The scenario’s battle notes state which player goes first. The player taking his turn is the active player, while the active player’s opponent is considered the defending player during the turn.
Players alternate taking turns, until one player reaches the number of Victory Banners indicated in the scenario’s victory conditions.
Player’ s Turn Sequence
Phase 1. Play a Command card
Phase 2. Order Units
Phase 3. Movement
Phase 4. Combat
Phase 5. End of Turn
The previous phase must be completed before proceeding onto the next phase.
Phase 1 . Play a Command card
At the start of a turn, the player must play a Command card from his hand. Place it face up and read it aloud. Command cards are used to order a player’s units to move, battle, or do something special.
The card played, dictates in which section(s) of the battlefield orders are issued, and how many units may be ordered. Hexes with a dotted line running through them are always considered as simultaneously belonging to both the corresponding flank and center section. Units may only move and/or battle when given an order. There are two types of Command cards, section cards and tactic cards.
Section Command card: A Section Command card is recognizable by an iconic representation of the battlefield on the lower half of the card. Each section card is used to order a set number of units and/or leaders in the section or a combination of sections of the battlefield, highlighted by an arrow and a number.
Tactic Command card: A Tactic Command card orders units and leaders across the battlefield in any section, and may allow the ordered units and/or leaders to move and/or battle in ways not normally allowed in the basic rules.
When the number of orders is not a fixed number and instead the card states “for each Command card you have, including this card” the number of units and/or leaders a player may order is equal to the number of Command cards in the player’s possession, including the Command card currently being played.
If a player is in a situation, where the Command card just played will not order any units or leaders, disregard phases 2 through 4 of the game turn and go directly to the draw phase End of Turn.
Phase 2. Order Units
After playing a Command card, announce which corresponding units and leaders you choose to order.
• Blocks grouped together on the same hex form a battlefield unit.
• Only those units that are issued an order may move, battle, or take a special action during this turn.
• Only one order may be given to each unit or leader during the course of a single game turn.
• A unit or leader on a hex with a dotted line running through it may be ordered from either section flank or center section.
• A leader in the same hex as a friendly unit is considered “attached”. It only costs one order for a unit and its attached leader to move and/or battle together.
• An attached leader ordered by a section Command card may be ordered to detach and move separately.
• It costs one order for an attached leader to detach from its unit and move separately.
• A unit and its attached leader may be ordered separately by spending two orders.
• When a leader is ordered to detach the unit the leader was with is not ordered.
• Attaching a leader to a unit does not order the unit the leader just joined.
• An attached leader may not be ordered to detached and move separately when a Tactic Command card is played on a turn, unless stated otherwise on the Tactic card.
• If a Section Command card issues more orders in a given section of the battlefield than the number of units and leaders in that section, those additional orders are lost.
• If a Tactic Command card issues more orders than units and leaders that are currently available, those additional orders are lost.
Phase 3 . Movement
Movements are announced and made sequentially, one ordered unit or leader at a time, in the sequence of a player’s choice.
• A unit or leader may only be ordered to move once per turn.
• A unit or leader that is ordered does not have to move.
• A unit or leader’s movement must be completed before beginning the movement of another unit or leader.
• A unit or leader may move from one section of the battlefield into another.
• Two units may never occupy the same hex.
• A unit may not move onto or through a hex occupied by a friendly unit, an enemy unit, or enemy leader.
• A unit may move onto a hex occupied by a friendly leader when the leader is alone in a hex. The unit must stop in the lone leader’s hex and move no further on the turn. The leader is then considered attached to the unit.
• A unit may not move off the battlefield’s baseline or lateral edges, unless explicitly allowed by the scenario’s battle notes.
• A unit may not split off individual blocks from a unit; they must stay together and always move as a group.
• A unit that is reduced through casualties may not combine with another unit.
• Some terrain features will impact movement and may prevent a unit from moving its full distance.
• A unit or leader may not move onto or through a hex with impassable terrain.
Note - Retreat movement rules vary slightly from ordered movement: see Retreat rules section.
Infantry Movement
• An ordered guard, grenadier, regular, provincial and militia infantry unit may move 1 hex and battle.
• An ordered highland infantry unit may move 1 hex and battle or 2 hexes when into melee and battle.
• An ordered light and rifle light infantry unit may move 1 hex and battle or 2 hexes and not battle.
Cavalry Movement
- An ordered light cavalry unit may move 1 or 2 hexes and battle.
Artillery Movement
• An ordered light field artillery unit may move 1 hex and not battle or not move and battle.
