Hellenistic Era set of rules for C & C Ancients--it contains many of the key concepts found generally in my battle scenarios. It adds a lot of texture and detail to the units and leaders in the game.
Joe Bisio’s C & C Ancients “Tabletopper” Rules for the Hellenistic Era
General Note: This rule set is designed generally for games played on the Epic Scale with the new 100 Card Deck and also some of the concepts described below can be used specifically for all types of battles, regardless of scale, that are set roughly in the era between 371 BC to 221 BC, or indeed in any of the expansions/battles of the series.
Army Commanders: One Leader on each side (usually the highest ranking leader in history on that side) is designated the Army Commander—if he is eliminated the other side scores 2 Banners instead of 1 Banner—if he is chased off the map the opposing side scores 1 Banner. Either way once the Army Commander is no longer on the map that side without the Army Commander immediately discards one card and has his normal card maximum for his side reduced by one card for the remainder of the game.
Card Play: A Section card that allows one to move any two or more units in a single section may be used in a different section than the one shown on the card---The number of units/Leaders allowed to be moved by the card is reduced by one unit/leader---i.e. two becomes one, three becomes two, four becomes three for all these section card types if used in a section that is different than the one stated on the card.
Command: There are now four different grades of Leaders/Generals in the game:
From top to bottom they are rated as follows below as listed a) to d). ALL of these Leaders may Cancel one flag on units they are stacked with and can stop a retreat as in the rules and may facilitate Momentum Combat per the rulebook. Their range for support is one hex except as noted in d) below. Types b), c), and d) can move up to 4 hexes when moving alone without being attached to a unit.
a) War-God-like---Say like Alexander of Macedon or perhaps Pyrrhus of Epirus—any units stacked with such a leader add one dice to all close-combat and battle-back rolls—all units supported by such a Leader count all helmet rolls as hits in close-combat/battle back. When such a Leader makes use of a “Leadership card” he may move one additional unit more than the card calls for. A Unit stacked with such a Leader may ignore one add’l sword hit. Leaders of this quality move 5 hexes alone.
b) Superior General—Say like King Philip II, Antigonus, Seleucus, and Alexander of Epirus, or the Greeks: Eumenes, Agathocles, Epaminondas, & Mennon. A Unit stacked with such a Leader may ignore one add’l sword hit. All units supported by such a Leader may count up to two helmet rolls as hits in close-combat battle back.
c) Ordinary General—Say like Ptolemy, Antipater, Lysimachus, Craterus, Demetrius, Perdiccas, Pithon, Antigonus Gonatas, and the Persians: King Darius & the Satrap Bessus, or the Spartan King Agis II.
All units supported by such a Leader may count up to only one helmet roll as a hit in close-combat battle back, other rules as normal.
d) Low-ranking Leader or Sub-par Strategos—like Leonnatus, Cassander, , Ophellas, or the Persian Ariarathes, or some lower ranking non-general officer or sub-chief: Any unit supported by such a Leader may count up to only one helmet roll as a hit in close-combat battle back. This type of Leader may only support a unit located in the same hex the Leader is located in when involved is close-combat/battle-back. When such a Leader makes use of a “Leadership card” he may only move up to a max. of: one less unit than the card calls for.
Momentum Combat and the Cards: If a player conducts Momentum combat with an activated unit he receives no bonus dice from the card that activated the unit for this second combat.
Outflanking: This is an easy way of introducing facing and flanks to the game with little fuss—it can be retrofitted to other scenarios where appropriate:
A unit is said to be “Outflanked” if it is surrounded in all six adjacent hexes by either enemy units, or hexes adjacent to an enemy unit. The presence of friendly units or impassable terrain does not negate an “Outflanked” situation in any way. Units on the board edges (and not surrounded by six adjacent hexes) cannot be “Outflanked”.
Effects of being Outflanked: “Outflanked” units when battling back roll only half the normal number of dice they would be normally entitled to rounded up—to a maximum of only two dice—“Outflanked” units when battling back never hits on helmet rolls (unless Silver Shields/Foot Companions for up to one helmet ) even if supported by a leader. A unit’s “Outflanked” situation is judged at the instant it battles back. Elephants can NEVER be considered “outflanked” –they are effectively immune to this rule although they can cause an opposing unit to be outflanked.
