Sorry, there is a lot of stuff and it is in no particular order but it needs to be commented on and tested.
1) Reduced availability of Open Terrain.
As follows:
DEVELOPED 2
AGRICULTURAL 2
HILLY 0
WOODLANDS 0
STEPPES 4(2)
MOUNTAINS 0
TROPICAL 0
DESERT 2
Also P.88 chart changed from BROKEN to UNEVEN.
2) Cataphracts changed to 3 or 4 to a base.
3) Score for single drop changed to 6,5,4,3 in main rules and ref sheet.
4) Points values for Heavy Artillery and Light Artillery changed back in main rules and ref sheet to 20 and 15 (+2 for drilled) respectively.
We would rather overprice heavy artillery than see them used as filler
5) Battle wagons cannot claim rear support.
6) Rear Support “The supported battle group must be at least partly in front of a straight line extending the front edge of the supporting bases.”
7) Apportioning combat dice.
• “If a battle group which is losing shooting or close combat dice due to DISRUPTION, FRAGMENTATION, DISORDER, SEVERE DISORDER or being light foot or light horse in close combat is fighting against more than one enemy battle group, first determine the total number of dice the battle group should lose. Apportion the lost dice, if possible, in proportion to the number of bases fighting each enemy battle group, leaving at least 1 dice (if possible) against each enemy battle group. Likewise, if fighting at different POAs against parts of the same enemy battle group, apportion lost dice, if possible, in proportion to the number of bases fighting each part of the enemy battle group, leaving at least 1 dice (if possible) against each part of the enemy battle group.”
8 ) The Basics - Dice
• “Some dice: Normal cubes numbered 1 to 6. Ideally each player should have about 10 of one colour and 5 of two other colours.”
9) Difficult forward moves
“DIFFICULT FORWARD MOVES
A ‘difficult forward move’ is one that includes a single wheel and/or is less than the troops’ full available move distance - unless either:
a) All of the movement is more than 6 MU from any enemy (including the enemy camp but not lone enemy commanders), or
b) A commander is with the battle group or battle line. He must start the phase with a battle group and remain with it for the whole phase.”
10) INITIAL PURSUITS
• “Initial pursuits obey the same rules as pursuits in the joint action phase for moving multiple pursuing battle groups, following routers or encountering the table edge, terrain or fresh enemy. See the Joint Action Phase section.”
11) PURSUING
“Pursuers who are in contact with a routing enemy battle group at the end of any pursuit move:
• Inflict 1 base loss on the routing battle group for each pursuing battle group in contact with it. (No other combat occurs against routers. This is a simplification to avoid the need to use the normal combat resolution rules.)”
Slight change in wording clarifies that pursuers whose pursuit move (against another routing BG) catches up with a routed BG that had previously outdistanced, do inflict base losses on them.
12) OVERLAPS
“Restrictions:
• A battle group can only be overlapped by one file at each end of any of its edges.
• A base that is in contact with the front edge of enemy bases on more than one of its edges cannot be overlapped on the corner between two contacted edges.
• Bases overlapping two enemy battle groups can only contribute melee dice against one of them.
• A base that is a position to contribute to close combat to its front (with dice or by creating a Point of Advantage (POA)) cannot fight as an overlap.”
13) RESTRICTED AREA
“In the manoeuvre phase only, a battle group within 2 MU directly in front of an enemy battle group is considered to be pinned. It can only perform a limited number of actions:
•
•
• Conform to an overlap position (see above) against another enemy battle group.”
14) Interception Charges
Moved section to before the Evade moves section as that corresponds to the sequence of play.
“A battle group cannot intercept an enemy battle group if, due to intervening terrain, no part of the enemy battle group is visible to it before either battle group moves.”
15) Glossary of Combat Capabilities
“Troops with Bow* capability use the same POAs as those with Bow capability, but shoot with less dice.”
16) Initial Pursuit
• “An unbroken battle group, all of whose close combat opponents (except those only fighting it as an overlap) have broken this phase, always pursues unless it is foot who have broken mounted opponents, in which case:”
17) “DECLARATION OF CHARGES
The active player declares which of his battle groups he wishes to charge and places a dice behind each such battle group to note this. To be able to declare a charge, there must be a visible enemy base that can be legally contacted by the charging battle group if it moves its normal move distance in the prevailing terrain.
A charge can be declared on as many enemy battle groups as can be legally contacted within this movement range.”
“LEGAL CHARGE CONTACT
A battle group makes a ‘legal’ charge contact if at least one of its bases contacts an enemy base either
with its front edge, or
with its front corner only against the enemy base’s edge.