Leader Movement
• An ordered leader (either alone in a hex or ordered to detach from the unit it is with) may move up to 3 hexes.
• A leader may move through a hex with a friendly unit, a hex with a friendly unit and an attached leader, or another friendly leader that is alone in a hex, but may not end movement in a hex containing another friendly leader.
Note - A friendly unit or leader is defined as all allied units or leaders on the same side.
• A leader that moves onto a hex with a friendly unit may stop as long as the unit does not already have an attached leader. The leader is then considered attached to the unit.
• A leader may not move onto or through a hex occupied by an enemy unit or enemy leader, unless the leader is attempting to escape through the occupied enemy hex: see Lone Leader Escape rules section.
Phase 4 . Combat
Combat, also referred to as battle, is a term that is used for both ranged combat (fire) and melee combat. To engage in range combat, a unit must be within range and have a line of sight to the target unit or leader. To melee, a unit must be in an adjacent hex to the enemy unit or leader. An ordered unit may only engage in one type of combat on a turn.
Combat is resolved, one ordered unit at a time, in the sequence of a player’s choice. During the combat phase, combat may switch between ranged combat and melee combat from one unit to the next; however, one unit’s combat must be announced and resolved including all related additional combat actions, before proceeding to another ordered unit’s combat.
• A unit that is ordered does not have to combat, even when adjacent to an enemy unit.
• A unit may not split its battle dice between several enemy target units during the same combat dice roll.
• A unit may only normally battle once per turn; in some instances after a successful melee a unit may have the opportunity for a bonus melee combat: see Bonus Melee Combat rule section.
• The number of block losses 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.
• The range to the targeted enemy unit determines the base number of battle dice rolled in a combat. The number in ( ) is the base number of dice a unit will roll in melee, followed by the base number of dice the unit will roll as range increases.
Infantry Combat
• An ordered guard and grenadier infantry unit will combat at (3), 2, 1.
• An ordered regular, light and provincial infantry unit will combat at (2), 2, 1.
• An ordered militia infantry unit will combat at (2), 1, 1.
• An ordered highland infantry unit will combat at (2), 2, 1 and melee at +1 die when ordered and unit highland charges.
• An ordered rifle light infantry unit will combat at (2), 2, 1, 1.
Cavalry Combat
• An ordered light cavalry unit will melee combat at (2).
Artillery Combat
• An ordered light field artillery unit will combat at (2), 2, 1, 1, 1.
Leader Combat
• A leader may not engage in combat when alone in a hex.
Ranged Combat
Only infantry and artillery units may engage in range combat.
Cavalry units and lone leaders may not engage in range combat.
A unit with range weapons, battling an enemy unit more than 1 hex away is said to conduct ranged combat (fire) at the enemy unit “target unit.” In ranged combat, the target unit must be within both range and line of sight of the firing unit.
• An ordered unit may target an enemy unit in any direction.
• Ranged combat may not be used against an enemy unit in an adjacent hex.
• A unit adjacent to an enemy unit may not fire on another, more distant, enemy unit.
Ranged Combat (Fire) Procedure
1. Announce Firing Unit Combat
2. Check Range
3. Check Line of Sight
4. Determine Strength of Ranged Combat
5. Resolve Combat
6. Score Hits
7. Retreats and Rally Checks
1. Announce Firing Unit Combat: Announce the ordered unit you want to fire and the enemy unit it is targeting. Each ranged combat attack is declared and resolved one ordered unit at a time, in the sequence of your choice. You must announce and resolve one unit’s ranged combat entirely, before beginning the next unit’s combat. Regardless of the number of enemy units in range, each ranged combat is conducted by one eligible, ordered unit against one enemy unit in line of sight and in range.
Ranged combat by several friendly units 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.
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 fire at. 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 between the battling unit and the target hex contains an obstruction. Obstructions include a unit or leader (regardless if friend or foe) or some terrain features and the side edge of the battlefield. The terrain in the target unit’s hex does not block line of sight. 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.
4. Determine Strength of Ranged Combat: The base number of battle dice rolled in ranged combat is determined by the unit’s range (number of hexes) to the enemy target unit.
The base number of ranged combat dice is increased or reduced as follows:
• A full strength unit combats with 1 additional die.
• A leader attached to an infantry unit, the unit rolls 1 additional die in ranged combat.
• A leader attached to an artillery unit, the artillery unit does not roll an additional die in ranged combat.
• Add any Command card ranged combat additions.
• Add any Combat card ranged combat additions.
• Reduce the number of dice rolled in ranged combat by any Terrain Modifiers ranged combat reductions: see Terrain rules section.
