Les Batailles de St Albans Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• 1 - Basics
• 2 - Counters
  • Counters description
• 3 - Scenarios
  • 3.1 - Scenarios length
• 4 - Game Sequence
• 5 - Stacking
• 6 - Commanders
• 7 - Movement
• 8 - Zones of Control
• 9 - Combat
  • 9.1 - Basics
  • 9.2 - Charge
  • 9.3 - Units with a missile firing capacity
    • Example of combat
  • 9.4 - Baggage
  • 9.5 - Combat resolution
  • 9.6 - Terrain
  • 9.7 - Combat results
  • 9.8 - Retreat
  • 9.9 - Allocation of step losses
  • 9.10 - Morale Check
  • 9.11 - Advance after combat
• 10 - Victory Conditions
• 11 - Optional Rules
  • 10.1 - Moving from an enemy ZOC to another enemy ZOC
  • 10.2 - Counter charge
• Terrain Effect Chart
• Combat Result Table

1 - Basics

The game is played with two players and includes the following materials:

• two maps, each with a hexagonal grid printed on it to regulate movement (the hexagons are hereafter referred to as hexes);
• one or two sided counters representing the combat units;
• 1 turn marker;
• Charge markers;
• a Combat Results Table and a Terrain Effects Chart

Players will also need to supply a 6 sided die.

2 - Counters

There are 6 types of unit: infantry (figure on foot and without a range value), foot soldiers with missile weapons (figure on foot and with a range value), cavalry (figure on horseback and without a range value), mounted soldiers with missile weapons (figure on horseback and with a range value), commanders (represented by a face) and baggage (represented by a wagon).

Most units have two sides (or 2 step loss); the front side with the unit's full strength values, called "complete", and the reverse side which has lower values, and represents the "reduced" unit. Commanders, baggage and some units have only one side.

Units have no facing.

The counters bear the following information:

• the background colour indicates which army the unit is in;
• the unit's name;
• the strength points, also representing the unit's morale;
• the range in hexes (if missile fire is possible);
• the movement points, expressed in MPs.
• between 0 and 4 unit characteristics (for the Campus Mauriacus scenario).

Counters description

• A white background shows that the unit has lost a step.
• Counter elements shown: Name, Strength and Moral Points, Movement Points, Range, Baggage.
• Unit characteristics (marks): Possible charge; Impetuous; Feigned flight; No penalty during a melee (for mounted firing units).

3 - Scenarios

The two players choose the scenario that they wish to play. The scenario will give them the necessary instructions to place the different overlays on the map which simulate the terrain of the particular battlefield, unit deployment, the side playing first (player 1), the player who plays second (player 2) and finally any special rules that may apply.

3.1 - Scenarios length

Each scenario lasts a set number of turns. In Phase 6 of each turn the Turn Marker is advanced one square on the Turn Record Track. The game finishes at the end of the last turn, if neither of the two sides has previously achieved the victory conditions.

4 - Game Sequence

Each turn is composed of 6 phases:

1. Movement of Player 1
2. Combat of Player 1
3. Movement of Player 2
4. Combat of Player 2
5. Check victory conditions
6. Advance the Turn Marker

5 - Stacking

A unit may never be placed in a hex occupied by another unit, friendly or enemy. However, during movement a unit may pass through a hex occupied by a unit from the same side.

Exception: the commander and/or one baggage unit may be placed on another friendly unit (infantry, cavalry, missile infantry, missile cavalry).

6 - Commanders

During hand to hand combats, commander adds his strength points to those of the unit with which he is stacked (both in attack and defence).

In addition, during morale checks, he adds a bonus of 1 to the unit with which he is stacked and to any units situated in the six adjacent hexes.

A commander retreats if the unit with which he is stacked retreats (after a R result or an unsuccessful morale check). He is also eliminated if the unit is eliminated. He is also eliminated if he is alone in a hex and an enemy unit passes through that hex.

Commanders never check their morale.

7 - Movement

During his movement phase, each player moves as many units as he wishes, within the Movement Point limits of each unit. A unit will expend a varying number of MPs depending on the terrain present in the hex it wishes to enter (see Terrain Effects Chart). If a unit does not have enough MPs available to enter a hex, it may not enter the hex. A unit may not keep unused MPs for use in the next turn. Unused MPs are permanently lost. Each unit must have finished its movement before another unit may move.

The road bonus is only applied if the unit was originally in a road hex.

A unit can always carry out the minimal movement of a hex as long as it enters an authorised terrain, regardless of the cost.

8 - Zones of Control

Each unit extends an influence into the six hexes surrounding the hex it occupies. These hexes constitute its "Zone of Control". Zones of Control have particular qualities:

• A unit may enter an enemy Zone of Control without expending any extra MPs. However it must stop its movement upon entry.
• A unit may not pass directly from one enemy Zone of Control to another; it must first of all enter a hex free of any enemy Zone of Control.
• Zones of Control do not extend over river hexsides, unless crossed by a bridge.
• A unit may not retreat into an enemy Zone of Control.

9 - Combat

9.1 - Basics

Combat is optional and takes place between one or several attacking units and one defending unit.

