Phase 4 - Combat

A unit ordered to battle initiates Combat against an enemy unit or lone leader. Combat is a term that is used for both Ranged Combat (fire) and Close Combat. To fire, a unit must be within range and have a Line of Sight to the target unit. To Close Combat, a unit must be in an adjacent hex to the enemy unit. An ordered unit may only engage in one type of combat when ordered, even if it is capable of both types of combat.

Combat is resolved, one ordered unit at a time, in the sequence of a player’s choice. A player may switch between Ranged Combat and Close Combat from one unit to the next; however, a player must announce and resolve one unit’s combat, including all related additional actions stemming from that battle, before proceeding to another ordered unit’s combat.

• A unit that is ordered does not have to battle, even when adjacent to an enemy unit.
  NOTE: A Warrior unit when charging two hexes must Close Combat, see Foot Units “Warrior” rules section.
• A unit may not split its battle dice between several enemy targets during the same combat dice roll.
• A unit may normally battle only once per turn.
  NOTE: In some situations, a unit may make a Momentum Advance after a successful Close Combat and then make a bonus combat attack, see Special Actions “Momentum Advance and Bonus Combat” rules section.
• The number of casualties (blocks removed) a unit has suffered does not affect the number of battle dice the unit rolls in combat. A unit with a single block retains the same combat strength as a unit at full strength.
• A Leader may not battle when alone in a hex.

Ranged Combat (Fire)

Only units armed with missile weapons may engage in Ranged Combat. Most green circle symbol units, including those with a white border, have missile weapons. In some scenarios, cavalry units (Medium, Heavy and Super Heavy Cavalry) will also be designated as capable of Ranged fire in the scenario special rules and indicated on the scenario map when setting up.
A unit with missile weapons battling an enemy unit more than 1 hex away is said to conduct Ranged Combat (fire) at that enemy unit (the “target unit”).

• In Ranged Combat, the target unit must be within both range and Line of Sight of the firing unit.
• Ranged Combat can be done in any direction.
• Ranged Combat cannot be used against an adjacent enemy unit.
• A unit adjacent to an enemy unit cannot fire on another, more distant, enemy unit. If the unit chooses to battle the unit must Close Combat the adjacent enemy unit, it cannot do Ranged Combat.
• The targeted unit cannot Battle Back after a Ranged Combat attack, see “Battle Back” rules section.
• A targeted unit cannot evade a Ranged Combat attack.

Ranged Combat (Fire) Procedure

1. Announce firing unit
2. Check Range
3. Check Line of Sight
4. Determine Battle Dice
5. Resolve Battle
6. Score Hits
7. Apply Retreats

1. Announce Firing Unit

Announce the ordered unit that is going to fire along with its target unit.

• Each Ranged Combat attack is declared and resolved one ordered unit at a time, in the sequence of a player’s choice.
• A player must announce and resolve one unit’s Ranged Combat entirely before beginning the next unit’s battle.
• Regardless of the number of enemy units in range of a target unit, each Ranged Combat is conducted by one eligible ordered unit, against one enemy unit in Line of Sight and in range.
• Multiple Ranged Combats against one enemy unit must be made and resolved one at a time.

2. Check Range

Verify that your target is within range. The range is the distance between the firing unit and the target unit, measured in hexes. When counting the range in hexes, include the target unit’s hex but not the firing units hex.

NOTE: Medium Cavalry, Heavy and Super Heavy Cataphract Cavalry are not always armed with bows. Cavalry units designated as capable of Ranged fire will be detailed in the scenario special rules and by unit block letters on the scenario map.

3. Check Line of Sight

Verify that your target is within Line of Sight. A unit must be able to “see” the enemy unit it wants to target. This is known as having “Line of Sight.”
Imagine a line drawn from the center of the hex containing the firing unit to the center of the hex containing the target unit. This Line of Sight is blocked only if a hex (or part of a hex) between the battling unit and the target hex contains an  bstruction. Obstructions include a unit or Leader (regardless if friend or foe), the edge of the battlefield and some terrain features, see “Terrain” rules section for the terrain types that block Line of Sight. The terrain in the target unit’s hex does not block Line of Sight to the target unit.
If the imaginary line runs along the edge of one or more hexes that contain obstructions, Line of Sight is not blocked unless the obstructions are on both sides of the line.

EXAMPLE OF RANGED COMBAT: All Byzantine units are ordered. Auxilia #1 unit may not fire, because it is adjacent to an enemy unit. If it wants to battle it must close combat. LB #2 may not fire because its LOS is blocked by friendly units. Assuming none of the remaining units have moved, they would each get two dice to use in Ranged Combat. If any of these units had moved they would roll one die in Ranged Combat.

4. Determine Battle Dice:

• A Battlefield Action used by the attacker may increase the number of battle dice rolled.
• Reduce the number of battle dice rolled according to any terrain battle dice reductions, see “Terrain” rules section.
• The number of dice a unit will roll in Ranged Combat also depends upon whether or not the unit held its position (did not move) before firing or has moved. If the unit did not move prior to firing, the unit will roll two dice in Ranged Combat; if the unit moved, the unit will only roll one die.

