Unhappy King Charles (second edition)
Unhappy King Charles (second edition) Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Game Components
- 3. The Map, Tracks & Player Boards
- 4. Units
- 5. Setting up the Game
- 6. How to Win
- 7. Sequence of Play
- 8. Housekeeping Phase
- 9. Political Control Phase
- 10. Recruitment Phase
- 11. Draw Strategy Cards Phase
- 12. Campaign Phase
- 13. Action: Place PCs
- 14. Action: Recruit
- 15. Action: Raid
- 16. Action: Activate a General
- 17. Movement
- 18. Reactions
- 19. Battles
- 20. Besiege, Bombard & Assault
- 21. Blockade Phase
- 22. Desertion & Supply Attrition Phase
- 23. Power Base Phase
- 24. Turn End Phase
- 25. Optional Rules
- 26. Henrietta: Solo Play Mode
- Annex - Strategy Card Effects
- Card #1 - Raising of the Standard
- Card #2 - Army of the Solemn League and Covenant
- Card #3 - New Model Army
- Card #63 - Henrietta Maria Lands
- Card #73 - Turnham Green
- Card #80 - The Cessation
- Card #81 - Lieutenant General of his Majesty's Armies
- Card #82 - Earl of Brentford
- Card #86 - Sir John Meldrum at Newark
- Glossary
1. Introduction
About this Edition
This PHALANX Edition of Unhappy King Charles has some minor rules changes, made to address late game balance issues in the original edition that favoured the Royalists. These are set out below. Other changes are:
- The introduction of the Henrietta solo play system;
- New map, card and counter design and artwork;
- New board tracks to reduce board clutter and allow for easier reading of the board state;
- The introduction of individual player boards, and Command Display cards for each General and Local Notable;
- New player aids and this restructured rulebook.
Rules Changes
The designer Charles Vasey has introduced the following new rules for the PHALANX Edition of the game to address game balance issues:
- End Of Game Victory condition:
- Parliament only requires 11+ Victory Points to win (previously it was 12+).
- New Model Army event:
- Regional General markers for Massey and Brereton are always placed (previously it was only if they were still in play as Local Notables).
- After the NMA event is resolved, the NMA card becomes a 2 Ops Core card for Parliament on subsequent turns (previously it was discarded).
- Royalists must still recruit Militia before Veteran Brigades (previously following the NMA event this requirement no longer applied).
- Strategy cards:
- Card #67: Hotham's Plot - only 1 Parliament Strategy card is removed (previously it was 2).
- Card #89: James Graham Earl of Montrose - only 1 Parliament Strategy card is removed (previously it was 2).
Play note: These are the only rule changes to the previous edition! Elsewhere in this rulebook there are clarifications and new terminology used, but do not interpret these as implying new rules.
About this Rulebook
This rulebook has been restructured from the original version. Among other things, the rules explanation now follows the sequence of play. This is intended to facilitate easier rules referencing during play. The back of this rulebook contains an Index and Glossary to further help reference rules. Where a term is capitalised in this rulebook (e.g. Unled Brigade) it is either a component, section heading, or referenced in the Glossary.
If you are learning the game for the first time you are recommended to read the accompanying Playbook first. This contains a comprehensive overview of how the game plays, and examples of play, which should help ease you into the rules covered in this book.
2. Game Components
- 1 Game board
- 2 Player boards
- 2 Henrietta solo boards
- 110 Strategy cards (4 Core, 45 Early War, 21 Mid War, 28 Late War, 12 Alt-Hist)
- 33 Command Display cards (15 Royalist, 18 Parliament)
- 71 Brigade markers - 30 Royalist, 30 Parliament, 7 Covenanter, 4 Lorrainer
- 24 General standees & markers*
- 100 Political Control markers
- 9 Local Notable markers
- 12 Siege markers
- 12 Bombard markers
- 7 Major Army markers
- 4 May not Assault markers
- 2 Recruitment Available markers
- 2 Cards to be Played markers
- 2 Power Base markers
- 2 Siege Train markers
- 2 Event card markers
- 1 Turn marker
- 1 Naval Status marker
- 5 Naval Chits
- 1 Rulebook, 1 Playbook, 2 Player aids, 2 dice
*The game comes with standees and markers for all the Generals (referred to as "marker" in this rulebook). Use whichever you prefer. If using standees, attach them to the accompanying standee holders.
3. The Map, Tracks & Player Boards
The board comprises a map and multiple tracks and boxes.
3.1 The Map
Areas
The map has 75 Areas, each representing a significant location in England or Wales. Each Area contains the following information:
1. Type
a. Town b. Fortress c. Local Notable placement Area
If an Area has an anchor it also counts as a Port.
2. Connections
Areas are connected to each other by one of 3 types of connections:
- Road (single line - colour matches the Region)
- Mountain (double yellow line)
- Maritime (blue dashed line)
The type of connection is relevant for Movement, Reactions, and Political Isolation.
3. Regions
Each Area is located in one of five Regions on the map. Each Region has an identifying background colour:
- The North (red)
- The Midlands (purple)
- Wales (gold)
- The East (green)
- The South (blue)
The Regions are further delineated by a dark border line, and dotted circle between connections that cross the border line.
Sheffield is in The North. Macclesfield and Nottingham are in The Midlands. Gainsborough, Newark and Boston are in The East.
A Region is controlled by a side if it controls over half of the Areas in that Region. Example: As the Royalists control 5 of the 9 Areas in Wales, they control Wales.
4. Control
An Area can be: Neutral (no Political Control (PC) marker), Royalist controlled (with a blue PC marker or Royalist Local Notable marker) or Parliament controlled (with a red PC marker or Parliament Local Notable marker). This can change during the game, and is marked by removing or (re)placing a PC marker in the Area.
An Area you control is Friendly-controlled. An Area your opponent controls is Enemy-controlled. An Area neither side controls is Neutral or an Open Area (the terms are used interchangeably in the game).
PC markers are placed on the indicated Areas at set up:
- Blue square - the Area begins Royalist-controlled
- Red dot - the Area begins Parliament-controlled
If there is no starting control indicator, the Area begins the game Neutral.
5. Recruitment Area
An Area where the relevant side can Recruit Brigades of the indicated Region. They are indicated by:
- A Blue drum with Recruitment Region indicator - Royalist
- A Red drum with Recruitment Region indicator - Parliament
The following are Recruitment Areas:
North
- Wakefield: Parliament (Northern Brigades)
- Hull: Parliament (Northern Brigades)
- Newcastle: Royalist (Northern Brigades)
- York: Royalist (Northern Brigades)
Midlands
- Nottingham: Parliament (Midlands Brigades)
- Bristol: Parliament (Midlands Brigades)
- Chester: Royalist (Midlands Brigades)
- Shrewsbury: Royalist (Welsh Brigades)
Wales
- Pembroke: Parliament (Welsh Brigades)
- Cardiff: Royalist (Welsh Brigades)
East
- Cambridge: Parliament (Eastern Brigades)
- London: Parliament (Eastern Brigades and Southern Brigades)
- Newark: Royalist (Eastern Brigades)
South
- Exeter: Parliament (Southern Brigades)
- Oxford: Royalist (Midlands Brigades)
- Bath: Royalist (Southern Brigades)
- Truro: Royalist (Southern Brigades)
Play note: All Recruitment Areas are located in the Region they recruit Brigades from except Oxford, London and Shrewsbury. Oxford is in the South but is a Royalist Recruitment Area for Brigades from the Midlands. London is in the East but is a Parliament Recruitment Area for Brigades from the East and the South. Shrewsbury is in the Midlands but is a Royalist Recruitment Area for Brigades from Wales.
6. Local Notable placement Area
An Area where a Local Notable marker is placed. An Area with a Local Notable icon but no marker - either because the Local Notable has been removed or not yet placed - is considered a Town.
Each Local Notable marker has a specific Area on the map it is placed. A Local Notable marker also counts as a PC marker. You do not need to place a PC marker where you have a Local Notable marker.
- Blue Local Notable Icon - Royalist placement Area
- Red Local Notable Icon - Parliament placement Area
The following are Local Notable placement Areas (* = Local Notable begins the game in play):
Midlands
- Macclesfield: Brereton (Parliament)*
- Gloucester: Massey (Parliament)*
- Preston: Derby (Royalist)*
Wales
- Pembroke: Laugharne (Parliament)
- Cardiff: Lord Herbert (Royalist)*
East
- Peterborough: Willoughby (Parliament)*
- Newark: Newark Garrison (Royalist)
South
- Lyme: Blake (Parliament)
- Basing House: Basing House (Royalist)
7. Fortress Areas
An Area with a Fortress. Unlike Local Notables these are permanently in place. A Fortress Area is always controlled by a side (i.e. there cannot be a situation where there is no PC marker in the Area).
Fortresses are one of three Classes. The Fortress Class determines the:
- Friendly Brigade occupying limit - e.g. a Class 1 Fortress can only hold 1 Brigade;
- Base Enemy Army size required to Besiege it - e.g. a Class 2 Fortress requires a base Enemy Army size of at least 2 Brigades to Besiege it;
- Surrender Value - e.g. a Class 3 Fortress has a Surrender Value of 11.
| Class | Occupying limit | Base Besieging requirement | Surrender Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 11 |
This information is printed on a shield next to each Fortress on the map. This shield, if it is coloured red or blue, also identifies if the Fortress is a Supply Fortress, which is relevant when determining Political Isolation.
A Unit in a Fortress Area can be Inside (Friendly Units only) or Outside the Fortress. This is shown by placing the Unit's marker under or on top of the PC marker on that Fortress, respectively. A Unit Inside a Fortress cannot be attacked by an Enemy General, and it does not stop the movement of an Enemy General through the Area. A General can only be Inside a Fortress if it is Besieged or Masked.
8. Economic Infrastructures
An Economic Infrastructure is an Area or group of Areas of significant economic importance during the period. Each Region contains 0 to 3 Economic Infrastructures. These are highlighted by a dark purple shading on the Area or Areas that comprise the Economic Infrastructure.
An Economic Infrastructure is controlled by a side if:
a) It controls all of the Areas within it AND b) No enemy Brigade is present in any Area within it.
Example: The Royalists control The Wool Road as all three Areas of it are Royalist controlled, and no Parliament Brigade is present.
| Region | #Areas | #Required for control | Economic Infrastructures (Area - Reason for importance) |
|---|---|---|---|
| North | 15 | 8 | Northumbrian Coal Field (Newcastle - coal for London); Lead Mines (Sheffield - munitions) |
| Midlands | 17 | 9 | Supplies for the City (Northampton, Bedford - general trade); The Forest of Dean (Forest of Dean - iron industry); The Wine Trade (Bristol - second city of the Kingdom and home of the wine and slave trade) |
| Wales | 9 | 5 | - |
| East | 13 | 7 | The Great Wen (London - general trade) |
| South | 21 | 11 | The Weald (Reigate - iron industry); The Wool Road (Reading, Newbury, Salisbury - wool trade); Cornish Tin Mines (Truro - tin) |
Example: London is a Fortress Area, with a Class 3 Fortress, and a Port Area. The Fortress is a Supply Fortress. It begins the game controlled by Parliament. It is a Parliament Recruitment Area for the South and East Regions. It is also an Economic Infrastructure (The Great Wen).
3.2 Tracks
The board contains multiple tracks and boxes to track the game state.
Power Base Track. This is used to track the total number of Areas each side controls for the purpose of determining the Power Base victory condition. Each side has a Power Base marker that is placed at set up based on the starting Areas each side controls, then adjusted upwards or downwards during the game as a side gains or loses control of Areas. If a side controls more than 30 Areas, flip the marker to its +30 side.
Play note: A Power Base victory is not common, so if players prefer this track can just be used on turns where it looks like a side's Power Base may be an issue, to allow for more precise tracking of the situation.
Regional Control Map. This is used to track which side - if any - controls a Region at any given time. A PC marker is placed in the relevant Region on this map when a side takes control of that Region. This map contains a reminder of the number of Areas in each Region, and the number of Areas required to control the Region.
Siege Track. This is used to track the progress of individual Sieges against the required Surrender Value of a Besieged Fortress. Each Siege in progress is marked by a Siege marker or Blockade & Siege marker, placed by the Besieging side. The corresponding Bombard marker is placed on the Siege Track, showing the required Bombardment Value. This marker is moved towards the Surrender box based on the value achieved in a Bombard action for that Siege. If it reaches the Surrender box the Fortress Surrenders.
Economic Infrastructure Track. This is used to track which side - if any - controls an Economic Infrastructure at any given time. Control is tracked by the placement of a PC marker in the relevant box.
Dispersed Box. This is used to place Dispersed Generals and Brigades, typically following a decision to Disperse rather than fight a Battle.
Turn Record Track. This is used to track - using the Turn marker - the current game turn, and any impacts of that turn. The marker is placed on the Royalist (blue) side until the play of the New Model Army Event, after which it is placed on its Parliament (red) side. The track also shows that some Generals enter play on a certain turn. You can place those Generals' markers on the relevant turn on the track as a reminder.
Naval Status Chart. This is used to track - using the Naval Status marker - the Naval Status, and any impacts of that. The marker is adjusted by the draw on certain turns of a Naval Chit, and other game events.
3.3 Player Boards
Each side has a dedicated Player Board. This is used to track:
- The remaining number of cards that must be played in the turn. This is tracked by each side moving their Cards to be Played marker one space left when a card is played (with some exceptions).
- If the Recruit action has been used for the turn. This is tracked by flipping the Recruitment Available marker to its Recruitment Used side after the action is taken (it flips back at the start of the next turn).
- Brigades Available for Recruitment box. This box repeats the Regional Control Map. Regional Brigades that are not On the map* or Eliminated (i.e. available for Recruitment) are placed as a stack in the relevant Region space on the map in the box, ready to be Recruited (e.g. all available Midlands Brigades are placed in a stack on the Midlands space). The opposing player may not examine this stack.
- Available Generals and Reformed Brigades. This box contains any General that is available for Recruitment (ie. not On the map, Turn Record Track, in the Dispersed box, or removed from the game). It also may contain Reformed Brigades placed there from the Dispersed box in the Housekeeping Phase, prior to placement during the Recruitment Phase.
