound and the immediately following enemy bound as if in difficult going. Cost 2AP per element/80p frontage.
Portable Obstacles
The troops carry stakes or chains that can be set up to protect their front and be set-up again if they move.
Must be specified by their army list and count as a tactical factor. Cost 1AP per element with PO (see p.11).
Betrayal
An enemy junior leader is bribed to betray a fortification.
Dice before resolving the combat for treachery when the first friendly element first assaults an enemy fortification. A score of 1 if visibility is reduced to 80p or 1-2 if not indicates that the traitor has been discovered and the attack is resisted. If the score is greater, the enemy element defending the fortification section contacted becomes spent unless it is that of a general, the attacking element crosses the fortification into the space vacated, and 5 ME is deducted from the moving army's ME total to pay the bribe. Cost 5AP.
Delaying Battle
The C-in-C of an army with a fortified camp or 2 FE [as printed] fortified BUA in its deployment zone chooses to delay the battle; in the hope that reinforcements may arrive or weather conditions improve or disadvantage the enemy, for example by the clearance of mist or risk of rain, the drying of mud, dazzle or the onset of thirst.
Cannot be used if the battle would otherwise start before sunrise. Dice after deployment and add the score in hours to the start time. If both sides do so, use the higher score. Cost 5AP if the C-in-C is inert, 10AP if not.
Disguised Troops
Good and poor troops exchange equipment.
If specified by their army list, equal numbers of foot elements of one nationality are substituted at deployment for those of another nationality present with the army. They cannot move further than their real type. The opponent is notified of the deception when the first such element has a different combat outcome than its apparent type and grade would suggest. Cost 10AP.
Concealed Command
A large part of the army is concealed from the enemy's view when he deploys.
Can only be used by a Brilliant invading C-in-C as a brilliant stroke, or by the defender. A single command (including its Baggage) that is entirely concealed from everywhere in the opponent's deployment area by intervening hillcrests or by being in or behind woods, an oasis or a BUA deploys in the normal way, but not until the army's 2nd bound; unless discovered by scouts (for which see above), or immediately any of its elements move or any enemy move into a position where they could see any of it. It cannot include ambushers. Cost 5AP unless a brilliant stroke.
Unusual Troops
Unusual troop types are deployed as a surprise to disrupt enemy formations or a key enemy troop type.
If specified by their army list, the army can include regular units of (or irregular) scythed chariots or such improvisations as fake elephants, paper lions, both wheeled towers and soldiers on baggage camels, Palestinian clubmen, flaming pigs, stampeding cattle, camel or wild elephant herds, anti-elephant carts, or other blade-studded man-pushed wagons. If the stratagem is chosen, these are deployed at stage 4 of deployment (if not, the enemy is already aware of them and they are deployed at the normal time in stage 3). Cost 10AP.
Ambush
Small bodies of troops are concealed to leap out on unsuspecting enemy.
An ambush is a single element or group of up to 8 elements of mounted, foot or naval initially deployed:
- Concealed entirely inside woods [including wooded hills], an orchard, olive grove or oasis, a gully or sand dunes or in a fortified BUA's interior.
- Hidden from the enemy deployment area by an intervening hill or wood.
- If Psiloi, hidden in these ways; or in a vineyard or marsh, or among crags, rocks or scrub.
- If naval not seen from the crest of a hill or from less than 400p, behind any land except beach or marsh.
Its location and the direction faced is written down at the end of stage 2 of deployment, but it is not placed in position until it first moves, shoots or at the end of a move by the enemy element that is first to see it. The invader can have 1 ambush, the defender 2 ambushes. A defender cannot place ambushers further forward than the battlefield centre line, or an invader place ambushers less than 400p short of the centre line. An ambush cannot include a general any of whose troops are not in the ambush, Baggage or fortifications except plashing or barricades in a wood, but can be up to half the troops within a fortified BUA. Cost 10AP.
Flank Attack
Part of the assembled army is detached on a short hook by land off the battlefield to appear on the enemy flank.
Can only be used by a Brilliant C-in-C as a brilliant stroke. It is treated like a normal flank march, except that because the distance it must travel is shorter, the dice score needed to arrive is reduced by 1. Cost 5AP.
Setting Up a Battle
Order of Battle
Competition organisers will have required you to supply an Order of Battle. This must list your army by commands, specifying the number, morale equivalents, types and army point cost of all elements in each command, the number of morale equivalents (ME) that each command has in total and the number it must successively lose to be disheartened and broken. It must also specify the number of ME that the whole army starts with, the number of ME it must lose to be defeated and up to 5 chosen stratagems.
You need not declare army composition to an opponent, nor tell him things he should be able to deduce from your figures (though it is usually courteous and sometimes quicker to do so). He is entitled to be told the name and year of your army and of any regional or other sub-list that applies, but not your generals' ability or favoured stratagems.
Order of Set Up
The two sides sit at opposite long battlefield edges. Except in a scenario or campaign battle, each C-in-C first nominates a season of the year. Both then:
(1) Dice for aggression. (2) Generate terrain. (3) Deploy and resolve weather and time of day.
Aggression Dicing
The players controlling each C-in-C dice for aggression, each adding his army's aggression factor (a number from 0 to 4 specified in its army list) to his raw score. If scores are equal, dice again until a round of dicing produces unequal scores. The side with the higher adjusted score invades. The other defends.
The season in which the battle is fought is that already nominated by the invader, but delayed by 1 season for each time the adjusted scores were equal. This simulates invasions delayed by organizational problems or weather or a battle avoided by the defender until late in a campaign.
If a defender intends to place a frontier wall (see p.19), he is facing the direction specified in his army list. Otherwise, if his last raw dice score was odd he is facing due west. If it was even, he is facing due east.
Priority of Army Arrival
Nearly all ancient and medieval battles occurred when one side, usually (but not always) that invaded, arrived first, deployed in its entirety in a hopefully advantageous position and waited for the enemy. The other side then arrived, deployed and usually (but not always) initiated the combat. There were very few if any cases in this era (although they are common in later periods) of armies arriving nearly simultaneously in column of march and deploying commands in turn.
Historically, an invader chose the season and route of invasion, often along a coast or river or trade route, the defender where on that route to oppose him. The defender has the greater local knowledge and scope for choosing the battlefield or preparing defensive positions or ambushes. Both sides accordingly have some say in terrain placement, but the defender has most.
Depicting Terrain
As generalship is definable as the skill with which generals adapt their troops' movements to those of the enemy and to the battlefield, varied and realistic terrain is essential for interesting battles. Ideally, players will spend as much time on making their terrain attractive as their troops.
The usual method of depicting terrain is to place separate terrain features on top of a cloth (white if winter in Cold, otherwise light green, dun or patterned as appropriate). Features must realistically depict the type of terrain they represent. Flat felt rectangles are naff!
These features must be of types permitted or required by the army list books for the defender's army (except that any army can have marsh if this is placed on the edge of a sea, waterway, lake or river; or sand dunes if these are placed on a sea shore touching a beach).
Terrain Characteristics
Terrain features are either area features, or a linear feature such as a water feature, road or frontier wall.
Area Features
An area feature must fit into a rectangle 1,200p x 800p, but be realistically shaped (Only BUA, orchards, vineyards or fields can be rectangular). Only a boundary or gully can have a maximum width less than 120p or be longer than 3 times its maximum width. Area features are classed by going and terrain type. Going can be:
Difficult going, of steep [DH] (and sometimes also rocky cragged [CH]) difficult hills, wooded hills [WH], woods [Wd], an orchard, olive grove or oasis (of pool and palms) [O], small fields enclosed by walls, hedges, irrigation channels or paddy bunds [E], vineyards [V], marsh [M], low sand dunes [D], or a major boundary hedge and/or ditch or low dry stone wall separating parishes, townships, grazing territories or farm land from waste [B], or a gully [G] (unless moving along inside it), or a built-up area [BUA] if more than 40p inside.
Rough going, of predominantly rocky [RH] or scrub-covered [SH] gentle hills, or flat ground that is moderately boggy [BF], or predominantly scrub [SF] or rocky [RF]. "Scrub" is low, often prickly, bushes such as gorse (often mixed with heather or scattered rocks or trees), maquis, camel-thorn, sage, creosote or prickly pear.
Good going, of relatively bare gentle hills [GH], or cultivated open fields [F], or water features, boggy ground or marsh frozen by cold weather. The space between features is also good going and represents unimproved pasture, steppe or hard desert with any folds in the ground and vegetation too minor to conceal bodies of troops.
Craggy hills are difficult going to Auxilia, Bows and Psiloi, but impassable to other troops. Elephants count scrub as good going and rocky low ground or rocky gentle hills as difficult going. Camels of any troop type including Baggage (F) count sand dunes and scrub [SF but not SH] as good going and count other rough going as difficult going. Chariots of any troop type (including kallapani) count all rough going as difficult going.
An element in more than one type of going is treated for movement and close combat as in the type that would slow Cavalry more and for visibility, ambush and shooting as that which would hinder visibility least.
Hills
Gentle hills larger than 600p in all directions may have an 80-400p across flat top, the edge of which is a crest. Other hills slope from a central ridge crest or point down to their edge. Being upslope is a combat advantage for mounted in their own bound (so charging down) or foot in an enemy bound (resisting enemy charging up).
Gully
A gully represents a steep-sided depression up to 120p wide low enough to conceal troops down slope within it.
BUA
A BUA can be an area feature such as a walled or open town, a village, an isolated fort or castle or large temple, or be a linear feature PF frontier wall (FW) (such as the Great Wall of China, Hadrian's Wall or Offa's Dyke) between 2 short battlefield edges and 240-400p short of the table centre line. It can include 0-2 free internal (or, if FW, lining) roads and be passed through by a river. Only 1 BUA can be used. If on a hill, it is placed when the hill is. If not, it is not diced for, but placed as its player wishes either (a) astride or in contact with a road, or (b) adjoining a battlefield edge other than the enemy rear edge, or (c) adjoining a sea, lake or waterway.
Boundary
A boundary hedge or wall is straight and 800-1,200p long and depicted as 20p wide. If a river is present in its possible placement area, the boundary must meet it at 90° to its flow.
Roads
External roads are usually unpaved earth tracks [Rd], but some nations can have roads that are paved or corduroyed with logs [PRd]. All roads must be approximately element width or less, with elements moving astride. A road can start or end at a battlefield edge, at a sea, lake or waterway or at another road. Its total length must not exceed 1 1/4 times the straight line distance between its ends. Roads between the same 2 edges as a road previously placed must cross or join and be separated at battlefield edges by at least 2,000p. A road can cross any terrain placed earlier or later except a sea, lake or waterway. Combat counts as in the going on its edges.
Water Features
Water features can either be Sea [S] navigable by all naval, a Waterway [WW] such as the Rhine, Danube, Euphrates, Tigris, lower Nile or Yangtse navigable by Galleys (F) or (I), Ships and Boats, a large Lake [L] accessible only by Boats, or else ordinary rivers [Rv] navigable by Boats but only if at least 80p wide.
As water lacks surface features, going is instead related to weather and current. Naval moves are in difficult going if moving backwards, Galleys in strong winds, Boats moving on a low river or upstream in spate, or Ships with no wind or headed within 45° of upwind. Other naval movement on unfrozen water is in good going.
Waterways, lakes, rivers, marshes and boggy ground may freeze in winter in a Cool climate. They are always frozen in winter in a Cold climate in all weathers. Some parts of the Baltic and Black Seas are also frozen in winter (noted in army lists as FS). All frozen features are good going to land troops and impassable to naval.
Sea, waterways and lakes are unfordable. Sea or waterway occupy a full short battlefield edge. A lake must occupy at least half a short battlefield edge. Sea extends between 300p and 900p inward and with no more than half extending more than 600p inward. A lake extends inward between 300p and 600p, a waterway between 240p and 400p.
Their land edge should be realistically curved. A sea edge can be any combination of a rocky shore (difficult going) up to 1,200p long and 80p wide, sand, pebble or mud beaches (good going) 40-120p (40p if not depicted) wide, a normally chosen and placed marsh or dunes area feature, or the quay, defences or foreshore beach of a BUA. A lake, waterway or river has an easily crossed bank to which vessels can be moored. A hill superimposed on a sea is a promontory or island and is edged by beach at the foot of bare, brushy or wooded gentle slopes, otherwise by a rocky shore.
A river [Rv] must flow in gentle reversing curves from a battlefield edge or lake to a battlefield edge, lake, waterway or previously placed river. Its total length must not exceed 1 1/4 times the straight line distance between its ends, nor can its maximum width exceed 200p. If at least 80p wide anywhere it must be so everywhere.
Roads can cross each river once only by bridges or road fords, which must be at 90° to its flow and are good going. Rivers can also be crossed with more difficulty off-road at between 45° and 90° to the flow by wading, often in column or swimming deep parts. A land element is wading if any part is in a river. Troops in or beyond the river cannot be attacked with flaming pigs or thunder-bomb oxen.
Rivers 80p to 200p wide are navigable by Boats, but wading is hindered by the depth of water. Their banks are rarely steep and their beds usually smooth. They are difficult going for all troops if in spate and rough going for all troops if low (see WEATHER, p.24). If neither in spate nor low, they are:
- Rough going for mounted troops except Expendables or chariots.
- Difficult going for Expendables, chariots, foot and train.
Boats on a navigable river can always turn 180°, even if its width is less than their element depth.
Rivers less than 80p wide are too shallow to be navigable, and wading is chiefly hindered by steep banks, rocky or muddy beds, and if in spate by the speed of the water. They are difficult going for all troops if in spate and good going for all troops if within 800p of sea and not in spate. If neither of these, they are:
- Rough going for foot.
- Difficult going for mounted troops and train.
Naval elements in contact with a beach, quay, riverbank, bridge, fortification or waders can be in close combat with land elements. Waders turn to face Boats that contact them. Fords or undefended bridges do not block Boats. Boats meeting a bridge occupied by enemy facing them cannot pass under and must fight them. If enemy on a bridge are facing in another direction, Boats can choose to fight them or pass under.
Defending the Edge of a Terrain Feature (Fig. 25)
To defend the edge of a terrain feature, all of the defending element must be inside an area feature or beyond a linear feature, and any enemy element contacting it at least partially on the opposite side of the feature's edge.
Generating Terrain
Feature Equivalents
If an area feature fits into a rectangle 480p square, it is 1/2 a feature equivalent (FE). If it will not fit into an 800p x 600p rectangle it is 2 FE. All other area features are 1 FE size. The 1st unpaved road placed by each player is 0 FE, each other unpaved road 1/2 an FE, each paved road 1 FE, and each other linear feature 2 FE. Orchards, olive groves and boggy flat ground must be 1/2 FE size.
The FE cost of 1 FE sized area features is halved for bare gentle low hills [GH] and cultivated open fields [F].
Choosing Terrain Features
The invader chooses and declares 0-2 FE of any permitted types except BUA. The defender then chooses and declares 2-4 FE of any permitted type, plus 0-2 of any of the invader's FE not used, but must include at least 1 FE of each compulsory type. No player can choose more than one 2 FE feature of each type, or more than two non-compulsory features of the same type, or more than three 1/2 FE sized features. Since an invader need not invade along it, a sea or waterway can be used only if compulsory or chosen by an invader for whom it is also a permitted type. A navigable river cannot be chosen by a player who also chooses a difficult or craggy hill.
