The Fate of All
The Fate of All Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Sequence of Play
- 3. Leaders
- 4. Combat Units
- 5. Stacking
- 6. Movement
- 7. Reaction Move
- 8. On the Enemy
- 9. Land Combat
- 10. Land Retreats
- 11. Naval Combat
- 12. Naval Retreats
- 13. Disruption
- 14. Cities and Ports
- 15. Supply
- 16. Attrition
- 17. Provinces
- 18. Treasury
- 19. Fielding the Army
- 20. Morale
- 21. Fate
- 30. Introduction
- 31. Sequence of Play
- 32. Deploy for Battle
- 33. Stacking
- 34. Leaders in Battle
- 35. Orders
- 36. Movement
- 37. Facing
- 38. Missile Combat
- 39. Engagement
- 40. Melee Combat
- 41. Attrition
- 42. Unit Rout
- 43. Special Units
- 44. Ending the Battle
1. Introduction
1.1 Game Equipment
A complete copy of The Fate of All includes the following:
- 4x Operational Maps
- 1x Battle Map
- 20x Fate Cards
- 1x Rules Booklet
- 1x Scenarios Booklet
- 5x Counter sheets
- 2x 10-sided dice
1.2 General Rules
- All the numbered hexes on the Operational Maps are playable.
- All fractions are rounded down, unless otherwise specified by the rules.
- Die rolls go from 1 to 10, with a roll of 0 counting as 10.
1.3 Definition of Terms
Active Unit: In Tactical Combat, a Unit activated by an Order of the Active Leader.
Army: The friendly Land Units moving with a Leader, or in the same hex and not moving.
Capital: The capital of a Province or Satrapy, printed in bold.
Cavalry: A Unit having one of the following Types: Heavy Cavalry (HC), Medium Cavalry (MC), Light Cavalry (LC), Chariots (CH), Elephants (EL).
City: An important urban centre. Each City has its Size, ranging from A (huge) to D (small).
Combat Unit: A unit having a Combat Value.
Faction: One of the two sides involved in the conflict.
Fleet: The friendly Naval Units moving with a Leader, or in the same hex and not moving.
Force: A group of friendly units moving together, or in the same hex and not moving.
Independent: A City or Province not controlled by any Faction and considered as enemy by both Factions.
Infantry: A Unit having one of the following Types: Phalanx (PH), Hypaspists (HY), Hoplites (HO), Heavy Infantry (HI), Medium Infantry (MI), Light Infantry (LI), Skirmisher (SK).
Land Unit: A unit representing land troops or equipment, including Leaders, Siege Trains, and Baggage Trains.
Naval Base: A Port with the facilities to build, equip, maintain, and repair warships and naval transports.
Naval Unit: A Unit representing a certain number of triremes or quinquiremes, plus a variable number of non-combat transport ships.
Origin: The geographical origin of a unit.
Port: An important harbour, allowing large scale naval operations.
Province / Satrapy: The administrative divisions of the territory, both referred as Province in the rules.
Size: A quantification of the number of troops or ships in the unit, used for movement, combat, attrition and transport. Losses and several other activities use Size Points (SPs) as measure unit.
Talent: A measure of the weight of precious assets, gold and silver among them. A game Talent is the equivalent of 50 Euboic Talents. The weight and value of one Euboic Talent varied, but it was typically 26 kg of silver for a rough approximate value of 21,000 USD.
2. Sequence of Play
-
Events Phase
- a. Fate Step
- b. Bribery Step
- c. Revolt Step
-
Administrative Phase
- a. Taxation Step (January only)
- b. Maintenance Step (January only)
- c. Recruitment Step
- d. Build Baggage and Siege Trains
- e. Remove Depleted Markers (April only)
- f. Remove Requisition markers
- g. Adjust Plunder markers
- h. Flip Breach markers to the Siege side
-
Faction 1 Campaign Phase
The first Faction executes the following steps:
- a. Siege Resolution Step
- b. Siege Declaration Step
- c. Naval Assignment Step
- d. Sea Shipping Step
- e. March, Fight & Die (MFD) Step
- f. Final Supply Check Step
3. Leaders
A Leader represents an historical commander and his close retinue. In a couple of cases, marked with an * after the name, a fictitious Leader has been created as his details are lost in the sands of time. Only Leaders can move and act on their own will and lead military forces during the campaign and in battle. Leaders can also influence the outcome of several other activities: Combat, Attrition, Retreat, and Army Rout are some of them.
Each Leader is evaluated on three different capabilities, with a higher value representing a higher skill:
- Strategic Rating: The ability to influence Land Combat (see 9), react to enemy moves (see 7), execute Forced March (see 6.13), inspire the troops' Morale (see 9.4), and minimise losses during a Retreat or a Rout (see 10).
- Tactical Rating: The ability to directly lead troops in battle. Used only in Tactical Combat.
- Command Range: The ability to control and give orders to troops during a battle. Used only in Tactical Combat.
Some Leaders are restricted as what kind of units they can move and lead in combat. Restrictions are printed on the counter and have the following meaning:
- Land Units Only
- Naval Units Only
3.1 Faction Leader
No matter how competent or inept, the King has always been an element of stability and cohesion up to the modern times. His death inevitably caused fear, loss of confidence, and turmoil.
- Each Faction has a Faction Leader, listed in the Scenario Setup.
- If the Faction Leader is part of a Force involved in Land Combat, he must be the Battle Commander (see 9.3).
- If the Faction Leader is killed, the following is applied at the very beginning of the next Events Step:
- a. The Morale of the Faction is decreased by five.
- b. The Alignment of every Province controlled by the Faction is moved one space in enemy's favour.
- c. A new Faction Leader is appointed, using the Succession rules specified in the Scenario. If taken from the Force Pool, the new Faction Leader is placed with the biggest Army of his Faction.
- d. If the Macedonian Faction Leader is killed, all Revolt rolls made during the following Revolt Step have an additional +1 modifier.
3.2 Leader Replacement
- If a Leader is killed, the affected Faction may replace him with a new one using the following procedure:
- a. A new Leader is randomly chosen from those listed in the Force Pool of the Scenario.
- b. At the very beginning of the friendly Campaign Phase of the following Turn, the new Leader is placed with any friendly Force.
- If there's no available Leader in the Force Pool, a killed Leader cannot be replaced.
4. Combat Units
4.1 Land Units
A Land Unit represents an independent formation of troops using the same equipment and tactics.
Each Land Unit has all or some of the following values and information, depending by its type:
- Origin: The background colour of the Unit defines its origin area or allegiance.
- Name: The Identification of the Unit, sometime giving additional details about its origin and its historical commander.
- Combat Value: The Unit's strength in Land Combat (see 9).
- Type: The type of Unit (see Units Type Legend), heavily influencing movement, combat, and several other strategic and tactical aspects.
- Melee Value: The Unit's strength during Melee Combat. Used only in Tactical Combat.
- Morale: The Unit's Morale, defining its capability to resist panic and to recover from it during a battle. Used only in Tactical Combat.
- Size, Size Points (SP): A Land Unit's Size is one of the most important values as it affects several activities. Each Size Point represents approximately 500 foot soldiers or 200 - 300 horsemen.
- Missile Value: The Unit's strength in Missile Combat. Used only in Tactical Combat.
- Missile Type: The type of Missile Weapons available. Used only in Tactical Combat.
- Long Range: The capability to fire long range Missile volleys.
4.2 Naval Units
The exact type of vessels used in IV Century BCE is uncertain: the trireme was undoubtedly the standard combat ship, but the most advanced naval powers had probably already introduced a relevant number of quinquiremes.
In any case, most sources agree into considering the navies of Kypros, Rhodos and Sidon as of superior quality.
A Naval Unit represents military vessels, mostly trireme or quinquireme, plus an undefined number of non-combatant ships used for transporting provisions and troops.
Each Naval Unit has the following values and information:
- Origin: The background colour of the Unit defines its origin area or allegiance.
- Name: Identification of the Unit, giving details on its provenance.
- Combat Value: The Unit's strength in Naval Combat (see 11).
- Type: A general indication of the type of vessels.
- Size, Size Points (SP): Size of a Naval Unit affects Supply, Combat, Transport, and other activities. Each Size Point represents approximately 10 combat ships.
4.3 Steps and Losses
- Most Combat Units have two steps, printed on the front and rear side. Combat Units with no rear side have only one step.
- When a Combat Unit incurs in losses, it is flipped on the rear side, having reduced values. If the Unit is already flipped or has no rear side, it is eliminated instead.
- Whatever the cause, losses are usually measured in Size Points, not Steps. The Size Points lost by reducing or eliminating a Unit are therefore used to satisfy loss requirements.
Example 1: A full-strength Persian medium infantry with Size 4 incurs 2 Size Points of casualties. The unit is flipped on its rear (Reduced) side, having Size 2. The Unit has therefore lost the required 2 Size Points.
Example 2: A full-strength Macedonian Phalanx with Size 3 incurs 2 Size Points of casualties. The unit is flipped on its rear side, having Size 2. Only 1 Size Point has been lost, so the unit must be eliminated to satisfy the required loss of 2 Size Points.
5. Stacking
- Stacking limit is measured in Size Points.
- There is no limit to the total Size of Land Units that can occupy a given hex outside a City.
- There is a limit to the total Size of Land Units that can be placed inside a City, depending by its size:
| City Size | Capacity |
|---|---|
| A | 50 |
| B | 35 |
| C | 25 |
| D | 10 |
| Fortress | 20 |
- There is no limit to the total Size of Naval Units that can occupy a given hex, inside or outside a Port.
6. Movement
Movement occurs during the March, Fight & Die (MFD) Step of each Campaign Phase by expending Movement Points (MPs).
Only Leaders can move voluntarily. A Leader has 30 MPs and may move accompanied by other units starting in his hex or picked up during movement.
Combat is considered a form of movement: A Leader may move, initiate Combat, and then continue moving if he has sufficient MPs and the combat result allows it.
Movement could also be temporarily interrupted by enemy activities like Reaction Move (see 7) or Retreat (see 10 and 12).
6.1 Moving Units
- During the Friendly MFD Step, a Faction may move all, some or none of its Leaders.
- The movement of a Leader must be completed before starting another Leader's movement.
- A Leader may move alone or accompanied by other Units, including other Leaders.
- During movement, a Leader can pick up a unit in his current hex, as long as:
- a. The unit has not been moved by another Leader.
- b. For a Land Unit, the Unit and the Leader are both inside or outside a City.
- c. For a Naval Unit, the Unit and the Leader are both inside or outside a Port.
- During movement, a Leader can drop off a unit part of his Force, leaving it in the current hex. A detached unit cannot move again during the current MFD Step.
- A Leader cannot enter a hex unless he can expend the required number of MPs.
- A Leader and the units moving with him are considered a Force. A Force can be an Army (Land Units) or a Fleet (Naval Units and embarked Land Units).
- A Force cannot contain both Land and Naval units, except when the Land Units are embarked (see 6.15).
- A Leader moved with another Leader cannot move again during the same MFD Step.
6.2 Movement Costs
The movement rate of an ancient army depended by several factors that would have been familiar to Napoleon or Grant. Terrain, weather, the overall size of the army and the number of beasts of burden were primary considerations.
- The Movement Point cost for entering a hex depends by the following factors (see Movement Table):
- a. The Terrain in the hex entered.
- b. The hexside crossed to enter the hex.
- c. For land movement, the total Size of the Army.
- d. The presence of Baggage or Siege Trains.
- e. The season and the weather zone (see 6.14).
- When two different costs are listed for a Terrain Type, the cost in red applies when using the Royal Road (see 6.8), while the cost in black applies in all other cases.
6.3 The Force Boxes
Each Faction has several Army and Fleet Boxes available, used to avoid huge stacks on the map and to keep the enemy guessing about the strength of an Army or Fleet.
When using a Force Box, a corresponding Force marker is placed on the map. Apart from that, a Force Box has no magic properties or special powers whatsoever, and all the rules apply normally.
- A Unit may be freely moved between the map and the Box of a Force in its same location.
- A Force marker having no Combat Units in the corresponding box must be removed from the map.
- The Force Boxes cannot be inspected by the enemy, except when differently specified by a rule.
- Each Army Box also has a numbered scale that can be used to keep track of its total Size, Combat value, or both.
6.4 Movement Restrictions
-
An Army can never move through an impassable hexside like Mountain, Lake, or Sea.
-
A Fleet cannot move through an all-land hexside.
-
A Fleet entering in an Open Sea hex is subject to Naval Attrition (see 16.2).
-
A Fleet cannot end its move in an Open Sea hex.
-
A Naval unit can never voluntarily move in a hex more than 15 MPs from a friendly Naval Base.
-
A Naval unit further than 15 MPs from a friendly Naval Base at the end of the friendly Campaign Phase is subject to Naval Attrition (see 16.2).
-
Due to the scale of the map and the geography of the area, some hexes have two different bodies of water separated by a land mass. Naval units in these hexes must be placed in a way marking which side they are in, and can move only into a hex connected to that side.
Example: Hex A1420 (Megara) contains two bodies of water separated by a land mass. A fleet entering from hex A1421 is placed in the lower section of the hex and cannot move into hex A1320 or A1419.
6.5 Effects of Enemy Units
- An Army must have at least 3 remaining MPs to enter a hex containing enemy Land Units (see also 9.1).
- A Fleet must have at least 3 remaining MPs to enter a hex containing enemy Naval Units (see also 11.1).
- The additional 3 MPs are not expended if the enemy Retreat Before Combat (see 10.1), Breaks Contact (see 12.1), or an Overrun occurs (see 6.5.1).
6.5.1 Overrun
- An Overrun occurs if all the following conditions are met:
- a. A friendly Force moved in a hex containing enemy Units of its same generic type (i.e., Land or Naval) not inside a City.
- b. The enemy Units do not Retreat Before Combat.
- c. The moving friendly Force has a superiority of 7-1 or higher in terms of Combat Value.
- If the conditions for an Overrun are met, there is no Combat. All the affected enemy Units are immediately eliminated, and the moving Force may continue its move normally.
6.6 Lone Leaders
- A Leader moving alone or with other Leaders only is subject to the following rules:
- a. He is not affected by Attrition.
- b. He cannot trigger an enemy Reaction Move.
- c. He cannot enter a hex containing enemy Combat Units or enemy-controlled Cities, unless the hex also contains friendly Combat Units outside the City.
- If an enemy Combat Unit enters a hex containing Leaders only, each Leader must opt for one of the following:
- a. Find refuge inside a friendly City in the hex, thus risking capture should the City fall.
- b. If he has a Disruption lower than 2, move up to 15 movement points and increase his Disruption by one.
- c. Be captured by the enemy. Immediately remove the Leader.
6.7 Combine
- During the friendly MFD Step, two Reduced Units in the same Force may combine, as long as they have:
- a. The same Origin.
- b. The same Type.
- c. The same Morale.
- d. The same Missile Weapon, if any.
- One of the two Units is eliminated, while the other Unit is flipped back on its front, full-strength side.
- The combined Unit inherits the highest Disruption Level of the original Units.
- If one of the original Units had already moved, the combined Unit is considered as moved too.
6.8 The Royal Road
The Achaemenid Empire maintained a quite efficient road system, even though its quality could not rival the later Roman one. Except for a couple of well documented stretches, the exact course and extension of the Royal Road are still open to debate. One of the current theories is represented on the map.
- To use the Royal Road, a Unit must move from a Road hex to a contiguous Road hex through a hexside traversed by a Road.
- When using the Royal Road, the Movement Point cost printed in red on the Movement Table is paid for the terrain.
- The cost of the Terrain in the hex is the only Movement Cost changed by the use of the Royal Road. Any other cost is unchanged, including river crossing (No, there are no Royal Bridges).
- The Royal Road cannot be used in a hex containing an enemy Land Combat Unit or an enemy-controlled City.
6.9 Floods
Mesopotamia and Egypt owe most of their past glories to the fertile lands surrounding the Euphrates, Tigris, and Nile rivers. During springtime, these rivers regularly flooded and fertilised the surrounding countryside.
- A Flood hex is considered as Plain terrain, except during the March, April and May Turns.