- Other Brigades and Units. This is used to hold non-Regional Brigades (e.g. Irish Brigades) and the Siege Train.
- Eliminated Brigades. This holds Brigades that have been eliminated and are no longer available for Recruitment.
*A Brigade or General is also considered to be On the map if it is on the Command Card of a General or Local Notable.
Henrietta Solo Boards
Each side also has a dedicated Solo board, for use when using the Henrietta solo mode.
4. Units
A Unit is the collective term for Brigades, Generals, Local Notables, and other markers representing personalities or Siege Trains.
4.1 Brigades
Brigades are the combat units of the game. There are two types. They are distinguished by their Combat Value: Militia (1) and Veteran (2). Each Brigade marker has the following information:
- Name
- Side - blue markers are Royalist, red are Parliament, green are Covenanter, purple are Lorrainer
- Region - denoted by the Region's starting letter and colour (Regional Brigades only)
- Combat Value - used for resolving Battles and denoting the Brigade type (Militia or Brigade)
- Set up - a dot indicates the Brigade is placed at set up. The reverse of marker has the starting Area / Command Display
Each Regional Brigade has a letter and colour matching its Region:
- N = North (red)
- M = Midlands (purple)
- W = Wales (gold)
- E = East (green)
- S = South (blue)
All Regional Brigades begin the game on the map or in the Available for Recruitment box.
Four types of non-Regional Brigade enter play as a result of Events: Covenanter, Irish, Lorrainer, New Model Army.
Design note: Each Brigade represents about 3,000 men (ration strength). The Brigade markers have various illustrations on them. These are for thematic purposes only and have no game effect. The names of the Brigades are mostly for historical ambiance, although some Brigades are named specifically in the rules. The Irish Brigades were Royalist units from the army in Ireland.
4.2 Generals & Armies
Generals
Generals are the leadership unit of the game, allowing a side to move Brigades around the map and gain control of Neutral or Enemy Areas.
A General can be a Regional General, identified by a Region identifier (e.g. Tom Fairfax, a North Regional General), or a Field General, identified by having no Region identifier (e.g. Essex). The distinction is relevant for Recruitment and Desertion purposes.
Each General marker has the following information:
- Name
- Side - blue Royalist, red Parliament, green Covenanter, purple Lorrainer
- Region - denoted by the Region's starting letter and colour (Regional Generals only)
- Strategy Rating - used for Activation and Reactions. The better the General, the lower his Strategy Rating. Some Generals have a Strategy Rating of 2/3*. The first number applies for Activation, the second for Reactions.
- Battle Rating - used for resolving Battles
- Subordination Level - used for determining Subordination
*Historical note: As administrators, these Generals were no worse than other Generals, but less swift in maneuver.
Command Display
Each General has an accompanying Command Display card. This is used to place Brigades and, if the General is a Commanding General, Subordinate Generals. All Brigades on a General's Command Display, and on the Command Displays of any Subordinates, are 'under the command' of the General on the map, and are considered for all purposes as being On the map, in that General's location.
The Command Display card also contains additional information not on the marker:
- The maximum Army Size the General can have (4 or 9 Brigades);
- Additional rules specifically relevant to that General (if any).
Armies
One or more Brigades with a General is an Army. A General gains control of a Brigade through Recruitment, picking it up, Subordination, or the effect of an Event.
Play note: Unless otherwise stated, when this rulebook refers to General it is assumed to also include his Army - this is because an Army cannot exist without a General, and vice-versa.
Subordination & Commanding Generals
Each General has a Subordination Level between 1 and 4 (as set out on his marker and Command Display). Level 1 is the highest, Level 4 the lowest. When two or more friendly Generals are in the same Area, the General with the lower Subordination Level will Subordinate to the other, who becomes the Commanding General. When this happens, the Subordinating General(s) marker is placed on the Commanding General's Command Display. Brigades with a Subordinating General will remain on the Subordinating General's Command Display, but form part of, and will Activate with, the Combined Army led by the Commanding General.
Exceptions:
- Where the Generals are of the same Level, there is no Subordination, and so the Armies cannot combine. This creates an Illegal Position, requiring one of the Generals to move.
- Where a Combined Army would contain more Brigades than the Commanding General can command (see Army Size Limits below), this also creates an Illegal Position.
Waller cannot Subordinate to Essex. Historic note: This is due to the intensive rivalry these two Generals had. The Committee of Both Kingdoms Event can temporarily lift this restriction and permit one joint venture between Waller and Essex.
Callander can only Subordinate to Leven.
It is possible for there to be multiple Subordinating Generals under a Commanding General. These Generals can have the same Subordination Level (i.e. it does not create an Illegal Position while they are Subordinate).
For all purposes, when counting Brigades in the Commanding General's Army, count all Brigades of all Subordinates in the total. The specific rules on when and how Subordination applies, and how to resolve an Illegal Position, are set out in 17.3 (Initiating and Ending Subordination).
Army Size Limits
A General may not control Brigades - including Brigades of a Subordinated General - beyond his maximum Army size (4 or 9, as set out below and on his Command Display).
The following Generals can have up to 9 Brigades in their Army:
Royalist
- King Charles
- Prince Rupert as Lieutenant General
- Newcastle
- Charles of Lorraine (Lorrainer)
Parliament
- Essex
- The Lord General
- Leven (Covenanter)
Major Armies
If one of the above Generals controls 5 or more Brigades - including Brigades of a Subordinated General - he controls a Major Army. Major Armies can only be Activated with a 3 Ops card or a Campaign card, or an Event.
Place a Major Army marker on the General's Command Display as a reminder.
If at any point - e.g. as a result of a Battle, Desertion or a Subordinated General leaving the Army - the Army size falls below 5 Brigades, remove the marker (see 16.1 Activating and Breaking Up a Major Army for more details).
Lone Generals
A General must have an Army (i.e. he must control at least one Brigade). If a General - including a Subordinate General - does not control at least one Brigade, he must either be placed in the Dispersed box, or, if the General is under Siege, he Surrenders automatically. If this happens to King Charles, Parliament instantly wins the game.
Unled Brigades
A Brigade or Brigades may exist in an Area without a General. But such an Unled Brigade (i.e. one not in an Army) may not be Activated.
Generals in Friendly-Controlled Fortress Areas
A General may never be Inside a Local Notable Fortress (see below). A General may only be Inside a Friendly-controlled (Class 1-3) Fortress if it is Besieged or Masked by an Enemy General. As soon as this ceases to be the case, the General is considered to be Outside the Fortress.
4.3 Local Notables
Each side has several Local Notables, represented by markers in the shape of a castle. They can act as Recruitment Areas, and Raid. If the Local Notable is not placed as part of the set up instructions, it may enter the game later through the effect of an Event. Events or player actions may remove the Local Notable. Local Notable markers count as PC markers for their respective side. Local Notable markers are considered a Fortress in that an Enemy General must Bombard them to remove them. An Area with a Local Notable marker is considered a Fortress Area when determining if Enemy PC markers can be placed there.
Local Notables have a Friendly Brigade occupying limit of 4, and a Surrender Value of 4. However, unlike Class 1 to 3 Fortresses, there is no base Enemy Army size required to Besiege a Local Notable.
No General may be Inside a Local Notable Fortress (i.e. all Brigades there are considered Unled).
Each Local Notable marker has the following information:
- Name
- Side
- Region
- Special Fortress Class
Each Local Notable has an accompanying Command Display card. This is used to show individual Friendly Brigades that are Inside the Fortress. It also contains additional information not on the marker:
- The Local Notable's placement Area;
- Additional rules specifically relevant to that Local Notable (if any).
4.4 Other Units
There are several other Units and markers in the game.
- Siege Train - each side has one of these it may Recruit. It provides a positive dice-roll modifier to a Bombard roll.
- The Queen and Earl of Brentford - these are brought into play by Royalist Events.
4.5 Fog of War
A player cannot examine a stack of an opponent's Brigades (on the Command Display, on the map or the stacks of unrecruited Brigades) except when laid out for Battle or when attempting to place a Siege marker.
The number of Brigades in each Army is open information, but not which Brigades and at what strength.
5. Setting up the Game
5.1 Set up the Boards
Main Board
Place the main board on the table. Set it up as follows:
Power Base Track - Place the Royalist Power Base marker on 23, and the Parliament Power Base marker on 22.
Economic Infrastructure Track
- Place Royalist PC markers on: Northumbrian Coal Field, The Forest of Dean and Cornish Tin Mines.
- Place Parliament PC markers on: Lead Mines, The Wine Trade, The Great Wen and The Weald.
Turn Track - Place the Turn marker (blue side up) on the Late 1642 space. Place the indicated General markers on the relevant turns (e.g. place Callander on the Late 1644 space).
Naval Status chart - Place the Naval Status marker in the 'Start' box.
Map
- Place PC markers in indicated starting Areas (except where a Local Notable will be placed at set up (see below)).
- Place Brigades and Generals as set out below. It is important to use exactly the Brigades indicated. Unless indicated, place Brigades on top of the PC marker in the Area.
- To assist set up, all Brigades and Local Notables that begin the game in play have a dot on the front side, and their starting location (Area or Command Display) on the reverse.
North
- Wakefield: Lord Fairfax (Parliament General)
- York: King Charles (Royalist General)
- Newcastle: Newcastle (Royalist General)
Midlands
- Macclesfield: Brereton* (Parliament Local Notable)
- Gloucester: Massey* (Parliament Local Notable)
- Preston: Derby (Royalist Local Notable)
- Shrewsbury: Lord Herbert's (Royalist Welsh Brigade), Northern Levies (Royalist Welsh Brigade), Wilmot's (Royalist Midlands Brigade)
Wales
- Cardiff: Lord Herbert (Royalist Local Notable)
East
- Peterborough: Willoughby (Parliament Local Notable)
- London: Essex (Parliament General), London Trained Bands** (Parliament Eastern Brigade)
South
- Portsmouth: Waller (Parliament General)
- Exeter: Bedford (Parliament General)
- St Austell: Hopton (Royalist General)
*Brereton and Massey also have a General marker and General Command Display, which comes into play later in the game. Make sure you set up with their Local Notable markers and Command Displays.
**Place under the PC marker in London to show the Brigade is Inside the Fortress.
Player Boards
Place the Player Boards in the play area of each player. Then for each Player Board:
Parliament:
- Place the Parliament Recruitment Available marker, that side up, in the Recruitment box.
- Place the Parliament Cards to be Played marker in the '6' box.
- Place the 5 NMA Brigades and 7 Covenanter Brigades in two stacks in the Other Brigades box.
- Place the Parliament Siege Train marker in the Other Brigades box.
- Place all remaining Regional Brigade markers in stacks in the corresponding Region space in the Brigades Available box.
Royalist:
- Place the Royalist Recruitment Available marker, that side up, in the Recruitment box.
- Place the Royalist Cards to be Played marker in the '6' box.
- Place the 3 Irish Brigades and 4 Lorrainer Brigades in two stacks in the Other Brigades box.
- Place the Parliament Siege Train marker in the Other Brigades box. [Sic - printed as "Parliament" in the Royalist list in the source rulebook; presumably the Royalist Siege Train marker is meant.]
- Place all remaining Regional Brigade markers in stacks in the corresponding Region space in the Brigades Available box.
- Place the General markers for Byron, Prince Rupert, and Prince Maurice in the Available Generals box.
Solo Boards
Place the Solo Boards next to the respective Player Boards if playing with the Henrietta Solo mode.
5.2 Command Displays
Place face up in each player area next to the Player Boards the Command Display cards of the Generals and Local Notables below. Place the named Brigades on the relevant Command Display. If there is more than one Brigade on a card, place them in a stack to maintain the Fog of War. If no Brigade is mentioned, nothing is placed on the Command Display.
Place the remaining Command Display cards of each player in a pile nearby, they will be required later in the game.
Parliament:
- Lord Fairfax (General): Cloth Town Militia's (Parliament Northern Brigade)
- Essex (General): Eastern Association* (Parliament Eastern Brigade), Eastern Association* (Parliament Eastern Brigade), Fiennes (Parliament Midlands Brigade), Assheton (Parliament Midlands Brigade)
- Waller (General): Western Association (Parliament Southern Brigade)
- Bedford (General): Hesilrigg's Lobsters (Parliament Southern Brigade), Popham's (Parliament Southern Brigade)
- Brereton (Local Notable)
- Massey (Local Notable)
- Willoughby (Local Notable)
*There are three Eastern Association Brigades in the game. The two placed at set up are the Militia (1 value) units.
Royalist:
- Newcastle (General): Whitecoats* (Royalist Northern Brigade)
- King Charles (General): King's Lifeguard (Royalist Midlands Brigade), Rupert's Lifeguard (Royalist Southern Brigade)
- Hopton (General): Grenville's Cornish (Royalist Southern Brigade)
- Byron (General)
- Prince Rupert (General)
- Prince Maurice (General)
- Derby (Local Notable)
- Lord Herbert (Local Notable)
*There are two Whitecoats Brigades in the game. The one placed at set up is the Veteran (2 value) unit.
5.3 Remaining set up
Place within easy reach of both players the following:
- The remaining PC markers
- Naval chits - shuffle these 5 markers in a pile or stack facedown, and leave them that way
- The May not Assault markers
Place in the Parliament player area:
- The Parliament (red) and Covenanter (green) Siege, Bombard and Major Army markers
- Any remaining Parliament General and Local Notable markers not set up above
Place in the Royalist player area:
- The Royalist (blue) and Lorrainer (purple) Siege, Bombard and Major Army markers
- The Queen and Earl of Brentford markers (these may be brought into play by events)
- Any remaining Royalist General and Local Notable markers not set up above
5.4 Create the Strategy card decks
There are 4 'periods' of Strategy card used in the game (see 12.4 Using Strategy Cards for the 3 'types' of card). These are used to create the Early War, Mid War and Late War decks: a. Early War, b. Mid War, c. Late War, d. Alt-Hist*.
*Play note: Alt-Hist cards represent events that did not happen but credibly could have given the situation at the time.
