This War Without an Enemy Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• 1.0 Introduction
  • 1.1 Scenarios
  • 1.2 Victory
  • 1.3 Contents
• 2.0 Game Structure
  • 2.1 Years
  • 2.2 Turns
    • 2.21 Irish Cessation
    • 2.22 Earl of Callendar Enters England
  • 2.3 Phases
    • 2.31 Initiative Phase
    • 2.32 Operational Phase
    • 2.33 Tactical Phase
    • 2.34 Supply Phase
    • 2.35 Victory Phase
    • 2.36 Year End Phase
• 3.0 The Blocks
  • 3.1 Block Information
    • 3.11 Strength
    • 3.12 Effectiveness
    • 3.13 Discipline
    • 3.14 Text Labels
  • 3.2 Block Types
    • 3.21 Artillery
    • 3.22 Cavalry
    • 3.23 Infantry
  • 3.3 Regional Blocks
  • 3.4 Non-Regional Blocks
  • 3.5 Local Blocks
• 4.0 The Board
  • 4.1 Areas
    • 4.11 Borders
    • 4.12 Loyal Areas
    • 4.13 Coastal Areas
    • 4.14 Mountain Areas
    • 4.15 Control of Areas
  • 4.16 Regions
  • 4.17 Scotland
  • 4.18 Ireland
  • 4.19 Le Continent
  • 4.2 Cities
    • 4.21 Sympathy of Cities
    • 4.22 Enlarged London Section
  • 4.3 Seas and Ports
  • 4.4 Recruitment Pool
  • 4.5 Victory Track
    • 4.51 Capture of a Victory City
    • 4.52 Capture of the King
• 5.0 The Cards
• 6.0 Operational Phase
  • 6.01 Operational Phase Events
  • 6.02 Player 1 and Player 2 Actions
  • 6.1 Action: Land Moves
    • 6.11 Group Move
    • 6.12 Muster
    • 6.13 Border Limits
    • 6.14 Pinning
    • 6.15 Withdrawal into a Fortified City
    • 6.16 Regional Blocks
    • 6.17 Winter Turn
    • 6.18 Yorkshire Treaty of Neutrality
  • 6.2 Action: Sea Moves
    • 6.21 Sea Moves and Besieged Ports
  • 6.3 Action: Recruitment
    • 6.31 Recruitment in Besieged Ports
  • 6.4 Operational Phase Events
    • 6.41 Bradford Clubmen
    • 6.42 Camp Fever
    • 6.43 Clubmen
    • 6.44 Desertion of Regional Troops
    • 6.45 Fortification of London
    • 6.46 Parliamentarian Ships Captured / The Excise Ordinance Raises War Funds
    • 6.47 Supplies from Le Continent / The King Strips the Garrisons
    • 6.48 The Hothams' Plot
    • 6.49 Carew's Plot
• 7.0 Tactical Phase
  • 7.01 Tactical Phase Events
  • 7.02 Battles
  • 7.03 Siege Combat
  • 7.1 Battle Reserves
  • 7.2 Withdraw Before Battle
  • 7.3 Battle Rounds
  • 7.4 Fire and Engage
    • 7.41 Artillery Fire
    • 7.42 Cavalry Engage
    • 7.43 Cavalry Pursuit
    • 7.44 Infantry Fire and Engage
  • 7.5 End of Battle
  • 7.6 Retreat
    • 7.61 Artillery Retreat
    • 7.62 Regional Block Retreat
    • 7.63 Local Block Retreat
  • 7.7 Regroup
    • 7.71 Regional Block Regroup
  • 7.8 Eliminated Blocks
    • 7.81 Captured Artillery
    • 7.82 "Stranded" Regional Blocks
  • 7.9 Tactical Phase Events
    • 7.91 Advantageous Terrain
    • 7.92 Determined Last Stand
    • 7.93 Mining
    • 7.94 Surprise Attack
    • 7.95 Terrain Disfavours Cavalry
    • 7.96 Turncoats
    • 7.97 Well-positioned Artillery
• 8.0 Sieges
  • 8.01 Siege Markers
  • 8.1 Relief of a Siege
  • 8.2 Sallying
  • 8.3 Storming
    • 8.31 Fortified Defence
• 9.0 Supply Phase
  • 9.1 Supply
    • 9.11 Provision of Supply
    • 9.12 Supply Attrition
  • 9.2 Siege Resolution
    • 9.21 Siege Attrition
    • 9.22 Surrender
  • 9.3 Progression of Sieges
• 10.0 Victory Phase
  • 10.1 Victory Phase Events
    • 10.11 King Charles Surrender to the Scots
    • 10.12 Rupert Dismissed by the King
• 11.0 Year End Phase
  • 11.1 New Blocks
    • 11.11 Henrietta
    • 11.12 New Model Army
  • 11.2 Regional Recruitment
    • 11.21 Manufacture of Cannons
    • 11.22 London Recruitment
  • 11.3 Regional Blocks Return Home
  • 11.4 Preparation of Card Decks for the Next Year
• 12.0 Scenarios
  • 12.1 The Full War
    • 12.11 Scenario Rules
    • 12.12 Preparation of the Card Decks
    • 12.13 Initial Set Up of the Markers and Blocks
  • 12.2 The Early War
    • 12.21 Scenario Rules
    • 12.22 Preparation of the Card Decks
    • 12.13 Initial Set Up of the Markers and Blocks
  • 12.3 The Mid-to-Late War
    • 12.31 Scenario Rules
    • 12.32 Preparation of the Card Decks
    • 12.33 Initial Set Up of the Markers and Blocks
  • 12.4 The Mid War
    • 12.41 Scenario Rules
    • 12.42 Preparation of the Card Decks
    • 12.43 Initial Set Up of the Markers and Blocks
  • 12.5 The Path to War
    • 12.51 Scenario Rules
    • 12.52 Preparation of the Card Decks
    • 12.53 Initial Set Up of the Markers and Blocks
• Hints on Playing the Game
  • Royalist Strategy
  • Parliamentarian Strategy
  • Tactical Considerations
• This Game Would Not Exist Without
  • Inspiration
  • Sources
  • The Playtesters

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Scenarios

This game includes the following scenarios:

• The Full War: September 1642 through to 1646.
• The Early War: a short introductory scenario.
• The Mid-to-Late War: a mid-length scenario that takes up the action at the beginning of the 1644 campaigning season.
• The Mid War: a short introductory scenario.
• The Path to War: a full war scenario with a partially randomized initial set up of blocks.

It is strongly recommended that players begin with the first four scenarios in order to familiarize themselves with the game, before considering the more challenging The Path to War scenario.

1.2 Victory

Players acquire Victory Points (VPs) through taking control of cities and, for the Parliamentarians, capturing the king. Victory Points are not counted individually for each player, but are represented on a relative scale on the Victory Track. A player wins a Major Victory if there are 3 or more VPs for that player's side at the end of a Turn. If neither player has secured a Major Victory by the end of 1646, then the game is a Minor Victory for the player with VPs, or for the Royalist player in the case of 0 VPs.

1.3 Contents

• A1 single-sided 2mm mounted map
• 84 wooden blocks and counters (Royalist, Parliamentarian, Covenanter markers)
• 1 Sheet of stickers for blocks and markers
• 24-page Rulebook
• 24-page Playbook
• 52 cards in two decks (Royalist, Parliamentarian)
• 2 A4 double-sided Set Up Sheets (Royalist, Parliamentarian)
• 2 A4 double-sided Player Aids
• 1 A4 single-sided Battle Mat
• 8 dice

2.0 Game Structure

A game of This War Without an Enemy begins with Preparation of the Card Decks and Initial Set Up of Markers and Blocks and is followed by up to five Years.

2.1 Years

At the beginning of each Year, six cards are dealt to each player. In 1642, each player must discard four of these cards after examining them.

The Year of 1642 consists of two Turns (Turns V and VI). Each subsequent Year consists of six Turns (Turns I-V and Winter).

2.2 Turns

Each Turn consists of five Phases played in sequence, except for the Winter Turn of each Year which consists of six Phases.

2.21 Irish Cessation

At the beginning of Turn V of 1643, place the 3 Cessation Infantry blocks in Ireland.

2.22 Earl of Callendar Enters England

At the beginning of Turn IV of 1644, place the 2 Callendar Infantry blocks in Scotland.

2.3 Phases

2.31 Initiative Phase

Each player starts a Turn by playing a card face-down. The two cards are then revealed simultaneously by turning them face-up. The player who played the card with the higher number is Player 1 for the whole of the Turn. The number shown on a card denotes the number of Action Points (APs) that it provides. Any text on a card refers to a Card Event. If a player plays a card with a Card Event, then the APs are used and the Card Event may be enacted (it is not mandatory).

EXCEPTION: A player who played a card with the Surprise Attack Event is automatically Player 1 irrespective of the number shown on the other card.

If the cards played show the same number or if both Players have played a card with the 'Surprise Attack' Event, then the Royalist decides who is Player 1 if it is 1642 or 1643, and the Parliamentarian decides if it is 1644, 1645 or 1646.

2.32 Operational Phase

Any Operational Phase Card Events are enacted (first any Event on the Player 1 card and then any Event on the Player 2 card), then Player 1 performs Actions, and then Player 2 performs Actions. There are two main classes of Actions:

• Move: Each AP spent allows a player to perform a Group Move, a Muster, or a Sea Move.
• Recruit: Each AP spent on Recruitment allows a player to add one strength to one existing block, or to deploy one new block, chosen from the player's Recruitment Pool, on the map at strength 1.

2.33 Tactical Phase

Battles are fought one at a time in a sequence determined by Player 1. Then potential Siege Combat is fought one Area at a time in a sequence determined by Player 1. Battles are fought between opposing blocks in the same Area. Siege Combat may take place where a Fortified City is Besieged.

2.34 Supply Phase

Blocks exceeding the Supply Limit in each Area are reduced. Sieges are resolved.

2.35 Victory Phase

If either Player has 3 or more Victory Points or it is the Winter Turn of 1646 then the game ends.

EXCEPTION: There is no Victory Phase in 1642.

2.36 Year End Phase

If it is the Winter Turn (or Turn VI of 1642) then the Year End phase is resolved.

3.0 The Blocks

3.1 Block Information

3.11 Strength

The current strength of a block is the number of circles on the top edge when the block stands upright. Blocks can have a maximum strength of 2, 3 or 4. If the single circle is black or coloured then the block is not placed in the Recruitment Pool when Eliminated. If all the circles are coloured then the block's strength may never be increased.

Strength determines how many six-sided dice (d6) are rolled for a block in combat. A block at strength 4 rolls 4d6 (four six-sided dice), while a block at strength 1 rolls 1d6.

For each hit taken in combat or through attrition, the block's strength is reduced by rotating the block 90 degrees anticlockwise.

3.12 Effectiveness

The effectiveness of a block – indicated by a number in the upper right corner – is the maximum die roll that will score a hit when Firing or Engaging.

3.13 Discipline

The Discipline of a Cavalry block – indicated by the number in the lower left corner – is the maximum die roll with which the block will avoid pursuing enemy cavalry off the battlefield after having forced them to rout.

3.14 Text Labels

Text below the illustration gives the name of a Leader block or, in some cases, a special block (Henrietta, Garrison or Clubmen). Text above the illustration denotes either:

• the location (either an Area on the map, or the Recruitment Pool) where the block must be placed during the Initial Set Up when playing the September 1642 scenario;
• the Year when the block is added to the map or Recruitment Pool;
• the condition for the block to be added to the map or Recruitment Pool (player control of Areas, a Card Event, or a Major Event).

Block diagram labels: Block type, Effectiveness, Current strength, Area of initial setup, Condition to be added, Name, Home Region of leader, Discipline.

3.2 Block Types

3.21 Artillery

Artillery blocks – indicated by a cannon ball icon – play a limited role in field battles but are also useful during sieges. Artillery blocks are ignored when determining supply. All Artillery blocks are Cannon.