- During the March, April and May Turns, a Flood hex is treated as a Marsh hex under every aspect.
- During the March, April and May Turns the cost for crossing a Major River hexside is doubled.
6.10 Hazardous Terrain
- Desert and Marsh hexes are considered Hazardous Terrain.
- An Army must check Attrition once for each expenditure of 6 MPs while continuously in Hazardous Terrain.
- The MPs expenditure is not calculated for Terrain only, but for the total MPs expended while in Hazardous Terrain.
- A Land unit not moving or ending its movement in Hazardous Terrain is considered as having expended all its remaining MPs in it.
Example 1: An Army expends 4 MPs to enter a Marsh hex, and 3 additional MPs as the hex contains enemy land combat units. The Army has expended 7 MPs while in a Marsh and must therefore roll for Attrition before initiating combat.
Example 2: An Army starts the friendly MFD Step in a Plain hex, expends 10 MPs moving in Plain terrain, then expends 6 MPs moving in consecutive Desert hexes, and ends its movement in the last Desert hex entered. The unit must check Attrition once after expending the first 6 MPs in the desert, and twice for the unexpended 14 MPs while in the desert. Yes, it's a bad idea.
6.11 Ferry
Land Forces can cross some specific narrow sea straits relatively quickly with the support of a limited number of transport ships.
- An Army in a hex containing a Ferry symbol can be ferried across the Ferry hexside if all the following prerequisites are met:
- a. One of the two hexes adjacent to the Ferry hexside contains a friendly Naval Unit.
- b. The two hexes adjacent to the Ferry hexside contains no enemy Naval Unit, or all the enemy Naval Units present are under Blockade (see 14.2).
- c. The Army has no Baggage Train.
- If an Army can be ferried, the Ferry hexside is crossed by expending the required MPs (see Movement Table).
- There is no limit to the number of Land Units that can be ferried across a Ferry hexside.
6.12 The Diolkos
The city of Korinthos maintained a paved trackway which enabled boats to be transported overland over the isthmus and avoid the long circumnavigation of the Peloponnesus. The use of the Diolkos is documented during several military campaigns, from the Peloponnesian War to the Roman civil wars.
- A Fleet in hex A1421 may use the Diolkos to cross the isthmus and continue moving in the opposite body of water, if all the following prerequisites are met:
- a. Korinthos is friendly controlled.
- b. Hex A1421 contains no enemy Land or Naval Units.
- If the Diolkos can be used, a Fleet may cross the Isthmus by expending 6 extra MPs. After the crossing, the Fleet may continue moving in the body of water on the opposite side.
- A Fleet using the Diolkos can be attacked by an enemy Army using a Reaction Move. If this happens, apply the following:
- a. If the Fleet has no Army embarked, it is destroyed.
- b. If the Fleet has an Army embarked, the Army is considered the Defending Force and Land Combat ensues.
- c. If the Defending Force is destroyed or retreats, the Fleet is also destroyed.
- d. If the Defending Force is not destroyed and does not retreat, the crossing can be completed normally.
6.13 Forced March
Forced marching increases the distance an army could travel, but more often than not it was actually used for another less obvious reason: Spend as little time as possible in a region with limited supply resources. The time saved by Forced Marching could seem irrelevant, but it may allow to avoid remaining without supply in a particularly inhospitable region.
- During movement of any kind, an Army may decide to Force March when entering a hex.
- The decision to Force March can be taken in each and every single hex entered, up to a maximum limit of 5 hexes per Turn. After a Leader has used Forced March in 5 hexes, no further Forced March is possible for that Leader.
- When moving in a hex using Forced March, the cost for the Terrain in the hex (only) is decreased by ½ Movement Point.
- After entering a hex using Forced March, the moving Army must roll on the Forced March Table, applying any relevant modifier.
- Losses are immediately removed from the affected Army, using the following guidelines:
- a. Losses must be distributed as evenly as possible among all units.
- b. For every four Size Points lost, at least one must be Cavalry if possible.
- A Leader moving alone cannot use Forced March.
6.14 Winter
In ancient warfare, winter was practically a truce period due to the fragile communication infrastructure and the difficulty to procure sufficient supplies with requisitions or plundering. Therefore, movement and attrition during the winter months are severely penalising.
- The months of December, January and February are considered as Winter Turns.
- A dotted white line on the map delimits the Winter Zone. Any hex crossed by the line or North of it is in the Winter Zone.
- During Winter Turns, the following rules apply to movement inside the Winter Zone:
- a. The MP cost paid by Land Units for the Terrain in a hex is doubled. River hexsides and other MP costs are unchanged.
- b. Any roll for Attrition has an additional modifier (see 16 and the Attrition Table).
6.15 Naval Transport
Naval Units may embark troops, Supply Points, and move them by sea.
- Each Size Point in a Naval Unit can embark up to 4 Size Points of Land Units, 4 Supply Points, or a combination of both.
- A Siege Train can be embarked and has a Size of 12. Baggage Trains cannot be embarked.
- Leaders can be embarked without space limitations.
- Embarked cargo must be assigned exactly to each Naval Unit. A single Land unit can also be considered as split between different Naval Units.
- If a Naval Unit takes losses, the embarked cargo must also be adjusted to the reduced transport capacity, by losing troop or destroying Supply Points.
- If a Naval Unit is destroyed, all the cargo is also eliminated, including Leaders.
6.15.1 Transporting Troops
- A moving Leader may embark Land Units on Naval Units in the same coastal hex or friendly-controlled Port, if none of the involved Units has previously moved under a different Leader.
- A moving Leader may debark Land Units in a coastal hex or friendly-controlled Port, if none of the involved Units has previously moved under a different Leader.
- After embarking or debarking troops, the moving Leader or another Leader moving with him may continue moving the Fleet or the Army. In all cases, if the Leader moves out from the current hex any unit left behind cannot be moved again.
- The MP cost for embarking / debarking depends by the terrain and by the total Size of the Land Units involved (see Movement Table). The Size of the Fleet is irrelevant.
- Any Naval Combat must be resolved before embarking or debarking Land Units.
- If the troops are not debarking inside a friendly-controlled Port and the hex contains enemy Land Units outside a City, Land Combat immediately occurs using the standard rules.
6.15.2 Transporting Supply
- During a Supply Check, a Fleet may embark Supply Points gathered by Requisition or Plunder, and not consumed.
- During movement, a Fleet may embark Supply Points from a friendly-controlled Port.
- During movement, a Fleet may debark Supply Points in a friendly-controlled Port, thus creating a Depot there (see 15.10).
- Embarking or debarking Supply Points costs one MP.
- During a Supply Check, a Force may consume Supply Points loaded on a Fleet in its same hex.
7. Reaction Move
A Force may react to the enemy movement within a certain range. In general, the nearer the enemy is, the higher the probability to react to its move.
- During the enemy MFD Step, a friendly Force may attempt to React to an enemy moving Force if the following prerequisites are met:
- a. It has a Leader.
- b. It is not under Blockade (see 14.2).
- c. It has no Units marked as Disrupted or Reaction.
- d. The enemy Force moved into a hex inside its Reaction Zone.
- e. The distance in hexes from the enemy Force has not increased.
- f. The enemy Force is not Retreating or Routing.
- g. No other friendly Force attempted to React to the movement of the enemy Force into its current hex.
- h. The enemy Force has not moved into a hex to initiate Land or Naval Combat.
7.1 Reaction Zone
- A Force has a Reaction Zone that extends 4 hexes in all directions for an Army, and 2 hexes in all directions for a Fleet.
- A Reaction Zone is blocked by any hex or hexside that the Force could not normally enter or cross.
- Leaders moving alone cannot trigger a Reaction Move.
7.2 Reaction Move Procedure
- The Strategic Rating of the Leader attempting to react and the distance in hexes with the enemy Force is evaluated, and a roll is made on the Reaction Table applying any relevant modifier.
- If the Reaction is successful, the following sequence is used:
- a. The enemy Force must interrupt its movement, keeping track of the MPs already expended.
- b. The Reaction Force may expend 15 MPs, or the same number of MPs already expended by the enemy Force, whichever is lower.
- c. The Reaction Force moves within the standard movement rules, but only the moving enemy Force may be attacked. The Reaction Force cannot Assault a City or attack a hex containing other enemy units, except in the case of an Overrun.
- d. At the end of the Reaction Move, the Reaction Force has a Reaction marker placed over it.
- After the Reaction, no matter if successful or not, the enemy Force may continue moving within the standard movement restrictions.
- If a Force fails to React, another attempt may be made when the prerequisites for a Reaction are met again.
7.3 Effects of the Reaction Marker
- A Force containing one or more Units marked as Reaction cannot move or React.
- During the friendly MFD Step, a Force may expend 15 MPs to remove a Reaction marker from its Units.
- During the friendly MFD Step, a Force may expend 30 MPs to remove a Reaction marker and all levels of Disruption from its Units.
8. On the Enemy
In IV Century BCE, intelligence about the enemy was scarce and difficult to obtain: Reconnaissance cavalry, local population and spies were the only available (and often unreliable) sources.
A good example of this quite extreme fog of war happened in the movements preceding the battle of Issus, when Darius' army of 60,000 men moved past the Macedonian army and remained undetected until it was at a two days' march distance.
As a general rule, a Faction can examine only its own units and charts, and the top unit of enemy stacks. This remains valid even when the enemy is in the same hex with friendly forces.
- In specific moments during Combat, both sides must reveal the exact composition of their forces (see 9.1 and 11.1).
- When an action requires to declare additional details about a Unit or Force, the opposing Faction may request the involved units to be shown.
- Some Fate Cards allow a Faction to obtain more specific information about the enemy Forces.
8.1 Reconnaissance
During movement of any kind, a friendly Army outside a City may use Reconnaissance to gather additional information about one enemy Force within 3 hexes from its current position.
- During its movement, an Army can use Reconnaissance only once against a specific enemy Force.
- The friendly Army must have Light Cavalry and assign some or all of it to Reconnaissance.
- The enemy Force may assign none, some, or all its Light Cavalry to Screening.
- The Size of the Screening Cavalry is subtracted from the Size of the Reconnaissance Cavalry, and a roll is made on the corresponding column of the Recon Table.
- The result indicates the Reconnaissance and Screening cavalry losses in Size Points, and the information obtained.
- Losses are assigned immediately by the owner. Losses are ignored if no Screening Cavalry has been used.
- Depending by the level of information obtained, the enemy must reveal details about the target stack. The exact details are decided by the enemy within the following limits:
| Level | Information |
|---|---|
| 0 | No additional info |
| 1 | Total Size, up or down 50% |
| 2 | Total Infantry Size, up or down 50% Total Cavalry Size, up or down 50% |
| 3 | Total Infantry Size, up or down 25% Total Cavalry Size, up or down 25% 2 randomly chosen Leaders |
9. Land Combat
Land Combat can be resolved by conducting a proper battle with Tactical Combat, or by using the simpler Land Combat. If the involved sides cannot agree on the system to use, the winner of a single round of Greco-Roman Wrestling decides.
- Land Combat occurs in the following cases:
- a. When an Army enters a hex containing enemy Land Units outside a City, and the enemy does not retreat before combat.
- b. When an Army inside a City attempts a Sortie to break a Siege or move out.
- The moving side is considered the Attacker, and the opposite side is considered the Defender.
- If both Forces involved have a Size of 15 or greater, the Combat is considered a Battle, and its outcome will affect both Faction's Morale (see 20).
- If one of the Forces involved has a Size lower than 15, the Combat is considered a Skirmish, and its outcome will have no effect on Morale.
9.1 Land Combat Procedure
Land Combat is resolved in a series of Rounds and continues until one side voluntarily retreats or routs.
- The Defender may attempt to Retreat Before Combat (see 10.1).
- If the battle hex contains a Choke Point, the Defender announces if it is using it or not (see 9.7).
- Both sides reveal the exact composition of their Army (see 9.2).
- The conditions for an Overrun are checked (see 6.5.1):
- a. If the Defender has been overrun, combat is over.
- b. If no overrun is possible, the Attacker expends 3 MPs to Attack (see 6.5).
- Both sides appoint the Battle Commander (see 9.3).
- Both sides determine their Rout Value (see 9.4).
- The Defender may attempt to Retreat During Combat (see 10.2).
- A series of Combat Round is executed using the following sequence:
- a. Each Army totals the Combat Value of all its Units.
- b. Each Army compares its total Combat Value with that of the enemy Army to obtain a Combat Ratio, rounded off in the enemy's favour.
- c. Each Army calculates its Combat Modifiers for Terrain, Leadership, Disruption, and superiority in specific types of troops (see 9.5).
- d. An Army may decide not to use a specific Combat Modifier given by troop superiority, to reduce losses on that type of troops (see 9.6).
- e. Each Army rolls on the Land Combat Table, modifying it with its Combat Modifiers.
- f. Each Army applies the combat result (see 9.6).
- g. Each Army subtracts its Rout Value from its total Size losses. If the result is greater than zero, a roll is made on the corresponding column of the Rout Table, and on a R result the Army Routs (see 10.3).
9.2 Attacking and Defending Armies
- The Attacking Army composition is defined as follows:
- a. All the units in the moving Army must be included.
- b. Any friendly Land Unit in the hex and inside a City may be included if not Disrupted.
- The Defending Army is defined as follows:
- a. All the friendly Land Units in the hex and outside a City must be included.
- b. Any friendly Land Unit in the hex and inside a City may be included if not Disrupted.
9.3 Battle Commander
Before combat begins, both armies must appoint a Battle Commander.
- If the Faction Leader is part of the Army, he must be appointed as Battle Commander.
- If the Faction Leader is not part of the Army, any Leader in it can be appointed as Battle Commander.
- Once the Land Combat starts, the Battle Commander cannot be changed.
- The Battle Commander affects the Army Rout Level (see 9.4), and the Combat Modifiers (see 9.5).
9.4 Rout Level
Before Combat begins, both sides must determine their Rout Level and Rout Value.
- Each Faction has a base Rout Level, indicated in the Scenario being played.
- The Strategic Rating of the Battle Commander modifies the Rout Level as follows:
| Strategic Rating | Rout Level |
|---|---|
| 4 - 5 | +5 |
| 2 - 3 | 0 |
| 1 | -5 |
- The Faction Morale modifies the Rout Level as follows:
| Faction Morale | Rout Level |
|---|---|
| 71 or more | +5 |
| 40 - 70 | 0 |
| 20 - 39 | -5 |
| 19 or less | -10 |
- If more than 1/3 of the Units in the Army are Disrupted, the Rout Level is modified by -5.
- The composition of the Army modifies the Rout Level as follows:
| Army Composition | Rout Level |
|---|---|
| At least ½ of the Units are Spartans | +5 |
| At least ½ of the Units are Mercenaries | -5 |
- The Rout Level is used as a percentage of the total Size of the Army at the start of the combat, giving the Rout Value of the Army.
- When the Size Points lost by an Army exceed its Rout Value, the Army may Rout (see 9.1 Land Combat Procedure, and 10.3 Army Rout).
Example: a Macedonian Army with a Size 60 enters Battle. The Macedonian Rout Level is 30, modified by +5 as Alexandros is the Battle Commander (Strategic Rating 5), and by +5 as the Macedonian Faction Morale is 71. Mercenary troops are also present, but their Size is less than half the Size of the army, so they do not influence the Rout Level.
The Macedonian Army has a final Rout Level of 40, giving a Rout Value of 24 (40% of 60, rounded down).
9.5 Combat Modifiers
The Land Combat die roll may be modified by several factors, listed here below. All Combat Modifiers are cumulative.
- Commander: The Strategic Rating of the enemy Battle Commander is subtracted from the Strategic Rating of the friendly Battle Commander, and the Commanders Table is consulted to find the Combat Modifier.
- River: If all the Attackers crossed a River to enter the hex where combat takes place, the Defender has a +1 Combat Modifier.
- Major River, Ferry: If all the Attackers crossed a Major River or a Ferry to enter the hex where combat takes place, the Defender has a +2 Combat Modifier.