The Early War deck is used from the start of the game. The Mid War deck is added at the start of Winter 1643. The Late War deck is added when the Mid War deck is exhausted. All these decks are created at set up.
Separate out all the Strategy cards into 4 piles, corresponding with the above icons.
Creating the Early War Deck
- Shuffle the Early War cards and draw the top 9 cards.
- Add the Raising the Standard card (card #1) to these 9 cards and shuffle again.
- Place these 10 cards on top of the remaining Early War cards, to form the Early War deck.
Creating the Mid War Deck
- Shuffle the Alt-Hist Cards.
- Draw face down the top 2 Alt-Hist cards and put the rest aside.
- Shuffle together the Mid War cards and the 2 Alt-Hist cards just drawn.
- On the top of these cards place the Army of the Solemn League and Covenant card (card #2).
- Set the Mid War deck aside until the start of Winter 1643.
Creating the Late War Deck
- Draw face down the top 2 Alt-Hist cards; the rest of the Alt-Hist cards are put aside and not used again.
- Shuffle together the Late War cards and the 2 Alt-Hist cards just drawn.
- Place the New Model Army card (card #3) near the Late War deck.
- Set the Late War deck and New Model Army card aside until the Mid War deck is exhausted.
Deal Starting Hands
- Deal a hand of 5 Strategy cards to each player from the Early War deck.
- Each player adds their 2 Core cards to their hand.
You are now ready to begin the game!
6. How to Win
There are 3 ways to win the game.
6.1 Automatic Victory
- Parliament - If King Charles Surrenders (see 19.2 Surrender).
- Royalist - Royalists control London and any 3 Regions in two consecutive Turn End phases (the Regions do not need to be the same on each turn).
6.2 Power Base Victory
The opposing side has fewer PC markers than the required number on the Turn Record Track in the Power Base Phase. Check this by comparing each side's position on the Power Base track against the Power Base number on the Turn Record Track.
If both players have an insufficient Power Base they both lose.
Design note: The Power Base levels for the early turns are set to reflect the determination on both sides to pursue the war.
6.3 End of Game Victory
- Parliament - If in the Turn End Phase of Winter 1645 Parliament has 11+ Victory Points (VPs).
- Royalist - If Parliament does not win.
Parliament Victory Points
Parliament calculates Victory Points at the end of the game as follows: [Number of Regions controlled x2] + [Number of Economic Infrastructures controlled].
The maximum score is 19.
Design note: Only Parliament scores Victory Points in the game. The Royalist wins by denying Parliament those points.
7. Sequence of Play
Unhappy King Charles is played over 11 game turns, each of which covers four months.
Each turn is played over nine phases:
- Housekeeping Phase
- Political Control Phase
- Recruitment Phase
- Draw Strategy Card Phase
- Campaign Phase
- Blockade Phase
- Desertion and Supply Attrition Phase
- Power Base Phase
- Turn End Phase
8. Housekeeping Phase
Apply these steps in order:
- Refresh player board.*
- Transfer available Generals and Reformed Brigades.*
- Place a PC marker in a Neutral Area.
- Draw a Naval Chit (Late 1642, Late 1643, Late 1644 and Late 1645 only).
- Skip on Late 1642 turn.
8.1 Refresh player board
- Flip the Recruitment Used marker to Recruitment Available side.
- Move the Cards to be Played marker to the 6 box.
8.2 Transfer available Generals and Reformed Brigades
Each player:
- Moves all their Generals in the Dispersed box and on the Turn Record Track for this turn to the Available Generals & Reformed Brigades box on their Player Board.
- Moves half (rounded-down) of their Brigades (player choice of which), if any, from the Dispersed box to the same box. These are Reformed Brigades, which will be placed on the map in the forthcoming Recruitment Phase.
- Moves non-Reformed Brigades from the Dispersed box to their corresponding Region space in the Available for Recruitment box. These can now be Recruited in any subsequent Recruitment Phase or Recruit action.
8.3 Place a PC marker in a Neutral Area
Parliament, then Royalist, places a PC marker in one Neutral Area. The Area must be Adjacent to a Friendly PC marker, but not Adjacent to an Enemy PC marker, Local Notable or General.
Placement of this PC must not cause Political Isolation for any Enemy PC markers (see 9.1 Political Isolation). Unled Brigades do not prevent placement. If there is no available Area, skip this placement.
Design note: The placement of a PC marker here represents the action of local committees spreading each faction's influence far away from the armies.
8.4 Draw a Naval Chit
As indicated on the Turn Record Track, in Late 1642, Late 1643, Late 1644 and Late 1645 a Naval Chit marker is drawn from the pool and the track on the Naval Status Chart is adjusted. The drawn marker is then removed from the game.
The Naval Status can affect Bombardment rolls and Recruitment, as set out on the Board and Player aid.
Play note: The Naval Status is principally determined by the drawing of the Naval Chit markers. However, the following can also adjust it:
- Diplomatic Strength - If the Royalist holds London and/or Bristol, subtract 1 from the Naval Status while this condition applies.
- The Queen - If the Queen appears in the game and exits without being captured then deduct 1 from the Naval Status. If the Queen is captured then add 2 to Naval Status (see Card Annex for more details on the Queen (Henrietta Maria Lands Event)).
9. Political Control Phase
Skipped on Late 1642 turn.
Apply these steps in order:
- Both players place PC markers in all non-Fortress Neutral or Enemy-controlled Areas occupied by Friendly Generals.
- Then both players remove PC markers to reflect Political Isolation. The Parliament player does so first, then the Royalist player. The removal of Parliament PC markers could result in Royalist PC markers avoiding removal.
9.1 Political Isolation
A PC marker is Isolated when it cannot trace a chain contiguous PC markers of its side and/or Neutral Areas to one of:
- A Friendly-controlled Supply Fortress, which is not Masked or Besieged by an Enemy General;
- A Friendly Local Notable, which is not Masked or Besieged by an Enemy General;
- A Friendly General, who is not in a Masked or Besieged Fortress.
This chain cannot use the Maritime line between Hull and Gainsborough.
PC markers in Fortresses, whether Supply Fortresses or non-Supply Fortresses, are never Isolated.
Example: Truro, St. Austell and Barnstable cannot trace to a source of supply - such as Hopton in Bath - due to the presence of Parliament PC markers covering all the possible connections. These Areas are Isolated and hence the Royalist PC markers are removed.
10. Recruitment Phase
Recruit Brigades and place Reformed Brigades and Available Generals (in any order).
The Parliament side does these actions first, then the Royalist. Each side may also if desired place Blockade & Siege markers.
The number of Brigades that can be recruited is set out on the Turn Record Track (e.g. 3 Brigades can be recruited by each side in Winter 1642).
Play note: Remember that the Naval Status may grant a side the option of one additional Brigade to be Recruited.
10.1 Recruitment
Parliament selects the relevant number of Brigades from the Brigades Available box and any in the Reformed Brigades box on the Player Board and places them on a non-Enemy controlled Recruitment Area of their side, or with a Local Notable of their side, of the corresponding Region. Then the Royalist does the same.
No Covenanter, Irish or Lorrainer Brigades can be Recruited. These units only arrive on the play of Event Cards (though Irish may be Reformed).
If the Brigade is recruited to an Area with a Local Notable it is placed on his Command Display (i.e. it is considered Inside the Local Notable Fortress). If there are already four Brigades on the Command Display (i.e. the Local Notable Fortress is at its Friendly Brigade occupying limit), the Brigade cannot be placed in the Area.
If the Brigade is recruited to a Recruitment Area that is also a Fortress, either place the Brigade marker under the PC marker on the Fortress to show that the Brigade is Inside the Fortress (respecting the Fortress's occupying limits), or on top of the PC marker to show that it is Outside (player chooses).
If a Friendly General is present in the Area where a Brigade is placed, the Brigade can be placed in the Area or directly on his Command Display (provided it does not create a Major Army if that General cannot command one). This is irrespective of that General's Region of origin, or if he is a Subordinate General.
Play note: If outside the Fortress, Unled Brigades (not part of an Army) cannot Retreat inside a Fortress if attacked by an Enemy General. Conversely, if Inside, the Brigade will not, by itself, stop the movement of an Enemy General passing through the Fortress Area. Remember, a General is always considered Outside a Friendly-controlled Fortress unless that Fortress is Besieged or Masked by an Enemy General.
Example: It's the Recruitment Phase. Prince Rupert is in Shrewsbury, a Royalist Recruitment Area for Welsh Brigades, outside of the Fortress (a General is always considered Outside a Friendly-controlled Fortress unless it is Masked or Besieged). The Royalist player recruits the Southern Levies Brigade. It can either be placed on Prince Rupert's Command Display, becoming part of his Army, or directly in Shrewsbury, either on top of the PC marker (Outside the Fortress), or under the PC marker (Inside the Fortress). If placed directly in Shrewsbury, it is not part of Prince Rupert's Army (though he could pick it up later on).
10.2 Restrictions on Recruitment
- No more than one Brigade from each Region can be Recruited per Recruitment Phase*.
- A side cannot Recruit to a Fortress / Local Notable with a Siege marker, or to a non-Fortress Area with an Enemy Brigade present.
- A side cannot Recruit to a Recruitment Area of the opposing side's colour, even if it controls that Area.
- Veteran Brigades can only be Recruited if no Militia Brigades are available for that Region. There are three exceptions that allow a Veteran brigade to be recruited when Militia are still available:
- If a side is at +/- 3 or greater on the Naval Track
- If Powicke Bridge is in effect (see 10.3)
- If an Event permits it
*Play Note: The restriction is on one Brigade per Recruitment Region. The Royalists can place two Brigades in the Midlands by placing a Welsh Brigade in Shrewsbury, which is a Welsh Recruitment Area, and a Midlands Brigade in Chester. Similarly, Parliament can place two Brigades in London, provided one is from the East and one is from the South.
10.3 Powicke Bridge
The Royalist player may Recruit one Veteran Brigade in place of one Militia Brigade in the Late 1642 and Winter 1642 Recruitment Phases.
Historical note: Powicke Bridge was the first significant action of the war (23 September, 1642), with Prince Rupert covering the escape of Sir John Byron with the treasury from Oxford and gaining a reputation as an invincible cavalry commander.
Play note: A question that arises with this rule is: Why would the Royalist not automatically choose a Veteran Brigade in each of the first two turns? The answer is that one strategy available to the Royalist is to keep the Veterans off the map as long as possible, as they'll be needed as Parliament gets stronger later in the game.
10.4 Stacking
Stacking limits - i.e. the number of Brigades that can be placed in a single Area - are linked to Army Size: 4 or 9, depending on the General (see 4.2 Army Size Limits). There is no stacking limit for Unled Brigades, unless inside a Fortress (see 3.1 Fortress Areas).
10.5 The New Model Army
New Model Army Brigades can be Recruited in any Region except Wales.
10.6 Siege Trains
Each side has one Siege Train. These provide a positive modifier for Bombardment rolls. A player may recruit the Siege Train instead of one Brigade. It is placed in any Friendly Fortress, including in the same Area as a newly Recruited Brigade.
Historical Note: Cannon for a Siege Train were usually stored in Fortresses.
The Siege Train can be removed by a player when they play any Strategy card during the Campaign Phase. It is placed on the Turn Record Track on the next turn to indicate that it can be Recruited again any time after the current turn ends.
Under no circumstances may a Siege Train be transferred to another General or dropped off; it must be removed and Recruited again. Any Friendly General can pick an unled Siege Train from its Fortress.
A Siege Train does not count as a Brigade for Stacking or any other purpose. It must remain with a Friendly General or in a Fortress; remove the counter to the Turn Record Track on the next turn if this is ever not the case.
10.7 Reformed Brigades
Reformed Brigades placed in the preceding Housekeeping Phase are Recruited in addition to the Recruitment number listed for that turn. Dispersed Brigades not placed in the Reformed Brigades box in the Housekeeping Phase are available for normal Recruitment.
Each Reformed Brigade must be placed in a Friendly-controlled Area in their Region of origin.
- This can be in a Region that has already received a Recruited Brigade this Phase, but not in the same Area as any other Brigade placed this Phase.
- The Area cannot contain an Enemy Brigade or General.
Reforming Irish Brigades may be placed on a Friendly PC marker in any Region. Reforming NMA Brigades may be placed on a Friendly PC marker in any Region except Wales.
10.8 Placing Available Generals
In addition to Brigades, a player may place any number of Generals from the Available Generals box in the Recruitment Phase, meeting the following requirements:
- A General cannot be placed in an Area with an Enemy PC marker, Unled Brigade(s), or General.
- A General must be placed with Friendly Brigades and must constitute an Army, even if Subordinated, upon placement. A General may take control of Unled Brigades, or take Brigades from the Command Display of a Local Notable in the same Area, to achieve this (the Brigades are placed on the General's Command Display).
- If a General is placed with Unled Brigades in a Fortress Area, the Army is considered Outside the Fortress (even if the unled Brigades were previously Inside).
- Field Generals can be placed in any Area that meets the above criteria.
- Regional Generals can only be placed in an Area in their own Region or where their Region's Brigades can be Recruited and that meets the above criteria.
10.9 Place Blockade & Siege markers
During the Recruitment Phase, players may optionally place one or more Blockade & Siege markers on Enemy-controlled Fortress Areas with a General that meets the criteria to Besiege it (this can replace a normal Siege marker placed in that Area - in this case, flip the Siege marker to its Blockade & Siege side).
A Blockade & Siege marker acts as a normal Siege marker but also permits a 'free' Bombardment in the Blockade Phase. Placing a Blockade & Siege marker does not count as Recruitment; it is simply a free placement (see 21.2 Bombardment).
Designer's note: Blockade & Siege markers represent long-term leaguers of fortifications that are in place throughout a turn. They also permit a Major Army to Bombard without spending 3 Ops cards.
11. Draw Strategy Cards Phase
Skipped on Late 1642 turn.
Starting with the Royalist player, each player, alternating, draws 4 Strategy cards from the Draw Deck. The 2 Core cards (see 12.2) are added to this, forming a hand of 6 cards*. Any Ace-in-the-Hole cards (see 12.3) are then added.
