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WRG - DBFi de Bellis Fictionalis

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100% found this document useful (2 votes)
798 views67 pages

WRG - DBFi de Bellis Fictionalis

Uploaded by

Neill Henderson
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DE BELLIS FICTIONALIS (DBFi)

INTRODUCTION
These fantasy miniatures rules are designed as an extension of the WRG De Bellis Multitudinis, “DBM”, rules for
Ancient and Medieval battle 3000BC to 1500AD (version 3.0 July 2000) and allow wargames between armies set in
any fictional world where battles are fought between armies with a largely pre-industrial revolution or pre-
gunpowder culture.

Those "science-fiction" worlds described in the 1940s-1970s such as Burroughs' Mars whose soldiers mix hand to
hand weapons and relatively primitive and apparently ineffective laser or other beam weapons can also be used
with these rules.

Many of the armies found in fiction are inspired by historical prototypes and where described by competent story-
tellers behave in much the same way as historical armies - thus making a set of historical wargames rules a logical
starting point for formulating a set of fantasy wargame rules.

These rules keep all the DBM rules and troop types and add magic and artefacts as optional items for some armies.
Some new troop types and associated rules have been included to cater for non-standard creatures and races.

Players of the Hordes Of The Things, “HOTT”, rules will recognise many of the new troop types but these often
have different characteristics when incorporated into a DBM setting. Some HOTT troop types have not been
included as they do not sit comfortably with a big-battle set of rules.

Unlike some other sets of fantasy wargame rules these rules are not a vehicle for promoting sales of particular
brands of figurines or separating teenagers from their pocket money (inheritance?) by publishing a cascade of
supplements.

Many previous fantasy wargame rules suffered from limited play-testing, no play balance and little understanding
of how ancient-medieval armies actually fought.

Conflict in worlds where fictional armies are hopelessly overmatched by monsters, gods or magicians are perhaps
best not modelled by miniature wargaming and players interested in these might like to engage in card games,
computers or similar.

None of these criticisms can be levelled at DBM which is both quick and realistic, while remaining enjoyable to play
- it loses none of this when used as a basis for fantasy wargaming.

© 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, David Brown 8 England St, West Wollongong, NSW, Australia, 2500.
Ph(H) 0242-287938 - dfmbrown@mpx.com.au

CONTENTS
Representational Scales 3
Races, Species And Mutants 10
Artefacts 15
Baggage, Aerial Landing Forces, Element Basing 15
Terrain, Climate, Weather, Time of Night and Day 22
Deployment, Ambushes, Sequence of Play 28
Group Moves 32
Tactical And March Moves 34
Moving Through Friendly Troops or Enemies or Gaps 37
Movement at Night, Mist, Fog or Dust Storm 38
Distant Shooting, Close Combat 39
Resolving Distant Shooting Magical Assault or Close Combat 41

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Destroyed Elements, Recoiling Elements, Fleeing Elements, - Pursuing Elements, Lost Elements 45
Magic, magic cost, spells, 49
Fast scale games 51
Designing your own army 54

DESIGN PHILOSOPHY

The De Bellis suite of rules differ from previous rule sets in two major respects, the command and movement
system and the combat system.

The command system is simple and arbitrary, but produces results very similar to those from more detailed
systems incorporating written orders, transmission by messenger and interpretation by recipients. In one respect it
is markedly more realistic, since it produces visible battle lines rather than the "firework display" of independent
units found with other rule sets. We have concluded that we must be doing something right, even if we are not
entirely sure what it is! The passage of time, terrain and battle bring a progressive visible deterioration in
organisation which players must devote attention to repairing. Keeping a barbarian or non-human army under
control calls for real skill.

The traditional functional division into units is dispensed with. Movement and combat is by elements, each
consisting of a fixed number of figures. Elements can be moved individually, or be combined into and move as
temporary groups, which can be tribes, herds, flocks, part units, a full unit, or more than a unit. An element does
not represent a unit, but the smallest sub-unit, body or creature capable of operating independently. Units may still
exist in that several regular elements may have the same dress or shield emblem and one of them include a standard
and officers, but they have no function other than as a possibly convenient group. Elements always fight
individually, but are supported by neighbours.

Troops are classified primarily by their method of fighting instead of by weapons and armour. Finer grading within
each type reflects perceived efficiency rather than unit prestige or title. Our principal concern has been to reflect
relationships between opposed types, and not to speculate unduly on the relative effectiveness of anachronistic or
impossible opponents.

Combat differs from previous rule sets in almost abolishing the artificial distinction between the traditional combat
phases of shooting and melee. That the bases of opposed elements are in contact does not necessarily imply that
they are exchanging hand-strokes, although this may be so, but that they are closely engaged at the distance
preferred by the tactically dominant troop type. If it still worries you, remember that base depths are over-scale.
For example, the four ranks of close order infantry represented by an element of spearmen may occupy only four
paces depth in real life, but the element base depth represents 30 paces in 15mm scale. There is room for a little
space between enemies. Bases are best considered as the area of immediate influence of the troops and not the real
estate they are standing on.

When spearmen are in contact with spearmen, they are indeed fighting hand-to-hand. However, when birdmen,
horse archers or foot skirmishers with javelins are in contact with an element of spearmen, this represents them
being a few paces apart. If the spearmen give ground, this is because of the effect of their opponents' shooting or
feint charges. If the birdmen, horsemen or skirmishers flee, this is because the spearmen have charged to relieve the
pressure and temporarily chased them out of reach. Even in hand-to-hand combat, missile weapons played a part. A
shower of hand-hurled javelins often immediately preceded hand strokes or was kept up during it by rear ranks
shooting overhead. Often, some individuals in the front rank would hurl their spears, while others kept them in their
hand to thrust.

Too much attention is often paid to maximum rather than normal ranges. Horse archers attacking trolls could sit still
on their horses 200 paces away and shoot, but did not. Why should they? They could and did instead in turn gallop
by the infantry 10 paces away and be equally safe from being caught. The closer the range shot from, the easier it is
to hit the target, the more likely that hits will penetrate armour and the more injury inflicted after penetration.

2
Shooting at longer ranges was not decisive, serving only to fix attention or impose caution, so is invisibly subsumed
in various enemy proximity rules. Even with those troops who did shoot in large bodies at long range in artillery
fashion, theoretical maximum ranges may be deceptive. A crossbow cocked up at 45 degrees will reach further than
a longbow. However, when the front end is raised, the target disappears behind it.

We assume that the effect of gunpowder weapons derived at least as much from their propensity to frighten men
and animals by noise, flash and smoke as from the casualties they caused.

