horse, foot and guns

8/4/2019 Horse, Foot and Guns

1/60

1

HORSE, FOOT AND GUNS"

QUICK PLAY ARMY LEVEL WARGAMES RULES FOR LARGE LAND BATTLES 1701-1914

INTRODUCTION

These rules are primarily intended for games between two players each controlling a complete army against its historical

opponents using a minimum number of figures on a small table, but can also be used for larger or multi-player games featuring

big armies split into wings and/or combinations of allied armies. There will also be more detailed companion sets, initially"Tricorne & Musket" covering 1701-1790, "Shako and Bayonet" for 1791-1850, and "Kepi & Rifle" for 1851-1914. The series'inspirations are that no current rules can cope with more than one corps per player, that few of the many wars of the period

except the Napoleonic and American Civil Wars are covered by existing rule sets, the greater interest being shown in smaller

model scales for which casualty removal is impractical, and the realisation that the methods of our quick play ancient set "De

Bellis Antiquitatis" can be extended further than originally supposed.

My intent here is to provide the simplest possible set of wargames rules that retain the full feel and generalship requirements of18th and 19th century battle at army level. Those wishing for more specific period texture with more detailed troop

classification and attention paid to lower level formation and tactics will find these in the companion sets. HFG's simplicity

makes it especially suitable as an introduction to wargaming the era for beginners and the young. At first sight, you may doubt

the simplicity, which is more real than apparent, but bear in mind that while many troop types are catered for, no individual

army will employ more than a few of them.

The extended historical scope may cause raised eyebrows, but while many wars were between like systems, many others were

not. Traditional musket lines fought French columns and skirmishers, Russian musket columns fought British and French

Minie rifles in the Crimea, Prussian Dreyse needle guns fought Austrian Minie in 1866 but were outranged by French

Chassepot and machine guns in 1870, smoothbore and rifled artillery were partnered in more than one war, while at sea

ironclads fought unarmoured steamers and wooden sail.

Nevertheless, HFG is not intended for competition play unless with very rigid restrictions on period and priority pairing of

historical opponents. It is also unsuitable for battles involving limited numbers of troops, such as most of those of the

American War of Independence, nor for siege warfare.

You should not assume that the differences between my perception of the realities of warfare during the era and received

opinion are due to ignorance. Some formerly respected secondary sources have recently been discredited by modern research.

"The Anatomy of Victory" and "Battle Tactics of Napoleon and his Enemies", both by Brent Nosworthy and "Forward intoBattle" and "Rally Once Again" by Paddy Griffith provide good analysis, and many useful books by 18th and 19th century

soldiers or theoreticians exist.

Copyright (c) Phil Barker 1991, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004.

CONTENTS

GAME PHILOSOPHY Page 2

PLAYING EQUIPMENT AND REPRESENTATIONAL SCALES. 3TROOP DEFINITIONS. 4

ORGANISING AN ARMY. 8

SETTING UP A BATTLE. 11

FIGHTING THE BATTLE. 16

DEFINITIONS 27

ADVICE FROM THE MASTERS 28OPTIONAL PRELIMINARY MAP MOVEMENT. 30

ARMY LISTS 31

INDEX TO ARMY LISTS 59

COMMENTS. 60

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. 60


2/60

2

GAME PHILOSOPHY

These rules are based on detailed analysis of a number of key battles for which a good sequence of events is available. This

shows that, except for approach marches while out of contact, events are discrete initiatives and responses. This version is the

result of testing against participants accounts of very many more battles

In HFG, troops are assumed to attempt at all times to be in their preferred formation for their current situation. Whether they

achieved this is sometimes shown by their combat results. For example, if infantry are destroyed by cavalry, they have

probably failed to form square in time or flinched from the charge. The other rule sets in the series include a variety of

formations and formation changing.

Skirmishers integral to units are assumed to be present even if not represented by figures. Infantry elements represent the mainbody, but the range at which they fire may assume that the fire is actually coming from skirmishers posted in front. The

forward edge of an element base does not represent the position of the front rank. Instead, the combined base depth between

figures of opposing elements in base contact represents point blank range.

Shooting ranges are those at which substantial casualties could be expected. Shooting is assumed to also occur at up to double

that range, but to only put a brake on enemy movement by forbidding march moves in non-tactical formations such as columnof route. Artillery ranges are those considered practical by contemporaries and were often limited by considerations of

visibility and long range shot dispersion.

Combat results are matched to the range or those recorded during confrontations between troops of those types in similar

situations in real battles. Combat factors have been set to produce historical effects in conjunction with the combat outcome

table and should not be judged in isolation. One innovation is a Spent result for cavalry that used up their mounts strength

and the riders dash and cohesion but mostly survive, so that they are removed but do not count as lost. This encourages use

rather than hoarding. At the other extreme, another innovation for the first time provides an adequate reason to reserve elite

troops for the decisive moment of the battle.

Conventional rule sets give the player far too much information. A real general does not know that a unit has just lost a certain

number of men, or even its total losses until next day, if then. However, he will usually be in a position to see if a body is

moving forward cheering, edging back looking over its collective shoulders, or has disintegrated. We provide players with that

information and that only.

Our command and movement system is arbitrary, but its results are very similar to those from elaborate systems incorporatingwritten orders, transmission by a limited number of messengers or signals, and then testing interpretation by the recipient. In

any case, as Clausewitz points out, confusion is the normal state in battle, good staff work merely reducing it to a barely

acceptable level. The function of the command system in a wargame differs from that in a real battle in that it is not used to

enable the general to manoeuvre his troops at all, but to prevent him doing so too freely! This we achieve.

Some features of related rule sets are not applicable in this era and others were less or more important. For example, night

marches were plentiful, but night attacks were rare and usually restricted to localised assaults on strong points, which is

surprising considering the need towards the end of the era to overcome the defensive power of longer ranged firearms.

Successful attacks taking advantage of morning mist were less rare, but invariably due to coincidence rather than planning.

Indeed, on one occasion, the attacker actually waited for an hour in the hope that the mist that was to give him victory would

clear!

The effects of attacks also differ in this era, brigades attacked in both front and flank being more often repulsed or routed thandestroyed. Naval co-operation was more common than previously, especially in America on coasts, great lakes and large

rivers, though the feats of the Danish ironclad Rolf Krake against the Prussians also deserve a mention. Off-table flank

marches and decentralisation into semi-independent Corps were increasingly important from the Napoleonic Wars on. While

treachery resulting in allies changing side in mid-battle did not occur, misunderstanding and lack of co-operation between

allies was rife.


3/60

3

PLAYING EQUIPMENT AND REPRESENTATIONAL SCALES

CHOICE OF FIGURE AND MODEL SCALE

These rules are primarily intended for 15mm or smaller figures. 25mm can also be used if the ground scale is increased by 50%

and its easier visibility may be helpful in public demonstration games.

TROOP REPRESENTATION AND ARMY SIZE

Figures are combined into elements, each of which consists of several figures or figure blocks fixed to a rectangular base of

card or some similar material. All bases used by both sides must have the same frontage. Each element type has a cost in Army

Points (AP) ranging from 1 to 50, intended to render opposed armies approximately equal in ability and encourage realistic

proportions of elite troops, cavalry and artillery.

Opposing sides must be historical contemporaries, or if fictional, of the same putative year. Each side consists of elements of

an agreed total of AP and each army (a side may have more than 1 army) must include 1 or more staff elements and up to 1

logistics element. 1 staff element represents the sides Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) and others his subordinate or allied army,

wing or corps commanders. A defending player can also use AP to add garrisoned strong points, provide field defences or

conceal troops.

A staff element represents a senior general together with his staff and escorts.

A cavalry element represents a brigade of 6-10 squadrons (usually 1,000-1,500 men), or a commando (or about 500 men) of

Mounted Rifles.A foot element represents a regiment or small brigade of 2 very strong or 3-4 average battalions (usually 1,500-2,500 men),

reducing to a single battalion (about 1,000 men) if Rifles (1898>) or Marksmen.

An artillery element represents 18-24 guns, twice as many machine guns, or 100 jingal or rocket men.

A strong point garrison represents several companies of foot together with any subsequent reinforcements.

A naval element represents 1-2 ironclads, a single submersible or semi-submersible or 2-3 other vessels.

The units represented by an element are assumed to always attempt to be in the appropriate formation. This will normally be

single or multiple columns while moving out of contact, and lines, columns or squares, sometimes with advanced skirmisher

screens, when in combat.

PLAYING AREA AND GROUND SCALE

A playing area 6 miles wide by 3 miles deep is ample for normal sized battles of up to 400AP. Increasing width to 9 miles

permits the largest historical battles, such as Borodino, Gettysburg or Koniggratz. Also increasing depth to 6 miles allowspaired battles such as Quatre Bras/Ligny, Waterloo/Wavre or Gravelot-St.Privat. These improve elbowroom in multi-player

games and scope for manoeuvre, but slow play.

All distances are given in paces (p) of 0.75 metres or 30 inches. An element's frontage represents 400 paces in real life, which

sets the standard ground scale at 10mm = 100p, 1 inch = 250p, and 200mm/8 inches = 1 mile.

Measure distances on the table with a card strip or similar marked at 200p intervals up to 800p, then at 400p pace intervals.