5. Resolve Battle

Roll the proper number of battle dice and resolve the resulting dice roll.

6. Score Hits on Units

The unit firing scores 1 hit for each dice symbol rolled that matches the unit type targeted.

• A green circle will score one hit on units with a green circle symbol (with or without a white border).
• A blue triangle will score one hit on units with a blue triangle symbol (with or without a white border).
• A red square will score one hit on units with a red square symbol (with or without white border).
• A flag does not score a hit in Ranged Combat, but may cause the unit to retreat, see “Retreat” rules section.

In Ranged Combat, when the attacking unit rolls a Leader helmet, a sword symbol, or a unit symbol that does not match the target unit, these symbols are a miss and have no effect.

Effect of Ranged Combat Hits: For each hit scored, one block is removed from the target unit. When the last block in the opponent’s unit is removed, collect a Victory Banner. When more hits are rolled than the number of blocks in the enemy unit, these additional hits have no effect.
Hitting a Leader: When an enemy unit with an attached Leader takes a hit in Ranged Combat, the attached Leader must make a Leader casualty check, see “Leader Casualty Check” rules section.

7. Apply Retreats

see “Retreat” rules section.

Close Combat

A unit battling against an adjacent enemy unit is said to be in Close Combat with the enemy unit. A unit adjacent to an enemy unit must Close Combat the adjacent enemy unit if it chooses to battle. The unit cannot use Ranged Combat (fire) against the adjacent enemy unit or any other enemy unit within range.

Close Combat Procedure

1. Announce Close Combat Unit
2. Defending Unit Evade
3. Determine Battle Dice
5. Resolve Battle
6. Score Hits
6. Apply Retreats
7. Momentum Advance and Bonus Close Combat
8. Battle Back

1. Announce Close Combat Unit

Announce the ordered unit you want to Close Combat with and the enemy unit it is attacking.

• A unit must be adjacent to an enemy unit to engage in Close Combat.
• Close Combat may be done in any direction.
• Each Close Combat attack is declared and resolved one ordered unit at a time, in the sequence of the player’s choice.
• A player must announce and resolve one unit’s Close Combat entirely, including any Momentum Advance, bonus Close Combat, and opponent’s unit Battle Back, before beginning the next combat.
• Each Close Combat is conducted by one eligible ordered unit against one adjacent defending enemy unit, regardless of the number of friendly and enemy units adjacent to each other.
• If more than one ordered unit is adjacent to the defending enemy unit, each ordered Close Combat attack is resolved separately.

2. Defending Unit Evade

Some defending units are eligible to evade when attacked in Close Combat. When a unit evades, it will allow the unit to move away from the attacking unit and will modify the Close Combat resolution, see Special Actions “Evade” rules section.

3. Determine battle dice:

• The unit class will determine the number of battle dice a unit will roll in a Close Combat.
• The Command card played by the attacker may increase the number of battle dice rolled.
• A Battlefield Action used by the attacker may increase the number of battle dice rolled.
• Reduce the number of battle dice rolled according to any Terrain battle dice reductions, see “Terrain” rules section.

Foot Unit Close Combat

• A Light Bow Infantry unit may either stay in position or move one or two hexes and Close Combat an adjacent enemy unit with 2 battle dice. A Light Bow Infantry unit does not score a hit when it rolls sword symbols in Close Combat.
• ►An Auxilia Infantry unit may either stay in position or move one or two hexes and Close Combat an adjacent enemy unit with two battle dice. Although an Auxilia is classed as a light unit, the unit will score a hit when it rolls sword symbols in
  Close Combat.
• ►A Medium Infantry unit may either stay in position or move one hex and Close Combat an adjacent enemy unit with three battle dice. When a Medium unit moves two hexes, it may not Close Combat.
• A Warrior Infantry unit may either stay in position or move one or two hexes and Close Combat an adjacent enemy unit with three battle dice.
  NOTE: a Warrior unit’s normal movement is only one hex, but it may move two hexes when “charging” into a Close Combat attack against an enemy unit. A Warrior unit that moves two hexes must be eligible to battle in Close Combat after movement.
  A Warrior unit at full strength will battle with one additional battle die in Close Combat (four dice). A Warrior unit at full strength may also ignore one flag rolled against it. A Warrior unit will lose these two bonuses after its first block is lost, but this only takes effect when attacked again a second time after losing its first block or when it is ordered to battle during its own side’s turn after losing its first block.
  Note: The key point here is that a full strength Warrior unit that loses block(s) in a Close Combat is entitled to Battle Back with four dice against the attacker who inflicted the first block loss. In subsequent combat, either on this turn or any turn that follows, the Warrior unit will only Close Combat with three dice.
• ►A Heavy Infantry unit may either stay in position or move one hex and Close Combat an adjacent enemy unit with four battle dice.

