Horse & Musket: Dawn of an Era
Horse & Musket: Dawn of an Era Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Map and Terrain
- 3. Units
- 4. Set-Up
- 5. Game Turn Sequence
- 6. Command Action Points
- 7. Movement
- 8. Combat
- 9. Leaders
- 10. Victory Conditions
- 11. Unit Special Rules
- 12. Special Scenario Rules
- 13. Formation Rules
- 14. Nationality Rules
- 15. Other Optional Rules
- 16. Using Miniatures
- Play Example: The Battle of Sedgemoor
1. Introduction
Overview
Each battle is fought in a series of Game Turns, each consisting of a pair of player turns. Each player will receive a variable number of Command Action Points, which will enable them to move and fight with the units under their command in pursuit of specific objectives. Different units have different capabilities, and within a unit type, units of different nationalities may have additional advantages and disadvantages, as determined by a collection of period-specific Special Scenario Rules.
The game uses two types of dice: six-sided and ten-sided.
- Ten-sided dice are always used in combat, and called combat dice. The "0" on a combat die is always a "0", not a "10".
- Six-sided dice are used for various other purposes, such as rolling for CAP or morale checks, and are called D6. Only a single D6 is rolled unless indicated otherwise.
A Sandbox Game
The idea behind all these volumes is to provide a flexible, customizable "toolkit" or "sandbox" that players may use to recreate any battle – even hypothetical ones – from the period. To accomplish this, the game abstracts many aspects of battle. Unit size, terrain, and geographic scale are all variable. So is time; each turn is not a fixed duration, but rather is reflective of the time taken to cover a particular episode or set of actions during an engagement. The system therefore sacrifices some aspects of strict historical accuracy for a specific battle to provide a game that is adaptable and provides the right "feel" across battles for the entire period.
Salt To Taste
The core system is supplemented by dozens of optional rules, each of which subtly (and not-so-subtly) shifts some of the parameters of the model, providing different points of emphasis and focus. None of these optional rules are required for play. Playing with these rules does not reflect some sort of "Advanced" or "real" version of the game. In fact, some of these optional rules are mutually exclusive and contradictory, and if you tried to use all of them together, it would result in a directionless mish-mash.
Think of the core ruleset as a hamburger, and the optional rules as a fridge full of fixings. You would not pile everything you have on the burger; the dozens of flavors would be fighting each other. Similarly, you should only use a small handful of optional rules – the ones that best tweak the game toward your playstyle preferences, or that allow you to model an aspect you are interested in exploring – and only after you have internalized the core ruleset.
Getting Started
H&M is both a sandbox game and a historical game, intended to trace the evolution of tactics, doctrine, and technologies across four centuries and several different cultures and military traditions. Because of this, not every scenario is "balanced" as a gameplay experience. Some are lopsided blowouts, plain and simple, and some are oddball battles provided as historical curios. Some also have more Special Scenario Rules than others, making them more complex.
Many gamers are used to learning a new game with the first battle in the scenario book, as this is typically an introductory scenario. This is not the case with H&M! Scenarios are listed in each of the playbooks in chronological order, to demonstrate the evolution – sometimes gradual, sometimes dramatic – of military tactics and weaponry. Playing the Dawn of an Era scenarios in that order is not the best or easiest way to learn the system or to see what it has to offer. To help you learn the game, we have divided these Volume I scenarios into three levels of approachability. You should begin with one or two of the Beginner scenarios before moving onto whichever Intermediate and Advanced battles strike your fancy.
Beginner: Sedgemoor, Killiecrankie, Klissow, Fraustadt, Almansa, Sherrifmuir
Intermediate: Aughrim, La Prairie, Narva, Chiari, Masaglia, Villaviciosa, Glen Shiel
Advanced: Vienna, Fleurus, Neerwinden, Blenheim, Turin, Poltava, Malplaquet
Astute readers will note that the game's first scenario, Vienna, is classified as an Advanced scenario. We're serious here, folks: please don't start with Vienna. And please don't try and play with a bunch of optional rules right away.
2. Map and Terrain
Each H&M battle is played on a 9 x 13 grid of hexagons (hexes). Each hex is identified by a letter-number combination, ranging from A1 in the top-left corner to M9 in the bottom-right. Terrain tiles are placed on the map at set-up to represent the terrain features present on the battlefield. Any hex without a terrain tile is considered Clear terrain.
Terrain may impact movement, combat, stacking, and morale checks, as indicated on the Terrain Effects Chart.
- Hill terrain effects apply hill-to-hill unless specified otherwise in the scenario.
- Entrenchment terrain effects only apply across the three Entrenchment hexsides.
The effects of terrain are indicated on the Terrain Effects Chart as follows:
- Stacking Limit: The number of flags indicates the number of Units that may "stack" together within the hex. In a Clear hex, the Stacking Limit is 2.
- Movement Effect: A red X in the center of the diagram indicates that Units that enter this hex must end their movement, even if they could normally move an additional hex or hexes.
- Line of Sight: A black border around the diagram indicates that the terrain prevents ranged fire from moving through (but not directly to or from) that hex.
- Combat In/Combat Out: The die roll modifier (DRM) applied to combat dice rolled by Units that are fighting into, or out of, that hex, respectively.
- Morale Bonus: DRM for Morale Checks made by Units occupying that hex.
3. Units
Most counters in the game represent the combat units of various armies.
Unit Type: Indicated by the icon and two-letter identifier.
Color: A two-letter code indicating the color of the counter, to disambiguate similar colors.
Volume: Indicates which game the counter belongs to.
Morale Points (Mp): The Unit's basic ability to withstand the rigors of combat. Unless otherwise indicated, the Unit's starting MP value is the black number on the front side of the counter. Units with starting MP values of 3 or 4 have two counters. As it suffers hits, the counter will be flipped or exchanged to show the reduction in its morale; when it has 1 MP left and suffers a further hit, it is normally Eliminated, removing it from play.
Victory Points (Vp): The number of VP scored by your opponent when they cause this Unit to be Eliminated, represented by laurels or half-laurels.
Some information pertinent to a Unit's performance is not listed on the counter, but on the game's Player Aid Card. This includes the Unit's Movement Rate (MR): the number of hexes it can traverse. Units are also rated for various types of combat (ranged, close combat, and charging), with those capabilities also being dependent on the scale of the battle being fought; most use the Battles Chart, but especially small and especially large engagements use the Small and Grand Battles Charts, respectively.
Unit Class
Each type of Unit exists within a broader Unit Class. Some rules apply to all Units within a Unit Class, while others only apply to specific Unit types. For example, there are rules that apply to all Light Footmen, and rules that only apply to Skirmishers – a type of Unit within that Class.
Infantry
People trained to fight in linear formations.
- Line Infantry (LI): The backbone of the armies of the era.
- Elite Infantry (EL): Expertly-trained soldiers capable of great martial feats.