*The New Model Army (NMA) card becomes a Parliament 2 Ops Core card for each subsequent turn after its original play as an Event. On such turns the Parliamentarian player only receives 3 cards from the Draw Deck to make their hand (which now has 3 Core cards).
If there are insufficient cards to deal 4 to each player, deal both players the same number of cards, with the Royalist player getting the last card in case of an odd number remaining. Then add the Mid War or Late War decks as appropriate (see 11.1 below) and continue to draw.
Play note: Running out of cards in the deck is rare, and occurs when there are an exceptional number of Major/Decisive Battles. Note, however, that adding the Late War cards occurs only when all the Early and Mid War cards have been drawn.
11.1 Adding the Mid- and Late-War decks
Mid War Deck
At the beginning of Winter 1643 place the Mid War deck created at set up under the remaining current undrawn deck of Strategy cards.
Late War Deck
When the last card is drawn from the Mid War deck, pause the game:
- If the last card drawn was dealt to the Royalist player, then give the New Model Army Mandatory card to the Parliament player;
- If the last card drawn was dealt to the Parliament player, then exchange it for the New Model Army Mandatory card and pass that last card to the Royalist*;
- Then start drawing from the Late War deck created at set up.
*If the Royalist player's hand is already full, Parliament instead receives the New Model Army card as the first card of their next hand.
12. Campaign Phase
12.1 Playing cards
This is the core phase of the game. Each player, alternating, plays or discards Strategy cards to a general discard pile one at a time until both players have passed.
A player can pass at any time after having played/discarded 6 cards (they may play more than 6). The following rules apply:
- Combat cards and other Response cards are included in this total.
- Once a player passes, they cannot play/discard another card during this phase. If one player passes, the other player can continue playing/discarding until they also pass.
- A player is only forced to pass when they have no cards remaining. If a player runs out of cards before playing 6 (due to Events), they simply pass once their hand is empty.
- Forced removals of cards do not count toward the 6 card plays required, except for Mandatory cards (see 12.6 Forced Discards).
- A player holding a Mandatory card cannot pass until it is played.
- The play of bonus cards arising from victories in Battle does not count toward the 6 card plays required.
- Neither player may examine the cards in the discard pile.
Play Note: The Player Board contains a track for recording the number of cards remaining to be played this turn to meet the 6 card requirement.
Going First
The Royalist player chooses who plays the first card each turn until the New Model Army Event has been played. At that point the choice passes to the Parliament Player.
Play note: The Turn marker is double-sided to show this. Flip it to its red side once the New Model Army Event is played.
Where the player selected to go second does not wish to do so, they can go first if they have a 'Major Campaign' or 'Minor Campaign' card, which must then be their first card play.
Play note: This cannot be trumped by the other player then revealing their own Campaign card.
12.2 Core cards
Both sides have a 1 value and a 2 value Core Operations card that they begin with each turn. Once played, these are not placed in the general discard pile, but by each player's area, to be added to the player's hand on the next turn.
12.3 Ace-in-the-Hole cards
All unplayed cards at the end of a Campaign Phase (i.e. after both players have passed) except Core cards or Combat cards are placed aside (face down) and can be played on a later turn. These are known as Ace-in-the-Hole cards.
Ace-in-the-Hole cards are considered part of the player's hand and can be played normally, except that they are kept facedown beside the Player Board until played, and may not be removed by the effect of an opponent's Event card. Ace-in-the-Hole cards cannot be used in the Winter 1645 turn.
Play note: As you begin the game with 7 cards and only need to play 6, you will often have an Ace-in-the-Hole card beginning on the Winter 1624 [sic - as printed] turn. Holding an Ace-in-the-Hole card can be very advantageous, particularly if it is an Ops or Campaign card, for a situation later in the game when you want to be able to act last in a turn.
12.4 Using Strategy cards
On your turn you play a Strategy card from your hand to take a range of actions, or play an Event. The type of action that you can take is determined by the type of card that you play.
There are 3 types of Strategy card:
- Campaign cards
- Operations cards
- Event cards
Note that the actions that a player can take on Late 1642 (turn 1) are limited until the Raising the Standard Event is played (see Annex for details).
Important: If a Strategy card provides for an action or outcome that contradicts a rule in this rulebook, the card takes precedence.
12.5 Types of Strategy cards
Campaign Cards
There are Minor and Major Campaign cards. A Campaign card allows a player to Activate up to any two (Minor) or three (Major) different Generals, including Generals with a Major Army, and/or Local Notables, to Move, Bombard, or (Local Notables only) Raid.
Generals Move (and if necessary Battle) one after the other. The same Brigade cannot be moved by more than one General by a single card play.
Play note: A player can Activate any mix of Generals and Local Notables, in any combination or order, and can mix Bombardment and Movement actions freely.
Campaign cards also allow the player not selected to go first that turn to become the first player instead.
Operations Cards
Operations (Ops) cards, including each side's Core cards, have an Ops value of between 1 and 3. Excluding Core cards, an Ops card can be used by either side.
Ops cards allow a player to perform one of the following actions:
- Place PCs (1 per Ops value) (see 13.0)
- Recruit up to 2 Brigades (independent of the Ops value) (see 14.0)
- Raid with Local Notables (1 Raid per Ops value, each Local Notable may only Raid once) (see 15.0)
- Activate 1 General (Strategy Rating equal to or less than Ops value) (see 16.0)
Event Cards
Event cards do not have an Ops value. They are either played for the Event, or Discarded. They represent a historical (or counterfactual) event that can be triggered by a player.
There are different types of Event card:
- Parliament Event - can only be played as an Event by Parliament.
- Royalist Event - can only be played as an Event by Royalist.
- Neutral Event - can be played as an Event by either side.
- Mandatory Event - must be played that turn as an Event by the side that draws it.
- Response - can be played in response to the Strategy card play of the opponent.
- Combat - can be played by the Activating or non-Activating player during a Battle. There is a special type of Combat Event called Decisive Victory, which may give an additional bonus to the victor in a Battle.
Most Events are played on the side's turn. However, Response and Combat Event cards can be played in response to the other side's action.
While most Event cards are self-explanatory, some require more explanation. Cards which meet this criteria have an * at the end of the card title. The additional explanation is set out in the Annex of this rulebook.
12.6 Event card effects
Forced Discards / Additional Card Draws
Some Event cards can cause Strategy cards to be discarded (both players are permitted to see them) or extra Strategy cards to be drawn from the Draw Deck (only the owner sees these).
Ace-in-the-Hole cards are immune from removal. If a Mandatory card is drawn to be discarded it must be immediately played, and is considered to have been played by the player from whose hand it was drawn.
Placing / Removing PC Markers
Some Event cards place and/or remove PC markers. Where the text specifies placing a PC marker in an "Open Area", this means an Area that does not currently have a PC marker. Where the Event removes an Enemy PC marker, it cannot be removed from a Fortress Area unless specifically noted on the card (or in the rules), or from an Area occupied by an Enemy General, Unled Brigade or Local Notable.
Placing / Removing Brigades
Some Event cards place and/or remove Brigades. All Brigades placed by an Event card must be from the Region in which they are placed, unless otherwise stated on the card. As with Recruitment, Militia must be placed if available, unless the card specifies Veteran Brigades.
If no qualifying Brigades are available, eliminated Brigades can be used. If none of these are available, the shortfall is lost. Brigades must be placed with any Friendly General, Local Notable or PC marker, but not in an Area with a Siege marker. If there is no such legal placement, the Brigades are lost. This is different from the normal Recruitment process.
If an Event calls for the removal of Brigades from the map, the player suffering the loss chooses these at their own discretion from Brigades in the specified Region. Unless otherwise indicated, the losses do not count as eliminated and Brigades are placed in the Available for Recruitment box.
Placing Local Notables
Some Event Strategy Cards place Local Notable markers. The following Local Notables are placed by Events. The others begin the game on the map:
- Laugharne (Pembroke)
- Newark Garrison (Newark)
- Blake (Lyme)
- Basing House (Basing House)
Placement of a Local Notable by an Event occurs irrespective of the presence of Enemy Units. Remove any PC marker in the Area, and place the Local Notable marker under any Enemy General/Brigade marker in the Area.
12.7 Discarding Event cards for actions
If the Event card is not played for the Event*, it is instead Discarded. This allows you to perform one of the following actions:
- Place 1 PC (see 13.0)
- Recruit 1 Brigade (see 14.0)
- Raid with 1 Local Notable (see 15.0)
*Mandatory Event cards must be played for the Event, and so may not be used for this purpose. An opponent's Event card cannot be played for the Event, so must be Discarded.
Play note: Discarded Event cards do not allow you to Activate a General.
13. Action: Place PCs
Ops cards can be played to place a number of PC markers up to their value (Minor/Major Campaign Cards cannot place PC markers). A Discarded Event card can be used to place 1 PC marker.
A PC marker can be placed in any open Area or in a non-Fortress Area with a Friendly General, in the latter case this can replace an Enemy PC marker.
New markers must be placed adjacent to a Friendly PC marker that existed prior to the current card play.
Play note: Control cannot be imposed by daisy-chaining connected Areas placed in the same Activation, it is a more gradual matter.
Fortress Areas or Areas with a Local Notable marker change control only by Surrendering or by an Event that specifically allows a change of Fortress control.
Play note: The events which can cause a change of Fortress control are: Hotham's Plot, Lord Wilmot's Plot, Sir John Meldrum, Plots: The Hothams & Sir John Carew and Earl of Holland's Plot/ Lady D'Aubigny's Scheme.
14. Action: Recruit
The Recruit Action (as opposed to the Recruitment Phase) allows a player to place Available Generals and recruit one Brigade (Discarded Event card) or two Brigades (Ops card) (in any order).
This Action can only be taken once per turn.
Play note: The Recruitment marker on your Player Board should be flipped to the Recruitment Available to Used side to track this. Flip it back to the Available side in the Housekeeping Phase of the next turn.
This Action cannot be taken by a side that does not control any Economic Infrastructures (note this only applies to the Recruit action, not during the Recruitment Phase).
As in the Recruitment Phase:
- Veteran Brigades can only be Recruited if no Militia Brigades are available for that Region (the Naval Status may provide a side with an exception to this, but Powicke Bridge (10.3) does not apply for the Recruit action).
- A Brigade cannot be placed in a Local Notable Area if there are already four Brigades on its Command Display.
- The Siege Train may be Recruited in place of a Brigade in a Fortress Area.
- No Covenanter, Irish or Lorrainer Brigades can be Recruited.
- New Model Army Brigades can be Recruited in any Region except Wales.
When taking this Action there are different rules for the Royalist and Parliament sides. The Royalist Recruit Action is called Grandee Recruitment. The Parliament Recruit Action is called Assessment and Sequestration.
Historical Note: The difference between the Royalist and Parliament Recruit actions reflects the fact that Royalist Field Generals lacked the local support and considerable estates of the Grandees. Parliament had more success at receiving funding in specie; for the King it was often in kind - units raised by loyal if inexperienced nobles.
14.1 Royalist - Grandee Recruitment
Brigades
- Royalist Brigades must be placed on the Command Display of a non-Subordinated Regional General or Local Notable. This can include a Regional General placed as part of the same action.
- Brigades must be from the same Region as the Regional General or Local Notable, and from the same Region as the Area of placement.
- If using an Ops card, both Brigades may be placed in the same Region, but no more than one Brigade can be placed per Regional General or Local Notable (note this differs from the restriction on placement in the Recruitment Phase).
- Brigades cannot be placed in an Area with a Siege marker.
Generals
- Any number of Regional Generals in the Available Generals box may be placed in any Area in their Region or where their Region's Brigades can be recruited that does not contain an Enemy PC, Unled Brigade or General.
- A General must be placed with Friendly Brigades, including one placed as part of the same Recruit action, and must constitute an Army, even if Subordinated, upon placement. A General may take control of Unled Brigades, or take Brigades from the Command Display of a Local Notable, in the same Area, to achieve this (the Brigades are placed on the General's Command Display).
- Field Generals may not be placed through this Action.
14.2 Parliament - Assessment and Sequestration
Brigades
- Brigades are placed on the Command Display of a Local Notable of their Region or in a Recruitment Area of their Region that does not have an Enemy PC marker. They may be placed directly on the Command Display of a General in that Area. This includes a Subordinated General, and a General placed as part of the same action.
- If using an Ops card, both Brigades may be from the same Region, though they may not be placed in the same Area (note this differs from the restriction on placement in the Recruitment Phase).
- Brigades cannot be Recruited to a non-Fortress Recruitment Area that contains an Enemy Brigade or General.
- Brigades cannot be Recruited to a Fortress / Local Notable with a Siege marker.
- If Recruited to a Fortress that is Masked, the Brigade must be placed Inside the Fortress.
Generals
- Any number of Generals of any type in the Available box may be placed.
- Regional Generals can be placed in any Area in their Region or where their Region's Brigades can be recruited that does not contain an Enemy PC, Unled Brigade or General.
- Field Generals can be placed in any Area that does not contain an Enemy PC, Unled Brigade or General.
- A General must be placed with Friendly Brigades, including one placed as part of the same Recruit action, and must constitute an Army, even if Subordinated, upon placement. A General may take control of Unled Brigades, or take Brigades from the Command Display of a Local Notable, in the same Area, to achieve this (the Brigades are placed on the General's Command Display).
15. Action: Raid
The Raid action can only be taken by a Local Notable without a Siege marker. It allows a side to place a PC marker, including by replacing an Enemy PC marker, within 2 Areas of the Local Notable. The selected Area must:
- Be in the same Region as the Local Notable;
- Have no Enemy Unled Brigade or General present;
- Not be a Fortress Area (including not in an Area with a Local Notable marker).
Campaign cards and Ops Card can be used to Raid using a number of different Local Notables equal to the type / value of the card. They Raid one after the other. A Discarded Event allows one Local Notable to Raid. The Local Notable marker is not moved when Raiding.
Designer's note: Local Notables represent not single places or individuals but instead are a number of fortified posts and castles. They are very much a product of their own region, which is why they cannot Raid outside their Region (no, Derby cannot Raid in the North).