3.22 Cavalry

Cavalry blocks – indicated by a horse icon – play a key but unpredictable role in field battles, and are also useful in harassing withdrawing armies. Cavalry blocks without a label below the illustration are Horse. Other Cavalry blocks are the Leaders Rupert and Cromwell, and the Henrietta block.

3.23 Infantry

Infantry blocks – indicated by a halberd icon – can be vulnerable to Cavalry in field battles, but are indispensable in sieges. Infantry blocks without a label below the illustration are Foot. Other Infantry blocks are the remaining Leaders (Charles, Essex, T. Fairfax and Skippon), Regional Leaders, Garrison and Clubmen.

3.3 Regional Blocks

Regional blocks have a letter in the lower right corner denoting their Home Region: Wales, the North, the Midlands, the East, the South or London. The lower right corner is also colour coded according to the Region. Regional blocks are restricted in their movement: they must end any type of move (including Retreat or Regroup after a Battle) either in their Home Region or in the same Area as a Leader or their Regional Leader. Regional blocks may only benefit from Recruitment when in their Home Region.

Covenanter blocks belong to the Parliamentarian player, but are green in colour and are labelled with Sc in the lower right corner. They are deployed in Scotland when the Solemn League and Covenant occurs or the Earl of Callendar Enters England. They are Regional blocks with a Home Region of Scotland and the North, and are thus treated in a slightly different way to other Regional blocks.

3.4 Non-Regional Blocks

Non-Regional Blocks do not have any regional restrictions on movement. They include all Leaders, Regional Leaders and Artillery blocks, and the Henrietta block.

Leader blocks are labelled with a name on a black background. The Royalists have two Leader blocks: Charles and Rupert. The Parliamentarians have four Leader blocks: Essex, Fairfax, Cromwell and Skippon.

Regional Leader blocks are labelled with a name on a coloured background. Both the colour and the letter in the lower right corner denote the type of Regional blocks they may lead. The Royalists have three Regional Leader blocks: Newcastle, Northampton and Hopton. The Parliamentarians have five Regional Leader blocks: Fairfax, Brooke, Waller, Manchester and Leven.

The Henrietta block belongs to the Royalist player and is labelled on a white background (it is not a Leader or Regional Leader block). The block is deployed on Le Continent during the Year End Phase of 1642. It may only leave Le Continent by Sea Move.

Irish blocks are labelled with Ir in the lower right corner. They belong to the Royalist player and are deployed in Ireland when the Irish Cessation occurs. They may only leave Ireland by Sea Move.

3.5 Local Blocks

Local blocks are labelled on a white background and have an icon of a tower in the lower right corner. After being placed on the map they may not move to another Area. Each player has one Clubmen block and two Garrison blocks.

4.0 The Board

The board mainly consists of a map depicting England and Wales and parts of Scotland, Ireland and Continental Europe (Le Continent). The Royalist player sits at the west edge of the board, while the Parliament player sits at the east edge.

4.1 Areas

The portion of the map representing England and Wales is divided into Areas.

4.11 Borders

Areas are separated from each other by open (dotted off white), river (blue) or mountain (continuous white) borders, which govern the maximum number of blocks that may cross the border when entering an Area to Attack or Reinforce or when leaving an Area to Retreat from a Battle.

Border types shown on the map: Mountain border, River border, Open border.

There is no border between Lincolnshire and the East Riding, nor between Somerset and South East Wales or Shropshire & Herefordshire – these Areas are separated by sea and thus blocks cannot move directly between them unless using a Sea Move.

4.12 Loyal Areas

Areas marked with a crown icon are Loyal to the Royalists, while those marked with a mace icon are Loyal to the Parliamentarians.

4.13 Coastal Areas

Areas adjacent to a Sea are Coastal Areas. Shropshire & Herefordshire is a Coastal Area. Buckinghamshire & Hertfordshire is also a Coastal Area due to the Port of London.

4.14 Mountain Areas

Areas marked with a mountain icon (Cumberland & Westmorland, NW Wales and Central Wales) are Mountain Areas. They provide reduced Supply.

4.15 Control of Areas

Areas can be controlled by either player (Friendly or Enemy) or by neither player (Neutral or Contested). Changes to the control of an Area are effective immediately.

• Friendly: Area occupied by one or more of a player's blocks, or Area containing no blocks (Vacant Area) that is Loyal to a player. Such an Area is an Enemy Area for the opposing player.
• Enemy: Area occupied by one or more of the opposing player's blocks, or Area containing no blocks (Vacant Area) which is Loyal to the opposing player. Such an Area is a Friendly Area for the opposing player.
• Neutral: Area containing no blocks and which is not Loyal to either player.
• Contested: Area containing blocks of both players (excluding blocks in a Fortified City).

Map legend elements: Year, Turn (Turn 6 of each Year is a Winter Turn), Coloured border of Region, Colour-coded name of Region, Royalist Recruitment Pool, Victory Track.

4.16 Regions

Areas are grouped together in Regions that play a role in the movement and recruitment of Regional blocks. Each Region is labelled with its name and is also shown by a coloured border.

4.17 Scotland

The Covenanter blocks are placed in Scotland either at the end of 1643 or at the beginning of Turn IV of 1644. These blocks may freely leave or enter Scotland. No other blocks may enter Scotland.

4.18 Ireland

The Cessation Irish blocks are placed in Ireland at the beginning of Turn V of 1643. No blocks may enter Ireland through movement.

4.19 Le Continent

The Henrietta block is placed on Le Continent at the end of 1642. No blocks may enter Le Continent through movement.

4.2 Cities

Cities are classified according to the following:

• Victory status: Non-victory Cities have no outline. Victory Cities have a blue or orange outline. The number of Victory Points gained when the City is captured is indicated.
• Size: London is size 4; Major Cities (Bristol, Oxford, York, and Newcastle) are size 2; and Minor Cities (Plymouth, Gloucester, Worcester, Cambridge, Leicester, Nottingham, Chester, Cloth Towns, Hull, and Manchester) are size 1.
• Fortification: Fortified Cities have a polygonal outline, can hold a number of blocks equal to their size, and can be Stormed by a number of blocks equal to the Storming value. London begins the game with its Fortifications incomplete. Unfortified Cities – which are all Minor Cities – have a circular outline or no outline.

City diagram labels: Minor City, Sympathetic to Parliamentarians, Victory Points, Unfortified, Sympathetic to Royalists, Fortifications incomplete (breached), Storming, Major Fortified City, London, Enlarged London section, Recruitment Points.

All Cities provide increased Supply for an Area in proportion to their Size. Non-Victory Cities have no other function in the game. London and Major Cities provide Recruitment Points during Regional Recruitment in the Year End Phase.

4.21 Sympathy of Cities

The colour of a Victory City's outline shows which side it is Sympathetic to. Oxford, Chester, York, and Newcastle are outlined in blue and are Sympathetic to the Royalists. Plymouth, Bristol, London, Cambridge, and Hull are outlined in orange and are Sympathetic to the Parliamentarians.

If the Area containing a Victory City is Neutral then the City is controlled by the player it is Sympathetic to. If the Area is not Neutral, then the Victory City is controlled by the same player as the Area, unless there is a block of the opposing player in the City, in which case the City is controlled by one player and the Area by the other.

4.22 Enlarged London Section

The enlarged London section can be used to hold blocks instead of placing them on the City itself. This is useful when London is besieged by a large number of blocks.

4.3 Seas and Ports

The sea on the map is divided into three Seas: the German Ocean, the British Sea, and the Irish Sea.

The Key Ports of Hull (German Ocean), London (British Sea), and Bristol (Irish Sea) exert control over the Seas that they are adjacent to. The player who controls the City also controls the adjacent Sea.

Control of the Lesser Ports of Newcastle (German Ocean), Plymouth (British Sea), and Chester (Irish Sea) facilitates Sea Moves when the adjacent Sea is controlled by the opposing player.

4.4 Recruitment Pool

Each player has a Recruitment Pool in the designated box on the map. Blocks in the Recruitment Pool stand upright to conceal their identity. Royalist blocks that are Eliminated during play are returned to the Recruitment Pool, except for the Charles and Henrietta blocks, which are removed from the game, and the Irish and Clubmen blocks, which are placed beside the map. Parliamentarian blocks that are Eliminated during play are returned to the Recruitment Pool, except for the Covenanter blocks, which are removed from the game, and the Clubmen block, which is placed beside the map.

4.5 Victory Track

The marker on the Victory Track shows the relative number of Victory Points of each player. The centre position represents 0 VPs, the positions with a crown icon show VPs for the Royalists and those with a mace icon show VPs for the Parliamentarians. If, during the Victory Phase at the end of a Turn, the marker is at 3 or more VPs towards either side (shown by the orange or blue-coloured icons), then the player controlling that side has won the game.

Victory Track diagram labels: Royalist victory, 0 VPs, Parliamentarian victory.

4.51 Capture of a Victory City

During the game, as soon as control of a Victory City changes sides the VP marker is moved accordingly. There is a change of 1 VP in favour of the player who gained control of the City (except for London) and so the VP marker is moved one space towards that player's side of the track. In the case of London being captured by the Royalists (or subsequently recaptured by the Parliamentarians), there is a change of 2 VPs and so the VP marker is moved two spaces towards the Royalist (Parliamentarian) side.

4.52 Capture of the King

If the Charles block is Eliminated, then the king has been captured by the Parliamentarians, who gain 2 VPs and so the VP marker is moved two spaces towards the Parliamentarian side.

5.0 The Cards

The cards are divided into two decks – one for the Royalists and one for the Parliamentarians – each of 26 cards.

Card diagram labels: Action Points, Event phase, Event name, Event description, After play instructions, Enters/leaves deck, Deck management.

Each card has a number (2, 3 or 4) in the top left corner, which shows the number of Action Points that the Player can utilise during the Operational Phase. The 2- and 3-AP cards also contain additional information related to the Card Event: the name of the Event, a description, and the Phase when the Event is enacted. Any text in italics below the event description contains instructions on what to do with the card after it has been played – if there is no text then it is put to the side. Any Year or Years on the bottom of the card show when the card is added to (upwards arrow) or removed from (downwards arrow) the player's deck.

6.0 Operational Phase

The Operational Phase consists of the following segments:

• Any Operational Phase Card Events are enacted
• Player 1 Actions
• Player 2 Actions

6.01 Operational Phase Events

If both players have played a card with an Operational Phase Event, then first Player 1 enacts their Event and then Player 2 does so. See 6.4 for details of specific events.

6.02 Player 1 and Player 2 Actions

During a Player Actions segment, that Player spends the Action Points on the card played (in addition to having previously enacted any Event on the card). These APs may be spent on Moves and/or on Recruitment.

No block may be moved more than once during the Operational Phase. However, a block may be deployed or receive strength through Recruitment and then be moved, or it may be moved first and then receive strength through Recruitment, provided that it still meets all of the requirements for Recruitment.

Local (Clubmen and Garrison) blocks may not move.

6.1 Action: Land Moves

6.11 Group Move

For one Action Point, a player may move any or all blocks in one Area. Blocks can move in different directions. Each Block can move up to two Areas. However, a block must end its movement when it enters an Area containing non-Besieged blocks of the opposing player (i.e. a non-Vacant Enemy Area or into a Contested Area).

6.12 Muster

For one Action Point a player may designate one Friendly Area and move any or all blocks to that Area that are able to reach it. During a Muster also, each block can move up to two Areas.

The Parliamentarian Player may designate Scotland for a Muster and move Covenanter blocks (only) into Scotland from England.

Each block can move up to two Areas, but during this movement it cannot enter a non-Vacant Enemy Area or Contested Area. Therefore, a muster cannot start a new battle, or respond to a battle created by Player 1, but a player can muster at (or move blocks through) an Area where that player is Besieging a city.