WARRIOR EXAMPLE: A player orders two unsupported units (a medium cavalry unit, and a heavy infantry unit). They are adjacent to an unsupported full-strength enemy warrior unit. The player chooses to conduct Close Combat against the warrior unit, using the medium cavalry first. The cavalry unit rolls three dice and scores one blue triangle hit and one flag. The warrior unit loses one block, but chooses to ignore the flag so that it can Battle Back. The warrior unit still rolls four dice (even though a block was lost in this combat) because it started this combat at full strength. The warriors roll one sword and one flag, scoring a block loss on the medium cavalry, and forcing it to retreat 3 hexes. The first Close Combat is finished.

Because the Warrior unit is no longer at full strength, the warriors will not be able to ignore the first flag and must battle with only three dice in all subsequent combats. The heavy infantry unit now engages in Close Combat against the warrior unit, rolling four dice and scoring one sword hit, one blue triangle hit, and one flag. The warrior unit loses two more blocks and must retreat 2 hexes because the flag cannot be ignored. The victorious heavy infantry unit may choose to Momentum Advance onto the vacant hex after the successful Close Combat.

Mounted Unit Close Combat

• Light Cavalry and Light Bow Cavalry units may either stay in position or move one, two, three, or four hexes and Close Combat an adjacent enemy unit with two battle dice. Light Cavalry and Light Bow Cavalry units do not score a hit on a
  sword symbol in Close Combat.
• A Medium Cavalry unit may either stay in position or move one, two, or three hexes and Close Combat an adjacent enemy unit with three battle dice.
• A Heavy Cavalry and Super Heavy Cataphract Cavalry unit may either stay in position or move one or two hexes and Close Combat an adjacent enemy unit with four battle dice.

4. Resolve Battle

Roll battle dice and resolve resulting dice rolls.

5. Score Hits

The unit attacking scores one hit for each die symbol rolled that matches the target unit.

• A green circle will score one hit on a unit with green circle symbol (with or without a white border).
• A blue triangle will score one hit on a unit with blue triangle symbol (with or without a white border).
• A red square will score one hit on a unit with any kind of red square symbol (with or without a white border).
• One hit is scored in Close Combat for each Leader helmet symbol rolled, when a friendly Leader is attached to a unit that is battling in Close Combat or the Leader is in an adjacent hex to the unit that is battling in Close Combat, regardless of the type of unit being attacked, see “Leaders in Close Combat” rules section.
• A flag does not score a hit in Close Combat, but may cause the enemy unit to retreat, see “Retreat” rules section.
• Light Bow Infantry, Light Cavalry and Light Bow Cavalry do not score hits in Close Combat when Swords are rolled.
• ► SUPERIOR ARMOR CLASS: All units hitting on swords in Close Combat against a unit with superior armor will not score a hit on the first sword hit rolled.
  
  • Because of superior (armor) class, a cavalry unit with a  will ignore one sword rolled against it when attacked in Close Combat by all units of a lower class; including: , , , and .
  • Because of superior (armor) class, a unit with , will ignore one sword rolled against it when attacked in Close Combat by all units of a lower class; including: , , and  .
  • Because of superior (armor) class, a unit with a  or  will ignore one sword rolled against it when attacked in Close Combat by all units with .
• ► SUPERIOR STATURE: Because of its superior stature, any cavalry unit will ignore one sword rolled against it when attacked in Close Combat by any foot unit.

EXAMPLES:

• A Heavy foot unit attacking a Medium Cavalry unit, one sword is ignored because of superior stature of the cavalry unit.
• A Medium foot unit attacking a Heavy Cavalry unit, two swords are ignored one because of superior stature of the cavalry unit and one because of superior armor class.
• A Heavy Cavalry unit attacking a Super Heavy Cataphract Cavalry unit (red square white border), one sword is ignored because of superior armor class.

NOTE: Superior armor class and cavalry stature only applies to Close Combat, not Ranged Combat. The maximum number of swords that are ignored because of superior stature and superior armor class is two swords.

Leaders in Close Combat

Leaders engage in combat somewhat differently from units. A Leader block may not battle when alone in a hex. However, a Leader will inspire attached or adjacent friendly units which are attacking in Close Combat or battling back. When a friendly Leader is attached to or adjacent to the battling unit, the unit scores a hit for each Leader helmet symbol rolled on its battle dice, regardless of the type of unit being attacked.
Effect of Close Combat Hits: For each hit scored, one block is removed from the target unit. When the last block in the opponent’s unit is removed, the unit has been eliminated, collect a Victory Banner. When more hits are rolled than the number of blocks remaining in the enemy unit, the additional hits have no effect.
Hitting a Leader: When an enemy unit with an attached Leader takes a hit in Close Combat, the attached Leader must make a Leader casualty check, see “Leader Casualty Check” rules section.

6. Apply Retreats

see “Retreat” rules section.

7. Momentum Advance and Bonus Close Combat

see Special Actions - “Momentum Advance and Bonus Close Combat” rules section.

8. Battle Back

In a Close Combat, the defending enemy unit may Battle Back against the attacking unit when one or more of the defending unit’s blocks survived the Close Combat attack and the defending unit did not retreat from its hex.