Example: The Royalist player discards an Event card and Raids with the Local Notable Derby (located in Preston). Because a Raid must be in the same Region (the Midlands) and within 2 Areas of Preston, the only Enemy-controlled Areas in range are Manchester and Macclesfield. However, Macclesfield has the Parliament Local Notable Brereton, so cannot be targeted. The Raid occurs in Manchester, and the Royalist replaces the Parliament PC marker with a Royalist one. If an Enemy Brigade or General was present in Manchester, Derby would have no qualifying locations to Raid.
16. Action: Activate a General
A General in the Available box of the Player Board can be brought On the map, following the placement rules for Generals that apply during the Recruitment Phase (see 10.8), and then Activated as part of the same Strategy card play. A General - whether just placed or already On the map - can be Activated to Move or Bombard. The same General can be Activated multiple times per turn.
A General can only be Activated if the Ops card value used for this purpose is equal to or greater than his Strategy Rating. A Campaign card may Activate a General of any Strategy Rating.
When activating a General with a 2/3* Strategy Rating, apply the 2. The 3* only applies for Intercept and Evade Reactions (see 18.0 Reactions).
Example: The Royalist plays a 1 Op card. It can be used to Activate Prince Maurice, whose Strategy Rating is 1, but not Byron. A 2 Ops card could Activate either of them.
16.1 Activating and breaking up a Major Army
A General of a Major Army requires a 3 Ops card or Campaign card to Activate, irrespective of the General's Strategy Rating.
If Activated with a 1 or 2 Ops Card, a General may not pick up Brigades that would raise the Army size to 5 or more during that Activation.
Play note: A General with a 5+ Brigades on his own Command Display cannot voluntarily break up the Major Army. It will only break up due to the effect of Battle loses, Desertions, Attrition and Events. A General controlling a Major Army only as a result of having Subordinated Generals on his Command Display can break up the Army by dropping off the Subordinate(s), or the Subordinate(s) being Activated separately (see 17.3 Initiating and Ending Subordination).
17. Movement
A General can be Activated to move a number of Movement Points (MP) based on the size of his Army:
| Number of Brigades in Army | Number of MP available |
|---|---|
| 1-3 | 4 |
| 4-6 | 3 |
| 7-9 | 2 |
17.1 Movement cost
Movement can only occur between connected Areas. A General must always move to an Adjacent area. The MP cost of movement depends on the type of connection being used, and other factors as set out below.
| Connection / other factor | MP cost |
|---|---|
| Road | 1 |
| Mountain | 2 |
| Maritime | 2 |
| Breaking up siege lines | +1 |
| Following a Battle | +1 |
| Changing political control | +1 |
A General must be able to pay the full number of MPs to complete each movement. He cannot end his Activation between Areas.
Maritime Line
There are additional rules for the Maritime Line:
- No more than two Brigades may cross the Maritime line with each movement;
- Only two Brigades may Evade or Retreat across the Maritime line;
- Interception cannot take place across the Maritime line;
- The Maritime line cannot be used when tracing for Isolation.
Breaking Up Siege Lines
A Besieging General with a Siege marker must pay 1MP to remove it prior to moving, unless Reacting (see 20.1 Removing Siege Markers).
Post-Battle Movement
Movement of a General is halted on entering an Area containing an Enemy Brigade or General. If there is a Battle, the General can continue to move if he achieves a victory (not a draw) and spends 1MP in addition to the movement cost for the connection (if he does not have sufficient MPs remaining his movement ends). Otherwise, his Activation ends. This additional 1MP cost does not apply if the opposing General Evades, Disperses or moves Inside a Fortress; in such a case the General simply continues his movement (if desired).
Changing Political Control Through Movement
An Activated General can place a Friendly PC marker (and, if present, simultaneously remove an Enemy PC marker) in its current Area (but not a Fortress) by spending 1MP - this is in addition to the MPs he spends to enter the Area or move to an Adjacent Area.
Design note: Placing PC markers during movement represents capturing minor garrisons and the suppression of enemy partisans that was a staple of the era. Unlike placing PC markers as an Action, it does not require an Adjacent Friendly PC marker.
Change in Army Size
As the General moves the number of Brigades in his Army may increase if he picks up Unled Brigades. The effect of this applies immediately, meaning there may be a reduction in available MPs. If at any point the number of MPs spent equals or exceeds the available number at that instant, then movement ceases immediately.
Example: Essex is Besieging Oxford, however the Parliament player decides to end the siege in order to deal with Prince Rupert, who has begun Besieging Bristol. Essex has 5 Brigades, and so requires a 3 Ops or Campaign card to Activate. He is Activated to move. An Army of 5 Brigades may move a maximum of 3MP. Essex moves to Gloucester, paying +1MP to remove the Siege marker. Massey has 2 Parliament Brigades on this Command Display, Essex could pick them both up, but that would make his Army size 7. Such an Army can only move 2MP, so Essex would need to stop his movement. Instead he picks up just 1 Brigade from Massey, and with his final movement point moves to engage Prince Rupert at Bristol.
17.2 Removing & Picking up Brigades
Generals cannot drop off Brigades as they move. A General can never remove a Brigade from his Command Display except as a result of the Brigade's elimination in Battle, through Desertion or Attrition, or the removal or transfer of it by an Event.
Play note: Some Events will remove Brigades, such as Clubmen. Some allow for voluntary removal (and transfer), such as the Cavalry Commander Events.
Covenanter and Lorrainers
As an exception to this rule, Covenanter and Lorrainer Brigades may be dropped off, but may only be on the Command Display of Covenanter or Lorrainer Generals, respectively (i.e. no other General may pick them up).
Historical note: The Scots detached forces to Newcastle while the main army moved south. Given their 'national' nature, exemption from the factional rules seems correct.
Picking Up Brigades
Although Brigades cannot be dropped off, Unled Brigades and those with Local Notables can be (there is no obligation) picked up by Generals (at no MP cost) and placed on their Command Display in three cases:
- Where a General is active in an Area with such Brigades.
- Where an Enemy General enters an Area with a Friendly General and eligible Brigades.
- When a General is placed with eligible Brigades (for example Brigades Recruited in a Recruitment Area).
Brigades placed under or on top of a PC marker in a Fortress area, or placed on the Command Display of a Local Notable (i.e. Brigades Inside the Fortress) can be freely transferred to a Friendly General in the same Area, even if the General is simply passing through the Area.
17.3 Initiating and ending Subordination
If a moving General enters an Area with another Friendly General, one General may become a Subordinate of the other, creating a Combined Army (see 4.2 Subordination & Commanding Generals).
Subordination is mandatory if a General finishes his movement or Reaction in an Area with another Friendly General. It is optional if he passes through that Area without finishing his movement there. If the Activating General is Subordinated, his Activation ends. If they cannot be Subordinated (ie. because they have the same Subordination Level), the Generals cannot end up stacked together in the same Area (and see Illegal Position below). To show that a General is Subordinated, place the Subordinate General's marker on the Command Display of the Commanding General.
Play note: Remember Waller cannot Subordinate to Essex, and Callander can only Subordinate to Leven.
Ending Subordination
Subordination can be ended by:
- Activating the Subordinate with an appropriate Ops card or Campaign card and moving him away from the Area (in which case place his General marker back On the map in the Area he moves to);
- The Commanding General dropping off or leaving behind the Subordinate during any Movement, Evasion or Interception.
Fortress Exception
Two friendly Generals can be in the same Fortress Area without a Subordination if one is Besieged or Masked and the other not (i.e. the other has moved into the Area to relieve the Siege). If the Enemy General leaves and Subordination is not possible, use the Illegal Position rule (below) to resolve the issue.
Illegal Position
Due to Interception, drawn Battles, Events and other situations there can be an Illegal Subordination position (i.e. at the end of movement two friendly Generals of the same Subordination Level are in the same Area). If this occurs, at the end of that Activation, retrace the movement of the General that created the Illegal Position until it is in a legal position. In other circumstances, the owning player moves one of the Generals to an Adjacent Area without Enemy Brigades; if no such Areas, one of the Generals Disperses.
Example: Prince Rupert has moved into Worcester, relieving the siege of his brother Prince Maurice by Waller, who has Dispersed. As both princes have a Subordination Level of 3, there is an Illegal Position. Prince Rupert retraces his movement to Tamworth, ending the Illegal Position.
18. Reactions
In response to an opposing General's movement, the non-Activating side can React or attempt to React.
There are three types of Reaction:
- Interception
- Evasion
- Dispersal
18.1 Interception
Interception occurs during an opposing General's movement. To Intercept, a non-Activating General moves one Area to interrupt the movement of the Enemy Activating General, thereby forcing Dispersion or a Battle.
When Can an Interception Occur?
An Interception is always voluntary. It can occur when an Activating General enters an Area Adjacent to an Enemy General. At this point, the opposing player can declare an Interception, with the following rules:
- A General cannot Intercept into an Area that contains Brigades of his own side.
- Each non-Activating General can attempt to Intercept only once per Enemy General Activated.
- Only one General can attempt to Intercept an Enemy General in any one Area he enters.
- An Interception can only be attempted during a normal movement (never during Evasion, Retreat or any other form of movement).
- An Interception cannot occur across the Maritime line.
- Subordinated Generals may not Intercept on their own.
- An Intercepting Commanding General may leave behind Subordinated Generals following a successful Intercept.
Play note: No double Interceptions are allowed, unlike some card-driven wargames.
The restriction on not Intercepting where a Friendly Army occupies the potential target Area is because armies of this period were not coordinated at all and tended to stay away from each other. This is different from other card-driven games, and does require different play. English armies of this period could not form cordons.
Resolving Interceptions
To determine whether or not an attempt to Intercept succeeds, the Intercepting General needs to achieve a modified roll of 4+ on 1D6.
When applying modifiers and the Intercepting and/or Activating General has a 2/3* Strategy Rating, apply the 3.
Interception modifiers:
| Consideration | Modifier |
|---|---|
| Intercepting General's Strategy Rating is lower the Activating General | +1 |
| Intercepting General's Strategy Rating is higher the Activating General | -1 |
| Intercepting over a Mountain line | -1 |
Interception Fails
The Intercepting General stays in position and cannot Intercept again during the current Activation.
Interception Succeeds
The Intercepting General:
- Moves into the target Area and, if they do not Disperse, a Battle is fought with the Activating General whose entry of that Area caused the Interception.
- The Activating General (not the Intercepting General) is considered the attacker.
The Intercepted General:
- Cannot Evade, but may Disperse.
- Cannot prior to the Battle occupy a Friendly-controlled Fortress, Besiege an Enemy Fortress, or pick up Unled Brigades in the Battle Area.
Design note: The Interceptor is treated as having moved in anticipation of the activating force; getting there first.
Intercepting Into an Enemy-Occupied Area
Where a General Intercepts successfully into an Area that already contains an Enemy General or Unled Brigades - i.e. not counting the Activating General that is being Intercepted - then only the Interceptor and the Activating General Battle. If the Intercepting General wins that Battle, he is placed back in the Area from which he Intercepted. If he loses, he Retreats as normal.
Example: If Bedford moves, Hopton can Intercept him in Exeter but not Bath, which is occupied by a Royalist Brigade. If he Intercepts in Exeter, the Battle would take place immediately, before Bedford could pick up the Parliament Brigade there. If he won the Battle, Hopton would then return to Lyme.
18.2 Evasion
When attacked, a defending General may attempt to Evade to another Area to avoid Battle.
The following rules apply:
- Evasion attempts occur after Interception.
- Intercepted Generals and Unled Brigades cannot Evade.
- Subordinated Generals may not Evade on their own.
- An Evading Commanding General may leave behind Subordinated Generals following a successful Evasion (a General left behind in this way cannot Evade, and would need to Battle or Disperse).
Where a General Evades, the Activating General can continue moving (since no Battle has occurred) at no extra MP cost. This means he can attempt to attack the Evading General again if he has sufficient MPs. The Evading General may attempt to Evade again (and so on).
Resolving Evasions
To determine whether or not an attempt to Evade succeeds, the Evading General needs to achieve a modified roll of 4+ on 1D6.
When applying modifiers and the Evading and/or Activating General has a 2/3* Strategy Rating, apply the 3.
Evasion modifiers (the table is headed "Interception modifiers" in the printed rulebook):
| Consideration | Modifier |
|---|---|
| Evading General's Strategy Rating is lower the Activating General | +1 |
| Evading General's Strategy Rating is higher the Activating General | -1 |
| Activating General entered via Mountain or Maritime line | -1 |
Play Note: Deducting 1 from the die-roll if the Activating General is entering via a mountain or maritime link represents the greater difficulty in knowing that the Army is approaching.
Evasion Fails
The Evading General must either Disperse or Battle.
Evasion Succeeds
The Evading General can move 1 or 2 connected Areas (regardless of MP cost) based on his Army size.
| Number of Brigades in Army | Number of Areas it may Evade |
|---|---|
| 1-3 | 2 |
| 4+ | 1 |
The Evading General cannot:
- Move into an Area that contains an Enemy Brigade or General.
- Evade across the Maritime line if it contains more than 2 Brigades.
- Enter the Area from which the Activating General entered their Area.
Example: Hopton is Activated and moves to attack Bedford. The Parliament player decides to Evade. For Evasion rolls Bedford uses a Strategy Rating of 3, against Hopton's Rating of 1, requiring him to roll a 5+. He succeeds. Bedford has 2 Brigades in his Army, meaning he can Evade up to 2 Areas. He could Evade to one of Barnstable, St.Austell, Exeter, Plymouth or Lyme (he cannot Evade to Bath as that is where Hopton is coming from). He Evades to Exeter. Hopton, now in Bridgwater, could continue his movement to Exeter, but then he would also need to Battle the Veteran Parliament Brigade in that Area, which Bedford could pick up at that point.
Fortresses
If a General is attacked in a Fortress Area, and the General can occupy the Fortress (i.e. the Army size is not greater than the Fortress's occupying limit), the General may withdraw into the Fortress (after failing to or declining to Evade).