Other bases of the charging battle group may contact the enemy in other ways (e.g. only corner to corner), but will not be eligible to fight in the impact phase combat.”
18 ) CHARGING WITH YOUR BATTLE GROUPS
“A charging battle group must make a charge move in one of two ways:
1. ….
2. Combine such an advance with a single wheel, made at any stage during the charge move. Any troops can wheel during a charge without taking a CMT. Unless required to avoid friends, a wheel cannot be made if it would result in less bases making contact with enemy than would occur if the battle group charged straight forwards. A wheel while charging cannot be of more than 90 degrees.
19) APPENDIX 5: ARMY COMPOSITION AND THE POINTS SYSTEM
“We recommend 800 points for 15mm singles tournament games (650 points for 25mm) and 1000 points for 15mm doubles games.”
20) CONFORMING TO ENEMY IN CLOSE COMBAT
“At the start of the manoeuvre phase, the active player’s battle groups already in close combat with enemy must (if this is physically possible) pivot and/or slide bases by the minimum necessary to conform to the enemy bases in contact:”
21) ROUTERS AND PURSUERS
• “Non-shock cavalry, camelry or light chariots entirely 1 base deep or skirmishers that would be contacted by enemy pursuers in any phase can evade*. Skirmishers that would be contacted by pursuing non-skirmishers in open terrain must pass a CMT not to evade*. (*No evade is possible if the battle group is already in close combat other than only as an overlap.)”
22) Evade moves
• “Non-shock cavalry, camelry or light chariots entirely 1 base deep or skirmishers can choose to evade an enemy battle group’s charge unless they are already in close combat other than only as an overlap. A commander with a battle group that evades must evade with it.”
23) BATTLE GROUPS ALREADY IN CONTACT BUT NOT YET COMMITTED TO CLOSE COMBAT
“Front corner to front corner only
This can happen, for example, when a battle group breaks its frontal opponents and does not pursue. It may then be in front corner to front corner contact only with a battle group that was fighting it only as an overlap. Battle groups in front corner to front corner contact only are not committed to close combat, they can move off. If they don’t move off, no combat occurs unless they are eligible to fight as an overlap. If not, they can engage in melee as follows:
A battle group that is in front corner to front corner only contact with an enemy battle group, and not eligible to fight as an overlap, can shift 1 base width sideways to create a front edge to front edge contact, but only if both of the following apply:
• It is not in frontal contact with, nor eligible to fight as an overlap against, any other enemy battle group.
• It is not in the restricted area of another enemy battle group of a type it does not ignore.
No CMT is required. If the enemy are non-shock cavalry, camelry or light chariots entirely 1 base deep or skirmishers, and are not already in close combat other than only as an overlap, they can evade directly to their own rear. Otherwise the two battle groups fight normally in the melee phase. (There is no impact combat).
Side edge to side edge only
This can happen, for example, when a battle group breaks its frontal opponents and pursues, leaving it in side edge to side edge contact with the next enemy battle group in the line. Battle groups in side edge to side edge contact are not committed to close combat, they can move off. If they don’t move off, no combat occurs unless they are eligible to fight as an overlap. If not, they can engage in melee as follows:
A battle group that is in side edge to side edge contact with an enemy battle group can turn 90 degrees to face it, provided that it is not in the restricted area of another enemy battle group of a type it does not ignore. A CMT must be taken if it would normally be required for a stationary turn. If the battle group fails its CMT it cannot turn. If it does turn, it fights the enemy battle group normally in the melee. (There is no impact combat).
If the enemy are non-shock cavalry, camelry or light chariots entirely 1 base deep or skirmishers, and are not already in close combat other than only as an overlap, they can evade directly to their own rear or directly away from the turning battle group.
If it does not evade, the enemy battle group can choose whether or not to turn bases to face.
• If it does not turn bases to face, it will get no dice in the melee, but will not count as fighting enemy in 2 directions if it is fighting enemy to its front.
• If it does choose to turn:
•• If it is already in close combat, it turns the contacted bases as if charged in the flank (see the Impact Phase section). It will then count as fighting enemy in 2 directions.
•• If it is not already in close combat, it can either turn only the contacted bases as if charged in the flank, or the whole battle group can turn to face, using the normal rules for a 90 degree turn. In either case it will not count as fighting enemy in 2 directions.