Placing Terrain Features
The edges of the battlefield are numbered 1 to 4 clockwise from the defender's left. One edge is now additionally numbered 5 by the defender, then one (which can be the same edge) numbered 6 by the invader. Each feature is placed by its chooser. Unless a sea, waterway or BUA, (all placed without dicing), he throws 2 dice in succession for its permitted position. Placement order is:
- 1 only sea, waterway or lake.
- Navigable rivers.
- Other rivers.
- Marsh and sand dunes.
- Difficult or craggy hills and woods.
- Rough hills.
- Bare gentle hills and vineyards.
- Roads.
- BUA unless on a hill.
- Fields (open or enclosed).
- 1 only orchard, olive grove or oasis.
- Boundary hedge or wall, and/or ditch.
- Boggy, rocky or scrub flat ground.
- Gullies.
If both sides must place at the same stage, all the defender's features are placed first. A feature that cannot be placed without moving earlier features is discarded, even if of a compulsory type.
Only 1 feature of any of sea [S], waterway [WW] or lake [L] can be used. Any others chosen are discarded. A lake is discarded unless one of its terrain placing dice indicates a short battlefield edge nominated by the player before dicing.
Rivers and roads must start at the edge corresponding to the 1st dice thrown and always head towards that corresponding to the 2nd. It is discarded if this is the same edge. A river or road between battlefield edges separated by a single corner must have each end 1,200-2,400p from that corner. A river ending at the same battlefield edge as a previously placed river must join it. A river between 2 short battlefield edges must have both ends on the same side of the battlefield centre line.
An area feature must be placed so that part of it is closer to the battlefield edge corresponding to the score of the 1st dice thrown than any part is to any other edge. The score of the 2nd dice in element base widths is:
- For the first area feature placed for each battlefield edge - the maximum distance allowed between it and that edge (if the edge is bordered by a water feature, between it and the water feature instead).
- For any area feature - the minimum distance between it and all area features placed previously.
Features cannot be superimposed, except that (a) a hill can be placed on a sea or lake as an island or promontory, (b) BUA can be on hills or placed as a promontory, (c) marsh, sand dunes or BUA can partly replace beach, (d) vineyards can be on the most south-facing slope of a hill, and (e) roads can cross any land terrain placed earlier or later. A BUA or hill can project into a sea or lake as a promontory if no closer than 200p to the battlefield edge. An island (a hill surrounded by sea) cannot be closer than 200p to the battlefield edge or closer than 120p to the shore. A gap up to 200p wide between island and shore is treated as a river.
Initial Deployment
All elements (including Baggage and ambushers), not in a fortified BUA, of each command with a general must deploy inside a rectangle parallel with the battlefield edges that does not intersect any other general's rectangle.
The army deploying first must not deploy any elements further forward than 240p short of the battlefield centre line, or the other army any elements further forward than 400p short of the battlefield centre line, unless in a fortified BUA or in ambush. No element can deploy less than 400p from an enemy fortification. Neither side can deploy light troops, a general's element grouped with these or Baggage (F) less than 400p or other land elements less than 800p from a short battlefield edge, except as ambushers or in a fortified BUA. No element can be deployed in terrain it could not enter, nor land elements deploy in a river. Elements not in ambush or in PF or TF must not deploy facing their army's base edge.
Any Baggage (O) included in a command must deploy as a single group in good going on the rear battlefield edge or a sea shore, or in a BUA. TF specified by army lists as defending camps or Baggage must have each end touching either their side's rear battlefield edge or a water feature, and contain Baggage (O).
Deployment is in the following stages:
(1) Each army records the relative positions of its initially deployed commands from left-to-right and from front-to-rear, final choice of stratagems, the route associated with any Guides stratagem chosen, the edges of arrival of flank marches, and any delayed command.
(2) Each army dices for deployment. The difference between the two raw scores is the weather score, which together with the climatic zone and season defines the state of the weather.
If all its initially deployed elements are mounted troops (even if deployed dismounted), mounted infantry, Psiloi or Baggage (F), the army can now choose whether or not to adjust its score by either +3 or -1. If the invader's adjusted score is then at least twice that of the defender the invader deploys first, otherwise the defender deploys first.
If the raw scores were equal, now dice a second time. The total of all raw scores gives the time that deployment will be completed.
(3) Dice for scouting. The army deploying first now places all elements neither delayed, flank marching or part of an undiscovered Concealed Command, Ambush or Unusual Troops stratagem, and any PF or TF not already placed as part of a BUA, except plashing or barricades part of an ambush. The other army then does the same.
(4) The army deploying first now places any elements of an Unusual Troops stratagem or exchanges commands in a Changing Deployment stratagem. The other army then does the same.
(5) Regular C-in-Cs record which regular commands are initially allocated the highest, next highest and lowest PIP scores, or whose scores are to be averaged.
Flank Marching or Delayed Commands
These simulate the potential arrival after the battle has started of troops coming from a greater distance or of an allied or co-operating force from a different origin. This is described in DELAYED ARRIVAL on page 31.
0-2 of an army's complete commands can flank march and 0-1 be delayed. Only 1 command can arrive on each flank. Arrival edges must be recorded at stage 1 of deployment. A C-in-C cannot flank march or be delayed. Baggage can do so unless (O) not embarked on Ships (I). Naval can arrive on any navigable water feature touching that battlefield edge. Troops on impressed shipping can arrive only by sea or waterway. Land troops can arrive on land or on any frozen water feature. Mounted troops arriving by land arrive mounted.
A variant form of Flank March can be used only as a Flank Attack stratagem by a brilliant C-in-C.
Having a Cunning Plan
A good plan uses the terrain, the weather, disparities in troops between the armies and your guess as to his probable behaviour to deceive your opponent and place him at a disadvantage. To do this consistently is the mark of a great general. To deploy troops, then think about what to do with them, merely hope for the best or wait for something to turn up is not. Even the best plan may not work, since the enemy is also a participant with free will, but a plan that works incompletely is usually better than none. Bear the following maxims in mind:
When making your plan:
- Do not do what your opponent wants you to do.
- Do not do what your opponent expects you to do.
- Tempt your opponent to do foolish things.
- Keep a small reserve that can intervene to exploit success or rescue failure.
Having made your plan:
- Do not get distracted by PIP-wasting sideshows of light troops.
- Do not hastily abandon your plan and react to the enemy's actions. Make him react to yours.
- Try to restrict a brilliant enemy general's opportunities to display his brilliance.
- Move fast. Keep up the momentum. Do not allow your opponent time to think. Play on his doubts.
- Any action is better than indecisive delay. Your careless mistake may look to your opponent like a trap. Encourage him in this belief. Look confident and plough ahead.
- When in doubt, fight. Even a fight at a disadvantage may create a useful opportunity. Overlap advantage tends to disappear after the first three combats.
Time of Day or Night
The total of the two sides' raw deployment dice scores is the number of hours after midnight that deployment is completed. 10 minutes then passes each time a side completes its bound. Sunrise to Sunset is:
| Cold | Cool | Warm | Dry | Tropical | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | 0300-2100 | 0330-2230 | 0500-1900 | 0530-1830 | 0600-1800 |
| Spring or Autumn | 0600-1800 | 0600-1800 | 0600-1800 | 0600-1800 | 0600-1800 |
| Winter | 0800-1600 | 0730-1630 | 0700-1700 | 0630-1730 | 0600-1800 |
Dawn is the period before sunrise. Dusk is the period after sunset. Night is between Dusk and Dawn. The duration of dawn or dusk is:
| Cold | Cool | Warm | Dry | Tropical | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | 2 hours | 1 hour | 30 minutes | 20 minutes | 10 minutes |
| Spring or Autumn | 1 hour | 1 hour | 30 minutes | 20 minutes | 10 minutes |
| Winter | 30 minutes | 30 minutes | 30 minutes | 20 minutes | 10 minutes |
If the invader's first raw deployment dice score was 1, there will be no moon. If it was 3 or 5, the moon rises at the start of his first night bound after that corresponding to his score and will not set before sunrise. If it was 2, 4 or 6, the moon is already risen at sunset and sets at the end of his first night bound after that corresponding to his score. Overcast, mist, fog, falling rain or snow and dust storms block moonlight.
If deployment ends between dusk and dawn, the invader can choose whether to start the battle immediately in Summer, or an hour before dawn in Spring or Autumn. If so, the defending side is encamped and throws no PIP dice until sunrise or one of its elements becomes aware of enemy. If not, the battle starts at sunrise.
If dusk occurs during a battle, flank marching and delayed arrival is suspended until dawn. Fighting continues until no enemy can be seen. An element or group that cannot see enemy cannot move closer to enemy or to the enemy rear battlefield edge. Once fighting ceases, both sides record their decision whether to continue the battle at dawn in their current position or retreat, then reveal it simultaneously. It ends if both sides retreat.
Climatic Regions
The home climate of each army is specified by its army list. It can be Cold, Cool, Warm, Dry or Tropical. The battle is in the defender's climate. As a general guide:
- Cold applies to America from the Great Lakes north, Scandinavia, Europe from the Elbe eastward and north of the Black Sea, Russia, Mongolia, Siberia, Tibet, Korea and large mountain regions retaining summer snow peaks.
- Cool applies to the remainder of Europe north of the Pyrenees and Alps, the Danube basin, the central Anatolian plateau, China north of the Huai-Yangzi watershed, Japan, America from 40°N to the Great Lakes and highland Peru.
- Warm applies to southern Europe, Africa north of the Atlas, Asia Minor except the central Anatolian plateau, most of Southern China, America less than 40°N and northern New Zealand.
- Dry applies to the Sahara, Libya, Egypt, West and East Sudans, Syria/Palestine, Arabia, Persia, Mesopotamia, the Indo-Persian border, the Great Indian Desert, the American deserts and the Central Asian Desert.
- Tropical applies to Africa south of the Sudans, India, South East Asia, Guangzhou, Guangxi and southern Yunnan in the far south of China, most Pacific islands, and Central and South America.
Weather
The difference between the 2 deployment dice is the weather score. (If the battle is continuing on a 2nd day after ceasing overnight, substitute the difference between the last pair of combat dice). If the weather score is:
0
- No Wind.
- Fog in Cool if winter or in Cold in autumn, mist in other seasons in Cool, or any season in other climates except Dry from 1 hour before dawn.
1-2
- Perfect clear and dry weather with minimal cloud cover and no overcast.
- Light wind as for score of 5, except that in bounds when the PIP dice average 2 or less there is no wind.
- Risk of dazzle in Cool if winter or in Cold.
- Rivers low in summer in Cool or in summer or autumn in Warm or Dry.
- Lakes frozen, waterway, sea (if applicable) and rivers un-navigable due to floating ice in Cold if spring.
- Irregular Light Horse of a side defending in Cold in spring are malnourished and lack stamina because unseasonable cold has made the grass late, and have a weather disadvantage after its side's 6th bound.
3
- Strong wind blowing from South West in Cool, Cold or Tropical, from South in Warm or Dry.
- Risk of rain in Tropical if spring or any season in Cool.
- Overcast and risk of snow if winter in Cold.
- Risk of dust storms in Dry if spring or summer if wind remains strong, ceasing if it reduces.
4
- Light wind blowing from North West in Cool, Cold or Warm, from South West in Dry or Tropical.
- Overcast, mud and risk of rain in Tropical if spring or summer, in Cool if spring or autumn.
- Mud in Cold if spring.
- Rivers in spate in Cool, Cold or Warm if spring.
- Risk of Snow in Cool or Cold if winter.
5
- Light wind blowing from North East in Cold or Cool if winter, South West in Cool if spring, summer or autumn, North West in Warm, South West in Dry or Tropical.
- Strong wind from North West in Cold if autumn.
- Overcast if spring, autumn or, unless Tropical, in winter.
- Risk of rain in Cold, Cool or Warm if spring or autumn, in Dry if winter, in Tropical if spring.
- If there is risk of rain, mud until 2 hours after dawn, or if rain has actually fallen for 2 or more bounds, from then until an equal number of bounds after the rain ceases.
- Rivers in spate in Cool if spring or autumn, in Warm or Dry if winter, in Tropical if autumn.
- Waterways, lakes, rivers, bog and marshes frozen, and risk of snow in Cool if winter.
- Risk of dazzle if winter in Tropical or summer elsewhere.
- Thirst in Dry if summer or autumn.
Weather Changes
- Change in wind direction: The wind backs 45° anticlockwise when the defender's raw PIP dice (including dummy dice) average 5 or more, veers 45° clockwise if they average 2 or less. If a later shift is in the reverse direction, strong winds are reduced to light.
- Snow, rain or dust storm risk: Such weather starts when any bound's PIP dice average 5 or more. Both actual weather and risk of occurrence cease permanently when they average 3 or less.
- Clearance of mist or fog: Clear when any bound's PIP dice average less than 3, or 3 hours after sunrise.
Weather Effect
- Snow, fog, mist: Reduces visibility. Restricts movement. Combat disadvantage if shooting, except in snow if target is within 45° of directly downwind.
- Rain: Combat disadvantage if Bows, Shot, War Wagons or Artillery; and in close combat against mounted or shooting. After 6 bounds of rain, Artillery and Shot can no longer shoot.
- Dust storm: Reduces visibility. Combat disadvantage unless Bedouin or Tuareg desert nomads.
- Spate: Increases difficulty of river crossings.
- Dazzle: Combat disadvantage if in close combat or shooting and facing within 45° of due east from sunrise for 1 hour, or within 45° of due west for 1 hour before sunset, unless the element's front edge is entirely within a wood, orchard, olive grove, oasis or gully or on a hill's shaded slope.
- Strong winds: Maximum shooting range of Bows, War Wagons and naval is reduced by 80p unless the target is within 45° of directly down wind. Combat disadvantage for Artillery and Shot. Naval move as single elements. Naval at sea with land less than 80p away directly down wind and Ships (X) are destroyed by shipwreck unless moved, halted or already in contact with a quay, or Galleys or Boats already in contact with a beach. Difficult going and combat disadvantage for Galleys.
- No wind: Difficult going for Ships.
- Mud: Converts unpaved roads into rough going, both for movement along or across, and for combat if through good going. Weather disadvantage in close combat unless on a paved road, if either moved upslope into contact this bound or dismounted Knights. Cultivated open fields temporarily become boggy rough going [BF].
- Thirst: Combat disadvantage after 1200 unless the army has a river, lake, oasis or friendly BUA closer to its rear battlefield edge than is the rear of its most forward element.
- Overcast: Reduces visibility at night.
Elephants (p.4) or Light Horse (p.6, 24) in Cold may also suffer a weather disadvantage in close combat.
Visibility
Troops or terrain features are visible in daylight and clear weather to all viewers whose direct line of sight is not blocked by intervening hills, dunes, woods, or by an orchard, olive grove, oasis or BUA. Dusk and dawn restrict the maximum distance at which they can be seen to 400p, moonlight, day-time or dawn mist or snow to 160p, and a moonless, overcast or misty night, fog or dust-storm to 80p. Troop elements do not block line of sight.
Troops not disclosed by shooting out and plashing cannot be seen from beyond 40p if in woods/on a wooded hill if in summer or in Tropical. Those (a) in woods/on wooded hills in other seasons, (b) in an orchard, olive grove or oasis, or (c) in a BUA unless manning its PF or TF cannot be seen from beyond 80p, or those in dunes from beyond 160p. Troops less distance inside the edge see out as if outside. Psiloi in vineyards, marsh, or among crags, rocks or scrub cannot be seen from more than 160p unless they moved or are in close combat.