Play note: In this case, the General that fails his Evasion simply did not detect the enemy forces, but still has plenty of time to retire to the Fortress.
Reminder: A General is only considered to be Inside a Fortress if it is Masked or Besieged by an Enemy Army. In all other cases he is considered to be Outside (see 4.2 Generals in Friendly-Controlled Fortresses).
18.3 Dispersal
Where Evasion was not successful, not possible, or not attempted, either side can elect to Disperse, the defender choosing first, as follows:
- Both sides reveal the Brigades in the respective Armies before these choices are made.
- If a player chooses Dispersal, all of their Dispersing Generals and Brigades from the Area are placed in the Dispersed box. A Dispersed General is not considered to have Surrendered.
- Where the Dispersal Area is not a Fortress, the attacking General can place a Friendly PC marker there (replacing any Enemy marker) at no MP cost.
- An Activating General may continue to move after the Dispersal of the other General at no extra MP cost.
Covenanter and Lorrainer Brigades may never voluntarily Disperse; if forced to do so (such as when resolving an Illegal Position), they are eliminated instead.
An Army containing a mix of Covenanter, Lorrainer and Regional Brigades may Disperse the Regional Brigades, but the others will always fight.
Historical Note: Armies could flee during this period but cadres often reformed. Only English and "Irish" (which were really English) Brigades can Disperse. Covenanters and Lorrainers may not. Being foreigners, every hand was against them.
19. Battles
A Battle occurs when a General moves or Intercepts into an Area that contains Unled Enemy Brigades or a General who does not Evade and is not Inside an Enemy-controlled Fortress.
The Activating General is always the attacker. If the Activating General loses or draws any Battle, his Activation ends immediately after the Battle die roll.
Play note: Because the Activation ends immediately after the die roll, the losing/drawing General cannot pick up Brigades in the Area where he ends his movement.
19.1 Resolving Battles
Before resolving the Battle, either player (starting with the attacker) can play 1 Combat card (and no more than that).
After playing cards, each player rolls 1D6 and adds:
- The Combat Value of all Friendly Brigades participating in the Battle.
- The Battle Rating of their General, if one is present (use the rating of the Commanding General in a Combined Army).
- The modifiers from any Combat card played.
These two Battle Scores are then compared and the results applied:
| Result | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Difference of 0, or 1 in favour of defender | Defender drawn Battle: Each side eliminates 1 Brigade (Veteran if participating). Attacking General returns to the Area he left to enter the Battle Area. This withdrawal does not count as Retreat or Movement. |
| Difference of 1 in favour of attacker | Attacker drawn Battle: Each side eliminates 1 Brigade (Veteran if participating). The defender Retreats. |
| Difference of 2 to 4 | Indecisive Victory: General with lower score eliminates 1 Brigade (Militia if participating) and Retreats. |
| Difference of 5+ | Major Victory: General with lower score eliminates 2 Brigades (Militia if participating) and Retreats. Winner draws and plays 1 bonus Strategy card. (1644-45 only) Winner may add 1 eliminated Enemy Brigade to winning General (Turncoats). |
| Difference of 5+ AND winner played Decisive Victory Combat card | Decisive Victory: General with lower score eliminates 2 Brigades (Veteran if participating) and Retreats. Winner draws and plays 2 bonus Strategy cards. (1644-45 only) Winner may add 1 eliminated Enemy Brigade to winning General (Turncoats). |
Eliminated
Brigades eliminated from Battles losses (not those from Dispersal, Retreat, Desertion, or Supply Attrition) are placed in the Eliminated Brigades box on the Player Board. They cannot be Recruited again, except through the effect on certain Events.
Retreats
A General required to Retreat must move at least 1 Area, but can Retreat up to his Evasion distance at his reduced Army size (see 18.2 Evasion Succeeds).
A stack of Unled Brigades is treated as if they were combined into an Army for determining their Retreat distance, and treated as a General for applying other Retreat rules:
- All Brigades must Retreat to the same Area.
- The Retreat cannot be into any Areas containing an Enemy Brigade or General.
- If the Retreating General was the defender, he may not enter the Area that the attacker moved in from.
- If the Retreating General was the attacker, the first Area he retreats to must be the Area he moved in from.
- If a Retreating General enters an Area with an Enemy PC marker, remove an additional Brigade (one at most per entire Retreat). This Brigade is not eliminated; it is immediately available for Recruitment.
- If a Retreating General has more than two Brigades, he cannot use the Maritime line.
- A Retreat cannot violate Subordination rules, and Subordinates cannot leave an Army as part of a Retreat.
- A General that cannot Retreat must Surrender.
Play Note: Unlike some card-driven games, Retreats can end in Neutral or Enemy-controlled Areas.
Spoils of Victory
If the Battle Area was in a non-Fortress Area, the winning General (not Unled Brigades) can place a Friendly PC marker in the Battle Area (replacing any Enemy marker if present).
Turncoats
In a 1644 or 1645 turn the winner of a Major or Decisive Victory may add as a Friendly Brigade to their General an Enemy Brigade eliminated in the Battle.
If a Turncoat unit Disperses or Deserts it goes to the Available for Recruitment box of its original owner.
Lorrainer or Covenanter Generals do not get this bonus Brigade.
Historical Note: As the war wore on, it became more common for soldiers to change sides.
Major and Decisive Victories
In these Battle outcomes follow these steps:
- The winner side of a Major Victory draws 1 Strategy card from the Draw Deck. The winner of a Decisive Victory draws 2 Strategy cards. This happens as soon as the Battle is completed.
- The activating General then completes the original Activation, if any MPs remain.
- The winning side must then play or discard the drawn bonus Strategy card(s), as if playing a card like normal on their turn. For Decisive Victories these are played consecutively.
- Play then returns to the normal alternating process.
The Royalists draw their extra Strategy Card(s) from the top of the undrawn deck.
The Parliamentarians draw from the discard pile (these are drawn randomly after shuffling).
These cards do not count towards the 6 card requirement before passing. If there are insufficient cards in the Draw Deck, extra Royalist draws are lost.
Nesting
It is possible for more than one Major/Decisive Victory to occur in a card play. In this case:
- Draw the cards for each Major/Decisive Victory (the winner can examine them) and place them aside in plain sight.
- Each set is played in the order drawn.
- If during the play of these cards a further Major/Decisive Victory occurs, those cards will be played when all previous sets are exhausted (in short, always play each set in the order they are earned when the previous set is finished).
19.2 Surrender
Generals and Brigades Surrender in the following situations:
- A General cannot Retreat.
- A General loses all of his Brigades in Battle, unless stacked with a Subordinate who retains at least one Brigade.
- They are in a Fortress that Surrenders.
Brigades with a General that cannot Retreat are eliminated. Brigades in a Fortress that Surrenders check for Honours of War (see 20.2 Fortress Surrender).
Generals that Surrender are put in the Dispersed box. If King Charles Surrenders the Parliament player wins an Automatic Victory.
20. Besiege, Bombard & Assault
To gain control of an Enemy-controlled Fortress or remove a Local Notable it must be forced to Surrender. Some Events may allow a side to change control of such an Area. Otherwise it is necessary to Besiege the Fortress* and accumulate a Bombardment Value equal to or greater than its Surrender Value in order to force its Surrender. This is done by the Besieging General being Activated to Bombard.
Alternatively, a General may attempt to force a Fortress to Surrender before accumulating the necessary Bombardment Value by Assaulting it.
*The rules for Besieging and Bombarding Fortresses should be considered to also apply to Local Notables, unless otherwise stated.
20.1 Masking and Besieging
Masking
If a Fortress Area contains an Enemy General (regardless of the size of his Army) and no Siege marker, it is Masked.
A Masked Fortress:
- Cannot prevent Isolation
- Does not count as an Economic Infrastructure Area
- Impacts on Desertion
Design Note: A Masked Fortress is one that is under close observation by an enemy army. Supply will be affected. However, a formal siege requires much more action on the part of the enemy army.
Besieging
A Fortress is Besieged when there is a Siege marker placed in its Area. A Siege marker is placed:
- If a General with a sufficient number of Brigades (see Besieging Army Size below) finishes his movement in the Area. This is optional, the Activating player decides if to place the Siege marker (if they do not, the Area is Masked instead).
- If a General with a sufficient number of Brigades Bombards the Fortress.
- During the Recruitment Phase, if a General with a sufficient number of Brigades is present in the Area. This is again optional. In this case, the marker placed will be a special type of Siege marker called a Blockade & Siege marker. A Blockade & Siege marker can replace an existing Siege marker.
Play note: Placing a Siege marker immediately has benefits in terms of placing restrictions on that Fortress (see Effects of a Siege below), and allowing for 'free' Bombards in subsequent turns (see Blockade & Siege markers below). However, if the Besieging Army wishes to move before completing the Siege, it adds a +1MP cost to that movement, and for the Royalist it prevents Grandee Recruitment in that Area.
To place a Siege marker, take from the supply a Siege marker corresponding to the colour of the Besieging General (e.g. a blue Siege marker if the Besieging General is Royalist). Place it on the Area being Besieged. Then place the correspondingly numbered Bombard marker on the Siege Track, in the box matching the Fortress' Surrender Value.
Play note: There are 5 Siege markers and 5 Bombard markers for the Royalists and Parliament, and 1 of each for the Covenanters and Lorrainers. In the unlikely event this is insufficient, use substitutes. The Siege Track may have multiple Bombard markers on it at any point, reflecting multiple sieges that may be ongoing on the map at any one point.
Besieging Army Size
An Enemy-controlled Fortress can be Besieged and Bombarded only by a General with a number of Brigades that equals or exceeds the Fortress Class number plus the number of Brigades Inside the Fortress.
Play note: Remember a Brigade can be placed Inside a Fortress when it is Recruited; a General can move Inside a Fortress if he is attacked. In both cases the Fortress' Friendly Brigade occupying limit applies.
A Local Notable does not have a Fortress Class, so the requirement is just the number of Unled Brigades on the Local Notable's Command Display.
Example: Bedford with 2 Brigades has chased Hopton with 1 Brigade to Oxford. Rather than Battling or Dispersing, Hopton has moved Inside the Class 2 Fortress of Oxford. This means a Parliament General must have at least 3 Brigades before he can begin to Besiege it. For the moment, Oxford is just Masked by Bedford. On the next Parliament turn, Essex, with 2 Brigades, is Activated. He moves to Oxford and Subordinates Bedford. Essex now has a Combined Army of 4 Brigades, and places a Siege marker in Oxford.
Effects of Siege
A Siege marker on a Fortress has the following effects:
- No Recruitment may occur at the Fortress.
- Brigades may not be placed there by an Event.
- If it's a Supply Fortress or Local Notable it cannot be used to prevent Isolation.
- Local Notables cannot Raid.
- It does not count as an Economic Infrastructure Area.
- It impacts on Desertion.
Removing Siege Markers
A Siege marker is removed:
- If the Besieging General becomes Subordinated.
- If the Besieging General moves. This costs +1MP. This also applies if the Siege marker is removed as a result of the Besieging General becoming Subordinated as part of the Commanding General's movement.
- Where a General no longer has sufficient Brigades to continue Besieging.
- If the Besieging General attempts to Intercept or Evade.
- If the Besieging General lifts the siege in order to Battle in the Siege Area.
If the Siege marker is removed, the accumulated Bombardment Value no longer applies. If the same Fortress is Besieged again, the required Bombardment Value will be equal to the Fortress' Surrender Value.
Play Note: Subordinates are free to move from or to the Besieged Area without disturbing the Siege marker. However, if another General wants to Subordinate the Besieging General, the marker will be removed (and if the Commanding General then wants to continue movement, this will cost +1 MP: if the MP cannot be paid, the movement cannot be completed). This is because the siege lines are set up by the original army, and the coordination of armies was insufficient to permit simply switching who mans the lines. 17th Century English armies were triumphs of extemporisation, not of experience.
Activating a Besieged General
A General inside a Fortress while Besieged or Masked can be Activated as normal. He must immediately attack the opposing General, who may Battle, or discard the Siege marker then attempt to Evade or Disperse. If the Besieged General is forced to Retreat back Inside the Fortress, the Fortress Surrenders (see 21.2 Fortress Surrender).
20.2 Bombardment
When a General with a qualifying Army is Activated to Bombard, a Bombardment roll is made. Bombardment may not be combined with any other activity.
The Bombarding player rolls 1D6, and then applies the following modifiers to the roll:
| Factor | Effect |
|---|---|
| Besieging General has Siege Train | +1 |
| Besieging General has at least three New Model Army Brigades* | +1 |
| Bombarding a Local Notable | -2 |
| Fortress in a Port Area and Naval Status in favour of the Besieged** | -2 |
* Not cumulative with Siege Train effect. ** Not cumulative with Local Notable effect.
If the result is a positive number, the value is added to the accumulated Bombardment Value against that Fortress (if this is the first such roll, this value is the Bombardment Value). Mark this by moving the corresponding Bombard marker towards the Surrender Box on the Siege Track by that value.
Fortress Surrender
A Besieged Fortress Surrenders when either:
- The Besieged General Activates to Battle then Retreats, OR
- All Friendly Brigades Inside the Garrison are removed (e.g. through Desertion or an Event), OR
- When the Bombardment Value equals or exceeds the Fortress' Surrender Value (i.e. the Bombard marker enters the Surrender box on the Siege Track).
When a Fortress Surrenders:
- If any Brigades are inside the Fortress, check for the Honours of War: roll 1D6 and on a score of:
- 1-2: The Brigade(s) Disperse(s)
- 3-6: The Brigade(s) is moved to their side's Available for Recruitment box.
- Any General in the Fortress is moved to the Dispersed box. In the event that King Charles Surrenders, Parliament instantly wins the game.
- If a Siege Train is Inside the Fortress, it is permanently removed from the game.
- If a Local Notable Surrenders it is permanently removed from the game*. Event cards allowing for the placement of a Local Notable that has surrendered may no longer be used for the event. *Though some Parliament Local Notables may still return as Generals following the play of the New Model Army Event.
- The Siege marker and Bombard markers are removed from the map and track.
- A PC marker of the Besieging side is placed in the Area.