• Reduce the number of dice rolled in ranged combat when an infantry unit moves. An infantry unit that moves ranged combat dice is reduced by 1 die. Exception is when a light infantry class unit moves, its ranged combat dice are not reduced.
5. Resolve Combat: Roll the resulting number of battle dice against the target; hits are resolved first, followed by retreats.
6. Score Hits: In ranged combat, the attacker scores 1 hit for each unit symbol rolled that matches the target unit. Other symbols rolled are a miss.
Ranged Combat Roll
Score 1 hit on Infantry unit
Score 1 hit on Cavalry unit
Score 1 hit on Artillery unit
Does not score a hit in ranged combat
A flag does not cause a hit, but may cause the unit to retreat
For each hit scored, 1 block is removed from the target unit. When the last block in the opponent’s unit is removed, collect a Victory Banner. If more hits are rolled than the number of blocks in the enemy unit, these additional hits have no effect.
Chance to Hit a Leader: When an unit with an attached leader takes a hit in range combat, a leader casualty check must be made: see Leader Casualty Check rules section.
A leader when not attached to a unit (alone in a hex) may also be attacked in ranged combat: see Leader Casualty Check rule section.
7. Retreats and Rally Checks: A flag does not cause a hit, but may cause the unit to retreat: see Retreat and Rally Check rules section.
MELEE COMBAT
All units may engage in melee combat. A unit attacking an adjacent enemy unit is said to be engaging that enemy unit in melee. Target units engaged in melee are always considered within range and in line of sight of their attacker.
A unit adjacent to an enemy unit may not use ranged combat against the adjacent enemy unit or target another enemy unit within fire range. The unit must melee combat the adjacent enemy unit if it chooses to combat.
Melee Combat Procedure
1. Announce Melee Unit Combat
2. Defending Unit Retire and Rally from Melee
3. Determine Strength of Melee Combat
4. Resolve Combat
5. Score Hits
6. Retreats and Rally Checks
7. Additional Combat Actions; Taking Ground, Bonus Melee Attack
8. Melee Battle Back: Defending unit’s battle back, apply hits, resolves retreats and rally checks
1. Announce Melee Unit Combat: Announce the ordered unit you want to melee and the enemy unit it is battling. The unit must be in an adjacent hex to the targeted enemy unit to engage in melee combat. Each melee combat is declared and resolved one ordered unit at a time, in the sequence of your choice. You must declare and resolve one unit’s melee combat entirely, including any additional combat actions, before beginning the next unit’s combat.
Melee Combat by several friendly units against one enemy unit must be made and resolved one at a time.
2. Defending Unit Retire and Rally from Melee: Cavalry and light infantry classed units that are being attacked in melee combat may retire and rally instead of standing and possibly battling back.
The player must announce that the unit being attacked is going to retire before the attacking unit rolls the unit’s melee dice.
Game courtesy, requires the attacking player to ask if the unit being attacked would like to retire and rally.
To retire and rally, a unit must be able to move back two hexes toward its side of the battlefield. Occupied hexes, impassable terrain and the edge of the battlefield may prevent a unit from retiring 2 hexes. If there are not two hexes for the unit to move back, the unit may not retire and rally.
When the unit does not choose to retire and rally, or cannot, the melee is resolved normally.
When a unit declares it will retire and rally, the attacking unit rolls its melee combat dice, but only unit symbols will score a hit. All other symbols and flags are ignored. After hits are removed, the unit that declared it will retire and rally, is moved two hexes back towards its side of the battlefield. After the unit has moved, the unit must roll a rally check: see Retire and Rally when attacked in melee rules section.
• A unit that retires and rallies may move through terrain hexes that would normally stop movement, but not through impassable terrain or units.
• A unit without an attached leader may retire onto a hex that contains a lone friendly leader. The leader is immediately attached to that unit and the unit’s retire and rally movement stops. In this case a one hex retire and rally is possible.
• A unit when it retires and rallies, may not battle back.
• After a unit retires and rallies, the attacking unit may advance onto the vacated hex. The attacking unit may not gain a bonus melee combat, even if the unit that retired and rallied is eliminated or fails its rally check.
3. Determine Strength of Melee Combat: The base number of battle dice rolled in a melee is the number in ( ). The number of block losses a unit has suffered does not affect the number of battle dice the unit rolls in melee combat. A unit with a single block retains the same combat strength as a unit at full strength.
Infantry Combat
• An ordered guard and grenadier infantry unit will melee combat at (3)
• An ordered regular, light and provincial infantry unit will melee combat at (2).
• An ordered militia unit will melee combat at (2).