In respect to magic, non-human and supernatural beings these rules follow the broad design philosophy of the
HOTT rules, in that;
• The troop types mentioned in fantasy fiction often have close parallels in historical armies and can be considered
analogous to them.
• That fantasy war game rules and armies should be based on and have some consistency with published works of
fantasy fiction and cinema.
• That magic, powerful monsters, machines and strange creatures should not overshadow standard troops and the
successful use of magic and monsters requires player skill.

These rules add the further design philosophy that;


• Creating new troop types and rules, while often unavoidable, has been resisted to aid understanding and play
speed.
• Nothing should be allowed to generate book keeping that slows play.
• That armies without magic, artefacts or non-human troops should be able to compete with those containing them.

We do not evaluate the results of combat in terms of casualties received and inflicted, but in terms of the element's
immediate reaction. A fictional general would not know that a body of men had just received a certain number of
casualties. He would be able to see that it was forcing the enemy back, or losing ground, or scattering to the rear
hysterical with fear. We accordingly give you this information and this only. The local effects of fatigue and morale
are taken into account in combat results and their effect on troops to the side and rear. Their wider effects are
simulated by the demoralisation rules. For instance, destruction of an element in combat simulates the flight of
survivors, while the consequent destruction of elements close behind simulates the fate of troops carried away by
their flight. With the passage of time the collective morale of a command may reach breaking point and the whole
command start to crumble. Finally the whole army may seek safety in flight.

REPRESENTATIONAL SCALES

FIGURE AND MODEL SCALE


This is expressed as the height in millimetres of a figure representing a human 1.83 metres or 6 feet tall. Naval and
airboat elements can use models of reduced scale, rationalised as them being seen at a distance.

25mm, 15mm, 10mm, 6mm and 2mm scales are all in use and all are fully compatible with these rules:
• 25mm is the traditional scale for fantasy figures, is best for detailed painting, but price has scared many collectors
away from building large armies in the scale. We hope that these rules will inspire players to assemble complete
armies. This scale is especially suitable for public demonstration games, where visibility can be a problem for
spectators.
• 15mm is currently growing in popularity as a fantasy wargaming scale and is still large enough for detailed painting
and for players to easily recognise the types comprising their opponent's army. Many manufacturers are now
marketing excellent 15mm fantasy troops. Monsters notionally made for 25mm scale can easily and fruitfully be
recruited into 15mm armies.
• 10mm, 6mm and 2mm provide the ultimate in visual realism, but at the cost of increasing difficulty in painting and
recognising troop types.

GROUND SCALE

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This is the relationship between the distances measured on the table and those they represent on a fictional
battlefield. It varies according to the figure and model scale used.

All distances in the text are quoted in paces (p), each of 0.75 metres or 2.5 feet. This is because the length of a
human's stride remains fairly constant throughout works of fiction, while such units as cubits, leagues, yards and
metres come and go. Measure distances on the table with a 300p card strip marked at 50p intervals.
• 25mm figures: 50 paces in battle = 40mm measured on the table.
• 15mm, 10mm or 6mm: 50 paces in battle = 40mm measured on the table.
• 15mm or 6mm (alternative 'DBM scale', included for players with existing smaller tables).
50 paces in battle = 25mm (or 1 inch) measured on the table
• 2mm: 50 paces in battle = 20mm measured on the table.

TROOP REPRESENTATION AND DEPICTION


Each element represents, not a unit, but the smallest sub-unit or body capable of independent action. It consists of a
rectangular base, to which are fixed several figures according to its troop type and the model scale. Elements vary in
cost, and represent the number of humans who would occupy that frontage, typically a nominal full strength of 128
to 256 riders or foot formed in a four man deep block, or sometimes in wedges or rhomboids, or a lesser number of
more specialised or non-human troops usually formed in a single rank, such as up to 16 elephants, 25 chariots with
or without runners, six heavy artillery pieces, 30 light bolt-shooters, 25 war wagons, two to five galleys or ships or
8 to 20 boats, depending on individual size. An element of Hordes represents up to 1,000 men or creatures in a deep
mass. Note that the first elephant; Demon, Dragon, Behemoth, Flyer and Airboat element of an army can represent
as few as up to four creatures or machines, this reflecting the disproportionate effect of even a few of them on
enemy horses or on the morale of men unused to them. Other Sneakers, Lurkers and Beasts can represent anything
from one famous individual up to the nominal element strength of 256 men or creatures.

Figures must accurately depict the troops they represent. The only exception to this is that generals, officers,
standard bearers and musicians represent the majority type comprising their element.

TIME SCALE
Play is in alternate bounds. These do not represent fixed arbitrary divisions of time, but instead reflect initiatives
and responses by the two sides. However, dividing known historical battle durations by the number of discrete
phases that can be identified produces consistent enough results for us to define a pair of bounds as equivalent to 15
minutes in real life on earth.

Except in the case of march movement out of contact, which is assumed to be continuous and to have been during
the preceding enemy bound as well as your own current bound, move distances are not a function of time available
and theoretical speeds. Instead they are based on typical tactical initiatives and counter-initiatives in real historical
battles.

Troops contacted by enemy are assumed often to have countercharged even though not moved. Whether they did so
in good time must be judged by the result of the ensuing combat.

PLAYING AREA
An ideal playing area is 2.7m (108") x 1.5m (60") [a standard table tennis table] if using 25mm figures, or 72" (l.8m)
x 48" (l.2m) if using smaller figures. 15mm, 10mm, 6mm or 2mm armies of 333AP or smaller can use tables 48"
(1200mm) x 36" (900mm) without being overly constricted.

DICE
All dice used are the normal 1 to 6 type. One die is required for each general used. Those for irregular or ally
generals must each be a different colour. Those for other regular generals of the same army must all be the same
colour.

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TROOP DEFINITIONS
Troops are defined by battlefield behaviour instead of just by the race, species, formation, armour, weapons and
morale classes usual in many rule sets. We distinguish only between troops whose fighting style differed
sufficiently to need to be treated differently by either their general or their foe.

Each troop type therefore includes all troops that fought in the same way, had a generally similar ethos and morale
and had an equivalent effect on the other classes. Each type is identified by a name descriptive of its function.

HOTT players will recognise some of the names but should be aware of changed characteristics for many of them.

Players familiar with HOTT should note that Magicians and Clerics are not separate troop types but magical ability
can be given to a range of other elements as defined in army lists. Heroes and Paladins are not separate troop types
but some of their qualities have been given to all generals.