In addition, troops at least half way up hills cannot see or be seen from less than 800p beyond a lower hill, wood, orchard, olive grove, oasis or sand dunes. Those on the flat or lower on hills cannot be seen over these at all. Troops on difficult hills or beyond a crest cannot be seen from the same hill at beyond 80p. Unless otherwise hidden by terrain, troops on a hill can see and be seen by troops not on that hill and within 90° of straight downhill. A gully can be seen into only from its edge. Troops in it can see out, but cannot shoot out.
Knowledge of enemy presence or an adverse event is assumed to spread through a command by informal means, whether the general wishes it or not. Troops are aware of any enemy who:
- Are visible to or have shot at any element of their command.
- Have been seen within or moving into concealing terrain by an element of the command and not been seen to move out again; or have been visible but are now no longer so, due to the observers' movement.
- Are manning fortifications.
Fighting the Battle
Sequence of Play
If one side's C-in-C is inert, the other side takes first bound.
Otherwise:
The invader takes first bound if he deployed first or visibility is less than 400p. The defender takes first bound unless the invader deployed first or visibility is less than 400p. The other side takes the next bound and the sides then continue to alternate bounds.
During each side's bound:
(1) Its commander-in-chief dices on behalf of each of its commands on the battlefield or flank marching for that command's player initiative points (PIP), to be used to make tactical or march moves or to temporarily halt spontaneous advance or retreat moves or drifting, or to test for arrival. Note any change in the weather.
(2) It first makes all tactical moves, march moves and halts; then any spontaneous moves or drifting that have not been prevented, then rout moves. A legal move cannot be taken back once made unless its original position has been marked, and not even then if another element has been moved since. When a move is made to just short of or just beyond a critical distance from enemy, the player must tell his opponent so. Specifying "1p" or "1mm" as the distance is unnecessary as well as implausible.
(3) All elements of both sides that are eligible to shoot, sequentially shoot and make or inflict outcome moves, in an order decided (in case of doubt) by the side whose bound it is.
(4) Any elements of both sides in contact with enemy turn to face, then fight and make or inflict outcome moves in an order decided by the side whose bound it is. Feigned flights are triggered and are made.
Player Initiative Point Dicing
The C-in-C simultaneously throws one PIP dice for each and every command at the start of each of his side's bounds. If there are less than 4 commands, he uses dummy irregular dice to make up the total number of dice to 4. A dummy is discarded if it scores 6. Other dice continue to be thrown each bound until their command has been shattered.
Irregular and allied generals' commands are each allocated a different colour dice at the start of the game, which dice and its PIP scores they use throughout the game. The dice for other regular generals' commands are all the same colour.
The C-in-C specifies during deployment which regular commands will initially always use the highest, next highest or lowest scoring dice or will average dice. This can be changed during the battle, but with considerable difficulty and confusion, so try to get it right first time. It represents the roles allotted to commands, and is not affected by distance, visibility or loss of the C-in-C. However, a regular command whose general is lost, or not yet arrived from a flank or delayed march, or that has been broken, dices independently.
The C-in-C can join a group of a subordinate general's command whose general is not part of it and move it while part of it using his own command's PIPs. PIPs cannot otherwise be used to move troops of another command, be transferred, or be saved for future bounds.
Brilliant Generals using a brilliant stroke can double a raw PIP score after dicing while on the battlefield unless in close combat or overlapping an enemy element. If a regular C-in-C, it can be his own score or that of an on-battlefield subordinate general no more than 2,000p away.
Inert Generals always deduct 1 from their own command's raw PIP score if an ally, and from that of every command that has arrived on the battlefield if the C-in-C, even if the Inert general is absent or has been lost. This simulates their stultifying influence on subordinates and allies.
PIP Expenditure
No PIP is expended by a first march move this bound if either (a) entirely along a road without reversing direction, or (b) a group headed by 2 or more complete ranks of Pikes that is moving straight ahead, or (c) naval in good going. Otherwise:
1 PIP is expended for:
- Each march or tactical move by an element or group.
- Each halt by a single impetuous, broken or naval element.
- Each halt by a broken group or a group including impetuous troops.
- Each time an element sets-up PO instead of moving.
2 PIPs are expended for:
- Each element dismounting or mounting, unless mounted infantry.
3 PIPs are expended:
- By the C-in-C to activate an ally, or (unless by a Brilliant stroke) to change orders or to trigger a feigned flight.
1 less PIP is expended for:
- One move or halt per bound by an element or group that (a) includes a C-in-C who is not Inert, or (b) entirely of regulars including a subordinate general.
1 extra PIP is expended by a move requiring PIPs or halt, dismounting or mounting for each of:
(a) Command Difficulty. If a march or tactical move or halt by any element or group whose command's general is any of:
- Lost, or not on the battlefield, or unreliable and still uncommitted, or does not exist.
- Started the bound in frontal close combat.
- More than 2,000p away if it is entirely Light Horse or entirely naval.
- More than 800p away if it is other troops.
- Unable to see it only because visibility is restricted by the time of day and weather.
- Moving disheartened troops that will end closer to enemy.
(b) Order Change Confusion. If the C-in-C changed the command's orders last bound, unless by a brilliant stroke.
(c) Unresponsive, Mixed or Forced Marching Troops
- If an element or group includes train [unless (F) in its first move that bound] or Hordes (O).
- If a group includes both any mounted [except a general's element] and un-mounted foot [except any that could provide rear support to the mounted].
- Having already made 2 [if irregular] or 3 [if regular] off-road march moves this bound.
- If a march move into contact with enemy.
(d) Difficult Evolutions. For each of:
- A group other than a column wheels.
- Both a group's front corners move less than maximum distance, unless it either (i) ends in any contact with friends not already in edge contact with it, (ii) ends with its front edge in contact with enemy, (iii) ends when its front corner or front edge reaches the edge of rough, difficult or impassable going, (iv) turns 180°, or (v) expands or turns 90° from column.
- A group allowed to do so or a single element of Expendables, War Wagons or Ships turns 180°.
(e) Irregular Ineptness. If a single land element or a land or naval group includes any irregulars other than (i) light troops in good or rough going, (ii) Cavalry (O) in good going, or (iii) a general's element, and either:
- Performs any evolution of those listed immediately above.
- Any element moves other than straight ahead, unless along a road, river or terrain feature edge.
- Halts to prevent spontaneous advance or the start of a rout, unless (i) beyond a river from, or uphill of, the nearest known enemy, or (ii) foot entirely in rough or difficult going.
(f) Move includes Embarking or Disembarking. For each mounted element embarking with their mounts or train element embarking or disembarking.
Tactical, March, Spontaneous and Outcome Moves and Halts
Tactical Moves and March Moves are voluntary moves by an element or group of elements in their own side's bound and expend PIPs. An element can either take part in 1 tactical move or 1 halt per bound or in as many march moves in any bound as there are PIPs available for. An element prevented from moving to its front by terrain or friendly or enemy troops is said to be blocked.
March movement differs from tactical in that it is assumed to be continuous and to include movement during the preceding enemy bound. A March move must start further than 400p from all known enemy not (a) Light Horse or Psiloi, or (b) beyond a friendly PF or TF, or (c) that would be contacted on a flank or rear edge or rear corner by a hypothetical group move 400p straight forward. All but the final march move of a sequence of march moves must be full distance. A March move ends early without PIP penalty at its closest approach to enemy who will shoot at it that bound.
Spontaneous Moves are involuntary Spontaneous Advance or Rout moves in their own side's bound.
Outcome Moves are involuntary or optional Press Forward, Recoil, Repulse, Flee or Pursue moves in either side's bound as a consequence of combat or the triggering of a feigned flight.
Halts are voluntary temporary cessations of movement expending PIPs used to prevent spontaneous advances, routs or naval drifting. No element can both halt and move in the same bound. A halt is not a move.
Single Element Moves
A tactical or march move by a single element other than of Expendables, War Wagons or Ships:
- Can be in any direction provided that neither front corner of its base ends more than the troop-type's maximum permitted move distance from where that corner started (Fig. 1).
- Can be replaced by dismounting or remounting the element, except for mounted infantry who do so automatically. Elements in edge contact with enemy cannot dismount and cannot remount with a tactical move, but do so automatically if fleeing or routing.
- Can include embarking on or disembarking from naval in edge contact with a beach, quay or riverbank, starting or ending with its front edge within tactical move of the naval element. If mounted troops, this includes dismounting or mounting. An element cannot disembark where enemy land troops are in contact with the water's edge, in which case combat must be fought by the naval element until the enemy recoil, flee, rout or are destroyed. It can disembark to contact enemy who are positioned away from the edge, these being moved back if necessary to make room.
Single elements of Expendables, War Wagons or Ships can only move forward or change direction by a pivot or wheel of less than 90°, or a turn of 180°. A pivot is a rotation by a single element around (a) a stationary front corner, or (b) the point of contact with another element. A wheel is a rotation either (a) around a moving front corner by a single element moving along a road or river or skirting the edge of a terrain feature, or (b) around a stationary or moving front corner by a group.
Group Moves
A group is defined as a number of contiguous elements of the same command which, except as made necessary by wheeling or turning a column or passing through a gateway, are facing in the same direction with each in both edge and corner-to-corner contact with another of the group's elements. A group only 1 element wide is a column. A group including Expendables cannot include elements of other types unless in a column.
Groups are temporary. If the whole of a group cannot move, some of its elements may be able to move as a smaller group or (unless currently providing rear support in close combat) as individual elements. Conversely, a group or single element can move to join other elements and make its next move as a group including these.
A group move cannot exceed the maximum move distance of its slowest element. Unless moving laterally to form or expand from a column or turning, its elements must each move parallel to, or follow, the first of them to move, or wheel through the same angles. It cannot start in contact with an enemy element's front edge, or include changes in frontage, turns or movement to the group's rear except as below, nor any sideways or oblique movement except to line up in front edge combat, nor mounting, dismounting, disembarking or embarking.
An entire group tactical or march move can be used instead to:
- Expand from a column (Fig. 2). The front element remains stationary. Other elements move as if by single element moves. All must end facing the same direction and in both edge and corner-to-corner contact with another element of the original group. None can end in edge or corner contact with enemy. All front rank elements must be lined up level with the original front rank element.
- Contract or turn 90° into a column (Figs 3, 4). The future front element of the column either moves forward or pivots 90° and moves towards its former flank. It moves up to the full tactical move distance of the slowest element in the group, including any bonus for moving along a road. It can wheel. The other elements move without measuring individually, the nearest elements falling in behind the column, others moving to close up any resulting gaps. No element can end further to the rear than it started. Until a contracting group is entirely in column, each of its elements must end facing the same direction as and in both edge and corner-to-corner contact with another element of the original group. None can end touching enemy. It may take more than 1 move for all of a contracting group to join in the column. Elements of the group not yet in the column can move only sideways.
- Turn 90° from a straight column into a line. The lead element of the column pivots 90° about a front corner. Other elements align on its near flank, not extending past the original rear of the column unless it is reverting to its previous formation. The elements end 1 rank deep if Elephants, Expendables, train or naval, 1-2 ranks deep if other mounted, 2-4 as nearly equal as possible ranks deep if foot.
Unless expanding from a column, a group move can include only these changes of direction:
- 1 wheel 2-8 elements wide of up to 90°, measuring the move distance of the outer front corner in a straight line.
- Any number of wheels if a column.
- 1 initial or final (but not both) 180° turn if the group is either disheartened, entirely regular land or (unless a general) entirely Cavalry and/or light troops. The elements becoming its front edge must end in mutual side edge and front corner contact. Measure move distance initial front edge to final rear edge.
Each element of a column wheels in succession on arrival at the place where the first wheeled. Until all have done so, the column will have a bend at that point, but each element is still treated as if lined up behind that in front. Only the front element's move is measured, the other elements being treated as if moving the same distance. A group move must be in or into a column if:
- Through a gateway or leaving a TF, or entirely along a road, or across a road ford or bridge.
- Entering or ending the move in difficult going, unless the group is entirely Psiloi or it moves into close combat with enemy any of whom are visible at the start of the move.
Tactical and March Move Distances
The maximum distance (p) that any single element's or group's front corner can move, is:
| Only if marching entirely along a road | Normal | If reaching or ending move in Rough Going | If reaching or ending move in Difficult Going | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light Horse | 640 | 320 | 240 | 160 |
| Cavalry, Camelry or Expendables | 480 | 240 | 160 | 80 |
| Elephants or Knights | 400 | 200 | 160 | 80 |
| Auxilia or Psiloi | 400 | 200 | 200 | 160 |
| Spears, Pikes, Blades, Warband, Bows, Shot or Hordes | 400 | 160 | 160 |
However:
- Troops graded as Fast (F) add an extra 40p to their march, tactical, spontaneous, repulse, flee or press forward move off-road if either mounted troops moving entirely in good going or others in any going.
- No move can exceed maximum unobstructed visibility distance for the time of day and weather.
Spontaneous Advance (Figs. 5-8)
Some troops can move impetuously without a specific order by a general. This may reflect initiative by local commanders (sometimes even regulars) following a standard operational procedure not needing an individual order by a general; or in the extreme case, undisciplined disobedience by hairy barbarians not successfully restrained. Such troops are impetuous on land until broken or the cause ceases; and until then will advance, automatically renew combat or chase broken enemy unless controlled. They are:
- Expendables.
- Irregular elements of Knights (S), (O) or (F) [but not (X)], Light Horse (S), Camelry (S), Blades (F), Spears (O), Hordes (S) or (F), and all Warband. Mounted impetuous foot remain impetuous.
- Regular Knights (F) based as a single-element wedge.
- Psiloi while affected by the TZ of enemy foot, unless friends intervene.
- A single element of regular cavalry placed alone in ambush (as a globus) that has not yet moved.
- Any troops (except train) that are aware of broken or shattered enemy closer than 400p, or aware of an enemy feigned flight closer than 400p and have not been halted, or would contact enemy Baggage.
- Troops that crossed a hidden obstacle this bound, or that are in a river unless fleeing.
Impetuous troops must make a spontaneous advance as either individual elements or a column unless:
- Their C-in-C or command's general is/was inert, or is an uncommitted unreliable ally.
- They have moved (unless across a hidden obstacle) or been halted this bound, or are in close combat.
- They are foot defending a river edge, or that would cross fortifications from the inside.
- They are in difficult going or in ambush, have not yet moved during the battle, and choose not to move.
- They are overlapping an enemy element, and choose not to move.
- They are mounted that would contact enemy fortifications or enter difficult going other than FO.
- They are Knights that would contact Elephants or Camelry.
- Their command is at least partly disheartened.
- None of the directions below is possible.
A spontaneous advance does not expend PIPs. Its direction must be any of:
- Straight ahead, but only if it goes further from its side's rear battlefield edge or closer to visible enemy. Unless in column behind another moving element, to move its front edge into contact or overlap with the closest enemy element in reach part of which is directly in front, or if there is none, with the closest visible enemy element in reach any part of which is in front of a line extending its rear edge.
- Directly towards the enemy Baggage or routing element that is visible closer than 400p which is most nearly straight ahead.
- Continuing along a road, battlefield edge or the edge of a terrain feature if this will take it closer to the enemy rear battlefield edge.
A spontaneous advance must be the full permitted tactical move distance, except that the element or column:
- Moves an extra 80p if moving straight ahead in good going without ending in any contact with enemy.
- Moves double distance if this will contact enemy routers.
- Must reduce its move by approximately 5-10p if needed to avoid ending in front corner-to-front corner contact with friends, unless its front edge contacts enemy or will overlap enemy.