Element base dimensions are significant multiples of 100p and this will often make use of a measure unnecessary. A pair of

400p x 200p bases with handles instead of figures can be very useful for measuring gaps. Play is smoother and pleasanter if

players do not try to position elements "just outside" a

critical distance and specify intended separation distance on completing moves.

TIME SCALEPlay is in alternate bounds. These do not represent fixed arbitrary divisions of time, but initiatives and responses by the two

sides. However, dividing known battle durations by the number of discrete phases that can be identified produces consistent

enough results to define a bound as equivalent to an average of 10 minutes in real life. Except for march movement out of

contact, which is assumed to be continuous and to have been during the previous enemy bound as well as your current bound,

move distances are not a function of time available and theoretical speeds, but are based on typical moves in real battles.

DICE

One differently coloured ordinary 1 to 6 dice is required for each staff element used.


4/60

4

TROOP DEFINITIONS

Troops are defined by battlefield behaviour as well as by their weapons. We distinguish only those troops thought by

contemporaries to differ sufficiently to need different handling by their commanders or the enemy. Each type is identified by a

name descriptive of its armament and fighting methods. However, be warned that these necessarily arbitrary names may

contradict regimental titles, which were often deceptive and/or obsolete. For example, not all regiments with dragoon titles still

practised dismounted fighting and many light infantry regiments came to differ from line regiments only in dress distinctions.

Where a date range is specified () = only after????.

Staff elements can be a large Army HQ, a small Command Party, or a Native Potentate.

Mounted elements can be Pistols, Cuirassiers, Heavy Cavalry, Dragoons, Light Cavalry, Repeaters, Mounted Rifles, Rifle

Cavalry, Light Horse or Sipahis.

Foot elements can be Shot, Muskets, Bayonets, Light Infantry, Stoic Foot, Minie, BL, Rifles, Marksmen, Spearmen, or a

Strong Point (SP) garrison.

Artillery elements can be Smoothbore, Mixed, Rifled, or Light.

Naval elements can be Flotilla, Sail, Steamer, Ironclad or Submarine. 1 can be designated Flagship.

Train elements can be Pontooneers, a Supply Base, a Laager, or Aeronauts.

A few elements can be additionally graded as BRILLIANT or INERT if staff, as ELITE if mounted or foot, as HORSE or

HEAVY if artillery. Any number of mounted, foot or naval can be graded as INFERIOR.

ARMY HEADQUARTERS (HQ), representing the person, advisers, aides, staff, gallopers, escort, and sometimes kibitzing

royalty, of an army commander who prefers to change position infrequently and relies on ample messengers to exert authority,such as Napoleon at Waterloo, Schwartzenburg at Leipzig, McClellan in 1862 or Moltke in 1870, or more rarely, the similar

entourage of an ally general.

COMMAND PARTY (CP), representing the person and small entourage of an army commander who prefers seeing for

himself and personal communication to total reliance on messengers, such as Marlborough, Wellington or Raglan, or of a

subordinate general or ally general (AG) commanding a wing of the army or a corps.

NATIVE POTENTATE (NP), representing the ruler, vizier or other sole commander of an African or Asiatic native army,

often mounted on an elephant, horse or camel or sitting on a portable throne or litter, together with his advisors, lackeys, fan

bearers and bodyguard.

PISTOLS, representing early 18th century cavalry who moved deliberately in close formation and often received enemycavalry charges at the halt with a fire of pistols and/or carbines rather than counter-charging, such as the French (>1730) and

the Austrians (>1751). This tactic was the best against Turkish sipahis, but less effective against European cavalry charging

sword in hand.

CUIRASSIERS, representing cavalry in steel plate armour corselet or half-corselet on big horses who charged sword in handin close formation, such as British cavalry under Marlborough, Prussian cuirassiers of the Seven Years War, French

Napoleonic cuirassiers or later Prussian cuirassiers even if brigaded with uhlans. 19th century experts disagreed as to whether

the protection offered by a cuirass justified its extra weight and fatigue, though most agreed it made the wearer braver,

especially when attacking foot.

HEAVY CAVALRY, representing other cavalry mounted on big horses intended almost exclusively for the mounted chargeand inefficient at other duties, such as 19th century British dragoon guards and heavy dragoons, French carabineers and horse

grenadiers, or cuirassier regiments that had abandoned armour.

DRAGOONS, representing plainer, cheaper and/or worse mounted cavalry who could not only charge or carry out outpost

duties mounted, but retained some ability to fight on foot, such as early 18th century and some later dragoons and early

American Civil War cavalry. Not all troops with a dragoon title qualify.


5/60

5

LIGHT CAVALRY (1747>), representing regular cavalry with theoretically smaller men mounted on light fast horses trained

to charge in line, but also expected to perform the bulk of the army's mounted outpost, escort, scouting, screening and

skirmishing duties, such as dashing romantic regiments of hussars, light dragoons, chasseurs or lancers, sometimes supported

by duller and less fashionable dragoons. The first troops in this category were the Prussian hussars after their reorganisation by

von Winterfeldt.

REPEATERS (1863-1905), representing cavalry mostly armed with repeating magazine carbines as well as with sabre and

revolver, and at least as likely to fight with most troopers dismounted as to fight entirely mounted, such as later Union cavalry

of the American Civil War.

MOUNTED RIFLES (1880>), representing sharpshooters or infantry with modern rifles riding ponies, mules or camels, such

as Boers or regular camel corps, or cavalry whose carbines have been replaced by rifles to fight mostly on foot in a singlefiring line. They were very wary of cavalry who had swords.

RIFLE CAVALRY (1905>), representing riders with modern rifles, but keeping (or if Australians after 1917 scrounging)

swords and combining dismounted fire with decisive mounted charges.

LIGHT HORSE, representing those undisciplined irregular skirmishing horsemen or camel men who dominated the war ofoutposts, sought to engulf unwary enemy cavalry, but more often hovered in swarms around formed enemy than charged

desperately to disaster, such as 18th century Austrian hussars, Russian Cossacks, Tartars, Maratha pindaris or marauding

Bedouin. Also used for Light Cavalry present in small number for scouting, but not numerous enough to be formed intobrigades, such as British, Loyalist and Rebel cavalry during the American War of Independence, and partisan rangers of the

American Civil War.

SIPAHIS, representing fiercer native cavalry charging wildly in loose swarms and superior to Europeans in a confused melee;

such as Mamluks, Turkish Sipahis, Indian silhadars or Tuareg.

FIRELOCKS, representing European infantry (1701-1749) still using the French system of the late 17th century, though now

often all armed with flintlock smoothbore musket and bayonet. They still formed 4-6 ranks deep with large intervals between

ranks that had to be closed up to deploy, change direction or fire. They defended with rank fire, each rank stooping after it fired

so that the next could fire over its heads, but were supposed to attack with sword or bayonet without firing. Also those non-

European infantry with matchlock or flintlock muskets who fired a volley or two, then charged with swords, such as Turkish

Janissaries.

MUSKETS (1701-1860), representing infantry also armed with muzzle-loaded smoothbore musket and bayonet, but using the

new Dutch drill and firings, such as the Dutch themselves (>1794), British (1807),

and Austrians (1741-1807). They usually formed in 3 ranks with small intervals and marched in step and drilled in cadence,

these greatly improving their ability to change formation or direction. Whether in attack or defence, they fought erect in rigid

shoulder-to-shoulder lines, the ranks "locked on" by moving half a man width sideways so that all could fire simultaneously.

Combat started with platoon fire, with each platoon volleying in its succession, but tended to degenerate into independent fire.

At short range, their fire was often more deadly than the skirmishing fire or single volley and charge of the following type,

though less decisive than the latter. Their bayonets were chiefly valuable for defence against charging cavalry, against whom

there was only time for a single close range volley.

BAYONETS (1701-1885), representing infantry armed and drilled like those we class as Firelocks or Muskets or (1850>) like

those we class as Minie, but chiefly relying on the moral effect of a bayonet or sabre charge in line after a single volley amid

ringing cheers or rebel yell or of a rapid advance in column, such as brigaded grenadiers, Swedish (>1718), British (1775-1850), French (1792-1867), Prussian (1808-1864), Austrian (1808-1850 and 1864-1866) and American Civil War

Confederates. Those like Muskets (1791>) preferred to form battalion squares when attacked by cavalry and relied for distant

or more continuous fire against infantry on skirmishers thrown out in front, which are assumed to be present, though not

depicted. Successful bayonet charges killed and wounded few enemy compared with more continuous shooting but were more

decisive, since they left fleeing opponents in no doubt that they had lost.


6/60

6

LIGHT INFANTRY (1700-1867), representing infantry brigades similar to those classed above as Bayonets, but entirely of

men trained to move exceptionally fast and act independently, such as those of the Anglo-Portuguese Light Division of the

Peninsular War and French Zouaves and Turcos before 1867. It does not include Prussian fusiliers and French Chasseurs de

Pied of 1859, since these were brigaded with normal infantry rather than together.

STOIC FOOT (1700-1915), representing infantry with muzzle-loaded smoothbore musket and bayonet and drilled as any ofthe types above, or (1857>) with rifles but still relying on dense formations and volley fire, more remarkable for endurance

than for marksmanship but fond of the bayonet and whom "it is 6 times easier to kill than to defeat", such as regulars of the

Sikh khalsa until 1849 and Russian line infantry.