Minor gods of polytheistic worlds and demi-gods can be Demons or Behemoths but are not otherwise included -
they can intervene in the battle by causing excessive 6-1 dice against the impious. Hordes do not regenerate but can
still secure victory if deployed creatively.
TROOP TYPES AND GRADES

Mounted troops can be Elephants, Knights, Cavalry, Light Horse, Camelry, Dragons (other than (W)), Beasts or
Expendables.
Foot can be Spears, Pikes, Blades, Warband, Auxilia, Bowmen, Psiloi, Artillery, War Wagons, Hordes, Demons,
Behemoths, Lurkers, Sneakers or Baggage.
Naval can be Galleys, Ships or Boats.
Aerial can be Flyers, Dragons (W), and Airboats.

Light Horse, Flyers and Psiloi are referred to collectively as Skirmishers , and also together with Auxilia as Light
Troops.

Artillery except (X), war wagons and baggage are referred to collectively as Train. Foot other than Train are
referred to collectively as Infantry,

Troops within each type are additionally graded for efficiency relative to the average for that type, taking into
account lesser differences in morale, degree of training, equipment or mobility, but not in prestige alone. This is
necessarily subjective, but follows thorough discussion, often with recognised authorities on individual works of
fiction.

• Superior (S): Troops recognised by their contemporaries as of significantly superior morale and/or efficiency.
• Ordinary (O): Representing the great bulk of troops of that type.
• Inferior (I): Brittle troops identifiable as of significantly inferior morale or efficiency.
• Fast (F): Troops who move faster and further than average but are worse protected.
• Exception (X): Troops treated as special cases.

All are also either Regular or Irregular. This somewhat arbitrary distinction chiefly reflects the ease with which
they can be controlled by their general. Regulars are typically enlisted into units under officers appointed by the
government and practised in manoeuvre and combat techniques. Irregulars typically join with acquaintances under
local or tribal leaders, and are less accustomed to waiting for, listening to, or precisely and instantly obeying formal
orders and can include ill-disciplined non-human soldiers. The examples given below include some historical cases to
illustrate the type intended - many authors of fiction are very hazy on tactical methods, in which case weaponry
may suggest the appropriate type and grade.

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ELEPHANTS, of any historical species and fictional analogues such as mammoths, giant lizards, turtles or similar
with a crew of intelligent riders-controllers sometimes in a howdah. They are used to charge solid foot, to break
through gateways, and to block mounted troops, whose frightened horses are reluctant to close with them. They can
most easily be killed by artillery or by the continued showers of missiles of light troops. They are all irregular.
Superior (S): Creatures with at least six crew and/or foot escort figures per model, armoured or especially fierce
creatures such as Tolkien's Mûmakil, Van Arnam's larger giant ghayal-lizards of and Carter's zamphs of Lemuria.
Ordinary (O): Elephants of the Indian or southern African species with up to four fighting crew,
Inferior (I): Smaller elephants of the north African forest sub-species with maximum fighting crew of two, such as
those used by Ptolemaic Egypt, Carthage, Numidia and Rome.
Exception (X): Bolt-shooting engines mounted on elephants, such as those of the Khmer and Cham. They shoot
and inflict shooting outcomes as if (F) artillery, but suffer shooting outcomes as if (I) elephants. They are treated as
(I) elephants in all other circumstances. Opponents use their CF against elephants if in close combat, or if war
wagons or bowmen shooting or shot at, that against artillery if not.

KNIGHTS, representing all those noble or heavy horsemen or similar of high morale that charge at first instance
without shooting, with the intention of breaking through and destroying enemy by sheer weight and impetus. The
impetuous charge that enables them to sweep away lesser cavalry and all but the stoutest foot is also their Achilles'
heel, leading to them being destroyed by massed longbowmen or by light horse too rashly pursued, where lighter
cavalry would have pulled off earlier. They can be regular or irregular.
Superior (S): Permanently embodied units of European-style chivalry, such as Howard's Hyborian Aquilonian or
Nemedian knights, completely armoured in plate and/or mail, primarily armed with heavy lances, riding with
stirrups on heavy horses themselves often partly protected by armour or textile caparisons, accompanied by lesser
armoured and armed retainers and charging fiercely at the gallop without too much regard to exact formation
keeping. Charging chariots with four horses or similar and four or more crew including spearmen, such as later
Assyrian or Indian chariots.
Ordinary (O): Other knights, gentry or men-at-arms, with similar followers and similarly equipped, mounted and
trained, charging at the gallop, but less impetuous and less skilled in individual jousting. Charging chariots with two
horses or similar and three or four crew, at least one with long weapon, such as Hittite or Shang chariots, or three or
four horses and three crew, at least one with long weapon, such as early Assyrian or later Chinese chariots.
Inferior (I): Knights men-at-arms unskilled with lance and relying mainly on sword or mace, often fighting either in
deep clumsy wedge formations or dismounted, such as Byzantine kataphraktoi, Hyborian Poitanians. Sumerian
four-wheeled battle-cars with four asses, driver and one fighting man with javelins.
Fast (F): Less heavily armoured riders on lighter horses charging fiercely at the gallop, and armed either with lance
but no shield such as Alexander's Macedonians, or with javelins or light spears capable of being thrown and shields
or with lance and shield such as later Normans or Rohan with armour limited to helmet and mail hauberk, or with
fire lance such as some Chinese cavalry. Unscythed charging chariots with two horses, driver and one fighting man
with spear, such as Minoan or early Mycenaean chariots.
Exception (X): Completely armoured shieldless cataphracts wielding long kontos two-handed on fully armoured
horses and charging in close formation, such as Parthian or Sassanid cataphracts. They are treated as (S) knights
when shot at by bowmen or naval, or in close combat to their front against light horse, spears, pikes, flyers or
bowmen, as (I) knights in close combat to their front against knights except (X), expendables, blades or warband,
and as (O) knights in all other circumstances. They can not claim rear support.