- Immediately pivots less than 90° to end facing in the same direction as a friendly element it contacts that is in close combat or that it cannot pass through, or is any impetuous element that has moved this bound. This permits a mass spontaneous advance to be redirected by a tactical move of one of its leading elements in the new direction, to which the other spontaneous elements will gradually conform. This is the equivalent of "There they are! Follow me!"
- Immediately pivots around the point of contact to end parallel to an enemy element it meets.
- Ends its move when it (a) contacts friends it cannot pass through or enemy, (b) pivots to conform to friends or enemy it contacts, (c) is 80p or less from mounted enemy it can shoot at, (d) its front edge reaches a battlefield edge, or (e) it is at the centre of an enemy BUA.
Being spontaneous or the move ending does not alter the obligation to conform in an enemy TZ (see p.32). Impetuous troops that cannot move spontaneously must use a tactical move or stay in place. If 2 or more elements must advance spontaneously, they/those in front move first.
Halts
A halt is required only to prevent any of the following for the current bound:
- An impetuous element or group being forced to make spontaneous advance/s.
- A naval element from drifting on to a lee shore in strong winds and being shipwrecked.
- An element or group that has not previously routed of a broken command from routing.
A halt is not a move, so is unaffected by going. Expendables that have previously moved spontaneously and troops that have previously routed cannot halt.
Arrival of Delayed or Flank Marching Commands
A raw PIP dice score of 5 or 6 by a delayed, or 6 by a flank marching, command indicates the immediate arrival of a delayed command on its rear battlefield edge at least 800p from side edges, or the arrival of a flank marching command in its next bound. After their side's 4th bound, the scores needed by all except allied commands reduce by 1.
If either side has used the Delayed Start stratagem, all flank marches and delayed commands arrive on a score 1 less. A short hook ordered by a Brilliant C-in-C as a Flank Attack stratagem arrives on a score 1 less. A command including a Brilliant general can also arrive on a score 1 less, but if he does it expends 1 of his 2 brilliant strokes. An Inert general will not arrive until he makes the correct score a 2nd time.
A flank march's flank of arrival is immediately declared and the opponent asked if he also has a flank march on that flank. If both sides have a flank march on that flank, the two commands' total numbers of elements including Baggage are compared. A smaller flank march is driven back. Both are driven back if equal sized.
A smaller flank march arrives in its next bound. A larger flank march arrives in its next subsequent bound, being assumed to have been delayed by the smaller command's initial resistance. Equal flank marches arrive in their next bound after one of them has a further raw PIP score of 6.
Any train of a driven-back unsuccessful flank march are lost. Its remaining elements can arrive anywhere in its side's own half of the specified flank edge. Any elements without PIPs to do so are lost.
Unopposed or larger flank marches arrive anywhere in the opposing side's half of the specified flank edge, and/or (if by land and the arrival score was 6) the nearest 400p of its rear edge. Baggage arrives last.
Front rank elements arriving by tactical or march move measure their move from the battlefield edge. Any whose base depth exceeds their maximum move distance are placed with their rear base edge on the battlefield edge. No element can arrive inside a BUA, nor have part of its base over the battlefield edge.
Arrival by Impressed Shipping
A flank march by naval elements can arrive on any suitable navigable water feature, but impressed shipping only by sea or waterway. Each element on impressed shipping dices once and must score at least 2 to arrive. The score needed is increased by 1 in strong winds or fog; and by 2 if enemy naval elements present exceed half yours and there are no strong winds or fog. Elements landing from impressed shipping are placed with their rear edge on a beach or quay, any enemy contacted making room. Mounted and train cannot move that bound and are penalized in combat that bound and next as if in difficult going. Foot can make single element moves.
Stragglers
Any elements arriving by land that fail to move on to the battlefield in the bound of arrival are straggling. Straggling elements are lost if their command is already broken or was driven back. Other stragglers must arrive in the next bound in which their command's PIP score is sufficient for them to move clear of the edge. Stragglers cannot be kept off the battlefield if PIPs can be used to move them on.
Arrival Surprise
Any enemy element less than 400p from and in sight of the place of arrival on a flank edge of any non-straggler element of an unopposed or larger land flank march must immediately flee as directly as terrain permits away from that flank edge, unless either inside a fortified BUA, in close combat or concealed in ambush.
Moving Through Gaps or Passing Through Friendly Troops
There are only 2 instances in which an element can even partly enter a space insufficient for its own frontage between any of: elements, fortifications, impassable terrain or a battlefield edge.
- If it can legally interpenetrate such an element in the direction it is moving.
- To form, or exit from within, a column or slide sideways to line up in front edge-to-front edge combat.
Elements within or entering a 1 element wide gap between the side edges of 2 enemy elements can pivot 90° into front edge-to-flank edge contact with one of those elements. Otherwise, such elements can only move directly to their own front or rear and any remaining move must be in the same direction.
No element can interpenetrate friends if these are blocking its march along a road, or in a river, or in contact with an enemy element's front edge. Otherwise, troops that move straight forward or straight back while passing through and not in spontaneous advance are permitted the following interpenetrations of friends:
- Mounted (and elements double-based with them) that are not recoiling or being pushed back can pass through Light Horse or any foot except Pikes or Hordes, if facing the same or opposite direction.
- Regular Light Horse or regular Cavalry repulsed through regular Cavalry facing the same direction.
- Psiloi can pass through any land troops facing in the same or opposite direction; or recoil or be repulsed through any facing other directions to end directly to the rear of these and facing the same way.
- Regular Blades can pass through regular Blades facing in the same or opposite direction.
- Auxilia or Bows except (X) can pass through Blades facing in the same direction.
- Mounted or foot can pass through train that are at 90° to their own direction and only 1 element deep, or that are facing in the same or opposite direction but are not on the same road.
- Boats can pass or be passed through by naval facing the same or opposite direction.
Elements making a spontaneous advance pass through any friends in their path except Pikes at least 3 elements deep or Elephants; unless the friends are (a) in close combat, (b) in a position to give rear or overlap support this bound or next, (c) in a river, or (d) impetuous troops that already moved this bound. When a spontaneous advance or routing element passes through any troops except train, the following simultaneous events occur:
- Elements passed through by Expendables or Elephants flee.
- Other impetuous troops that have not yet moved this bound follow behind in spontaneous advance.
- Other non-impetuous troops are spent if passed through by Knights or by Camelry (S), otherwise recoil as each successive element passes through.
- Troops of a broken command passed through by routers join behind them in rout.
An element that will not clear the base of a friendly element it passes through stops at that element's near edge if the move would end in contact with enemy and is not a spontaneous advance. Otherwise it is placed immediately beyond the first such element, other friends moving back to make room. Any elements following it stop at the first friendly element's near edge. Such split-off elements are no longer part of the original group.
Threat Zone (Figs. 9, 10)
The space immediately in front of an element in which real life opponents would risk being charged suddenly at a disadvantage if they attempted to manoeuvre is called the Threat Zone [TZ]. It extends 80p directly forward of a visible enemy element's front edge. Any move that will reach, enter or starts in an enemy TZ must be only to:
- Line up opposite or in front edge-to-front edge combat with the TZ-ing element most directly in front.
- If the only enemy elements whose TZ affects it are to its rear, turn 180°.
- Line up in close combat with an enemy front edge its front edge has contacted, or as an overlap.
- Move as far as possible straight forward without contacting any enemy except front edge-to-front edge.
- Follow or move into rear support behind friends at least partly directly in front.
- If not in close combat, move only straight back without contacting an enemy edge or corner.
An enemy land element's TZ has no effect if:
- It is Hordes (I), Baggage or a routing element.
- There is any part of a water feature or a friendly fortification or obstacle between.
- Your element is defending the edge of a terrain feature.
- Your element is making an outcome move or otherwise fleeing or routing.
Moving Into Close Combat (Figs. 11-16, 24)
Troops that would move into close combat in real life must do so in the game. Geometric ploys cannot be used to prevent contact. If a moving side's elements cannot line up in combat with enemy because of a blocking element that is not in close combat or providing rear support, the move is cancelled if this is a friendly element. If it is an enemy, it must be moved out of the way by moving it behind another, shifting sideways or pivoting.
An element initiates close combat with enemy by moving its front edge into contact (whether by a tactical or spontaneous move or a march allowed to contact enemy; or in either side's bound by pressing forward, pursuing, or adjusting an existing contact with an enemy flank or enemy contacting its flank) with the enemy's:
- Front edge. Both front corners of the initiating element must end touching the enemy front corners, except:
- If a group contacts a smaller enemy group entirely of Light Horse and/or Psiloi, or can line up with only some of the elements it contacts, the enemy must conform instead.
- If a group contacts part of a single enemy element's front edge or an element or column entering a gap contacts an enemy element or group, the enemy must conform instead.
- When an element contacts an enemy front edge, but is obstructed from lining up front corner-to-front corner by other enemy elements, a fortification or impassable terrain, the enemy contacted or obstructing lining up must conform instead if they can.
- Flank edge. The initiating element must start either entirely on the opposite side of a line prolonging that flank edge, or partly on the opposite sides of lines prolonging both flank and rear edge. It must end in mutual front corner contact if possible. If it is not, the full flank edge must be contacted.
- Rear edge. All the initiating element's front edge must start on the opposite side of a line prolonging that rear edge. Both front corners must end touching the enemy rear corners.
- Corner. The initiating element must be part of a group that moved only straight forward. Either the enemy element or group contacted must immediately pivot or wheel and/or shift sideways as needed to end in front edge contact, or if a group, remain stationary. If it remains stationary the contacted element fights as if in front edge combat with that contacting it and overlapped once on its outer corner. Corner contact cannot be made with elements:
- Of a type that does not turn to face flank contact.
- Defending fortifications or the edge of a terrain feature.
A rear corner or rear edge cannot be moved into any enemy contact, or a flank edge into any contact except with a flank edge or if the front edge also moves into combat. Foot cannot move into any contact with mounted enemy they can shoot at. Train cannot move to contact enemy troop elements or fortifications, except that WWg (S) can contact fortifications other than towers and WWg (X) can contact troops.
Extra Movement to Line Up in Close Combat or in a TZ
A contacting, contacted or TZ-ed element or group that is not lined up moves up to an extra 1 base width (80p) to do so if the extra movement is used only to line up with an enemy front, flank or rear edge (or fortification) by (a) a sideways shift and/or (b) wheel or pivot; or to (c) shorten group frontage by 1 element width by moving blocked elements the minimum distance to end immediately behind others, or (d) similarly move a blocking element. This can be in either side's bound, is extra to normal maximum move, and expends no extra PIPs.
Types of Combat
Distant Combat is limited to those troop types that historically shot collectively at long range and their targets. It includes all collective shooting on command by formed bodies of archers or hand gunners, artillery or naval vessels at bodies of troops beyond the range at which shooting at individuals is possible. The ranges allowed are based on effective military ranges found in contemporary sources or established by experiment with reproduction weapons to allow a significant effect. Shooting at longer range with only a minor morale effect or sprinkling of casualties is disregarded for the sake of speed and simplicity.
Close Combat includes not only hand-to-hand fighting using edged or pointed weapons, but also all shooting by mounted archers, javelinmen and others that shot at close range, or at charging enemy. Any shooting at greater range by mounted troops or skirmishers is too diffuse to destroy or recoil an element and is allowed for only in increased caution or incentive to charge.
Distant Combat (Figs. 17-19)
Elements of Artillery, Bows, Shot, War Wagons (S) or (O), Elephants (X), Ships (S), (O) or (X), Galleys and Boats (S) of an army including men with bows, or (X) can shoot at any 1 enemy element that is a valid target.
An element can be shot at and/or shoot as either a primary or aiding shooter up to once per bound. An element that can shoot must do so.
Shooting While Moving
Artillery and Boats (X) cannot shoot if they moved this bound [a pivot is a move] or are routing. Artillery (S) cannot shoot if it moved on land or disembarked in any of its side's 3 previous bounds. War Wagons except (S) cannot shoot from a front edge if they moved. No troops can shoot that marched, fled, routed or are wading.
Shooting Edge
The base edge shot from is the "shooting edge". This can be a front or flank edge if War Wagons, Artillery (O) on wagons, Ships (S) or Boats (S), any edge if manning a PF tower, otherwise only the front edge.
Valid Targets
An element is a valid target if any part of it is visible within 1/2 a base width of straight ahead of any part of the shooting edge, at least 2 of its corners are in front of a line extending the shooting edge, and it is within range.
Shooting is not permitted at or by an element that is in close combat or the next contiguous element to its rear. Shooting at elements further to its rear is permitted. Overlaps can shoot and be shot at.
Shooting is also not allowed unless either (a) a 40p length of any 1 target edge or of 2 edges joined at a corner or (b) a complete flank edge, is exposed between lines from the corners of the shooting edge to the corresponding ends of the target edge section without crossing any element or each other, except that:
- A contiguous 2nd rank element of (a) Bows or Shot lined up directly behind shooters of the same command with the same weapon and of the same grade, or (b) of Bows (S), (O) or (I) double-based behind Bows (X), can shoot only over them to aid their shooting counting the same range, provided neither is in difficult going.
- Artillery (F), Elephants (X), Artillery on a hill and higher, War Wagons (S) or Ships (X) can shoot over (a) enemy who are not a valid target, or (b) friendly foot more than 160p from the target.
- Artillery or a single rank of Bows or Shot can shoot from a PF over any friends below.
- TF, PF or troops manning them cannot be shot over except from higher PF.
- Artillery can choose to ignore or shoot over/through enemy Psiloi.
Target Choice
A target element must shoot back at the shooter if it can. Both are then primary shooters. Otherwise, Bows and Shot can only shoot at the valid target not already being shot at by 3 elements which is most directly in front of their shooting edge (i.e. closest to a line perpendicular to the centre of that edge). If apparently equally so, the shooter dices to decide which, and the shooters' element or group is slightly moved accordingly to indicate this in future. If this is impossible, the opposing group must be moved or the theoretical alignment be remembered.
Shooting Range and Direction
Maximum range is 80p for Shot, 240p for Artillery (I), Bows, War Wagons, Galleys, Ships and Boats (S), 480p for other Artillery. Range and direction is measured from the nearest point of the shooting edge of each front rank shooting element to the nearest point of the target. Range for shooting at or by troops defending a fortification is measured to and from the fortification's front edge.
Multiple Shooters
If a 2nd or 3rd element shoots at a single enemy element, the additional elements aid the primary shooter instead of their shooting being resolved separately. More elements have no extra effect. The primary shooter is the element that will be shot back at, or if none will be shot back at, that nominated by the shooting player.
If a primary shooter whose target cannot shoot back is shot at by a third party, this is resolved first as a separate combat. If the other shooting is not prevented by the combat result, it uses the same dice score.
Close Combat
Close combat occurs when an element has moved into, or remains in, front edge contact with an enemy element (or an intervening fortification or PO it is defending behind) in any of the ways described in MOVING INTO CLOSE COMBAT on page 33. This is called being in front edge combat.
Turning to Face (Figs. 20-24)
Any element except train, Boats or Expendables that has been so contacted only on its flank edge by enemy elements' front edge(s), and which is not in frontal combat with an enemy front edge or providing rear support to such a combat, turns before close combats into full front edge contact with whichever contacted it first.
If an element's front edge contacts the flanks of 2 or more such elements, all these turn to face if that furthest in front must do so, the second and subsequent elements moving to behind that in front. If they were back to back, this continues. If an element or elements contacted in flank have insufficient room to turn to face, the enemy element must make room by moving back. If this is impossible, both moves are cancelled. When an element contacted on both flanks turns to face one of them, the other enemy moves into contact with its rear.