• If the defending unit is forced to retreat out of its original hex, it may not Battle Back, even if the retreat move leaves the unit in a hex that is still adjacent to the attacking unit.
• If the defending unit cannot retreat out of the hex it occupies and remains adjacent to the attacking unit, it may Battle Back if it has at least one block remaining after deducting block losses for hexes not retreated, see “Retreat” rules section.

During a Battle Back, the defending unit determines the proper number of dice to roll, including any terrain battle dice reduction and a Battlefield Action used by the defending unit’s Battle Back to increase the number of battle dice rolled.
The unit battling back resolves the Battle Back and applies hits and retreats in the same manner as the attacking unit.

EXAMPLE OF CLOSE COMBAT: The Byzantine player has ordered the five Byzantine units shown above. All moves are completed before any Close Combat is conducted. Note that the movement routes shown above require moving the light cavalry first (otherwise it could not have moved through hexes B and C). For this example, most of the defending units eligible to Evade will not. Units will also ignore any flag results that can be ignored. The Sassanid player hopes to Battle Back.

1. The Byzantine Auxilia Infantry unit moved two hexes and may engage in close combat. The Auxilia unit hits on sword rolls, but since the Sassanid Medium Infantry is a superior armor class, it may ignore one sword hit from the Auxilia, see “Superior Armor Class” rules section. An alternative would have been to move the Auxilia unit only one hex and conduct Ranged Combat with one die. 
2. The Byzantine Warrior Infantry unit and attached Leader move two hexes and must either battle the Sassanid Heavy Cavalry unit or the Sassanid Heavy Infantry unit. The player chooses the Heavy Cavalry unit which has the option to evade, but it chooses to stand and engage in combat. The Warrior unit is at full strength, so the player rolls four dice and will hit on red squares, swords or Leader symbols because of the attached leader. The supported Heavy Cavalry unit can ignore two sword hits (one for superior armor class and the other for superior stature) and one flag because it is supported. Two or more flags rolled will, however, force a retreat. Note that forcing a unit to retreat is one of the primary advantages gained by attacking first in Close Combat. If the defending unit is forced to retreat, it cannot battle back. The Warrior unit rolls one red square, one Leader and one sword – but no Flags! The Heavy Cavalry unit ignores the sword hit, but still takes the hits from the leader and red square results and loses two blocks. It now battles back with four dice. It will score hits with blue triangles and swords, but would need to roll four flags to force a retreat. Full strength warrior ignores one flag, leader allows unit to ignore one flag and after the movement in the example, would be supported which allows unit to ignore another flag.
3. The Byzantine Super-Heavy Cataphract Cavalry unit moves two hexes and the Byzantine player opts to battle the Sassanid Heavy Infantry even though they are also adjacent to the Sassanid Light Bow Infantry unit. The Super-Heavy Cavalry unit will battle with four dice. The Heavy Infantry unit cannot evade, but it is supported, and it will ignore one flag result. Unless all Sassanid Heavy Infantry blocks are eliminated or the unit is forced to retreat, the Sassanid Heavy Infantry unit will battle back with four dice.
4. The light cavalry will battle the light bow infantry and will score hits only with green circles (swords do not cause hits). The defending light bow infantry unit can choose to ignore one flag because it is supported and if it does not retreat, it will Battle Back with two dice, scoring hits only with green circles.
5. The Byzantine medium Cavalry unit moves two hexes to battle the Sassanid Light Bow Cavalry unit. The Medium Cavalry would battle with three dice and hit with swords and green circles. Should the Light Bow Cavalry elect to battle, it would roll two dice and hit only with blue triangles. The Light Bow Cavalry can evade, however, and most likely would. If the Sassanid player declares Evade, the Byzantine player would still roll three battle dice, but would hit only with green circles. After deducting any block losses, the evading Light Bow Cavalry could execute the Parthian Shot, rolling two dice that would hit only with blue triangles, and then evade move two hexes away from the attacking unit. An alternative might have been to have the bow equipped Medium Cavalry remain in place and conduct Ranged Combat with two dice against the Light Bow Cavalry.

RETREAT

Retreats are resolved after any combat hits have been resolved on a unit. For each flag rolled against the unit, the unit must retreat move back toward its own baseline of the battlefield.

UNIT RETREAT

RETREAT EXAMPLES:

• A Light or Light Bow Cavalry unit incurring one flag against it, would retreat its maximum move of four hexes. If two flags were rolled against it, the unit would have to retreat eight hexes.
• A Light Bow Infantry unit would retreat two hexes for each flag rolled against it. If three flags were rolled against the Light Bow Infantry unit, it would have to retreat six hexes.