24) FIGHTING ENEMY IN TWO DIRECTIONS
“A battle group only counts as fighting enemy in 2 directions in melee if it has bases facing at 90 or 180 degrees to each other and it is in melee with different enemy battle groups on different facings. Note that this cannot happen as a consequence of a charge that was not a legal flank/rear charge.”
25) FLANK OR REAR CHARGES
“A battle group can only charge an enemy battle group in the flank or rear if it starts its charge in a position where both of the following apply (see diagram):
• The charging battle group starts with no part of any of its bases directly in front of any part of any base of the target battle group.
• The charging battle group starts with at least one base entirely behind a straight line extending the front edge of the enemy battle group. If the enemy battle group has some files stepped forward, its front edge is taken as the front edge of the file on the flank charged. If the enemy battle group is facing in more than one direction, it has more than one front edge – the above requirement must be satisfied for all of them.”
“•Bases contacted on a side or rear edge, or a rear corner, by an enemy flank or rear charge are immediately turned 90 or 180 degrees to face the chargers, using the normal rules for turning, provided that they are not already in contact with enemy to their front. If all the contacted bases are already in contact with enemy to their front, one of them is turned. If turning creates a gap between the bases that have been turned and the other bases of the battle group the turned bases are shifted back so as to remain in contact. The flank charging battle group then moves forward to maintain contact even if normal movement distance is exceeded.”
26) Variable Movement Distance (VMD)
Quality re-rolls do not apply
Explicit references to re-rolls removed from Routers and Pursuers.
27) EVADERS
DELETED: “If charged in flank or rear they can evade directly to their own front.”
28 ) “APPENDIX 4: SET UP RULES”
Not “Full Set up” as there is no quick set up.
29) MOVEMENT OF COMMANDERS
• “When a commander joins a battle-group:
• His base must be placed in edge to edge and corner to corner contact with a base of the battle group.
• He can only be with one battle group at a time. If possible, he must be placed in a position that makes it clear which battle group he is with. If not, the player must declare which battle group he is with.
• Unless fighting in the front rank (see below) his base can be moved the minimum necessary to a new position in edge to edge and corner to corner contact with the battle group at any time if this is necessary to avoid obstructions or make way for friendly or enemy troops. If there is no room left for him to be so placed, a counter can be placed on top of one of the bases of the battle group to represent his position.
• He can only leave the battle group, or voluntarily move to a different position in contact with it, during the manoeuvre or joint action phases. If the battle group itself moves, he cannot voluntarily move to a different position in contact with it.”
The following has been deleted:
“A commander can join a battle group if his move is sufficient for any part of his base to touch that battle group.
• A commander who is with a battle group is assumed to be at a fixed position in the battle group, as follows. If he is fighting in the front rank in close combat, he is considered to be at a point in the centre of the front edge of the battle group. If he is not fighting in the front rank, he is considered to be at a point on the rear edge of the battle group, level with the centre of the front edge. The exact position of a commander’s base therefore does not matter when he is with a battle group.
• When a commander is with a battle group his command radius is measured from the point specified above.
• When a commander who is with a battle group moves away from that battle group, his movement is measured from the point specified above to the furthest point reached by any part of his base. “
30) Command range
“Command range is measured from the nearest point on the commander’s base.”
The following has been deleted:
• If a commander is with a battle group, and not fighting in the front rank in close combat, his command range is measured from a point on the rear edge of the battle group level with the centre of the front edge.
• If a commander is fighting in the front rank in close combat, his command range is reduced to 0 MUs.”
31) COMMANDERS IN CLOSE COMBAT
• “A commander declared to be fighting in the front rank is placed anywhere in the front rank in contact with the enemy (player’s choice) to show that he is fighting. The base(s) he displaces is (are) placed behind him – these still fight as if they were where the commander’s base is. Once declared as fighting in the front rank, the commander cannot leave the front rank of that battle group until it is no longer in close combat and no longer in contact with enemy routers.”
32) COMMANDERS (Introductory section)
“If with a battle group, a commander’s base must always be placed in edge to edge and corner to corner contact with a base of this one battle group. If operating independently he must not be touching a battle group.”
Deleted as no longer correct and unnecessary detail for introductory section:
“The location of the commander with a battle group does not affect the rules as he is considered to be central within that battle group anyway – so if his base is in the way just put him somewhere else that qualifies. If a commander is placed touching two battle groups, the player must declare which one he is with. This can only change when the commander would be allowed to move. “
33) EVADERS (and routers)
“If even with the above there would remain bases that could not complete their evade move the battle group
must instead burst through any friendly battle group in its normal evade path. The battle group is moved to the full extent of its evade move (no shifting or contraction being allowed at all). All battle groups even partially burst through drop 1 level of cohesion immediately. (Note that troops passed through by evaders who could normally interpenetrate them do not count as burst through.)
must halt 1 MU away from any enemy battle group in its normal evade path, and if it starts closer than 1 MU to them, does not move at all.”