Light Footmen
Foot soldiers lacking the training of Infantry, but better capable of scouting, raiding, and ambushing. Usually a liability in a pitched battle, but they had their moments.
- Highlander (HL): Fierce Scottish warriors known for terrifying charges and novel anti-horse tactics.
- Militia (MI): Locally-raised and ill-trained forces. Not quite Infantry in terms of capabilities, and not quite like other Light Footmen either.
- Irregular (IR): Like Militia, but not really fit for linear battles; really, only good for raiding.
- Skirmisher (SK): Well-trained skirmishing troops.
- Native (NT): Usually troops from non-European cultures, sometimes in conflict with European armies and sometimes serving as auxiliary troops. Often acclaimed scouts and raiders operating with expert knowledge of the local terrain, but a liability in pitched battles.
Horsemen
Soldiers trained to use horses (and, occasionally, other mounts) in battle. They were more important before and after a battle, but when used effectively could be decisive.
- Dragoon (DR): Light, mobile troops, sometimes trained to fight like infantry.
- Cavalry (CV): Heavy horse, mostly used to charge enemy formations.
- Hussar (HU): Light, irregular horse used to scout and raid, but who sometimes found themselves caught in the pitched battles of the era.
Cannons
The long-range guns of the era, usually inaccurate but often necessary for victory.
- Artillery (AR): Light field guns that gave armies a long reach in combat.
- Siege Artillery (SA): Heavy guns used in sieges. These were not mobile and were a liability in pitched battles.
Leaders
Armies of course cannot fight without someone to lead them. Leader Counters come in two types – generic counters, often representing less talented, or at least more obscure, individuals – and specific counters, representing the famous (and infamous) commanders of the day. Leaders are not Units, but do perform certain actions and provide certain benefits.
Each Leader is rated for their tactical skill:
- 0: Incompetent. They have almost no redeeming qualities on the battlefield. The best they can achieve is a pyrrhic victory.
- 1: Competent. Reliable, but will usually lose against more talented or innovative commanders. This sometimes leads to unfair appraisals by later armchair historians.
- 2: Gifted. Capable of exceptional feats, and can often hold their own against better generals, but also capable of grave blunders that will result in defeat.
- 3: Great. These commanders rarely lose a fight and have few weaknesses. They are the true nemesis of the military genius, often able to frustrate – if not stop – their plans.
- 4: Genius. Rarely defeated, they advanced the art of war and won stunning victories. Almost always aided by a cast of gifted and great commanders, which may lead to some denigration by future generations. But the mark of genius is to recognize talent, and use it effectively.
Each Leader counter is double-sided. The side with a black number indicates that the Leader is the Army Commander (see rule 9), while the white number indicates a Subordinate. Some Leaders are Charismatic, indicated by a star on the counter (see rule 9).
4. Set-Up
Each scenario has a diagram indicating the position and types of terrain tiles and Units for that battle. If more than one Unit begins stacked in a hex, or if a Leader is present in a hex, this is indicated by a hex symbol within the diagram. Below the diagram is a list of these hex symbols and their contents.
- If a Unit begins with fewer MP than normal, it will be indicated in the diagram or in the hex coordinates. For example, the red Elite Infantry in the Sedgemoor scenario are specified as "EL3" in the diagram; they begin with 3 MP instead of 4, and can never exceed 3.
- Subordinate Leaders are named in Italics, while Army Commanders are named in bold; Leaders with specific counters are indicated with an asterisk.
- The presence of Victory Point (VP) markers is indicated by a small laurel symbol in the diagram.
The scenario rules will indicate which side goes first (Player A), each side's baseline Command Action Points and Victory Conditions, as well as any Special Scenario Rules that apply.
Stacking Limits
Any number of Leaders can be stacked in a hex. One or two Units may stack in a hex, depending on the terrain type; however, these Units must belong to different Unit Classes. That is, a Skirmisher (Light Footman) and Dragoon (Horseman) can stack in a hex together, but two Skirmishers or two Dragoons cannot.
- When two units of different Classes are attacked in the same hex, the worst modifiers for the defenders are applied.
- In some scenarios, Units may begin stacked in violation of these stacking limits. This reflects a situation unique to that battle and is legal. Once a Unit in the over-stacked hex moves out of the hex, that hex must conform to the regular stacking limits for the remainder of the game.
5. Game Turn Sequence
Each Game Turn consists of two player turns – Player A and Player B. Each player turn unfolds as follows:
- The player accrues Command Action Points (CAP) equal to the number indicated for the scenario, adding them to any stored from a previous turn. They then roll for 1-3 additional CAP.
- The player spends CAP one action at a time, performing allowable actions in any order they desire.
- Both players check for victory.
Before Player A's turn, Player B may attempt to Seize the Initiative (see rule 9).
6. Command Action Points
Each player is given a base number of Command Action Points (CAP) due to the quality of the commanders on their side. At the beginning of your turn, roll D6 for additional CAP:
- 1: +1 CAP.
- 2, 3, 4: +2 CAP.
- 5, 6: +3 CAP.
Add this rolled CAP to your base CAP, and to any stored CAP (see rule 9). This determines how many total CAP you have available to spend on your turn.
- CAP is expended to activate Units or Leaders one at a time to take actions (see Actions Table above).
- Each Unit or Leader may only take a single action per turn.
- Each Unit or Leader must completely resolve its action before the next Unit is selected.
- Some actions are not available to all Units/Unit Classes.
- Once per turn, a Unit that begins its action stacked with its Army Commander may perform an action for one less CAP. This must be done while you still have at least one CAP remaining.
Note that the available actions, and costs of these actions, may differ from one volume to the next!
7. Movement
Most Units may move a maximum of a single hex when activated to Move. The exceptions, as listed on the Player Aid Card, are:
- Skirmishers and Native troops move up to two hexes.
- Dragoons and Cavalry move up to three.
- Hussars and Leaders move up to four.
- Siege Artillery cannot move at all.
Movement is conducted one hex at a time, and is from hex to adjacent hex. Some terrain types may stop movement for the turn upon entry. Players may not violate stacking limits, even temporarily, while conducting movement (though note again the exception in rule 4 regarding hexes that begin overstacked).
Units may freely move through Leader units, and Leaders (friendly or enemy) do not block movement for any unit. If a Leader is alone in a hex when an enemy Unit enters it, the Leader is immediately moved to the hex of the closest friendly Unit (if equidistant, owner's choice).
Ambush Reaction
Moving (or Charging) adjacent to an enemy Light Footman (but not Militia) or Hussar that occupies a Woods, Hill, or Swamp hex allows them to attempt an Ambush on your unit. It costs no CAP for your opponent to make this attempt, but a given Unit may only attempt Ambush once per turn. The Ambushing player rolls D6:
- 1, 2: Ambush succeeds. Ambushing Unit immediately rolls combat dice on the Close Combat column against the moving Unit (no morale check, no Defensive Fire).