CAVALRY, representing the majority of fictional horsemen or riders on similar sized creatures, usually partially
armoured, combining or following close range javelin or bow shooting with controlled charges. Their shooting is
more intense than that of light horse, often using circulating formations or halted rapid archery techniques to
concentrate missiles in place and time, and may force enemy foot to halt or recoil. Being less impetuous, they can
retire out of danger or to breathe their mounts when knights would charge on to disaster. They can be regular or
irregular.
Superior (S): Either all combining bow with lance, such as Avars or Belisarius's boukellarioi, or depicted with
lance and trained to fight in a formation mixing ranks armed with lance and shield or with bow, such as later

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Byzantine cavalry, or lacking lances but on partially protected horses; such as Saka nobles or most Sassanids, or
with handgun. Skirmishing chariots with well-armoured driver and archer, and two horses, also often armoured, such
as Stygian, Egyptian or Canaanite chariots.
Ordinary (O): Riding unprotected horses and armed with javelins and usually shield, such as the majority of
historical ancient cavalry, or with bow and spear, or with bow and sword, or armed with lance but relying on
fencing skills rather than the impetus of their charge, such as Arab cavalry, or with halberd or crossbow. Skirmishing
chariots with two to four unarmoured horses or other equids, and crew comprising driver and one or more
unarmoured archers, such as Elamite chariots, or armoured or unarmoured javelinmen, such as later Mycenean,
Libyan, Kyrenean or British chariots. Also the four-dog scythed chariots of Mu.
Inferior (I): Poorly trained or inexperienced cavalry, such as early classical Greek cavalry, early Indian cavalry,
some Byzantine thematic troops during periods of neglect, and mounted Vikings or Saxons. Sumerian platform or
straddle cars with a single javelin-armed crewman. Sauron's garrison Orc cavalry.

LIGHT HORSE, including all riders who skirmish in dispersed swarms evading enemy charges. They can be regular
or irregular.
Superior (S): Armed primarily with bows, but eager to take advantage of disordered enemy by charging home,
such as Huns or Kozaki and some general's or magician's light chariots drawn by unearthly beasts of great speed.
Ordinary (O): Relying on javelin, such as Early Thessalians, Numidians, Late Roman Equites Illyricani or medieval
Spanish Genitors, or with lance, such as Macedonian Prodromoi. Most wolf- riding goblins.
Fast (F): Placing almost sole reliance on bow shooting from close range at the gallop, and on speed to avoid contact,
often gaining extra mobility from remounts, such as Parthian or Amazon horse archers and Hyborian Kothian
Sipahi.
Inferior (I): Scouts or raiders riding camels, asses or deer. Horsemen skirmishing with crossbow and most
intelligent wolves without riders.

CAMELRY, including all other warriors who either fight from camels or close analogues to camels, or dismount
from them to fight on foot, but keep them close at hand to act as an obstacle or to disorder cavalry, whose horses
dislike them. They are all irregular.
Superior (S): Exceptionally heavily armoured or exceptionally feared and fanatical camel riders fighting exclusively
hand-to-hand, such Tuaregs or the Theocracy of Soron.
Ordinary (O): Camel riders of nations that used them in mass, the riders fighting mounted or dismounting to fight
with bows, javelins or swords.
Inferior (I): Cameleers improvised by mounting troops on pack camels, or fighting on foot behind a barrier of
tethered pack camels, such as 6th century Moors and also the improvised Aquilonian camel corps.
Exception (X): Camels disguised as elephants to frighten real elephants, and also Chinese paper lions. They move
as if baggage, except that they can contact elephants, and fight as (I) camelry except that they can panic elephants.

DRAGONS, including all intelligent and powerful reptilian beasts and close analogues, whether flying or land
based. Dragons classed as (W) in addition to their other grades can fly and count as aerials. Dragons (W,F) are
regular - the remainder are irregular.
Superior (S): Dragons of great age, evil and cunning. Such elements can represent as few as one beast - often
capable of breathing fire, cold or poison gases. Also giant slugs of otherworldly size.
Ordinary (O): Dragons employed in mass by dark lords or those associating for a raid on Dwarfish treasure - can
also include giant axolotls or dinosaurs with or without crew.
Inferior (I): Large reptile beasts or immature dragons - can include giant invertebrates or smaller dinosaurs and
smaller riding dragons.
Fast (F) Flying beasts such as dinosaurs or similar - capable of terrorising lesser troops sometimes by association
with their undead riders.

BEASTS, representing wild creatures, usually quadrupedal, attacking in swarming packs. HOTT players should
note creatures with handlers can be analogous to DBM war-dog packs and classed as Warband (F). Stampeding herd

7
beasts can become Expendables such as panicked camels or cattle directed at the enemy to disorder them. Creatures
with riders, unit organisation and rudimentary discipline should be classed as one of the usual mounted types.
Superior (S): Can represent a single creature such as a famous giant wolf or packs of especially large and evil
intelligent wolves, dogs or giant insects.
Ordinary (O): Evil wolves, trained lions, ghouls of Hyboria, two headed desert dogs of the Terrible East and some
giant spiders.
Inferior (I): Smaller creatures, often less than human intelligence such as guard dogs or other creatures not
numerous enough to count as a better type or grade.

EXPENDABLES , including scythed chariots fitted with scythe blades and spear points, usually with four horses
and a single crewman, but also including Leonardo's two-horse versions, intended to be driven into enemy
formations in a single suicidal charge early in the battle to break up or destroy them, and also all animals to be
stampeded into enemy, such as cattle herds including Kerry's armoured bulls, wild elephants or Chinese thunder-
bomb oxen. They are most dangerous to troops who offer a solid target and cannot dodge easily, so are often
countered by psiloi. They are always irregular and Ordinary (O).

SPEARS , representing all close formation infantry fighting with spears in a rigid shield wall. (S) are always regular,
unless dismounted knights or some non-humans. Others can be regular or irregular.
Superior (S): Unusually well trained and confident elite regular spearmen, such as Spartan hoplites, Hyborian
Gundermen or royal guards of various nations.
Ordinary (O): Regular spearmen, drilled to fight and perform simple manoeuvres in close formation, such as
mercenary hoplites and also irregulars, such as good citizen hoplites, whose aggression and democratic leanings tend
to submerge their training.
Inferior (I): Reluctant or sketchily drilled spearmen, including regulars such as citizen hoplites dragooned into
obedience by a tyrant, half-orcs, or medieval town militia,
and also determined irregular peasants practised only in keeping line.

PIKES , including all close formation infantry fighting collectively with pikes or long spears wielded in both hands.
They are always regular, unless (I), who can also be irregular. Many works of fiction include troops called pikemen
who in fact use large shields and spears one-handed and are classed here as spearmen.
Superior (S): Exceptionally effective elite pikemen, such as argyraspids or Swiss.
Ordinary (O): Other pikemen drilled to fight effectively in close formation with true pike.
Inferior (I): Less formally trained peasant or militia troops with long spears or pikes grasped in both hands, or
drilled pikemen of low morale, expertise or hurriedly raised.
Exception (X): As (I), but with at least the front rank carrying large pavises. They are treated as (S) pikes when
shot at by bowmen or in close combat with cavalry, light horse, auxilia, bowmen, aerial, behemoth, beasts or psiloi,
and as (I) pikes in all other circumstances.