6.13 Border Limits

The maximum number of a player's blocks that can cross any border into an Area containing blocks of the opposing player that are not in a Fortified City (i.e. into a non-Vacant Enemy Area or into a Contested Area) during each Operational Phase depends on the type of the border:

• Open: no limit
• River: 4 blocks
• Mountain: 2 blocks

This limit applies separately to each player – one player may Attack (enter a non-Vacant Enemy Area) with 4 blocks through a blue border and then the opposing player may Reinforce the Battle (enter the now Contested Area) with 4 blocks through the same border.

6.14 Pinning

Blocks entering a non-Vacant Enemy Area (i.e. an Area containing only Enemy blocks) that does not contain a Fortified City must end their movement. The Area becomes Contested. The blocks that entered the Area are Attacking, while the opposing player's blocks are Defending.

Player 1 Attacking blocks prevent an equal number of Player 2 Defending blocks from moving – these blocks are Pinned. If there are more Defending than Attacker blocks in an Area, then Player 2 chooses which blocks are Pinned. The non-Pinned blocks may move normally and even attack during the Player 2 Actions segment of the Operational Phase.

6.15 Withdrawal into a Fortified City

If blocks enter an Enemy Area that contains a Fortified City then the opposing player must either Withdraw any Garrison block(s) or Eliminate them and return them to the Recruitment Pool, and may Withdraw other blocks into the Fortified City. The maximum number of Infantry/Cavalry blocks that may Withdraw into the City is equal to the City's Size. Artillery blocks do not count against this limit.

A player may wish to voluntarily Eliminate a Garrison block in order to enable a stronger block to enter the Fortified City.

If no Enemy blocks remain outside the Fortified City after Withdrawal, then the blocks that entered the Area may move through it into another Area, provided that they have not already moved two Areas, or they may remain in the Area, in which case a Siege is initiated with the Area controlled by and Friendly to one player while the Fortified City is controlled by the other player.

6.16 Regional Blocks

Regional blocks may only leave their Home Region if "chaperoned" over the border by a Leader block, or by their Regional Leader block (i.e. the Regional Leader for their Home Region). The Leader block and the Regional block(s) must begin and end their move in the same Area. A Regional Block that begins a move in an Area outside its Home Region must also be "chaperoned" by a Leader or its Regional Leader block – again, the Leader/Regional Leader and Regional block(s) must begin and end their move in the same Area.

EXCEPTION: A Regional block does not need to be "chaperoned" to re-enter its Home Region. A Leader or Regional Leader block may bring a Regional block into an Area adjacent to its Home Region, then the Regional block may move on into its Home Region, while the Leader either remains in the Area adjacent to the Home Region or moves into another Area.

The Home Region for London blocks is Buckingham & Hertfordshire and the Areas adjacent to it. This applies for all purposes except when being deployed or returning home at Year End, in which case the Home Region is Buckingham & Hertfordshire only. London blocks may only leave their Home Region if they are "chaperoned" by a Leader block (there is no Regional Leader block for London).

The Home Region for Covenanter blocks is Scotland and the North. They may only be "chaperoned" by Leven and not by Fairfax nor by a Leader block. Leven may not act as "chaperone" to Parliamentarian North blocks.

6.17 Winter Turn

During a Winter Turn (the last Turn of a Year, except for 1642), no block may enter, nor may a Clubmen block be placed in, an Area containing non-Besieged blocks of the opposing player (i.e. no Attacks are allowed on a Winter Turn, with the exception of Siege Combat).

6.18 Yorkshire Treaty of Neutrality

No Royalist or Parliamentarian block may enter Yorkshire (the Areas with the icon shown on the left: West Riding, East Riding, and North Riding) through a land or sea move during the first Turn (Turn V) of 1642. The Parliamentarian blocks already in Yorkshire may move freely and the Parliamentarian player may Recruit in Yorkshire and then move any newly-deployed blocks.

6.2 Action: Sea Moves

For one Action Point a player may move one block from a Coastal Area in England to another Friendly or Vacant (Neutral or Loyal to the opposing player) Coastal Area in England by moving through one Sea, two adjacent Seas or all three Seas (the cost is always 1 AP no matter how many Seas are crossed).

Regional blocks may only Sea Move to an Area within their Home Region or to an Area containing a Leader or their Regional Leader.

The Royalist player may also move a block from Ireland or from Le Continent to a Friendly or Vacant Coastal Area in England, but may not move any blocks back to Ireland or to Le Continent. No more than one block may Sea Move from Ireland each Turn.

If the opposing player controls any of the Seas (by controlling the Key Port adjacent to the Sea) that the block moves though then the player moving the block must roll a die and consult the Sea Move Table to determine the outcome. The following modifiers are made to the result:

• +1 if the block is moving to or from a Friendly Port (note that Plymouth is adjacent to the British Sea, but not to the Irish Sea, and so a block moving to or from Devon through the Irish Sea does not gain this bonus to the roll).
• -1 if the block moves through 2 enemy Seas.
• -2 if the block moves through 3 enemy Seas.

Sea Move Table (die roll → outcome):

• 1 or less: the block is Eliminated
• 2: the block returns to where it began its move, and loses 1 strength
• 3: the block returns to where it began its move
• 4: the block reaches its destination, and loses 1 strength
• 5: the block reaches its destination
• 6 or more: the block reaches its destination

6.21 Sea Moves and Besieged Ports

A player controlling a Sea may move a block into or out of a Besieged Port adjacent to that Sea. The player rolls a die, adds one and then consults the Sea Move table treating the Sea adjacent to the Besieged Port as though it were controlled by the opposing player.

EXCEPTION: Blocks may not be moved into or out of London if the Besieging force includes Artillery.

6.3 Action: Recruitment

For one Action Point, a player may:

• Add one strength to one block that is already in an Area on the map. Strength can be added to the same block multiple times, each strength costing 1 AP.
• Deploy a block from the player's Recruitment Pool at strength 1. A block may only be deployed in a Friendly Area. No block can be deployed in an Area if it would result in the blocks in that Area exceeding the Supply Limit. If the block is a Regional Block then it must be deployed in its Home Region (a London block must be deployed in Buckingham & Hertfordshire). Additional strength can be added to a new block immediately with each strength costing 1 AP. Multiple blocks may be deployed in the same Area if desired.

EXCEPTION: A Garrison block must be deployed in an Area with a Fortified City. This may be a Friendly Area (i.e. already occupied by one of the player's blocks) or a Neutral Area with a Fortified City that is Sympathetic to the player. The block is placed in the Area rather than in the City in order to preserve fog of war.

APs can be used to add strength to Regional blocks and Regional Leaders only in their Home Region. APs cannot be used to add strength to Artillery, Clubmen or Covenanter blocks, to blocks in Contested Areas nor to blocks Besieged in non-Port Cities (i.e. York or Oxford).

6.31 Recruitment in Besieged Ports

A player controlling a Sea may add strength to Infantry blocks (but not to Cavalry blocks) in Besieged Ports adjacent to that Sea. No more than one strength may be added in each Port per Turn, except for London where 2 strength may be added unless the Besieging force includes Artillery, in which case no strength may be added.

6.4 Operational Phase Events

6.41 Bradford Clubmen

The Parliamentarian player may place the Clubmen block at full strength in West Riding. If there are one or more enemy blocks in the Area then it will become Contested – one of these blocks is pinned and a Battle will take place with the Clubmen block as Defender.

EXCEPTION: The Clubmen block may not be placed during the Winter Turn of 1643 if West Yorkshire has one or more enemy blocks.

6.42 Camp Fever

The player who played this card chooses an Area containing two or more blocks of the other player. Besieging blocks count but Besieged blocks do not. Ireland or Scotland may not be chosen as they are not Areas. The other player must reduce the strength of two of the Infantry/Cavalry blocks in that Area by 1 each. If the player has only one Infantry/Cavalry block in the Area, because the other block(s) are Artillery, then the player reduces that single block by 1 strength. In the unlikely case that the player only has Artillery blocks in the Area, then this card event has no effect.

If a block is reduced to less than strength 1 due to the Attrition Event then it is immediately Eliminated.

6.43 Clubmen

The player may place the Clubmen block at full strength in any Neutral or Enemy Area. If the block is already on the map then it may be removed and placed in another Area. If there are one or more enemy blocks in the chosen Area then it will become Contested – one of these blocks is pinned and a Battle will take place with the Clubmen block as Defender. If there is a Fortified City in the Area then the enemy block(s) and NOT the Clubmen block may Withdraw into the City at this moment (if an enemy block is a Garrison block then it must Withdraw). This may initiate a Siege.

EXCEPTIONS: The Clubmen block may not be placed in an Area that is Loyal to the other player. The Clubmen block may not be placed in an Area with one or more enemy blocks during a Winter Turn.

If the other Player has just played a Clubmen Event and created a Contested Area then the Clubmen block may not be placed there as it is no longer an Enemy Area.

6.44 Desertion of Regional Troops

The other player must choose one Regional block that is outside its Home Region, reduce its strength by 1, then place it back in its Home Region, in a Friendly Area if there is one, or a Neutral Area otherwise (if there is no such Area then the block must be returned to the Recruitment Pool). If the other player has no Regional block outside its Home Region then that player must reduce the strength of any one block by 1.

If a block is reduced to less than strength 1 due to the Desertion Event then it is immediately Eliminated.

6.45 Fortification of London

From now on, the rules exception regarding London's walls being automatically breached during a Storming no longer applies.

6.46 Parliamentarian Ships Captured / The Excise Ordinance Raises War Funds

The normal rules for Recruitment apply to these Card Events.

6.47 Supplies from Le Continent / The King Strips the Garrisons

The normal rules for Recruitment apply to these Card Events, but the usual exception for Artillery blocks does not apply.

6.48 The Hothams' Plot

If the Royalist player already controls Hull then there is no effect. Otherwise Hull changes sides:

• If the Royalists are Besieging Hull then the Parliamentarian block in the City is treated according to the rules for Surrender.
• If East Riding is Neutral (Vacant) then the Royalist player must deploy a Garrison block at 1 strength in the Area or move one there.
• If East Riding is Friendly to the Parliamentarians then the Royalist player must deploy a Garrison block at 1 strength in Hull or move one there. A Siege is initiated.

6.49 Carew's Plot

If the Royalist player already controls Plymouth then there is no effect. If the Royalist Player is besieging Plymouth and/or controls Bristol, then Plymouth changes sides (if neither of these conditions is met then the event has no effect):

• If the Royalists are Besieging Plymouth then the Parliamentarian block in the City is treated according to the rules for Surrender.
• If Devon is Neutral (Vacant) then the Royalist player must deploy a Garrison block in the Area or move one there.
• If Devon is Friendly to the Parliamentarians then the Royalist player must deploy a Garrison block in Plymouth or move one there. A Siege is initiated.

Deploying a Garrison block as part of The Hothams' Plot or Carew's Plot event does not cost any APs. However, if the Royalist player already has both Garrison blocks on the map, then a Garrison block must be moved, which may result in the Royalist player losing control of the Area or City from which it came. For this reason, the Royalist player may decide not to enact a Plot event.

7.0 Tactical Phase

The Tactical Phase consists of the following segments:

• Tactical Phase Events are enacted
• Battles are resolved
• Siege combat is resolved

7.01 Tactical Phase Events

Either player who played a card with a Tactical Phase Event must decide which Battle will be affected by the Event. If both players played such a card, first Player 1 and then Player 2 decides. See 7.9 for details of specific events.

7.02 Battles

Player 1 selects a Contested Area and the Battle in that Area is resolved. Then Player 1 selects another Area and that Battle is resolved. This continues until there are no more Contested Areas. See 7.1 to 7.7 for details.

7.03 Siege Combat

Player 1 selects an Area with a Besieged Fortified City. First the Besieged Player chooses whether or not to Sally from that City and then the Besieging Player chooses whether or not to Storm that City. Then Player 1 selects another Area with a Besieged City. This continues until all sieges Cities have been resolved. See 8.0 for details.