- 3 – 5: Ambush fails.
- 6: Ambush fails, and Ambushing Unit loses 1 MP.
After resolving the attempt (and Ambush, if successful), the moving Unit continues to resolve its action (if it survived!).
Skirmish Action
The Skirmish Action can be performed by Irregulars, Highlanders, Horsemen, and (wait for it) Skirmishers. This action allows them to do one of the following:
- Move a single hex, and then Fire.
- Fire, and then Move a single hex.
These Units may still fire after entering a hex that requires them to cease movement.
These troops can fire at an adjacent unit, and then move away, avoiding a counterblow. Take care when using this along with the Optional Facing Rules! It's almost never a good idea to move these Units directly into the front center hex of good order Infantry or Cavalry!
8. Combat
There are three kinds of combat in the game, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.
- Fire Combat is initiated via a Fire or Skirmish Action. It can be performed from a distance, and does not allow the enemy to respond, but it is harder to inflict a decisive blow.
- Close Combat is initiated via a Close Combat Action. This mostly represents high-intensity up-close firefights rather than a hand-to-hand melee – though bayonets might see use! This is more likely to inflict casualties, but first requires you to close the distance on a previous turn, and to withstand sometimes murderous Defensive Fire.
- Charge is initiated via a Charge Action. This allows you to rapidly move to a distant enemy and then execute a fierce attack. This may however subject you to Defensive Fire (though not from artillery) or a Counter-Charge.
Combat in General
Though the circumstances and procedure of each type of Combat differ, the core mechanics are the same: the player finds the column that corresponds to that combat type on the Battles, Small Battles, or Grand Battles Chart, and rolls a number of combat dice, applying modifiers. Units usually roll three combat dice, but there are exceptions:
- If a Unit's MP value is 1 (1 or 2 for Infantry Class), it rolls two combat dice. Highlanders are not subject to this rule.
- Elite Infantry roll +1 combat dice (so, four dice at 3 or 4 MP, three at 1 or 2) at R1 and in Close Combat.
- Blue/Gray Box: If the Unit's box in that column is shaded blue or gray, it rolls a maximum of one die.
- Red Box: Line Infantry with a red box roll four dice at 3 or 4 MP. Note that this ability doesn't show up until Volume III, so be patient.
The appropriate Battle Chart will indicate the minimum roll needed to score a hit. For example, a "7" means that any combat dice that roll a modified 7, 8, or 9 will result in a hit. Regardless of modifiers, a "natural" roll of "9" will always score a hit, and a natural roll of "0" will always miss.
For each hit scored, the target loses 1 MP. If two units are in the targeted hex, hits are applied one at a time to the current highest MP (owning player decides if tied).
Terrain Modifiers
Each terrain tile may provide a Combat In or Combat Out modifier. When Firing at R2 or R3, use both the Combat Out modifier of the Firing Unit's hex, and the Combat In modifier of the target's hex, applying the net modifier. Otherwise, only use the Combat In modifier for the hex of the inactive side.
Yes, this also applies when performing Defensive Fire against a Charge or Close Combat; the combat is considered to be taking place "in" the hex itself. Exception: when performing Defensive Fire while occupying an Entrenchment or Fort hex, no modifier is applied; the attacker never derives any benefit from this terrain.
Morale Checks
As a result of combat, Units may be called upon to make morale checks by rolling a D6: if the modified result exceeds the Unit's MP (itself modified by terrain and Leaders), the Unit fails the check. A natural "6" always fails, but a natural "1" does not always succeed. What success or failure means depends on the circumstances triggering the check.
Fire Combat
Fire Combat is performed at three ranges:
- R1: One hex distant (i.e., adjacent)
- R2: Two hexes distant
- R3: Three hexes distant
Note that not all Units have the capability to fire at all ranges, and that allowed ranges may change depending on the Battle Chart used.
To perform Fire Combat, the player must demonstrate a clear Line of Sight (LOS). This is defined as a straight line from the center of the firing Unit's hex to the target hex, free of intervening hexes containing blocking terrain and/or units.
- Blocking terrain is indicated on the Terrain Effects Chart by a black border.
- If LOS is traced along the spine shared between two hexes, and both have blocking terrain/Units, then LOS is blocked. If only one of these hexes contains blocking terrain/Units, then LOS is clear.
With the exception of Cannon Class Units, a Unit must fire at the nearest target; i.e., you cannot fire at R2 if a valid target exists at R1. If equidistant, the acting player chooses.
Fire Combat Special Cases
- Dragoons and Hussars (but not Cavalry) may attempt to Withdraw, making a morale check. If it succeeds, the Unit is moved one hex away. The attacker may still Fire upon that Unit if it is still in range, or may select another target; the Dragoon or Hussar cannot Withdraw again during the same action. If no target exists, the CAP spent to Fire is wasted.
- At R3 or greater (R2 or greater in Grand Battles), targets are immune to destruction: they ignore all hits inflicted by that Fire Combat once they are down to 1 MP.
- If the target's hex is vacated as a result of R1 Fire Combat (not Defensive Fire), the attacking Unit may advance into the vacated hex (but Cannon never advance).
Close Combat
Upon declaring Close Combat, perform the following steps:
- Defender Morale Check
- Defensive Fire (if Morale Check passed)
- Attacker Close Combat Roll
- Defender Retreat (if Morale Check failed)
- Attacker Advance (if hex vacated)
When the Defender makes their Morale Check, they apply the relevant terrain and Leader modifiers. If Infantry and Cannons are stacked together, the Infantry Class Unit checks first. If they pass, the Cannon passes automatically. If they fail, then the Cannon must check separately.
- If the Morale Check is passed, the Defender rolls Fire combat dice at R1 against the attacker. Note that if both Units in a hex pass their check, both will have this opportunity to Fire.
- If the Morale Check is failed, that Unit does not perform Defensive Fire, and if they survive the attacker's Close Combat roll, they must Retreat.
If the hex is vacated, the acting Unit must enter the hex – even if they'd rather not! (As always, Cannon never advance.)
Close Combat Special Cases
- If an Infantry Class Unit declares Close Combat on a Light Footman or Horseman Class Unit, the target may attempt Withdraw instead of Defensive Fire. Before making their Morale Check, the owning player announces if it is to attempt Withdraw or to attempt Defensive Fire. If the Withdraw Morale Check passes, the Unit moves one hex. If this vacates the hex, the acting Unit advances, and its action is over. If it fails, the Unit cannot attempt Defensive Fire, and must Retreat after taking their lumps from the enemy. Dragoons and Hussars are considered to have 4 MP when making this Withdraw Morale Check.
- Highlanders targeted by Close Combat that do not attempt Withdraw, in addition to rolling Defensive Fire (if they pass that morale check), roll their own Close Combat dice, simultaneous with the enemy's Close Combat roll.