- Closed Formation Infantry: If the Size of the friendly Phalanx, Hypaspist, Hoplite and Heavy Infantry is 5 or more, and is two times or more the Size of the enemy Phalanx, Hypaspist, Hoplite and Heavy Infantry, there is a +1 Combat Modifier.
- Heavy Cavalry: If the Size of the friendly Heavy Cavalry is 5 or more, and is two times or more the Size of the enemy Heavy Cavalry, there is a +1 Combat Modifier.
- Cavalry: If the Size of the friendly Cavalry is 5 or more, and is two times or more the Size of the enemy Cavalry, there is a +1 Combat Modifier.
- Skirmishers: If the Size of the friendly Skirmishers is 5 or more, and is two times or more the Size of the enemy Skirmishers, there is a +1 Combat Modifier.
- Light Infantry: If the Land Combat is a Skirmish, there is a +2 Combat Modifier if the hex is Rough or Forest, the Size of the friendly Light Infantry is 5 or more, and it is two times or more the Size of the enemy Light Infantry.
- Disruption: If more than 1/3 of the Units in the friendly Army are Disrupted, a negative Combat Modifier equal to the worst Disruption Level applies (i.e., -1 or -2).
9.6 Combat Results
The Combat Results for each single Combat Round indicates the Size Point losses inflicted to the enemy Army.
- Each Army must reduce or eliminate its units until the Size Points lost are equal to or greater than the Combat Result.
- Losses are normally assigned by the Army Commander using the following priorities:
- a. If the Combat Result is 2 or higher and the Army employed a Combat Modifier for troop superiority, the loss of at least one Size Point must come from those troop types.
- b. In Combat Rounds 1 and 2, half of the casualties (rounded up) must come from Skirmisher units, if possible.
- c. In Combat Rounds 3 and 4, half of the casualties (rounded up) must come from Cavalry units, if possible.
- d. In any subsequent Combat Round, half of the casualties (rounded up) must come from Infantry units, if possible. In this specific case, Skirmishers are not considered Infantry.
- If the Combat Result is printed in red, the opposing Faction may designate one specific troop type, among those selected using the above priorities, which must incur in at least one loss.
Example: During the first Combat Round, the Persian army suffers a loss of 3 Size Points. Two losses must come from Skirmishers as it is the first Combat Round, and one loss from Cavalry as the Persian used a +1 Combat Modifier for Cavalry Superiority. As the combat result is printed in red and Cavalry must take losses, the Macedonian designates Heavy Cavalry (HC) as the specific type of Cavalry that must absorb at least one loss.
9.6.1 Leader Casualty
In the classical era, a commander who wanted the respect of his men had to lead from the first line or very close to it. This was particularly true for Alexander, who survived at least four serious wounds thanks to toughness, skill, or Gods' favour - you decide. This means that no one is invulnerable, no matter the day of the year or how catastrophic his death could be for the Master Plan.
- If the unmodified die roll on the Land Combat Table is 10, there is the possibility that an enemy Leader has been killed:
- a. The Faction that rolled 10 rolls again: on a result of 9 or higher, a randomly picked Leader in the enemy Army has been killed.
- If an Army has no more Combat Units after applying the combat result, every Leader in that Army is killed.
- If the Battle Commander of an Army is killed, the Army Routs.
9.6.2 The King Must Survive (Optional)
For Kings not manly enough to accept and embrace the will of the Gods, this optional rule offers a less dangerous but also less effective leadership style.
In a Land Combat involving the Faction Leader, a Faction may declare that the King must survive, with the following effects:
- The Morale of the Faction is immediately decreased by two.
- For the duration of the Combat, the Strategic Value of the Faction Leader is decreased by one.
- The Faction Leader cannot be picked as Leader Casualty.
9.7 Choke Points
- If the battle location contains a Choke Point, the Defender may announce it is going to deploy there. The choice must be made before the battle begins and cannot be changed later.
- If the Defender deploys at a Choke Point, the following additional rules are in effect:
- a. Each Army can commit a maximum of 20 Size Points each Combat Round.
- b. The committed Units are selected at the beginning of each Combat Round, and are the only Units used to resolve it.
- c. The Cavalry and Heavy Cavalry Combat Modifiers are not used.
10. Land Retreats
Land Retreat occurs when an Army retreats before combat, retreats during combat, or routs.
In all cases it is an extra movement of up to 15 MPs, which might mean that an Army could move more than normal, but with an impact on its future retreat, movement, and combat capabilities (see 13).
10.1 Retreat Before Combat
-
When an enemy Army enters a hex occupied by a friendly Army, the friendly Army may decide to refuse battle and Retreat Before Combat if the following requisites are met:
- a. It has a Leader.
- b. It is not under Land Blockade.
- c. No unit has a Disruption Level 2. If one or more units have a Disruption level 2, the retreat immediately turns into a Rout and is executed as such (see 10.3).
- d. The ratio of Light Cavalry Size between the enemy and the friendly Army must be lower than 2:1.
Example: If the enemy army has 8 Light Cavalry Size Points and the friendly army has 4, the ratio is exactly 2:1 and the friendly Army cannot Retreat Before Combat.
-
If Retreat Before Combat is possible, the Army may expend up to 15 MPs using Retreat Movement (see 10.4).
-
The retreating Army may retreat all or some of its units in the hex, and could also split in different Armies retreated separately, as long as each Army has its own Leader.
-
At the end of the Retreat, each retreated Army must:
- a. Roll on the Retreat Table to determine the losses incurred (see 10.5).
- b. Increase its Disruption by one.
-
A previously moving, retreated Army may resume movement with its remaining MPs, but it must remove Disruption before being able to do so. If the Army has been split, only one of the retreated Armies may continue moving, at owner's choice.
Example: An Army has expended 10 MPs when an enemy Army reacts and moves into its hex to attack. The Army opts to Retreat Before Combat and is marked as Disrupt 1. At the end of the enemy Reaction Move, the Army expends 15 MPs to remove the Disruption and may continue moving with the remaining 5 MPs.
10.2 Retreat During Combat
- Once Combat is initiated, an Army may attempt to Retreat During Combat if the following conditions are met:
- a. It has a Leader.
- b. No unit has a Disruption Level 2. If one or more Units have a Disruption Level 2, the retreat immediately turns into a Rout and is executed as such (see 10.3).
- The retreating side rolls a die on the Retreat During Combat Table, applying all relevant modifiers.
- If the Army can retreat, Land Combat is over, and the retreating Army may expend up to 15 MPs using Retreat Movement (see 10.4).
- The retreating side must retreat all its Land Units and could also split them in different Armies retreated separately, as long as each Army has its own Leader.
- At the end of the Retreat, each retreated Army must:
- a. Roll on the Retreat Table to determine any losses incurred (see 10.5).
- b. Increase its Disruption by one.
- A previously moving, retreated Army may resume movement with its remaining MPs, but it must remove Disruption before being able to do so. If the Army has been split, only one of the retreated Armies may continue moving, at owner's choice.
10.3 Army Rout
A routed army is more similar to a panicked crowd than to a military force. Even without further disturbance from the enemy, losses will mount as wounded soldiers are left behind and demoralised troops decide they have had enough.
- An Army routs in the following cases:
- a. It contains units having a Disruption Level 2 and attempts to retreat before or during combat.
- b. During Combat, the Size Points lost are greater than the Rout Value, and a Rout result is rolled on the Rout Table.
- c. The Battle Commander is killed.
- Before a Routed Army starts the Rout, the enemy Army may Pursue (see 10.6).
- A Routed Army must retreat using Retreat Movement (see 10.4), with the following additional constraints:
- a. It must continue retreating until it has expended at least 15 MPs, or it has moved inside a friendly City.
- b. It must stop retreating as soon as it has expended more than 15 MPs.
- c. Whenever possible, each hex entered must be further away from the Army that caused the Rout than the previous one.
- A Routed Army unable to comply with point 3 above is completely eliminated.
- A Routed Army must retreat all its units and cannot split in separate Armies. Any Baggage Train and Siege Train are left behind and captured by the enemy.
- At the end of the Retreat Movement, the Routed Army must:
- a. Roll on the Retreat Table to determine any additional losses incurred (see 10.5).
- b. Increase its Disruption Level to two.
- A previously moving, routed Army may use its remaining MPs to remove one or more levels of Disruption (see 13).
10.4 Retreat Movement
- A retreating Army moves according to the standard movement rules, with the following exceptions:
- a. It must leave the hex where Combat took place, unless it is retreating directly inside a City.
- b. If under Siege and not attacking in combination with an external relief Army, it must retreat inside the City.
- c. It cannot retreat thru the hexside used by the enemy Army to enter its hex.
- d. It cannot demand a City to Surrender or initiate Combat in any form, except Overrun.
- e. Whenever possible, it must avoid entering an enemy Reaction Zone.
- f. Whenever possible, it must avoid moving nearer to an enemy Army exerting a Reaction Zone over its current hex.
- g. The enemy cannot attempt a Reaction Move during the retreat.
- Movement Points used during a Retreat are not subtracted from a moving Army's remaining MPs. They are at all effects "extra" MPs and are taken into account by Disruption movement penalties (see 13).
10.5 Retreat Losses
- After completing a Retreat or Rout, an Army must determine any additional losses incurred.
- The owning Faction rolls on the Retreat Losses Table, taking into account the type of retreat (Before Combat, During Combat or Rout) and any relevant modifier.
- Losses are assigned by the owning Faction, using the following guidelines:
- a. If possible, at least 2/3 of the losses (rounding up) must be taken from Infantry units.
- b. If possible, at least 1/3 of the losses (rounding down) must be taken from Cavalry units.
- c. Losses must be distributed as evenly as possible among all the units of the corresponding type (i.e., Infantry or Cavalry).
10.6 Pursuit
For a routed Army, bad news has just started. Should the enemy have fresh cavalry to launch in pursuit, losses could increase up to completely destroying the defeated army.
- An Army may Pursue a Routed enemy only if it has not exceeded its Rout Value itself during the combat.
- The total Cavalry Size in the Pursuing Army is calculated. Only Cavalry units that have no Disruption are counted.
- The Pursuing Army rolls on the Pursuit Table, applying any relevant modifier. The result is the additional Size Points loss inflicted to the Routed Army.
- Losses are assigned by the owning Faction, using the Retreat Losses guidelines (see 10.5).
- If all the Combat Units are eliminated because of the Pursuit, half of the Leaders in the Army (rounding up) are randomly picked and also killed. The Lone Leaders rule is applied to the survivors (see 6.6).
11. Naval Combat
- Naval Combat occurs when a Fleet enters a hex occupied by enemy Naval Units not in a Port. Naval Combat in a Port is not possible.
- The moving Fleet is considered the Attacker, and the opposite Fleet is considered the Defender.
11.1 Naval Combat Procedure
Naval Combat is resolved in a single Round of Combat, using the following sequence:
- The Defending Fleet may decide to Break Contact (see 12.1).
- Both sides reveal the exact composition of their Fleet (see 11.2).
- The conditions for an Overrun are checked (see 6.5.1):
- a. If the Defending Fleet has been overrun, combat is over.
- b. If no overrun is possible, the Attacking Fleet expends 3 MPs to Attack (see 6.5).
- Each Fleet appoints its Naval Commander (see 11.3).
- Each Fleet compares its total Combat Value with that of the enemy Fleet to obtain a Combat Ratio, rounded off in the enemy's favour.
- Each Fleet calculates its Combat Modifiers (see 11.4).
- Each Fleet rolls on the Naval Combat Table and apply the result (see 11.5).
- The Fleet that took more losses has been defeated and must Take Refuge (see 12.2). If both Fleets incurred in the same number of losses, the Attacker has been defeated and must Take Refuge.
- At the end of Naval Combat, a Fleet may resume its movement with its remaining MPs if it has been victorious or if it is able to remove the Disruption caused by the retreat. If the Fleet has been split, only one of the retreated Fleets may continue moving, at owner's choice.
11.2 Attacking and Defending Fleets
- The attacking Fleet is defined as follows:
- a. All the Naval Units in the moving Fleet must be included.
- b. Any friendly Naval Unit in the hex and inside a Port may be included if not Disrupted. Units included are immediately considered as outside the Port.
- The defending Fleet is defined as follows:
- a. All the friendly Naval Units in the hex and outside a Port must be included.
- b. Any friendly Naval Unit in the hex and inside a Port may be included if not Disrupted. Units included are immediately considered as outside the Port.
11.3 Naval Commander
Before combat begins, both sides must appoint a Naval Commander.
- For the Attacker, the moving Leader must be appointed as Naval Commander.
- For the Defender, any Leader present and capable of commanding Naval Units can be appointed.
- Once appointed, the Naval Commander cannot be voluntarily changed.
- The Naval Commander may affect the Combat Modifier (see 11.4 and the Commanders Table).
11.4 Naval Combat Modifiers
- The Strategic Rating of the enemy Naval Commander is subtracted from the Strategic Rating of the friendly Naval Commander, and the Commanders Table is consulted to find the Combat Modifier.
- If more than 1/3 of the Units in the friendly Fleet are Disrupted, a negative Combat Modifier equal to the Disruption Level applies (i.e., -1 or -2).
- If more than 1/3 of the Units in the enemy Fleet are Disrupted, a positive Combat Modifier equal to the Disruption Level applies (i.e., +1 or +2).
11.5 Naval Combat Results
- The Naval Combat result indicates the Size Points lost by the enemy Fleet.
- The owning Faction reduces or eliminates its Naval Units until the Size Points lost are equal to or greater than the result.
- Losses must be distributed as evenly as possible among all the Units in the Fleet.
12. Naval Retreats
Naval Retreats are caused by a Fleet refusing combat (Breaking Contact) or losing a naval battle (Taking Refuge).
In all cases it is an extra movement of up to 15 MPs, which might mean that a Fleet could move more than normal, but with an impact on its future retreat, movement, and combat capabilities (see 13).
12.1 Breaking Contact
- When an enemy Fleet enters a hex occupied by a friendly Fleet, the friendly Fleet may decide to refuse battle and Break Contact.
- To Break Contact, a Fleet must meet all the following conditions:
- a. It must have a Leader.
- b. It must have a Disruption Level lower than 2.
- If Breaking Contact is possible, the Fleet can expend up to 15 MPs using Disengage Movement (see 12.3).
- The Fleet breaking contact may disengage all or some of its units in the hex, and could also split them in different Fleets disengaging separately, as long as each Fleet has a Leader.
12.2 Taking Refuge
- A Fleet that has been defeated in a Naval Combat must Take Refuge in a friendly Port.
- All the Naval Units in the defeated Fleet must Take Refuge. They could also split in separate Fleets, as long as each Fleet has a Leader.
- Each Fleet Taking Refuge may expend up to 15 MPs using Disengage Movement (see 12.3).
- A Fleet Taking Refuge and not in a friendly Port at the end of the Retreat must lose two additional Size Points.
12.3 Disengage Movement
- Disengage Movement uses the standard movement rules, with the following exceptions:
- a. The disengaging Fleet must leave the hex where Combat took place, or move inside a friendly Port in the same hex.
- b. The disengaging Fleet cannot initiate Combat in any form, except Overrun.
- c. Whenever possible, the disengaging Fleet must avoid entering the Reaction Zone of an enemy Fleet.
- d. Whenever possible, the disengaging Fleet must avoid moving nearer to an enemy Fleet exerting a Reaction Zone over its current hex.
- e. The enemy cannot attempt a Reaction Move during the Disengage Movement.
- At the end of the Disengage Movement, the disengaging Fleet has its Disruption Level increased by one.
- A previously moving Fleet that disengaged may resume movement with its remaining MPs, but it must remove Disruption before being able to do so. If the Fleet has been split, only one of the disengaged Fleets may continue moving, at owner's choice.
- Movement Points used during a disengagement are not subtracted from a moving Fleet remaining MPs. They are at all effects "extra" MPs and are taken into account by Disruption movement penalties (see 13).
13. Disruption
No matter the century or the equipment, few things can undermine the efficiency and the morale of a military formation more than a retreat in face of the enemy or a defeat on the battlefield.
Disruption represents the fatigue and loss of confidence resulting from a retreat, and the time physically needed to march to safety.
Disruption is consequence of a rout or retreat, no matter if voluntary. A unit can have a Disruption Level ranging from 1 (Moderate Disruption) to 2 (Severe Disruption).
- A Force containing one or more Disrupted Units cannot move but can expend MPs to reduce its Disruption Level.
- During the friendly MFD Step, a Force may expend 15 MPs to decrease the Disruption Level of all its units by one, or 30 MPs to decrease it by two.
- A Force containing one or more Disrupted Units may be able to Retreat (see 10. Land Retreat and 12. Naval Retreat), depending by the level of Disruption.
- A Force containing Disrupted Units and engaged in Combat could have a negative Combat Modifier (see 9.5. Combat Modifiers, and 11.4. Naval Combat Modifiers).
- At the end of the friendly MFD, a Unit that has not moved or retreated can remove all its Disruption Levels.
14. Cities and Ports
- A hex with a City or Port may contain units from a Faction within, and units of the same or an opposing Faction outside.
- Units in a hex containing a friendly-controlled City or Port, and no enemy Forces, may be considered inside or outside it, at owner's choice (see also 5. Stacking).
- A Port is controlled by the side controlling the City.
- Land Units in a hex containing an enemy-controlled City cannot move inside.
- Naval Units in a hex containing an enemy-controlled Port cannot move inside, but they can support Sieges.
- When an enemy Army moves into a hex containing a friendly City, any friendly Land Unit in the hex may avoid Combat by entering the City. Place the Unit under an "Inside City" marker.
- When an enemy Fleet moves into a hex containing a friendly-controlled Port, any friendly Naval Unit may avoid Combat by entering the Port. Place the Unit under an "Inside City" marker.
- A Fortress is considered a City under every aspect, except the following:
- a. It has no effect on control or taxation of a Province.
- b. It cannot be plundered, sacked, or used for requisitions.
- c. It cannot revolt.
- d. It cannot be used to raise new forces.
14.1 Intrinsic Defence
- Intrinsic Defence is used during Surrender (see 14.3), Assault (see 14.4) and Siege (see 14.5).
- The Intrinsic Defence of a City depends on its size:
| City Size | Intrinsic Defence |
|---|---|
| A | 35 |
| B | 20 |
| C | 10 |
| D | 5 |
| Fortress | 15 |
14.2 Blockade
- A City is under Blockade when an enemy Army is in the same hex, outside the City, no matter if a Siege has been declared.
- A Port or Naval Base is under Blockade when an enemy Fleet is in the same hex, outside the Port.
- The Blockade of a City and its Port are evaluated separately: one of the two could be under Blockade while the other is not.
- Land Units inside a City under Blockade may move out by embarking on Naval Units or by attacking the enemy, alone or in conjunction with another friendly Army outside the City.
- Naval Units inside a Port under Blockade may move out by attacking the enemy, alone or in conjunction with another friendly Fleet outside the Port. Should the Blockaded Fleet lose the Naval Combat, it must retreat inside the Port.
14.3 Surrender
- During the friendly MFD Step, an Army may demand the Surrender of an enemy-controlled City in its same hex.
- Surrender of a City can be demanded only once, whatever the result. If the City is subsequently retaken by the enemy, Surrender can be demanded again.
- The following procedure is used when demanding the Surrender of a City:
- a. The Army totals the Combat Value of all its Infantry units.
- b. The City totals its Intrinsic Defence with the Combat Value of any Infantry Unit inside the City.
- c. The Army total Combat Value is compared with the total City Combat Value to obtain a Combat Ratio, rounded off in the City favour.
- d. If the Combat Ratio is 1:1 or greater, the Army rolls on the Surrender Table applying any relevant modifier. All modifiers are cumulative.
- e. On an S result, the City surrenders, and the Fate of the Defenders is determined (see 14.6).
14.4 Assault
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During the friendly MFD Step, an Army may Assault an enemy-controlled City in its same hex by expending 5 MPs.
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A City can be Assaulted an unlimited number of times during a friendly MFD Step, as long as the moving Army expends the required Movement Points.
-
The following procedure is used when Assaulting a City:
- a. Both sides appoint the Battle Commander (see 9.3).
- b. The Attacker sums the Combat Value of the Infantry units conducting the Assault.
- c. The Defender sums the Intrinsic Defence of the City with the Combat Value of the Infantry Unit inside it. Naval Units inside the Port may also add half their Combat Value.
- d. The Attacker Combat Value is compared with the Defender Combat Value to obtain a Combat Ratio, rounded off in the Defender's favour.
- e. The Attacker rolls on the Assault Table, applying any relevant modifier. All modifiers are cumulative.
- f. The result indicates the Attacker's losses in Size Points (Blue value), the Defender's losses in Size Points (Red value), and if the City has been taken (T result).
- g. Losses for each side are distributed among Infantry and Naval units used in the Assault, with the owner and the enemy taking turns at reducing or eliminating the affected units. When possible, a Unit allowing to eliminate the exact number of Size Points lost must be selected.
During an Assault, the best units are usually engaged at a weak point or breach. Therefore, at least a part of the losses will fall on them.
- h. Each side rolls two dice again: if the result is 20, one randomly picked Leader in the enemy Army has been killed.
14.5 Siege
As Homer and any Hellenistic-era historian teach us, besieging a walled city determined to resist was a difficult task and could take an insane amount of time. The introduction of mobile siege towers and catapults allowed a more direct approach to the problem.
14.5.1 Besieging a City
- During the friendly Siege Declaration Step, an Army may start a Siege of an enemy City in the same hex if the total Combat Value of its Infantry is equal or greater than the City Intrinsic Defence. Place a Siege marker over the Besieging Force.
- During the friendly Siege Declaration Step, a friendly unit can join a Besieging Force in the same hex. Place the unit under the existing Siege marker.
- A Besieging Unit that moves from its current hex for any reason is not considered as part of the Besieging Force anymore, no matter if it returns in the hex during the same movement.
- If, at any moment, the Besieging Force does not meet the required Infantry Combat Value, the Siege marker is removed.
14.5.2 Siege Trains
A Siege Train consists of siege towers, rams, and catapults used to assault or breach the external defences of a fortification. A City can be besieged or assaulted without a Siege Train, but having it gives the attacker a decisive advantage.
- A Siege Train is a non-Combat Land unit.
- During the Recruitment Step, a Leader in a hex containing a friendly, non-Blockaded City of size A, B or C can build a Siege Train at the cost of 2 Talents.
- A Siege Train follows the movement rules of a Land unit. Moving with a Baggage Train slows down movement considerably (see the Movement Table).
- A Siege Train has no combat capabilities whatsoever. When not escorted by Combat Units, it is captured by any enemy Combat Unit entering its hex.
- During the friendly MFD Step, an Army can voluntarily destroy a Siege Train in its hex.
14.5.3 Siege Resolution
During the friendly Siege Resolution Step, a Besieging Army may decide to bring on the Siege using the following sequence:
- Both sides appoint the Battle Commander (see 9.3).
- The Besieger totals the Combat Value of the Infantry units in the Besieging Force. Naval Units in the Besieging Force may also add half their Combat Value if the City has a Port.
- The Besieged totals the Intrinsic Defence of the City with the Combat Value of the Infantry Unit inside the City. Naval Units inside the Port may also add half their Combat Value.
- The Besieger Value is compared with the Besieged Value to obtain a Combat Ratio, rounded off in the Besieged favour.
- If the Combat Ratio is 1:1 or higher, the Besieger rolls on the Siege Table, applying any relevant modifier. All modifiers are cumulative.
- The result indicates losses in the Besieging Force (Blue value), in the Besieged Force (Red value), and the fall of the City (T result).
- If the result of the unmodified die roll contains a B and the Besieger has a Siege Train, the City walls has been Breached. The Siege Marker is flipped on the Breach side, and any Assault made during the current Turn has a +2 modifier.
- Losses are distributed by the owner among Infantry Units in the involved Force. Naval Units can take losses only if no Infantry units are left. The City Intrinsic Defence is never reduced.
- If the City has fallen, the following applies after the losses have been assigned:
- a. The Fate of the Defenders is determined (see 14.6).
- b. The City becomes controlled by the Besieger, unless he decides to Sack it (see 14.7).
14.6 The Fate of the Defenders
When a City Surrenders or is captured by Assault or Siege, the fate of the defenders depends by their possibility to escape.
- If the City has a Port not under Blockade and containing Naval Units, apply the following:
- a. Defending Leaders may embark.
- b. Half the Size Points of the Defender Army may embark, up to the Naval Units' transport capacity.
- c. After embarking the fugitives, Naval Units in the Port must Take Refuge (see 12.2).
- Any Unit remaining inside the City is eliminated, Leaders included.
14.7 Sacking
Several important cities were razed to the ground during the campaigns of Alexander. Sacking was usually authorised when the city put up a significant resistance, with the idea of sending a clear message to other cities. The effectiveness of this message is actually doubtful, as several cities decided to resist nonetheless.
- Immediately after a successful Assault or Siege, the Attacker may decide to Sack the conquered City by expending 3 additional MPs.
- The Attacker rolls on the Sacking Table, with the following possible results:
- #: Talents sacked and added to the Attacker's Faction's Treasury.
- R: Resolve: The barbaric behaviour strengthen the enemy resolve. The Province Alignment is moved one space in favour of the enemy Faction.
- F: Fear: The treatment inflicted to the City instils fear in the enemy. The Province Alignment is moved one space in favour of the Attacker's Faction.
- A Sacked marker is placed over the City. The City and any Port in it are simply considered to not exist anymore.
- A City cannot be Plundered and then Sacked. If the Army decides to Sack it, no Plundering is allowed.
15. Supply
Ancient armies mostly lived off the land, but that was enough only in fertile regions producing an abundant harvest, and only during the period from late Spring to early Autumn.
If the region cannot sustain the army, supply must be carried on pack animals. This creates a chain effect strikingly similar to the modern "Tyranny of the Rocket" problem: If you add fuel, you need more fuel to move it, so you have to add fuel again…And so on. As the number of pack animals needed to ensure survival increases, feeding them on pasture when the army stops becomes impossible, so forage must be also transported, meaning more pack animals are needed…And so on. This loop reaches astronomical figures rather quickly.
Supply is measured in Supply Points. Each Force above a certain size must gather enough Supply Points or suffer Attrition.
Supply Points are gathered by foraging in the countryside, requisitioning or plundering them from Cities, or shipping them from a nearby Naval Base. An Army could also be accompanied by a Fleet or Baggage Train transporting extra supply.
The number of Supply Points available may vary depending by the time of the year, the depletion of the local resources, the enemy raids, and the application of a scorched earth policy in the region.
15.1 Supply Check
- A Force having a Size of 5 or greater must check Supply each time one of the following conditions is met:
- a. During movement of any kind (Move, Retreat, or Reaction), when the total MPs expended equals or exceeds 10 for the first time.
- b. During movement of any kind (Move, Retreat, or Reaction), when the total MPs expended equals or exceeds 20 for the first time.
- c. During the friendly Final Supply Step, no matter if it has moved or not.
- During the friendly Final Supply Step, a Force having a Size lower than 5 must check Supply in the following cases:
- a. It is inside a City with no Port, under Land Blockade.
- b. It is inside a City with a Port, under Land and Naval Blockade.
- c. For an Army, it is in a hex not containing a friendly-controlled City, in a Supply Region with a printed Forage Value of zero.
- d. For a Fleet, it is in a hex not containing a friendly-controlled Port.
- For Supply Check purposes, a Baggage Train is considered to have a Size of 6.
- MPs expended by Leaders moving alone, or to remove Disruption or Reaction, are not counted toward the total MPs for a Supply Check.
- A Force required to check Supply must do so before resolving any Combat caused by its move.
15.2 Supply Check Procedure
- The total Size Points to consider is determined:
- a. During movement, all the Units in the moving Force must be included. Friendly units in the same hex but not part of the moving Force are ignored.
- b. During the Final Supply Step, all the Land units in the same hex and not embarked are considered as a single Force.
- c. During the Final Supply Step, all the Naval units and embarked troops in the same hex are considered as a single Force.
- Each 10 Size Points or fraction thereof in a Force consume one Supply Point. If the Force does not consume enough Supply Points, it must undergo Attrition (see 16).
- A Fleet with troops embarked must provide supply for both. The Supply Points gathered by the Fleet are distributed as desired between the Fleet and the troops, and the two Forces undergo Attrition separately.
- Supply Points can be gathered using one or more of the following methods:
- a. Foraging (see 15.3).
- b. Requisitions in friendly Cities (see 15.6).
- c. Plunder of friendly Cities (see 15.7).
- d. Baggage Trains (see 15.9).
- e. Depots (see 15.10).
- f. Supply embarked on Naval Units (see 15.11).
15.3 Foraging
Foraging consists in gathering food, forage, and meat animals from the countryside. Light cavalry detachments are assigned to foraging to bring back what can be loaded on horseback, or to point out the location of heavier goods for mule or cart transport.
A modern observer tends to think in terms of total supply available to an army during a march, as moving provisions is usually not a problem nowadays: You gather X tons of provisions at one point, Y tons at another point, you have X + Y tons of provisions available. Things were different in Alexander's era, as an army could transport supplies sufficient for only a few days. If the army had to march in an inhospitable region, it didn't matter if the area crossed a week earlier was plentiful: after three days the food, forage and water at hand were over and the problems began.
- The map is divided in Supply Regions, marked by a Province boundary or by a Supply boundary. Each Supply Region has a Forage Value, printed in dark green with a yellow outline.
- An island is treated as a separate Supply Region having a Forage Value of one, unless a different value is printed on its territory.
- Only Armies can Forage, and only when they are not inside a City under Land Blockade or embarked on Naval units.
- During a movement Supply Check, the following rules apply to Foraging:
- a. An army can Forage only if it has expended at least 3 MPs not embarked on a Fleet.
- b. an Army may Forage from the single Supply Region where it has expended most of its MPs since the last Supply Check.
- c. If more than one Supply Region qualifies, the one with the lowest modified Forage Value must be used.
- During the friendly Final Supply Step, an Army can Forage only from the Supply Region it is currently in.
- Foraging is not possible in a Supply Region with a printed value of zero.
15.3.1 Foraging Procedure
The number of Supply Points gathered by Foraging in a Supply Region is determined as follows:
- The Forage Modifier for the current month is subtracted from the Supply Region's Forage Value.
- The region's Depletion Level is further subtracted from the Forage Value.
- The Foraging Army declares the Size of its Light Cavalry used for Foraging. The Army may use only some or no Cavalry at all.
- The enemy declares the Size of Light Cavalry used for Raiding, taking it from one Army with a Leader, and within 2 hexes from the Foraging Army. The enemy may only some or no Cavalry at all.
- The Raiding Cavalry Size is subtracted from the Foraging Cavalry Size, and a roll is made on the corresponding column of the Foraging Table.
- The result indicates the Size Points lost by the Foraging Cavalry, by the Raiding Cavalry, and a further adjustment to the Forage Value.
- Losses are assigned immediately by the owner. Losses are ignored if either Foraging or Raiding Cavalry have not been used.
- If the final Forage Value is greater than zero, the Foraging Army may gather up to that value in Supply Points. A lower amount may be gathered to avoid depletion of the Region.
- The Depletion level of the Supply Region is increased by one if all the following conditions are true:
- a. The current Depletion level is lower than the printed Forage Value.
- b. The Foraging Army has a Size of 10 or greater.
- c. The Supply Points consumed or loaded on Baggage Trains are greater than the printed Forage Value, adjusted by the month's Forage Modifier only.
Example: An Army of 35 Size Points forages in hex A3017 (Sardeis) in the month of April. The Region has a Forage Value of 5, decreased to 3 by the -2 Month Modifier, and further decreased to 2 by a Depletion 1 marker. The Army contains 8 Size Points of Light Cavalry, all used as Foraging Cavalry. An enemy Army is within 2 hexes, and it uses 2 Size Points of Raiding Cavalry. The Army consults the Foraging Table, using the +6 column (8 Foraging Cavalry minus 2 Raiding Cavalry). The roll is 6, giving one loss for the Foraging Cavalry, no loss for the Raiding Cavalry, and a +2 to the Forage Value bringing it from 2 to 4. The Army could gather up to 4 Supply Points from Foraging.
The Foraging Army removes one Size Point from its Light Cavalry and consumes all the 4 Supply Points to feed its 34 Size Points. As the Supply Points consumed (4) are greater than the Region's adjusted Forage Value (5 minus 2 as it's April), the Supply Region has its Depletion increased from 1 to 2.
15.4 Scorched Earth
"Scorched Earth" is a strategy aimed at denying an invading army the resources to survive. Unfortunately, this approach has the same effect on the inhabitants and is usually not well-met by the local governor and subjects.
Memnon of Rhodes, one of the most capable Persian commanders, advocated this policy as a first measure to block Alexander, but he met strong opposition from the Satraps of the Aegean region.
- During the friendly MFD Step, an Army may use the Scorched Earth policy if all the following conditions are met:
- a. The Army has a Size of 10 or greater.
- b. The Army is not Reacting or Retreating.
- c. The Army is not embarked or inside a City under Blockade.
- d. No enemy Army outside a City is within 2 hexes of the Army.
- e. The current Month is between June and September.
- If Scorched Earth is used, the Army expends 5 MPs, and the following is applied:
- a. The Depletion Level of the Supply Region where the Army is located is increased by two.
- b. The Alignment of the Province where the Army is located is moved one space in favour of the enemy Faction.
15.5 Depletion
Foraging and Scorched Earth may increase the Depletion Level of a Supply Region. Depleted markers are used to keep track of the Depletion Level.
- When the Depletion Level of a Supply Region increases, its Depleted marker is adjusted to reflect the new level. In any case, the Depletion level can never exceed the printed Forage Value of the region.
- When Foraging, the Forage Value of a Supply Region is decreased by its current Depletion level.
- During the Administrative Phase of the April Turn, the new crops start being edible, and all the Depleted markers are removed.
15.6 Requisitions
Requisitions consist in buying the needed supplies from nearby cities, at a more or less honest price.
- During a Supply Check, an Army may requisition from a friendly-controlled City if the following conditions are met:
- a. The City has no Requisition or Plunder marker.
- b. The Army is within one hex of the City or moved within one hex since its last Supply Check.
- c. The path from the City to the hex considered does not contain impassable terrain.
- d. Neither the Army nor the City are under Land Blockade, or the Army is inside the City.
- During a Supply Check, a Fleet may Requisition from a friendly-controlled Port City if the following conditions are met:
- a. The City has no Requisition or Plunder marker.
- b. The Fleet is within one hex of the Port City or moved within one hex since its last Supply Check.
- c. The path from the Port City to the hex considered does not contain Impassable Terrain.
- d. Neither the Fleet nor the Port City are under Naval Blockade, or the Fleet is inside the Port City.
- The maximum number of Supply Points gathered by Requisition depends by the size of the City. A Force may opt to Requisition (and pay) a lower amount:
| City Size | Supply Points |
|---|---|
| A | 5 |
| B | 3 |
| C | 2 |
| D | 1 |
- Each Requisitioned Supply Point costs one Talent, immediately subtracted from the Faction's Treasury.
- A Requisition marker is placed over a City where Requisitions took place.
- During the Administrative Phase, a City that is not under Land Blockade has any Requisition marker removed.
15.7 Plunder
Plunder consists in entering a city and take what the army needs, no questions asked. This kind of approach is not particularly helpful to win the support of the inhabitants and of the regional Satrap.
- During movement of any kind, a Force can Plunder any friendly-controlled City along its movement path since the last Supply Check.
- During the friendly Final Supply Step, a Force can Plunder a friendly-controlled City in its hex.
- A Fleet can Plunder a City only if the City also has a Port.
- Plundering a City requires a Force with a Combat Value greater than the City Intrinsic Defence (see 14.1).
- The Force rolls on the Plunder Table, applying any relevant modifier. The result is the number of Supply Points Plundered.
- A Force cannot use Requisitions and Plunder in a City during the same Supply Check.
- After Plundering, apply the following:
- a. A Plunder 2 marker is placed on the City.
- b. The Alignment of the Province where the City is located is moved one space in the enemy's favour.
- c. A die is rolled: On a 1 to 5 result, riots break out. The Plundering Force must lose one Size Point from Infantry or Naval Units, or Cavalry if neither are present.
- Plundered City (both at Plunder 2 and 1) cannot be Plundered again.
- During the Administrative Phase, a Plundered City not under Land Blockade has its Plunder level decreased by one.
15.8 Shipping Routes
A Shipping Route uses Naval Units to gather supply and move it to a destination port, where it could be subsequently used by friendly forces.
15.8.1 Create a Shipping Route
During the friendly Naval Assignment Step, a Faction can create a Shipping Route between two Ports.
- The Depart and Arrival points for the Shipping Route are defined, within the following limitations:
- a. The Depart point must be a friendly Naval Base.
- b. The Arrival point can be a friendly Naval Base or Port.
- c. A Naval unit must be able to move from the Depart to the Arrival Port using 15 or fewer MPs in coastal Sea hexes only.
- A numbered Depart marker is placed in the departure Naval Base, and a corresponding Arrival marker is placed in the Arrival Port. Note that the Depart and Arrival points could be the same, thus creating a "local" supply route.
- Naval Units with no troops embarked, not Disrupted and in the Depart Naval Base can be assigned to the new Shipping Route. The designated Units are placed under the Shipping marker and are now considered Supply Ships.
- A Supply Ship cannot move, react, or attack.
- A Supply Ship in a Port that is no more friendly controlled for any reason is immediately relocated to the nearest friendly Naval Base or Port not under Blockade. If no such a Port exists, the Supply Ship is destroyed.
15.8.2 Reorganise a Shipping Route
During the friendly Naval Assignment Step, an existing Shipping Route can be reorganised as follows:
- The Arrival Port can be changed, subject to the rules for creating a Shipping Route.
- A Naval Unit in the Departure Naval Base can be added to the Shipping Route, subject to rules used when creating it.
- An assigned Supply Ship can be unassigned. Remove the Naval Unit from under the Shipping marker.
15.8.3 Disband a Shipping Route
- During the friendly Naval Assignment Step, a Shipping Route can be disbanded. Remove the corresponding Shipping markers.
- A Shipping Route is immediately disbanded if its Departure or Arrival Port are no more friendly-controlled at any moment.
15.8.4 Sea Shipping Procedure
During the friendly Sea Shipping Step, each Shipping Route may ship (i.e., create) Supply Points in its Departure or Arrival Port.
- Sea Shipping is possible if all the following conditions are met:
- a. The Departure and Arrival Ports are friendly-controlled and not under Naval Blockade.
- b. The sea path from the Departure to the Arrival Port does not enter the Reaction Zone of an enemy Fleet.
- c. It is not a Winter Turn.
- If Sea Shipping is possible, the total Size of the Supply Ships assigned to the Shipping Route is calculated, and a roll is made on the Sea Shipping Table.
- The result is the maximum number of Supply Points that may be shipped by the Shipping Route. The owner may decide to create none, some, or all of them.
- If the result is in red, one Step of a random Supply Ship in the Shipping Route has met Poseidon's Wrath and is sunk.
- Each shipped Supply Point costs one Talent, immediately subtracted from the Faction's Treasury, and is placed in a Depot at the Depart or Arrival Port.
15.9 Baggage Trains
A Baggage Train consists of pack animals carrying large quantities of provisions and equipment, with or without carts.
Following the guidelines traced by his father Philip, Alexander employed mostly horses and mules during the early campaigns, as oxen and carts would have slowed down the army below the desired daily march rate. Only in later campaigns, when much less developed areas had to be crossed, he introduced carts, oxen and also camels as pack animals.
Every army had its own baggage train, tailored on its standard needs, and not represented. Specific logistic circumstances could require a much bigger and cumbersome one, covered by the following rules.
- A Baggage Train is a non-Combat Land unit that can be used to transport up to 6 Supply Points.
- During the Recruitment Step, a Leader in a hex containing a friendly City not under Land Blockade may build a Baggage Train at the cost of 2 Talents.
- A Baggage Train follows the movement rules of a standard Land unit. Moving with a Baggage Train slows down movement considerably (see the Movement Table).
- A Baggage Train cannot use Naval Transport or Ferry.
- A Baggage Train has no combat capabilities whatsoever. When not escorted by Combat Units, it is captured by any enemy Combat Unit entering its hex.
15.9.1 Using a Baggage Train
- During a Supply Check, any Supply Points gathered but not consumed by an army can be loaded onto an attached Baggage Train. However, the number of Supply Points loaded cannot exceed the number of Supply Points actually consumed by the army during the Supply Check.
- During a Supply Check, an Army may consume the Supply Points in a Baggage Train if the following conditions are met:
- a. The Army is within one hex of the Baggage Train or moved within one hex since its last Supply Check.
- b. The path from the Baggage Train to the hex considered does not contain impassable terrain.
- c. Neither the Army nor the Baggage Train are in a City under Land Blockade, or they are both inside the same City.
- During the friendly MFD Step, an Army can voluntarily destroy a Baggage Train in its hex. Destroying a Baggage creates one Supply Point, and any transported Supply is lost.
15.10 Depots
Supply Points may be stored in a Depot, saving them for a later use.
- During a Supply Check, a Force may store Supply Points gathered by Requisition or Plunder, and not immediately consumed, inside the City where the Requisition or Plunder took place.
- During the Sea Shipping Step, the Supply Points gathered must be stored in a Depot inside the Depart or Arrival Port.
- During the friendly MFD Step, a Fleet inside a Port may embark or disembark Supply Points in a Depot in its current location.
- During the friendly MFD Step, a Baggage Train inside a City may load or unload Supply Points in a Depot in its current location.
- A Depot can contain a maximum of 9 Supply Points.
- A Depot changes hands with the City and can be used only by the Faction controlling the City.
- At any moment during the friendly MFD Step, a Force with a Leader may voluntarily destroy a Depot located in its same hex.
15.10.1 Using a Depot
- During a Supply Check, an Army may consume the Supply Points in a friendly-controlled Depot if the following conditions are met:
- a. The Army is within one hex of the Depot or moved within one hex of the Depot since its last Supply Check.
- b. The path from the Depot to the hex considered does not contain impassable terrain.
- c. Neither the Army nor the Depot are in a City under Land Blockade, or they are both inside the same City.
- During a Supply Check, a Fleet may consume the Supply Points in a friendly-controlled Depot if the following conditions are met:
- a. The City containing the Depot has a Port.
- b. The Fleet is within one hex of the Depot or moved within one hex since its last Supply Check.
- c. The path from the Depot to the hex considered does not contain impassable terrain.
- d. Neither the Depot nor the Fleet are in a Port under Naval Blockade, or they are both in the same Port.
15.11 Embarked Supply
- During a Supply Check, a Force may consume the Supply Points loaded on Naval Units if the following conditions are met:
- a. The Force is within one hex of the Naval Units or moved within one hex since its last Supply Check.
- b. The path from the Naval Units to the hex considered does not contain terrain impassable by the Force.
- c. Neither the Force nor the Naval Units are under Blockade, or they are in the same hex.
16. Attrition
Inadequate planning, unfavourable circumstances or rushed decisions can impose a deadly toll on an army relying mostly on the surrounding country for survival.
Alexander's infamous march in the desert during the return trip from India proves that even great commanders sometimes fall victim of overconfidence: The 60-days march demanded the life of at least 12,000 soldiers, not counting slaves, followers, and pack animals.
16.1 Land Attrition
- An Army is subject to Attrition in the following cases:
- a. When it moves continuously in Hazardous Terrain (see 6.10).
- b. When it consumes an insufficient number of Supply Points during a Supply Check.
- Each possible Attrition is applied and rolled for separately.
- Each time an Army is subject to Attrition, its Faction's Morale is decreased by 2.
16.2 Naval Attrition
- A Fleet is subject to Attrition in the following cases:
- a. When it enters an Open Sea hex.
- b. When it enters any Sea hex during a Winter Turn.
- c. When for any reason it ends the friendly Campaign Phase at more than 15 MPs distance from a friendly Naval Base.
- d. When it consumes an insufficient number of Supply Points during a Supply Check.
- Each possible Attrition is applied and rolled for separately.
16.3 Attrition Procedure
- The total Size subject to Attrition in the Force is determined:
- a. In Attrition caused by a Supply Check, the total Size of the Units not supplied is used.
- b. In all other cases, the total Size of the Force is used.
- A roll is made on the Attrition Table, applying any relevant modifier. The result is the Size Points lost for a Force with a Size smaller than 10, or the Size percentage lost for a Force with a Size equal or greater than 10.
- Losses are assigned by the owning Faction, using the following guidelines:
- a. All the units in the Force are considered when assigning losses, no matter which units were used to determine the total Size.
- b. If the Force has a Baggage Train, it absorbs two Size Points of losses and is destroyed.
- c. Remaining losses must be distributed as evenly as possible between Infantry and Cavalry units (half of the losses each).
- d. Losses must be distributed as evenly as possible among all the units of the corresponding type (i.e., Infantry or Cavalry).
17. Provinces
The map is subdivided into administrative regions, each one representing a Province or Satrapy, both referred to as Province in the rules. A Province can be under the control of a Faction, or in some cases independent.
Most Provinces have a Capital printed in bold, and a Tax Value printed in parentheses after the name.
17.1 Province Alignment
- Each Province has an Alignment, representing its stance toward the two warring Factions.
- The Alignment of a Province can change for several reasons:
- a. Change of the controlling Faction (see 17.2).
- b. Death of a Faction Leader (see 3.1).
- c. Sacking or Plundering of its cities (see 14.7 and 15.7).
- d. Scorched Earth policy (see 15.4).
- e. Bribery (see 17.4).
- f. Fate Cards.
- The Alignment of a Province affects several things:
- a. The probability of its Cities to Surrender (see 14.3).
- b. The will of its Cities to withstand Siege (see 14.5).
- c. The taxes raised from the Province (see 18.1).
- d. In some scenarios, the probability of its Cities to Revolt.
17.2 Province Control
- Control of a Province determines which Faction, if any, may collect Taxes from it.
- Control of a Province is determined using the following priorities:
- a. If there is a Capital, the Faction controlling the Capital.
- b. If there is no Capital or the Capital has been sacked, the Faction controlling most of the Cities (i.e., half of the cities in the Province plus one).
- c. If there are no Cities, the Faction defined as controlling in the Scenario rules.
- d. If none of the above applies, no one controls the Province.
- When a Faction gains control of a Province, its alignment is moved one space in favour of the newly controlling Faction.
17.3 Independent Provinces
- A City or Province may be designated as independent in specific Scenarios.
- An independent City, or an Independent Province and all the Cities under its control, are considered as enemy by both Factions.
- Entering the territory of an independent Province may trigger specific events, described in the Scenario rules.
- Specific events could cause an Independent Province or City to join a Faction.
17.4 Bribery
The alignment of a province toward a faction is determined by the attitude of the local nobility and bureaucrats. Whatever the ruling class, a solid amount of gold was usually a good reason to reconsider the best interests of the region.
Unfortunately, the bigger the bribe, the higher the risk to be discovered. Alexander had a particular attention for this kind of news, and removed or executed corrupt governors, both Macedonians and Persians.
- During the Bribery Step, a Factions may expend Talents to Bribe a Province and attempt to change its Alignment.
- The Faction announces the Province is Bribing and subtracts the desired number of Talents from its Treasury.
- The bribing Faction rolls on the Bribery Table and applies the result as follows:
- a. On a numbered result, the local nobility is impressed by the offered arguments. The Province Loyalty is moved a corresponding number of spaces in favour of the bribing Faction.
- b. On a D result for an enemy-controlled Province, the bribe has been discovered. The local governor is removed or executed, and the Province Loyalty is moved one space in favour of the controlling Faction.
- A Faction can Bribe a Province only once per Bribery Step, no matter the result.
18. Treasury
A Faction has a Treasury measured in Talents, gained by the taxation of controlled Provinces, and by the occasional events and Sacking of disrespectful cities.
Talents are expended in several ways: maintenance and recruitment of troops, shipbuilding, disband forces, supply, donations, and bribes.
18.1 Taxation
- During the Taxation Step, a Faction collects from each controlled Province a number of Talents equal to its Tax Value, modified as follows:
- a. For each City Sacked or not friendly-controlled, the Tax Value is decreased by one, down to a minimum of one.
- b. For each Alignment Level in favour of the enemy Faction, the Tax Value is decreased by one, down to a minimum of one.
- c. The Tax Value is decreased to zero if the Province has no cities and there is an enemy Army inside its territory.
19. Fielding the Army
19.1 The Force Pool
- A Faction has a Force Pool defined by the Scenario, containing the units not yet raised or that will become available at a certain time or under specific circumstances.
- Units in the Force Pool should be kept aside, near the map or in a specifically designated amphora.
- A Unit eliminated or removed for whatever reason is placed in the Force Pool. The sole exception are Leaders, which are permanently removed from play when killed or captured.
- The Force Pool is an absolute limit to the Units that can be raised.
19.2 Maintenance
- During the Maintenance Step, a Faction must pay for the maintenance of its troops and ships on the map.
- The total Size for each entry listed in the Force Cost Table is calculated, and the corresponding Maintenance Cost is subtracted from the Faction's Treasury.
- The full maintenance cost must be paid even for a number of Size Points lower than the one listed.
- Any Size Point forcibly or voluntarily not maintained must be Disbanded (see 19.4).
Example: During the Maintenance Step, the Persian Faction has a total of 14 Size Points of Medium Infantry (MI), having a Maintenance Cost of 1 Talent per 6 Size Points.
The total Maintenance Cost is 3 Talents, that is 2 Talents for the first 12 Size Points, and 1 Talent for the remaining 2 Size Points. The Persian Faction could decide to maintain only 12 Size Points and disband the 2 remaining Size Points.
19.3 Raising New Forces
- During the Recruitment Step, a Faction may expend Talents to raise new forces.
- Each Type of Unit has a cost per Raised Size Point, listed in the Force Cost Table. The cost is subtracted from the Faction's Treasury.
- The Raised Size Points may be used to raise new units, or to replace losses in existing units.
- A newly raised Unit is taken from the Force Pool, and a number of Raised Size Points equal to its Size is expended. A Unit may be raised at reduced or full strength.
- A newly raised Land Unit may be placed in a City satisfying all the following requisites:
- a. It is friendly-controlled and not under Land Blockade.
- b. It is in a Province listed as Recruitment Area for the Unit's Origin (see Recruitment Areas Table).
- c. It contains a friendly Leader.
- A newly raised Naval Unit may be placed in a Naval Base satisfying all the following requisites:
- a. It is friendly-controlled and not under Land Blockade.
- b. It is listed as a Shipyard for that Unit (see Shipyards Table).
- c. It contains a friendly Leader.
- An existing Unit may replace losses if it is in a location where a newly raised Unit of that kind could be legally placed. The Unit is flipped to its full-strength side, and a number of Raised Size Points equivalent to the Size Points gained is expended.
- A Unit with a yellow band on its Name can be raised only after specific events described in the Scenario rules. Once available, it can be built or reinforced as any other unit.
- A Unit with an orange band on its Name cannot be raised, but it is created and removed in specific circumstances.
19.4 Disbanding Forces
If you find yourself with an army larger than you can afford, allowing your troops to die from hunger will prompt questions among the survivors. Sending them home without a reward or their share of loot may also pose challenges.
- During the Recruitment and the Maintenance Steps, a Faction may decide or be forced to disband some of its Units.
- Disbanding has no negative consequences if the Faction pays one Talent for every 6 Size Points disbanded, or fraction thereof.
- For every 2 Size Points whose disbanding cost has not been paid, whether forcibly or voluntarily, the Faction's Morale is decreased by one.
- Disbanded Units are immediately removed and placed in the Force Pool.
20. Morale
The Morale Level of a Faction is a general indication of the troops will to fight and their loyalty to the Faction's leader.
Morale will vary depending on military and political events, control of territory, and campaign length. Money donations may also help to keep it under control.
- Each Faction has a starting Morale determined by the Scenario used.
- Several events may affect Morale (see Faction Morale Table and the Fate Cards).
- Faction Morale has several effects:
- a. During Land Combat, it may affect the Rout Level of the Army (see 9.4).
- b. During Retreat, it may affect the losses of the retreating Army (see 10.5 and the Retreat Losses Table).
- c. It may affect the decision of a City to Surrender (see 14.3 and the Surrender Table).
- d. It may affect the determination of a City to withstand a Siege (see 14.5 and the Siege Table) or an Assault (see 14.4 and the Assault Table).
20.1 Donations
- At any time during the friendly Campaign Phase, a Faction can Donate to the troops in order to increase Morale.
- Each Faction must keep track of the total number of Talents spent in Donations, as their effect decreases progressively: The more Donations are made, the less effective they are.
- The effect of a Donation is determined as follows:
- a. The Faction declares how many Talents is donating and subtracts the amount from its Treasury.
- b. The die roll modifier for previous Donations is determined by consulting the Donation Modifiers Table.
- c. The Faction rolls on the Donation Table, using the column corresponding to the Talents spent in this Donation and applying any relevant modifier.
- d. The result is the immediate increase of the Faction's Morale.
21. Fate
Fate Cards are inspired by historical events or circumstances not under the control of the players. Some event is described as of divine origin because it would have been perceived as such at the time, but the real cause was of course more worldly.
- During setup, Fate Cards used in the Scenario are shuffled and placed near the map, with the "Fate" side visible.
- During the Fate Step, a die is rolled: On a 9 or 10 result, the top Fate Card is revealed, and its effects are immediately applied. Each Fate Card is self-explanatory.
- After it has been played, a Fate Card is placed back in the Fate Deck, and the whole Deck is reshuffled.
30. Introduction
The Tactical Combat allows to appreciate the upcoming slaughter in full detail.
The scale and rules have been tailored to allow a realistic but not overwhelming representation of an ancient battle, and to keep the time needed to determine the outcome within a reasonable limit.
The original "Attacker" and "Defender" definition for the two armies is maintained, even though the roles are actually more nuanced during a battle.
31. Sequence of Play
- Setup Phase
- 1.1 The battlefield terrain is defined, and both sides deploy their army (see 32).
- 1.2 Each side calculates its Rout Value (see 9.4).
- Battle Phase
- 2.1 Activation Step: Both sides determine which Unused Leader becomes Active. If all Leaders are Expended, the Battle Phase is over.
- 2.2 Orders Step: The Active Leader uses Orders to Activate, Rally, and Reorganise his Units. Several activities may take place during this step, in no predefined order.
- 2.3 Melee Step: Melee Combat is resolved.
- 2.4 Expended Step: The Active Leader is flipped to the Expended side, and the sequence restarts from point 2.
- Rout Phase
- 3.1 Units Rout Step: Routed Units continue Routing (see 42.2).
- 3.2 Army Rout Step: Both sides check if their Army has been Routed (see 44.1).
- 3.3 Army Retreat Step: Starting with the Defender, each side may attempt to Retreat During Combat (see 44.2).
- End Phase
- 4.1 Rallied and Moved markers are removed.
- 4.2 Missile Ammo is replenished.
- 4.3 Expended Leaders are flipped on the Unused side.
- 4.4 The sequence restarts from point 2.
32. Deploy for Battle
- All the hexes on the Battle Map can be used, including half-hexes.
- The Defender chooses his side of the map (Side A or Side B), with the other side assigned to the Attacker.
- Starting with the Defender, each army deploys in any hex within 8 hexes from its map edge. The area and order of deployment may change if the battlefield contains a River (see 32.1) or a Major River (see 32.2).
- The units in each army retain their original Disruption Level.
- The deployed units must respect the stacking limits and every other limitation defined by the Tactical Combat rules.
32.1 River
If the Attacker crossed a River hexside to enter the Defender's hex, the Defender may opt to use the river to strengthen his position and the following applies.
- All the hexes containing a River are considered as River hexes.
- The Defender chooses his side of the map (Side A or Side B), with the other side assigned to the Attacker.
- Both armies are deployed on any hex on their side of the map, up to but not including the River hexes.
32.2 Major River
If the Attacker crossed a Major River hexside to enter the Defender's hex, the Defender may opt to use the river to strengthen his position and the following applies.
- All the hexes containing a River are considered as Major River hexes.
- The Defender chooses his side of the map (Side A or Side B), with the other side assigned to the Attacker.
- The Attacker may deploy up to 1/3 of the Size Points in his Army on the Defender's side of the river, in a single area within 4 hexes from a Major River hex and within 3 hexes from the map edge.
- The Defender deploys his army in any hex on his side of the map, up to but not including the River hexes, and at a minimum distance of 3 hexes from any enemy Unit already deployed.
- The Attacker deploys the rest of his army in any hex on his side of the map, up to but not including the River hexes.
32.3 Rough and Forest
If the hex where the battle takes place contains Rough or Forest terrain, the Defender may opt to use it to strengthen his position and the following apply.
- If the battle hex contains Rough terrain, the Defender may place up to two Rough markers on the Battle Map.
- If the battle hex contains Forest terrain, the Defender may place up to two Forest markers on the Battle Map.
- Rough and Forest markers are placed in megahexes, a group of hexes delimited by a thick white line.
- For each terrain type, the Defender may place a corresponding marker in a megahex on the right or left side of the map, or in a megahex adjacent to another already having that terrain.
- Every hex in a megahex marked as Rough or Forest is considered as being of the corresponding type.
- A megahex may contain both Rough and Forest.
- If the battlefield contains a river, the River hexes are considered as River or Major River only, even when in a megahex marked as Rough or Forest.
33. Stacking
- A hex has a Stacking Limit of 6 Size Points if it contains Phalanx and Hypaspist Units only, and 4 Size Points in all other cases.
- There is no limit to the number of Leaders in a single hex.
- All the non-Routed Units ending their movement in a hex must have the same Facing (see 37).
- When a non-Skirmisher Unit moves into a hex, and the stacking limit is exceeded, every Unit in the hex that is not Skirmisher or Routed must increase its Attrition by one. This includes the moving Unit.
- In any case, a Unit cannot end its movement in a hex that is above the Stacking Limit.
33.1 Stack Organisation
Every hex containing Combat Units has its organisation, consisting of a Top Unit and a Bottom Unit. The stack organisation determines how the Units will be used during Missile and Melee Combat.
- When a hex contains only one Combat Unit, that Unit is considered as the Top and the Bottom Unit.
- When a hex contains two or more Combat Units, the organisation of the Units is as follows:
- a. The unit at the top of the stack is considered the Top Unit.
- b. The unit at the bottom of the stack is considered (you guessed it) the Bottom Unit.
- c. For ease of use, the Bottom Unit may be placed right behind the other units in the stack, as the hexes on the Battle Map are big enough to accommodate two units.
- The organisation of a stack may be voluntarily changed as follows:
- a. When a Unit moves into the hex, it may be placed in any position in the stack.
- b. When the stack is activated by a Stack Order, its organisation may be changed before moving.
- c. When a Unit is activated by a Unit Order, it may change its position in the stack.
- d. When a Unit Disengages from Melee Combat (see 40.2).
- e. In any case, an Engaged Unit cannot change or swap its position.
- If the Top Unit in a stack is voluntarily changed when the hex is at its maximum stacking capacity, every Unit in the hex that is not Skirmisher or Routed must increase its Attrition by one.
- Leaders can be placed on top of a stack for practical purposes and have no effect on the stack organisation.
34. Leaders in Battle
In battle, commanders are more important than ever as practically nothing will happen without them.
- During a Battle, a Leader has three possible statuses:
- Unused: The Leader has not used his leadership capabilities during the current Battle Phase and can be Activated.
- Active: The Leader has been Activated and can give Orders.
- Expended: The Leader has been already Activated during the current Battle Phase and will revert to Unused status during the End Phase.
34.1 Activation Sequence
During the Battle Phase, both sides activate their Leaders one at a time. The specific order of Activation depends by the Leaders' Strategic Rating.
Once a Leader is Active, he may use his Orders to Activate or Reorganise friendly units, Rally routed units, and move himself.
- The Active Leader is determined during the Activation Step, using the following guidelines:
- a. Only Unused Leaders can be Activated.
- b. Leaders are Activated in the order of their Strategic Rating, starting with the lowest.
- c. The Leader's army is irrelevant for determining the Activation order. It is possible for an army to activate more than one Leader before the enemy can do so.
- d. If an army has more than one Leader with the same Rating, the owner decides which one is Activated first.
- e. If both armies have Leaders with the same Rating, both roll a die and then alternate at activating Leaders having the same Rating, starting with highest rolling army.
34.2 Opportunity Activation
- During the Activation Step, an army having an Unused Leader with a Strategic Rating higher than the Leader that should be normally activated may announce an Opportunity Activation.
- The Leader that would be normally Activated remains Unused, and the Leader using Opportunity Activation becomes Active instead.
- If both armies announce an Opportunity Activation, each one rolls a die and adds the Strategic Rating of the Leader involved: The highest result can activate the Leader.
- After the Leader using the Opportunity Activation has been Expended, the Activation sequence resumes normally.
34.3 Command Range
- Each Leader has a Command Range, measured in hexes.
- Command Range is evaluated by tracing a path from the Leader hex (excluded) to the Unit hex (included). The path does not have to be necessarily straight, and cannot contain:
- a. A hex with an enemy Unit.
- b. A Front hex of an enemy Unit and with no friendly Units in it.
34.4 Leader Movement
- An Active Leader can use one of his Orders to move by himself (i.e., without any other unit).
- A Leader, no matter his status, may move with a Unit that starts Movement, Rout Movement or Advance After Combat in his same hex. The Leader must remain stacked with the Unit for the whole movement.
- An Active Leader who successfully gave a Line Order may move as part of that Line.
34.5 Unescorted Leaders
- A Leader not stacked with Combat Units does not hinder enemy movement of friendly movement in any manner.
- If an enemy Combat Unit moves adjacent to a friendly Leader not stacked with a Combat Unit, the Leader may immediately move in an adjacent hex where it could normally enter. The escaping Leader is also marked as Expended.
- If an enemy Combat Unit moves into a hex containing a friendly Leader not stacked with a Combat Unit, that Leader is killed.
35. Orders
Units can voluntarily move, fight, and use their missile weapons only when an Active Leader orders so.
- The Active Leader can use a number of Unit or Stack Orders equal to his Strategic Rating.
- The Active Leader can attempt to use one or two Line Orders, depending by his hierarchical position (see 35.3).
- During the Orders Step, the Active Leader can use Unit and Stack Orders, or Line Orders.
- If the Active Leader successfully uses one or more Line Orders, he cannot use Unit or Stack Orders during the same Orders Step.
- If the Active Leader uses one or more Unit or Stack Orders, he cannot use Line Orders during the same Orders Step.
- Once the Active Leader has used all his available Orders, it is flipped on the Expended side and the Activation Sequence resumes. A Leader may also decide not to use all his available Orders.
35.1 Unit Orders
- An Active Leader may use a Unit Order on a friendly Unit that is within his Command Range.
- An Active Leader may use a Unit Order to:
- a. Activate a Unit that is not Engaged, Rallied, or Routed.
- b. Reorganise a Unit (see 41.1).
- c. Rally a Unit (see 42.5).
- A Unit activated by a Unit Order can Move (see 36), execute Ranged Missile Combat (see 38.2), and Engage enemy Units (see 39).
35.2 Stack Orders
-
An Active Leader may use a Stack Order to Activate all the Units in a hex that is within his Command Range.
-
All or some of the Units in the stack may be activated, as long as they all fulfil the following prerequisites:
- a. They are not Engaged, Rallied, or Routed.
- b. Their Types are all included in one of the following groups:
- Phalanx, Hypaspist, and Hoplite (PH, HY, HO)
- Heavy, Medium and Light Infantry (HI, MI, LI)
- Heavy, Medium, and Light Cavalry (HC, MC, LC)
- Skirmisher (SK), Elephant (EL)
- Chariot (CH)
-
Units activated by a Stack Order can Move (see 36), execute Ranged Missile Combat (see 38.2), and Engage enemy Units (see 39).