BLADES , including all close fighting infantry primarily skilled in fencing individually with swords or heavier
cutting or cut and thrust weapons, sometimes supplemented by hand-hurled weapons. They can be regular or
irregular.
Superior (S): Elite bodies of soldiers, typically armed with sword or axe and completely armoured in plate and/or
mail, such as Dwarfs or others in especially well-made armour perhaps of non- earthly metal.
Ordinary (O): Partially armoured well trained close formation troops, with missiles as well as sword and shield,
such as Roman legionaries, or with two-handed cutting or cut-and-thrust weapons, later samurai, halberdiers or
billmen. Also gladiators and the majority of close formation fantasy infantry.
Inferior (I): Foot generally equipped as above, but less confident or inadequately trained, such as newly recruited
or imitation legionaries or city police or guards of dubious military value.
Fast (F): Loose formation troops such as, early Viking raiders, Japanese warrior monks or late medieval Spanish
sword-and-buckler men. Most fantasy pirates and some priests using arcane unarmed fighting techniques.

8
Exception (X): Men armed with weapons specialised against heavily armoured mounted troops, such as the
exceptionally heavy clubs wielded with both hands. These are treated as (S) blades except that they destroy knights
who score less in close combat in the blades' bound.

Dwarf (D): Dwarves in full fire-resistant armour. They count as (S) vs all troops including Elephants, Artillery,
Dragon and Demon. Psiloi (X) may not use artillery factors against Bd (D).
Elf-Elite (E): Armoured elves or high race-humans also semi-historical samurai often with sword and shield but also
with some men armed with bows or longbows in addition to or substituting for other weapons. All the Bd (E) of a
command can opt to be Bw (S) or Bd (O) in any given bound - once they have made a choice it remains for the
entire bound.

WARBAND, including all irregular foot that rely on an impetuous and ferocious collective charge to sweep away
enemy foot rather than on individual skill. They are all irregular.
Superior (S): Fighting densely packed by forward pressure, and either having a strong belief, often shared by their
contemporaries, in their own invincibility, such as early Galatians, Cimmerians, Hybori, Chieftain's bodyguards and
some dismounted irregular cavalry.
Ordinary (O): Others fighting in dense formation but emphasising mutual cohesion, such as Vanir.
Fast (F): Fighting in loose formation and emphasising speed in the charge, such as Gauls or Hyborian Picts. Also
war dogs and swarming packs of creatures with handlers.

AUXILIA, representing foot able to fight individually hand-to-hand and to skirmish but emphasising mobility in
difficult terrain rather than cohesion or aggression. They can be regular or irregular.
Superior (S): Regular foot drilled to fight in close formation when necessary, and with mail, darts or spear beside
javelins and sword, such as rangers. Irregular foot with heavy throwing weapons or with combinations of javelins
with long spear or two-handed cutting weapon.
Ordinary (O): Foot relying only on javelins or short spear and light shield, such as Greek peltasts or mountain
tribesmen.
Inferior (I): Poorly motivated and trained regular troops, such as late Roman border auxiliarii. Other troops with
javelins, but who are shieldless or lack confidence.
Exception (X): Foot partly or entirely lacking effective shields and relying on long spear or cut-and- thrust pole
weapon instead of javelins, such as North Welsh spearmen or Japanese ashigaru. They are treated as (S) auxilia if in
close combat to their front against knights, cavalry, behemoths, aerial, beasts, expendables or warband , and as (O)
vs other Dragons and Demons and as (I) auxilia in all other circumstances. They benefit from deeper formations.

BOWMEN, representing foot who fight in formed bodies by shooting collectively with missiles shot at longer range
than psiloi, often in volleys at command, and who rely on dense shooting, hand-to-hand weapons, personally
prepared obstacles or accompanying pavise bearers for survival at close quarters instead of skirmishing or evasion,
or who are packed too tightly to skirmish effectively. They can be regular or irregular.
Superior (S): Exceptionally effective shooters with unusually powerful bows and high skill and morale, able to
outshoot opponents and equally prepared to fight indefinitely hand-to-hand with sword and buckler, spear or two-
handed cutting or concussive weapon, often protecting themselves from knights by stakes or pot-holes, such as Elf
or high-race human bowmen, English or Indian longbowmen or Bossonians.
Ordinary (O): Shooters with lesser bows or skill or with crossbows, able to maintain a prolonged shooting
exchange and fight for a limited period hand-to-hand, by virtue of armour, pavises, spears, shields and side arms or
high discipline or morale, such as Dynastic Egyptian, Stygian or Viking archers and mercenary or civic crossbow
companies.
Inferior (I): Shooters lacking the protection or discipline to prolong a losing exchange and unwilling to fight hand-
to-hand, such as levy archers, and most orc bowmen.
Exception (X): Foot trained to fight in a formation having a front rank or ranks with pike or with spear and a large
shield or pavise, but with the majority of ranks armed with bow or crossbow, and tactically emphasising shooting
rather than close combat. They must either be mounted on a double depth base together with an element of (O) or

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(S) bowmen behind them, or on a normal base as a single element alternating pike or spear armed figures with
shooting figures. They are treated as spears when a front rank element in close combat against foot or aerial to their
front counting as (O) if they have a rear rank of (S) bowmen on the same base, otherwise as (I). In all other
circumstances they are treated as bowmen, counting as (S) when in close combat against mounted to their front or
when enemy bowmen shoot or shoot back at them or if they have a rear rank of (S) bowmen on the same base,
otherwise as (O). Bowmen (X) cannot shoot from a rear rank, nor provide or receive rear support in close combat.

PSILOl, including all dispersed skirmishers on foot shooting individually with javelin, sling, staff sling, bow,
crossbow or hand gun, who fight in a loose swarm hanging around enemy foot, running away when charged. Also all
shooters supporting primarily close combat infantry formations from rear ranks. They are useful to delay enemy,
occupy difficult terrain or support friends, but not unsupported in the open against cavalry. They are able to defeat
elephants and scythed chariots and delay behemoths by harassing them with missiles, using their agility to dodge
them and avoid contact. They can be regular or irregular.
Superior (S): Armed with javelins and small shield or with hand gun and all elves however armed, able to drive off
rival psiloi.
Ordinary (O): Armed with bow, sling or crossbow or useful to support foot, sometimes from behind.
Inferior (I): Armed only with hand-hurled missiles and no shield, useful mainly to pester and delay enemy foot.
Also shamen and priests with few attendants.
Exception (X): Armed with incendiaries, corrosives or biologicals such as Greek Fire siphons, hand- hurled bombs,
fire lances, hornets' nests, hypnotic powers or stun devices. They are treated as (S) vs Behemoth (X) in all other
circumstances as (I) psiloi, but substitute artillery combat factors in close combat against any but auxilia, blades (D)
or psiloi.