The player controlling the unit that must retreat decides which hexes the unit retreats onto using the following rules:

• A unit must always retreat toward its controlling player’s baseline regardless of what direction the attack came from.
• A unit may never retreat sideways.
• Terrain that is not impassable has no effect on retreat movement, therefore a retreating unit may move into and through a forest or a fordable river, etc., without stopping.
• Impassable terrain will prevent a unit’s retreat.
• A unit may not retreat onto or through a hex already containing another unit (regardless if friend or foe).
• An attached Leader must retreat with its unit when the unit is forced to retreat.
• A unit without an attached Leader may retreat onto a hex that contains an unattached friendly Leader (i.e. a Leader alone in a hex). The Leader is immediately attached to the unit and the unit’s retreat stops in the Leader’s hex. The unit  ignores any additional retreat movement.
• When a unit cannot retreat because its retreat path is occupied by units (regardless if friend or foe), an enemy Leader that is alone in a hex, or it is forced to retreat off the battlefield or onto a hex that has impassable terrain, one block must be removed from the unit for each hex of the mandated retreat movement that the unit cannot fulfill.

RETREAT BLOCK LOSS EXAMPLE: A Light Bow Infantry unit on its own baseline must retreat. Its retreat should be two hexes, however, because it is at the edge of the battlefield it cannot make any retreat movement and therefore must lose two blocks, one block for each retreat hex it cannot fulfill.

• When a unit can retreat legally, toward its controlling player’s baseline, without taking block losses, it must take this retreat path instead of a retreat path where a block loss would occur.

EXAMPLE OF RETREATS: The medium cavalry unit in hex A has been attacked and has two flags rolled against it. The medium cavalry unit may ignore one flag because it is supported, but must still retreat 3 hexes. Fortunately, the first hex (X)  contains a leader by himself, which attaches to the retreating unit and stops its retreat. The light cavalry in hex B is attacked and has two flags rolled against it. The light cavalry unit may ignore one flag because it is supported, but must still retreat 4 hexes. Because its retreat path is occupied by friendly units, it must lose all four blocks—one for each hex it could not retreat, since hexes X and Z are occupied by friendly units. The four-block loss eliminates the unit. Note that it could not retreat to hex Y because a retreat must always proceed in the direction of the unit’s battlefield edge.
M: If a medium infantry unit on its own baseline must retreat, its retreat should be one hex. Since it is at the edge of the battlefield, it cannot make any retreat movement. The unit must lose one block for the one retreat hex it cannot fulfill.

Bolster Morale

Some situations allow a unit to disregard one or more flags rolled against it each time it is attacked. If more than one of the following situations applies, the effects are cumulative.

• A unit may disregard one flag when a Leader is attached to the unit (Leader is in the hex with the unit). Note: If the unit loses one or more blocks, the Leader must first survive the Leader casualty check for the unit to ignore one flag, see “Leader Casualty Check” rules section.
• A unit may disregard one flag when supported by two or more friendly units. Support units may be in any two hexes that are adjacent to the unit. Note: A Leader, when alone in a hex, may act as an adjacent support and in this case can count as a support just as a unit as long as the unit does not have an attached Leader.
• Some terrain allows a defending unit on the terrain hex to disregard one flag, see “Terrain” rules section.
• A full-strength Warrior unit may disregard one flag result.
• Spending an Inspired Action token for a Battlefield Action of Bravery may allow a unit to disregard one flag result.

Disregarding a flag result is purely a matter of choice, the owning player may always decide to accept or ignore a flag result. When more than one flag results can be ignored, the owning player can choose to ignore one (or more) and accept one (or more), but when a flag is accepted each flag result accepted will retreat the unit its full retreat amount.

IGNORE AND ACCEPTING FLAG EXAMPLE: A Medium Cavalry unit with an attached Leader receives two flag results from a Ranged fire attack. The owning player chooses to ignore one flag, because the Leader bolstered the unit’s morale, but must take the second flag. The Medium Cavalry unit must retreat three hexes. If the owning player chooses to not ignore the one flag, the Medium Cavalry unit would retreat six hexes.

LEADERS

Leader Casualty Checks

Whenever a Leader is involved in a combat, there is a chance that the Leader may become a casualty. If a casualty check is required, your opponent will roll to determine whether your Leader is hit and removed from the battlefield or survives.

Attached Leaders: There are several situations requiring a Leader casualty check. When a Leader is attached to a unit, a casualty check must be made when a unit loses a block from:

• Ranged Combat
• Close Combat
• Evading
• Failure to complete a retreat move

When a unit with an attached Leader retreats, there is no Leader casualty check required unless the unit loses blocks when the unit is unable to retreat.

Important Note: Only one Leader casualty check is made during any combat sequence.

EXAMPLE: When a unit with an attached Leader loses blocks in Close Combat, a Leader casualty check is made after the blocks are removed. If the unit also retreats because of flags on the same combat dice roll and the unit loses more blocks due to the retreat path being occupied, another Leader casualty check is not required. The retreat losses are from the same combat dice roll and only one Leadership casualty check is made on a Leader during a combat sequence.

Attached Leader’s Unit Not Eliminated: When a Leader is attached to a unit and the unit loses one or more blocks without being eliminated, there is a chance the Leader may also become a casualty. Make a Leader casualty check by rolling two battle dice. To hit the Leader two Leader symbols must be rolled. When a hit is scored, remove the Leader block and gain a Victory Banner.