Charge Combat
Charge Combat is restricted to Horsemen and Highlanders. To perform the Charge, the Unit:
- Cannot be adjacent to any enemy Units.
- Must have a clear LOS to the target hex.
- Cannot Charge through Terrain that would require them to stop movement.
- Must be within Charge Range of the target.
Charge Range measures the number of hexes that would need to be traversed to become adjacent to the target. The maximum Charge Range for a given Unit at a given scale is indicated in a hex on its box of the Charge column:
- Highlanders/Cavalry: 1 (2 in Small Battles)
- Dragoons/Hussars: 2 (3 in Small Battles)
Cavalry in H&M represent the various types of "Heavy Horse," such as cuirassiers, employed by armies of this time. These are large men on large horses. Further, what constitutes a "charge," particularly at the beginning of the period, was often not the charge at the gallop, shock-oriented action portrayed in movies. Very often this heavy cavalry "charge" was a "caracole" or some variant of it, involving riding close to the enemy and discharging pistols, followed either by a short-range charge, usually at the trot, or a withdrawal to reload pistols. This is contrasted with the longer distance, more skirmishing-oriented tactics of the light cavalry (hussars in game terms) and dragoons. Heavy cavalry "charges" are slower and cover less ground, and so have a shorter charge range than hussars and dragoons.
After demonstrating a valid movement path to the target, the Unit is moved adjacent to the target hex. Note that this is not considered "movement", and therefore allows Highlanders to exceed their Movement Rate of 1 when performing a Charge in a Small Battle (but Charging can, however, trigger an Ambush). After resolving the Charge, if the target hex is vacated, the charging Unit must advance into the hex.
How the charge is resolved depends on the Unit Class that occupies the target hex.
- Infantry: Makes a morale check for Defensive Fire/Retreat as they would for Close Combat.
- Highlanders: Makes a morale check for Defensive Fire/Retreat or Withdraw/Retreat as they would for Close Combat, but treat their morale as 4 MP. Highlanders targeted by Charge that do not attempt Withdraw, in addition to rolling Defensive Fire (if they pass that morale check), roll their own combat dice, simultaneous with the enemy's Charge roll; in this special case, the Highlanders only score hits on a 7+.
- Other Light Footmen: Automatically fails their morale check (do not roll) and must Retreat if they survive the Charge.
- Cannon: Automatically fails their morale check (do not roll) and must Retreat if they survive the Charge. (But see note below.)
- Horsemen: Makes one morale check, either to Withdraw or to Countercharge (failure: must Retreat if they survive the Charge).
A Note on Cannon: At the beginning of the period covered by the game, cannon were heavy, slow to load/fire, and manned by civilian contractors not soldiers. As such they do not have the morale or steadiness to face down charging horsemen. Usually, the artillerymen scattered and took shelter either under their pieces or with nearby infantry. This rule is modified in later entries in the series (starting with Volume III) as the quality of artillery and the professionalism of artillerymen increased.
When attempting Withdraw from a Charge:
- Dragoons and Hussars have 4MP. Apply a -1 DRM to the check for Dragoons, and a -2 DRM for Hussars.
- If Horsemen pass the check but roll equal to their modified morale, they suffer one hit before Withdrawing.
If an attempt to Countercharge is successful, both sides roll combat dice on the Charge column, with hits being simultaneous.
Horsemen Clear Terrain Bonus: If Horsemen are Charging into clear terrain, they get a +1 modifier to their combat dice.
Charge Sequencing
When there are two Units in a target hex, each which may react differently to the Charge, the timing might create ambiguity, and for that purpose, we have provided the following sequence.
- Both target Units make morale checks as needed.
- Defensive Fire.
- Withdraw.
- Attacker Combat Dice (simultaneous with Countercharge or Highlander combat).
- Retreat.
Retreat & Withdraw
Retreat is the act of the defender moving one hex away from the attacking Unit after combat has been resolved as the consequence of a failed morale check. Withdraw is the act of an eligible defender performing the same movement before combat, when they pass that morale check.
Units may Retreat or Withdraw in any direction so long as they move away from the attacking Unit and do not enter a hex that is occupied by an enemy Unit. They may move to a hex that is adjacent to other enemy Units, but doing so triggers another morale check; if they fail, they lose 1 MP.
No Retreat: If unable to retreat (all possible retreat paths are blocked by impassable terrain, board edge, or enemy Units), the Unit loses 1 MP automatically. If not Eliminated, they remain in place.
Displacement: If the Unit's retreat path is into a friendly-occupied hex, but its Retreat would violate stacking limits, a friendly Unit in that hex may itself retreat to make room for the retreating Unit. If this happens, both the Retreating and the displaced Unit must make a morale check; if they fail, they are still displaced/retreated, but lose 1 MP. Note that if the new hex for either Unit is adjacent to an enemy, that Unit must make another such morale check per the normal procedure.
9. Leaders
Leaders are not Units, and as such cannot Fire, Close Combat, or Charge. But on a given turn, they can do one (and only one) of the following:
- Move, for 0 CAP.
- Rally a Unit, for 1 CAP (if the Leader is Charismatic, they may Rally a Unit for 0 CAP).
Leaders also provide bonuses for morale checks for Units they are stacked with.
Rally Action
A Unit that has had its MP reduced (usually as the result of combat) may be Rallied by a Leader if:
- It is not a Cannon Class Unit.
- It begins and ends its turn in the same hex as the Leader, and the Leader begins and ends its turn in that same hex.
- It does not perform any actions this turn.
- It is not adjacent to any enemy Units.
The Unit regains 1 MP. No Unit can regain more than 1 MP per turn, and no Unit may regain MP in excess of the MP they started the battle with.
Rallying a Unit costs 1 CAP. If the Leader is Charismatic (star on counter), they Rally the Unit for 0 CAP.
Leaders in Combat
When a Unit is stacked with a Leader and called upon to make a morale check, their morale value is increased by the Leader's Rating (0-4). If multiple Leaders are stacked in a hex, only the highest Leader's rating is used.
If the Units in a Leader's hex are attacked, and they Withdraw, the Leader may Withdraw with them for free. If Leader(s) on either side remain in their original hex when combat dice are rolled, you must check for Leader Casualties if one of the following occurs:
- When either player rolls a natural "5" on any combat die.
- When all Units in the hex are Eliminated, leaving the Leader alone in the hex.
Even if both conditions apply, or if multiple fives are rolled on combat dice, roll a D6 once for each Leader involved in the combat: if the result is "1", the Leader is Eliminated. If the check was triggered by the Leader being alone in the hex, and the Leader survives, place them with the nearest friendly Unit (owner's choice if equidistant).