MINIE (1851-1867), representing infantry armed with muzzle-loaded expanding bullet rifles such as the Minie, Enfield,

Springfield, Lorenz or Podewil, the theoretical range of which was not however achieved in war due to the unfamiliar problemof range estimation, a short beaten zone and a lack of practise facilities. They fought erect or kneeling in a looser two-deep line

using available cover and mostly relying on its own fire rather than on that of detached skirmishers. Examples include British

Crimean War infantry and Union infantry of the American Civil War.

BL (1848-1870), representing infantry armed with low velocity breech-loaded rifles, such as the Dreyse needle gun, Snider or

Remington. As well as firing faster, these they could load and fire prone with reduced exposure to enemy fire, so fought in athick swarm instead of in line or column.

RIFLES (1867>), representing infantry armed with higher velocity breech-loaded or (1886>) magazine rifles, such as theChassepot, Martini, Berdan or Lee-Metford, and usually fighting as a prone firing line with supports and reserve. A flatter

trajectory and adjustable sights permitted long range volleying, and the increased firing rate of magazine rifles and aid by

machine guns later allowed even more open formations.

MARKSMEN, representing both the occasional specialist jager battalion employed by European armies during the early part

of the period and the larger numbers of irregulars such as Austrian pandours, Indian najibs or jezailachis, wily Pathans and

Afghan irregulars; but not the skirmishers of 19th century regular units or specialist jager or rifle battalions integral to line

brigades, such as Austrian jager in 1859 and 1866.

SPEARMEN, representing undrilled foot mainly relying on a charge with spear and/or sword, such as Irish rebel pikemen,

Russian Opolchenie militia, Dervish, Zulus, or in the related rule sets, Highland Scots Jacobite rebels.

SMOOTHBORE ARTILLERY (1700-1868), representing entirely smoothbore artillery batteries allocated to a corps or itsconstituent divisions, or to a grouping of equivalent power centralised under the C-in-C's personal control as an artillery

reserve for use in mass at a decisive point. It does not include light guns accompanying individual infantry battalions or

regiments, which are instead assumed to be included in these. Each artillery element may include a minority of horse or heavy

as well as field batteries, but some armies can also have a few elements entirely of horse artillery, or have their reserve artillery

entirely or predominantly of heavy guns.

MIXED ARTILLERY (1857-1879), representing divisional and corps or reserve artillery with a mixture of often larger

calibre but light smoothbore batteries and longer-ranged but less lethal rifled batteries (1857-1871), such as American Civil

War artillery, or of rifled and mitralleuse batteries (1870), such as the French artillery of 1870.

RIFLED ARTILLERY (1866>), representing divisional and corps or reserve artillery entirely of rifled steel or shorter ranged

brass batteries firing efficient point detonation explosive or shrapnel shells.

PORTABLE ARTILLERY, representing man or pony-carried Chinese jingals, camel-mounted zamburaks and/or swarms of

Indian rocketeers launching rockets by hand and their pack camels.

PONTOONEERS, representing troops able to move to a river and construct a temporary bridge.


7/60

7

SUPPLY BASE, representing the army's supplies, hospitals, stores and transport depots, and positioned contiguous to a built-

up area (BUA) or battlefield edge and also on a waterway, navigable river, road or railway. It cannot be moved during a battle

and is only feebly defended by its own personnel. Its function is to increase endurance, require protection and offer a target for

raids.

LAAGER, representing circled supply wagons such as those of a Boer army. It differs from a Supply Base in being heavilydefended and able to move freely, if slowly.

AERONAUTS (1794>), representing an observation balloon tethered at 1,000 feet and able to see 4 miles plus its

detachment and wagon, or (1910>) 1 or more grounded aeroplanes able to see the whole battlefield when aloft, a canvas

hangar, vehicles and ground crew. It can be moved, but can only operate if stationary for the whole of this bound and that

preceding, in good going, in good weather, in daylight and within the C-in-Cs easy command distance. It can be attacked, butcannot fight back.

FLOTILLA, representing small craft effective only in close combat including both groups of boarding craft such as galleys,

cutting-out expeditions in ships boats, canoe fleets or war junks and also unarmoured rams, fire ships and (1860>) spar- or

(1876>) other torpedo boats.

SAIL (>1869), representing substantial wooden broadside warships dependent entirely upon sail and unable to move closer

than 45 degrees to directly upwind.

STEAMER (1824>), representing similar wooden warships additionally provided with a steam engine driving paddle wheels

or screw propeller, or unarmoured vessels powered only by steam.

IRONCLAD (1855>), representing broadside or turret steam warships with sufficient iron or steel armour to provide

substantial protection against artillery for armament, engines and flotation.

SUBMARINE (1861>), representing a single practical fully submersible boat or partly submersible David.

Troops graded as ELITE include guard cavalry, full brigades of guard infantry or grenadiers, regular marksmen entirely armed

with good rifles and fanatic spearmen. Elite cavalry were used for decisive attacks, foot guards and grenadiers to press difficult

assaults on villages or as a final reserve to tip a battle hanging in the balance. Not only is the cost increased, but also each

element counts as 2 element equivalents.

Troops graded as INFERIOR include all those cavalry or foot significantly deficient in some of the battle skills expected of

their type, such as recently recruited volunteers, militia, landwehr, badly-trained reservists, badly-officered and neglected

regulars, cavalry dispersed into regiments, squadrons or companies instead of formed into brigades or on bad or half-starved

horses. This grading does not reflect on the mens individual courage or mean that they will not fight well on occasion or be

good value. Naval elements similarly graded are those too weakly armed or unseaworthy to lie in line of battle in open sea,

such as sailing frigates, corvettes or brigs, steam frigates unless armed with large shell guns, river steamers, coastal, riverine or

obsolete Ironclads and all submarines (


8/60

8

ORGANISING AN ARMY

ELEMENT BASING

An element consists of several figures fixed to a thin rectangular base of card or similar material. The size of this base and

even the scale of the figures are not critical provided that all land elements have the same frontage. However, some

standardisation is needed if you are to play against other peoples armies, and the conventions specified below are the best that

can be done to represent the true space occupied.

Standard basing mounts 25mm figures on 60mm wide bases and smaller figures on 40mm wide bases. If figures were

previously on 30mm wide bases, fix these to the centre of a 40mm base. The standard basing for 25mm and 15mm figures is

the same as in the other sets of the series. Figures smaller than 25mm can alternatively be mounted on 80mm bases, allowing

formations to be depicted more realistically and WRG 1685-1845 elements to be combined into an HFG element. If so, use the

10mm number of figures per base for 15mm figures and double the number in each rank for all smaller scale elements except

staff.

BASE SIZES

60mm x: 40mm x: 80mm x:

120mm. 80mm. 160mm. Army HQ, Pontooneers, Supply Base, Laager and Aeronauts.

60mm. 40mm. 80mm. Native Potentate, Dismounted and Artillery.

40mm. 30mm. 60mm. Command Party, Mounted, BL, Rifles and Spearmen.

30mm. 20mm. 40mm. Other foot.

RECOMMENDED NUMBER OF FIGURES OR MODELS PER BASE

G = General, R = Rider on horse, H = Led horse, A = Artillery piece and crew, Sk = in Skirmisher block, L= in Loose orderblock, (? d) is the number of ranks a figure block is cast in if greater than 1. Spacing codes are:

Front to rear: o = No gap between ranks, + = Small (1/2 figure depth) gap between ranks, ++ = largest possible gap

between ranks. * = Singly, between and beside columns front ranks.

Side to side: No code = shoulder-to-shoulder in centre of base, s = spaced equally across base, r = spaced randomly, s/r =

s if soldiers and r if irregulars, ?x = in that number of separate groups.

25mm & 15mm: 10mm: 6mm Baccus: Other 6mm: 2mm:

HQ. G+1-2+1-3R G+2+2-3R G+2-3 +2-3R G>

Command Party. G1R G1-2R G=2R G2R

Native Potentate. G2R G2R Go4-6R ?Light Horse. 2Rs/r 3Rs/r 3Rs/r 10Rs

Sipahis. 3Rs/r 4Rs/r 5Rs/r ?Pistols. 3-4R 5R 4Ro4R 8Ro8R

Others if mounted. 3 5R 6R 12-16R++0-6R

Dragoons if not. 3++3H 4++4H1R 5+1R+6H 16(2d)+2R++16H

Repeaters. 2++2H1R 3++3H2R 4++4H2R 5Sk++6R6H

Mounted Rifles. 3s/r++3H 5s/r++5H 6s/r++6H 10Sk++12HRifle Cavalry. 2s++2H1R 3s2R++3H 3s3R++3H 5Sk6R++6H

Firelocks. 4 6s+6s 6s+6s+6s 40(4d)

Muskets. 4 8 8o8 48(3d)

Stoic Foot. 4 6o6 8o8o8 48(6d)

Marksmen. 2s 4r 4r 10SkBayonets (linear). 4 2s++8 2s++8o8 5Sk++26(2d)

Bayonets (columns). 4 3s*2x2o2 3s*2x3o3o3 10Sk ++2x16(4d)

Light Infantry. 4 4s++6 4s++6o6 10Sk++20(2d)

Minie. 4 1s++8r 1s++8ro8r 40-48(2d)

BL. 3s 6s++2x2 6s++3x2o2 20L++2x16(4d)

Rifles. 3s 6s++4 6s++6 20L++26(2d)Spearmen. 3-4ro2-4r ? 3-7ro7-8ro5-6r ?