Attached Leader’s Unit Eliminated: When a Leader is attached to a unit and the unit is eliminated, leaving the Leader alone in the hex, the Leader casualty check is made with one die. To hit the Leader a Leader symbol must be rolled. When a hit is scored remove the Leader block and gain a Victory Banner. If the Leader is not hit on this single die roll, the Leader must evade one, two or three hexes back toward the Leader’s own side of the battlefield, see “Special Actions Leader Evade” rules section.

• Flags rolled against a unit that was eliminated have no effect on a lone Leader.
• When the attached Leader’s unit is eliminated in Close Combat, the attacking unit may Momentum Advance into the vacated hex after the Leader evades out of the hex.

Leader Alone in Hex: When an unattached Leader is alone in a hex and is attacked by Ranged or Close Combat, the attacking unit rolls its normal number of battle dice. To hit the Leader one Leader symbol must be rolled. When a hit is scored, the Leader is eliminated, and the Leader block is removed from the battlefield and a Victory Banner is gained. If the Leader is not hit, the Leader must evade one, two or three hexes, see “Leader Evade” rules section.

• Flags rolled against a Leader when alone in a hex have no effect.
• A unit attacking a lone Leader in Close Combat may not Momentum Advance into the vacated hex after the Leader is eliminated or evades out of the hex.

Summary of Leader Benefits

Leaders have beneficial effects when attached or adjacent to friendly units.

• A Leader converts Leader symbol results into hits in Close Combat, when attached or adjacent to a friendly unit in Close Combat. Note: A Leader does not affect Ranged Combat.
• A Leader bolsters morale of a unit to which the Leader is attached. The unit may ignore 1 flag.
• An adjacent lone Leader (plus one other adjacent friendly unit) bolsters morale the same as two adjacent friendly units.
• A Leader allows any foot unit to which it is attached to make a bonus Close Combat attack after a Momentum Advance, see Special Actions “Momentum Advance and Bonus Close Combat” rules section.
• Leaders also provide a benefit when it comes to ordering units with “Leadership” Command cards, see “Command cards” rules section. 

SPECIAL ACTIONS

Unit Evade

Some units, when being attacked in Close Combat, may evade instead of staying in their hex and battling.

Evade Eligibility

The following units may evade:

• Light Bow Infantry may always evade.
• Light Cavalry and Light Bow Cavalry may always evade.
• Medium Cavalry units may evade all foot and ► heavy mounted units.
• Heavy Cavalry and Super Heavy Cataphract Cavalry units may evade all foot units.
• Auxilia, Medium Infantry, Warrior and Heavy Infantry units may not evade.
• A Leader, when the Leader is alone in a hex, must evade after a combat against the Leader, see “Leader Evade” rules section.

Evade Procedure

The defending player must declare that the unit will evade or that the unit will not evade, before the attacking unit rolls its Close Combat battle dice. Note: Game courtesy requires the attacking player to normally ask if the unit that can evade is going to evade before rolling the Close Combat dice.
The attacking unit determines and rolls the proper number of Close Combat battle dice against the evading unit before it makes its evade movement. Only symbols that match the evading unit will score a hit. All other unit symbols, Leader, swords, and flags rolled are ignored.
When the evading unit receives a hit and has an attached Leader, a Leader casualty check is made, see “Leader Casualty Check” rules section.
When the die roll against the evading unit eliminates the evading unit’s last block, one Victory Banner is gained.

• After the attacking unit rolls its Close Combat battle dice and any block loses are removed, the unit will make and evade move two hexes towards the unit’s own side of the battlefield.
• ► A unit may not evade if it cannot make an evade move of two hexes.
• A unit may not evade if both hexes towards its side of the battlefield are occupied by; impassable terrain hexes, units (regardless if friend or foe) or a lone enemy Leader.
• Terrain that is not impassable has no effect on evade moves, therefore an evading unit may move onto and through a forest or a fordable river, etc., without stopping.
• If the first hex a unit evades onto includes a lone friendly Leader the evading unit stops in that hex and the Leader is attached to the unit. In this case a one hex evade move will count as a legal evade.
• An evading unit may not Battle Back even when it ends in a hex that is adjacent to the unit making the attack.
• An attacking unit may not evade when the defending unit battles back.
• The attacking unit may not evade when being attacked by the play of a first strike or an ambush Command card.
• The attacking unit may not occupy the evading unit’s original hex, regardless of the result of the attacking unit’s die roll. Even if the evading unit is eliminated by the attacking unit’s die roll, the attacking unit may not Momentum Advance onto the hex.

HISTORICAL NOTE: Evasion is not simply “running away.” Evading usually represents a fighting withdrawal that hinders the enemy advance, but at some risk to the unit.

Parthian Shot

When a Close Combat attack is declared against a Light Bow Cavalry unit, the Light Bow Cavalry unit that declares it is going to evade may fire a Parthian Shot. After the attacking unit rolls its dice (remember, only unit symbols hit) if the Light Bow Cavalry unit is not eliminated, it will roll 2 battle dice representing it is shooting as it evades (Parthian Shot). Only unit symbols of the attacking unit will hit when firing a Parthian shot. All other unit symbols, Leader, swords, and flags rolled are ignored. After the Parthian shot the Light Bow Cavalry unit will evade two hexes toward its baseline.