If an Area is both Contested and contains a Besieged City (i.e. "relief forces" have attacked the besiegers) then there will be a Battle in that Area and possibly also Siege Combat.

If an Area is Contested and contains a Fortified City that is not Besieged, then the City may become Besieged as a result of the Battle, in which case Siege Combat may occur.

7.1 Battle Reserves

The Attacker may have moved blocks into the Contested Area via multiple borders. As soon as a Contested Area is selected by Player 1, the Attacker must declare the Main Attack. All blocks that crossed this border, even if they started from different Areas, take part in Round 1 of the Battle. Blocks that crossed other borders are placed in Reserve.

Blocks moved into the Contested Area by the Defender to reinforce the blocks already there are also placed in Reserve.

Blocks in Reserve may not Fire, Engage, or take hits in Round 1. They enter the Battle in Round 2, unless a General Retreat has been ordered.

Artillery blocks in Reserve may NOT Fire in Round 2 and Round 3, except for a block benefiting from the Well-positioned Artillery event.

Control of an Area changes if all Defending Infantry and Cavalry blocks not in Reserve are Eliminated or start Pursuing or Routing in Round 1. The Defender is now the Attacker, and vice versa, for the remainder of the Battle.

7.2 Withdraw Before Battle

After the Attacker has declared the Main Attack, the Defender may attempt to Withdraw Before Battle.

EXCEPTION: if this Battle was chosen to benefit from the Surprise Attack event then the Defender may not attempt to Withdraw Before Battle.

Both the Defender and the Attacker announce how many Cavalry blocks are in the Contested Area excluding those in Reserve. If only the Defender has Cavalry blocks then the Withdrawal is automatically successful. If only the Attacker has Cavalry blocks then the Withdrawal is automatically a failure (treat as a '1–' result on the Withdrawal Before Battle Table). Otherwise, the Defender must roll a die and consult the Withdrawal Table to determine the outcome. The following modifiers are made to the result:

• +1 if the Defender has Cavalry blocks only
• -1 if the Defender has one or more Artillery blocks
• +/- the difference in the number of Defender and Attacker Cavalry blocks (+ if the Defender has more blocks, - if the Attacker has more blocks)

Withdrawal Before Battle Table (die roll → outcome):

• 1 or less: Failure, Defender loses 2 strength
• 2: Failure, Defender loses 1 strength
• 3: Failure, no strength lost
• 4: Success, Defender loses 2 strength
• 5: Success, Defender loses 1 strength
• 6 or more: Success, no strength lost

The Defender may freely choose which block or blocks lose strength as a result of the Withdrawal die roll, but must assign all losses to Cavalry blocks if possible.

If the Withdrawal was a success then proceed to the End of Battle. If the Withdrawal was a failure then proceed to the Battle Rounds (however if the Defender only has Cavalry blocks then any Attacker Artillery and Infantry blocks in the Main Attack are placed in Reserve).

7.3 Battle Rounds

Both Players now place all of their blocks taking part in the Battle in the appropriate boxes of the Battle Mat. Any blocks in Reserve remain upright facing towards the owning player. All other blocks are revealed by tipping each of them forward so that the label is on top, with the block's current strength on the opposite side of the block to the player. Battles are fought for a maximum of three Battle Rounds. Each Battle Round takes place according to the following sequence:

• General Retreat (Not Round 1): first the Attacker and then, if the Attacker has not done so, the Defender may order a General Retreat. The Round take place as normal except that the Retreating blocks may not Fire, and they Engage at -2 effectiveness and the opposing blocks Fire or Engage against them at -1 effectiveness (this is cumulative with other modifiers). Furthermore, if the General Retreat was ordered in Round 2, then Reserve blocks do not enter the Battle – they are not revealed, may not Fire or Engage and do not take hits. After this Round proceed to the End of Battle.
• Reserves enter the Battle and are revealed (Round 2 only) unless a General Retreat has been ordered.
• Artillery Fire (Round 1 only): first Defending and then Attacking Artillery blocks Fire.
• Infantry Fire: first Defending and then Attacking Infantry blocks may Fire.
• Cavalry Engage: first Defending and then Attacking Cavalry blocks Engage.
• Infantry Engage (only blocks that did not Fire this Round): first Defending and then Attacking Infantry blocks Engage.

Proceed to the End of Battle at the end of Round 3, or at the end of Round 1 or 2 if either player has no blocks remaining (excluding Artillery, Pursuing Cavalry and Routing Cavalry).

Battle Mat diagram labels: Round 1 / 2 / 3; Sequence (Attacker side): Infantry Engage, Cavalry Engage, Infantry Fire (1·2·3), Artillery Fire (1), Reserves Enter Battle (2), General Retreat (2·3); Sequence (Defender side): Infantry Engage, Cavalry Engage, Infantry Fire (1·2·3), Artillery Fire (1), Reserves Enter Battle (2), General Retreat (2·3); battlefield zones: Engaging Infantry, Cavalry, Reserves, Firing Infantry, Artillery, Routing Cavalry, Pursuing Cavalry (for both Attacker and Defender sides).

7.4 Fire and Engage

When a block Fires or Engages it rolls as many dice as its current strength. A hit is scored for each die roll equal to or lower than the block's effectiveness.

Individual enemy blocks cannot be targeted. Each hit reduces by 1 strength the strongest enemy block of the targeted type at that instant. When two or more blocks share the highest strength, the owner chooses which to reduce. When blocks are reduced below strength 1, they are immediately Eliminated.

7.41 Artillery Fire

Before rolling for all blocks, the player must declare each block's target: Cavalry or Infantry. Each hit reduces the strongest enemy block of that class. If Cavalry is targeted then the Artillery block Fires at -1 effectiveness.

Artillery blocks only Fire in Round 1, except for a block benefitting from the Well-positioned Artillery event. Artillery blocks never take hits during a Battle.

7.42 Cavalry Engage

If there are any enemy Cavalry blocks in the opposing Cavalry box, then all hits from Cavalry Engage are applied to them. If there are no enemy Cavalry blocks in the opposing Cavalry box, then each Cavalry block Engages at +1 effectiveness and all hits are applied to enemy Infantry blocks.

If Cavalry Engage results in all of the enemy Cavalry blocks being Eliminated then the victorious Cavalry blocks check for Cavalry Pursuit.

If both the Defender and the Attacker have Cavalry blocks remaining after the Cavalry Engage and one player received more hits from enemy Cavalry than the other, then that player checks for Rout by rolling a die. If the result is less than or equal to the difference in hits, then all of that player's Cavalry blocks are Routing for the remainder of the battle: place them in the Routing Cavalry box on the Battle Mat. The other player's Cavalry blocks check for Cavalry Pursuit.

7.43 Cavalry Pursuit

Roll a die for each Cavalry block:

• subtract 1 if all the enemy Cavalry blocks were Eliminated.
• subtract 2 if all the enemy Cavalry blocks were Eliminated and at least 1 excess hit was caused (i.e. more hits were caused than the sum of the strength of the opposing Cavalry blocks).

If the result is less than or equal to the block's Discipline then the block stays on the battlefield. If the result is higher than the block's Discipline then it is Pursuing for the remainder of the battle: place it in the Pursuing Cavalry box on the Battle Mat.

7.44 Infantry Fire and Engage

Before rolling for all blocks, the Defender must declare whether each Defending Infantry block will Fire now at -1 effectiveness or Engage later in the Battle Round at full effectiveness (in which case move the block to the Engaging Infantry box). After all the Defending blocks have Fired, then the Attacker must declare whether each Attacking Infantry block will Fire or Engage.

At the end of Rounds 1 and 2, any Infantry blocks in the Engaging Infantry section are moved back to the Firing Infantry box. Even if a block has Engaged during a Round, it may either Fire or Engage in the next one.

If there are any enemy Infantry blocks, then all hits are applied to them. If more than enough hits are caused to Eliminate all enemy Infantry blocks, then excess hits are applied to any enemy Cavalry block(s).

If there are no enemy Infantry blocks then all hits are applied to enemy Cavalry block(s).

EXCEPTION: If the enemy has ordered a General Retreat then no hits from Infantry Fire/Engage can be applied to enemy Cavalry blocks.

7.5 End of Battle

If the End of Battle occurred because one player Withdrew Before Battle then that player is the Loser and the other player is the Victor.

If the End of Battle occurred because one player initiated a General Retreat or had no blocks remaining at the end of a Round (excluding Artillery, Pursuing Cavalry and Routing Cavalry) then that player is the Loser and the other player is the Victor.

Otherwise, the player with fewest blocks remaining (excluding Artillery, Pursuing Cavalry and Routing Cavalry) is the Loser. If both players have the same number of blocks remaining, then the Attacker is the Loser and the Defender is the Victor.

Both players now stand their blocks upright. Then the Loser must Retreat all Infantry and Cavalry blocks (including any that were in Reserve, and any Pursuing and Routing Cavalry blocks). If the Loser had no Infantry or Cavalry blocks remaining, or had no Infantry and only Pursuing or Routing Cavalry, then any Artillery blocks are Eliminated and may be captured. Otherwise, Artillery blocks must Retreat and may lose strength. Then the Victor may Regroup any or all blocks.

7.6 Retreat

The Loser must observe the following requirements when retreating blocks:

• Defending blocks may Retreat into a Fortified City in the Area of the Battle. Otherwise, blocks must Retreat to adjacent Friendly or Vacant Areas. They may Retreat to multiple adjacent Areas via different borders. Covenanter blocks (only) may Retreat to Scotland.
• No more blocks may Retreat across a border than the Border Limit.
• Blocks may not Retreat via borders that were crossed by the opposing player's blocks to enter the Area of the battle. When blocks of both players have crossed the same border, only the player whose blocks last entered the Area of battle via that border may Retreat through it.

Blocks may Retreat to a Friendly Area with unresolved Siege Combat, but may not take part in that Siege Combat.

If a block is unable to Retreat then it is Eliminated.

7.61 Artillery Retreat

If an Artillery block Retreats then the player rolls a die: on a result of 1-3 the block loses 1 strength.

7.62 Regional Block Retreat

When a Regional block Retreats, it must either:

• Retreat to an Area in its Home Region,
• Retreat to an Area that already contains a Leader or its Regional Leader (such a Leader may have Retreated itself during the same or a previous Battle Round),
• or, Retreat to the same Area, and at the same time, as a Leader or its Regional Leader.

7.63 Local Block Retreat

Clubmen blocks cannot Retreat and so are Eliminated if they are part of the Loser's army. Garrison blocks must either Retreat back into the Besieged City where they came from or be Eliminated.

7.7 Regroup

Any or all of the Victor's blocks (including any that were in Reserve, and any Pursuing and Routing Cavalry blocks) may move to any one adjacent Area that is currently Friendly or Vacant.

Covenanter blocks may Regroup into Scotland.

7.71 Regional Block Regroup

A Regional block may only Regroup to an Area outside its Home Region if a Leader or its Regional Leader Regroups with it.

7.8 Eliminated Blocks

Eliminated Royalist blocks are returned to the Recruitment pool, except for the Charles, and Henrietta blocks, which are removed from the game, and the Irish, Clubmen and Garrison blocks, which are placed beside the map.

If Charles is Eliminated then remember to move the Victory Point marker 2 spaces towards the 'For Parliament' side.

Eliminated Parliamentarian blocks are returned to the Recruitment pool, except for the Clubmen block, which is placed beside the map. Eliminated Covenanter blocks are removed from the game.

7.81 Captured Artillery

Any Artillery blocks that are Eliminated at the End of Battle or as a result of Retreat are captured by the Victor. Total the strength that the Artillery blocks had prior to being Eliminated (if a block was Eliminated as a result of Retreat then it had only one strength). The Victor may add this strength to any Artillery block(s) in the Area of the Battle or in any adjacent Friendly Area and/or use it to deploy any available Artillery block(s) from the Recruitment Pool to the Area of the Battle. This takes place before any Regroup.