Portable artillery. 2As 3As 4As ?

Other artillery. 1A 1A 2A 3A


9/60

9

A strong point garrison is represented by a single un-based figure or block to fit in among model buildings.

Most foot figures should be positioned at the rear of their base so that muzzles do not protrude beyond its front edge. Those

with an o spacing code can be locked, i.e. covering the intervals of the front rank with muzzles between the front rank heads.

Figures further forward represent skirmishers or 18c grenade throwers. HQ can be embellished with tents, tables, led horses or

travelling coach as desired. Supply bases can be represented by tents, field bakeries, transport animals, or anything else yourartistic mind desires. Ground scale considerations make it inconvenient to represent draft teams under these rule unless using

6mm or 2mm, so they are otherwise assumed to have been withdrawn out of sight into dead ground.

It is not necessary to duplicate dismountable elements as mounted and dismounted bases unless you wish to. If you do not,

dismounted bases are usually preferable.

Spearmen can alternately use dismounted base depth to permit substitution of 1-2 DBR or DBM elements of similar figures.

The increased depth of Repeaters, Mounted Rifles, Rifle Cavalry, BL and Rifle elements is to suit the use of prone firing

figures and also the increased tactical depth due to horse holders in rear and later 19c infantry organisation into separated firing

line, supports and reserves.

Although 6mm and 2mm blocks are intended for use without bases, our experience shows bases ARE needed and that using

the same base sizes as 15mm figures is most realistic.

2mm blocks are in a variety of widths that can be selected or combined. 2mm cavalry are cast in blocks of 6 light or 8 heavy.

My basing allows a single line of heavy or 2 lines of light, or even a mixed brigade of cuirassiers and uhlans. Horse artillery

are best represented by 6 horse teams with guns hooked up, field artillery by guns in action with 4 horse teams behind, and

heavy artillery by guns in action with 6 horse teams behind.

Irregular Miniatures cast 6mm British Napoleonic infantry blocks as loose order, so substitute their Crimean blocks. When

6mm manufacturers do not distinguish heavy guns, try substituting Renaissance sakers, but with contemporary horse teams and

crew. Those 6mm cavalry or infantry blocks cast with slight gaps between figures can be easily cut and combined to fit base

frontages.

Naval and Aeronaut elements are represented by smaller models than other land elements, this being rationalised as the

element being viewed from a greater distance. There are excellent ranges of 1/1200 ships for the American Civil War and of

1/2400, 1/3000 and 1/6000 ships for other wars of our era.1/1200 naval elements have a frontage of 30mm and depth of 150mm.

1/2400 or 1/3000 naval elements have a frontage of 20mm and depth of 100mm.

1/6000 naval elements have a frontage of 20mm and depth of 50mm.

These base sizes are compatible with the experimental DBSA naval rules also on my web page.

ELEMENT COLOUR CODING

While uniform colours provide opponents with all the identification clues they are entitled to, the player controlling them,

especially with the smallest figure scales, may need some aid. We recommend painting the rear edge of each base with a single

colour indicating the nationality and differing from those of as many as possible of its historical opponents and battlefield

allies. Royal Blue = French or Chilean, Black = Prussian, Brunswick, Montenegro or Sudanese, Light Grey = Austrian or

Confederate, Dark Green = Russia, Piedmont/Sardinia or Kingdom of Italy, Light Green = Turkish, Egyptian, Hanoverian,

Irish Rebel or Afghan, Red = British, Bulgarian, Peruvian or Hungarian revolutionaries, Orange = Netherlands, Nassau or Boer

Republics, Light Blue = Bavarian, Danish, Greek, Argentine, Texas Republic or United States, Yellow = Swedish, Saxon,Romanian, Mexican, Bolivian, Sikh or Imperial Chinese, White = Spanish, Hessian, Serbian or Japanese, Mid-Brown =

Portuguese or Belgian, Purple = Neapolitan or Indian Princely. Where 2 nations have the same colour, their dress will usually

distinguish them. Troop grade can then be indicated by central dots of a contrasting colour Gold = Elite, Silver = Light

Cavalry, Light Infantry or Horse Artillery, Mud = Inferior.

ARMY SIZE

Unless the battle is a campaign or scenario game, each side consists of troop elements up to an agreed total of army points

(AP), normally between 100 and 1,000 AP. In all games each side is controlled by 1 or more staff elements, which must

include a Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C). Other staff elements can be subordinate or allied generals, sometimes grouped under


10/60

10

an intermediate army commander. Each subordinate or allied staff element controls a command of at least 6 elements including

itself. Each element must be part of one of these commands and, unless in a C-in-Cs or other army commanders command,

cannot be transferred to another. Logistic elements must be part of a C-in-Cs or other army commanders own command.

NAVAL CONTINGENTS

Naval forces in the army lists reflect the relative strength and ship types of opposed nations, but not usually overall numbers,since only small portions of fleets were likely to be involved in supporting land forces. Any naval element other than a Flotilla

or Submarine can be nominated as a flagship equivalent to an allied general controlling all naval elements; otherwise all naval

elements are controlled by the C-in-C

ELEMENT COST

Cost in AP if: Basic. Brilliant. Inert. Cost in AP if: Basic. Heavy. Horse. Inferior.

Army HQ. 20 40 10 Smoothbore Arty. 8 12 16 -

Command Party. 15 30 5 Mixed Artillery. 10 15 20 -

Native Potentate. 10 20 5 Rifled Artillery. 12 18 24 -

Portable Artillery. 5 - - -

Pontooneers. 2

Supply Base. 8

Laager. 4Aeronauts. 25

Cost in AP if: Basic. Elite. Inferior.

Pistols. 5 7 3

Cuirassiers. 6 8 4 Flotilla. 3 - - -

Heavy Cavalry. 5 7 3 Sail. 6 - - 4

Dragoons. 4 5 2 Steamer. 8 - - 6

Light Cavalry. 5 6 3 Ironclad. 20 - - 15

Repeaters. 6 - 4 If Flagship: +10

Mounted Rifles. 8 10 5 Submarine 0 - - 10

Rifle Cavalry. 10 - 7

Light Horse. 2 3 1Sipahis. 3 5 2

Firelocks. 2 4 1

Muskets. 3 5 2

Bayonets. 4 5 3

Light Infantry. 5 6 4

Stoic Foot. 3 5 2

Minie. 4 5 3

BL. 6 7 4

Rifles. 7 8 5

Marksmen. 2 3 1

Spearmen. 1 3 -


11/60

11

SETTING UP A BATTLE

SETTING UP SEQUENCE

(1) Decide which army is the attacker and which is the defender.

(2) Choose and place battlefield terrain.

(3) Decide battlefield base edges.

(4) Record command structure and deployment plans.

(5) Defender deploys all undelayed unconcealed troops and unconcealed battlefield preparations.

(6) Attacker deploys all undelayed troops.

DECIDING ATTACKER AND DEFENDER

The army commanders each dice and add their armys aggression factor, which is based on its historical preference for tactical

attack or defence and not on which nation is invading the other. The army with the larger total is the attacker and that with the

smaller is the defender. Equal scorers dice again.

BATTLEFIELD TERRAIN

Players must be able to provide a battlefield in case they become the defender. As generalship is definable as the skill with

which generals adapt their troops movements to those of the enemy and to the battlefield, varied and realistic terrain isessential for interesting battles. Since the playing area is so small, we hope players will spend time and ingenuity on making

their terrain as visually attractive as their troops.

The battlefield is normally produced by placing separate terrain features of a type appropriate to the theatre of war on a flat

board or cloth representing flat or slightly rolling good going. The types of terrain that are significant at army scale during this

era often differ from those familiar from other scales and eras. Those selected appear on published maps of major historicalbattles.

Linear features can be Waterways, Streams or Gullies, Rivers, Roads or (from 1859) Railways.

Area features can be BUA (Built Up Area), Hills, Woods, Marsh or Slow Going. All except BUA must have curved edges.

The features used may be restricted by army lists, otherwise must include a minimum of 3 Roads and 2 BUA; and maxima of 1each of Waterway, River and Railway and 6 of any single type of feature. For every 9 square miles of total battlefield area,

there must be 5-8 features, up to 2 of which can be area features more than 1,000p across in any direction.

Each short edge of the battlefield and each half of each long edge are numbered clockwise from 1 to 6 by the defender.

Features are now diced for and placed in the order in which they are listed below. The attacker can provide and place 2 of thesefeatures if he so wishes. All others are provided and placed by the defender. If both defender and attacker wish to place

features of the same type, the defender dices and places first. If there is a gap between area features, it must be at least 400p

wide.

WATERWAYS represent the sea or a large un-fordable and navigable river such as the Mississippi, lower Danube or

Yiangtse/Hwangshi. A Waterway requires 1 positioning dice and extends 600p-2,000p inward from a side edge running to,from or along the edge section corresponding to its score.