If a Leader is Eliminated, that side's base CAP is reduced by 1 for all turns going forward. This penalty is cumulative: each Leader you lose results in a -1 to your base CAP (but this can never be reduced below 0).
A Leader left alone in a hex may be attacked by an enemy Unit. The enemy rolls their combat dice, and if a natural "5" is rolled, check for a Leader Casualty as above. If an enemy Unit enters the Leader's hex, immediately move the Leader to the nearest hex occupied by a friendly Unit.
Army Commanders
Each scenario has an Army Commander (AC), indicated in bold in the scenario instructions. Use the side with the black Leadership Rating. ACs have some additional capabilities:
- They may store CAP from turn to turn.
- They may reduce the CAP cost for one Unit in their hex.
- They may attempt to Seize the Initiative.
CAP Storage
If the AC does not Move or perform a Rally Action, and does not participate in any kind of Combat, they may at the end of the turn store CAP equal to their Leadership Rating, which will carry over to the next turn.
CAP Reduction
Once per turn before total CAP reaches zero, the AC may reduce the CAP cost of an action by a single Unit that begins its Action in the same hex as the AC.
Seize the Initiative
Before Player A rolls for additional CAP, Player B may attempt to use their AC to seize the initiative. If successful, Player B will go first this turn, and Player A will go second.
- This attempt costs 1 CAP, which naturally must have been stored on the preceding turn.
- Both players roll D6 and add their AC's Leadership Rating. High roll wins; if tied, Player A wins.
- The number of seizure attempts Player B can make over the course of the entire game is limited to their AC's rating. However, if the AC is replaced, there is a fresh slate of seizure attempts available, equal to the new AC's rating.
AC Replacement
If the AC is Eliminated, and there is another Leader for that side, that Leader may attempt to take overall command, becoming the new AC. After rolling for CAP, but before performing any Actions, roll D6. If the roll is equal to or less than that Leader's Rating, they succeed and become the new AC. If they fail, the Leader may spend 1 CAP to make a second attempt that turn. If there are multiple remaining Leaders, the Leader with the most Units present of their nationality (counter color) is the one that must attempt to become AC (if tied, owner's choice).
Foreign Leaders
Unless otherwise noted, Leaders of different nationalities cannot confer any benefits to Units not of the same nationality.
10. Victory Conditions
Each scenario has its own set of victory conditions, usually based on the accumulating of Victory Points (VP). VPs are generally awarded for Eliminating enemy Units and Leaders; a Unit is Eliminated when its MP falls below 1, removing it from the game.
- Units are worth the amount of VP (½, 1, or 2) indicated by the laurels printed on the 1 MP side of their counter.
- Leaders with a rating of 3 or 4 are worth 2 VP; all others, 1 VP.
- Conditional VP is provided by occupying certain hexes, usually marked with a Victory Point marker, each worth 1 VP unless otherwise noted. So long as the enemy occupies that hex, they earn that VP; when the hex is vacated, the VP is lost.
Generally, one side must obtain a certain number of VPs within a certain number of turns, or they lose the scenario. If there are no time constraints, and victory becomes impossible for both sides, then it is a draw.
11. Unit Special Rules
The following Units have special capabilities.
Elite Infantry
- They roll +1 combat die at R1 and in Close Combat.
- They apply a -1 DRM to their morale checks.
- If they are to be Eliminated for any reason, roll a D6: on a 1 or 2, the Unit remains in place at 1 MP.
Skirmishers
- If they are to be Eliminated for any reason, roll a D6: on a 1 or 2, the Unit remains in place at 1 MP.
Baggage/Supply Train
If a VP marker (or a Baggage marker from Volume II onward) is designated as a Baggage or Supply Train, it costs 2 CAP to activate for a one hex move. It cannot enter swamp or river hexes unless a bridge is present.
12. Special Scenario Rules
It is through the Special Scenario Rules (SSRs) that the game simulates the shifts in technology and doctrine that the game is all about. Each scenario will list the rules that apply to the various nationalities. The rules themselves are listed on the Player Aid Card.
Scenarios will often list all Special Scenario Rules that apply to a given nationality's armed forces at the time of the battle – even if those rules don't apply to that specific battle. For example, the Chiari scenario indicates that the Grand Alliance nationalities are subject to the Rigid Artillery SSR, but there aren't any Artillery Units present at that battle. The intent here is twofold: one, to aid scenario designers in creating other scenarios for those nationalities set in the same period, and two, to alert tinkerers who wish to explore hypotheticals: how would such-and-such a battle have differed if so-and-so had cannon? Well, if you do that, you'll want to apply the Rigid Artillery rule.
We cannot stress this enough: for your first few games, please use the core rules only. I know almost every rulebook says this, and you ignore that and jump right in for the "real stuff", but we really mean it this time! Once you have gotten a grip on the core rules, you can add one or more of the optional rules that follow. These are designed to be added a la cart, as suits your playstyle, interests, and experience level, but if you want to ease into it, we suggest starting with some of the Formation Rules… after you've mastered the core rules.
13. Formation Rules
These rules add some complexity but increase the game's decision space. You can use the Line & Column and Facing Rules together, or you can use them separately.
Line & Column
Units exist in two kinds of Formation, Line or Column:
- Horsemen, Infantry, and Militia can be in either Line or Column Formation.
- All other Units may only be in Line Formation.
Formation is selected at the start of the battle, and may be changed by using one point of movement.
- Line Formation is indicated by turning the counter to face a hexside.
- Column Formation is indicated by turning the counter to face a vertex.
- If also using the Facing Rules, the hexside or vertex faced will determine the front, flank, and rear hexsides for the Unit.
When in Column Formation:
- Fire Combat: Enemies attacking a hex containing these Units get a +1 DRM to their combat dice. Horsemen in Column get a +1 DRM to their combat dice against a hex containing other Horsemen. These modifiers are cumulative: Horsemen in Column firing on other Horsemen in Column therefore get a +2.
- Close Combat: Units in Column get a -1 DRM on their morale checks. Infantry in Column get a +1 DRM to their combat dice.
- Charge: Horsemen in Column get a +1 DRM to their combat dice, and a -1 DRM for their Countercharge morale checks.
When in Line Formation:
- Fire Combat: Infantry in Line get a +1 DRM to their combat dice. Horsemen in Line get a -1 DRM to their combat dice, and enemies attacking a hex containing Horsemen in Line get a -1 DRM to their combat dice.
- Close Combat: Infantry and Horsemen get a -1 DRM to their combat dice.
Facing Rules
With these rules, Units have a specific facing within their hex, and may only Move and initiate Combat (of any kind) via their frontal hexes. If also playing with the Line & Column Rule:
- Units in Column have two frontal hexes.
- Units in Line have three frontal hexes. This is also true of all Units if not playing with Line & Column.
When entering a hex, Units may change their facing in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction in increments of 60°:
- Artillery, Militia, and Infantry Class Units are limited to a single 60° "click".