• An ordered highland infantry unit will melee combat at (2) and melee at +1 die when ordered and unit highland charges.
• An ordered rifle light infantry unit will melee combat at (2).
Cavalry Combat
• An ordered light cavalry unit will melee combat at (2).
Artillery Combat
• An ordered light field artillery unit will melee combat at (2).
Leader Combat
• A leader may not engage in melee combat when alone in a hex.
The base number of melee dice is increased or reduced as follows:
• A full strength unit combats with 1 additional die.
• A leader attached to an infantry, cavalry and artillery unit, the unit rolls 1 additional die in melee combat.
• Add any Command card melee combat additions.
• Add any Combat card melee combat additions.
• Reduce the number of dice rolled in melee combat by any Terrain Modifiers melee combat reductions: see Terrain rules section.
• Reduce the number of dice rolled in melee combat when an infantry unit moves, its melee combat dice are reduced by 1 die, including a light infantry class unit.
4. Resolve Combat: Roll the resulting number of battle dice against the target unit; hits are resolved first, followed by retreats.
5. Score Hits: In melee combat, the attacker scores 1 hit for each troop symbol rolled that matches the enemy unit and 1 hit for each saber symbol rolled. A saber symbol normally scores 1 hit regardless of the troop type being targeted. Other symbols rolled are a miss.
Melee Combat Roll
Score 1 hit on Infantry unit
Score 1 hit on Cavalry unit
Score 1 hit on Artillery unit
*Score 1 hit in melee on any unit.
A flag does not cause a hit, but may cause the unit to retreat *Militia infantry, Continental light infantry, light rifle infantry units and light cavalry units do not score a hit when a sabers is rolled in melee combat.
For each hit scored, 1 block is removed from the target unit. When the last block in the opponent’s unit is removed, collect a Victory Banner. If a player rolls more hits than the number of blocks in the enemy unit, these additional hits have no effect.
Chance to Hit a Leader: When an enemy unit with an attached leader takes a hit in melee combat, the attached leader must make a leader casualty check: see Leader Casualty Check rules section.
A leader when not attached to a unit (alone in a hex) may be attacked in melee: see Leader Casualty Check rule section.
6. Retreats and Rally Checks: A flag does not cause a hit, but may cause the unit to retreat: see Retreat and Rally Check rules section.
7. Additional Combat Actions: See rule sections Taking Ground and Bonus Melee Attack.
8. Melee Battle Back: The defending enemy unit may battle back against the attacking unit, if one or more of the defending unit’s blocks survived the melee combat and the defending unit did not retreat from its hex. The attacking player’s unit, that conducted the initial attack, is now considered in a defending posture: see Additional Combat Actions Battle Back rules section.
RETREAT AND RALLY CHECKS
Retreat: After all combat hits have been resolved in a ranged combat and/or a melee combat and blocks removed, retreats are resolved.
For each retreat flag rolled against a unit, the unit must make its retreat movement towards its own side of the battlefield. Two flags will force the unit to make two retreat movements, etc.
• Guard, grenadier, regular, highland, light, light rifle infantry units and artillery units, retreat 1 hex for each flag.
• Provincial infantry and light cavalry units, retreat 2 hexes for each flag.
• Militia infantry units, retreat 3 hexes for each flag.
The player controlling the retreating unit decides which hex the unit retreats onto, using the following rules:
• A unit must always retreat toward its controlling player’s side of the battlefield, regardless of what direction the attack came from.
• Units may not retreat toward the opponent’s side of the battlefield or sideways.
• A unit may not retreat onto, or through, a hex already containing another friendly unit or an enemy unit or enemy leader.
• An attached leader must retreat along with the unit it is with when the unit retreats.
• A unit without an attached leader, may retreat onto a hex that contains an unattached friendly leader (a leader alone in a hex). The leader is immediately attached to that unit and the unit’s retreat stops in the leader’s hex. The retreating unit will
ignore any additional retreat movement.
• Terrain that is not impassable has no effect on retreat movement.
• Impassable terrain features will prevent a unit’s retreat movement.
Unit must Retreat, but Cannot: When a unit cannot retreat, because its retreat path is occupied or it is forced to retreat off the limits of the battlefield, one block must be removed from the unit for each retreat hex of movement that cannot be completed. After loses are removed from the unit, the unit must still make its rally check, even if the unit did not retreat from its original hex.
A unit that remains in its hex and makes a successful rally check, may battle back in melee, if eligible.
Bolster Morale: Some situations will allow a unit to disregard one or more flags rolled against it. Disregarding a flag result is optional and the owning player may always decide to accept a flag result. If more than one flag result can be ignored, the owning player can choose to ignore one (or more) and accept one (or more). A unit may choose to disregard flags rolled against it each time it is attacked.
If more than one of the following bolster morale situations applies, the effects are cumulative:
• A unit may ignore 1 flag when a leader is attached to the unit.
Note - If the unit loses one or more blocks in combat, the leader must first survive the leader casualty check for the unit to ignore the flag.
• A unit may ignore 1 flag when there are two supporting friendly units occupying any two adjacent hexes.
• A leader alone on a hex does not count as a friendly support, instead when a leader is alone on a hex all adjacent friendly units without a leader may ignore 1 flag.
• A Guard infantry unit may ignore 2 flags.
• A Grenadier infantry unit may ignore 1 flag.
• When a Highland unit starts a combat phase at full strength it may ignore 1 flag. When at full strength and during a combat the unit receives a hit and 1 flag, the highland unit may ignore one flag. The next combat after taking the hit, the Highland
unit may not ignore a flag.
• Some terrain features will allow a unit defending on the terrain to ignore 1 flag: see Terrain rules section.
• Some terrain will act as one support: see Terrain rules section.
• Light infantry class units may ignore 1 flag when on a forest hex.
Key Rule - A unit may only ignore a maximum of 2 flags during a single combat roll.
Rally Check: A unit that retreats must make a rally check after it completes its retreat movement. The rally check will determine whether the retreating unit can be rallied and remain on the battlefield or will continue to retreat and rout off the battlefield.
After the unit completes its retreat movement, determine and roll the proper number of dice for the unit’s rally check. When at least one flag is rolled, the retreating unit has rallied and will remain on the battlefield. If the unit fails to roll a flag, the unit will break and rout from the battlefield. A unit that fails its rally check is removed from the battlefield, which gains the opponent a Victory Banner.
FAQ: If a unit must make 2 retreat moves, must it roll for Rally twice?
A: THE CORRECT INTERPRETATION IS THAT A RALLY CHECK IS MADE BY A UNIT AFTER ALL OF THE UNIT'S RETREAT MOVEMENT HAS BEEN MADE. (RB)
To determine the proper number of rally check dice to roll; the number of blocks currently in the unit is the base number of dice rolled for the rally check. This number is adjusted as followed:
• A full strength unit (four blocks), rolls 1 additional die.
• A unit with an attached leader, rolls 1 additional die.
• A Guard infantry unit, rolls 2 additional dice.
• A Grenadier infantry unit, rolls 1 additional die.
• A Provincial infantry unit, rolls 1 less die.
• A Militia infantry unit, rolls 1 less die.
• When a cavalry melee combat causes an enemy infantry or artillery unit to retreat, the retreating unit will roll 1 less die.
When a cavalry unit battles back or uses a First Strike, Ambush or Whites of Their Eyes card and causes an enemy infantry or artillery unit to retreat, the retreating unit will not roll 1 less die.
Key Rule - A unit will always roll at least one die when making its rally check.
Leader with Unit that Fails its Rally Check: A leader that is attached to a unit that fails its rally check must determine if the leader will remain on the battlefield or will also panic along with the unit and rout from the battlefield.
Roll 2 dice, when a flag is rolled, the leader is not swept away with the unit. The leader remains on the battlefield, but must retreat 1, 2 or 3 hexes from the hex where the unit failed its rally check. If a flag is not rolled, the leader will also panic along with the unit and is removed from the battlefield. The leader that is removed will count as a Victory Banner.
When a leader is swept away with the unit and removed from the battlefield, before the leader is removed, all friendly units on adjacent hexes to the leader must make a rally check.
Retire and Rally when attacked in melee: Cavalry and light infantry classed units that are being attacked in melee combat may retire and rally instead of standing and possibly battling back:
see Melee Combat Procedure, Step 2. Defending Unit Retire and Rally from Melee rules section.
After the unit makes it’s retire and rally movement of 2 hexes toward its side of the battlefield, the unit must roll a rally check.
Determine the proper number of dice to roll and add 2 additional dice to the unit’s rally check. When at least one flag is rolled the unit that retired and rallied will remain on the battlefield. If the unit fails to roll a flag, the unit will break and run in panic from the battlefield. A unit that fails the retired and rallied check is removed from the battlefield and gains the opponent a Victory Banner.
If a leader is with the unit that fails its retired and rallied check, the leader must also check if he will remain on the battlefield or panic and also be removed from the battlefield.
After a unit retires and rallies, the attacking unit may advance onto the vacated hex, but the attacking unit may not gain a bonus melee combat, even if the unit that retired and rallied is eliminated or failed its rally check.
Leader’s Retreat
Leaders retreat somewhat differently from units. When a leader retreats he must follow the following rules:
• A leader’s retreat movement is 1, 2, or 3 hexes back towards its controlling player’s side of the battlefield. The player who controls the leader determines the number of hexes he will move, and the path he will take as he retreats.
• A leader does not have to make a rally check after completing a retreat move.
• A leader may retreat through a hex that contains a friendly unit, a friendly unit with a leader or a lone friendly leader.
• A leader may not end his retreat movement in a hex that contains another friendly leader, an enemy unit or enemy leader.
• A leader may retreat onto a hex with a friendly unit and may stop as long as the unit does not already have an attached leader. The leader is then considered attached to the unit.
• A leader retreating through a unit’s hex does not affect the unit.
• Terrain that is not impassable has no effect on a leader’s retreat move.
• Impassable terrain will prevent a retreat movement, and a leader unable to retreat at least one hex due to impassible terrain will be eliminated. The opponent gains one Victory Banner when the leader is eliminated.
• A player may choose to retreat a leader off his baseline side of the battlefield. This saves the leader from becoming a Victory Banner for the opponent, but will lose a strong command piece by doing so.
• When a leader is alone in a hex and is attacked in ranged or melee combat, when the leader is not eliminated, he must retreat 1, 2, or 3 hexes.
• A leader, attached to a unit that retreats, must retreat to the same hex as the unit.
• When a leader is attached to a unit and the unit loses its last block by ranged or melee combat, if the leader is not eliminated on the leader casualty check, the leader must retreat 1, 2, or 3 hexes, from the hex where unit was eliminated.
• A leader attached to a unit that is eliminated by losing blocks when the unit retreats does not require a leader casualty check, but the leader must retreat 1, 2 or 3 hexes, from the hex where the unit was eliminated.
• A retreating leader may retreat through an enemy unit or leader, but this is governed by the rules for leader escape: see Lone Leader Escape rules section.
Lone Leader Escape: When enemy units occupy both leaders’ retreat path hexes, the retreating leader must attempt to escape through one or the other enemy occupied hexes.
Move the leader onto the enemy hex and the enemy unit in the hex will battle the leader. The unit combating the leader uses its normal number of melee combat dice. The leader does not benefit from terrain in the hex. When one or more saber symbols are rolled, the leader is hit and eliminated, even from a unit that normally does not score a hit on a saber roll in melee combat. The opponent gains one Victory Banner when the leader is eliminated.
If the leader is not hit, his escape is successful and he continues with his retreat move.
LEADER CASUALTY CHECK
Key Rule: The opposition player will always roll for your Leader Casualty check.
Attached Leader: When a leader is attached to a unit and the unit loses one or more blocks without being eliminated, there is a chance that the leader may also be hit. The opposition player will make a leader casualty check by rolling 2 battle dice. To hit the leader two saber symbols must be rolled.
Attached Leader’s Unit Eliminated: When a leader is attached to a unit and the unit loses one or more blocks, eliminating the unit and leaving the leader alone in the hex, the opposition player will make a leader casualty check with 1 battle die. To hit and eliminate the leader a saber symbol must be rolled. If the leader is not hit, the leader must retreat 1, 2, or 3 hexes.
• A leader does not have to make a rally check when he retreats.
• When a unit is eliminated, any flags rolled against the eliminated unit will not affect the leader.
• When the leader that is on a friendly baseline hex and must retreat, the leader must retreat off the battlefield. A leader that retreats off the battlefield does not give the opponent a Victory Banner.
• When a leader’s unit is eliminated in melee combat, and the leader is also eliminated or retreats from the hex, the attacking unit may take ground onto the vacated hex and may gain a bonus melee if eligible.
Leader Eliminated: When a leader is hit and eliminated, remove the leader block from the battlefield and collect a Victory Banner.
However, before the leader block is removed, a unit in the same hex as the leader and all friendly units on adjacent hexes to the eliminated leader must make a rally check.
Rally Check Special Situation - When a leader is eliminated and the unit the leader was with must also retreat, the unit must make a rally check because the leader was eliminated. When the unit’s rally check is successful, the unit will then make its retreat move. The unit, however, does not have to make a second rally check after the unit retreat movement is completed.
Leader Casualty Check Special Situation - A Leader Casualty Check is not required when a leader is attached to a unit, does not receive a hit in combat, but when the unit retreats, it loses all its blocks because it cannot complete its retreat movement. The leader, however, must retreat 1, 2, or 3 hexes from the hex where the unit was eliminated.