7.82 "Stranded" Regional Blocks

Check for "stranded" Regional blocks after a Retreat or Regroup – if any Regional block is in an Area outside its Home Region that does not contain a Leader or its Regional Leader then it is Eliminated. This may happen if a Leader or Regional Leader has been Eliminated in the Battle, Retreated from the Battle, or Regrouped after the Battle.

7.9 Tactical Phase Events

7.91 Advantageous Terrain

In a Battle (but not during Withdrawal Before Battle nor during a Storming of London with incomplete walls i.e. if the Fortification of London Event has not taken place) in which the player who played this card is the Defender, all Defending Infantry blocks have Positional Defence for all Battle Rounds. This is identical to Fortified Defence, but with the difference that half-hits are rounded down for the purposes of Fire and Engage (e.g. an Infantry block with 3½ strength would only roll 3 dice when Firing or Engaging) and at the end of the Battle.

EXCEPTION: Infantry blocks that began the Battle in Reserve and Infantry blocks during a General Retreat do NOT benefit from Positional Defence.

If control of the Area changes after Round 1, then the new Defender's Infantry blocks will have Positional Defence and not the previous Defender's.

7.92 Determined Last Stand

The normal rules for Fortified Defence are applied i.e. half-hits are rounded up for the purposes of Fire and Engage, and at the end of the Battle.

7.93 Mining

This only applies to Storming.

7.94 Surprise Attack

In a Battle in which the Attacker does not have an Artillery block, or the Charles or the Essex block, the normal rules for Defending block precedence in the Battle Round do not apply for the whole of the Battle. Instead, the Attacking blocks have precedence.

If control of the Area changes after Round 1, then the normal rules for precedence apply i.e. the blocks of the new Defender (the original Attacker) have precedence. In effect, play of this card guarantees block precedence for all Rounds of the Battle.

7.95 Terrain Disfavours Cavalry

The reduction in effectiveness also applies to any Withdrawal Before Battle. Note that this Event affects both players during the chosen Battle.

7.96 Turncoats

If any of the Loser's Cavalry or Infantry blocks were Eliminated during a Round of Battle or Siege Combat (but not as a result of Retreat) then the Victor receives one strength per Eliminated block. Each strength must be added to the block with the lowest effectiveness among the blocks of the same class (Cavalry or Infantry) as the Eliminated block that are not at full strength. This takes place at the End of Battle before any Regroup.

EXCEPTION: Clubmen and Covenanter blocks neither provide nor receive turncoat strength.

It does not matter which player played the card with this Event – it can benefit either player who wins a Battle.

7.97 Well-positioned Artillery

As noted above, this event enables an Artillery block in Reserve to participate in Rounds 2 and 3 of a Battle. It would also enable an Artillery block to Fire when the opponent has ordered a General Retreat, but in this case only a block Firing against Infantry would have a chance of causing hits (as there would be a cumulative -2 effectiveness for a block Firing against Cavalry in General Retreat).

8.0 Sieges

A Siege may take place in an Area with a Fortified City. Sieges are initiated either:

• during the Operational Phase when blocks enter a non-Vacant Enemy Area that contains a Fortified City (or when a Clubmen block is placed in the Area) and all of the Enemy blocks Withdraw into the City, or
• during the Operational Phase when the Carew's Plot or The Hothams' Plot event is enacted and the Parliamentarians control the Area, or
• during the Tactical Phase when a Battle has taken place in an Area that contains a Fortified City, at least one Defending block has Retreated into the City and at least one Attacking block remains in the Area.

Besieging and Besieged blocks remain upright except when a Battle or Siege Combat takes place.

8.01 Siege Markers

When a Siege is initiated, if the total number of Besieging Infantry and Cavalry blocks is at least equal to the Size of the City then a Siege Marker is placed upright beside the City with a value of 0 at the top edge. Whenever the number of Besieging Infantry and Cavalry blocks changes (due to blocks entering or leaving the Area or being Eliminated) then the Besieging player compares the number of blocks to the Size of the City: if there are fewer blocks than the Size of the City then the player removes any Siege Marker. If there are at least as many blocks as the Size of the City then the player places a Siege Marker of value 0 if there is not already one there.

8.1 Relief of a Siege

A Besieged player may attempt to relieve a siege by Attacking the Besieging army with blocks that move from other Areas. A normal Battle is fought with the Besieger as Defender and the relief force as Attacker. Before the declaration of any Main Attack, if there is a Siege Marker then the Besieger must decide whether to maintain or temporarily break off the Siege.

If the Besieger decides to maintain the Siege, then the Player must choose at least as many blocks as the Size of the City. These blocks do not take part in the Battle. If the Besieger loses the Battle, then these blocks must Retreat and the Siege Marker is removed.

If the Besieger decides to temporarily break off the Siege, then the value of the Siege Marker is reduced by 1. All of the Besieger's Defending blocks take part in the Battle. The Besieged blocks, including Garrison blocks, may participate in the Battle as Reserves. The Besieged Player decides whether they participate at the start of the Battle Rounds before any blocks are revealed. If the Besieged Player loses the Battle then these blocks, and no others, may Retreat back into the City (Garrison blocks must do so or be Eliminated). If the Besieger loses the Battle then the Siege Marker is removed.

8.2 Sallying

If there is no Siege Marker then treat a Sally as a normal Battle. The Besieged player may select any or all of the Besieged blocks to sally – these will be the Attacking blocks in the Battle. All of the Besieging blocks will be the Defending blocks in the Battle. The Defender may attempt to Withdraw Before Battle.

If there is a Siege Marker, then the Besieged player may first bombard the Besieging forces with any Artillery blocks in the City. For each Artillery block, the Besieged Player selects an upright block as a target and then Fires. The effectiveness of the artillery fire is reduced by one irrespective of the type of block targeted.

Then the Besieged Player decides whether or not to Sally with any Besieged Cavalry or Infantry blocks and selects an equal number from among the upright Besieging blocks (this may be all of the Besieging blocks). The Sallying blocks are Attacking and the selected Besieging blocks are Defending. None of the other Besieging blocks take part. Sallying differs from a normal Battle in that:

• The Defender may not attempt to Withdraw Before Battle. Different classes of blocks are not targeted separately – any hits are applied to the strongest enemy block irrespective of class.
• Defending Artillery blocks fire at –1 effectiveness, even if the Attacking blocks are all Infantry. If, at the end of a Battle Round, there are no Cavalry or Infantry blocks among the Defending blocks, then each Defending Artillery block loses 1 strength (representing the sallying troops capturing some of the cannons). The Attacker may add this strength to Artillery blocks in the Besieged City and/or use it to deploy any available Artillery block(s) from the Recruitment Pool to the Besieged City.
• Neither the Defender nor the Attacker can initiate a General Retreat.
• After each Battle Round the Attacker decides whether to continue the Sally. If not, the End of Battle takes place.
• There is no Retreat or Regroup during the End of Battle.

8.3 Storming

Firstly, the 'Mining' Card Event is resolved if the Besieging player played the card it is on. Then the Besieging player may bombard the City if the total strength of any Besieging Artillery blocks is at least 2. Roll a die, cross reference against the total Artillery strength and consult the Bombardment Table to determine whether a breach has occurred in the walls of the City. A breach nullifies the effects of Fortified Defence but only lasts for the duration of any Storming – the breach is repaired afterwards.

Bombardment Table (Total Artillery Strength, die roll 1-6 → breach outcome):

• 2-4: breach only on a 6
• 5-7: breach on a 5 or 6
• 8-10: breach on a 4, 5 or 6
• 10+: breach on a 3, 4, 5 or 6

Add 1 to the result of the die roll if the 'New Model Army Siege Train' Event has been played, the Besieging player is Parliamentarian and there are at least 2 strength of Parliamentarian Artillery (excluding the Covenanter Artillery block).

London's walls are incomplete and therefore are automatically treated as though breached, unless the 'Fortification of London' event has occurred.

Then the Besieging decides whether or not to Storm with any Besieging Cavalry or Infantry blocks. The Storming blocks are Attacking. Storming differs from a normal Battle in that:

• The Defender may not attempt to Withdraw Before Battle.
• A maximum number of blocks, equal to the city's Storming value, may Storm a City (twice the city's size, except for Hull, which may only be Stormed by 1 block).
• Besieging blocks that exceed the above limit are in Reserve. Reserve blocks may be freely exchanged for Storming blocks at the beginning of Battle Rounds 2 and 3.
• Attacking Artillery blocks must stay in Reserve (i.e. they may not Fire). Defending Artillery blocks Fire at full effectiveness against both Infantry and Cavalry in Round 1 only. They do not Fire in Rounds 2 and 3.
• Cavalry blocks Engage at the same time as Infantry and are at normal effectiveness even if there are no enemy Cavalry blocks present.
• Defending Infantry blocks Fire and Engage at +1 effectiveness.
• All Defending blocks have Fortified Defence unless a breach has occurred, or London is being Stormed and the Fortification of London Event has not taken place.
• Different classes of blocks are not targeted separately – any hits are applied to the strongest enemy block irrespective of class.
• Neither the Defender nor the Attacker can initiate a General Retreat.
• After each Battle Round the Attacker decides whether to continue the Storming. If not, then the End of Battle takes place.
• If all of the Defender's Infantry and Cavalry blocks are Eliminated then the Attacker gains control of the City. All Defending Artillery blocks are Eliminated and captured by the Attacker.
• There is no Retreat or Regroup after the End of Battle.

8.31 Fortified Defence

Unless a breach has occurred, or unless London is being Stormed and the Fortification of London Event has not taken place, all Defending blocks during a Storming benefit from Fortified Defence: two hits are required for a block to lose one strength. Each hit is a half-hit, reducing the strength of the block by ½, and the next half-hit must be taken on that same block. For the purposes of determining strength for Firing or Engaging, half-hits are rounded up (e.g. an Infantry block with 2½ strength would roll 3 dice when Firing or Engaging). A half-hit lasts from Round to Round, but is recovered (rounded up) at the end of the Storming (e.g. a block with 1½ strength would be increased back up to 2 strength).

The effect of a half-hit may be shown by rotating a block by 45 degrees anticlockwise. When a block recovers at the end of Storming then it can be rotated 45 degrees clockwise.

9.0 Supply Phase

9.1 Supply

9.11 Provision of Supply

An Area can provide supply to the following:

• Mountain Area: three Infantry/Cavalry blocks, of which no more than one block may be Cavalry. There are only three mountain areas on the map: Cumberland, NW Wales and Central Wales.
• Other Area: four Infantry/Cavalry blocks, of which no more than two blocks may be Cavalry.

Cities can provide supply in addition to the above:

• A Fortified or Unfortified Minor City can supply one additional Infantry block.
• A Major City can supply two additional Infantry blocks.
• London can supply four additional Infantry blocks.

EXCEPTION: A Besieging army does not benefit from the additional supply provided by the Fortified City that it is Besieging.

Artillery blocks do not require supply – they are ignored during Supply and Siege Attrition.

9.12 Supply Attrition

When there are more blocks in an Area than can be supplied, the owning player chooses which blocks are unsupplied and reduces each block by one strength. Blocks Eliminated due to this reduction in strength are treated as per 7.8.

In the case where there are too many Cavalry blocks and too many Infantry/Cavalry blocks in total, then reducing Cavalry blocks satisfies both requirements. For example, if there are 3 Cavalry blocks and 2 Infantry blocks in Lincolnshire then the owning player need only reduce 1 Cavalry block by one strength.

At any point during the resolution of Supply Attrition, a player who has played the card with the 'Quartermaster General' Event may declare the two blocks which benefit from this Card Event.

9.2 Siege Resolution

For each Besieged City that has a Siege Marker with a Value of 1 or more, the Besieged Player determines Siege Attrition and Surrender by rolling a die, cross referencing against the Value of the Siege Marker and consulting the Siege Attrition and Surrender Table.