- Cavalry are limited to two clicks – up to 120°.
- Siege Artillery cannot change facing at all.
- All other Units can change facing with no limitation.
A Unit can be activated to "Move", spending CAP accordingly, but may instead change their facing without actually leaving the hex. Withdrawing and Retreating Units maintain their original facing and formation status (unless using the Disorderly Retreat rule). Advancing Units cannot change their facing when they advance into the new hex.
A Unit's Facing also determines its Flank and Rear hexes. When Units are attacked via their Flank or Rear hexes:
- They cannot perform Defensive Fire, cannot Countercharge, and cannot Withdraw, and Highlanders do not roll simultaneous combat dice.
- They still however must make a morale check, and should they fail, must Retreat after combat.
- Units attacking your Flanks roll one extra combat die. Units attacking your Rear roll two extra combat dice.
Line Formation & Terrain Rule
This rule can be used with the Line & Column Rule. If a Unit in Line at 2 MP or more enters any hex with a terrain tile, it must make a morale check; if it fails, it loses 1 MP. Units in Line at 1 MP do not make this check, and therefore a Unit cannot be Eliminated in this fashion. This does not apply to Advances.
Disorderly Retreat Rule
This rule can be added if playing with both the Line & Column and Facing Rules. When a Unit fails its morale check and is forced to retreat, if the roll is at least double its MP, the Unit Retreats in Column Formation, with its frontal hexes turned directly away from the Unit that forced the Retreat. Otherwise, the Unit Retreats but maintains their original facing and formation status.
14. Nationality Rules
In addition to the Special Scenario Rules, each volume provides optional Nationality Rules to model training and tactics with slightly more detail. These rules always apply to that Nationality (unless otherwise noted), and are found in the Player Aid for each Volume. There are eighteen such rules for Volume I.
15. Other Optional Rules
Combat at R1
When Infantry, Light Footmen, or Horsemen perform Fire Combat at R1, both sides may have the opportunity to fire. The inactive player decides whether they want to fire first or second.
- If the side that fires first inflicts two or more hits, the other side does not get to fire.
- If the side that fires first inflicts one hit or less, the other side fires, with a +1 DRM.
- If attacked in the flank, the inactive side still gets to fire, but does so with a -1 DRM (if they are firing second, this nets to +0 DRM).
If two Units are in the targeted hex, both get to fire back.
Special cases:
- If Native troops or Skirmishers are in a Swamp, Woods, Hill, or Town terrain, and they fire at R1, the targeted Unit(s) do not get to fire back unless they are themselves Natives, Skirmishers, or Hussars.
- If Infantry, Light Footmen, or Horsemen fire on Cannon, the defending Cannon does get to fire back, but the reverse is not true; if Cannon is attacking, the targeted Units do not get to fire back.
Randomized Combat at R1
If using the Combat at R1 rule, instead of the inactive player deciding who fires first, both players roll a D6, adding Nationality-based modifiers:
- +1: Britain, Netherlands, Prussia
- +0: Austria, Denmark, France, Savoy, Saxony
- -1: Bavaria, Germany, Jacobite, Poland, Spain, Sweden
- -2: Portugal, Rebel, Russia, Turkey
If more than one Nationality is present in the hex, apply both modifiers to the D6 roll. If the result is tied, the inactive player goes first.
Retreat in R1 Fire Combat
If Infantry, Light Footmen, or Horsemen roll one or more natural "0" results on their combat dice at R1, the rolling Unit must Retreat one hex.
- If using Formation and/or Facing rules, they maintain the same Formation and Facing.
- If using Combat at R1, and the retreating Unit was the first side to fire, the second side gets to fire before the Retreat. If both sides roll natural "0" results, only the first to do so Retreats.
Random Events
If when rolling for additional CAP, a player rolls a "1", a Random Event also occurs. Roll two D6, sum the result, and cross-reference with this table.
- 2: If an unused swamp tile is available, place it in a river or clear hex of your choice.
- 3: If rolled after Turn 5: Enemy Cannon have a -1 DRM on all combat dice for the rest of the scenario. This result is cumulative. If rolled on Turns 1-5, treat as Random Event "7" instead.
- 4: Bad Weather. Roll D6; for this number of turns, all Units have their movement reduced by one (but not less than one), and roll two fewer dice (but not less than one) in Fire Combat.
- 5: Activate one Unit for any eligible action for 0 CAP this turn.
- 6: Re-roll all misses in one Fire Combat this turn.
- 7: One Unit rolls one extra combat die this turn.
- 8: Choose an enemy Unit; it may not be activated during your opponent's next turn.
- 9: One Unit may move through stopping terrain without stopping.
- 10: If playing with Combat at R1 and/or Randomized Combat at R1, during one Fire Combat the attacker chooses who fires first. Treat as no event if not using this rule.
- 11: One Unit rallies for free, without a Leader present.
- 12: Choose one enemy Unit and activate it as if it is your own for any one action at no CAP cost (can you say friendly fire?). This Unit may be activated by the opponent on the following turn.
Leader Re-Rolls
Over the course of the game, each player may re-roll a combat die that misses, doing so a number of times equal to the AC's Rating. These are lost if the AC is Eliminated and are not regained if a new AC takes command.
Subordinate Leadership
A Subordinate Leader (not AC) may reduce the CAP cost of an action by 1 CAP for a single Unit that begins its Action in the same hex. Announce the action and the Unit, and then roll D6. If the result is less than or equal to the Leader's Rating, the CAP reduction is applied. If the result is greater than the Leader's Rating, you must pay the full cost of the action.
Locked in Combat
Two or more opposed Units that are adjacent to each other are Locked In Combat. Unless forced to do so by the result of combat, they must first pass a morale check to Move, change Facing, or change Formation.
Horsemen/Infantry Stacking
If Infantry and Horsemen occupy the same hex, each roll one less combat die in all kinds of combat. This penalty also applies when Horsemen are Charging out of that hex. However, if enemy Horsemen attempt to charge a hex containing both Infantry and Horsemen, the enemy must first pass a morale check. If they fail, they cannot Charge, and the CAP expended is wasted.
Charge Momentum
During a Charge, if the target hex is vacated, the Horsemen may, after advancing into the vacated hex, and at the expenditure of 1 CAP, conduct Close Combat against an adjacent Unit (yes, it can be the same Unit(s) that vacated the hex!).
Leader Bonus Movement
If a Leader begins its turn stacked with a Unit, and that Unit is activated to Move (not Skirmish), roll D6. If the result is equal to or lower than the Leader's Rating, the Unit may move an additional hex.
Good Days and Bad Days
Before each scenario, roll a combat die for each Leader:
- 0: Leader's rating is reduced by 2.
- 1-2: Leader's rating is reduced by 1.
- 3-6: Leader's rating is as printed.