Combat Against a Lone Leader: A leader alone in a hex may be targeted in ranged and melee combat.
Range Combat: To target a leader alone in a hex in ranged combat, the attacking enemy unit rolls its normal ranged battle dice. Two saber symbols rolled will score a hit and eliminate the leader. If the leader is not hit, the leader must retreat 1, 2, or 3 hexes. Flags rolled against the leader have no effect on the unattached leader.
Note - A leader may not be targeted when rolling less than two dice. Also note, sabers normally will not score a hit in range combat, however, firing at a leader alone in a hex is an exception to this rule.
Melee Combat: When a leader is alone in a hex, the attacking enemy unit rolls its normal melee battle dice. One or more saber symbols rolled will score a hit and eliminate the leader, even from a unit that normally does not score a hit on a saber roll in melee combat. If the leader is not hit, the leader must retreat 1, 2, or 3 hexes. Flags rolled against the leader have no effect on the lone leader. When a leader retreats from the hex, the attacking unit may take ground onto the vacated hex and may gain a bonus melee if eligible.
FAQ: When determining the normal number of battle dice a unit will roll in ranged combat or melee combat against a lone leader, may the dice be modified in any way, either upwards (more dice) or downwards (fewer dice)?
A: YES, CARDS, IF A UNIT MOVES, ETC. WILL AFFECT THE NUMBER OF DICE ROLLED WHEN TARGETING A LONE LEADER. (RB)
Q: May a lone leader take the benefit of any terrain it is in when it is defending in combat?
A: NO – FIRST LET ME STATE [THAT] TARGETING A LEADER IN RANGE COMBAT AND ROLLING TWO SABERS HAS A VERY LOW PROBABILITY OF HAPPENING. THEREFORE, A LONE LEADER ON A FOREST HEX, OR BUILDING, OR FIELDWORKS IS NOT IGNORING A SABER SYMBOL. ROLLING TWO SABERS WILL STILL HIT AND ELIMINATE A LEADER ON THESE TYPES OF TERRAIN FEATURES. MELEE AGAINST A LONE LEADER IS WAY MORE DEADLY. (RB)
Q: How many battle dice would be rolled in this example and why: An ordered, full-strength [Friendly] Regular unit with an attached leader is conducting ranged combat against a lone [Enemy] Leader two hexes away in a Forest hex under play of a Line Volley card.
A: NUMBER OF DICE ROLL AT A RANGE OF TWO HEXES IS 2 DICE, FULL STRENGTH +1 DIE, ATTACHED LEADER +1 DIE, VOLLEY FIRE +1 DIE. TOTAL NUMBER OF DICE IT LOOKS LIKE WOULD BE 5 DICE, IF I HAVE THE EXAMPLE CORRECT. TWO SABER SYMBOLS ROLLED WOULD HIT AND ELIMINATE THE LEADER. IF THE LEADER IS NOT HIT, THE LEADER WILL HAVE TO RETREAT 1, 2 OR 3 HEXES. (RB)
LEADER ABILITIES SUMMARY
• A leader attached to an infantry or cavalry unit inspires the unit to combat with 1 additional die in ranged and melee combat.
• A leader attached to artillery unit inspires the unit to combat with 1 additional die in melee combat only.
• A lone leader in a hex is considered to fulfill the adjacent contiguous hex requirement for a number of Command cards.
• After a successful melee combat, successful melee combat means, the enemy unit is either eliminated or retreats and no longer occupies its hex, an infantry unit with an attached leader may advance onto the vacated hex (take ground) and may make a bonus melee combat. Terrain movement and combat restrictions still apply.
• A leader attached to a unit allows the unit to ignore one flag.
• A leader that is alone on a hex, allows all friendly units without a leader on adjacent hexes, to ignore one flag.
• A unit that is retreating, may move onto a hex with a lone leader and the unit must stop in the leader’s hex and will retreat no further. The unit will still need to make a rally check, but the unit will now have the leader to modify its rally check.
• A unit that chooses to retire and rally when attacked in melee, may move one hex onto a hex with a lone leader and the unit must stop in the leader’s hex and will retire no further. The unit will still need to make a rally check, but the unit will now have the leader to modify its check.
• A lone leader that retreats, does not have to make a rally check.
• A leader may escape (retreat) through enemy units and leaders that are occupying his retreat path.
• A player may choose to retreat a leader off his baseline side of the battlefield.
ADDITIONAL COMBAT ACTIONS
During the combat phase, after a melee combat the attacking unit may be entitled to take one or more additional actions.