Initial Rout Section & Joint Action Phase routing section
• “If there are obstacles in the path of a rout move, adjust as per evade moves to get past obstacles, but not to avoid leaving the table. A routing battle group can pass through its side’s own unfortified camp, but must go round a fortified camp. If the path of a rout move is obstructed by unbroken enemy that cannot be bypassed, the battle group is destroyed.”
34) In the impact phase:
“First turn any bases required to turn to face a flank or rear charge, then proceed as follows: All charging bases in front edge contact with enemy, or in front corner contact with an enemy edge, are eligible to fight. All the enemy bases in contact with them are also eligible to fight. This includes bases contacted to their flank or rear which were unable to turn because already engaged to their front.
Both sides fight with the same number of bases determined as follows:
• If both sides have an equal number of bases eligible to fight, all of them fight. As far as possible, these are paired off to fight, so that each base fights one enemy base. If it is possible to do this in more than one way, the active player chooses which.
• If the number of eligible bases is unequal, both sides fight with the lower number of bases. The side with the higher number of bases chooses which of his bases to drop from the fight. His choice must leave every eligible enemy base paired off against one of his bases.
Note that if multiple battle groups are involved in an impact combat, the above rules apply to the whole combat.”
35) Deploying battle groups
“Skirmishers can be deployed anywhere up to 15 MUs forward from the side’s rear table edge. Other troops can be deployed anywhere up to 10 MUs from the side’s rear table edge, or anywhere completely behind the side’s field fortifications (if any). Exceptions: No troops can be deployed in impassable terrain or a river. Heavy artillery cannot be deployed in difficult terrain. Other troops cannot be deployed in terrain in which they have no movement allowance.”
36) Terrain disorder effects
“Heavy Artillery are assumed to be in prepared positions and therefore are not disordered by terrain.”
37) Field fortifications, supply camps and ambushes
“He deploys his supply camp anywhere up to 10 MUs from his side’s rear table edge, or anywhere completely behind his field fortifications if he has placed any. It cannot be placed in impassable terrain or a river, nor in a position surrounded on more than two sides by impassable terrain.”
38 ) Terrain
“Coastline (C) Extends up to 6 MUs in from the short table edge – May be the bank of a major river or the sea. Impassable to troops.”
39) Cohesion Test:
Clarify that firearms/artillery cause -1 when a BG tests for suffering shooting hits, even if the firearms/artillery did not actually score any hits themselves.
(This is simpler than having to remember whether they did or not).
“* Only applies when testing as a result of shooting hits. The modifier for being shot at by artillery or firearms applies whether or not they scored the hits.”
40) Seeing friendly battle groups break or commanders lost
“If an as yet unbroken friendly battle group is destroyed as a result of base loss(es) it is tested for as if it was broken.”
Deleted: or failing to clear friends when evading
41) Destruction due to failing to burst all the way through friends:
“A battle group burst through by friendly evaders or routers drops one cohesion level:
• Move the evading or routing battle group to the full extent of its move. If it does not clear all friends, it is destroyed and removed from the table. No cohesion test is taken for friends seeing this.”
42) Initial Rout
“If the path of a rout move is obstructed by unbroken enemy that cannot be bypassed, the battle group is destroyed at the end of the phase.”
At the end of the phase so that pursuers pursue
• “Battle wagons and artillery never make a rout move. Instead, they are destroyed and removed from the table. Their opponents do not pursue.”
43) Initial Pursuit
• “An unbroken battle group, all of whose close combat opponents (except those only fighting it as an overlap) have broken and routed this phase, always pursues unless it is foot who have broken mounted opponents, in which case:”
To clarify that they don’t pursue if the enemy are destroyed before they rout – e.g. battle wagons and artillery.
44) Routers and Pursuers
“If the path of a rout move is obstructed by unbroken enemy that cannot be bypassed, the battle group is destroyed at the end of the phase.”
45) CHARGING WITH MISSILE ARMED FOOT TROPS
“Non-shock medium foot whose front rank has bow, longbow, crossbow or firearm must pass a CMT to charge or intercept unbroken non-skirmishers (unless charging their flank or rear).”