9.21 Siege Attrition

If the Siege Attrition and Surrender Table indicates Attrition then the Besieged Player must reduce the blocks in the Besieged City by a total strength equal to the number of blocks. The Besieged Player may freely choose which block or blocks lose how much strength.

For example, if there are 3 blocks Besieged in London, then the blocks must be reduced by a total of 3 strength, which could be all blocks by 1 strength each, 1 block by 2 strength and another by 1 strength, or a single block by 3 strength.

If the Siege Attrition and Surrender Table indicates Attrition (cavalry) then attrition only occurs if there is at least one Cavalry block in the City. At least 1 reduction in strength must be made to a Cavalry block, but any additional reduction may be made to any block – there is no requirement for all of the strength reduction to be made to Cavalry blocks.

If the Siege Attrition and Surrender Tables indicates Attrition (non-Port City) then attrition only occurs if the Besieged City is either Oxford or York.

Cavalry and non-Port City Attrition are not cumulative. Attrition is either zero or 1 strength loss per Besieged block.

9.22 Surrender

If the Siege Attrition and Surrender Table indicated Surrender, then this occurs after any reduction in strength caused by Siege Attrition. If the Besieged player is the Royalist and the 'Support for the King Slips Away' Event has been played then the number of VPs for Parliament is added to the die roll result for the purposes of determining whether Surrender occurs (this has no effect on Siege Attrition). If there are 0 VPs or 1 or more VPs for the King, then the die roll result is not modified.

When a City surrenders then the Besieging player gains control of the City. All Besieged Artillery blocks are Eliminated and captured by the Besieging player. All Besieged Cavalry and Infantry blocks are moved by the Besieged player into one or more adjacent Areas that are either Friendly, or are Neutral but contain a Sympathetic City. If there is no such Area then each block loses a step and must be moved to the nearest Friendly Area, or Neutral Area with a Sympathetic City. Supply Limits are ignored in the Areas where the Blocks are moved to.

Regional blocks (including Covenanter blocks) cannot be placed in an Area outside of their Home Region as a result of surrender, unless that Area contains a Leader or a Regional Leader with the same Home Region (or such a Leader was one of the besieged blocks that surrendered and is then placed in the same Area as the Regional block). If a Regional block cannot be placed in an Area adjacent to the Area containing the City that surrendered, then it is placed in the nearest Friendly Area in its Home Region. If there is no such Friendly Area, then the block is Eliminated.

Siege Attrition and Surrender Table (Value of Siege Marker × die roll):

Marker Value	1	2	3	4	5	6
1	—	—	—	Attrition (non-Port City)	Attrition (cavalry)	Surrender, Attrition
2	—	Attrition (non-Port City)	Attrition (cavalry)	Attrition	Surrender, Attrition (non-Port City)	Surrender, Attrition
3	Attrition (non-Port City)	Attrition (non-Port City)	Attrition	Surrender, Attrition (non-Port City)	Surrender, Attrition	Surrender, Attrition
4	Attrition (non-Port City)	Attrition (non-Port City), Attrition (cavalry)	Surrender, Attrition	Surrender, Attrition	Surrender, Attrition	Surrender, Attrition
5	Surrender, Attrition (non-Port City), Attrition (cavalry)	Surrender, Attrition	Surrender, Attrition	Surrender, Attrition	Surrender, Attrition	Surrender, Attrition

Surrender = the Besieged force surrenders; Attrition = the Besieged blocks lose a total strength equal to the number of blocks; Attrition (cavalry) = Attrition applies only if there is at least one Cavalry block in the City; Attrition (non-Port City) = Attrition applies only if the Besieged City is Oxford or York.

9.3 Progression of Sieges

After Siege Resolution, increase the value of all remaining Siege Markers by 1 by rotating them appropriately (or if already at 3, then replace with a Marker with the value of 4 at the top edge).

10.0 Victory Phase

If either player has at least 3 VPs (i.e. there are 3 or more VPs for that player's side) then that player has won the game and secured a Major Victory. Otherwise, the game continues: the Turn marker should be moved to the next Turn on its track.

EXCEPTIONS: There is no Victory Phase in either of the 1642 Turns. If it is the Winter Turn of 1646 then the game automatically ends. At this point, if either player has at least 3 VPs then that player has won a Major Victory. Otherwise, a player with 1 or 2 VPs wins a Minor Victory (but see 10.11 below). If there are 0 VPs then the Royalist player has won a Minor Victory.

10.1 Victory Phase Events

10.11 King Charles Surrender to the Scots

If the 'King Charles Surrender to the Scots' Card Event has been played and the Parliamentarian player has 2 VPs then that player has won a Major Victory. This event has no effect on the Charles block (which henceforth represents another commander).

10.12 Rupert Dismissed by the King

If the 'Rupert Dismissed by the King' Card Event has been played then if Rupert lost a Battle, Surrendered a City or was Eliminated during this Turn, then Rupert is relieved of his command: replace the Rupert Leader block with the non-Leader Rupert block (indicated by the words 'Card Play' in yellow text). If the Rupert block is not in the same Area as the Charles block, then the Royalist player may move any Regional blocks with Rupert and without a Regional Leader either to the Area containing the Charles block or to a Friendly Area in their Home Region.

11.0 Year End Phase

The Year Ends Phase follows the Victory Phase of the Winter Turn of a Year (except in 1642 when it is immediately after Turn VI). If it is 1646 then the game will already have ended in the Victory Phase. Otherwise, the following steps occur:

• New blocks are added.
• Regional Recruitment takes place.
• Regional blocks return home.
• The card decks are prepared for the next year.

In 1642 and 1643 the Royalist Player carries out Regional Recruitment and Regional blocks return home before the Parliamentarian Player. In 1644 and 1645 the Parliamentarian Player carries out those steps before the Royalist Player.

11.1 New Blocks

The following blocks are added during the Year End Phase in specific years:

• In 1642 the Royalist player receives the Henrietta block and deploys it on Le Continent.
• In 1643 the Parliamentarian player receives the Manchester block and adds it to the Recruitment Pool.
• Solemn League and Covenant: in 1643 the Parliament player receives the Covenanter Artillery, Cavalry, Leven and 2 Covenant Infantry blocks and deploys them in Scotland.
• New Model Army: in 1644 the Parliamentarian player replaces 6 blocks with the New Model Army (NMA) blocks.

The following blocks are added to the respective player's Recruitment Pool if the condition is met:

• If the Royalist player controls 4 or more Areas in the North, then the 4+ Areas North Foot block is received.
• If the Royalist player controls 4 or more Areas in the South, then the 4+ Areas South Foot block is received.
• If the Royalist player controls 2 or more Areas in the East, then the 2+ Areas East Foot block is received.
• If the Royalist player controls London, then the London Foot block is received.
• If the Parliamentarian player controls 4 or more Areas in the North, then the 4+ Areas North Foot block is received.
• If the Parliamentarian player controls 4 or more Areas in the South, then the 4+ Areas South Foot block is received.

11.11 Henrietta

The Henrietta block represents the Queen herself, her Lifeguard of Horse, and weapons and supplies procured by her in the Netherlands. As soon as the Henrietta block is in a Friendly Area with the Charles block, the Royalist player may add three strength in that or any adjacent Friendly Area as per the rules for Recruitment, except that one of these strength may be either added to an Artillery block or used to deploy an Artillery block at strength 1. Any strength that cannot be added is lost. The Henrietta block is unaffected – after providing the strength to other blocks (which represents giving them the weapons and supplies), the Henrietta block remains and is treated like any other cavalry block.

11.12 New Model Army

• The Essex and Manchester blocks are removed from the game and replaced by the T Fairfax and Skippon blocks which are deployed in Buckingham & Hertfordshire. The two new blocks receive a total strength equal to the sum of strength of the replaced blocks. The Parliamentarian player decides how to distribute the strength.
• The B3 East Horse block is removed from the game and replaced by the Cromwell block which is deployed in the same Area and at the same strength.
• Any one Parliamentarian Horse block is removed from the game and replaced by the NMA Horse block which is deployed in Buckingham & Hertfordshire at the same strength as the replaced block.
• The F Fairfax block is removed from the game and replaced by the NMA North Foot block which is deployed in the same Area and at the same strength.
• The Waller block is removed from the game and replaced by the NMA Midlands Foot block which is deployed in the same Area and at the same strength.

Supply Limits are ignored when deploying the above blocks. If any replaced block is in the Recruitment Pool then the replacement block is placed in the Recruitment Pool instead of being deployed on the map. If any block to be replaced is currently under Siege, then delay the replacement until the block is Eliminated (in which case the replacement block is placed in the Recruitment Pool) or the Siege has ended.

11.2 Regional Recruitment

For each Region on the map, the number of Recruitment Points (RPs) that a Player may use is equal to the number of Areas that are Friendly. Each unbesieged Major City that a Player controls contributes an additional RP (indicated by the soldier's head icon) and London, if unbesieged, contributes 2 RPs (indicated by two soldier's head icons).

For example, if a Player has a block in Somerset then that player will receive 1 RP for Somerset and 1 RP for Bristol. If there are no blocks in Somerset then it is Neutral and does not provide an RP for either Player. However, Bristol will be controlled by the Parliamentarians because the City is Sympathetic to that side, and so the City will provide 1 RP to the Parliamentarian Player.

For each RP, a player may:

• Add one strength to one Infantry or Cavalry block in an Area in the Region. Strength can be added to the same block multiple times, each for 1 RP.

EXCEPTIONS: strength may not be added to Clubmen or Covenanter blocks, to Regional blocks outside their Home Region, nor to Besieged blocks.

• Deploy an Infantry or Cavalry block from the player's Recruitment Pool at strength 1. A non-Regional block may be deployed in any Friendly Area or in a Sympathetic Victory City in a Neutral Area. A Regional block must be deployed in a Friendly or Vacant Area in its Home Region. No block can be deployed in an Area if it would result in the blocks in that Area exceeding the Supply Limit. Strength can be added to a new block immediately, each strength costing 1 RP. Multiple blocks may be deployed in the same Area if desired.

A Regional block or Regional Leader may never be deployed outside of its Home Region. London blocks must be deployed in Buckingham & Hertfordshire. Covenanter blocks may never be deployed.

11.21 Manufacture of Cannons

In a Region where a player controls a Major City, the player may use 2 RPs to deploy an Artillery block at strength 1 or to add 1 strength to an Artillery block.

11.22 London Recruitment

If London is not Besieged then it provides an additional 2 RPs to the player who controls it. These RPs may be used to add strength to blocks or deploy blocks in or adjacent to Buckingham & Hertfordshire. Each of these RPs may be used to add 1 strength to an Artillery block or to deploy an Artillery block at strength 1.

11.3 Regional Blocks Return Home

The players must move all Regional blocks and Regional Leaders back to their Home Regions. A block may be placed in any Friendly Area provided that it does not result in the blocks in that Area exceeding the Supply Limit. If there is no eligible Area then the block is placed in the Recruitment Pool. London blocks must be placed in Buckingham & Hertfordshire, unless this is an Enemy Area, in which case the blocks are returned to the Recruitment Pool. Covenanter blocks may return either to the North or to Scotland.

EXCEPTIONS: Besieged Regional blocks do not return home. For any Regional or Regional Leader block that is in the same Area as a Leader, the owning player may choose whether the block remains where it is or returns home.

11.4 Preparation of Card Decks for the Next Year

The players take from their decks and remove from the game any cards that have the current Year shown with a downward arrow. Then the players add to their decks any cards that have the following Year shown with an upward arrow. Players also add to the deck the cards that were played in the current Year, except any which have been removed from the game or placed beside the map. Then the players shuffle their decks. The Year marker should be moved to the next Year on its track.

12.0 Scenarios

12.1 The Full War

September 1642 – end of 1646: 26 Turns

The king had raised his standard at Nottingham on 22nd August, marking the official start of armed hostilities between the king and Parliament, although some minor actions had already occurred as early as July. On 9th September, the earl of Essex, who had been commissioned Captain-General of Parliament's army in July, left London with the intention of marching upon the king at Nottingham. He reached Northampton the following day and had already amassed an army of some 20,000 troops. The king initially had only 1,500 men, so he left Nottingham on 13th September and headed west to Shrewsbury, where he could find recruits among his sympathisers in the Marches (those counties along the border between England and Wales) and also be in a position to rendezvous with troops coming from Wales. A few days later, Essex shadowed the king by moving west. This scenario starts at this point towards the end of September 1642, with the king's newly formed army in and around Shrewsbury, and Parliament's main army heading towards Worcester.

12.11 Scenario Rules

To play this scenario the rules are followed exactly as described above in 6.0 to 11.0.

12.12 Preparation of the Card Decks

Remove all cards from each deck showing a Year with an upward arrow – these will enter the deck later in the game – and then shuffle each deck.

12.13 Initial Set Up of the Markers and Blocks

The Victory Point marker is placed in the 1 space on the Parliamentarian side of the Victory Track. The Year marker is placed on the 1642 space and the Turn marker on the V space.

For the set up of blocks, refer to the 'September 1642' sides of the Set Up Sheets or the lists below. Blocks with the name of an Area are deployed upright at full strength on the map in the indicated Area, while blocks with 'Rec. Pool' are placed upright in the Recruitment Pool. All other blocks are placed beside the map – these will be deployed or placed in the Recruitment Pool later in the game.

Royalists

• Northumberland: Newcastle, Northumb. N Horse, Northumb. N Foot
• Lancashire: Lancashire N Foot
• Cheshire: Charles, Rupert, Cheshire W Foot, Cheshire M Horse, Cheshire M Foot, both Cannon
• Staffordshire & Warwickshire: Northampton
• SE Wales: both SE Wales W Foot
• Cornwall: Hopton
• Recruitment Pool: Rec. Pool N Horse, both Rec. Pool W Horse, Rec. Pool M Foot, Rec. Pool S Horse, Rec. Pool S Foot, both Garrison

Parliamentarians

• West Riding: F Fairfax, N Horse
• Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire: Derbyshire M Foot
• Oxfordshire: Brooke
• Gloucestershire: Essex, Gloucester M Horse, Gloucester S Horse, Gloucester S Foot, Gloucester E Foot, both Cannon
• Buckinghamshire & Hertfordshire: both London L Foot
• SW Wales: SW Wales W Foot
• Shropshire & Herefordshire: Shropshire W Foot*
• Devon: Devon S Foot
• Recruitment Pool: Rec. Pool N Foot, both Rec. Pool E Horse, Rec. Pool E Foot, Rec. Pool M Horse, Waller, Rec. Pool S Horse, Rec. Pool L Foot, both Garrison

* This block begins the scenario in an Area which is Loyal to the Royalists. By no means all of Shropshire and Herefordshire was natural Royalist territory, but the complex pattern of local affiliations has been greatly simplified for game purposes. This block represents, among others, the forces controlled by Henry Grey, earl of Stamford, who established himself as governor of Hereford in early October 1642. Nevertheless, Hereford was inclined towards the king and Stamford complained about "this unworthy City", condemning its people as "vile" and favourers of a "roguish army of Welch papists and other vagabonds".

12.2 The Early War

September 1642 – end of 1643: 8 Turns

In this introductory scenario, the Royalist player must match the historical performance of the Royalists to win. The 2 VP swing can be achieved by taking 2 Cities (in history they took Oxford and Bristol) or by capturing London.

12.21 Scenario Rules

There is a modification to the Victory Phase. If it is the last Turn of 1643 then the game automatically ends. At this point, victory is determined as follows:

• Royalist Victory: 1 or more VPs for the King
• Parliamentarian Victory: 0 VPs or 1 or more VPs for Parliament.

12.22 Preparation of the Card Decks

Remove all cards from each deck showing a Year with an upward arrow. Also remove 'The Hothams' Plot' and 'Carew's Plot' cards from the Royalist deck and 'The Hothams' Plot is Foiled' and 'Carew's Plot is Foiled' cards from the Parliamentarian deck.

12.13 Initial Set Up of the Markers and Blocks

As per 12.13 above.

12.3 The Mid-to-Late War

Start of 1644 – end of 1646: 18 Turns

After the inconclusive battle of Edgehill in October 1642 and the stand-off at Turnham Green the following month, both sides realised that the war would not be over quickly. The king retreated to Oxford, which became the royalist headquarters for the rest of the war, and Essex returned to London.

The Royalists' plans for 1643 were, as in the previous year, ultimately aimed at taking London. The year did not start particularly well for the king, but the tide began to turn in the summer. In the south-west, a series of encounters led to a royalist victory over Sir William Waller at the battle of Roundway Down in mid-July, and then the city of Bristol was taken by Prince Rupert in a storming at the end of the month. In Yorkshire, the earl of Newcastle had been struggling against the numerically inferior forces of the Fairfaxes, but he finally achieved a decisive victory against them at Adwalton Moor at the end of June. The main royalist field army now began to siege the city of Gloucester, but the earl of Essex came to its relief. He was pursued east by the king, but successfully fought off the royalists at the First Battle of Newbury. In the north, the earl of Newcastle, far from capitalising on his earlier success, became bogged down in an unsuccessful siege of Hull.

Meanwhile, the king's lieutenant in Ireland had been negotiating with the Irish rebels. This resulted in a truce signed in mid-September, which enabled the king to begin to ship English troops back over the Irish Sea. As a response both to panic following the battle of Adwalton Moor and to the king's diplomatic efforts in Ireland, Parliament began negotiations with the Scots, resulting in the signing of the Solemn League and Covenant barely ten days after the Irish Cessation. The Scots committed to sending an army of some 21,000 troops into England to help fight against the royalists.

The scenario begins at the start of 1644. The king's main field army is in Oxford and the first reinforcements from Ireland have arrived in Cheshire. On the parliamentarian side, Essex' army is at its winter quarters in London and a large force of Scots is poised across the border, ready to march south into England.

12.31 Scenario Rules

The 1644 scenario begins on Turn I of 1644. The Yorkshire Treaty of Neutrality rule is ignored. During the Initiative Phase, if the cards played are of equal value then the Royalist player decides who is player 1 if it is 1644 and the Parliamentarian player if it is 1645-46.

12.32 Preparation of the Card Decks

The 'Fortification of London' card is placed beside the map and the following cards are removed from the game:

• Royalist: Roundhead Cavalry Fails to Charge, The Hotham's Plot, Carew's Plot, Parliamentarian Ship Captured
• Parliamentarian: The Hothams' Plot is Foiled, Carew's Plot is Foiled, Bradford Clubmen, The Excise Ordnance Raises War Funds.

Then shuffle each deck.

12.33 Initial Set Up of the Markers and Blocks

The Victory Point marker is placed in the 1 space on the 'For the King' side of the Victory Track. The Year marker is placed on the 1644 space and the Turn marker on the I space.

Players set up the blocks as listed below. Note that the italicised text, which is for easy set up of the Full War scenario, does not necessarily correspond to the starting location in the Mid-to-Late War scenario.

Royalists

• Ireland: 4-Str Cessation Ir Foot, 3-Str Cessation Ir Foot
• Cumberland & Westmorland: Rec. Pool N Horse
• Northumberland: Northumb. N Foot
• North Riding: Newcastle, Lancashire N Foot, Northumb. N Horse
• Staffordshire & Warwickshire: Cheshire M Horse
• Gloucestershire: Northampton
• Oxfordshire: Charles, Henrietta, Rupert, both Cannon, Cheshire W Foot, Cheshire M Foot, Rec. Pool M Foot
• Cheshire: 4-Str Cessation Ir Foot, SE Wales W Foot
• SE Wales: SE Wales W Foot
• Somerset: Rec. Pool S Foot, 4+ Areas S Foot
• Dorset: Hopton, S Horse
• Recruitment Pool: 4+ Areas N Foot, both Rec. Pool W Horse, both Garrison
• Not yet in play (place beside map): 2+ Areas E Foot, London L Foot, Clubmen, Card Horse.

Parliamentarians

• Scotland: all 5 Covenant blocks
• West Riding: W. Riding N Horse
• East Riding: F Fairfax
• Lancashire: Rec. Pool N Foot
• Derbyshire: Derbyshire M Foot
• Leicestershire: Brooke, Gloucester M Horse
• Cambridgeshire & Huntingdonshire: Manchester, 3-effectiveness Rec. Pool E Horse
• Buckinghamshire & Hertfordshire: Essex, both Cannon, Rec. Pool M Horse, 2-effectiveness Rec. Pool E Horse, both 4-Str London L Foot, Gloucester E Foot
• Shropshire & Herefordshire: Shropshire W Foot
• SW Wales: SW Wales W Foot
• Surrey & Sussex: Waller, Gloucester S Horse, Gloucester S Foot
• Devon: Devon S Foot
• Recruitment Pool: Rec. Pool S Horse, 3-Str London L Foot, both Garrison
• Not yet in play (place beside map): both Callendar blocks, the 6 NMA blocks, 4+Areas N Foot, 4+Areas S Foot, Clubmen

12.4 The Mid War

1644 only: 6 Turns

In this introductory scenario, the Parliamentarian player must match the historical performance of the Parliamentarians to win. The 2 VP swing can be achieved by taking 2 Cities (in history they took York and Newcastle) or by capturing the king.

12.41 Scenario Rules

There is a modification to the Victory Phase. If it is the last Turn of 1644 then the game automatically ends. At this point, victory is determined as follows:

• Royalist Victory: 0 VPs or 1 or more VPs for the King
• Parliamentarian Victory: 1 or more VPs for Parliament.

12.42 Preparation of the Card Decks

As per 12.32 above.

12.43 Initial Set Up of the Markers and Blocks

As per 12.33 above.

12.5 The Path to War

June 1642 – end of 1646: 27 Turns

The First English Civil War may not have officially begun until August 1642, but the path to war had been clear for several months and, indeed, as early as January a couple of royalists had tried to seize the arsenal at Kingston-on-Thames for the king, but were foiled by the local militia. This scenario begins in June, with the king trying to raise recruits in Yorkshire, various local forces emerging and the first tentative skirmishes taking place. The scenario offers players the opportunity to move away from the scripted start of the Full War scenario, by choosing where to raise their initial forces and how to concentrate them before the war proper begins.

12.51 Scenario Rules

When playing this scenario there are 3 Turns in 1642 (each player discards only 3 of the 6 cards dealt). However, as the war did not begin until 22nd August, there are special rules for the first Turn. This scenario uses the following changes to the standard rules for Turn III of 1642 only:

• No Pinning takes place.
• The Yorkshire Treaty of Neutrality is ignored.
• The Rupert block may Sea Move from Le Continent at no cost in Action Points and without needing to roll a die.
• Pre-War Skirmishes (see below)
• Siege Combat: Sallying and Storming each have only 1 Battle Round.

Pre-War Skirmishes

During Turn III, the following changes are made to the normal Tactical Phase rules:

• Battles are fought for one Battle Round only.
• The Victor of a Battle is the player who caused the most hits. In the case of an equal number of hits caused, the Defender is the Victor.
• After the Battle, first the Loser's blocks must Retreat, then the Victor's blocks may Regroup. Blocks may Retreat via borders that were crossed by the opposing player's blocks to enter the Area of the battle.

Any of the loser's blocks in Reserve fight a new Battle with any of the Victor's blocks that remained in the Area and any of the Victor's blocks in Reserve.

12.52 Preparation of the Card Decks

Remove all cards from each deck showing a Year with an upward arrow – these will enter the deck later in the game – and then shuffle each deck.