Special Troop Type Rules Section:
Auxillia-Peltasts: Greek or Hellenistic entho-national Auxillia type troops are generally assumed to be Peltast types of the period in most battles. These Auxilla-Peltasts may evade if attacked by Medium or Heavy Infantry. These type units of that time were very often experienced mercenaries who were quite keen on living to collect their pay.
Auxillia-Tribals: Certain types of Auxillia can be designated as low-grade conscripted
tribal troops. These units retreat 2 hexes per flag result taken and only battle-back with 2 dice when attacked in close-combat (CC) (still have a “normal” dice of 3 when attacking in CC).
Silver Shields/Old Veterans/”Sacred Band”: are Heavy Infantry and these advantages:
a) They may move normally two spaces and NOT attack like Auxillia
b) They start with five blocks
c) They may ignore one swords and one retreat flag result inflicted upon
them in close combat/battleback (or missile fire if a flag).
d) In close combat/battleback they always hit on the first helmet rolled
regardless of whether they are supported by a Leader.
‘Foot Companions’/ Hypaspists In some battles certain Medium Infantry units are designated as Elite “Shield-bearers” or “Hypaspists”. These have the EXACT SAME advantages as the Silver Shields/Old Veterans described above—additionally if moved via a Leadership card they move up to two hexes (terrain permitting) and battle.
Persian “Immortals” In some battles certain Persian Medium Infantry units are designated as “Immortals”. These units have then following advantages:
a) May ignore one retreat flag
b) Start the game with 5 blocks
c) Has archery capability out to three hexes may missile if ordered like a Light Archer unit, but it remains a medium unit for all other purposes including use of and ordering units via the Command Cards.
Cataphracts: In some battles certain heavy cavalry are designated as “Cataphracts”. These can ignore the first sword hit inflicted on them in close-combat/battleback.
“Companions”: In some battles certain medium cavalry are designated as “Companions”: These can ignore the first sword hit or retreat flag in close-combat/battleback, or the first flag inflicted by missile fire. Companions only retreat 2 hexes per flag result taken.
Elite Light Slingers: In some battles certain Light Slinger units are designated as “elite”—Elite Light Slingers when missile firing against enemy light foot hit on swords. When battling back only in close combat Elite Light Slingers also hit on swords.
Elite Javelin Men: : In some battles certain Light Infantry units are designated as “elite”—Elite Light Infantry when missile firing against enemy light foot hit on swords. When battling back only in close combat Elite Light Infantry also hit on swords.
Light Infantry/Light Archers/Light Slingers: These unit types may ALWAYS evade through friendly units. Also if these type units are moved by a section or Leadership card they may also be moved through friendly units when ordered with these card types.
African vs. Indian Elephants: Elephants can be designated as of African or Indian origin—there is no difference save when one breed fights the other breed of elephant—in that case the Indians get 4 dice “normally” and the African elephants get only 2 dice.
Alexander’s “Experimental Phalanx” (Alexander the Great was working on developing this formation which combined Persian Archers with Macedonian-style pike-men for new conquests just before he died) This unit is a Medium Infantry unit with the following add’l features:
a) Has archery capability out to three hexes may missile fire if ordered like a Light Archer unit, but it remains a medium unit for all other purposes including use of and ordering units via the Command Cards.
b) They may move normally two spaces and NOT attack like Auxillia
(The Experimental Phalanx continues next page)
c)When adjacent to enemy units and ordered the unit may uniquely use BOTH its archery ability and its close-combat ability to attack adjacent-only enemy units as long as the unit does not move. (this includes when being activated by “Clash of Shields”). The archery ability is always used in this case before any close-combat done by the unit, and only one dice is thrown for this special missile attack. The unit may not Momentum advance/attack after a close-combat battle if it used its special missile attack ability earlier during the combat resolution of that player-turn.
Warriors !!: Gallic & Galatian: Wild Mercenaries and Other Freebooting Peoples
Add the Following Rules: These ALL Pertain to Warrior Units ONLY:
“Barbarian Balk”: If a Warrior unit (of whatever type) moves 2 hexes (or 3 hexes using “Double Time”) to a hex adjacent to an enemy unit(s) to close combat it and then is unable to do so due to the enemy unit(s) being retreated or eliminated by other attacks, the Warrior unit has failed its requirement to close-combat attack given the length of its pre-combat move.