TAKING GROUND
When an ordered infantry or cavalry unit attacks in melee combat and eliminates or forces the defending enemy unit or lone leader to retreat from the hex it occupies, the unit has conducted a successful melee combat. The victorious attacking unit may advance (move) onto that vacated hex. This is referred to as taking ground.
• Taking Ground is never mandatory it remains the attacking player’s choice.
• Taking Ground is subject to normal terrain movement restrictions.
• An infantry or cavalry unit that attacks a unit that declares it is going to retire and rally may take ground after the unit completes its retire and rally movement.
• An infantry or cavalry unit that attacks a leader alone in a hex may take ground after the leader retreats or is eliminated.
The following situations do not allow a unit to take ground:
• Ranged combat attacks never give the attacking unit the opportunity to take ground.
• An ordered artillery unit attacking in melee may not take ground.
• A defending unit that is battling back may not take ground.
• A defending unit that uses the First Strike Command card, Ambush or Whites of Their Eyes Combat card against an attacking unit is not eligible to take ground.
BONUS MELEE
An ordered infantry unit with an attached leader, a Highland infantry unit or a cavalry unit that has taken ground (advanced onto the hex vacated by the enemy unit or leader) after a successful melee combat, may make a bonus melee combat.
• During a bonus melee the unit calculates its base number of dice, any additional dice and dice reductions in the same manner as when attacking in melee.
FAQ: When a [infantry] unit [that is subject to the -1 melee die penalty for movement] "takes ground" and makes a Bonus Melee Combat, does the movement into the newly won hex force it to take the -1 [melee] die penalty for moving into a new hex? Does taking ground count as moving?
A: YES. SEE TAKING GROUND [TAR] PAGE 16 [AND JR PAGE 19] - THE VICTORIOUS ATTACKING UNIT MAY ADVANCE (MOVE) ONTO THAT VACATED HEX. THIS IS REFERRED TO AS TAKING GROUND. (RB)
• A bonus melee action is optional. The unit, after a successful melee, is not forced to take ground and bonus melee.
• If a unit does not take ground and move onto the vacant hex, it forfeits the opportunity to make a bonus melee, even if it is adjacent to other enemy units.
• The target of the bonus melee does not have to be the same unit as the original unit that was attacked in melee, even if the original target is still adjacent.
• Terrain movement and combat restrictions apply to a bonus melee the same as they do to normal melee attacks.
• A unit may only make one bonus melee on a turn.
• An attacking unit that eliminates or forces the enemy unit to retreat on its bonus melee may take ground onto the vacated hex. Terrain restrictions still apply.
• A unit’s initial melee combat and bonus melee must all be completed before beginning the next unit’s combat.
• After a unit retires and rallies from a melee, the attacking unit may advance onto the vacated hex, but the attacking unit may not gain a bonus melee combat, even if the unit that retired and rallied is eliminated or failed its rally check.
DEFENDING UNIT BATTLE BACK
The defending enemy unit may battle back against the attacking unit in melee, if one or more of the defending unit’s blocks survived the melee combat attack and the defending unit did not retreat from its hex. The attacking player’s unit, that conducted the initial attack, is now considered in a defending posture.
• During a melee battle back the unit calculates its base number, additional dice and dice reductions in the same manner as a normal melee.
• After the defending player’s battle back, the melee will stop; i.e. there is never any battle back against a battle back.
• A defending unit being attacked in melee by a number of enemy units in separate melee attacks, may battle back against each attacking unit. Each melee and battle back is resolved one unit at a time.
• If the defending unit is forced to retreat out of its original hex, it may not battle back, even if its retreat move places the unit in a hex that is still adjacent to the original attacking unit.
• If a defending unit that is unable to retreat from its hex, after taking block losses and passing its rally check, may battle back as long as it still has one or more blocks remaining.
• A defending unit that is battling back may not take ground, or make a bonus melee attack.
• A First Strike Command card, Whites of Their Eyes or Ambush Combat card may not be played against a unit that is battling back.
Phase 5 . End of Turn
After completing all movement and resolving all hits, retreats and additional combat actions for all ordered units, discard the Command card played and draw another Command card from the deck.
At the end of the player’s turn, when the Command card being discarded instructs a player to draw Combat cards, the player will also draw Combat cards. After cards are drawn, the active player’s turn is over.
When a defending player has used the First Strike Command card during the turn, he draws a replacement card at the end of the turn before the active player.
If either the Command card or a player’s Combat card deck runs out of cards, shuffle the discards to form a new draw deck. New draw decks are also formed after the play of the For King or Country Command card.