NB – this is a wording change to make the wording clearer only. It should not change the meaning. Please point it out if it does. We currently don’t have any HF with missile weapons. Even if late Samurai got classified as HF they would still presumably be shock troops (bow*, impact foot, skilled swordsmen)
46) COHESION LEVEL AND EFFECTS TABLE
DISRUPTED (DISR)
“ Non-shock battle groups must pass a CMT to charge or intercept”
47) P.15 Playing the game
“The game ends either when time runs out or at the end of the current phase if one army (or both) have suffered an army rout.”
P.70 VICTORY AND DEFEAT
1) VICTORY AND DEFEAT
“An army suffers an army rout if at the end of the current phase it has accumulated attrition points equal to its total original number of battle groups. Unless both sides suffer a simultaneous army rout, which is a draw, the enemy has achieved a Decisive Victory. “
Also in the GLOSSARY OF TERMS under ARMY ROUT
48 ) CONFORMING TO ENEMY IN CLOSE COMBAT
“All of the bases in a battle group must end the move facing in the same direction.
A battle group that has some bases facing at 90 or 180 degrees to the rest (due to enemy contacting its former flank or rear) does not conform to enemy.”
49) REFORMING
Note – Reforming moved to the manoeuvre phase chapter as it occurs only at the start of the manoeuvre phase.
“REFORMING
If, as a consequence of previous events, (other than forming orb or depicting adverse cohesion states), a battle group is no longer in normal formation, it can reform in either side’s manoeuvre phase.
• A battle group must reform if it is to make any voluntary move. (Other than to feed more bases into an existing melee).
• It reforms back into normal formation facing the direction previously faced by any of its bases (player’s choice), with the same frontage as currently in that direction. Its front edge is placed level with the furthest forward base in that direction.
• A battle group completing a previous partial interpenetration reforms at the end of its move. Otherwise, reforming precedes any other movement and does not affect any of the manoeuvre phase rules.
• A battle group currently fighting in two or more directions against enemy battle groups in close combat cannot reform.
• A battle group that has some of its bases facing enemy currently in contact with its flank or rear (and no enemy in contact to its front) is not forced to reform. If it does so, however, it must reform to face the enemy in contact.”
50) TURNING 90 DEGREES
Clarified wording (I think)
“See the diagram below. The old side edge of the battle group becomes the new front edge. The old front edge becomes the new side edge. The corner in between does not move. The new front edge must consist of the minimum number of bases so that the width of the turned group is at least as wide as it was deep before turning. (For example, in 15mm scale, if the old formation was 45mm deep, the new formation will be two bases - 80mm - wide). Other bases are repositioned behind to make the new formation legal. If the above is not possible due to obstructing troops or impassable terrain, the turn cannot be made.”
51) EVADING
Note that the evading BG needs to be allowed to not turn at all to evade in the direction of the charge if it is already facing approximately that direction.
• “If evading in the direction of the charge, the battle group must first turn 180 or 90 (player’s choice) unless its existing facing is closer to the direction of the charge. It must then wheel until it is facing a direction parallel to the chargers’ indicated direction of charge. It then completes its full move directly forwards, adjusting for the variable move distance. ”
52) TURNING 90 DEGREES WHILE EVADING
• “When making a 90 degree turn whilst evading the normal rules for 90 degree turns are followed, except that the positioning of the turned battle group is different: The old side edge nearest the chargers becomes the new rear edge. The old front edge of the battle group becomes the new side edge. The corner in between does not move.”
In some positions the 90 turn would take part of some bases off the table edge, into terrain or into contact with the enemy. This is presumably covered by the following
53) MEETING OBSTRUCTIONS WHILE EVADING,
“If an evading battle group encounters any obstructions, the following rules apply:
• It can shift sideways up to one base width to get past friendly troops it cannot interpenetrate, enemy troops, a camp or terrain, or to avoid leaving the table. All bases must end in at least partial edge contact with another base of the battle group.”
Also
• “If the evading battle group meets terrain it cannot enter, or has too little move to enter, or a camp, it turns 90 degrees and wheels to move parallel to the edge of the terrain or camp in whichever direction is closest to its original evade direction. ”
54) NON-CONFORMED MELEES
The current wording is:
Proposed new wording:NON-CONFORMED MELEES
If it was impossible to conform battle groups in contact, the troops continue to fight in an offset formation. All combat is resolved as if the lining up was possible. Both sides fight with the same number of bases fighting as if in front edge contact as would have been able to fight if lining up was possible. This means that one side can only have more bases fighting as if in front edge contact if the enemy is fighting in 2 directions (see below). Otherwise both sides fight as if the lower number of bases were in front edge contact.