Such Warrior units that fail to attack are said to have “balked”—immediately retreat Warrior units in such a situation one hex once all own side close combats are finished. The one hex “Barbarian Balk” retreat is conducted in the normal fashion just as if the unit was forced to retreat one hex after a battle—and it is not optional and cannot be canceled in any way—even by the presence of a leader or support etc.
“Barbarian Rush”: Limits to Warrior Momentum Combat: ALL Warrior units, regardless of type, reduced to one or two blocks May Not Engage in momentum combat unless a friendly leader is attached to the unit in question.
Elite Galatian/Gallic Noble Warriors & Mercenaries: Certain Warrior units can be considered to be made up of the top cream of Galatian/Gallic tribal warrior society. These start the game with five blocks and receive a one dice-one time bonus as Elite Warriors: the very first time in the scenario they battle back or engage in close combat as long as the unit still has three or more blocks at the instant it rolls in either combat or battle-back.
—In addition if this Elite Warrior unit is still at four or more blocks it also receives the same benefits as a regular warrior unit (ignoring one flag and getting four dice normally).
Weapon system/type Advantages and Disadvantages for Light & Cavalry Troops:
Light Cavalry of either Bow or Non-bow Type: Attacking or battling back in close-combat against Light Infantry/Light Archers/Light Slingers do so with 3 dice as their “normal dice” as long as both units are on clear terrain and the Light Cavalry is not outflanked if defending.
Light Infantry Attacking or battling back in close-combat against Light Archers do so with 3 dice as their “normal dice” unless reduced to 2 dice due to terrain or being outflanked on defense.
Light Cavalry Attacking or battling back in close-combat against Light Bow Cavalry do so with 3 dice as their “normal dice” as long as both units are on clear terrain and the Light Cavalry is not outflanked if defending.
Cavalry Discipline and Training:
Certain Light Cavalry, Light Bow Cavalry, and Medium Cavalry units can also be designated as “well disciplined”—these units only retreat 2 hexes per flag result taken.
The “Companion” Medium Cavalry troop type mentioned above is an example of a well-disciplined cavalry force that also has some other special advantages. Certain other period cavalry units like Thracian Light Lancers, the light mercenary horse archers hired by Alexander the Great, and Greek “Tarentine” and Thessalian type cavalry could also be considered “well disciplined”.
Optional/Experimental Rule Section:
Reserve Movement: Before the battle starts each player should designate one of his
a), b), or c) quality Leaders secretly by name to have the ability once per game to conduct a special “Reserve Move”. A “Reserve Move” can be up to four hexes for foot, six hexes for elephant/chariot units and up to eight hexes for any other mounted units/leaders, however Reserve Moving units/leaders may never move into a hexrow closer to the enemy side of the map from the hexrow they started their “Reserve Move” move in. War Machine units and Baggage Train wagons may never Reserve Move. Reserve Moves may generally only be conducted by well-disciplined & organized non-barbarian armies commanded by a somewhat talented leader.
“Reserve Move” Rules:
Once per game a player can declare before playing their card(s) for their player-turn a special “ Reserve Move”…The Player may immediately move any of his units located in or adjacent to the pre-game selected Leader that has “Reserve Move” capability. The units selected cannot be adjacent to the enemy, and at NO POINT in the move can they enter hexes adjacent to enemy units. After the “ Reserve Move” the moving player plays his card(s) normally and may even have the Reserve Moving units move again and have combat—being ordered via the card(s). The “Reserve Move” may not be executed during the first three reserve mover player-turns of the game. The general conducting the “Reserve Move” may not be designated to conduct the move at the start of the turn if he is adjacent to the enemy. The general conducting the “Reserve Move” must ‘ride along’ with the movers, but may change the unit he is attached to, and all Reserve Moving units must end their “Reserve Move” within 2 hexes of the general conducting the move. Any other friendly general attached to a Reserve Moving unit simply stays in place while his unit moves off with the general conducting the move.
Hellenistic Infantry Battle//Hoplite Rules: In infantry-heavy battles during the peroid with certain Greek city-states and leagues and kingdoms participating in the battle some of the heavy and/or medium infantry in the battle can be designated as heavily armored "hoplites". Units so designated can always ignore one sword hit in close combat/battleback per combat as long as they are not currently in an "outflanked" position as the defender.