-
A stack activated by a Stack Order has the following additional restrictions:
- a. All its Units must move together.
- b. It has a Movement Allowance equal to the slowest Unit.
- c. It pays the highest applicable Movement Cost to enter a hex or change Facing.
- d. At the end of a Missile Combat where at least one of its Units fired a Volley, all the Units in the stack are considered as having fired a Volley, no matter if they did.
35.3 Line Orders
Even when led by exceptionally able commanders, an ancient army maintained a good order only in the first stage of a battle. After the contact with the enemy, controlling the events beyond immediate proximity became difficult.
- An Active Leader may attempt to issue a Line Order if he has not yet issued Unit or Stack Orders.
- The Leader making the attempt must be stacked with or adjacent to at least one of the Units that will be activated by the Line Order (see 35.3.1).
- A Battle Commander can make two Line Order attempts when Active, with each attempt resolved separately.
- Any other Leader can make one Line Order attempt when Active.
- An attempt to issue a Line Order automatically succeeds when made during the First Battle Phase, and the Units activated have not been already moved.
- In all other cases, a roll must be made on the Line Order Table, applying any relevant modifiers. All modifiers are cumulative.
- If the attempt succeeds, all the Units forming the Line can be Activated.
- A Unit activated by a Line Order can Move (see 36), execute Ranged Missile Combat (see 38.2), and Engage enemy Units (see 39).
- It is not mandatory to move the Units in a Line together or in the same way, even though it is usually a good idea.
35.3.1 Line Definition
- A Line may include any number of Units adjacent to each other, and with their Types all included in one of the following groups:
- Phalanx, Hypaspist, and Hoplite (PH, HY, HO)
- Heavy, Medium and Light Infantry (HI, MI, LI)
- Heavy, Medium, and Light Cavalry (HC, MC, LC)
- Skirmisher (SK)
- Chariot (CH)
- Elephant (EL), plus any Skirmisher (SK) stacked with them
- A Line may include some or all Units in a Stack, if they respect the requisites for the Line.
- A Line cannot include Engaged, Routed, or Rallied Units, and is interrupted by a hex containing any of them.
- If the Units included in a Line have different Facings, only those within the Command Range of the Active Leader can be considered as part of the Line.
- An Inactive Leader stacked with a Unit activated by a Line Order may move with that Unit.
36. Movement
- A Unit has a number of Movement Points depending by its Type:
| Unit Type | MPs |
|---|---|
| PH, HO, HI | 3 |
| HY, MI, LI | 4 |
| SK | 5 |
| CH, EL | 5 |
| LC, MC, HC | 6 |
| Leader | 8 |
-
Only Active units can voluntarily move.
-
A Combat Unit expends a variable number of MPs to enter a hex, depending by its Type, the terrain, and the presence of other friendly Units (see Battle Movement Table).
-
A Leader moving alone expends 1 MP for each hex entered, no matter the terrain.
-
Entering certain terrains could also increase Attrition, depending by the Combat Unit Type (see Battle Movement Table).
-
A Combat Unit can move only into one of its Front hexes (see 37).
-
After a Combat Unit has expended Movement Points, move it to its right side of the hex. A number of Moved markers is also provided for particularly busy areas.
-
A Unit can move several times during a Battle Phase, but only once per Orders Step. In other words, a Unit can move more than once if Activated in different Orders Steps by different Leaders.
-
A Moved Combat Unit that expends Movement Points again must immediately increase its Attrition by one.
37. Facing
- A Combat Unit must always be oriented toward a vertex of the hex it occupies. This Facing defines the Front, Flank and Rear areas of the Unit.
- Leaders do not use Facing and can be oriented as desired.
- A Unit expends a variable number of MPs to change Facing, depending by its Type (see Battle Movement Table).
- A Unit ending its move in a hex must change its Facing to the one used by other Units already in the hex. If unable or unwilling to do so, the Unit cannot end its move in that hex.
37.3.1 Facing the Enemy
- A Unit or Stack may "Face the Enemy" and change its Facing by one vertex if all the following conditions are true:
- a. An enemy Unit just moved in an adjacent hex.
- b. No Unit in the hex is Engaged, Routed, or Rallied.
- c. It is not in a Front hex of another enemy Unit.
- Face the Enemy is executed before any declaration of Missile Combat or Engagement by an Active Unit.
- After completing the change of Facing, all the Units in that hex must increase their Attrition by one.
38. Missile Combat
During the Orders Step, both armies may use missile weapons against enemy Units.
- Missile Combat may occur in the following circumstances:
- a. An Active Unit moves adjacent to an enemy Unit (see 38.1).
- b. An Active Unit initiates Ranged Missile Combat (see 38.2).
- c. A Unit Pulls Back (see 39.2).
- d. A Unit Engages one or more enemy Units (see 39).
- e. A Unit Disengages from a Melee (see 40.2).
- When an action from a Unit could trigger more than one type of Missile Combat, resolve them in the following sequence:
- a. Reaction Missile Combat
- b. Ranged Missile Combat
- c. Pullback Missile Combat
- d. Engage Missile Combat
- e. Disengage Missile Combat
- No matter the type of Missile Combat, the following rules are always valid:
- a. Missile Combat is not simultaneous and is executed exactly in the sequence specified for each different type. If a Unit's Attrition is increased by an enemy Volley, and is equal or greater than its Morale, the Unit must immediately Flee (see 42.1), no matter if it has fired its Volley or not.
- b. A Skirmish (SK), Chariot (CH) or Elephant (EL) Unit can fire a Volley at targets in its Front and Flank hexes. Any other Unit can fire a Volley only at targets in its Front hexes.
- c. A Unit that is Routed, Rallied, Engaged, or has no Missile Ammo cannot fire a Volley.
- d. A Unit can fire a Long Range Volley only if it is armed with Long Range Missile Weapons.
- e. A Unit armed with Javelins can fire a Volley only at the Top Unit when firing from the enemy's Front or Flank, or at the Bottom Unit when firing from the enemy's Rear.
38.1 Reaction Missile Combat
- Reaction Missile Combat occurs when an Active Unit moves or Advance in a hex adjacent to enemy Units.
- Each enemy Unit adjacent to the hex entered may fire a Long Range Volley at one of the moving Active Units.
38.2 Ranged Missile Combat
- Ranged Missile Combat occurs when an Active Unit decides to fire its missile weapons before, during or instead of Movement.
- Ranged Missile Combat uses the following sequence:
- a. The Active Unit fires a Long Range or Close Range Volley at a target Unit (see Missile Combat Modifiers Table).
- b. The target Unit may fire the same kind of Volley (Long or Close Range) at the Active Unit.
- An Active Unit can use Ranged Missile Combat only once for each Activation.
38.3 Volley Resolution
No matter the type of Missile Combat, a Volley is resolved using the following sequence:
- The firing Unit rolls a die on the Missile Volley Table, applying any relevant modifier. All the modifiers are cumulative.
- Missile Ammo is checked (see 38.3.1).
- Leader Casualty is checked (see 38.3.2).
- The result is applied to the target Unit.
- If the result is greater than zero, and the target Unit's Attrition is equal or greater than its Morale, the target Unit must Flee (see 42.1).
38.3.1 Missile Ammo
- A Unit not already Missile Low uses the unmodified die roll of its Volley to determine if it is low on ammo (see Missile Ammo Table). If that is the case, mark the Unit as Missile Low.
- A Unit marked as Missile Low and firing a Volley has used up all its missiles and is marked as No Missile.
38.3.2 Leader Casualty
- If the unmodified die roll of a Volley is 10, there is the possibility that one Leader has been killed.
- The firing Unit rolls a die again: If the result is 10, one randomly picked Leader in the target hex has been killed.
38.4 Missile Replenishment
- During the End Phase, a Unit marked as Missile Low or No Missile may remove the marker if all the following conditions are true:
- a. It is not Engaged, Routed, or Rallied.
- b. It is not in a Front hex of an enemy Combat Unit.
- c. It has at least another friendly Combat Unit within a distance of two hexes.
39. Engagement
To attack in close combat, a Unit must Engage the enemy. Once Engaged, both sides are locked in combat and will remain so until one of the two breaks down or disengages.
- During the Orders Step, an Active Top Unit may Engage enemy Units in its Front hexes.
- Engaging does not require the expenditure of Movement Points.
- A Unit that is already Engaged cannot Engage again.
- A Top Unit may Engage even in the case the Bottom Unit in its stack is already Engaged (quite a desperate move, actually).
- A Unit having an Attrition equal or greater than its Morale cannot voluntarily Engage.
- A Unit is never forced to Engage the enemy, but if it chooses to do so it must Engage all the enemy Units in its front hexes. The exact Units that will fight each other in Melee Combat are determined during the Melee Step.
- There are three types of Engagement, representing the distinct phases of a Melee and having different effects:
- Engaged-Melee: The Unit voluntarily engaged the enemy and must attack during Melee Combat.
- Engaged-Charge: The Unit voluntarily charged the enemy and must attack during Melee Combat, with an initial advantage given by the charge.
- Engaged-Locked: The Unit has been engaged by the enemy or is locked in a prolonged Melee, and may attack during Melee Combat.
- A Unit having any type of Engagement is considered as Engaged, with the additional effects given by the exact type of Engagement.
39.1 Engagement Sequence
Engagement is resolved using the following sequence:
- The enemy Units in a Front hex of the Engaging Unit may attempt to Pull Back (see 39.2).
- If all the enemy Units that could be Engaged have pulled back, no Engagement takes place.
- Engage Missile Combat is resolved:
- a. Every enemy Unit in a Front hex of the Engaging Unit may fire a Long Range or a Close Range Volley at it.
- b. The Engaging Unit may fire a Close Range Volley at one enemy Unit in its Front hexes.
- If the Engaging Unit or all the enemy Units in its Front hexes fled because of Missile Combat, no Engagement takes place.
- An Engaged-Melee marker is placed over the Engaging Unit.
- An Engaged-Locked marker is placed on each enemy Top Unit in a Front hex of the Engaging Unit, and having the Engaging Unit in a Front or Flank hex.
- An Engaged-Locked marker is placed on each enemy Bottom Unit in a Front hex of the Engaging Unit, and having the Engaging Unit in a Rear hex.
39.2 Pull Back
Units faster than an approaching enemy may pull back to avoid engagement in melee combat. Skirmishers are particularly well versed in this manoeuvre.
- When an enemy Unit declares its intention to Engage, a friendly Unit in its Front hex may Pull Back if all the following conditions are true:
- a. It is not Routed, Rallied, or Engaged.
- b. For a Skirmisher Unit, it has a Movement Allowance equal or greater than the enemy Unit.
- c. For any other Type of Unit, it has a Movement Allowance greater than the enemy Unit.
- It is possible to Pull Back only some Units in a Stack, with other Units unable or unwilling to do so.
- A friendly Unit can Pull Back an unlimited number of times during an enemy Orders Step.
39.2.1 Pull Back Sequence
Pull Back uses the following sequence:
- Pull Back Missile Combat is resolved:
- a. The Engaging Unit may fire a Close Range Volley at one of the enemy Units pulling back.
- b. Each Top Unit pulling back may fire a Close Range Volley at the Engaging enemy Unit.
- The Units pulling back are moved one hex within the following restrictions:
- a. If more than one Unit in a Stack is involved, they must move together.
- b. The hex entered must be further away from the Engaging enemy Unit than the current hex.
- c. The hex entered must be a hex that could be normally entered during Movement.
- d. The original Facing can be maintained or changed. If changed, each Unit pulling back must increase its Attrition by one.
- e. Any effect or Attrition increase caused by the Units movement in the hex is applied as usual.
- Each pulled back Skirmisher or Cavalry Unit rolls a die: if the roll is greater than the Unit's Morale, its Attrition is increased by one.
- Each pulled back Unit that is not Skirmisher or Cavalry increases its Attrition by one.
39.3 Charge
- A Heavy Cavalry (HC), Chariot (CH) or Elephant (EL) Unit, which is going to Engage may Charge the enemy if it fulfils all the following requisites:
- a. It must have moved at least one hex before Engaging.
- b. It must expend a variable number of MPs, depending by its type (see the Battle Movement Table).
- c. It cannot change its Facing after entering the hex where the Engagement is declared.
- d. It cannot be in a River, Major River, or Forest hex.
- The standard Engagement sequence does not change, but an Engaged-Charge marker is placed instead of an Engaged-Melee one.
39.4 Engagement Effects
- An Engaged Unit has the following additional limitation:
- a. It cannot use missile weapons.
- b. It cannot move or change Facing.
- An Engaged Unit is no more considered as Engaged in the following circumstances:
- a. It Flees (see 42.1).
- b. It Advances after a Melee Combat (see 40.7).
- c. It successfully Disengages (see 40.2).
- d. It is marked as Engaged-Locked, and it is not in the Front hex of an Engaged enemy Unit.
- e. It is marked as Engaged-Melee or Engaged-Charge, and it has no enemy Units in its Front hexes.
40. Melee Combat
There are two main theories about how combat between massive, compact hoplite units developed.
The first theory, largely abandoned by now, advocates that some order was maintained even during combat, with lines and columns mostly keeping their prearranged positions and using their weapons at a short distance.
The second theory, the most widely accepted today, depicts the clash as much more chaotic, shield against shield, each side pushing the enemy with the help of the rear ranks, the first lines pressed with barely enough space to breath.
Now, imagine yourself in the first line of a phalanx with a depth of sixteen ranks. As the distance closes to fifty yards, your formation quickens the pace. In a matter of seconds, the enemy spears are just one arm's length away. You may desperately want to freeze, but the compact line of your fellow citizens behind you forces you forward. You have no choice. Your only chance is to smash your shield against the enemy line and kill the man in front of you.
Melee is the result of a series of actions, taking place in different moments and with no predefined outcome. First of all, a Unit must Engage the enemy; The enemy could Pull Back and avoid combat; An exchange of Missile Volleys could occur, causing one side to Flee before point-blank combat. Rule 39. Engagement covers all these points.
Finally, should both sides hold their ground, the Engaged units fight the enemy in Melee Combat, covered here.
40.1 Overview
- During the Melee Step, all the Melee Combats are resolved using the sequence here below:
- a. Disengagement Step (see 40.2).
- b. Clash Step (see 40.3).
- c. Melee Step (see 40.4).
- d. Breakdown Step (see 40.6).
- e. Advance Step (see 40.7).
- f. Close Ranks Step (see 40.8).
- As a general rule, each step is executed for all the Melee Combats before moving to the following step.
40.2 Disengagement Step
No matter the era or the weapons, disengaging during a combat is always difficult, and only light troops and cavalry may succeed.
During the Disengagement Step, an Engaged Unit of the Active side may try to Disengage.
- A Unit may Disengage if all the following conditions are true:
- a. It is within the Command Range of the Active Leader.
- b. It is a Cavalry (HC, MC, LC), Light Infantry (LI) or Skirmish (SK) Unit.
- c. It is marked as Engaged-Locked.
- d. It is not in the Front hex of an Engaged enemy Unit having an equal or greater Movement Allowance.
40.2.1 Disengagement Sequence
Disengagement uses the following sequence:
- The Disengaging Unit has its Attrition increased by one. This could cause the Unit to Flee (see 42.1).
- If the hex of the Disengaging Unit is at its maximum Stacking capacity, every other Unit in the hex must increase its Attrition by one.
- Every Engaged Unit of the Inactive side having the Disengaging Unit in a Front hex may fire a Close Range Volley at it. This could cause the Disengaging Unit to Flee (see 42.1).
- The Engaged marker is removed from the Disengaging Unit.
- The Disengaging Unit may change its position in the stack, if it contains at least one non-Engaged Unit.
- The Engaged marker is removed from any Unit of the Inactive side that has no Engaged enemy Units in its Front hexes, and it is not in the Front hex of an Engaged enemy Unit.
40.3 Clash Step
During the Clash Step, the Active side defines which specific Units are attacking and defending in each Melee.
- A Unit marked as Engaged-Melee or Engaged-Charge must attack.