One file on each side of the bases fighting as if in front edge contact can fight as an overlap. It is possible for opposing battle groups both to have an overlap on the same side. Bases in the middle of any “edge” of a battle group cannot be overlapped.
This new wording omits the stuff about:MELEES THAT CANNOT LINE UP
If it is not possible for battle groups in contact to line up, they continue to fight in an offset position with the same number of bases counting as ‘in front edge contact’ as if they had lined up.
One file on each side of the bases counting as ‘in front edge contact’ can fight as an overlap. It is possible for opposing battle groups both to have an overlap on the same side. Overlaps are not permitted against bases in the middle of any edge of a battle group.
"This means that one side can only have more bases fighting as if in front edge contact if the enemy is fighting in 2 directions (see below). Otherwise both sides fight as if the lower number of bases were in front edge contact."
I think this follows automatically from the first sentence. While it attempts to be a clarification, I cannot find any way of wording it that is not clumsy or incorrect. Note that the present wording is incorrect, because it does not cover the situation where a BG is side to side walked and chooses not to turn.
55) DEFINITION OF CLOSE COMBAT
“‘Close Combat’ is a general term for impact and melee combat. Once such combat has been joined, battle groups are deemed to be in close combat until one side breaks off, breaks or is destroyed (or a battle group fighting only as an overlap moves away).”
56) DEFINITION OF FILE
“File - A single front rank base and all the bases of the same battle group lined up behind it.”
57) COHESION ABBREVIATIONS
Abbreviations for DISRUPTED changed back to DISR, and that for FRAGMENTED to FRAG – as used in the diagrams.
Abbreviations for STEADY and BROKEN removed entirely as they are not used anywhere.
58 ) BREAKING OFF
Section re-formatted and re-worded. Note the rules change in italics.
“Breaking Off
In historical battles mounted troops often made repeated charges on steady enemy foot. In the joint action phase they pull back to prepare for their next charge.
• Mounted troops fighting enemy in 2 directions do not break off.
• Elephants do not break off.
• Otherwise, mounted troops break off if at least half their close combat opponents are STEADY foot. (Counting only front rank bases in contact other than only as an overlap).
When breaking off, a battle group moves straight back. Move distance is not measured normally, but instead the battle group ends up its normal move distance away from the enemy broken off from, facing them, in a normal formation of the same frontage as before. It will thus be in position to charge the same enemy again in its next turn. The distance from the enemy is reduced in the following circumstances:
• If the move is blocked by a friendly battle group (even if this is of a type the breakers-off could normally interpenetrate) or camp, the battle group halts when it touches it.
• If the move would otherwise leave the table, the battle group halts when it touches the table edge.
• If the move is blocked by an enemy battle group or camp, the battle group halts 1 MU from this.
• If the move passes through terrain, the distance is reduced to the normal move distance in that terrain.
• If the move reaches terrain when the distance has already exceeded the normal move distance in that terrain, the battle group halts when it touches the edge of the terrain.
If, as a result, a battle group that should break off is unable to move back at least 1MU, it drops a cohesion level, the break off is cancelled, and the melee continues next turn.”
Note that it is not intended that troops should drop a cohesion level if they do not break off because they are fighting in 2 directions (they have suffered enough already), or the enemy are unsteady. Is that clear enough?
59) COMMANDERS IN CLOSE COMBAT
“A lost commander is removed from play, and the bases he displaced are put back into their previous position before measuring to see if any friendly battle groups are in range to test cohesion for seeing him lost (see the Battle Group Deterioration section).”
60) PURSUERS
• “Pursuers follow routers, wheeling if necessary to do so. They can contract frontage by dropping back bases if necessary to avoid friends.”
They need to be able to do this. However, they do not contract to avoid fresh enemy, they hit them instead.
• “Initial pursuits obey the same rules as pursuits in the joint action phase for moving multiple pursuing battle groups, following routers, avoiding friends or encountering the table edge, terrain or fresh enemy. See the Joint Action Phase section.”
61) Shooting POA clarification
Shooting POA chart extensively changed in main rules and ref sheet to clarify. Each target type is now only mentioned in one place. Please check that it is correct.
“Any, if one or more of the following apply. (Count only one -): Shooting
• in impact phase
• to rear (LH or LCh)
• at a battle group which is partly in close combat other than only as an overlap
• by a battle group which is partly in close combat other than only as an overlap”
62) Moves Distances and Disorder
Section reworded to avoid confusion caused by use of the term “speed” and to clarify Bugle999’s issues.