In order to fight, the attacking unit, in the case of infantry or cavalry, must be adjacent to the unit it wishes to engage; for those units able to shoot missiles, the target unit must be within the range in hexes indicated on the counter. Several units may together attack a single enemy unit, providing that each attacking unit is within the required distance. This is treated as a single combat, and is resolved with one die roll. Each unit may only attack, or be attacked, once per phase. Each combat is resolved separately, and combat results are applied immediately.

9.2 - Charge

Each cavalry unit (but not missile cavalry) that charges adds +2 to its strength in attack. It's possible if:

The charged enemy unit is in a clear, road or bridge hex.

The charging unit must move only towards its target and the hexes crossed must be road or clear hexes. No retreat before going back in the same hex for example.

A unit may only charge across a stream if it passes by a road.

A commander stacked with a charging unit adds only his strength points (the charge bonus applies to the unit not the commander). The charging unit must advance after combat.

9.3 - Units with a missile firing capacity

A unit capable of firing (mounted or on foot) may engage:

• an adjacent unit in attack or in defence (hand to hand). However it must reduce its strength by 1 (minimum: 1 strength point).

This only applies to combat, not to morale checks.

Except when facing a unit of enemy snipers.

A missile firing unit on its own may only attack in hand to hand combat at odds better than 1/1.

• a unit within firing range, but only in attack and if the firing unit is not adjacent to an enemy combat unit. The firing unit suffers neither elimination, retreat, morale check, unless it is attacking another unit capable of firing. It may fight alone, or add its strength points to other units attacking the same hex, either in hand to hand combat, or by missile fire. It may fire over an enemy unit and a river/stream/ford/bridge.

Example of combat

The units of Lothaire attack Fontenoy. If the Austrasie cavalry unit and the Bourgogne infantry unit join their attack, they will have 5FP against 2FP for the Provence unit thus obtaining a ratio of 2 to 1. If the Bowmen unit supports the attack, it adds 1PF to allow a ratio of 3 to 1 (6FP against 2FP). But the unit of Charles the Bald is firmly entrenched in the town of Fontenoy (plus one to the die result) and behind a creek (another plus one to the die result).

To cancel the defensive bonus of the creek, Lothaire decides to charge with his Aquitaine cavalry which adds 3FP + 2FP for charging + 0FP for the commander. To charge, the unit must go to 0710 then 0709. There would be no charge if the unit had moved in 0810, 0809 and then 0808 or 0709. The Aquitaine cavalry now being on the same side of the creek that the defending unit, the terrain bonus for the creek no longer applies. The force ratio is now 4 to 1 (11FP in attack and 2FP in defense) with a defensive bonus for the village.

Lothaire could have continued to attack the 3 FP Neustrie unit located in 0611. But he would not have the same bonus for charging even by moving successively in 0811 and then 0711 or 0712 because the unit must do all of its movement in a straight line towards the charged enemy unit.

It should be noted that the Bowmen unit could have fired by itself against the Provence unit. But given the force ratio, it cannot do better than making it retreat and the other units couldn't then attack Lothaire (11.1 Each unit may only attack, or be attacked, once per phase.) or enter the vacated hex (6. the movement phase takes place before the combat phase).

9.4 - Baggage

A Baggage unit cannot attack. It always has a strength of 1 in defense (never modified by the terrain). It has no ZoC and can only be attacked hand to hand. The combat results of R & T have no effects on baggage.

When another unit is stacked with a baggage unit, the combat unit can only be attacked hand to hand and adds its Strength to the baggage's strength. The R combat result (after a combat or a morale check) has no effects on the two units. On the contrary, the combat results of T (with a step loss), 1 and 2 are applied normally on the combat unit and the baggage unit is automatically eliminated if the defending unit is eliminated. When a baggage unit is eliminated, it is turned over on its Pillé side and has no more effects on Combat and Stacking.

9.5 - Combat resolution

Once combat has been declared, the attacking player adds together the strength points of the attacking units, including any possible charge bonus. The defender does the same for the defending unit, also taking into account any bonus due to the terrain. The ratio between the two forces is worked out, expressed with the attacker's ratio first and the defender's second. This ratio may go from 1/2 (or "1 against 2") to 4/1 (or "4 against 1"), and is always rounded in favour of the defender. The attacker then rolls the die. According to circumstances, the number rolled may be modified by the nature of the terrain (see Terrain Effects Chart).

Lastly, using the final strength points ratio and the number rolled on the die, the players refer to the Combat Results Table (eventually modified by the terrain). The result of the combat is where the two lines meet. Combat results are applied immediately.

9.6 - Terrain

All modifiers due to terrain are cumulative. Only the terrain of the defending unit counts. The die bonus for a stream or a bridge does not apply if:

• At least one attacking unit is on the same side as the defensive unit;
• The attack includes a firing unit that don't engage in hand to hand combat.

9.7 - Combat results

1st letter:

• A: Attacker
• D: Defender

2nd letter or digit:

• 2: 2 step losses
• 1: 1 step loss
• T: Morale check
• R: Retreat 1 hex

9.8 - Retreat

A R result leads to a retreat of one hex of all the affected units.