STREAMS represent minor rivers, streams, creeks or brooks, which, although easily fordable, are a significant obstacle due to

steep or muddy banks or rocky bed. They are depicted as of an element base width across and flowing in (often reversing)

gentle curves. A Stream requires 2 positioning dice and runs from one of the indicated edge sections to the other unless it

meets a previously placed Waterway, Stream or River, which it joins instead. Its length cannot exceed 1 times the straight-line distance between its ends.


12/60

12

RIVERS represent a single wider and mostly unfordable river, created by optionally upgrading 1 Stream that runs between 2

long battlefield edges by increasing its width to up to 1 element base width across. A River at least an element base width

wide is navigable, but only by Flotilla elements.

GULLIES represent a sunken dry or almost dry sunken streambed, gully, wadi, jhil, khor or nullah. In dry climates, such as in

India during the fighting season or the Crimea in summer, they are substituted for all Streams not already replaced with aRiver. They have the same effect as Streams, except that they can conceal foot within them and cannot run through or contact a

Marsh.

MARSHES can be up to 3,000p long but no more than 500p wide. A Marsh requires 1 positioning dice and must be placed

both nearer to the indicated edge section than to any other and also either at the edge of a Waterway or under a Stream so that

it protrudes on both sides of this. Marshes are impassable to Army HQ, artillery unless Portable and Laager, difficult going toall other troops.

HILLS must be between 500p and 4,000p across in every direction. A Hill requires 1 positioning dice and must be placed

nearer to the indicated edge section than to any other. It can be difficult or gentle. Difficult Hills are steep and rocky or heavily

vegetated and are difficult going. Gentle Hills are smooth bare or lightly treed or brushed good going. Gentle Hills whose

minimum width is less than 1,000p and all Difficult Hills slope up to a central crest line. Other Gentle Hills slope up to a flatplateau starting 500p in, the edge of which counts as a crest.

All hills give a close combat advantage if all an elements front edge started the bound higher than all of its opponent, even ifthe hills crest then separated them or the initially higher element moved down or off the hill to contact its opponents nearest

edge, but not if it contacted any other edge. An element with such an advantage is said to be uphill.

Troops within 400 paces of the far side of the crest of a Gentle Hill can be fired on by artillery, though at much reduced effect,

being reached only by ricochets, rolling round shot and shell, as were the British squares in nominally dead ground at

Waterloo. Those foot classed as Bayonets (1790>), Light Infantry or Minie can shoot over a Gentle Hills crest if within 200

paces to their front, being assumed to send skirmishers forward to that crest.

ROADS are the most important terrain features. They must form a connected net. Some were now metalled, so a single

turnpike or similar maintained good road can be depicted as a roughly 10-25mm wide strip coloured as paving, cobbles, gravel,

pale brown packed dry earth or even (1820>) tarmac. Others are bad roads and should instead be depicted as earth with deep

ruts, potholes and/or stretches of dark wet mud. Each road requires 2 positioning dice and must run from one indicated edge

section towards the other, except that if both scores are the same, it runs to the orthagonally opposite edge section.

If the terminal edge is a waterway the road must end at a BUA touching that waterway. A road that intersects a river, stream or

gully is assumed to cross it at a ford if no bridge is provided. A permanent bridge can be destroyed by an element which

declares that intention and remains in contact with it for 2 entire friendly bounds even if in combat. A permanent or temporary

bridge can be destroyed with difficulty by artillery or naval shooting or in close combat by naval, foot or dismounted. A good

road that reaches a bad road continues across it. A bad road that reaches another road can either end there or continue on the far

side.

Elements may have to fight astride a road, so it is important that the terrain for half an element width on both sides should be

identical so that it is obvious whether elements count as in good or other going for combat, though not for movement along the

road.

RAILWAYS (1859>) represent a single track of 2 iron rails laid on wooden sleepers bedded in gravel. This cannot cross a hill,but it can cross a marsh, pass through a wood or cross a river, stream or gully by a bridge, or cross a road. It requires 1

positioning dice and runs from the indicated edge section to that directly opposite. It is assumed to allow 1 train each way per

double bound.

BUILT-UP-AREAS (BUA) must be 500p-600p square. They are usually small villages or hamlets but can occasionally be

sections of a larger village or town separated by roads. They require 1 positioning dice. They must be closer to the indicated

edge section than to any other. They must be astride a road or road junction. Movement inside a BUA or march movement

completely through it is in good going. Other movement out from a BUA other than into an adjacent BUA section is at slow

going rate even if by road.


13/60

13

A BUA can be occupied and defended by a single foot or dismounted element. This does not prevent other friendly elements

passing through it to end on the far side. Troops defending a BUA have a substantial advantage over attackers until these

succeed in entering, but (except for specialist skirmishers, who tended to get cut-off inside buildings) are then bundled out

quickly in disorder if they fail to hold. Some BUA derive their defensive strength from stone or brick perimeter walls,

substantial stone buildings or mud brick houses with flat roofs and blind walls, but most from gardens, fences, enclosures,winding alleys, general irregularity and especially from orchards. Although distant shooting from more than one source can be

combined against a BUA, close combats against each edge are treated as separate and consecutive, the defender facing each in

turn. Any recoil by the defending element is into the BUAs interior. Only the enemy element that defeated it presses forward.

A BUA set afire by artillery has smoke and flame markers placed. It is not untenable, but becomes difficult going and its

defensive value is reduced.

WOODS represent areas thickly covered with mature trees. They must be between 500p and 3,000p across in every direction

and are difficult going. They require 1 positioning dice and must be placed nearer to the indicated edge section than to any

other. They give a substantial combat advantage to foot and dismounted defending them against enemy outside. Foot and

dismounted getting the worst of a combat while within them can be driven back only slowly. Shooting in distant combat at or

by troops in a Wood is possible only if they are within 100p inside its edge and their opponents are outside it.

SLOW GOING is a catch-all term for terrain cover that offers concealment and hinders movement but not shooting, such as

bush or jungle of low brush with occasional trees, sand hills or boulders, elephant grass, hazel or juniper shrub, gorse,

vineyards, hop gardens, olive groves, orchards, tall kaoliang millet or areas divided into small fields by substantial hedges,walls, sunken lanes, irrigation channels or paddy bunds. An area of slow going must be between 500p and 3,000p across in

every direction. It requires 1 positioning dice and must be closer to the indicated edge section than to any other. Troops that

end an off-road move in a stream or gully are in slow going until moved clear.

FLAT GOOD GOING is the remainder of the playing area surface still exposed after all terrain features have been placed. It

should be depicted as a reasonably uniform approximation of flat or slightly rolling pasture, large cultivated fields or desert,

but is still assumed to provide some cover for skirmishing foot.

EFFECT OF TERRAIN ON VISIBILITY

We distinguish the terms KNOWN (to all elements of a command) and VISIBLE (to a specific element).

Elements visible to any element are known to all elements of its command. Features and elements visible to Aeronauts in good

weather are known to all commands with the same entry edge except allied commands, but not until the C-in-C has had an

unadjusted PIP score in any previous bound of at least 4.

Terrain features beyond the crest of any intervening hill are visible only to Aeronauts.

Troops beyond an intervening BUA or wood are visible only from the upper half of a hill or to Aeronauts. Troops beyond the

crest of a difficult hill or 400p> beyond that of a gentle hill, are visible only to Aeronauts.

Troops more than 100p inside a wood edge or in the interior of a BUA are not visible from outside and cannot see out. After

the introduction of smokeless powder in 1892, foot or dismounted who shoot out from a Concealed Position (see next page)

and do not move are invisible to enemy not within 400p who have not already shot at them.

CHOICE OF BATTLEFIELD EDGE

After all terrain has been positioned, the players commanding each side dice for choice of battlefield edge, the attacking side

adding 2 to its score. The side with the higher total chooses which long side will be its base edge. The other side takes the

opposite long edge as its base edge.


14/60

14

ARMY COMMAND STRUCTURE

Troops must now be allocated to commands. It will obviously save playing time if this has been done in advance and this will

normally be the case if the army is permanently organised in Corps. However, some adjustment of resource allocation once the

terrain has been seen and a plan formulated is reasonable, but do appreciate that the time available for victory can easily be

frittered away by micro-management.

We allow generals to be graded according to their historical performance. Brilliant generals are capable of a sudden stroke

throwing the opposing army off balance. However, only good players will have the necessary situational awareness and sense

of timing to benefit and even then opponents may deny them opportunities. Inert generals may handicap their troops by

lethargy, indecision, timidity, over-confident neglect of elementary precautions, failure to take firm control of subordinates,

innate incapacity, dementia, jealousy, extreme pig-headedness, reluctance to beat the enemy badly or even wanting to lose, but

are cheap.

A small army will usually be commanded in its entirety directly by the Army Commander. The extra PIPs provided by

additional generals will rarely justify those generals cost. A larger army that intends to manoeuvre is best divided into

commands for extra PIPs, though large native armies which rely on sheer numbers of troops or on field defences can make do

without them and indeed may not be permitted them.

If the Army Commander is using an HQ element, he will usually only retain a reserve of elite troops or artillery under his

personal command and dole these out to the other commands when needful. If he is using a CP element, he may sometimes

command a large proportion of the army directly, but this may hinder him moving to crucial points using his extra mobility.