If the front edge of the first of 2 or more elements contacted in flank by a single enemy element is already in combat against an enemy front edge, the flank contact is treated as if on the flank of the front element.
An element contacted by an enemy front edge on its rear edge (unless by a march) or contacted on both rear and flank edges, but not its front edge, does not turn before combat, but unless Expendables (which are destroyed) or of a shattered command turns 180° after combat (but before any pursuit) if its total is equal or higher.
Train and Boats do not turn to face enemy, but count the edge first contacted by an enemy front edge as their front edge, and, if train, any other edge in contact with an enemy front or side edge as a side edge.
Overlaps
An element is overlapping an enemy element if the enemy element is in frontal combat and the overlapper is in:
- Both side edge and front corner-to-front corner contact with a friendly element in front edge-to-front or rear edge combat with the enemy element or a separating PO and at least the nearest part of its own front edge is free of contact with any enemy or friendly element.
- Side edge contact with that enemy element's side edge, even if it is itself in contact with a friendly or enemy element to its front. Two opposing elements in contact on their side edges overlap each other.
An element overlapping or in front edge contact with the flank or rear edge of an enemy element which is fighting to its front inflicts an adverse tactical factor. It can overlap two enemy elements on opposite flanks, or elements exposed by its own frontal opponents having recoiled, fled or been spent, repulsed or destroyed that bound. An element counts only one -1 tactical factor on each flank for that flank being overlapped or contacted by an enemy front edge. A 2nd element contacting a flank acting as a front edge counts as an overlap.
Other than when STORMING FORTIFICATIONS (see p.42), overlaps are ignored if:
- The overlapping element is Artillery.
- The overlapping element is Elephants and that aided is not Elephants or foot.
- The overlapping or overlapped element or that aided are Expendables.
- The overlapped element is mounted troops fighting in its own bound, and both (a) the overlapping element is foot other than Bows [including (X)], and (b) they are not in mutual flank edge contact.
- The overlapped element is Knights based in a required wedge, unless (F) fighting Light Horse.
- The overlapped element is War Wagons.
If a War Wagons, Artillery, Baggage (S) or Boats element with a longer base edge currently acting as its front edge is contacted on that edge by 2 enemy elements, it fights each in turn that bound. If only half the edge is currently in contact, the attacker is overlapped.
In addition, any element that is neither manning a fortification nor of light troops or Baggage counts as overlapped in an enemy bound if a battlefield edge would prevent a real or hypothetical enemy element moving into, or recoiling from, an overlap position.
Resolving Distant or Close Combat
Whether in close combat, shooting or only shot at, each player dices for his element, and adds its combat factor, together with any rear support, tactical and grading factors that apply.
Combat Factors
These vary according to your element's type and its opponent.
| In combat against: | Mounted | Others |
|---|---|---|
| Elephants, Expendables or Shot | +5 | +4 |
| Spears, Blades, Artillery if shooting, or War Wagons | +4 | +4 |
| Pikes, Bows if shooting without being shot at that bound | +4 | +3 |
| Bows in other circumstances | +4 | +2 |
| Knights, Cavalry if in close combat | +3 | +4 |
| Cavalry if being shot at, Warband or Auxilia | +3 | +3 |
| Light Horse, Camelry, Galleys or Ships | +2 | +3 |
| Psiloi, Hordes, Artillery unless shooting, Baggage or Boats | +2 |
Close Combat Rear Support Factors
Some troop types add to their normal combat factor in close combat or deduct from that of the enemy if supported to their rear by elements of appropriate type and grade of the same command, lined up with them (or next in column) and facing in the same direction; provided that no rank is in difficult going or manning (or unless specifically mentioned, assaulting) TF or PF. Support marked + (dagger) must be expressly permitted by the official army list.
+1 in enemy bound only if:
- Spears supported by a 2nd rank of Spears of the same or other expressly permitted grade - against Elephants, Knights, Camelry, Pikes, Blades or Warband.
- Blades [except (F) or (X)] supported by a 2nd rank of Blades or Spears - against Elephants or Knights.
- Blades (S) or (O) supported by a 2nd rank of Bow (S) or (O); or vice versa - against foot.
- Regular Auxilia (S) supported by a 2nd rank of these - against Knights.
- Bows supported by a 2nd rank of Bows; or Bw (S) or (O) if supporting double-based Bows (X) counting as Spears, or of the same grade with the same type of bow if supporting Bows (S), (O) or (I).
- Psiloi supported by a 2nd rank of Psiloi (O) - against Light Horse or Psiloi.
- (dagger) Cavalry supported by a 2nd rank of Psiloi (S) or (I) - against Cavalry or Knights (X).
- (dagger) Spears, Pikes, Blades and Auxilia supported by either a single 2nd rank of Psiloi (O) or (S), or [if the 2nd rank is the same type as the 1st] a single 3rd rank of Psiloi (O) with bows - against Warband or mounted troops except Knights (X).
-1 in enemy bound only if:
- Any fighting against Knights or Cavalry that are required to be double-based with mounted or foot.
- Foot - if fighting against Light Horse (F) supported by a 2nd rank of these.
- Knights or foot except Psiloi - if fighting against Warband that have a supporting 2nd rank of Warband.
- Foot except Pikes, Blades, Warband or Psiloi - if fighting against enemy Spears (S) or (O) that are supported by a 2nd rank of Spears of the same or other expressly permitted grade.
- Foot [except Psiloi] or train - if fighting in good going against Pikes (S), (O), (I) [but not (X)] that have a supporting consecutive 4th rank of Pikes, of the same grade as the 2nd rank.
+1 in any bound if:
- Pikes, for each supporting consecutive 2nd or 3rd rank of Pikes [of (X) or (I) if the 1st rank is (X), of (I) if it is irregular (O), otherwise of the same grade] - unless fighting against Cavalry, Light Horse, Psiloi or train.
- Shot supported by a 2nd rank of Shot.
- Foot supported by a 2nd rank of any type of foot - when assaulting defended TF or PF.
Tactical Factors
Add to or subtract from scores for each of the following tactical factors that applies:
- +3 If foot, Artillery or Baggage (O) manning fortifications when shot at or when in front edge combat across a PF parapet or TF against enemy outside, unless:
- Manning PF and being shot at by Artillery (S) from less than 160p.
- Manning TF and being shot at by Shot or any Artillery, or in close combat with Psiloi (X).
- Manning PF or TF and in close combat with or shot at by a War Wagon (S) or Ship (X) tower.
- +2 If in any close combat or being shot at, while not only manning a PF but in a raised tower.
- +1 If on a PF wall walk in close combat with enemy who are either escalading or climbing PF stairs.
- +1 If manning a fortification which is also upslope and in close combat against enemy outside.
- +1 If foot or train in close combat in an enemy bound with any of its front edge upslope of all its opponent.
- +1 If mounted in front edge combat in good going in its own bound with any of its rear edge upslope of all its opponent.
- +2 If a Brilliant general who declared a brilliant stroke as he moved into close combat this bound.
- +1 If any general either in close combat or shot at.
- +1 If in close combat while in edge or corner contact with own Baggage (S).
- +1 If a primary shooter aided by another element contiguous behind it or behind an aiding shooter.
- -1 For each shooting element aiding an enemy primary shooter other than from contiguous behind it.
- -1 For each flank overlapped and/or enemy element in front edge combat with a flank or rear edge.
- -1 If troops or terrain already in contact with its rear edge or rear corner would prevent any recoil.
- -1 If disadvantaged by weather (see p.25).
Grading Factors
Compare your element's total score before grading factors to that of its shooting or frontal close combat opponent before grading factors, then adjust it by:
- +1 if Superior (S) troops whose total score against any enemy (except Expendables, Shot or Artillery) is:
- equal or less if mounted or foot and in close combat in an enemy bound against mounted.
- less if mounted in close combat in their own bound against foot.
- less if War Wagons, Baggage or naval and in close combat.
- less if any shot at.
- -1 if any troops whose opponents are Superior (S) troops that score equal or more while either (a) shooting; or in close combat in their own bound and either (b) foot fighting foot or (c) mounted fighting any enemy.
- -1 if Inferior (I) troops whose total score is less when shot at, or equal or less in close combat.
- -1 if Fast (F) troops whose total score is less when shot at (except by Artillery), or in close combat in an enemy bound.
Combat Outcome
Now compare the final totals of your element and its opponent, then immediately make the outcome move (if any) specified below (Fig. 26). This depends on your element's type and that of the enemy element that is the primary shooter or in front edge-to-front edge combat with it, but not that of elements aiding shooting at it, overlapping it or of an element in frontal contact with its flank or rear if another is in contact with its front.
Elements disregard outcomes when:
- Shooting without being shot back at, or fighting only as an overlap.
- In close combat against a flank edge of an enemy fighting to its front or rear or against a rear edge.
However, if the element fighting an enemy element's front is required to recoil or flee, or is repulsed, spent or destroyed, a friendly element in front edge contact with that enemy element's flank or rear recoils.
If an element's total is more than that of its opponent
Press forward or pursue if mandatory or if optional and player wishes to. Otherwise stand unless the exception below applies:
- Expendables: Pursue straight ahead.
If an element's total is equal to that of its opponent
Stand unless one of the exceptions below applies.
- Expendables, Shot: Destroyed if in close combat.
- Cavalry, Light Horse, Auxilia, Psiloi: Repulsed if player chooses to.
- Other foot: Destroyed if in close combat against Expendables.
If an element's total is less than that of its opponent, but more than half
- Destroyed if a mounted or foot element with an enemy front edge in contact with its flank or in edge and corner-to-corner contact with its rear.
- Destroyed if in a PF tower and either shot at by Artillery or in close combat.
- Recoil if foot either in close combat across other fortifications or assaulting an undefended fortification section.
Otherwise, recoil unless one of the exceptions below applies:
-
Elephants: Destroyed by light troops, Shot, Artillery, or Camelry (X).
-
Expendables: Destroyed.
-
Knights: Destroyed by Elephants, Expendables, Camelry or Blades (X). Flee if in close combat against Bows or Shot. Repulsed if in close combat against other foot if its player chooses not to recoil.
-
Cavalry: Destroyed by Knights in enemy bound and good going, unless these are in wedge. Repulsed from Knights or foot in own bound if its player chooses not to recoil. Flee from Expendables or Camelry. Flee if in difficult going.
-
Light Horse: Flee from Knights or Camelry (S) in enemy bound, Light Horse of higher grade, Expendables or Artillery, or if in difficult going. Repulsed by Knights in own bound, foot or train if its player chooses not to recoil.
-
Camelry: Destroyed by Expendables in enemy bound if opponent in good going.
-
Spears, Pikes: Destroyed by Elephants. Destroyed by Blades, Warband or Auxilia (S) if in enemy bound. Destroyed by Expendables, Knights or Camelry (S) in enemy bound if opponent in good going.
-
Blades: Destroyed by Elephants. Destroyed by Warband if in enemy bound. Destroyed by Expendables, Knights or Camelry (S) in enemy bound if opponent in good going.
-
Warband: Destroyed by Elephants. Destroyed by Blades or Psiloi (S) if in enemy bound. Destroyed by Expendables, Knights or Camelry (S) in enemy bound if opponent in good going.
-
Bows: Destroyed by any mounted troops, Warband or War Wagons.
-
Shot: Destroyed if in close combat.
-
Auxilia: Destroyed by Elephants, Knights or Camelry (S) in enemy bound if opponent in good going.
If an element's total is half or less than half that of the enemy
- Destroyed if an enemy front edge in contact with its flank or in edge and corner-to-corner contact with its rear.
- Recoil if assaulting an undefended fortification section.
Otherwise, destroyed unless one of the exceptions below applies:
- Cavalry: Spent if in close combat with Spears, Pikes or Blades in own bound if in good going. Repulsed from close combat against any train except Artillery (I). Flee from naval.
- Light Horse: Spent if in close combat in good or rough going against foot, other than Psiloi (O) or any Bows. Spent if in close combat against, or shot at by, train or naval. Spent if in close combat in own bound against Knights.
- Psiloi: Spent if in close combat in good or rough going against foot, other than light troops or any Bows. Flee if in close combat against, or shot at by, train or naval. Flee if in close combat against mounted troops while in rough or difficult going.
- Naval: Stand if in close combat against Expendables. Flee from shooting, unless by Artillery (S) or in contact with land.
Pressing Forward Against Shooting
An unbroken element that scores more in its own bound than enemy shooting at it and has not shot itself may press forward. If it is impetuous and scored twice as many as enemy shooting at it, it must press forward. It and any friends lined up to its rear immediately move straight forward its base width (80p), stopping if its front edge contacts friends. If it contacts enemy or friends, it lines up with them. If this involves moving sideways, friends it started lined up with can also slide sideways. Train cannot press forward into contact with enemy they are forbidden to contact by page 33.
Destroyed Elements
A destroyed element is removed. This represents its men being killed, disabled or made prisoner and survivors dispersing and quitting the field individually, or if naval, its vessels having been sunk, burned, captured, shipwrecked or having limped off crippled. Destroyed baggage has been pillaged and survivors scattered.
When a naval element is destroyed in combat, all troops embarked are also destroyed. The embarked troops of naval shipwrecked on a beach by strong winds are destroyed if Elephants, Expendables or train, permanently dismounted if other mounted and are unaffected if foot. Other shipwrecked troops are always destroyed.
Normally, only a single element is destroyed. However, when an element other than Psiloi is destroyed while in close combat, all friendly elements with any part directly behind are also destroyed if their nearest part is less than the destroyed element's base depth from its original rear edge, and:
- They are foot, and the destroyed element's frontal opponent was Warband.
- They are Bows or Shot and the destroyed element's frontal opponent was Expendables, Knights or Camelry (S).
- They are Psiloi, Hordes or Artillery and the element immediately in front is destroyed.
- They were required by their army list to be double-based with the destroyed element.
- An enemy element's front edge is in contact with all of their side edge.
- The destroyed element was Elephants or Expendables.
Spent Elements
This represents Cavalry, Light Horse and Psiloi that have exhausted their missiles, courage, patience or horse's stamina, troops on impressed shipping that fail to arrive, and troops disrupted by the passage of spontaneously advancing friendly troops or worn-out by scouting. Spent elements are removed, but do not count as lost unless an enemy front edge is in contact with their flank or rear, or they are a general's element, or their command becomes broken. Distinguish spent from lost elements in the "dead pile" by reversing them.
Recoiling Elements
Recoiling represents troops responding gradually to enemy pressure. A recoiling element moves back its base depth to its rear without turning, or a base width if this is less or if from off a PF wall walk or back from a TF.
A recoiling element ends its recoil prematurely if its rear edge or rear corner starts in contact with or meets: friends it cannot pass through or past or push back, an enemy element (neither has to conform), the edge of an unfrozen water feature, or (unless at a friendly controlled gateway) a PF or TF it has not already crossed. A mounted or foot element unable to start a recoil is penalized in combat, whether or not recoil is a possible combat outcome.
If a recoiling element meets a friendly element facing in the same direction it passes through to the friendly element's rear if permitted to do so, otherwise if naval it pushes back naval, if land troops it pushes back any but Elephants, War Wagons, Baggage or naval. Friendly elements that would be passed through or pushed back by recoiling Elephants flee instead. Baggage (F) or (I) recoiled into by friends or enemy flee out of the way.
An element recoiling either (a) from distant shooting by enemy elements, at least one of which is entirely behind an imaginary line extending its rear base edge; or (b) because it is interpenetrated from in front by spontaneous friends, does not recoil, but instead turns 180°.
Troops on a bridge that recoil from naval turn and flee back to land. Boats on a river follow its curves. Recoil by waders that have turned to face Boats is prevented by the river. Troops on a PF wall walk recoil inside if manning it, outside the wall if assaulting.
Pushed-Back Elements
An element pushed-back by recoilers moves straight back until the recoiled element has completed its recoil, or the pushed back element earlier meets an element or terrain feature that would have stopped a recoil. If the front element of a bent column recoils, the column is pushed back around the bend.
Repulsed Elements
This represents a semi-organized retirement as a body ending out of contact but still formed facing the enemy and ready to attack again. A repulsed element first recoils. If this does not push back friends it then moves straight back until it is its full tactical move from its opponent, but only if it could do so without contacting friends it could not pass through fully, an enemy element or TZ, terrain it could not enter or a battlefield edge.
Fleeing Elements
Fleeing represents a disorganized panic move by individuals. Depending on the circumstances, an element fleeing from:
- Combat first recoils its base depth if it can, then turns 180° and continues moving. It is destroyed if it cannot complete the initial recoil.
- Flank Marchers or a Delayed Arrival turns and moves directly away from the arrival edge if a land element, towards its side's rear edge if a naval element.
- Recoiling Elephants turns and moves in the same direction as the recoilers.
- From enemy at the start of a Feigned Flight, turn to face their own entry edge and move towards it.
After any initial recoil and turn, a fleeing element must change direction as soon as possible by the minimum necessary up to 90° to pass through friends it contacts or to avoid:
- Friends it cannot pass through or by.
- Impassable terrain.
- A battlefield edge other than its side's rear battlefield edge (or if it flank marched its edge of arrival).
- Ending closer to any enemy element not beyond a river, unless it would then be more than 800p away.
It cannot change direction if any such obstruction is visible in the new direction within 400p. It is destroyed by enemy or impassable terrain it cannot so avoid. Friends it cannot pass through or avoid are burst through and flee in front of it if after both had moved its front edge would be ahead, otherwise behind it.
Any land elements fleeing across a bridge or a frozen waterway, lake or river or frozen marsh must each dice each bound and are destroyed by drowning unless they score 2 or more. Mounted troops, dismounted Knights (S) or (O) and train are always destroyed if they flee into an unfrozen marsh.
A flee move, including any initial recoil, is a full tactical move distance for the going in which it starts. It is measured between the nearest rear corners from before the recoil to after the flee. Mounted infantry that have not lost or left their mounts flee and rout as Camelry if on camels, as Cavalry (I) if not. An unbroken element flees for 1 bound only unless it suffers a new cause of flight. An element that fled from combat while impetuous turns 180° at the end of the bound unless it first contacts enemy with its front edge or is contacted by an enemy front edge. All elements in feigned flight not first contacted by an enemy front edge turn at the end of the 2nd bound.
Routed Elements
Routing represents a permanent disorganized panic flight by elements of a broken command that were not halted to prevent it. These turn and move towards the nearest point on their rear battlefield edge (or edge of arrival if successfully flank marched), except that an element of naval landing troops moves instead towards the nearest unladen friendly naval element capable of embarking it if any exist, embarks and continues routing.
A rout move is the same as a flee move, except that it is only in its own side's bounds and is twice the distance (since it represents movement in both side's bounds). An element that has routed cannot be halted, make a tactical move or turn to face contact by enemy, and continues to rout in each of its own side's bounds until it is destroyed or leaves the battlefield. Routing dismounters that still have their mounts remount without expending PIPs.
Pursuing Elements
If its close combat opponents recoil, flee, rout or are destroyed [but not repulsed or spent], an unbroken element of Elephants, Knights except single-based (X), Cavalry, Pikes, Blades, Spears [but not Bows (X)], Auxilia, waders, naval or impetuous troops, immediately pursues straight ahead either (a) its base depth, (b) its base width (80p), or (c) until it makes front edge or front corner to edge contact with closer enemy; unless:
- It fought only as an overlap or flank contact.
- It is foot that fought against mounted.
- It chooses not to pursue; and is either (a) Knights who fought in an enemy bound unless against Knights, (b) Cavalry or light troops, (c) regular Blades or regular Spears if either fought against foot.
- It is defending a PF or TF, is in a PF tower, or would reach difficult going or an unfrozen water feature.
- Its pursuit would take any part of its base over a battlefield edge.
All elements in any subsequent contiguous rank that are directly to the rear of a pursuing element and facing in the same direction, also pursue. A naval element does not pursue land opponents, but its landing troops can choose to do so. If pursuers contact an enemy element that is not already in close combat, the ensuing combat does not occur until next bound. Expendables are destroyed if their pursuit would have reached difficult going.
Storming Fortifications
Foot assaulting PF are assumed to escalade with improvised ladders and use side arms, so are a special case for rear support. If assaulting a gateway they are assumed to use rams, axes or fire. Mounted troops can only assault TF, except that Elephants can assault gates. A defending element not occupying a single section of PF wall or TF shifts less than 80p to conform to the assaulter most nearly straight ahead. Defenders can overlap but cannot pivot on to the flank of assaulters. Troops escalading or climbing stairs do not overlap. Towers overlap adjacent wall walk sections, but cannot be overlapped. A tower assaulted by 2 elements fights each in succession. An undefended fortification section has a CF of 4 if a tower, 2 if not, but no tactical factors, and cannot overlap.
Defenders unable to recoil are destroyed. An assaulting element that destroys a defender or forces it to recoil, or scores higher than an undefended fortification, must pursue into the space vacated, [either on to or along a PF or beyond a TF]. If it assaulted a gate, it pursues through the gate. Friends following pursuers into a PF [unless through a gate] count as assaulting an undefended PF. If an element that successfully assaulted on to a PF wall walk recoils from that position, it ends outside the PF and opponents pursue back into position to defend. An escalading War Wagons (S) or naval element does not pursue, but an element of foot in contact behind, or the landing troops of an escalading naval element or another in contact behind, can.
Lost and/or Removed Elements
Destroyed elements are lost. An element is also lost if any of its base leaves the battlefield edge whether voluntarily or when recoiling, pushed-back, making room, fleeing or routing. All elements of a broken command are lost. Spent elements become lost only when their command is broken or if they include a general. All elements of an allied command that has changed sides are lost to its original side until it is broken. Lost elements that have not been destroyed or changed sides reappear in the next battle of a campaign. Elements that have changed sides but not been destroyed or broken also reappear, but as reliable allies of the enemy army.
Morale Equivalents
Elements of different types have different effects on morale. For instance, loss of nobles is more worrying than that of impressed serfs and a reserve of veteran triarii provides greater reassurance. Each element therefore has a Morale Equivalent (ME) used to derive the morale state of each command and the army. Each element of:
- Expendables, Hordes (I), War Wagons (X) and all rear elements of required double bases = 0 ME.
- General's element of any troop type or grade = 4 ME.
- Army Baggage = 1/2 ME for each contributing command (or a general-less command including it).
- Command Baggage = 2 ME for its command.
- Elephants, Knights, Cavalry (S), Camelry (S), Spears (S), Blades (S), War Wagons except (X) = 2 ME.
- Warband except (S), Auxilia except (S), Irregular Spears (I), Irregular Pikes (I), Irregular Bows (I), Psiloi, Hordes except (I) and Naval except (XX) = 1/2 ME.
- Other troops = 1 ME.
- A dismounted element = the total ME of the mounted element/s it was exchanged for.
- Embarked troops or Baggage are additional to the naval element.
Disheartened Commands
All Horde (I) elements are removed and all 1 ME, 1/2 ME and Baggage elements [or if the command becomes disheartened while unreliable, all its elements] become permanently disheartened at the end of any bound when more than one-quarter of their command's original ME have been lost since the start of the battle.
Broken Commands
All of a command is permanently broken at the end of any bound when:
- More than one-third of its original ME have been lost since the start of the battle.
- More than half of its original ME has been lost or spent since the start of the battle.
It can then use its PIPs only to move a general who has not yet routed, and/or halt groups or single elements that have not previously routed, for the current bound only. All mobile land elements neither halted that bound nor in front edge combat must rout unless inside the circuit of a fortification. Elements inside the circuit of a fortification entered by enemy [or that they themselves have assaulted into] are lost unless in a tower.
Each other command of its side that has already lost at least one element and now has an element of the broken command visible less than 800p distant at the end of that bound has its total losses temporarily increased by 1 ME if the broken command was originally less than 12 ME or 2 ME if it was at least 12ME.
Shattered Commands
A broken command is also shattered if at the start of its bound more than half its ME has been lost. It ceases to have a PIP dice. All mobile elements must rout unless inside the circuit of a fortification not entered by enemy, or in a tower.
Victory and Defeat
When at the end of either side's bound an army's cumulative losses in ME, plus the ME of any commands that have failed to arrive after its 8th bound, is more than half the army's original ME, that army is defeated and the game ends.
If neither side has been defeated when a time limit is reached (or the battle has ended because one or both sides have chosen to retreat after nightfall), the game finishes at the end of the current bound.
If one side only has been defeated, the other side is the winner. The winning side receives 25 Victory Points (VP), less its penalty points:
A side's penalty points are:
- 2 for each complete tenth of its original ME that have been lost or broken.
- 1 for each of its generals who have been lost or whose commands have been either broken or at least partly disheartened.
The loser receives 25 VP, less the winner's VP.
If neither side or both sides have been defeated, each side totals its penalty points. If their penalty points differ by 1 or 2, the side with least receives 14 VP, that with most 11 VP. If they differ by more, the side with least receives 15 points and that with most 10 VP.
If penalty points are equal and neither has been defeated, the defender receives 12 VP and the invader receives 13 VP (he is ravaging the countryside and acquiring loot, while the defender is losing revenue and prestige).
If penalty points are equal and both sides have been defeated, the defender receives 13 VP and the invader 12 VP (the invader's losses, disorganization or foraging difficulties make it impossible to continue his aggression).
Note: This has the following advantages over the former DBM and BHGS scoring systems:
- It gives credit for a narrow defeat in a fiercely contested battle.
- It allows more precise ranking in very large competitions.
- The VP total available to be won in a 4 game weekend competition is exactly 100.
- It gives less credit to a defender who uses terrain to avoid battle.
DBMM 100 and 200
These are rule variants for quick-play games with a smaller number of figures, enabling DBA size armies to be used with DBMM rules. They are adapted from those in use for DBM 100 and 200 competitions. Armies whose AP total is divisible by 12 (for example 120 or 240 AP) can be used with the DBA campaign rules without learning DBA.
DBMM 100
This is an alternative to DBA, played with 75-125 AP armies. Each army has only 1 command and general, the C-in-C, who's extra or reduced cost (for example for Brilliant or Inert) is half that of a DBMM C-in-C, and up to 2 Baggage elements. Element minima are reduced to 1/4 rounded down and maxima to 1/2 rounded up. Up to 4 elements specified by army lists as controlled only by an allied or subordinate general can be used. The extra or reduced cost of a general is halved and rounded down. The battlefield is a 1,200p to 1,800p square tile.
The normal procedures for set-up, terrain, deployment, time of day and weather are disregarded. Instead each player dices and adds his aggression factor. The player with the higher adjusted score is the Invader. Repeat if scores are equal. The Defender places where he wishes up to 1 road and 2-3 area features chosen from his list, which must include any compulsory features and no area feature more than 400p across. The invader can now rotate the tile 90 or 180°. The defender deploys all his elements first and the invader takes first bound. Deployment can be up to 400p from the base line but not within 400p of a side edge. No flank or delayed marches or stratagems are allowed.
An army is disheartened when at the end of any bound it has lost 1/4 of its original ME. It is defeated when at the end of any bound it has lost and/or spent both 1/2 its original ME and more than the enemy, or if at the end of the bound being played when the agreed time limit (which should never exceed 1 hour) is reached it has lost more than the enemy. The winner's score is 5 VP plus 1 VP for each ME up to 5 the enemy has lost more than him. The loser's score is 10 VP minus the winner's score. If losses are equal when the time limit is reached, each side scores 5 VP.
DBMM 200
This is a larger game more similar to standard DBM. It differs in the following respects:
The maximum army size is 180-240 AP. The maximum and minimum numbers of elements other than generals and of PF, TF or FO sections permitted by the army list are halved and rounded up. Maximums for Pikes are rounded up to the next highest 4 elements, otherwise rounding is to the next highest single element. Baggage is reduced to 0-1 elements per command and the minimum size of a command entirely of Baggage to 2. Up to 3 generals can be used. The extra or reduced cost of each general is halved and rounded down. The maximum size of an ambush is reduced to 4 elements.
The recommended battlefield size is 2,400p (1.2m or 48" for 15mm) wide by 1,200p (0.6m or 24") to 1,800p (0.9m or 36") deep.
The minimum and maximum numbers of terrain feature equivalents (FE) allowed to each side is reduced by 1. Sea, waterways, lakes and rivers are 1 FE, and their maximum extension inland is reduced by 160p. One area feature can be of 1 FE size. All other area features must be 1/2 FE.
Deployment distances specified from a battlefield edge are halved if using 15mm or smaller figures.
The temporary penalty for a broken friendly command is reduced to 1 ME.
Big DBMM 100
As DBMM 100, except that the full DBMM battlefield size, terrain, deployment, time of day, weather and stratagems rules are used, but minimum element numbers are not (since the action is assumed to involve a detached part of a larger army) and any time limit is not restricted to 1 hour. This allows much more scope for pre-battle manoeuvre than any of the other forms of the game.
Miscellaneous
Competition Umpiring and Rule Interpretation
If an umpire is used, his function is to decide if a player's actions or expectations, in a specific instance referred to him, accord to the letter and spirit of the rules as the umpire understands them, and to alter an illegal action by the minimum necessary to make it legal. Each decision should be made on the individual circumstances, and not be taken to constitute a precedent. Players are entitled to an honest umpire, but not one who is infallible or tolerant of gamesmanship.
Sets of "interpretations" by competition organizers sometimes cause more problems than they solve, due to poor understanding, careless paraphrasing, or being made a vehicle for ill-judged amendments. Careful rereading of the rules solves most queries. [email protected] and the FAQ section of www.dbmm.org.uk should be excellent sources of help.
Campaign and Scenario Games
As well as equal points casual and competition games, these rules are equally suitable both for scenario games featuring unequal forces, special victory conditions, or incomplete or misleading information, and for battles in which circumstances and forces are defined by the events of a campaign including logistical, economic and political factors. Much of the testing involved scenario games, the most noteworthy of which was at the Society of Ancients "Sambre" Republican Romans versus Gauls event, which included a very successful multi-player DBMM game with 4,000 AP of troops on each side, played with no derogations from or additions to the rules.
A simple system for determining final losses in a campaign battle is as follows: Unlike other games, VP are not counted, and troops may be voluntarily moved off table by a player who concludes that he has lost and wishes to extricate as much as possible of his army to fight again. All destroyed elements of both sides are lost and not available for future battles. Any of the loser's allies that have changed sides are now part of the winner's army, unless their command was broken, in which case they are not available to either army. All spent troops that were not lost are recovered. A winner's broken troops are recovered. How many of a loser's broken troops that are recovered depends on the ratio between the number of unspent mounted elements surviving on each side. Dice for each of the loser's elements that were broken before leaving the battlefield.
| Ratio of winner's unspent to losers' | Hordes or train | Elephants or other foot | Other mounted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half or less | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| More than half but less than double | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| Double or more | 6 | 5 | 3 |
Element lost on scores less than the number shown.