“The following table cross references troop type with terrain to show the effect on order and maximum move distances in MUs. For movement purposes, a terrain type is assigned one of four difficulty levels: open, uneven, rough or difficult. The effect of terrain types is covered in Appendix 2.”
• “The lower move distance applies to the whole move if any part of any base of the battle group is in distance-reducing terrain at any stage of its move. As a result, sometimes battle groups can reach the edge of a piece of terrain but not enter it. e.g. if cavalry have moved at least 3 MU in the open and meet rough terrain, they have already moved their maximum rough terrain distance, so cannot enter it.
• Troops in column move at +1 MU along roads or through any terrain if the indicated move distance is less than their move distance in open terrain.
• Battle groups with mixed troop-types have the move distance of the slower type.
• Battle lines have the move distance of their slowest battle group.
• Battle groups moving through more than one type of terrain are limited to the shortest move distance shown for any of those terrain types. Battle groups with mixed troop types use the shortest move distance that would apply to any base in the battle group, even if that base is clear of the terrain. e.g. heavy foot backed by a rank of light foot move at 2 MU in rough terrain, even if only the rear rank of light foot is in the rough terrain.”
• “Commanders, however depicted, have the move distance of light horse when not with a battle group.”
63) Evading
Clarify that evading (or routing) battle group cannot split into two sections to pass obstructions.
• “If an evading battle group encounters any obstructions, the following rules apply:
•
• It can shift sideways up to one base width to get past friendly troops it cannot interpenetrate, enemy troops, a camp or terrain, or to avoid leaving the table. All bases must end in at least partial edge contact with another base of the battle group. The battle group cannot split.”
64) Interception Charges
65) Movement chart and Simple & Complex Moves ChartAn interception charge must be directly forward (except as below) and can be up to the limit of the battle group’s ZOI. It cannot include any shifts, changes of formation or interpenetrations. It must either:
• Cross the path of the charging enemy battle group. Interceptors move before chargers. If this would result in the enemy chargers contacting its flank, the intercepting battle group can and must wheel towards them to avoid this, its total move distance including the wheel not exceeding 4 MUs if mounted, 2 MUs if foot. If it cannot avoid being contacted in the flank, the interception is cancelled.
Contact the flank or rear of the enemy battle group. This is only permitted if the intercepting battle group started in a position to charge the flank or rear of the enemy battle group as previously described. It cancels the enemy battle group’s charge completely and despite the fact that it happens in the enemy’s turn, is treated as a normal flank/rear charge
Colour key clarified by placing word on top of colour.
66) Terrain Set-Up
“Rivers and coasts can be removed, but not slid or pivoted.”
“No piece can be placed (prior to adjustment) closer than 4 MUs to any other piece except:
• Any piece can be placed close to a coast or river.
• A road can pass close to or over any terrain placed before or after.
• A village can be superimposed upon any hill placed after.
The use of open areas is to restrict the placing of other terrain. ”
67) Glossary
“Cover Plantation, forest, village, vineyards, enclosed fields. These give cover to bases wholly within them.”
68 ) Troops who may charge without orders
“The following additional rules apply to CMTs to avoid charging without orders:
• The CMT is taken by each individual battle group separately, even if it is part of a battle line. A commander cannot therefore be counted as “with” the battle group for the test unless he is actually with the battle group that is testing.
• Quality re-rolls do not apply.
• Mixed battle groups including any shock troops must test as if entirely shock troops. “
69) Terrain
To encourage modeled terrain, the facility to superimpose terrain pieces ‘on the fly’ has been removed. This does not prohibit wooded hills, etc.
“Steep Hill (SH): A steeply sloping hill which gives a close combat advantage to those higher up the slope. Troops on such a hill can shoot over troops below them. Troops beyond a crest line are only visible within 1 MU. Steep hills are always difficult, whether clear or covered by broken ground, brush, plantation, vineyards, forest or a village.”
“Gentle Hill (GH) A gently sloping hill which gives a close combat advantage to those higher up the slope. Troops on such a hill can shoot over troops below them. Troops beyond a crest line are only visible within 1 MU. Slopes can be clear, uneven (if covered by broken ground), rough (if covered by brush or plantation) or difficult (if covered by vineyards, forest or a village).”
“A hill can be clear or can be wholly or partly covered with one of either broken ground, brush, plantation, vineyards, forest or a village. It counts as the number of selections for its size. The covering does not count as extra selections. However, the hill and the covering each count toward the maxima (and minima) of their respective types.”