- A Unit of the Active side marked as Engaged-Locked and within the Command Range of the Active Leader may decide to attack. Flip the Engaged-Locked marker on its Engaged-Melee side.
- Each Unit marked as Engaged-Melee or Engaged-Charge selects the enemy Units to attack, within the following restrictions:
- a. Only Engaged enemy Units that are in a Front hex can be attacked.
- b. All the Engaged enemy Units that are in a Front hex must be attacked, unless attacked by another friendly Unit.
- c. No Unit can be involved in more than one Melee.
- d. Several Units may attack the same enemy Unit. In this case, the attacking Units combine their Melee Values.
- e. A Unit may attack more than one Engaged enemy Unit. In this case, the enemy Units combine their Melee Values.
- Any Unit having an Attrition equal or greater than its Morale must Flee (see 42.1). If there are no defending or attacking Units left, the Melee Step is skipped.
40.4 Melee Step
During the Melee Step, close combat is resolved. Apply the following to each specific Melee defined during the Clash Step.
- Each side sums the Melee Value of its Units attacking or defending.
- The total Melee Value of the defender is subtracted from the total Melee Value of the attacker to obtain the Combat Differential.
- The attacker rolls on the Melee Combat Table, using the appropriate Combat Differential column and applying all the relevant modifiers (see 40.5 and the Melee Combat Table).
- The result indicates the total Attrition inflicted on the Attacker (left number) and Defender (right number).
- If a side has more than one Unit involved, the result must be distributed as evenly as possible among them.
40.4.1 Leaders Casualty
- If the unmodified die roll used to resolve a Melee is 10, there is the possibility that one or more Leaders have been killed.
- Each side rolls a die: If the result is 10, a randomly picked enemy Leader in a hex involved in the current melee has been killed.
40.4.2 Heroic Leadership (Optional)
The losses among the Persian nobles and commanders at the battle of the Granicus defy any statistical approach. A possible explanation could be the voluntary decision to use a high-risk, high-reward leadership style to impress the new King of Kings.
Before rolling on the Melee Combat Table, a side having Leaders involved in the Melee may declare the use of Heroic Leadership.
- The Leader used as Combat Modifier (see 40.5.5) has its Tactical Rating increased by one.
- Should the Melee result in a possible Leader Casualty, a side using Heroic Leadership has a Leader killed on a roll from 6 to 10 (see 40.4.1).
40.5 Melee Combat Modifiers
Several factors may influence the result of a Melee. Each modifier is added to or subtracted from the die roll to determine the final result. All the modifiers are cumulative.
40.5.1 Weight
Units trained to fight in compact formations, like hoplites and heavy cavalry, used not only their weapons but also the additional mass of the rear ranks to overwhelm and break the enemy line.
Each side calculates its Weight for the specific Melee Combat being resolved.
- If the involved Unit is Phalanx (PH), Hypaspist (HY), Hoplite (HO), Heavy Infantry (HI), Heavy Cavalry (HC), and the enemy is in a Front hex, the Weight is the sum of the following:
- a. The Size of the involved Unit.
- b. The Size of the Units stacked with the involved Unit, of the same Type, and that are not Engaged, Rallied, or Routed.
- If the involved Unit is Medium Cavalry (MC) or Light Cavalry (LC), and the enemy is in a Front hex, the Weight is calculated as follows:
- a. The Size of the involved Unit.
- b. +1 if the involved Unit is stacked with one or more Units of the same Type that are not Engaged, Rallied, or Routed.
- If the Unit is defending, and an attacking Unit is in its Flank or Rear hex, the Weight is 1.
- In all other cases, the Weight is equal to the Size of the involved Unit.
- If more than one friendly hex is involved in the Melee, the Weight is calculated separately for each hex and then added together.
- The Attacker's Weight is compared to the Defender's Weight to obtain a Weight Ratio, rounded down in favour of the Defender.
- The Weight Ratio is used to determine the Combat Modifier (see Melee Combat Modifiers Table).
40.5.2 Facing
- For each hex on the Defender's Flank or Rear containing an Attacking Unit, a +2 Combat Modifier is applied.
40.5.3 Attrition
- If at least one attacking Unit has an Attrition equal or greater than its Morale minus two, a -1 Combat Modifier is applied.
- If at least one defending Unit has an Attrition equal or greater than its Morale minus two, a +1 Combat Modifier is applied.
40.5.4 Charge
- if at least one attacking Unit is Charging (see 39.3), a +2 Combat Modifier is applied.
40.5.5 Leaders
- The Tactical Rating of the best Leader stacked with the attacking Units is applied as a positive Combat Modifier.
- The Tactical Rating of the best Leader stacked with the defending Units is applied as a negative Combat Modifier.
40.6 Breakdown Step
During the Breakdown Step, Units that reached their breaking point flee. Apply the following to each specific Melee defined in the Clash Step.
- All involved Units having an Attrition equal or greater than their Morale must Flee (see 42.1).
- If both sides have Fleeing Units, the Defender Units flee first.
- If a side has more than one Fleeing Unit, the owner decides in which order they flee.
- If all the involved Units on both sides Flee, apply the following:
- a. The side with the Unit having the biggest difference between Attrition and Morale Flees. If both sides have the same difference, the Defender Flees.
- b. The opposite side does not Flee (But its Attrition could trigger that very soon).
- After all Fleeing Units have moved, Advance may occur (see 40.7).
40.7 Advance Step
During the Advance Step, attacking Units may advance if the enemy broke down. Apply the following to each specific Melee defined in the Clash Step.
- If a hex previously occupied by the Defender is now empty, the Attacker must advance into the hex with at least one of the Units Engaged in the specific Melee.
- If the Attacker has more than one available Unit, he may decide which Units will Advance.
- Other friendly Units in a hex containing an advancing Attacker Unit may also advance in the vacated hex.
- If more than one hex has been vacated by the Defender, the Attacker may decide in which hexes to Advance, as long as he advances in at least one hex.
- After Advancing, a Unit has its Engaged marker removed.
40.8 Close Ranks Step
During the Close Ranks Step, the Engaged status of the Units is checked. Apply the following to each specific Melee defined in the Clash Step.
- A Unit marked as Engaged-Melee or Engaged-Charge has the marker removed if there are no enemy Units in its Front hexes.
- A Unit marked as Engaged-Locked has the marker removed if it is not in the Front hex of an enemy Unit.
- Any remaining Unit marked as Engaged-Melee or Engaged-Charge markers is marked as Engaged-Locked.
41. Attrition
Attrition represents the tangible and intangible effects of combat: fatigue, fear, disorganisation, losses, and desertions.
- The Attrition of a Unit may increase for the following reasons:
- a. Movement in difficult terrain
- b. Movement in a hex above Stacking Limit
- c. Pulling Back
- d. Facing the Enemy
- e. Missile Combat
- f. Melee Combat
- g. Repeated Movement during a Battle Phase
- h. Movement of a friendly Unit Routing or Fleeing.
- When the Attrition of a Unit is equal or greater than its Morale, the Unit could Flee when facing a dangerous situation (see 42.1).
41.1 Reorganisation
- An Active Leader may use a Unit Order to Reorganise a Unit that fulfils all the following requisites:
- a. It is not Engaged, Routed, or Rallied.
- b. It is not in a River or Major River hex.
- If the Unit can Reorganise, decrease its Attrition by 2.
- A Leader can Reorganise a specific Unit only once during his Activation.
41.2 Disruption
Disruption, caused by Retreat and Rout on the Operational Map, counts as Attrition during Tactical Combat.
- The Disruption Level of a Unit is counted as Attrition during Tactical Combat and is summed to the Attrition level.
- Disruption cannot be removed or decreased by Reorganising the Unit.
Example: A Unit having Disruption 1 and Attrition 2 is considered as having Attrition 3. The two Attrition points can be removed by Reorganising, but Disruption cannot be removed during the battle.
42. Unit Rout
A Unit having an Attrition equal or greater than its Morale is on the verge of panic. It could stay on the battlefield, but it will flee (and subsequently rout) if under enemy pressure.
42.1 Fleeing
- A Unit must Flee when its Attrition is equal or greater than its Morale, and any of the following conditions is true:
- a. During Missile Combat, its Attrition has been increased by an enemy Missile Volley.
- b. During the Disengagement Step, it is attempting to Disengage.
- c. During the Clash Step, it is an Attacking or Defending Unit in the Melee being resolved.
- d. During the Breakdown Step, it is an Attacking or Defending Unit in the Melee being resolved.
- When a Unit starts Fleeing, all the non-Routed Units in its hex must increase their Attrition by one.
- A Unit Fleeing must move two hexes toward the friendly Map Edge, using the rules for Rout Movement (see 42.3).
- If an Engaged Unit alone in a hex Flees, its Engagement marker is removed.
- If an Engaged Unit part of a stack Flees, its Engagement marker is inherited by the Unit taking its place in the Stack organisation (i.e., the new Top or Bottom Unit).
- After the Fleeing Unit has completed its move, any Engaged Unit that is not anymore in a Front hex of an enemy Unit has the Engaged marker removed.
- After Fleeing, the Unit is marked as Routed.
- (Optional) An already Routed Unit forced to Flee immediately loses one Step. Flip the Unit to its reduced side if it has multiple Steps, or eliminate it if it has only one Step or is already reduced.
42.2 Routing
- During the Units Rout Step, Routed Units of both armies must move their full Movement Allowance toward the friendly Map Edge, using the rules for Unit Rout Movement (see 42.3).
- If both armies have Routed Units (as in most cases), the Defender routs his Units first.
- Each army may move Routed Units in any desired order.
42.3 Unit Rout Movement
- A Fleeing or Routed Unit uses the standard Movement rules, with the following exceptions:
- a. It must move toward the friendly Map Edge defined by the Setup rules.
- b. It cannot move into the Front hex of an enemy Combat Unit, unless the hex is also occupied by a friendly Combat Unit.
- c. It expends no Movement Points to change its Facing.
- d. Its Facing can be changed only as required by the Rout movement.
- If there is more than one possible Rout path, the hex is chosen using the following priorities:
- a. A vacant hex that is not a Front hex of an enemy Unit.
- b. A friendly occupied hex that is not a Front hex of an enemy Unit.
- c. A friendly occupied hex that is a Front hex of an enemy Unit.
- If the movement ends in a hex above the Stacking Limit, the Unit must move one additional hex using the Rout Movement rules.
- A Fleeing or Routed Unit that reaches the friendly Map edge and has not yet completed the required Rout Movement is removed and kept aside.
- A Fleeing or Routed Unit that is unable to complete the required Rout Movement is eliminated. Any Leader stacked with the Unit is also killed.
- If a Fleeing or Routed Unit moves into a hex containing other friendly Units, all non-Routed Units in that hex must increase their Attrition by one.
42.4 Rout Effects
- A Routed Unit has a Morale of 1.
- A Routed Unit pays no MP cost to change Facing.
- A Routed Unit cannot use its Missile Weapons.
- A Routed Unit can only receive a Rally Order (see 42.5).
- A Routed Unit that must increase its Attrition for any reason is eliminated.
42.5 Rally
- During the Orders Step, the Active Leader may use a Unit Order to Rally a Routed Unit that is not adjacent to enemy Combat Units.
- The Active Leader rolls a die, applying all relevant modifiers (see the Rally Table). If the modified die roll is lower than the Unit's Morale, the Unit Rallied and the following is applied:
- a. The Routed marker is flipped on the Rallied side.
- b. The Unit's Attrition is set to 2.
- c. The Unit's Facing may be changed as desired.
- A Rallied Unit cannot receive or use Orders during the current Battle Phase.
- During his activation, a Leader may attempt to Rally a specific Routed Unit only once.
43. Special Units
43.1 Elephants
"The elephants themselves had been wounded, while others no longer kept apart in the battle on account of their sufferings or from being destitute of keepers. But, as if frantic with pain, rushing forward at friends and foes alike."
Arrian, The Anabasis of Alexander, Book V Chapter XVII
- During the Breakdown Step, an Elephant Unit that Charged the enemy must attempt a Pass-Through (see 43.3).
- If Pass-Through is not possible, the Elephant Unit goes on Rampage instead.
- An Elephant Unit that must Flee or Rout goes on Rampage instead (see 43.1.1).
43.1.1 Rampage
- When an Elephant Unit goes Rampage, the Rampage is resolved before any other activity.
- The owner designates one hex adjacent to the Elephant Unit as hex number 1, with the remaining five adjacent hexes numbered clockwise from 2 to 6.
- The owner keeps rolling a die and moving the Rampaging Unit as follows, until the Elephants are killed or exit the map.
- a. On a roll from 1 to 6, the Rampaging Unit moves 2 hexes in a straight line in the direction defined at point 2.
- b. On a roll from 7 to 10, the Elephants are killed by their riders or by the enemy, and the Unit is eliminated.
- c. If a Rampage move is blocked by Combat Units (friendly or enemy), that move ends and all the Units in the target hex take one Attrition.
43.2 Chariots
- During the Breakdown Step, a Chariot Unit that Charged the enemy may attempt a Pass-Through (see 43.3).
43.3 Pass-Through
"Yet a few chariots made their way through to the rear, destroying those whom they met by a wretched death; for the severed limbs of men lay upon the ground."
Q. Curtius Rufus, History of Alexander, Book IV Chapter XV
A Pass-Through is an additional movement of two hexes, made through the lines of the enemy just attacked.
- A Unit can execute a Pass-Through if all the following conditions are respected:
- a. The Unit has one of the Defending Units in its Front hexes.
- b. The first hex entered contains one of the Defending Units.
- c. The second hex entered contains no Combat Units.
- d. Both hexes could be normally entered by the Unit.
- e. The Unit can move into both hexes without changing its current Facing.
- If Pass-Through is possible, apply the following:
- a. All the Units in the first hex must increase their Attrition by one.
- b. The Unit passing-through is placed in the second hex, keeping its current Facing.
- c. The Unit passing-through has any Engaged marker removed.
- A Unit that used Pass-Through cannot Advance After Combat in the same Melee Combat.
44. Ending the Battle
44.1 Army Rout
- During the Army Rout Step, each Army checks if it has been Routed using the following procedure:
- a. If the Battle Commander has been killed, the Army Routs.
- b. The Army's Rout Value is subtracted from the total Size of Routed Units that exited the map or were eliminated.
- c. If the result is greater than zero, a roll is made on the corresponding column of the Rout Table.
- d. On a R result, the Army Routs.
- If one or both Armies rout, apply the following:
- a. Battle Losses are immediately applied (see 44.3).
- b. The Tactical Combat is over, and the Rout is resolved using the strategic Army Rout procedure (see 10.3).
44.2 Army Retreat
- During the Army Retreat Step, each Army starting with the Defender may attempt to Retreat During Combat.
- The Army rolls a die, modified by the Battle Commander's Strategic Rating: on a result of 8 or higher, the retreat attempt is successful.
- If an Army can retreat, apply the following:
- a. Battle Losses are immediately applied (see 44.3).
- b. The Tactical Combat is over, and the Retreat is resolved using the Retreat During Combat procedure (see 10.2).
44.3 Battle Losses
When an Army routs or retreats, losses are applied.
- Differently from the strategic Land Combat, losses caused by Tactical Combat are assigned as Steps:
- a. A Unit losing a Step is flipped on its rear side.
- b. If the Unit is already flipped or has no rear side, it is eliminated instead.
- Both Armies remove one Step from each Routed Unit that exited the Map.
- If both armies Routed in the same turn, compare the Size Points lost, including those lost during the battle or per point 2. The army with greater losses is the one that actually Routs. In the case of a tie, the Attacker Routs.
- The Routing or Retreating Army incurs in the following losses:
- a. Each Routed Unit still on the Map must lose one Step.
- b. Each Routed Combat Unit that would be unable to exit the friendly map edge using Rout Movement due to the presence of enemy Units is eliminated.
- c. Each non-Routed Unit (including Leaders) that would be unable to exit the friendly map edge using standard Movement due to the presence of enemy Units is eliminated.
- Both Armies sum the Attrition Level of the friendly Unit still on the Map and remove a number of Steps equal to 10% of the total (rounding up). These losses must be distributed as uniformly as possible among Infantry, Cavalry, and Skirmish Units.