ARTILLERY, whether gunpowder, torsion, counterweight or powered by men pulling ropes. Can also include
primitive laser, fire or magical devices. It is always regular.
Superior (S): Torsion, counterweight or large rope pull stone-throwers. Bombards or heavy cannon.
Ordinary (O): Bolt-shooting tension or torsion engines. Crew-served rocket launchers.
Inferior (I): Small rope pull or gunpowder artillery including organ guns/ribaudequins. Man-held rockets, also
flaming pigs and disruptive horns.
Fast (F): Bolt-shooting engines mounted on light carts but not those on wagons.
Exception (X): Hand gunners formed in ranks, such as Ming Chinese, Dwarvish blunderbuss or primitive Zanid
handgunners. They are treated as (I) auxilia when in close combat, otherwise as (F) artillery except that they move
as Bows (O) their shooting range is only 100p, that only the normal front edge counts as such, so that they turn to
face when contacted in flank or rear, and that a second element behind can shoot in their own side's bound.

WAR WAGONS, including all slow wheeled vehicles intended to be fought from and to move on the battlefield, but
not ordinary transport wagons or carts utilised to laager camps. They can be regular or irregular.
Superior (S): Large wheeled towers manned by bowmen and either pulled by oxen or similar large animals or
manhandled, such as those used in sieges.
Ordinary (O): Mantleted wagons filled with men shooting from behind cover with bow or crossbow.
Inferior (I): Wagons carrying a large standard guarded by picked troops on foot. Command litters bearing generals,
priests or magic users.
Exception (X): Anti-monster or anti-aerial carts. They are treated as (O) war wagons except that they cannot
shoot, can contact enemy and are less easily destroyed by large creatures.

HORDES , including all unwilling or incompetent foot, brought to swell numbers and/or perform menial services, or
attracted by desperation, religious or political fanaticism or greed. They are always irregular.
Superior (S): Fanatic armed mobs and the majority of massed orcs and practiced city rioters.
Ordinary (O): Peasants, slaves or camp servants issued with cheap weapons, but with little confidence in their
ability to use them and no stake in the battle except personal survival.
Inferior (I): Unarmed civilians driven ahead with whips by invaders such as Timur.

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Fast (F): Unorganised enthusiastic rabble with improvised weapons and relying on ambush from difficult terrain
and/or street fighting skills, such as light-footed mountain peasant freedom-fighters, Byzantine racing factions or
Hyborian Tarantian rioters.

DEMONS, representing supernatural and often giant beings, occasionally demi-god like in power, able to daunt
lesser creatures by sheer size, ferocity, reputation or magical qualities. They can appear to be invulnerable until
dealt with by heroic individuals. Demons are most often employed by the forces of evil - some will have their own
ability to cast battlefield magic.
Superior (S): Beings of unusual strength or size with a fearsome reputation and supernatural qualities, such as
creatures-of-fire fighting with sword or whip also gigantic animated statues, multi- armed demi-gods, powerful and
dangerous entities from other dimensions.
Ordinary (O): Creatures with supernatural power and reputation, able to destroy human-sized troops through
shock and terror of their assault such as massed demi-gods, giant shadow creatures coaxed into the world of men by
evil magicians.

BEHEMOTHS , including giant humanoid creatures fighting with either weapons or natural limbs capable of
crushing smaller creatures. Also human-sized beings or mechanical men with apparent invulnerability such as
animated statues, minor demi-gods or similar. They are often used to lead assaults and create opportunities for
lesser creatures to exploit. HOTT players should note that elephants, mammoth and other giant riding beasts
mostly become elephants, or dragons if especially large, dangerous and unpredictable and that machines are classed
as artillery, expendables or war-wagons.
Superior (S): Beings of unusual strength or size such armoured giants and trolls or animated golems of stone or
metal. Such beings may be fortified with supernatural strength or protection.
Ordinary (O): Trolls or similar humanoids - in the order of 3.2m tall and often fighting with club or hammer as a
favourite weapon.
Inferior (I): Taller than human beings of great strength tending to use the normal array of weapons, also some larger
than human creatures with enthusiasm but not adept at military functions.
Exception (X): Giant humanoids associated with or adapted to operations in difficult terrain such as tree- men
fighting in Wd, they count as (S) unless otherwise noted.

LURKERS , representing creatures or small bands of troops with minimal formal military capacity that infest
difficult terrain or larger bodies of water to ambush weakened or isolated enemy. Lurkers can represent a single
being or small group of creatures able to cause panic in enemy due to legendary prowess. Lurkers do not move as
such and will never spontaneously advance, follow-up pursue or break-off.
Superior (S): Demons linked to a crypt or similar, especially large and evil beings such as tree spirits or animated
elementals. Water lurkers such as giant squid, aggressive giant jelly fish or things of slime and tentacles.
Ordinary (O): Guard lions, ghosts, swarming spiders or insects and smaller bandit groupings.
Inferior (I): Smaller creatures such as guard dogs. Water lurkers (I) can be embittered beings living in watery caves
killing passers by with the help of a magic ring or plotting revenge having lost said ring.

SNEAKERS , representing stealthy creatures or bands of thieves, assassins, quislings and agents. They have a
limited military function but can threaten enemy baggage, disrupt communications and assassinate generals.
Superior (S): Smaller demons summoned to kill political leaders. They can also be barbarian heroes bent on
revenge or suicidal assassin cultists such as the Sons of Yezm.
Ordinary (O): Bandits or creatures, such as ape-men trained by Pictish shamen trained to track down and kill
enemies or professional assassins.
Inferior (I): Smaller creatures, perhaps of limited intelligence or civilian spies and agents or hired bandits in small
numbers.

FLYERS , representing all troops capable of sustained flight but not large enough to count as dragons or airboat.
Examples can include intelligent beings such as giant eagles, flying horses and small dinosaurs with riders. Flyers’

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main function is to terrorise enemy players into over-reaction when facing an opponent with air superiority. They
can be regular or irregular.
Superior (S): Flying beasts such as dinosaurs or similar often associated with undead riders, also giant eagle
leaders, giant eagles with multiple riders and bat things of the River Zarkheba.
Ordinary (O): Giant eagles, birdmen, batmen or similar, also men riding small dinosaurs or winged horses and
machines or flying carpets with crews not large enough to provide marines.
Inferior (I): Flying machines, crewed kites or creatures not inspiring confidence in their air- worthiness, or present
in too few numbers to be used other than as scouts, or with crossbow.