- 7-8: Leader's rating is increased by 1.
- 9: Leader's rating is increased by 2.
No Leader's Rating may be lowered below 0, or increased above 4.
Command Range
When a Unit is more than three hexes from a friendly Leader of its Nationality (or a Leader that ignores the Foreign Leaders rule), it must pass a morale check to Move, Skirmish, Charge, or change its Facing. If it fails, the Unit does not perform the action, still spends the CAP, and is done for the rest of the turn. Woods, Swamp, and Town hexes count as two hexes for the purpose of Command Range.
Leaders in Combat
If a Leader is stacked with a Unit that Fires, Charges, or declares Close Combat, you may spend 1 CAP to allow the Leader to roll a single combat die. The Leader scores a hit if the roll is equal to or less than their Rating. If the Leader rolls a 9, roll another combat die: if the result is 0-2, the Leader is Eliminated.
Ammunition
If a Unit rolls a natural "1" in Fire Combat, the Unit begins running out of ammunition. For the rest of the scenario, they roll one less combat die in Fire Combats. You may on a subsequent turn spend 1 CAP to activate the Unit; they do not perform any action, but regain use of their normal combat dice.
Second Order
A Unit that has already been activated may be activated for a second action if it passes a morale check. If the check fails, the Unit does not activate a second time, and the CAP is wasted. A Unit may not be activated more than twice per turn.
16. Using Miniatures
Given the flexibility and abstraction of the ruleset, H&M also works well with miniatures. To do so, you'll need some appropriately sized miniatures, the mapsheet, the terrain tiles (or appropriately-scaled terrain pieces), and some means to track MP for each Unit.
Scale & Size
Given the abstract, episodic nature of the system, miniature ground-scale is not a focus. Players should use miniatures that will allow two Units to comfortably occupy the same hex, with some room left over for markers. We have found that 2mm to 6mm figures seem to work best, though anything up to 15mm can work with appropriate basing.
You will also need to ensure that you have miniatures that are distinct enough to reflect the different troop types in the game: Line and Elite Infantry should be distinct from each other and from the various types of Light Footmen, for example, as should Cavalry from Dragoons and Hussars. Using game markers in conjunction with your miniatures can help differentiate them (see below).
Basing
The primary concern with basing when using miniatures with H&M is to keep the bases small enough to allow two combat Units, a Leader, and some markers in a hex. 25mm x 25mm probably works best (depending on the size of your minis), and we would not recommend exceeding 40mm x 20mm. In any case, the bases should have a clear front, flanks, and rear if you intend to use the optional Formation rules (highly recommended with miniatures!).
Markers
One of the simplest ways to use markers when playing with minis is to just use the counters from the game itself, placing the appropriate counter adjacent to the miniature, adjusting it as MP levels change during play. A D6 or D4 can also be used to track MP, or wooden and plastic cubes can be used to denote "hits" against a Unit's MP.
Play Example: The Battle of Sedgemoor
This play example will take you through two sample turns using the Battle of Sedgemoor. You can find this scenario on page 2 of the Scenario Book. Our two players are Anne and Stuart. Stuart wants to play the Stuart Royalists – or, as he insists on calling them, "Stuart's Stuart Royalists". Anne rolls her eyes and agrees to play the Monmouth Rebels.
Before they begin, both players check the Special Scenario Rules. They're going to be using the Small Battles Chart. Infantry on both sides are armed with pikes. Anne notes that she doesn't actually have any Infantry, but that this rule is here in case they want to tinker, or create other battles using these forces. Anne's Rebels additionally have Matchlocks, Inferior Horsemen, and Inferior Artillery. The Royalist Militia Units cannot move during the first two turns. But Stuart only has three Militia, so that's not a huge concern. In fact, Stuart has several Infantry and Elite Infantry Units, and though they start at 3 MP instead of 4, this still gives him an advantage over Anne's scrappy hodge-podge of Irregulars and Militia.
But then they take a look at the Victory Conditions. To win, Stuart needs to either Eliminate all of Anne's Units (not counting Leaders), or he needs to eliminate her main Leader, Monmouth. By contrast, all the Rebels need to do is score 3 VP. Both sides only have twelve turns in which to accomplish this, otherwise both players lose.
First Turn
Rebel Player Turn
Anne's Rebels have the first go, with a base CAP of 4. She begins her turn by rolling the D6 for additional CAP. Her lucky roll of "5" gives her three more, for a total of 7 CAP.
She opens the battle by activating her Artillery in F4 for a Fire Action. This costs her a single CAP. Her target is the Elite Infantry in F6. At a range of two in Small Battles, her Artillery hits on an eight or better. Normally she would roll three combat dice, but since she has Inferior Artillery, she only rolls two. Both the Artillery and its target are in Clear terrain, so there is no Combat In or Combat Out terrain modifiers. She rolls a "1" (a miss!) and a "9" (a hit!). Stuart grumbles as he swaps the 3 MP Elite Infantry counter with a 2 MP.
If she can Eliminate that damaged Elite Infantry, Anne will score 2 VP. Again, she only needs 3 to win. She figures her best bet is to close and attack that Unit as quickly as possible. She uses 1 CAP to activate the Militia in G4, moving it to G5. Militia only can move a single hex per turn, but even if it could move further, it would have to stop when it entered this River terrain. If the Unit in G4 had been an Irregular, Anne could have used a Skirmish action to both Move and Fire, but Militia does not have that capability, and so is going to have to suffer the tender mercies of Stuart's Infantry.
Anne has five CAP left. She moves the Militia in H4 to H5, the Dragoons in I4 to I5, and the Militia in E3 to D4, each for one CAP. All these moves are in anticipation of combat to happen on her next turn. These moves leave her with two CAP. She figures she's going to need extra CAP if she wants to conduct Close Combat, so she elects to save the 2 CAP with her AC, Monmouth. She can do this because Monmouth has neither moved nor rallied this turn, and has a rating of two.
Royalist Player Turn
Stuart begins by rolling a "6". This adds 3 more CAP to his base of 5. He cackles maniacally. "This is grim," says Anne.
Stuart sees potential for a flanking move across the ditch and into the Rebel right. So, his first move is to move the Elite Infantry in E7 to the bridge at D7 for 1 CAP. Likewise, he moves the Line Infantry in D8 to the C8 bridge for another CAP. Stuart would love to get them on the other side of that bridge, and hey, bridge terrain doesn't require the Unit to stop, but unfortunately both of these Units are limited to a single hex. If only there was some way to activate them for a second move! "Oh, hey, I forget, are we playing with the Second Order Optional Rule?"
"Nice try," says Anne with a withering glare, "but you know that we're just using the core rules. We keep telling them not to start with the optional rules; what kind of play example would this be if we disregarded that?"