DEPLOYMENT PLANNING

The defender writes down the order of his initially present commands from left to right and front to rear, the position of his

extreme element on each flank, the type and position of his battlefield preparations, the position of any bridges pre-constructed

by Bridging Trains and the arrival roads or railway lines of commands not initially present. He cannot initially have any

elements forward of the centreline, or any within 1,200p of a side edge unless either naval or in a BUA or SP.

The attacker writes down the order of his initially present commands from left to right and the arrival roads or railways of

commands arriving later or from flank edges. He cannot initially have any elements further forward than 1,200p from his base

edge or less than 400p from a side edge.

BATTLEFIELD PREPARATION

The defender can use AP he has allocated to prepare the battlefield as permitted by his army list by garrisoning strong points,constructing fieldworks, mining waterways or concealing troops. The attacker can use AP only for concealment, all AP

allocated to other preparations being wasted. Types of preparation are:

STRONG POINT (SP) up to 250p square, consisting of a strong stone building, such as a seminary, walled farm, chateau or

other large house, or in India a walled garden/orchard such as a bagh or mango tope, but not earthworks. Its garrison, initially

of several companies or a battalion detached from one or more of the armys elements but assumed to be kept up to strength by

reinforcements, is represented by a single foot figure. Its walls aid defence but prevent escape. Capture destroys it. Cost 10 AP.

Up to 3 can be used, placed anywhere in the defenders deployment zone except within 1,200p of a previously placed SP or

redoubt.

REDOUBT, representing open-backed earthwork redoubt/s protecting an artillery or foot element from enemy not directly to

their rear. It cannot be enfiladed or overlapped, but can be contacted in flank. Prevents occupants turning, or moving other than

directly to its rear. Cost 5 AP. Up to 3 can be used, placed anywhere in the defenders deployment zone except within 200p ofa previously placed redoubt or within 1,200p of a previously placed SP. Each model redoubt represents 1 large real life redoubt

or up to 4 smaller.

ENTRENCHMENT, representing 800p of straight trench, breastwork of earth and/or logs or rough line of fleches or sangars

to protect foot or dismounted from enemy not enfilading them or in front edge contact with their flank or rear. Occupiers

cannot turn unless they first move back or recoil, but can move a base width sideways along it. Costs 15 AP. Up to 6 can be

used, placed in the defenders deployment zone.


15/60

15

EXPLOITABLE LINEAR FEATURE (ELF), up to 1,200p long, such as a railway embankment or cutting or a hedge-

banked or sunken road, or a high riverbank on the enemy side of the river. If it is a riverbank, the river is fordable along the

ELFs length, but can be crossed only to retire to the other side or by the enemy. An ELF provides the same protection as an

entrenchment. Cost 0. Need not be specified in army list, but only 1 can be used and then only if diced for at placement and 5

or 6 scored and along an existing railway, road or river in the defenders deployment zone. Cannot be used if the C-in-C is

inert.

OBSTACLE, up to 400p long, such as improvised barricades of wagons or furniture, abatis of felled trees, thorn bush zariba

or barbed wire. Placed as if an entrenchment but protects troops manning it only in close combat. If undefended, counts as

difficult going. Removed when crossed by either side. Cost 2AP

CONCEALED POSITION, representing a hidden position in a BUA, wood, gully or slow going, on a difficult hill, or behinda BUA, wood or hill for 1 element or a group of up to 10 elements. The troops position and direction is recorded, and they are

deployed only when they first move, shoot, or become known to enemy. It also hides entrenchments or a redoubt occupied by

the concealed troops or that the troops are exploiting a linear feature. Cost 10 AP. Only 3 can be used by the defender, placed

in any such position within his deployment zone. The attacker must convert any concealed position into a Surprise.

NAVAL MINEFIELD, 400p square, representing an area of a Waterway that has been sown with command- or contact-detonated explosive mine/torpedoes/infernal devices or other deadly obstructions. This cannot be entered by friendly naval.

Each enemy naval element entering it must dice and is destroyed if it scores 1. Cost 20 AP. Only 1 can be used, placed

anywhere in a Waterway within the sides deployment zone.

INITIAL DEPLOYMENT

The defender deploys all initially present elements and battlefield preparations that are not concealed.

The attacker then deploys all initially present elements.

DELAYED DEPLOYMENTS

The Army Commanders own command must always arrive from the sides base edge. An Allied Generals command or

(1795>) a Subordinate Generals command can either be deployed then or be retained for later arrival along a road, or (1859>)

a railway, specified in deployment planning. Such a command arrives in their own sides next bound in which the commands

unadjusted PIP score is 4, 5 or 6 if from its sides base edge, 5 or 6 if from a side edge.

All elements to arrive in that bound must do so by railway or in column on a road entering the battlefield either on their own

sides base edge, or on a side edge but nearer to their sides base edge than the enemys. They measure their move from wherethat road crosses the edge. Any enemy element blocking arrival by a road is repulsed 400p.

A command that cannot arrive completely in its initial bound of arrival continues to arrive in subsequent bounds, the off-

battlefield elements counting as part of the same column as the last element to arrive and using the same PIPs.

Troops arriving by railway can deploy up to 4 foot or 1 other land element at a single place on that railway each bound. They

cannot do so if any enemy could shoot at them between entry edge and detraining point.

DILATORY ALLIES

If an Allied Generals command has a lower aggression factor than that of the Army Commander, it throws no PIP dice until

the number of friendly bounds completed exceeds the difference.

SURPRISEAn attacker that has a Brilliant C-in-C or that has used AP for Concealed Positions throws 1 dice. Add 1 to the score if its C-in-

C is Brilliant and 1 for each Concealed Position, 1 if the enemy C-in-C is Inert and 2 if the weather is misty. Deduct 5 if the

enemy has Aeronauts and the weather is good. Half the total rounded up is the number of bounds the attacker can make before

the defender can throw PIP Dice or move any element. Surprise ceases early if any troops shoot, enter close combat or become

visible within 800p.


16/60

16

FIGHTING THE BATTLE

SEQUENCE OF PLAY

The attacker takes 1st bound, and then the two sides alternate bounds. During each side's bound:

(1) It dices for player initiative points (PIP), and then uses these first to search for fords, then for march movement, then for

tactical moves and lastly for rallying routed elements.

(2) All elements of both sides that are able to shoot in distant combat and have a valid target can shoot once each and make or

inflict outcome moves, in an order decided by the side whose bound it is.

(3) All elements of both sides that are now in suitable contact with enemy fight in close combat and make or inflict outcome

moves, in an order decided by the side whose bound it is. Elements whose pursuit move contacts their original or fresh enemy

immediately fight these and make or inflict outcome moves. Elements with enemy in front edge contact with their flank or rear

edge can now turn to face unless also in contact to their front.

PLAYER INITIATIVE POINT DICING

The army commander simultaneously throws 1 differently coloured dice for each command that has any element on the

battlefield or yet to arrive.

If a C-in-C or army commander so wishes, he can exchange his score for that of a directly subordinate (but not an allied)general whose element is within the seniors easy command distance (2,400p if an HQ and 800p if a CP or NP) and whose

score was lower. An army commander can transfer 1 element or group of his own command per bound to that of a subordinate

general within easy command distance of it. Any general can move or rally a non-staff friendly element in front or rear edgecontact with him of a different or even allied command. PIPs cannot otherwise be transferred between commands. Unused

PIPs are lost.

A Brilliant general can double his initial score in 2 bounds of his choice during the battle, unless within his inert C-in-Cs easy

command distance.

An Inert general always deducts 1 from his final score.

No PIP is used up by: The 1st

march move this bound of an element or column if entirely by road.

1 PIP is used up by: Any other move by, or transfer between commands of, a single element or group.

2 PIPs are used up by: Searching for a ford.

3 PIPs are used up by: Rallying a routing element.

1 extra PIP is used up if:

(a) The land element or group using PIPs to move, rally or search is beyond its general's easy command distance, or its generalis in difficult going off-road, in close combat, routing, disabled or has been lost.

(b) A tactical move by artillery, Stoic Foot, troops in an entrenchment or redoubt, an Army HQ, a Native Potentate, a Laager

or Aeronauts.

(c) Marching a group that has already made 3 march moves this bound if entirely along good roads and/or bad roads in dryweather, or 2 if at least partially along bad roads in wet weather or off-road or if naval.

(d) Retiring an element now within 1 base width distance (400p) of any enemy.

(e) Rallying a routing element that has neither passed through friends facing in the opposite direction who do not rout, nor is in

full front edge to front edge contact with any friendly staff element.


17/60

17

WEATHER

Wind direction is chosen by the attacking C-in-C, weather decided by his 1st bound unadjusted PIP score.

If this is 6, it is misty (or dust storm in desert) and continues so until the defending C-in-C has an unadjusted PIP score of 6.

Until then, maximum visibility and shooting range is 200p, Aeronauts cannot function, Naval other than Flotilla cannot move

and off-road land movement cannot exceed slow going distance.

If it is 1, the weather is wet and rain continues so until the defending C-in-C has an unadjusted PIP score of 1. Until then,

maximum visibility is 1,200p and Aeronauts cannot function. Until he has a 2nd

such score, Artillery and Laager cannot move

more than slow going distance off-road. Until the end of the battle, movement on bad roads is hindered by mud and gullies are

changed into streams.