Leader Evade

Leaders evade somewhat differently from units. A Leader’s evade movement is one, two or three hexes back towards the Leader’s own side of the battlefield.
When a Leader is attached to a unit and the unit loses its last block by Ranged Combat or Close Combat, after making a Leader casualty check, if the Leader is not eliminated, the Leader must evade. When this occurs in Close Combat, the attacking
unit may take a Momentum Advance because it eliminated the defending unit.
When a Leader is alone in a hex (unattached), and is attacked by Ranged Combat or Close Combat, if the Leader is not eliminated on the combat roll, the Leader must evade. The attacking unit may not make a Momentum Advance after Close Combat against a lone Leader, even if the Leader is eliminated.

When a Leader evades the Leader must follow these rules:

• A Leader’s evade movement is one, two or three hexes back towards his own side of the battlefield. The controlling player determines the number of hexes the Leader will move, and which path the Leader will take.
• An evading Leader may move through friendly units, friendly units with an attached Leader and a friendly Leader alone in a hex.
• A Leader may not end his evade movement in a hex that contains another friendly Leader, impassable terrain, an enemy unit or enemy Leader.
• An evading Leader may move through an enemy unit or Leader, but this is governed by the rules for Leader escape - See “Leader Escape” rules section.
• After completing the evade movement, when the Leader is on a hex with a friendly unit, the Leader is considered attached to that unit.
• A unit is not affected when a Leader is evading through its hex.
• A player may choose to evade a Leader off his side of the battlefield. This may save the Leader from becoming a Victory Banner for the opponent, but by doing so a strong command piece is lost.
• If the Leader cannot evade a minimum of one hex (this will occur only due to impassable terrain) the Leader is eliminated and the opponent gains one Victory Banner.

Leader Escape

If enemy units occupy both hexes of a Leader’s designated evade path, the evading Leader must attempt to escape through one of those hexes. An evading Leader may move through an enemy unit or Leader, but this is governed by the following rules:

• Move the Leader onto one of the enemy occupied hexes. Allow the enemy unit in the hex to battle the Leader. The attacking unit uses its normal number of Close Combat dice. The Leader does not benefit from terrain if any in the hex.
• To score a hit on a Leader trying to escape, one Leader symbol rolled will score a hit. When a hit is scored removed the Leader block the opponent gains a Victory Banner. If the Leader is not hit, the escape is successful through this hex and the Leader continues onto the next hex of the evade movement. If this hex is also occupied by an enemy unit, the Leader will again be attacked. If the third hex of a Leader’s escape movement is also occupied, no attack roll is needed, the Leader is eliminated and the opponent gains a Victory Banner.
• A Leader may escape unharmed through a hex with a lone enemy Leader.
• If the Leader ends its escape movement on a hex with a friendly unit, the Leader is attached to the unit.

EXAMPLE OF EVADE AND BATTLE
A: The medium infantry unit battles the light bow infantry unit. Although both units are reduced to two blocks combat remains the same. The Light bow unit cannot evade because it cannot evade two hexes.
D&E: The heavy infantry unit with an attached leader conducts Close Combat against hex D. Even though the heavy infantry unit has only one block left it still battles with 4 dice. The result is 1 hit and 1 Leader Symbol—enough to eliminate the unit. The heavy infantry unit and leader advance, and then make a bonus Close Combat against hex E. The cavalry unit evades. Before the Evade movement is carried out, the Byzantine player gets to roll 4 dice, but will only hit on blue triangle symbols.
B&C: The Heavy Cavalry unit (four battle dice) Close Combats the Heavy Cavalry unit and forces it to retreat. The heavy cavalry unit can now make a Momentum Advance through the vacated hex and onto hex X. From there it conducts a bonus Close Combat against the Light Bow Infantry in hex C who have no chance to Evade. The result of 4 dice is 1 hit and 1 flag, and since the Light Bow retreat path is blocked, this is enough to eliminate the unit. The heavy cavalry unit could make another Momentum Advance onto the hex, but would not get the one additional hex or another bonus Close Combat this turn.

EXAMPLES OF LEADER EVADE AND ESCAPE:
1) An enemy light infantry unit and medium cavalry unit occupy the two hexes behind a lone leader who must evade. The hexes behind these two enemy units are vacant. The leader chooses to evade through the hex with the light infantry because the opposing player will roll only two dice instead of the three dice the medium cavalry unit would roll. The opposing player rolls two dice and gets one sword hit and one red square. Since no Leader symbols were rolled, the leader successfully escapes and finishes the Evade move after moving one or two more hexes.

2) The hex behind a lone leader is vacant. The next hex is occupied by a medium cavalry unit. A friendly unit without a leader occupies the hex behind the medium cavalry unit. The leader could make a one hex Evade onto the vacant hex, but elects to Evade three hexes, ending on the hex with the friendly unit. Upon entering the second hex containing the medium cavalry unit, the Evade move is halted, and the opposing player rolls three dice, obtaining two flags and a green circle. Since no Leader symbols were rolled, the leader successfully escapes and continues the Evade move onto the third and final hex containing the friendly unit.