Example: Prince Rupert ends his movement at Macclesfield, where the Parliament Local Notable Brereton is located. As a Local Notable, Brereton does not have a minimum Besieging requirement. However, there are 2 Parliament Brigades on his Command Display, meaning that Rupert requires at least 2 Brigades to place a Siege marker. Rupert has this, and so places a Siege marker. There is already a Royalist siege ongoing elsewhere on the map (Siege #1) so the Royalist player places the Siege #2 marker on Macclesfield. All Local Notables have a Surrender Value of 4, so the Bombard #2 marker is placed on the 4 box of the Siege track.
Example (continued): On a subsequent card play Rupert is Activated to Bombard. The Royalist player rolls 1D6 and gets a '5'. Modifiers are then applied. Rupert has a Siege Train, adding 1 to the roll. Brereton is a Local Notable, subtracting 2. The final Bombardment Value is 4. This moves the Bombard #2 marker to the Surrender box on the Siege track. Brereton surrenders! The Royalist rolls for Honours of War. A '4' - both Brigades on Brereton's Command Display are moved to the Parliament Available for Recruitment box. Brereton's Local Notable marker is removed from the game, and a Royalist PC marker is placed in Macclesfield. The Royalist #2 Siege and Bombard markers are placed back in the supply.
20.3 Assaults and Immediate Assaults
A General can elect to Assault a Fortress immediately following a Bombardment Activation. This is considered part of the same Activation. A successful Assault will force the Besieged Fortress to Surrender immediately. A Local Notable can never be the object of an Assault.
Design note: Local Notables are a zone of Fortresses/fortified points and require more than a gallant storm.
Any General can attempt this when the current Siege has accumulated a Bombardment Value of 5 or more (eg. a Level 3 Fortress (Surrender Value of 11) with a Bombardment Value of 6 accumulated against it - the Bombard marker is on the 5 space on the Siege Track to show this - would qualify for an Assault). The following Generals can attempt an Immediate Assault following a Bombardment, meaning that they can Assault at any Bombardment value (even zero):
- Sir Thomas Fairfax
- The Lord General
- Cromwell
- Prince Rupert
- Prince Maurice
To be successful, the Assaulting General must achieve a score of 10+ by rolling 2D6, combining the numbers rolled, and applying the following modifiers:
- Add the number, not Combat Value, of attacking Brigades (maximum of 3);
- Subtract the number of Enemy Brigades Inside the Fortress;
- +1 for a Class 1 Fortress;
- -2 for a Class 3 Fortress;
- -2 if the accumulated Bombardment Value is less than 5.
If the Assault is successful (10+), apply the rules for a Fortress Surrender as above, except that:
- Generals in the Fortress are permanently removed from the game;
- Brigade(s) in the Fortress are always moved to the non-Besieging player's Available for Recruitment box (there is no Honours of War roll).
If the Assault is unsuccessful (<10), it is repulsed and the assaulting General cannot make any further Assaults for the rest of the game; place a 'May not Assault' marker in his Command Display. If Sir Thomas Fairfax fails an Assault, the Lord General (who replaces him) cannot make an assault either.
Whether or not an Assault succeeds, it always causes the elimination of the Brigade with the highest Combat Value in the assaulting General's command. Remove this Brigade completely from the game. Due to loss of key 'cadres' it may not even be returned via an Event card.
20.4 Battles in Besieged Areas
If a Besieging General is attacked by an Enemy General moving into the Besieged Area, he may attempt to React (Evade or Disperse), removing the Siege marker, or he may Battle.
If he chooses to Battle, the options are:
A. Lift the Siege (remove the Siege Marker) and fight the Battle:
- Any Brigades inside the Fortress are added to the attacking General for purposes of total Battle Score (with losses applied however the controlling player chooses) and the General with the higher Subordination Level uses his Battle Rating. However, if Subordination would create an Illegal Position, ignore Brigades inside the Fortress.
B. Fight without the number of Brigades necessary to maintain the Siege:
- There must be at least one Brigade available to fight the Battle to make this choice.
- In this case Brigades inside the Fortress are not added to the attacking General.
- If the Besieging General is defeated, the Siege marker and the Bombardment Value are both lost.
Historical Note: Marston Moor is an excellent example of a Battle in a Siege Area. Prince Rupert marched to the relief of York (which held Newcastle's Army), which was besieged by Leven, Manchester and Tom Fairfax. Parliament lifted the Siege and fought, with the Royalist forces commanded to disaster by Newcastle to whom Rupert was Subordinated.
If the Besieging General wins a Major/Decisive Victory, the Fortress Surrenders.
After successfully relieving a Siege, an Illegal Position can result and must be resolved (see 17.3 Illegal Position).
21. Blockade Phase
A General in an Area with a Blockade & Siege marker (not just a Siege marker) may now Bombard the Fortress in that Area (no Op card or Campaign card is required). This is in addition to any Bombardments that have already occurred against that Fortress that turn.
22. Desertion & Supply Attrition Phase
22.1 Desertion
Desertion takes place in the Desertion & Supply Attrition Phase of each turn. Consult the Turn Record Track; the Desertion number for the current turn is the number of Brigades to be removed by each side (e.g. in the Late 1643 turn the Desertion number is 2). Parliament selects which Brigades to remove first. Removed Brigades are placed in the relevant side's Available for Recruitment box.
Desertion Limitation
The Desertion number cannot reduce a side's total Brigades On the map below 5. Any unmet Desertion requirement that would do so is disregarded.
Irish or Covenanter units must be used to meet the Desertion number when the total number of other friendly Brigades is 5 or less. (They do not otherwise Desert). Lorrainer Brigades can always be used to meet the Desertion requirement.
Desertion Selection Process
Brigades are selected for Desertion using the Desertion order categories below.
For each category, find whether any Areas meet the conditions, then remove one Brigade from each such Area (up to the limit required).
Where a choice exists (i.e. multiple Areas meet the criteria) the owning player can select which Brigades to lose. However, an Area with only one Brigade must not be chosen in preference to an alternative with more than one Brigade.
If further Desertions are required, move down to the next category and repeat the process, again only removing one Brigade from each Area. If necessary, return to the first category and cycle through the list as many times as required until all Desertions are removed (or the Desertion Limitation is reached).
The same Area can appear under each category, and thus lose multiple Brigades in one turn (if the limit for the turn allows).
Desertion Order Categories
- Armies with Regional Generals (including Subordinates) outside the Region of those Generals, irrespective of the Region of their Brigades. An Army outside the North containing Parliament Brigades and led by a Covenanter General also suffers losses under this category.
- Armies with 4+ Brigades.
- Armies Adjacent to or in the same Area as an Enemy General that is not Masked or Besieged.
- Armies in an Area with an Enemy PC marker (including Enemy-controlled Fortress Areas that are Masked or Besieged).
- All Areas with friendly Brigades. This is the only occasion Unled Brigades suffer Desertion.
Historical note: The tendency for 17th century armies to fall apart was pronounced. Troops preferred not to move too far from home, especially not into enemy territory. Close proximity to the enemy reduced foraging opportunities and might result in combat. The risk of disease was always stronger in large armies.
Lone Generals
If a General is left with no Brigades after Desertion, he is removed to the Dispersed box.
22.2 Supply Attrition
After Desertion is completed, any Area with 5 or more friendly Brigades must lose any 1 Brigade to Supply Attrition. This Brigade is placed in the relevant side's Available for Recruitment box. Supply Attrition applies to all qualifying Armies.
Historical Note: The large plundering armies of the Thirty Years Wars were not to be found in England.
Example: It is Late 1644 and there are the following Armies in play:
- Parliament - Essex (7 Brigades), Waller (3 Brigades), Manchester (1 Brigade) and Tom Fairfax (2 Brigades).
- Royalists - Rupert (3 Brigades), King Charles (4 Brigades) and Newcastle (3 Brigades).
Prince Rupert and King Charles are adjacent to Essex and Manchester. All other Armies are not adjacent to any other. All Regional Generals except Tom Fairfax are in their own Regions. Both sides must have 3 Brigades Desert. The Parliament player determines which Brigades desert by applying the Categories in order:
- Category 1: Fairfax loses 1 Brigade for being outside his Region. No other Area meets this Category.
- Category 2: Essex loses 1 Brigade as his Army size is 7. No other Area meets this Category.
- Category 3: Both Essex and Manchester meet this Category as they are both adjacent to unbesieged, unmasked Enemy Armies. However, Manchester only has 1 Brigade, so Essex must be chosen instead.
Desertions are now complete. However, as Essex has 5 Brigades left, he will suffer Supply Attrition as well - losing another Brigade.
23. Power Base Phase
Check for a Power Base Victory (see 6.0 How to Win).
24. Turn End Phase
If the game has not ended, advance the Turn Marker one box on the Turn Record Track.
If the game has ended (it's the Turn End Phase of the Winter 1645 Turn), Victory Points are then counted and a winner is declared.
25. Optional Rules
These optional rules can be used if both players agree. They improve the historical narrative, at the cost of increased complexity.
Stout Cornish Men
During the Recruitment Phase, only Royalist Brigades with the word 'Cornish' on them (Slanning and Grenvile's) can be Recruited in the Truro Recruitment Area. All other Royalist Southern Brigades must be Recruited in the Bath Recruitment Area (or, if in play, the Basing House Local Notable).
Random Desertion Order
If you wish to change the effect of Desertion roll 1D6 before taking Deserters: the number is the category at which both players start (rather than starting at Category 1 every time). Treat a 6 as 1.
Manchester
To better capture Manchester's role in the war, Parliamentary Eastern Brigades named 'Eastern Association' or 'Ironsides' may only be Recruited (in any of the following):
- In the Cambridge Recruitment Area.
- With Lord Willoughby.
- With the Earl of Manchester if he is in the Eastern Region; they must be placed directly on his Command Display.
Where more than one such Brigade is Recruited, they need not be placed together.
Historical note: Edward Montagu, Earl of Manchester was commander of the army for one of the most important Parliamentarian organisations - The Eastern Association.
The Laughter of the Court
If Newcastle is part of an Army that suffers a Decisive Defeat or there are no Royalist PCs in the North Region, immediately suspend play, remove the Newcastle General marker and Command Display from the game and replace him with Langdale. Two Royalist Northern Brigades (if available) are also moved to the Eliminated box. These can be taken from those in play, or from the Available for Recruitment box (Royalist choice).
Historical Note: Newcastle was so embarrassed by his defeat at Marston Moor that he left England.
Lostwithiel
If Essex suffers a Decisive Defeat while 4 or more Areas from London, his entire Army Disperses after he suffers his losses.
Historical Note: By allowing himself to be trapped by the King on the Fowey Peninsula Essex could have undone the effect of Marston Moor.
26. Henrietta: Solo Play Mode
The Henrietta system supports solo play for Unhappy King Charles.
Using the Henrietta mode you take the actions of both the Royalist and Parliamentarian sides, playing each to the best of your ability. The system provides uncertainty over which Strategy cards each side has in their hand, and can play on their turn. This allows for more exciting and realistic play for the solo player.
Design note: The system is a variant of the StukaJoe CDG Solo Method.
26.1 Set up
As part of the initial game set up, place the Royalist and Parliament Solo Displays beneath the respective Player Boards. Assemble the Early, Mid, and Late War decks as normal, except that you set aside the three Mandatory cards Raising the Royal Standard, The Army of the Solemn League and Covenant, New Model Army. They are added later.
Set up the rest of the game as normal, but do not deal the 5 starting cards to each player.
26.2 Draw Strategy Cards Phase
At the start of the Draw Strategy Cards Phase, split the Draw Deck roughly in half and place each half deck face-down on the C space of each Solo Display. Then from each half deck on the C space, place a card face-up for that side in spaces A and B and face-down in spaces D and E (see image in the rulebook). After this, if it's turn 1 (only) randomly place face-up on top of one of the side's C spaces the Raising the Royal Standard card.
Place the Core cards for each side face-up next to each Display, ready to be played.
26.3 Using the system - Overview
The game is played as normal except for the choice of Strategy cards that you can play during the Campaign Phase.
You should play each side to the best of your ability. For example, take the Recruit action if you think it best for a side. As the Royalist, until the New Model Army Event is played, choose who goes first based on the best interest of the Royalists. If the Parliamentarians have a Campaign card showing, play this if you think it is in their best interest.
During the Campaign Phase, when it is a side's turn to play a Strategy card, roll 1D6 - the Decision die - and refer to the Result key to see which cards you are eligible to play.
Play one of those cards as if you were playing it from your hand in a standard game. Then do the same for the other side until both sides have no cards remaining to play.
Ace-in-the-Hole cards: In Henrietta mode there is no concept of Ace-in-the-Hole cards.
Decision Die Results
To play a card, roll the die then check the result against the Result key.
- 1: Flip C. Play C, or Core Card.
- 2: Flip A, B and C. Play A, B, C, or Core Card. If A or B, refill space with C card.
- 3: Flip C, D and E. Play C, D, E, or Core Card. If D or E, refill space with C card.
- 4: Flip A and B. Play A or B. Refill space with C card.
- 5: Flip D and E. Play D or E. Refill space with C card.
- 6: Play any face-up card on the Display*. If A, B, D or E, refill space with C card.
*In the event that there are no face-up cards on the Display, roll again.
Where the result says to 'Flip' X, flip from face-down to face-up the card in that corresponding space on the Display. If it's already face-up, leave it that way.
Where the result says to 'Play' a card, play it for an allowable purpose. If it's the other side's Event card, it can only be Discarded for the chosen action, as normal.
Where the result says 'refill', take the top card from the C space, whether it's face-up or face-down, and place it in the empty space (keep it face-up or face-down).
Cards Available
Once you have played a card, move the Cards to be Player marker down one space on the Player Board track. If the marker is on the zero space, that side has to pass. On turn 1 only play a card when the marker is in the 0 space (i.e. on Turn 1 each side plays 7 cards).
Do not roll the Decision die if you have as many Core cards and Mandatory cards remaining as cards available left to play. You must play these cards, in any order of your choice (still moving the Cards to be Played marker down after playing the card).