"It was worth a try," ventures Stuart. ("No, it wasn't," counters Anne.) With 6 CAP remaining, Stuart activates the Cavalry in G9 for 1 CAP. Cavalry can move three hexes in a single go. Stuart's Cavalry passes through H9 and H8 on its way to H7. He spends another CAP to move his E9 Artillery to E8, where it will stack with Marlborough.
4 CAP left. Having completed his desired maneuvers, Stuart starts attacking. First, he has the Elite Infantry in F6 perform a Fire Action against the Militia in G5. At R1, Elite Infantry roll one extra combat die, but because they're down to 2 MP, they also lose one die – leaving them at three. They hit on a seven or better. "Ha, but you're in a River hex, so I get a +1 Combat In DRM!"
"Yes, but you have pikes," reminds Anne. This gives him a -1 DRM, which nets Stuart's final DRM to zero. He rolls his three combat dice: "0", "3", and "9", scoring a single hit. Anne flips her Militia to its 1 MP side.
Stuart smells blood in the water. He spends 1 CAP to activate the Line Infantry in G6 to Fire on the same Militia Unit. The same modifiers apply, and he rolls three combat dice at R1, scoring on a seven or better. "3", "6", and "3" are all misses.
Stuart uses his final 2 CAP to activate his H6 Dragoons for Close Combat against Anne's Dragoons at I5. Normally, this would be risky. But a couple things might shift the odds into his favor. First, he's going to get a favorable +1 Combat In DRM because Anne's Dragoons occupy a Bridge hex. Secondly, because the Rebels have Inferior Horsemen, they're going to roll one less die if they perform Defensive Fire. And they're only going to do that if they pass a morale check by rolling equal to or less than their 2 MP.
The Bridge terrain doesn't provide any morale bonus, so it's just a straight roll. Anne rolls a "3", and mutters something about a glue factory. Her Dragoons won't perform Defensive Fire, and if they survive, must Retreat. Stuart rolls his three combat dice, looking for a seven or better. He gets a "4", "4", and "6". He's about to grumble when Anne reminds him of the +1 DRM. This modifies his rolls to "5", "5", and "7", scoring one hit. Anne flips her Dragoons, Retreating them to I4, joining the leader Warke. Because it was Close Combat, Stuart's Dragoons must advance into the vacated Bridge hex.
Second Turn
Rebel Player Turn
Anne saved 2 CAP last turn. She adds to this her base CAP of 4, then rolls a "3" for 2 extra CAP. This gives her 8 CAP to work with. She stares at Stuart's 2 MP Elite Infantry in F6, and at her 1 MP Militia in F5. Because she's down to a single MP, it's going to roll one less combat die. It's also going to lose a die because it is subject to the Matchlocks SSR. That's going to leave her with a single die, and it's going to score a hit on an "8" or more regardless if it's Fire (1 CAP) or Close Combat (3 CAP). The most she's going to score either way is a single hit, so she figures she had better soften it up first with her F4 Artillery, Firing for 1 CAP. She is again rolling only two dice thanks to the Inferior Artillery SSR. But, who knows? Maybe they'll both be hits!
"Doesn't your Militia block Line of Sight?" asks Stuart. Anne takes off her glasses, pinches the bridge of her nose, and exhales. "I'm tracing down the spine, Stuart. It's only going to be blocked if there's something in both hexes sharing that spine. F5 is blocked, but E5 isn't." She rolls her two combat dice, noting that she needs an eight or better to hit at R2. An "8" and a "9": two hits! Stuart flips his Elite Infantry to its 1 MP side, and is about to remove it from play when Anne reminds him that whenever an Elite Infantry is about to be destroyed, you roll D6. If he gets a "1" or a "2", the Unit stays in place at 1 MP. Stuart rolls a "1", much to Anne's chagrin.
Anne stares at the two laurel symbols on the counter, intent on claiming those VP. She activates her F5 Militia. She decides on Close Combat for a costly 3 CAP, reasoning that there's a chance Stuart will at the very least have to Retreat his Elite Infantry from the front. Stuart now must make a morale check against his Unit's 1 MP. Because it's an Elite Infantry, he gets a -1 DRM. He rolls a "2", and thanks to this modifier passes the check: he'll perform Defensive Fire before Anne's Militia gets to roll its single die.
Stuart rolls three dice at R1 (the extra die for the Elite cancels out the lost die for its reduced MP), with a net DRM of 0 (+1 Combat In, -1 Pikes). "3", "3", and "3" are each less than seven, so the Militia survives. Anne now rolls her single die, scoring a hit with an "8". This time, Stuart does not need to be reminded to roll his D6 for his Elite Infantry's survival. He rolls a "2".
"Next time," Anne swears solemnly, before shifting her attention to her vulnerable 1 MP Dragoons in I4. They're stacked with Warke, who could Rally them if they weren't adjacent to Stuart's Dragoons. She spends one of her remaining 4 CAP to move her Dragoons to I3. She also moves Warke to I3; as a Leader, he moves for free. She makes a mental note to rally them next turn, then spends 1 CAP to shift her F3 Militia to E4, and another to move her H1 Irregulars to H2. With her final CAP, she activates her G5 Militia to fire on Stuart's G6 Line Infantry, but misses with both dice.
Royalist Player Turn
Stuart rolls a "2", adding 2 CAP to his base of 5. Having twice avoided destruction, Stuart isn't taking any chances with his wobbly Elite Infantry, and so spends his first CAP to pull them back to F7. This Town hex will provide some protection should Anne attack it (-1 Combat In DRM). Stuart then moves Marlborough from E8 into the same hex for free. Next turn, he'll use him to Rally his Elite Infantry.
He then spends 1 CAP to Fire with his G6 Line Infantry against the 1 MP Militia in F5. Once again, -1 for Pikes and +1 for the River gives a net DRM of zero. He rolls a "0", "4", and "7", scoring one hit and Eliminating the Unit. "One down, eleven to go."
Stuart spends 2 of his remaining 5 CAP to Charge with his H7 Cavalry against the Militia in H5. "No morale check for me," says Anne. "Militia are Light Footmen, so they don't get to do Defensive Fire against a Charge – they're too busy panicking." To execute the Charge, the Cavalry must move into an empty hex of Clear terrain and become adjacent. Moving from H7 to H6 does the trick. He rolls three dice with a +1 DRM for the River, and will score on a modified five or better. "3", "1", and "7" – modified to "4", "2", and "8" – results in a single hit. Anne flips the Militia over, then is forced to Retreat to G4. Stuart likewise is forced to advance his Cavalry into the vacated hex H5.
Stuart uses 1 CAP to move his D7 Elite Infantry to C6, and another to move his C8 Line Infantry to C7. He saves his last CAP with his AC, Feversham, intending to use it to try and Seize the Initiative at the start of Turn 3. It's a bit of a longshot given Feversham's low rating, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Two turns in, it's still anybody's game. Why don't you and your opponent take it from here?