TACTICAL, MARCH AND OUTCOME MOVES

Tactical and March moves are voluntary moves by a single element or a group of elements in their own side's bound before

combat and expend PIPs. A March move cannot end closer than 600p to known enemy. If in difficult going, it must be by road

unless by Spearmen or Marksmen. An element can take part in either 1 or more March moves or 1 Tactical move. A legal

move cannot be taken back once made.

Outcome moves are compulsory or optional Press Forward, Charge, Recoil, Repulse, Rout and Pursuit moves made by single

elements in both sides' bounds as result of combat and do not require PIPs.

MOVING SINGLE ELEMENTS

A tactical or march move by a single element can be in any directions, even diagonal or oblique, can pass through any gap as

wide as its leading edge, and can end facing any way. It can therefore be used not only to advance, but also to retire, to expand

a group's frontage, to pivot an artillery element to face in another direction, or to rally and turn a routed element. It cannot be

used to break-off from close combat.

MOVING ELEMENTS TOGETHER AS A GROUP

Elements are a group if either all facing in the same direction with each in edge or corner contact with another, or in a 1

element wide column and in front or rear edge or corner contact with another element.

Groups are temporary: if the whole of a group cannot move, some of its elements will probably be able to move as a smaller

group or as individual elements. Conversely, a group or single element can move to join other elements and make its next

move as a group including these.

To move as a group, each element must start and/or end the move in the group and not exceed its permitted move distance. It

must end facing in the original direction of 1 or all elements, except that:

A group can change direction by 1 or more wheels, each pivoting on the inner front corner of the group and measuring move

distance along the outer arc of the wheel. If the group is a 1 element wide column, each element wheels in succession as it

reaches the pivot point. If not, all elements wheel simultaneously.

A 1 element wide column can use a group move to change into a 1 or 2 element deep line at 90 degrees to its leading elements

facing at the start of the move. The leading elements open flank ends in the former position of its front edge. Conversely, such

a line can turn 90 degrees into column.

A group move must end in a 1 element wide column if leaving a BUA, or moving along a road, or following the bank of ariver, or crossing a river, stream or gully or, unless Spearmen or Marksmen, difficult going. The element that is to head the

column moves forward by up to its full tactical move distance. Other elements move without measuring. The nearest elements

fall in behind the column. Other elements move to close up any resulting gaps. No element can end further to the rear than its

previous position. All elements count as moving along a road if the head of the column does. It may take more than one move

before the whole group is in column.

A group can move less than a base width sideways to line up directly opposite enemy. This is the only sideways or oblique

movement permitted to a group and is not deducted from the move.


18/60

18

TACTICAL AND MARCH MOVE DISTANCES ON LAND

A single element can always move from front corner-to-front corner contact with an enemy element into close combat with its

flank. Otherwise, moves are measured between the starting point of the front base corner moving furthest of a single element

or group and that corners final position, and cannot exceed:

If entirely along road If at least partly off-road in:or in good going. Slow going. Difficult going.

Army HQ, NP, Pistols or Cuirassiers. 800p 400p 200p

Heavy Cavalry or Sipahis. 1,200p 400p 200p

Dragoons, Repeaters or Mounted Rifles. 1,200p 400p 400p

Light Cavalry or Rifle Cavalry. 1,600p 400p 300pCP or Light Horse. 2,000p 400p 300p

Muskets or Stoic Foot unless marching, or Firelocks. 400p 400p 200p

Light Infantry, Spearmen unless inferior, or Marksmen. 800p 800p 600p

Other foot. 600p 400p 400p

Horse artillery. 1,200p 400p 200p

Portable Artillery. 800p 400p 400p

Heavy artillery. 400p 200p 0pOther artillery (>1756). 400p 200p 200p

(1756>). 600p 400p 200p

Pontooneers, Laager or Aeronauts. 400p 200p 0p

CROSSING OR MOVING BY WATER

Water features include Waterways, Rivers, and Streams and also Gullies, even if currently dry.

A Waterway is unfordable and is always navigable by naval elements. If it is a giant river rather than a sea or lake, the army

list will specify which end is upstream.

A River, Stream or Gully can always be crossed at a road ford or road, rail or temporary bridge by a single element or a 1

element wide column, it being assumed that if there is no bridge there is a reliable ford or easy gully crossing. Crossers movenormal distance. Pontooneers intended to construct a temporary bridge are moved to the riverbank, then exchanged for a bridge

at the end of their 2nd

consecutive full bound there unless repulsed. Such bridges can also be pre-constructed by the defender in

his deployment area.

A River cannot be crossed where there is no ford or bridge unless an ELF (see P.14). It may have unknown fords, but these

must be searched for. To search for a ford, move an element up to the river edge using up 2 extra PIPs, and dice. Add 1 to the

score if there is a BUA within 400p on the near side of the river or within 400p plus the width of the river on the far side, or 4

if both. If the total score is now:

Less than 5: No unknown ford exists within 1,200p, even if searched for again.

At least 5: A 1 element wide ford is marked and the searching element is moved until its front edge touches the far

bank.

A Stream or Gully can be crossed off-road anywhere, but the initial move must end when the rear base edge of a single

element or of the leading element of a column is half way across. Elements crossing or moving in or astride it are treated as in

slow going until clear.

A River at least a land element base width wide is navigable, but only by Flotilla elements. Movement on it counts as

upstream if moving away from its juncture with a Waterway, moving in the direction from which most streams join it, or

failing that, moving away from the end specified by the player who placed it.


19/60

19

The maximum distance between the starting point of any front corner of a naval element moving on a navigable water feature

and that corners final position is:

Unless partly upstream. If partly upstream.

Steamer or Ironclad. 2,000p 1,200p

Submarines. 800p 400p

Sail or Flotilla. 1,200p 800p

MOVING THROUGH OTHER TROOPS OR GAPS

Friendly naval elements can always interpenetrate if they have a clear space to end in within move distance.

Land elements making a tactical or march move can move through friends occupying a BUA, or facing in the same or opposite

direction and neither on a road nor occupying an entrenchment. Staff can move through friends facing in any direction. ASupply Base can only be passed through by single element moves.

A repulsed or routed element can pass through friends facing in any direction. Elements recoiled, repulsed or routed into a

friendly or unoccupied BUA, SP or redoubt are assumed to flow through or round it, ending in the first clear space beyond it if

they have insufficient move to go further. Recoiled and pushed-back elements otherwise do not pass through friends, but push

them back if they are facing in the same direction, rout instead if they are not.

If there is insufficient move to clear the first element met, the interpenetrators are inserted immediately beyond it.

Mounted move through enemy artillery or (1790>) through Bayonets, Light Infantry or Stoic Foot after scoring equal to these

in close combat or if subsequently repulsed or routed back into these. This simulates flowing around unbroken squares or

failing to take possession of batteries.

The smallest gap that can be entered or shot through between elements or terrain features is 1 element wide. This does not

prevent an element moving sideways out of a column. A gap less than 1 element wide between friendly or enemy redoubts or

entrenchments (including elements in them) or between these and a terrain feature can be moved through, the move ending

when clear of the gap.

MOVEMENT RESTRICTIONS DUE TO ENEMY PROXIMITY

Marksmen can only contact Train. Artillery or train cannot contact any enemy. Unless in an outcome move:

(a) No mounted, non-inferior Spearmen or CP elements can move more than 600p, nor other foot, dismounted or naval elementmove more than 200p, and end in any contact with enemy.

(b) No element can move into frontal contact with an enemy element's flank or rear unless it starts entirely behind a line

prolonging that base edge of the enemy element or partly behind both flank and side edges

(c) No element may cross the front of an enemy element that is within 1 base width distance (400p) or pass an occupied BUA

or SP within 400p unless to retire directly to its own rear, or to move up to a element width sideways and/or pivot to contact

or line up opposite such an element's front.

RESPONDING TO CONTACT WITH ENEMY

An element or group moving, pressing forward or pursuing into close combat with an enemy element must pivot and/or shift

sideways up to 1 base width to conform to that enemy.

A staff, mounted, dismounted or foot element contacted by enemy only on its flank or rear edges turns immediately to conform

to one such if not already repulsed or routing and all its opponents moved more than 400p in sight this bound or pivoted from

overlap. Otherwise it turns after close combat if the outcome permits. If it turns immediately, its new flank or rear cannot be

contacted this bound. If 2 elements are contacted by 1, both turn, the 2nd

moving behind the 1st..

Only the 1st

fights, but both

obey the outcome.


20/60

20

TYPES OF COMBAT

Combat is either distant or close.

Distant combat consists entirely of shooting and is limited to those troop types that shot effectively at long range and their

targets.

Close combat includes not only hand-to-hand combat with sword, lance, bayonet or pistol, but also musketry and canister at

decisive range or at charging enemy and bridge destruction by foot or dismounted.

DISTANT COMBAT

Each element of a type that can shoot and that is neither in close combat other than as an overlap nor prevented from shooting

by its own movement or situation can shoot at 1 enemy element that is a valid target, either as a primary or aiding shooter. The

base edge shot from is the "shooting edge". This is any edge of a garrisoned BUA, an SP, a Laager or any naval elements

except Flotilla or Submarine, the front or side edge of an element in a redoubt, but the front edge only of any other element.