3) The only available Evade path has an enemy light infantry unit on the first hex and an enemy medium cavalry unit on the second hex. The evading leader moves onto the first hex and halts while the opposing player rolls two dice for the light infantry unit, obtaining a flag and a sword. The escape succeeds, but the leader now must undergo another escape attempt as the leader is moved onto the second hex. The opposing player rolls three dice for the medium cavalry unit, and obtains a blue triangle hit and two Leaders. Only one Leader is needed, and the leader is removed, one hex short of safety. The opposing player earns one Victory banner for the eliminated leader.

Momentum Advance

When an ordered unit attacks in Close Combat and eliminates or forces the defending enemy unit to retreat from the hex it occupies, the attacking unit has conducted a successful Close Combat. The victorious attacking unit may advance (move) onto that vacated hex. This is referred to as a Momentum Advance, where the unit’s momentum after the successful Close Combat carries it onto the vacated hex.
A Momentum Advance is not mandatory after a successful Close Combat. However, if the Momentum Advance is not taken, the victorious attacking unit forfeits the possible opportunity to make a Bonus Close Combat, even if adjacent to other enemy units.
The following situations do not allow Momentum Advance:

• When a defending unit or Leader evades a Close Combat attack, the attacking unit may not claim a Momentum Advance onto the vacated hex.
• A unit battling back is not eligible to take a Momentum Advance.
• A unit that is playing a “First Strike” or “Ambush” Command card is not eligible to Momentum Advance.
• Some terrain restrictions will prevent a Momentum Advance.

Cavalry Special Momentum Advance: A cavalry unit (Light, Light Bow, Medium, or Heavy Cavalry), after the unit’s initial successful Close Combat, may Momentum Advance onto the vacated hex and then move one additional hex, in any direction (including back to their original hex). The one hex additional move is optional and is not required to conduct a bonus Close Combat.
NOTE: A Super Heavy Cataphract Cavalry unit is not eligible for the additional one hex movement. After a successful bonus Close Combat a Super Heavy Cataphract Cavalry unit can only Momentum Advance onto the vacated hex.

Bonus Close Combat

After a successful Close Combat, the following units may choose to conduct a Bonus Close Combat after its Momentum Advance:

• A Warrior unit can make a Bonus Close Combat after a Momentum Advance.
• A non-Warrior foot unit with an attached Leader can make a Bonus Close Combat after a Momentum Advance.
• All cavalry units can make a Bonus Close Combat after a Momentum Advance.

A Bonus Close Combat is optional and making the Momentum Advance does not require an eligible unit to attack in Close Combat again. A unit that qualifies for a Bonus Close Combat attack after a Momentum Advance may choose to battle any enemy unit in any adjacent hex (if terrain allows). The unit making the Bonus Close Combat attack does not have to battle against the enemy unit that just retreated from the hex.

• A unit may only make one Bonus Close combat during a turn.
• When a unit’s Bonus Close Combat is also successful it may Momentum Advance into the vacated hex, but may not battle again this turn.
• A cavalry unit after a successful Bonus Close Combat can, Momentum Advance onto the vacated hex, but it may not move the one additional hex or battle again this turn.
• Some terrain restrictions will prevent Momentum Advance after a Bonus Close Combat.

► Inspired Actions

An innovative feature of the Commands & Colors Medieval game is the Inspired Action Army Reference Sheet and the use of the Inspired Action tokens. Normally each Medieval army, will have its own special Inspired Action Reference Sheet. Inspired Actions may vary by army and an army’s special Inspired Actions can even change through time. In this core game there is an Inspired Action Reference Sheet for the Byzantine and Sassanid Persians.
In some scenarios, the armies of the Huns, Romans and Vandals will also use the same Inspired Action Reference Sheets.

Important Note: Only one available Inspired Action token may be spent during a player’s turn and only one available Inspired Action token may be spent during the opponent’s turn.

When a “Leadership Any Section” or a “Leadership Left, Leadership Center or Leadership Right Section” Command card is played on a turn, a player may choose to spend one Inspired Action token and elect to have the units that are ordered by the Leadership Command card perform one of the Inspired Leadership actions as listed on the Inspired Action Reference sheet.
The list of possible Inspired Leadership actions in this core game are, but note Inspired Actions may vary by army:

• Mounted Charge
• Foot Onslaught
• Rally
• Fire and Close
• Darken the Sky
• Move Fire Move
• Redeploy

There is also is a list of Battlefield Actions that can be called upon by a player during a player’s turn or the opponent’s turn.
These battlefield actions are not tied to the play of a Leadership Command card. A player will just spend one available Inspired Action token to have one of his units or Leaders perform the battlefield action on the list.

The possible Battlefield Actions in this core game are:

The number of Inspired Actions tokens a player holds is public knowledge and tokens should remain visible to the opponent at all times.

Possible sources for gaining Inspired Action tokens are: