French & Indian War: Solitaire
French & Indian War: Solitaire Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Introduction
French and Indian War Solitaire is a game on the campaigns along the North American frontier from 1755 to 1760. You take the role of either the French against a British Artificial Intelligence (AI) player or the British against a French AI player.
Game Board
On the map, there are four regions that have advancement routes between the British eastern seaboard and French Canada shown by roads connecting town locations on the route. Towns are circles, fortified towns are pentagons and Flag towns are rectangle shapes with British or French flags. British and French armies and militia attempt to advance into and occupy opposing towns by attacking opposing markers defending the towns.
There are 3 Indian tracks on the game board that represent British or French influence over the Indians of the region. Influence is shown by an Indian marker position on the region track, French ally, Neutral, or British ally. When allied with a side the Indians affect attacks in that region. The fourth region is the Atlantic region where ships control affects attacks in that region.
The game board shows tables used for game play.
Game Components
Game markers represent armies, militia, Indians, ships and game trackers.
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Militia - Each side has 1 militia marker in each region. The front side is full strength and back side is reduced strength. The reduced side has a -1 Die Roll Modifier (DRM) applied when they attack an opposing marker in a town. Militia markers may not leave their region.
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Army - Army markers can be in ANY region, limit of 1 per region. Each side has a limited number of Army markers and their DRM can vary. They are placed with the militia marker in the region they are in. They combine their DRM value with militia when attacking an opposing marker in a town. The front side shows the DRM. The back side shows a no supply status which means the army DRM can not be used while in that status.
Player Army markers may only leave the region they are in at the beginning of a new year.
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Indians - Indians are in 3 regions. Indian marker status is tracked in each region they are present. They are either a French ally, neutral or British ally. Attacks made in regions where the Indians are allies of the opposing defending side apply a -1 DRM.
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Atlantic Ocean Control Marker - Ships are used to control the Atlantic Ocean in the Atlantic region. The ship marker shows either French or British control and flips to show control changes. Militia and armies cannot attack an adjacent marker in a town in the Atlantic Region unless they have control of the Atlantic Ocean.
A six sided die is used to determine outcomes/choices and results.
Set Up
The Atlantic Ocean Control marker is placed in the Atlantic region (in the ocean) with the French control side up.
The Indian marker for the Mohawk Region is placed in the neutral space. The Indian markers for the Ohio and Hudson Regions are placed in the French Allies space.
Militia markers are set as follows: British militia; Cumberland, Oneida, Ft. William Henry and Halifax. French militia; Ft. Duquesne, Ft. Frontenac, Ft. Carillon, and Louisbourg. The turn marker is placed on the turn 1 space and the AP available marker is placed on the zero space.
At the beginning of the game the British and French start with 2 armies each. The British +1 DRM and +2 DRM armies and the French +1 DRM and +2 DRM armies. For the player side (British or French) they may be placed in any 2 of the 4 regions with the militia in the region. The player can choose which region to place them. The BOT armies are placed in the same regions the player armies set up and are placed in the town their region militia are in. Set the remaining army markers to the side. They will enter the game later.
Sequence of Play Each Turn
- The player checks the turn track to see if new armies arrive and if the turn allows army transfers between regions. If so, place new armies and make any transfers desired.
- The player consults the turn track for how many Action Points (AP) are available for the turn and places the AP available marker on that number.
- Using the AP available, the player chooses the action or actions to play and complete.
- Roll a die to determine the one BOT action to use for the turn and follow its instructions. Play/apply the BOT action.
- Advance the turn track 1 space. Begin a new turn and repeat the turn sequence.
Beginning a New Year
Player Armies may relocate to another region to start a year. They are placed with the region militia marker (even if "outside and near" their flag town). Once relocations are completed, no region can have more than 1 friendly army.
All reduced militia and out of supply army markers are returned to full strength.
Using Action Points
The player uses AP to play actions, the BOT (British or French) side does not use AP. Player actions available for the side being played are shown on the turn track.
The player can play actions per turn based on the AP received for the turn. AP cannot be saved from turn to turn. It costs 1 AP to play 1 action. Actions are:
- Attack an adjacent opposing militia/army marker in a region town.
- Attack the Atlantic Ocean Control marker to change control.
- Attempt to change the status (influence) of Indians in 1 region.
- Flip a militia marker from reduced strength to full strength.
- Flip an army marker from no supply to full supply.
BOT actions are completed after the player actions are implemented. Roll 1 die and use the results on the BOT (British or French) Action Chart following its instructions.
Resolving Attacks in Regions
Army/Militia attacks on opposing markers in a region town result in an advance for the attacker or no result. The attacking side (player rolls for the BOT side too) rolls 1 die and compares the result to the Advance Result Chart, applying DRMs. For advances the attacking marker(s) advance into the town and the defending marker(s) retreats 1 town. Otherwise there is no result and the attacking and defending markers remain in place.
If the defending markers are forced to retreat from the last town (flag town) in their region, their marker(s) are placed outside and near the town. They may attack and attempt to recover the town on their turns.
Attacks on fortified towns apply a -1 DRM to the die roll result. Attacks on flag towns apply a -2 DRM.
Indians affect attacks on towns in their region. If the DEFENDING side is allied with the Indians in the region of the attack, the attacking side applies a -1 DRM on attacks made by markers in that region.
Example: In the Ohio Region the French side is allied with the Indians of the region and their militia are in Presque Isle. The British attack Presque Isle from Ft. Duquesne with their militia at full strength and an army with a +2 DRM. The British attack die roll will apply a +2 for the British army presence and a -1 for the region Indians being allied with the French.
DRMs applied are cumulative. However, natural die rolls of 1 or 6 may not be modified.
Example: A British attack on a town has a cumulative +3 DRM applied to the attack die roll. If the die roll is a 2 the +3 DRM applied causes a 5 and the attacker will advance. If the die roll had been a 1 the die roll would not be modified and the attacker will not advance.
Attacks on the Atlantic Ocean Control Marker
Attacks on the Atlantic Ocean Control Marker when an opponent controls the Atlantic result in change in control to the attacker or no result. Roll 1 die and a roll of 4, 5, or 6 the attacker wins, flip the control marker from the opposing side to the attacker side. On a roll of 1, 2, or 3 the opposing defender remains in control.
Resolving Attempts to Influence Indians in a Region
Indians in a region are in one of three states: neutral, allies of the British, or allies of the French. To attempt to influence Indians to become neutral or allied requires the expenditure of 1 AP. Roll a die and if the die result is 1, 2, or 3 the attempt has failed and the Indian marker remains in place on the track. If a 4 through 6 is rolled the Indian marker moves one space on the track towards becoming an ally to your side.
Example: In the Ohio Region the Indian marker is in the French Allies space. The British player spends 1 AP and attempts to move the Indian marker towards becoming British Allies. A 4 is rolled resulting in success at influencing the Indians in that region. Move the Indian marker from French Allies to Neutral.
How to Win
The French player or BOT wins the game if they occupy two British flag locations with their armies or militia at the end of any British turn and have none of their flag locations under British control.
The British player or BOT wins the game if they occupy three French flag locations with their armies or militia at the end of any French turn and have none of their flag locations under British control.
Any other result the winner is calculated at the end of turn 20 based on Victory Points earned by each side as follows:
- 4 victory points for each opposing flag location occupied by militia or army markers.
- 2 victory points to the side for each region where Indians are allied with them.
- 1 victory point to the side controlling the Atlantic Ocean.
If the victory points are equal, the French side wins.
Key Game Concepts
- Militia and army markers in the same region must attack, advance and retreat together.
- Any time a BOT action causes a retreat of player markers, the BOT markers advance into the vacated town.
- Region militia with out of supply army units can still attack, they just may not add the army DRM to the attack die roll.
- Reduced Region militia, with or without an army unit, can still attack but they must apply a -1 DRM to the attack die roll.
- Roads connecting flag towns adjacent to each other (ex. New York to Boston) are for aesthetics and are not used in game play.