“The player with initiative selects one of the two compulsory pieces, and must choose a village if the territory type is Developed. The other player must select the other compulsory piece. A covered hill can be chosen as a compulsory piece only if either of the following apply:
• Hills are compulsory.
• Hills are permitted and the covering is compulsory and of at least normal size.”
“The order in which terrain is placed is as follows:
1. The player with initiative places any river or coast.
2. The player with initiative places any village (including any integral hill).
3. The player with initiative places his compulsory item.
4. The other player places his compulsory item.
5. The player with initiative places any open area(s).
6. The other player places any open area(s).
7. The player with initiative places his remaining pieces.
8. The other player places his remaining pieces.
9. Open area pieces are removed from the table.
No piece can be placed (prior to adjustment) closer than 4 MUs to any other piece except:
• Any piece can be placed closer than 4 MUs to a coast, river or road.
• A road can be placed closer than 4 MUs to any piece.
• A road must pass through or touch a village if there is one.
The use of open areas is to restrict the placing of other terrain. ”
“When a piece ‘slides’ it must maintain its angle of placement relative to the table edges. To pivot, fix any point on the edge of the terrain piece and rotate the piece around this point. A piece cannot be slid or pivoted off table, nor to overlap another terrain piece. ”
70) Orb
Orb Formation
• ORB formation is a special all round defensive formation permitted only to battle groups entirely of pikemen or spearmen.
• It is depicted by contracting the battle group to 2 files wide, and turning at least half the battle group’s ranks to face the rear. The normal rules for a stationary contraction are used, except that it can be performed by undrilled troops. A battle group can therefore only form ORB if it starts no more than 4 files wide.
• A complex move test (CMT) must be passed to form or leave ORB formation.
• A battle group cannot form or leave ORB formation while in close combat.
• A battle group leaving ORB formation can face any of its four edges as if making a 90 or 180 degree turn.
• A battle group in ORB formation:
• Cannot charge.
• Can move 1 MU directly to front or rear in its side’s manoeuvre phase.
• Never counts as charged in flank or rear and never turns to face enemy contacting its flank or rear. It never conforms to enemy in close combat.
• Fights in any direction with one quarter of its bases, rounded up. Half of these, rounded up, count as front rank bases. It cannot be overlapped, and suffers no POA penalty for fighting in more than one direction.
• Cannot count any pikemen or spearmen POAs, but, if steady, counts as steady pikemen or spearmen for the purpose of determining enemy POAs.
71) Removing bases
•
If a battle group is in close combat with two or more enemy battle groups, do not remove a base that would leave any of the enemy battle groups (except those fighting only as an overlap) without a base to face (unless you run out of bases).
72) Cohesion TestsOther bases of the battle group immediately shuffle up to retain contiguity and fill vacated front rank positions. All vacated front rank close combat fighting positions (except overlaps) must be filled if the battle group has any bases available to do so. Non-front rank bases must be used if any are available, and can be from any part of the battle group. If not, front rank bases that are not in close combat or are only in close combat as an overlap must be used. If there are no such bases available, and there is a gap in the front rank, front rank bases in close combat must be shifted sideways to fill the gap. The player owning the battle group chooses which direction to shift, but if possible, it must leave at least one base in contact with each opposing enemy battle group (except those fighting only as an overlap).
For consistency with the CT modifier:
(Appears in 2 places)Test a battle group after all shooting dice have been rolled if it suffered either of the following:
•
• At least 2 shooting hits if shot at by artillery (whether or not the artillery scored the hits).
73) Outflanking Marches
•
Unless both armies have an outflanking march on that flank (see below), the outflanking battle groups and commander arrive in any legal formation in the manoeuvre phase of the controlling player’s next turn, anywhere on that flank’s side table edge. All battle groups must be in command range of their commander at the end of their first move on to the table.
• A driven back flank march arrives in the manoeuvre phase of its side’s next turn following either side’s successful dicing for arrival on that flank. It arrives on the side table edge up to 12 MUs from its army’s rear table edge. Each battle group arrives in any legal formation and makes a full double move on to the table perpendicular to the table’s side edge, ending its move facing away from that table edge. This counts as its full normal movement for the turn. It does not have to be in command range of its commander.
• If not themselves driven back, the enemy arrive in the manoeuvre phase of the following turn, using the normal rules for arrival (see above), except that they too must arrive in the same 12 MUs of the side table edge.