AIRBOATS, representing large creatures or machines capable of flight and often able to carry marines or small
artillery to bombard land or naval troops. Airboats are regular. Some airboats can, but not all must, carry an element
of aerial marines which can be landed or loaded.
Superior (S): Flying creatures such as giant whale-like beasts and flying ships such as those larger types used on
Callisto.
Ordinary (O): Flying carpets, hot air balloons or machines often with crews large enough to provide marines to
interdict in land combat.
Inferior (I): Those flying machines not inspiring confidence in their airworthiness, such as those based on the
drawings of Leonardo.
Exception (X): Large flying machines adapted to carry artillery or flame thrower capable of destroying other
airships. They can shoot in the same way as Elephants (X) and count as Airboat (S) in other circumstances.

GALLEYS , including all swift rowing vessels intended to ram or use fire projectors. They are always regular.
Superior (S): Large galleys with exceptionally powerful marine contingents and gunpowder or torsion artillery or
fire siphons, such as quinquiremes/penteres, hepteres, dekares, later Byzantine dromons or the heaviest armed late
medieval galleys.
Ordinary (O): Smaller galleys still large enough for the line of battle, such as tetrares, triremes/trieresor large
medieval galleys lacking powerful bow cannon.
Fast (F): Fast lightly built galleys with smaller specialised marine contingents, such as penteconters, triemioli and
galleys and Stygian black galleys.

SHIPS , including all slow, unhandy or primarily sailing vessels intended to carry cargo, and also galleys converted
to carry horses or as unmanoeuvrable siege towers for sieges. They are always irregular.
Superior (S): With stern and bow castles and large numbers of troops embarked, such as cogs or uscieri or
Barachan pirate vessels.
Ordinary (O): With large numbers of troops embarked, such as the Veneti and medieval navi or nefs.
Inferior (I): Either acting as horse transports, or carrying supplies and substituting for land baggage elements.
Horse transports are the only naval that can embark mounted troops.
Exception (X): Fastened together in pairs to carry siege towers. They are treated as (S) ships if shooting or shot at
or if in close combat against fortifications, and as (I) ships in all other circumstances.

BOATS, including all primarily rowing vessels not intended to ram and some larger aquatic creatures which need
not have crew. (F) and (X) are always regular, others always irregular.
Superior (S): Large wooden boats with several men per oar and filled with warriors, such as Viking longships.
Ordinary (O): Smaller undecked wooden boats filled with warriors, such as triaconters or lembi.
Inferior (I): Hide and/or wicker boats filled with warriors, such as Lemurian or Irish curraghs or massed two to six
man-canoes.
Fast (F): Despatch boats attached to galley fleets.
Exception (X): Converted rowing vessels with penthouse for torsion artillery. Treated as (S) artillery if shooting or
if shot at, otherwise as (I) boats.

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PONTOONEERS , with materials on a wagon or pack animal, who if at a river bank can construct and dismantle a
single pontoon bridge. The bridge is added after launching, the pontooneers moved away on completion. The start
of dismantling is depicted by returning the pontooneers, its completion by removing the bridge. Excepting for AP
cost (at 5AP) they count as Irregular (I) war wagons in all other circumstances.

RACES, SPECIES AND MUTANTS

The following is a list of some common fictional races and how some of their troops differ from the human standard
listed in DBM.

Elves Many fictional works follow Tolkien and include Elves as deadly archers, expert woodsmen and on talking
terms with goodly animals. All Elf Bowmen, Cavalry and Light Horse must be (S) and all Elf Psiloi must be (S) even
if depicted with only bows. Elf Psiloi (S) can give rear support to Elf Psiloi (S) when fighting Psiloi. Those Elves
associated with woods can see 100p in Wd.

Dwarves Many fictional Dwarves are expert manufacturers of arms and armour which is often fire-resistant
counting as Blade (D) which assumed to be so well made as to offer even better protection than historical full plate
armour.

Orcs, Goblins Orcs and Goblins are often graded as Horde because of sunlight vulnerability, similarly Orc and
Goblin archers are often Psiloi (I) and Bowmen (I) due to brittle morale and sunlight vulnerability. Orcs and Goblins
count dazzle as both a combat disadvantage and their moves are limited as if other troops during a moonless night if
they are facing in the deleterious 90o arc.

Trolls and Evi l Wolves Those Trolls and evil wolves suffering from sunlight vulnerability count dazzle as Orcs
and Goblins above. It is assumed that generals do not recruit those individual Trolls and wolves with a critical
sunlight vulnerability or that their Dark Lord provides a suitable countermeasure to sunlight before commencing
action.

Undead Undead are troops that count as a dangerous and often impetuous type at night, dawn, dusk or when
sunlight is obscured by snow, rain, dust storm mist or fog. They typically count as a skirmisher type in other
conditions.

Examples of undead can include Evil Spirits, which if foot, often count as warband in ideal conditions and psiloi in
daylight. If mounted they can be knights in ideal conditions and light horse in daylight. Undead’s visibility is as if
Demons. Undead are costed as the most expensive type and count losses and original elements as if that type unless
notes in a particular army list.

Water-adapted creatures Such as swampmen, fishmen and semi-human amphibians, they are typically foot but
mounted, Dragon, Beast, Demon and Sneakers are possible. Water-adapted creatures ignore the effects of Mud, can
claim no road movement bonus and count M or Rgo (boggy) as good going. Water-adapted count Thirst, when
dictated by weather dice, immediately, rather than after 6 bounds, unless there is a WW, Rv, Lake or BUA in the
suitable position.

Water-adapted never fail to cross Rv and when doing so are not limited to 100p moves or single element columns in
rivers other than Dangerous ones. Water-adapted count WW as good going. Water-adapted can engage naval in close
combat, when in WW or Rv, but can count no supporting ranks. Water-adapted ignore the -2 tactical factor when in
M or Rgo (boggy) or if their close combat enemy is in M or Rgo (Boggy). Water-adapted can not claim supporting
ranks when in M. Any water-adapted making third or subsequent march moves on land, whether in single element
columns or not, cost 2 PIPs for the move.