Appendix I - Brilliant Generals
These are the very rare charismatic commanders whose talents cannot easily be simulated by players without special rules. Innovative strategists, quick to spot and exploit fleeting opportunities, but risk-takers who lead from the front, they are far from being a safe pair of hands or perfect generals and may be described (like Talbot) as "hardy rather than prudent" or (like Caesar) as "escaping by his celerity from fixes got into by his rashness". Often difficult subordinates and exasperating commanders to other generals, but adored by troops. Only the following historical generals are Brilliant:
- Agga of Kish. List 1/1 2700BC
- Sargon of Akkad. List 1/11 2334-2279BC
- Naram-Sin of Akkad. List 1/11 2254-2218BC
- Mursilis I. List 1/16 1620-1590BC
- Thutmosis III. List 1/22 1479-1425BC
- Suppiluliumas. List 1/24 1380-1335BC
- Muwatallis. List 1/24 1274BC
- Shalmaneser I. List 1/25 1274-1245BC
- Tukulti-Ninurta I. List 1/25 1274-1245BC
- Nebuchadrezzar I. List 1/21 1124-1103BC
- Tiglath-pileser I. List 1/25 1115-1077BC
- Assurnasipal II. List 1/25 883-859BC
- Tiglath-pileser III. List 1/45 744-727BC
- Sargon II. List 1/45 721-705BC
- Sennacherib. List 1/45 704-681BC
- Ashurbanipal. List 1/51 668-627BC
- Esarhaddon. List 1/51 673-669BC
- Duke Wen. List 1/32 (Ts'in) 632BC
- Nebuchadrezzar II. List 1/44 604-552BC
- Mardonios. List 1/60 492-479BC
- Brasidas. List 2/5 (Spartan) 431-422BC
- Epaminondas. List 2/5 (Theban) 371-362BC
- Sun Pin. List 2/4 (Ch'i) 351-341BC
- Timoleon. List 2/9 341-337BC
- Alexander. Lists 2/12 & 2/15 338-323BC
- Lysimachos. List 2/17 322-281BC
Appendix II - Inert Generals
These are few compared with the Brilliant generals in the previous appendix because the competition is more intense. There have been very many mediocre and even bad generals in history. To be listed here, a general needs to have historically demonstrated inertia and ineptitude beyond the normal range of wargamers. This can have taken the form of lethargy, over-confident neglect of elementary precautions, innate incapacity, jealousy, extreme pig-headedness, discouraging subordinates' initiative, depriving themselves of information by punishing the bearers of bad news, or most commonly, timidity and indecision. Such generals were, however, quite often exceptionally talented organizers and/or with despotic power over very large resources, so much better at building an army than at using it. The reason only a C-in-C or ally general can be Inert is that such behaviour is not tolerated for long by a superior and that occasional lapses can be accounted for by the normal range of PIP scores. Only the following historical generals are classed as Inert:
- Iasmah-Adad. List 1/15 (Old Assyrian) 1796-1776BC
- Ti Hsin. List 1/13 1059-1027BC
- Ashur-dan III. List 1/25 772-755BC
- Ashur-nirari. List 1/25 754-745BC
- Nicias. List 2/5 (Athens) 414-413BC
- Pharnabazus. List 2/7 385-373BC
- Darius III. List 2/7 334-331BC
- Regulus. List 2/33 256-255BC
- Tigranes. List 2/27 83-69BC
- Lepidus. List 2/49 48-36BC
- Varus. List 2/56 9AD
- Claudius. List 2/56 43AD
- Caesennius. List 2/56 62-63AD
- Calgacus. List 2/60 84AD
- Macrinus. List 2/64 217-218AD
- Constantius II. List 2/78 (East) 337-361AD
- Barbatio. List 2/78 (West) 357-358AD
- Sabinian. List 2/78 (East) 359AD
- Fu Chien. List 2/21 (Former Ch'in) 357-385AD
- Hypatius. List 3/4 503-512AD
- Gelimer. List 2/84 530-534AD
- Ethelred I. List 3/24 870-871AD
- Brihtnoth. List 3/24 991AD
- Pope Leo IX. List 3/76 1053AD
- Kerbogah. List 3/73 (Hamadan) 1098AD
- Henry III. List 4/23 1242-1264
Appendix III - Terrain Changes for DBM Army Lists
Pending the publication shortly of revised army lists:
Change Cold to Cool except in:
- Book 1, lists 4, 37, 39, 43.
- Book 2, lists 24, 26, 28, 38, 58, 61, 65, 67, 75, 76, 77, 80.
- Book 3, lists 1, 13, 14, 15, 16, 30, 32, 40 (N&S), 44, 47, 48, 56, 62, 66, 79.
- Book 4, lists 9, 14, 15, 18, 27, 28, 30, 35, 41, 44, 47, 52, 54 (N&S), 66, 78, 79.
Change all H(S) to DH. This represents slopes steep enough or encumbered enough to hinder movement. Change all H(G) to GH. This represents slopes sufficient for a combat advantage but not so steep as to hinder movement.
Change WW to WW or S in:
- Book 1, list 49?
- Book 2, lists 7, 15, 19, 20, 56, 64, 65, 66, 67, 73, 78, 83.
- Book 3, lists 4, 5, 31, 37, 49, 61? 65.
- Book 4, lists 13, 20, 40? 45, 48, 57, 73, 76, 84.
(Some will need to be date limited.)
Change WW to S in:
- Book 1, lists 7, 8, 9, 10, 18, 20, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 33, 35, 47, 48, 50, 52, 55, 56, 57, 59, 61, 62.
- Book 2, lists 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 23, 25, 27, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 39, 42, 45, 48, 49, 53, 54, 60, 62, 68, 75, 76, 77, 81, 82, 84.
- Book 3, lists 3, 6, 7, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 24, 28, 29, 33, 34, 35, 38, 40, 45, 46, 51, 54, 56, 58, 62, 64, 71, 72, 74, 75, 76, 77.
- Book 4, lists 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 21, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 37, 38, 39, 47, 49, 50, 51, 54, 55, 56, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 64, 68, 71, 74, 78, 81, 82, 83.
Change WW to L in:
- Book 2, list 29.
Change WW to S or L in:
- Book 2, list 28, 33.
- Book 3, lists 23 (Khmer), 40, 50.
- Book 4, list 9, 44, 54, 63.
Insert L in:
- Book 1, lists 27, 34, 37, 39.
- Book 2, lists 37 (Atropatene), 43, 51, 59.
- Book 3, lists 27, 60, 62, 73, 77.
- Book 4, lists 7, 15, 17, 41, 79, 81.
BUA can be FW in:
- Britain, facing N, Book 2, lists 56 (from 125AD), 64, 78, 81 (until 407AD).
- China, facing N, Book 2, lists 4 (Chin), 41. Book 4, lists 14, 73.
Replace Rd with PRd, Rd in:
- Book 2, lists 49, 56, 64, 78, 81, 83.
- Book 3, lists 3, 4, 23 (Khmer).
- Book 4, list 81.
Insert F in all lists including BUA but not E. Insert G in all Dry and Tropical lists. It cannot be used with Rv or D. B will be 1 permitted type only in Book 2, 3 & 4 in Gaul, England and France.
Unless otherwise specified: RGo becomes BF in Cold and Cool, RF in Warm, SF in Dry and Tropical. Rough gentle hills are allowed if DH is. They are RH in Cold, Dry and Tropical, SH in Cool and Warm.
DH must be replaced by WH if Wd is compulsory and by CH in Dry. They can be optionally replaced by CH in the homelands of mountain peoples.
Appendix IV - Troop Changes for DBM Army Lists
Pending the publication of revised army lists:
- Generals mounted on elephants can be regular in Lists 2/3 if 321-180BC, 2/18 if Ptolemy Keraunos in 279BC, 2/42 if Chola, 3/23 Khmer, 3/59, 3/63, 4/48.
- The extra AP gained from using an Inert ally general must be used for his command, i.e. it cannot have a negative AP total.
- The cost of Irregular LH (O) is reduced to 4 AP, and that of Irregular LH (S) to 6 AP.
- Ax (X) [except elephant-killers] become Pk (F).
- Command Litters and standard wagons change from WWg (I) to Bge (S).
- Change all previous Ps (S) to Ps (I) except Hebrew Gadites, Greek peltasts, Bithynians, Alexander's Agrianes, Spanish caetrati, Carthaginian regulars, Pisidians, Polybian leves/velites*, Bastarnae, Late Roman skirmishers, Patrician exculcatores, Maurikian and later Byzantines, Berbers, Bidets, hand gunners. *Leves All/0 before 211BC.
- Art (X) become Shot (I).
- Quinqueremes become Gal (O), triremes Gal (F), smaller Gal (I), AP adjusted.
- Change all LH (F) before 500BC referred to as "scouts" to LH (I).
- Maryannu charioteers become rCv (S) if royal, iCv (O) if provincial.
- Achaemenid Persian Immortals become Reg Bw (X) double-based with Reg Bw (O). Other sparabara are Irr Bw (X) double-based with Irr Bw (O).
- Achaemenid Persian and Bactrian armoured-horse cavalry become single based Kn (I).
- Bactrian LH (S) become Cv (O).
- All Indian Bw (S) become Bw (O). Indian Bd (I) cannot be Bw (X).
- Indian WWg (O) become Chariot Kn (I).
- Hellenistic Kn (F) from the start of the Alexandrian Macedonian list are required to be in a single-based wedge.
- Skythian Cv (S) and Thracian Cv (O) become Kn (I) and are required to be in a single-based wedge.
- Celtiberian scutati and Hannibal's Spanish become Bd (F). Other Spanish scutati stay Ax (S).
Diagrams
Only the captions and explanatory text of the diagrams (Figures 1-26) are transcribed here; the drawings themselves are not reproduced.
Figure 1. Measuring single element moves: In each of the examples above the double-headed arrow shows the distance to be measured. This is the furthest distance that any of the element's front corners can end from its original position. See page 28.
Figure 2. Changing formation: This shows two examples of how the column shown on the left may expand as a group move. In both cases Spear A remains stationary and other elements move as if by single element moves. See page 29.
Figure 3. Forming a single element wide column from a wider group: The future front element of the column moves forward. It is A, but could equally have been C or E. The other elements move without measuring individually. The nearest elements fall in behind those already in column and any others move to close up resulting gaps. See page 29.
Figure 4. Contracting or turning 90° into a column: The intended leading element A of the column either moves forward or pivots 90° and moves towards its former flank. The other elements fall in behind it without measuring their move distance. See page 29.
Spontaneous Advance
Figure 5. Possible spontaneous moves:
Start Position. Prior to spontaneous movement. Knight elements B and C do not have enough move distance to contact the side edge of Pike X. Knight element C does not have enough move distance to make any contact with Pike X.
End Position. This diagram shows where they end their movement. Knight A must move into front edge combat with Pike X. Knight B may move into position to overlap Pike X. Knight C is unable to contact any enemy and must make a full move plus 80p straight forward.
Figure 6a. Which enemy is contacted? In this diagram Knight A has three elements within its move distance. It must move into close combat with Spear X as it is the nearest enemy element part of which is directly in front. (Spear Y is more directly in front but is further away.) If the distance to Spear X was more than 200p then Spear W would be the element contacted because part of it is in front of the rear edge of Knight A and no others are within reach. (Knight A is in the TZ of Spear W but by moving straight forward the knight can clear this TZ before it has to turn to line up with Spear X.)
Figure 6b. Which enemy is contacted? Warband X is moving spontaneously and must move into contact with Blade A because A is the only element that is straight ahead of it. Warband X can move through the TZ of Blade B as it is moving straight forward as far as possible and contacting an enemy element front edge to front edge. (This is permitted under the TZ rules on page 32 and the TZ rules must be obeyed even when an element is moving spontaneously.)
Figure 7. Spontaneous movement through Threat Zones: Warband X and Y are moving spontaneously. Warband X must move into contact with the front of Bow A as A is the nearest enemy in front of it. Warband Y cannot move into a position alongside X to overlap A because X and Y are not a group and because Y has entered the TZ of Pike P. (It is not in the TZ of Bow A.) It must therefore continue moving straight forward until it contacts the very end of the front Pike P. Although Warband Y is a single element and would normally conform to Pike P it cannot do so because the enemy element Bow A is in the way. The group of Pikes, P and Q, must, as a consequence, shift sideways and line up with Warband Y when Y contacts P. This is as required by the third bullet point about moving into front edge to front edge combat on page 33.
Figure 8. Pivoting after contacting friends:
Start position. These four elements of Warband have lost contact with each other. The player wishes to re-direct them but has only two PIPs available. Warband A is moved as shown by a tactical move using the two PIPs. The other elements must later move spontaneously, contact previously moved impetuous elements, and pivot to end facing in the same direction as A.
End position. At the end of spontaneous movement the elements are positioned as shown. Elements B, C and D have been able to pivot to face the same direction as A because they can do so by moving through less than 90 degrees. (Elements C and D were very close to pivoting 90 degrees but did not quite do so.)
Movement Through Threat Zones
Figure 9a. Tactical moves through TZ: Cavalry Y may contact Blade A by moving straight forward through the TZ of Psiloi G. Alternatively it may manoeuvre outside of the TZs of both Blade A and Psiloi G until it is lined up with Psiloi G prior to advancing straight ahead through both TZs and into contact with G. Note: This manoeuvring must take place outside of both Threat Zones.
Figure 9b. Tactical moves through TZ: Auxilia X is in the TZ of the advancing column of Pikes A-D. In its own bound it has the following options: 1. Line up with Pike A. 2. Move into front edge contact with Pike A. 3. Move straight back without contacting any enemy. Note: Auxilia X may not contact Bow D.
Figure 9c. Blade Y is in the TZ of Bow A. In its own bound Blade Y has the following options: 1. Remain stationary. 2. Line up opposite Bow A. 3. Move into front edge contact with Bow A. 4. Move straight backwards without contacting any enemy.
Figure 9d. Warband X has moved into contact with Spear C. It must pivot into contact and slide sideways to line up in front edge contact with Spear C.
Figure 9e. Blade Y can move up into side edge contact with Blade Z in order to count as overlapping Psiloi F but cannot contact with the flank edge of F. To do this it would enter the TZ of Psiloi E and, therefore, have to line up with E or move into contact with E. (Unless moving to overlap an enemy Y cannot move straight ahead in the TZ of E without going forward as far as possible and ending in front edge contact with E.)
Figure 10a. Tactical move options: The TZ of Blade X extends through the enemy Pikes A, B and C so all the pike elements have their possible movement restricted by the TZ rules.
Figure 10b. Tactical move options: Light Horse L can move through the TZ of Auxilia A, B and C providing it moves as far as possible straight forward without contacting any enemy except front edge-to-edge contact. It can instead move into front edge-to-edge contact with Auxilia A but it cannot contact any other element. See the Threat Zone rules on page 32.
Close Combat
Figure 11. Moving into front edge contact: It is Blades' move and Blades B and C move into contact with Spear W. Blades B and C must wheel into legal front edge and corner to corner contact with Spear W and Spear X using 80p of PIP free movement. Part of Y is in the way of this and, as Y is an enemy element and not in combat or giving rear support, it must be moved back the minimum distance necessary to get out of the way. See the rules in the first paragraph of page 33.
Figure 12. Legal flank contact: Blades W, X and Y have moved into contact with Spears A-E. Blade W has contacted the flank of Spear A. Although it is unable to end in mutual front corner contact Spear A will turn and face Blade W before close combat. Spear D and E are similarly contacted and will turn to face Blade Y, Spear D ending behind E.
Figure 13. Rear contact: Spear Z has been contacted in the rear by Knight A. It does not turn and face but fights at basic combat factor of 4, -1 for being contacted in the rear and -1 for being unable to recoil, making a nett factor of 2. If Z wins or draws the combat it will turn and face Knight A. If it loses the combat it is destroyed. If A loses, no combat outcomes apply to it.
Figure 14. Moving into corner contact: The Warband column has moved straight forward and contacted the corner of the group of blades. The player controlling the blades has a choice: 1. He may keep Blade X in position and fight as if in front edge contact and overlapped on X's outside flank. 2. Using 80p of PIP free movement he may pivot Blade X and slide it sideways into front edge and corner to corner contact with Warband A.
Figure 15. Legal and illegal starting positions for flank or rear contact: Blade A cannot contact Spear X on its flank edge. Blade C can contact Spear X on its flank edge. Blade B could do so if Blade C was not present. Blade D or Blade E can contact Spear X on its rear edge. Blade D can also contact the flank edge of Spear X.
Figure 16. Conforming into contact and rear support: The column of pikes A-D has made contact with Bow X. Pike A wheels and slides sideways into front edge and front corner to front corner contact with X using 80p of PIP free movement. The elements in column behind A have to bend round to avoid contacting Bow Z but they still count as providing rear support for A in the following close combat. See the close combat rear support rules on page 36.
Distant Combat
Figure 17. Primary shooters and assisting shooters: Bows X and Y shoot at Bow B. Bows A and B shoot at Bow X. Bows X and B are primary shooters as they are shooting at each other. A assists B and Y assists X, as they are within shooting arc and range, and cause a tactical factor of -1 on X and B respectively. The combat factors for both B and X are a basic factor of 2 as they are both being shot at and a tactical factor of -1 for the elements assisting the shooting against them (but not by shooting overhead). This makes for nett combat factors of 1 plays 1.
Figure 18. Shooting and target edges: Bow B is able to shoot at Spear X because it can trace a line from both corners of its shooting edge to a section of the front edge of its target that is at least 40p wide without those lines crossing or going through another element.
Figure 19. Shooting targets and third party shooting: Bows E and G shoot at Bow Y. Bow Y shoots back at G. Bows G and Y are primary shooters as they are shooting at each other. The basic combat factor of both is 2 as they are both the targets of shooting. Bow E assists the shooting of G and causes a -1 tactical factor for Y. Bow F can shoot overhead at Y over an aiding shooter providing a +1 tactical factor for G. The nett combat factors are G at 3 and Y at 1.
Bows C shoots at Bow X assisted by Bow D shooting overhead. Bow X will shoot back at C as it is the target of C. W must shoot at A which can, and therefore must, shoot back (although X is more straight ahead of A). Bow B will assist A by shooting overhead.
Turning to Face
Figure 20. Turning to face a flank contact on a single element: Warband W has contacted Auxilia A on its flank edge and has ended in mutual front corner contact. As Auxilia A is not in front edge contact with any enemy it turns and lines up in front edge contact with Warband W after all tactical or spontaneous movement is completed and before combat.
This time Auxilia A is contacted on its front edge when also contacted on a flank edge. It does not turn to face the flank edge contact but fights Psiloi P with an adverse tactical factor of -1 and if it loses the combat it will be destroyed.
Figure 21. Turning to face a flank contact on two elements: Elements A and B are positioned back to back. As Spear X has contacted A in legal flank contact and has also contacted the flank edge of B then both Blades must turn to face Spear X. B remains behind A when they turn. As A and B were back to back before the flank contact they remain so when they turn. Note: If the blade elements had started facing in the same direction, they would have ended facing the same direction.
Figure 22. Turning to face a flank attack: Warband X has contacted Pikes F, G and H on a flank edge. This has no effect on the combat between Warband W and Pike A as W is still facing a four deep column of pike elements and is still overlapped by Pike E. It is the warband's bound so W's combat factor is 3 -1 for the overlap = 2. Pike A's combat factor is 3 +1 for a second and +1 for a third rank of pike rear support = 5.
Pike F have been legally contacted on a flank edge and are not in combat or providing rear support so must turn to face Warband X. Pike G and H are also contacted on a flank edge by the same attacker and must also turn to move in behind F in its new position. As there is not room to do this in the space available Warband X must move back just enough to make it possible. Warband will have a combat factor of 3. Pike F has a combat factor of 3, +1 for a supporting second rank of pike, +1 for a supporting third rank of pike but also -1 for not being able to recoil = 4.
Figure 23. Flank attacks, turning to face and recoiling when in combat: The group of spears A-F have contacted the group of Auxilia V-X. In the ensuing combat Spear C has forced Auxilia W to recoil. In the following bound Auxilia V moves into partial contact with the flank edge of E and slides sideways into legal front corner to front corner contact using 80p of PIP free movement. There is less than 80p between the flank edge of E and another element (shown in part) and this would not be enough room for an element to move into except when using 80p of PIP free movement to slide sideways into legal contact.
In the following close combat Auxilia V has forced Spear A to recoil. Spear A cannot recoil a full base depth as it can only push back Spear B a short distance before another element that is not facing in the same direction (shown in part) stops its movement. In close combat in the next bound Spear A will count an adverse tactical factor of -1 for being unable to recoil from its current position.
Figure 24a. Attacking kinked lines: The blade group W-Y makes a straight ahead tactical move (the dotted lines show their starting position) and Blade Y contacts Spear D. This ends the group move. Blade Y slides sideways and pivots into legal front edge to front edge and front corner to front corner contact with D. See the rules about extra movement to line up in close combat or in a TZ on page 33.
Figure 24b. Attacking kinked lines: If Spear E was not present Blade Y again contacts Spear D but this time Spear D is a single element and therefore must conform to the contacting group. Part of Spear C is blocking this move so C must move back the minimum distance to allow Spear D to line up in front corner-to-corner contact with Blade Y.
Figure 24c. Attacking kinked lines: The blade group W-Y make a tactical move straight ahead but from a different starting position (shown by the dotted lines). Blade Y contacts the corner of Spear D. As elements W-Y are a group the player controlling Spear D must choose one of the following options: 1. He may keep Spear D in position and fight as if in front edge contact and overlapped once on its outside corner. 2. He may pivot Spear D and slide it sideways into front edge and front corner to front corner contact with Blade Y using 80p of PIP free movement. See page 33.
Figure 25. Defending the edge of difficult terrain: The warband group are defending difficult terrain (only part of the terrain feature is shown and its front edge is the curved line). Although warband are impetuous they are not subject to spontaneous advance as long as they have remained stationary inside the difficult terrain since the start of the game. Any enemy attack on the warband will necessitate enemy elements entering the difficult terrain but not ending their movement completely inside it (as shown by the dotted lined position). This may result in an adverse tactical factor for the attacking element. See pages 20, 30 and 37.
Figure 26. Repulse, recoil, push back or flee: Three regular knight elements A, B and C have contacted Spears X and Y and Bow Z. The knights lose all the combats but are not doubled. (The dotted lines show where the knight elements end the bound.) The player controlling the knights elects for Knight A to be repulsed rather than recoil. A therefore ends a full move away from Spear and facing the enemy. Knight B is unable to be repulsed as Knight D, which it cannot pass through, is in the way so it has to recoil instead. If it had been a little nearer, D would have been pushed back by Knight B's recoil. Knight C has to flee from Bow Z. It first recoils its base depth, then turns 180 degrees and continues its flee move. The flee move is a full move measured between the nearest rear corners from before the recoil to after the flee. See pages 38, 40 and 41.
Quick Reference Sheet
The printed Quick Reference Sheet (copyright Toby Partridge and Phil Barker 2007) is transcribed as printed. It is a condensed summary; in a few places its figures differ from the main text above (for example some move distances), and it is reproduced here without alteration.
Movement
PIP Expenditure (p.27)
- 0: By a first march move this bound if either: entirely along a road without reversing direction; a pike block; naval in GG.
- 1: Each march or tactical move by an element or group. Each halt by a single impetuous, broken or naval element. Each halt by a broken or impetuous group. Each time an element sets-up PO instead of moving.
- 2: Per element (dis)mounting, unless mounted infantry.
- 3: To activate an ally. Changing orders. Triggering an initial feigned flight.
- -1: Group with non-Inert C-in-C. Entirely regular group including sub-general.
- +1: General is absent, out of sight, unreliable or fighting. General is >2000p away (LH) or >800p away (others). Advancing disheartened troops.
- +1: Order change confusion.
- +1: Unresponsive troops (Hd(O) or train). Mixed group of mounted and foot. Already marched 2 (irreg) or 3 (reg) times. Marching into contact with enemy.
- +1: Group wheeling unless a column*.
- +1: Group moving less than full speed*.
- +1: Turning through 180°*.
- +1: Clumsy irregulars: Any marked * above. Any element moves other than straight ahead. Halting to prevent spontaneous or rout.
- +1: Mounted or train embarking; train disembarking.
Tactical and March Move Distances (in paces) (p.29)
| Road | Good | Rough | Difficult | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LH(F) | 640 | 360 | 240 | 160 |
| LH | 640 | 320 | 240 | 160 |
| Cv, Cm, Exp | 480 | 240 | 160 | 80 |
| Kn(F) | 400 | 240 | 160 | 80 |
| El, Kn | 400 | 200 | 160 | 80 |
| Ax, Ps |
Spontaneous Direction must be (p.30)
- Straight ahead towards visible enemy or away from own base edge.
- Into contact or overlap with closest enemy in reach directly ahead or if none, closest enemy element in reach.
- Directly towards baggage or routing enemy < 400p most straight ahead.
- Along road, terrain feature edge, table edge towards enemy base edge.
- If none of the above are possible, the element does not move.
Interpenetration (p.32)
| Moving element | State | Can pass through | If facing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mounted | Not recoiling/pushed back | LH; Any foot except Pk, Hd | Same/Opposite |
| Reg LH or Cv | Repulsed | Reg Cv | Same |
| Ps | Any | Any land | Same/Opposite |
| Ps | Recoiling, repulsed | Any | Any |
| Reg Bd | Any | Reg Bd | Same/Opposite |
| Ax, Bw (not (X)) | Any | Bd | Same |
Spontaneous If (p.30)
- Exp
- Irr - Kn(S/O/F), LH(S), Cm(S), Bd(F), Sp(O), Hd(S/F), Wb(S/O/F)
- Reg Kn(F) in wedge
- Ps in TZ of enemy foot
- Reg Cv alone in ambush
- Any <400p from broken enemy
- Any just crossed hidden obstacles
- Any in a river not fleeing
Combat
Combat Factors
| Mtd | Others | |
|---|---|---|
| El, Exp, Sh | +5 | +4 |
| Sp, Bd, Art shooting, WWg | +4 | +4 |
| Pk, Bw shooting & not shot at | +4 | +3 |
| Bw | +4 | +2 |
| Kn, Cv in close combat | +3 | +4 |
| Cv shot at, Wb, Ax | +3 | +3 |
| LH, Cm, Gal, Shp | +2 | +3 |
| Ps, Hd, Art not shooting, Bge, Bts | +2 | +2 |
| Naval if troops disembarked |
Tactical Factors
- +3: Foot, Art, Bge(O) in TF/PF
- +2: Any manning a PF tower
- +1: Any on a PF wall
- +1: Any manning an upslope TF
- +1: Foot/Train upslope in enemy bound
- +1: Mounted upslope in own bound
- +2: Brilliant stroke
- +1: General
- +1: In contact with own Bge(S)
- +1: Element behind aiding shooting
- -1: Other aiding shooting
- -1: Each flank/rear overlapped or contacted
- -1: Unable to start recoil
- -1: Disadvantaged by weather
- -1: Disheartened or broken
- -1: Shooting into BUA, crags, trees, oasis
- -1: WWg that moved this bound
- -1: Pk(F), Bd, Wb(S/O), Hd(O) in DG
- -1: Mounted, Sp, Pk, train in RG
- -2: Mounted, Sp, Pk, train in DG
- -2: Mounted (not El, LH) fighting over PO
Rear Support
Enemy Bound:
| Your Front Rank is | Your Rear Rank is | Enemy is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| +1 | Sp | Same Sp | El, Kn, Cm, Pk, Bd, Wb |
| +1 | Bd(S/O/I) | Sp or Bd | El, Kn |
| +1 | Bd(S/O) | Bw(S/O) | Foot |
| +1 | Bw(S/O) | Bd(S/O) | Foot |
| +1 | Reg Ax(S) | Reg Ax(S) | Kn |
| +1 | Bw | Same Bw | Any |
| +1 |
| You are | Enemy Front Rank is | Enemy Rear Rank is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| -1 | Any | Kn, Cv | Required double base |
| -1 | Foot | LH(F) | LH(F) |
| -1 | Kn, foot (not Ps) | Wb | Wb |
| -1 | Ax, Sp, Bw, Sh, Hd | Sp(S/O) | Sp |
| -1 | Foot (not Ps), train | Pk(S/O/I) | 4th rank of Pk |
Any Bound:
| Your Front Rank is | Your Rear Rank is | Enemy is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| +1 | Pk | 2nd and 3rd rank Pk | Not Cv, LH, Ps, train |
| +1 | Sh | Sh | Any |
| +1 | Foot | Foot | TF or PF |
Grading
| Bound | Your Score is | Opponent is | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (S) Mounted | Own | Less | Foot in CC | +1 |
| (S) WWg, Bge, naval | Any | Less | Any in CC | +1 |
| (S) | Any | Less | Shooting at you | +1 |
| (S) mounted or foot | Enemy | Equal or less | Mounted in CC | +1 |
| Any | Any | Equal or less | (S) shooting | -1 |
Outcome Exceptions - Flee, Repulse and Spent
- Kn, Beaten: Repulse or recoil vs foot. Flee vs Bw, Sh in CC.
- Cv, Beaten: Repulse or recoil vs Kn, foot. Flee vs Cm, Exp or in DG. Doubled: Repulsed vs train in CC except Art(I). Flee vs naval. Spent vs Sp, Pk, Bd in own bound & GG.
- LH, Beaten: Repulse or recoil vs foot, train. Repulse or recoil vs Kn in own bound. Flee vs Kn, Cm(S) in enemy bound. Flee vs better LH, Exp, Art or in DG. Doubled: Spent vs foot (not Ps(O) or Bw) in GG or RG. Spent vs train or naval. Spent vs Kn in own bound.
- Ps, Beaten: Repulsed vs foot (not Ps). Doubled: Flee vs train or naval. Flee vs mounted in RG or DG. Spent vs foot (not lights or Bw) in GG or RG.
Outcome Exceptions - Destroyed if Beaten in
| Own bound by | Enemy bound by | |
|---|---|---|
| El | Lights, Sh, Art, Cm(X) | Lights, Sh, Art, Cm(X) |
| Exp | Any | Any |
| Kn | El, Exp, Cm, Bd(X) | El, Exp, Cm, Bd(X) |
| Cv | Kn in GG (unless in wedge) | |
| Cm | Exp if they are in GG | |
| Sp, Pk | El | El, Bd, Wb, Ax(S); Exp, Kn, Cm(S) in GG |
| Bd | El | Exp, Kn, Cm(S) in GG, El, Wb |
| Wb | El | El, Exp, Kn, Cm(S), Bd, Ps(S) |