12.53 Initial Set Up of the Markers and Blocks

The players deploy the following blocks upright at full strength:

• Royalists: Newcastle in Newcastle, Charles and 1 Cannon in either York or East Riding, Rupert on Le Continent.
• Parliamentarians: Essex and both Cannon in London, the Rec. Pool N Foot in Hull, the Devon S Foot in Somerset.

Then the players place the Garrison blocks upright in their respective Recruitment Pool and the following blocks beside the map:

• Royalists: Henrietta, the 4+Areas N Foot, the 4+Areas S Foot, the 2+Areas E Foot, the London L Foot, all 3 Irish blocks, and the Clubmen block.
• Parliamentarians: the 4+Areas N Foot, the 4+Areas S Foot, the 7 Covenanter (5 Covenant and 2 Callendar) blocks, the 6 NMA blocks, and the Clubmen block.

Then each player puts the remaining blocks face down, randomly selects 11 blocks from among them, and then sets these blocks upright. These blocks are then deployed at full strength one at a time starting with the Royalist player. Blocks may not be deployed in an Area that is Loyal to the other player. Regional blocks must be deployed in their Home Region. No more than 1 block can be deployed in an Area, except if there is a Fortified City. In the latter case, the first player to deploy a block must deploy it in the City if it is Sympathetic to that player or outside of the City if it is not. One further block may subsequently be deployed in that Area by either player (potentially resulting in a Siege).

EXCEPTION: The Parliamentarian player may deploy up to 3 London blocks in London (in addition to the Essex and Cannon blocks that are already there) and one East block in Buckinghamshire & Hertfordshire, outside of London.

The Royalist Cannon must be deployed in a Fortified City (but does not count towards the above limits i.e. it can be in addition to another block in the City) and the Hopton block must be deployed in Cornwall. The F Fairfax block must be deployed in West Riding. London blocks must be deployed in London.

If Charles and the accompanying Cannon block are deployed in York, then the Royalist player only may deploy a block in North Riding.

The players now place the remaining face down blocks (7 Royalist and 8 Parliamentarian) upright in their respective Recruitment Pool.

Victory Points are now totalled for each player and the difference calculated to determine the starting position of the VP Marker on the Victory Track. The Royalist player has 1 VP for the King and ½ VP for each Victory City controlled. The Parliament player has 1 VP for London and ½ VP for each other Victory City controlled. If the Royalist player has more VPs then the VP marker is moved to the appropriate space on the 'For the King' side of the track, and if the Parliamentarian player has more VPs then the VP marker is moved to the appropriate space on the 'For Parliament' side of the track.

The Year marker is placed on the 1642 space and the Turn marker on the III space.

Hints on Playing the Game

Royalist Strategy

The Royalist player begins the Full War Scenario with higher quality forces – in particular, better cavalry (all 4 of the initial cavalry blocks have an effectiveness of 3) – and more flexible leadership, with two 'L' blocks. You should take advantage of this early superiority by going on the offensive. You may want to try to bring Essex' army to battle, especially if you hold a card with a suitable Tactical Phase Event (Surprise Attack being ideal). Alternatively you could try to pick off the smaller parliamentarian forces in the Midlands, while keeping the other player guessing your intentions. The Parliamentarian player will need to defend London – merely by threatening it, you will encourage your opponent to move the main Parliamentarian army back there. Such a feint could be used to launch an early attack on Bristol. Don't forget to move Newcastle into York on Turn VI of 1642. If possible recruit in Cornwall and move Hopton out to threaten Plymouth and Bristol.

Continue putting pressure on the Parliamentarians in 1643, but prepare for the Scots appearing at the beginning of 1644 – you will need to ensure that Newcastle is able to defend the north at that stage. If you have moved Newcastle south with an army, then you can still move him back during the Year End Phase, but be aware that he won't benefit from Regional Recruitment. Try to ship Henrietta to England as soon as possible and don't forget to meet her up with the king at a suitable time to provide her 3 bonus strength steps. Neither should you forget to begin shipping the Irish blocks over to England – they can be landed in Cheshire and then moved into the north, or in the south-west (ideally you will have captured Bristol, which will make shipping much easier).

Don't get the king captured! This will cost you 2 VPs and make it very difficult to win. Try to keep another Infantry block with him at all times and Withdraw Before Battle or order a General Retreat if there is a danger of his block being Eliminated during a battle.

Your best chance of winning the game is by achieving 3 VPs as early as possible. If you haven't done this by the end of 1644, then it is not going to happen, but you can still win if the score is 0 VPs at the end of 1646 – if you go into 1645 with positive VPs 'for the king' then you may well be able to hold on against the New Model Army.

Parliamentarian Strategy

If you have read the above, then you'll be aware that the Royalists begin the game stronger. Your enemy not only has higher quality blocks, but also an early reinforcement in the form of Henrietta, and the advantage of deciding which player goes first when cards of equal value are played. This will change from 1644 as you gain the initiative-deciding ability, the Scots, and then the New Model army upgrade. In the early game you'll need to strike a balance. If you are too aggressive then you risk losing so many blocks that neither the Scots nor the NMA will save you. If you are too passive, then the Royalists may gain so much territory that they can build up their forces from Year End Recruitment. Your main advantage at the start is London, which is easily defendable as long as Essex retains a decent army and doesn't stray too far away.

Don't forget to put at least one block in Bristol to prevent the Royalists from capturing it too easily. Try to retain at least some presence in the north to make it difficult for the Royalist player to send Newcastle's army south. Conversely, in the south you should try, if at all possible, to squeeze the Royalists out entirely – after this, you'll need to keep blocks in Bristol, Plymouth and Cornwall, but then it will be very difficult for the enemy to regain a foothold in the south.

When the Scots appear, they may look like your saviours, but be careful with them! They can easily waste away and can never be replaced. If the Royalists are strong in the north at the start of 1644, then content yourself with besieging the city of Newcastle, and try to distract the namesake Royalist leader with incursions from the south. Be aware the New Model Army are not new blocks but only upgrades of what you already have – if you are weak at the end of 1644, then you'll need to build up the NMA with recruitment before using it.

Tactical Considerations

It is important to take into account the different characteristics of Artillery, Cavalry and Infantry. Artillery blocks are very useful in Sieges – if you are planning to Storm a City with a sizeable garrison then don't leave home without those cannons! They may seem less effective in Battles, but as they do not require any supply they can be added to a large army without rendering it liable to supply attrition. Cavalry are, in contrast, the most powerful blocks in Battles. However, an army with a lot of cavalry but too little infantry is just as vulnerable as one with too little cavalry. Remember that Royalist cavalry, in particular, is liable to pursue the enemy horse off the battlefield rather than attacking the enemy foot.

Although This War Without an Enemy is at a large scale, don't neglect the importance of defensive lines. A single block placed in an Area will prevent an enemy army from passing through it during movement. Ideally, such a block should be Cavalry, which may be able to survive the encounter through Withdrawing Before Battle. This tactic is useful, for example, in protecting the flank of an army that is sheltering behind a river border. Remember that an army attacking a lone block will be able to Regroup after the Battle – potentially marching into an vacant Area with a Victory City. Another "sneaky" way for your opponent to take an undefended City (even London) is to use a Sea Move, so try to leave at least one block in all of your Victory Cities.

The Year End Recruitment is when you get the chance to revitalise your depleted forces and potentially add one or two blocks from the Recruitment Pool. You should try to spread out your blocks in preparation for this – the more Areas you control in a Region, the more strength you will be able to add to blocks there, and if you control enough Areas you may be able to add the appropriate 'X+ Areas' block to your Recruitment Pool. The earliest opportunity to safely spread out your blocks is as Player 2 during Turn V, as there are no Battles in the Winter Turn (1642 is different as there can be battles in Turn VI). So you may want to play a low value card on Turn V. If you then play a high value card on Turn VI and become Player 1, then this will give you two complete turns to spread out and occupy Areas, before your opponent gets a chance to do.

This Game Would Not Exist Without

Inspiration

I was introduced to the subject of the English Civil War in my first year of secondary school by my new friend Andrew Hopper. Over the next few years I borrowed many books on the topic from the local library, including a biography of Sir William Waller, in which I first encountered his famous remark, "with what a perfect hatred I detest this war without an enemy". I bought and partially painted an ECW miniatures army (as it happens, a Royalist one based on Rupert's bluecoats), which was my contribution to the wargames that a group of us – the four muskehounds* – occasionally played. We were so fanatical that we used to discuss the English Civil War during our lunch break. At age 16, with a fifth new member of the group, we joined Colonel John Fox's Regiment of the English Civil War Society as fresh-faced pikemen.

My interest in the period of history waned during the next couple of decades, but was gradually reignited when I began to play modern board wargames. In the meantime, my old school friend had become the historian Dr Andrew Hopper, and I was naturally keen to read his first published monograph 'Black Tom: Sir Thomas Fairfax and the English Revolution'.

My first attempt at designing a strategic board game on the English Civil War was abandoned – as, no doubt, many others were – when Charles Vasey's 'Unhappy King Charles' was published. This game satisfied my desire for a historically faithful and yet highly playable board game tackling the war at a strategic level. And yet my yearnings to become a board designer continued. Block wargames had appealed to me since I first played Jerry Taylor's 'Hammer of the Scots', which introduced a number of innovations to the existing format. I designed a block game for up to 4 players on an obscure topic from the appendices of the Lord of the Rings, knowing from the outset that it would be unpublishable for licensing reasons.

Then, a few years ago, I read Michael Braddick's 'God's Fury, England's Fire', an exhaustive modern history of the English Civil Wars, which I would recommend to anyone with a serious interest in the political and religious aspects of the conflicts. The reading of that book motivated me to design this game, initially entitled 'England's Fire'. Later, while researching for a future game on a regional theatre of the First English Civil War, I read Malcolm Wanklyn's 'A Military History of the English Civil War' and I would wholeheartedly recommend that book as a companion piece to this current game.

* A reference to the Spanish-Japanese anime 'D'Artacan y los Tres Mosqueperros' based on Alexandre Dumas' literary classic.

Sources

The principal written sources for 'This War Without an Enemy' were:

• Barratt, John, Sieges of the English Civil War, 2009
• Braddick, Michael, God's Fury, England's Fire, 2009
• Bull, Stephen, Furie of the Ordnance, Artillery in the English Civil Wars, 2008
• Harrington, Peter, English Civil War Fortifications 1642-1651, 2003
• Lea-O' Mahonney, Michael James, The Navy in the English Civil War, 2011
• Plant, David, The BCW Project [http://bcw-project.org/], 2001-2015
• Wanklyn, Malcolm and Jones, Frank, A Military History of the English Civil War, 2005
• Wanklyn, Malcolm, Decisive Battles of the English Civil War, 2006

The Playtesters

My chief adjutant throughout the process of developing 'This War Without an Enemy' from an initial design into a working game has been Jim Falkus.

The members of Dragoon's Den Boardgames and Wargames Club based in Moseley, Birmingham, have been particularly supportive and enthusiastic. Paul Rickards demonstrated how important it is to maintain a balance of forces and just how easy it is to lose the king if you are not careful! For his part, David Jack showed just how easy it can be to capture the king. Rod Chapman has provided some suitably anti-establishment zeal while in charge of the Parliamentarians but also made an enthusiastic Royalist: "I like to play fast and loose with the Royalists, in a cavalier fashion". Dylan Gibbons can be credited with the most impressive turn of fortune during a game when a single victory in a field battle enabled him to both take the king and recapture London. Thanks are also due to Andrew Hopper for providing his views on an early prototype, and to Gustavo Schafaschek for his detailed feedback on the rulebook and the Vassal module.

Other playtesters have included Mark Benson, Mikey Brown, Florent Coupeau, Richard Hartland, Dave Fildes, Steve Hilton, Aeneas Merchant, Nate Merchant, Emma Moore, James Mould, Edwin Shaw, John Spicer and Sean Wilson-Mace.