An element is a valid target if it is known to the shooting element, in arc and range, it is not in frontal edge contact with enemy

other than routers and (unless overhead shooting is permitted) no part of any element is between imaginary lines connecting 1

shooting edge corner to any visible corner of the target and the other to another corner without the lines crossing each other.

Foot and dismounted elements must shoot at a valid target in an enemy bound. Other shooting is voluntary.If more than 1 valid target is available to an element, artillery can choose which to shoot at. Other elements must shoot at that

closest to the centre of the shooting edge, or if equidistant, most directly in front. All shooting is assumed to be simultaneous.

An Artillery element can be a grand battery or in support. If in support, it is placed immediately behind 1 of 2-4 elements of

foot, dismounted or mounted in side edge-to-side edge contact with each other, but assumed to be distributed by batteries or

sections slightly in front or behind all supported troops. It aids each supported element within a base width (400p) in both

distant and close combat against enemy in arc and range, but cannot aid others or be a primary shooter.

Artillery cannot shoot while crossing a river, stream or gully, even if by a bridge, or while even partly in a marsh, wood or

BUA, or from any part of a difficult hill except its crest, or from there to less than 400p beyond its foot. Other troops in woods

or BUA can only shoot outward from the edge. Artillery also cannot shoot if they made a tactical move this bound and are

either heavy or would be shooting from behind a hillcrest. No troops can shoot while mounted. No element can shoot that

made a march move this bound.

A naval elements or BUA or SP garrison's target is in arc if any part of the target element is between lines extending beyond

the shooting edge through diagonally opposite corners of the naval elements, BUAs or SPs base. Other shooters' targets arein arc if any part of the target is within a element base width (200p) of straight ahead of any part of the shooting edge and no

part is behind a line extending that edge.

Maximum ranges from the nearest point of the shooting edge to the nearest point of the target are:

Artillery: 800p if Portable, 1,600p if Smoothbore, 2,400p if Mixed or Brass Rifled, 3,200p if other Rifled.

Add 400p if Heavy Artillery.

Increase to 6,000p if heavy Rifled firing at a BUA, or at troops on a hill, or at a logistics target.

Naval: Flotilla or Submarines 800p (1876> only).

Others 800p ().

Others: 200p if Firelocks, Muskets, Bayonets (>1790 or if shooting at mounted 1856) or dismountedDragoons (>1863).

400p if other Bayonets, Light Infantry, Marksmen (>1857), dismounted Repeaters, or SP garrison.

600p if Minie, Marksmen (1857>), Stoic Foot (1857-1875 if Elite, 1857-1880 if not), BL, dismounted Dragoons (1863>) or a

Laager.

1,200p if Rifles, Stoic Foot (1875> Elite, 1880> other), dismounted Rifle Cavalry or Mounted Rifles.

When artillery or naval shoot at a BUA, SP or bridge, this is at an Other target, but occupiers also have separate combat

outcomes. Other elements shoot at the occupiers unless these are now in the interior of a BUA. Troops in a wood can be shot at

only from outside and then only if within 100p of the near edge. Targets beyond a wood or BUA (not SP) cannot be shot at

unless shooting between upper halves of 2 hills.


21/60

21

The only shooting allowed over intervening hillcrests or unconcealed troops is:

Bayonets (1790>), Light Infantry, Minie, BL and Repeaters can shoot over a gentle or steep hills crest that is within 200p.

This simulates integral skirmishers being sent forward of the crest.

Rifled Artillery (1899>) can shoot from 200-400p behind a gentle hills crest at a target at least 800p distant, or over

entrenchments and foot occupying them, or at enemy more than 1,200p from them and up to 400p beyond a gentle hills crest.

Smoothbore or Mixed Artillery can shoot at enemy more than 400p from them and up to 400p beyond a gentle hills crest. This

simulates ricochet fire with round shot and shells from the 1 or 2 howitzers included in each smoothbore battery or rifled guns.

Intervening troops more than 400p from both shooter and target can be shot over by artillery on a hill, or by artillery or naval

shooting at a hill, or by Rifled Artillery more than 800p from them.

Artillery can always shoot over enemy Marksmen more than 400p from the shooters or over friendly Marksmen.

If more than 1 element shoots at a single enemy element, the additional elements aid the primary shooter instead of theirshooting being resolved separately. If artillery or naval shoot at the same target as foot or dismounted and are not shot back at,

the latter are the primary shooters. Otherwise, the primary shooter is that which the target element will shoot back at or if it

will not shoot back, the closest to the target.

A target land element that will be shot at without shooting back at any of the shooters can either aid friends shooting or shoot

immediately after it has been shot at and if it still has a legal target after combat outcomes. It then uses the same dice score, but

not any tactical factors already used.

CLOSE COMBAT

Close combat occurs when an element's front edge is in both edge and front corner-to-any enemy corner base contact lined up

with an enemy element, or in contact with an enemy-held BUA or SP.

An element in close combat with the flank or rear of an enemy element which is also fighting to its front, or which overlaps it,

acts as a tactical factor instead of fighting itself. It acts as an overlap if either:

Both right or both left front base corners touch and at least the nearest part of the overlapping elements front edge is not incontact with an enemy element.

Both elements flank edges are in contact, neither element is artillery, and the elements are facing in opposite directions, even

if the overlapping element is in contact with a friendly or enemy element to its front. Each then mutually overlaps the other.

However, foot cannot count as an overlap against mounted. Tactical factors for an enemy front edge in contact with an

elements side or rear edge do apply.

An element can overlap two enemy elements on opposite flanks or enemy elements exposed by its own frontal opponent

having recoiled or been repulsed, routed or destroyed that bound. An element can only be overlapped once on each flank and

cannot be both overlapped and contacted on the same edge. An SP, BUA, Supply Base or Laager can overlap but not be

overlapped. Each element in close combat with its edges fights it separately and consecutively. A redoubt cannot be

overlapped, but can overlap or be contacted in flank. A staff element that would fight as such cannot provide overlap or flankor rear contact tactical factors

RESOLVING COMBATS

Whether in close combat, shooting in distant combat or only shot at, both sides dice for each fighting element and add the

combat factor below and any tactical or grading factors that apply to its score. A command party substitutes the combat value

of a mounted or foot element contiguous to its rear and then uses that elements tactical factors and outcomes. If in close

combat, it adds its own combat factor.


22/60

22

A dismountable element is always mounted if it moved more than 600p this bound, and if not, always dismounted if shooting,

entrenched, manning an obstacle or in difficult going. Otherwise a Dragoons element is always mounted, a Mounted Rifles

element is always dismounted and a Repeaters or Rifle Cavalry element's player chooses whether it is to be mounted or

dismounted before dicing for its combat.

When troops occupying a BUA or Bridge are in combat only against artillery that are all beyond 400p, the latters score is usedfor both, even though the occupiers will have a different outcome.

Combat factors of: Against: Staff or Mounted. Dismounted or Foot. Other.

Army HQ. +2 +2 +2

Command Party. +1 +1 +3Native Potentate. +4 +2 +2

Cuirassiers. +4 +3 +2

Heavy Cavalry or mounted Rifle Cavalry. +4 +2 +2

Pistols. +3 +3 +2

Light Cavalry and mounted Dragoons or Repeaters. +2 +2 +2Mounted Rifles when mounted. +1 +2 +2

BL or Rifles and all dismounted except Dragoons. +4 +4 +2Muskets, Minie, Bayonets or Light Infantry. +4 +3 +2

Stoic Foot. +4 +2 +2

Firelocks. +3 +2 +2

Marksmen. +1 +2 +3

Dragoons if dismounted. +1 +2 +2

Heavy Artillery. +2 +4 +4

Other Artillery. +3 +3 +3

Sipahis. +3 +2 +2

Spearmen. +2 +2 +1

Light Horse. +1 +1 +2

Sail or Steamer. +2 +3 +4

Flotilla. +1 +1 +2

Ironclad. +1 +2 +5

Submarine. - - +4

Pontooneers or Aeronauts. +1 +1 +3

Laager. +5 +4 +2

Supply Base. +3 +1 +2

BUA. - - +5

SP and its garrison. +4 +3 +3

Temporary bridge - +2 +3Permanent bridge. - +3 +4

Tactical factors:

Adjust your elements, BUAs or bridges score by each of the following that apply:

+3 if in close combat against an element of a defeated enemy command.

+2 if either shot at or in close combat while protected in a redoubt.


23/60

23

+1 if foot or dismounted, and either:

Shooting or shot at or in close combat while protected in an entrenchment.

Shot at or in close combat while defending the edge of a BUA or an SP, not yet afire.

Shot at on a base edge entirely in difficult going other than a burning BUA or marsh.

Shot at by artillery while in slow going other than a gully or stream.In close combat while manning an obstacle.

+1 if shot at by enemy, all of whom are beyond:

200p if the shooters are foot, dismounted or a Laager, and the target is not artillery.

400p if the shooters are Smoothbore or Mixed Artillery and the target is not artillery, a BUA or an SP.

Half maximum range if the shooters are Rifled Artillery or naval.

+1 if shot at only by artillery shooting from beyond a hill crest or over troops of the artillerys side.

+1 for each friendly e

horse, foot and guns

Documents