The order of priority is

• No enemy Zoc, No friendly unit
• No enemy Zoc, with a friendly unit
• In enemy Zoc, with a friendly unit
• In enemy Zoc, without a friendly unit

A unit which is unable to retreat because it has an impassable terrain or an enemy Zone of Control behind it, suffers a step loss unless it is surrounded by friendly units. In this event, the retreating unit displaces a friendly unit, occupies the vacated hex, and the owning player carries out a morale check on the displaced unit. The adjacent unit must also be able to retreat in accordance with the rules. If not, the same procedure is repeated. In this way several units may retreat in sequence, each undergoing a morale check, all as the result of one combat.

Note: This simulates the possibility of panic overtaking those units watching their comrades retreat or flee.

If a unit is forced to retreat off the map it is eliminated.

9.9 - Allocation of step losses

Each unit has one or two steps. Units which have only one step loss are eliminated after their first step loss. Upon the first step loss, a two step loss unit is turned onto its reduced side; on the second step loss the unit is eliminated. Losses are distributed as the owning player desires, but in such a way as to ensure as far as possible that all step losses are applied. If two or more units are attacking, losses may thus be distributed amongst them.

Example: Player 1 attacks with one full strength and one reduced unit. He suffers an A2 result. He therefore has the choice of either reducing the full strength unit and eliminating the reduced unit, or simply eliminating the full strength unit.

9.10 - Morale Check

When a morale check is required the owning player rolls a die for each unit concerned and compares the die roll with the unit's morale value. He adds 1 to the unit's morale value if the commander is stacked with, or is adjacent to the unit.

• If the result is lower than the unit's morale there is no effect.
• If the result is equal to the unit's morale, it must retreat 1 hex.
• If the result is greater than the unit's morale level, it suffers 1 step loss. If the unit is already reduced, it is eliminated.

9.11 - Advance after combat

When the result of a combat forces the defender to retreat or when the defender is eliminated, one of the adjacent attacking units may, if it wishes, occupy the hex abandoned by the defender, without regard to the effects of any Zones of Control or movement limits. This doesn't apply if the defender has retreated before the combat (for example the Breton cavalry at the battle of Jengland). The reverse is also true for the defender.

The decision whether or not to occupy the opponent's hex must be announced immediately after the combat has been resolved. A unit which has charged must always occupy the hex of an opposing unit which has retreated or has been eliminated.

If several units are eligible to advance, only one unit (plus eventually a commander) may advance.

Retreat and morale (example)

Unit A is attacked and according to the order of priority, it must retreat by pushing back unit B. Unit A tests its morale and gets -1. B can only retreat by pushing back C which can retreat to a hex that isn't an enemy ZoC. B and C test their morale normally.

10 - Victory Conditions

During Phase 5 of each turn the players check to see if one of the two armies has passed its Army Morale Threshold (specified for each scenario). Each player totals the strength points of his own eliminated units. If his commander is eliminated, he adds the strength of the latter to the total, + 4 points. If a Baggage unit is eliminated, he adds its strength + 2 points. Then he checks to see if he has passed his Army's Morale Threshold.

If one player has reached the threshold or more, the other player achieves a major victory.

If both armies have passed their thresholds at the end of the same turn, the player whose army has passed the threshold by the least achieves a minor victory.

If, at the end of the scenario, neither army has passed its Morale Threshold, players should refer to the victory conditions for that particular scenario.

11 - Optional Rules

Both players must agree on one or several optional rules to apply them.

10.1 - Moving from an enemy ZOC to another enemy ZOC

(Numbered 10.1 in the source, under heading 11.)

A unit that is in an enemy ZOC may go directly into another enemy ZOC. It must first test its morale. If a leader is stacked with the unit, he follows in every way the results of this unit.

• If the result is lower than the morale of the unit, the unit passes through another enemy ZOC.
• If the result is equal to the morale of the unit, nothing happens.
• If the result is higher than unit morale, it suffers 1 step loss. If the unit was already on his side reduced, it is eliminated. If a leader was stacked with the unit, he is also eliminated.

10.2 - Counter charge

(Numbered 10.2 in the source, under heading 11.)

To simulate implicitly the counter-charges, the charge bonus applies only against units not having that ability.

Terrain Effect Chart

Terrain	Movement (cost per hex)	Combat
1 - Clear	1	-
2 - Road	0,5	-
3 - Village	1	+1 on the die roll
4 - Woods	2	-1 column for the defending unit
5 - Hill	2	-1 column for the defending unit
6 - River	impassable	No retreat possible
7 - Bridge	1 (0,5 if road)	+1 on the die roll (unless at least 1 Shot)
8 - Ford	2	-

Combat Result Table

Die	1/2 and -	2/3	1/1	3/2	2/1	3/1	4/1 and +
1	DR	DT	D1	D1	D1R	D2	D2
2	DR	DR	DT	D1	D1	D1	D2
3	AR	AR	DR	DT	DT	DT	D1

A: Attacker; D: Defender. 2: 2 steps losses. 1: 1 step loss. T: Moral check. R: Retreat one hex.