26.4 Card play
Core Cards
Once you have played a Core card, flip it or tap it to show that it has been played this turn (this includes the New Model Army Core card, on turns after the Event has occurred).
Mandatory Cards
You may play a face-up Mandatory card whenever the Decision die permits. It must be played the turn it is revealed (see above).
Campaign Cards
Play these cards like normal. If a Campaign card is dealt face-up as part of the Campaign Phase set up, and a side with this card is selected to go second, you may play it so that side goes first (no Decision die roll is required). If you do so, move the Cards to be Played marker down one space, and refill the empty Display space with the C card.
Combat Cards
Before resolving the outcome of a Battle, you may play a face-up Combat card on either side's Display, and resolve the Battle as normal. If a side played a Combat card, move the Cards to be Played marker down one space, and refill the empty Display space with the C card.
Combat cards cannot be played if it would leave you with fewer cards available than required to play all Mandatory or Core cards by the end of the turn.
Major and Decisive Victories
If the Royalist side achieves a Major or Decisive victory they draw from the Discard pile as normal. For the Parliament side, draw from the top of the Card C pile if face-down, or from the card beneath the top of the Card C pile if that card is face-up.
Cards That Add / Remove Cards From a Hand
If a Strategy card event gives you an additional Strategy card, move the Cards to be Played marker up the track (e.g. from 3 to 4), or if it's in the 6 space do not move the marker down when you play the next card.
If a Strategy card of the opposing side forces you to remove a Strategy card, move the targeted side's Cards to be Played marker down one space. If this is not possible, this card has no effect.
End of Turn
The Campaign Phase ends when both sides' Cards to be Played marker, is on the 0 space.
At this point flip face-down all face-up cards on both sides' Displays, and shuffle all cards on both Displays into a new deck (which will be drawn from in the next Draw Strategy Cards Phase).
Adding the Mid War Deck
The rules for adding the Mid War and Late War decks differ from the standard game.
When a side has exhausted its Early War deck (i.e. there is no card remaining in the C space), pause the game to add the Mid War deck.
Split the Mid War deck you created at set up roughly in half and place it on the C space of each display. Place any remaining Early War cards the other side has on top of its half of the deck. Then place the Army of the Solemn League and Covenant card, face-up, on the C space of the side that exhausted its Early-War deck.
At the end of this turn, before shuffling the remaining cards on both Displays to form a new deck, remove any remaining Early War cards from the game.
Adding the Late War Deck
When a side has exhausted its Mid War deck, pause the game to add the Late War deck. Split the Late War deck you created at set up roughly in half and place it on the C space of each display. Place any remaining Mid War cards the other side has on top of its half of the deck. Then place the New Model Army card, face-up, on the Parliament's C space. If a card is already face-up on this space, shuffle that face-down into the half deck of cards on the C space.
At the end of this turn, before shuffling the remaining cards on both Displays to form a new deck, remove any remaining Mid War cards from the game.
Annex - Strategy Card Effects
Card #1 - Raising of the Standard
Before this card is played, the actions of both sides are limited to:
- Placing PC markers
- Moving*
- Recruiting
- Raiding with Local Notables
- Playing Events (these cards are not limited even if the Royal Standard has not been played, so they can take Enemy PC markers)
*Exception: Waller cannot move.
Play Note: Waller is besieging Portsmouth at game start. There is no need for a Siege marker, since it is already marked for Parliament (it falls when the Standard is played).
A General cannot:
- Enter Areas containing Enemy Brigades or Generals;
- Remove Enemy PC markers during movement;
- Intercept Enemy Generals;
- Besiege, Bombard or Assault Enemy-controlled Fortresses.
Once the card is played, all these restrictions are lifted.
If this card is played by the Parliament player or it is played by being removed by a Royalist Event, the Parliament player immediately Recruits one Brigade in an Area permitted in the Recruitment Phase (this does not flip the Parliament Recruitment Available marker).
Card #2 - Army of the Solemn League and Covenant
This card comprises 2 parts, the first occurs immediately, the second - optionally - in Late 1644.
If this card is played by the Royalist player, or it is played by being removed by a Parliament Event, after the Parliament player has completed Leven's Activation, the Royalist player immediately Recruits two Brigades (neither can be Northern Brigades) in Areas permitted in the Recruitment Phase (this does not flip the Royalist Recruitment Available marker).
Part 1
The Parliament player applies the following steps when this Event is played (irrespective of who played the card):
- Place five of the Covenanter Brigades on Leven's Command Display.
- Place the Leven General marker in Carlisle or Berwick (choice of the Parliament player).
- Immediately Activate Leven for movement.
This placement of Leven in Carlisle or Berwick is considered normal movement (although the placement itself costs no Movement Points), so it can trigger Interception or Battle. If Leven fights a Battle and loses or draws, his Activation is over and he is not placed on the map. He may attempt entry again later on if Activated by an appropriate Ops or Campaign card.
Part 2
Additionally, in Late 1644 the Parliament player can Activate Callander and the remaining two Covenanter Brigades (place the Brigades on Callander's Command Display).
Callander starts in Carlisle or Berwick upon Activation in the same way as Leven.
Rules for the Covenanters:
- Both Callander and Leven may command Parliament Brigades, but no Parliament General may command Covenanter Brigades or Subordinate Covenanter Generals.
- Covenanter Generals may not Disperse, but they may move off the game map (withdrawing into Scotland) by being at Carlisle or Berwick and spending 1MP. Once moved off they do not return, and any cards mandating Covenanter withdrawal or arrival is disregarded in that respect.
Card #3 - New Model Army
When the New Model Army card is played, the Parliament player applies the following steps in order:
- Remove the markers and Command Displays of Willoughby (Local Notable), Essex, Manchester, Waller and Lord Fairfax (Generals) from the game.
- Place their Brigades and any Subordinate Generals in the Area they occupied before removal.
- If the General was Besieged, his Brigades Surrender.
- If the Siege Train was with a removed General, it remains in that Area.
- Remove from the game four Parliament Brigades (these may bear any Region designation).
- These must be Veteran (2 value) Brigades.
- Where insufficient Veteran Brigades exist use Militia Brigades.
- Remove Brigades first from the map. If there are not sufficient Parliament Brigades on the map, remove as many as there are, and then remove Veteran Parliament Brigades in the Brigades Available box to reach the total of four.
- If this is still not possible then ignore the shortfall.
- If Massey's and Brereton's Local Notable markers are still in play, exchange them and their Command Displays for their Regional General markers and Command Displays (even if no Friendly Brigades are present in their Area).
- Move any Friendly Brigades on their Local Notable Command Display to the Regional General's Command Display.
- If either Local Notable was under Siege with friendly Brigades on the Command Display, the new General must immediately fight a Battle or Disperse (order of Battles is selected by the Parliament player).
- If either Local Notable was under Siege with no friendly Brigades on their Card Display, the corresponding Regional General marker is placed in the Dispersed box.
- If Massey or Brereton are no longer in play - i.e. they were forced to Surrender earlier in the game - the corresponding Regional General marker is placed in the Dispersed box, and their General Command Displays placed in the Parliament play area.
This card can only be used once as an Event. The New Model Army card is then retained by Parliament for each subsequent turn after its original play as a Core 2 Ops card. On such turns the Parliamentarians draw only 3 other cards to make their hand (which now has 3 Core cards).
Historical Note: The Parliament Generals and Brigades are removed due to The Self-denying Ordinance: "Be it ordained by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, that all and every of the members of either House of Parliament shall be, and by authority of this Ordinance are discharged at the end of forty days after the passing of this Ordinance, of and from all and every office or command military or civil, granted or conferred by both or either of the said Houses of this present Parliament, or by any authority derived from both or either of them since the 20th day of November, 1640."
Card #63 - Henrietta Maria Lands
Queen Mary arrives in the game when this card is played:
- Place the Brigades as instructed on the card. If placed in a Fortress Area, place them under the PC marker to show they are Inside it (if it has capacity).
- Then place the marker for 'The Queen' in York or any Royalist-controlled Port Area on the eastern coast of the Northern Region.
- The Queen is a Unit but not a General. She can only move if with a Royalist General.
- If at any time the Queen is in a Fortress which Surrenders, or with a Royalist General that Disperses or has all his Brigades eliminated, she is captured and removed from play.
- In the Late 1644 turn she cannot be moved (for she is with child).
- After the Late 1644 turn, the Royalist may remove the Queen at any stage during a Royalist card play if she is in a Royalist-controlled Port Area.
- If the Queen is removed by the Royalist, then subtract 1 from the Naval Status.
- If the Queen is captured, then add 2 to the Naval Status.
Historical Note: She was with child and in Late 1644 was delivered of a girl, the Princess Henrietta Anne who was to become Madame, the first wife of Philippe d'Orleans brother of Louis XIV.
Card #73 - Turnham Green
The Turnham Green event can be played either as a normal Parliament Event or during a Royalist Activation (interrupting play). In either case, a Royalist General must be in one of the 6 Areas Adjacent to London. If played during a Royalist Activation, the Royalist General halts temporarily until the Parliament player enacts the Event.
The Event allows the Parliament player to pick up any and all Parliament Brigades and Generals within 3 Areas of London and place them in the London Area - they cannot be Intercepted, nor do Enemy Units in their path stop this movement. After this (if played as a Response card), the Royalist Activation continues.
Play of this card during the Royalist Activation counts towards the 6 required card plays in a turn, but the Parliament player plays the next card (if they have any) in that turn.
Whenever Turnham Green is played, the resulting Army needs to obey Army Size Limits and Subordination rules. Unled Brigades moved by this card may be placed Inside the London Fortress.
Card #80 - The Cessation
This card introduces into the game the 'Irish' Brigades:
- The 'Irish' Brigades can be placed in any Port Areas in the Midlands or Wales that do not have a Parliament PC marker: max 1 Brigade per Port Area.
- If the Naval Score is negative, the landing Area is expanded to include the South.
- 'Irish' Brigades may be commanded by any Royalist General.
Card #81 - Lieutenant General of his Majesty's Armies
Replace the Prince Rupert General marker and Command Display with the Lieutenant General marker and Command Display. Move any Brigades and other markers over to the new Display. If Rupert is currently Subordinated to a Level 2 General he becomes the Commanding General. If he is currently Subordinated to a Level 1 General, use the rules for Illegal Subordination to resolve.
Card #82 - Earl of Brentford
After playing the card, the Royalist player takes the Earl of Brentford marker and places it on the Command Display of King Charles.
- Activate Charles as instructed by the card.
- In any turn before Winter 1644 where Charles is in a Battle, the Royalist player may discard the marker to add 1 to their Battle Score after the dice are rolled.
- This cannot convert an Indecisive Victory into a Major Victory.
Card #86 - Sir John Meldrum at Newark
A Siege marker must be in place to allow the free Bombardment to occur.
Card #96 - Prince Rupert Dismissed
Remove the Prince Rupert General marker and Command Display from the game (including if he is now Lieutenant General).
- He can be replaced by any Royalist General in the Available Generals Box - the replacement General is placed in that same Area, and Rupert's Brigades are transferred to the new General's Command Display (if there are more Brigades than he can command, the Royalist player chooses which Brigades are placed on the Command Display, the other Brigades are left Unled in the Area).
- If no General is available, Rupert's Brigades are left Unled in the Area he occupied prior to removal.
- If Rupert has already been removed, this Event has no effect.
Card #100 - Earl of Holland's Plot, Lady d'Aubigny's Scheme
To check for a London Rising roll 1D6 and modify as follows:
- Subtract the number of Parliament-controlled Economic Infrastructures;
- Subtract the number of Parliament Brigades in the Fortress of London;
- Add the number of Royalist-controlled Economic Infrastructures.
If the score is 5 or higher, a Royalist PC marker is placed in London (it is captured by a Royalist coup). The Parliament player can place Parliament Brigades that were in London (if any) in an unoccupied Area Adjacent to London of their choice (if no such Area is available, Disperse the Brigades). Any other score has no effect.
Card #107 - The King Abandons the Bishops
Remove all Covenanter Brigades and Generals from the game.
- Any Fortress garrisoned only by Covenanters that is under Siege Surrenders (otherwise Parliament simply retains control).
- Any Subordinate Generals left by the removal of Leven that are now in an Illegal Position must then be moved up to 3 Areas (but never through or into Areas containing Enemy Brigades or Generals) at the choice of the Parliament player. If they cannot do so, the Generals are removed to the Dispersed box and the Brigades to the Available for Recruitment box.
Card #108 - Charles of Lorraine
This card introduces the Charles of Lorraine General marker and Command Display and the Lorrainer Brigades.
- The Royalist player places the four Lorraine Brigades on Charles of Lorraine's Command Display, and places the Charles of Lorraine General marker at either Bristol or Newcastle.
- His placement Area must be Royalist-controlled at that time, otherwise the card has no effect.
- While the Lorrainers are in England, the Royalists cannot take the Recruit action. Place the Royalist Recruitment Available marker on its 'Used' side on the Charles of Lorraine's Command Display as a reminder.
- Charles of Lorraine may Subordinate other Generals but may only have Lorrainer Brigades on his own Command Display.
Glossary
- 1D6 - One six-sided die. (2D6 refers to two six-sided dice.)
- Activate - Playing a Campaign or Ops Strategy card to Move or Bombard with a chosen General.
- Adjacent Area - An Area that is directly connected to another Area is Adjacent to it.
- Army - A General with one or more Brigades on his Command Display.
- Army Size Limit - The maximum number of Brigades a General may control (4 or 9).
- Battle Rating - The value a General adds to a Battle Score.
- Besiege - Placing a Siege marker in a Fortress Area.
- Battle Score - The combined value of a General's Battle Rating, the Battle die roll, any Combat card effect, and the total Combat Value of all Friendly Brigades in the Area when resolving a Battle.
- Bombardment Value - The accumulated value of Bombardment rolls against a Fortress.
- Combat Value - The amount a Brigade contributes to the Battle Score. Militia have a value of 1, Veterans a value of 2.
- Combined Army - The Army of a Commanding General and the Army of any Subordinate General(s) on his Command Display.
- Commanding General - A General with Subordinate Generals on his Command Display.