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Desert-sand adapted creatures Some troops such as historical Arabs and similar warm-desert races ignore some of
the effects of Dust Storm and their mounts, if not actually camels can sometimes be considered close enough to
count the same. Desert-sand adapted troops can include such things as the sand warriors of the Star Wars series and
all of them count Snow Storm as a combat disadvantage.

Creatures of the night Those creatures and races preferring life at night, can attempt night assaults in any season,
and by virtue of improved night vision are less likely to have such assaults stall.

Lycanthropes Some specialist generals and monsters can change their troop type and or grade as described in their
army list. This usually requires the element to be a magic user and cast the spell of lycanthropy to affect the change.
The element must pay the AP cost for the most expensive type. Players need not define the lycanthropic qualities
of elements to their opponents but these must be noted clearly in the player's army list. Count original elements and
losses as the highest element value type.

Magic Ability Magic users' ability is rated as Inferior, Ordinary or Superior - this largely artificial division
represents a mechanism to rate the relative capacity of different magic users - especially when conducting magical
assault. Some spells require a minimum level of ability to cast. Magic ability (I) often represents shamen or similar
practitioners while magic ability (S) is typical of dangerous and famous magicians whose power is gained via years
of study, inherent supernatural powers or dealings with demons.

BAGGAGE, including all logistic support. Its main game function is to require protection. If permitted by army
lists (I) ships can be substituted for land baggage elements. Land baggage is (O) if protected by fortifications, (I) if
not. All baggage is irregular. Baggage elements must be either mobile, such as wagons in draft, pack animals, flocks,
herds or (I) ships, or immobile, such as tented camps or draft animals tethered in the centre of a wagon laager. Only
mobile baggage can move or flank march. Only immobile baggage can be protected by field fortifications.

An entirely waterborne, aerial, demon, dragon, sneaker, lurker or single element command need not have baggage. A
single naval or aerial element with an element of landing troops on embarked counts as a single element for this
purpose.

STRONGHOLDS (optional rule, to which all players must agree before use)
Defenders, instead of providing baggage for command(s) can instead provide a suitable stronghold - incorporating
TF and/or PF and at least one gate. The stronghold and any troops within it are deployed, at the usual time of
placing baggage, within the player's deployment zone and at least half the perimeter must be in good going. Gates
must be in good going or connect with a road or quay, such a road being added by the invader if one is not present at
the end of normal terrain placement.

The stronghold may not enclose more than 1/3 the defender's deployment area. The fortification of a stronghold is
not paid for, however, the defender using a stronghold may not flank march or ambush and the invader may flank
march on both flanks even with a three-command army.

If the stronghold is breached by the invader successfully getting an un-demoralised element surviving within the
fortifications for two consecutive bounds (so watch out for aerial), the defender must (a) dice at the end of his next
bound for each on-table command as if its general has just been lost, and then (b) any command for whom a
stronghold substitutes for baggage, counts losses of d6 element equivalents (dice separately for each such
command), the army also adds the sum of these losses to determine army demoralisation.

FORTIFICATIONS
These can be temporary [TF], such as a palisade and/or ditch and bank, a wagon laager or a thick thorn boma, or
permanent [PF] enclosing a built-up area [BUA], such as a turf or stone wall with wall walk and parapet and

14
sometimes widened bastions or raised towers for artillery. A BUA of more than 750p across must have PF, and
others may have TF or PF. These must completely enclose its perimeter, except optionally where it abuts the table
edge or waterway, and must include 1-3 on-table fortified gateways which must connect to internal roads if the
BUA has these. A fortification intersecting a table edge is assumed to be part of a closed circuit, the off-table part of
which need not be paid for.

A tower must be separated from the next tower by at least one element width. Corner pieces, of no internal
frontage, need not be paid for, and cannot be attacked, overlapped or crossed by land elements. TF, other than
around a BUA or the plashed wood edges of an ambush, must be in the army's own deployment area. Fortifications
do not count as troop elements. The smallest gap permitted between non-contiguous fortifications is one element
width. TF paid for at reduced cost for a BUA cannot be used for camp or vice versa. TF paid for at full cost can be
used for BUA, camps or elsewhere.

ARTEFACTS

Artefacts are items such as crystal balls, magical jewellery, weapons or staffs that confer a supernatural advantage
to some military actions. They have power independent of magic users even though many artefacts are associated
with them. In some mythologies wars are fought for the possession of a single artefact.

Artefacts are given to specific elements as noted in their army list and may not be transferred during a game. If the
parent element is destroyed, or in most cases off-table, the artefact's ability may not be used. Artefacts combing
grades combine their cost and powers - all artefacts and any of their powers are optional for all armies that have
them included in their army list.

Famous Artefacts
The reputation of an artefact can be represented by artificially increasing the element equivalents of the parent
element - thus increasing the break point of a command - but hastening its demise if the parent element is lost.

Any non-(W) artefact can be defined as famous and add from 0.5 to 3.5 element equivalents to the parent element at
a cost of +1.5AP per 0.5 element equivalent added. Such added artificial element equivalents are not included in the
"largest command count" for deployment priority or flank march arrival but are added to a command and army's
original elements and losses.

Artefact (P)
Artefacts (P) are typically crystal balls, far-sight mirrors or other devices allowing reconnaissance over many miles
and sometimes into the future.

Each artefact (P) allows the player to perform one of the following, once per game without penalty, otherwise some
of them can be performed during his bound by surrendering the army's entire PIPs for that bound - having so
nominated before the dice are thrown. (The dice are still thrown to determine weather, arrivals and unreliability of
allies).
• Raise or lower the army’s aggression by up to three factors.
• Require the enemy to reveal, at any point in the sequence, the flank of arrival of a flank march (or both if this is
true) or to reveal it has no flank march.
• Require the enemy to disclose, at any point in the game nominated by the owner of the artefact, the location of D6
elements in ambush (ambusher’s choice as to which elements are revealed and placed on the table) or to reveal he
does not have this number of elements remaining in ambush.
• Require the enemy to reveal the type, number and grade of all the lurkers in his army.
• Require the enemy to reveal the type, number and grade of all the dragons awaiting arrival - or reveal he has none.
• Require the enemy to reveal the type, number and grade of all the demons awaiting arrival - or reveal he has none.
• Require the enemy to reveal the type, number and grade of all the aerial awaiting arrival or reveal he has none.

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Artefact (W)
Artefacts (W) are typically statues, stones or teleportal gates available to some armies as noted in their army lists,
that allow unnatural travel by some specialist elements between fixed points. They are placed at the same time as
baggage (they may be noted on a map if in a hidden position, concealed as if psiloi) anywhere outside the enemy
deployment area. Artefacts (W) do not affect visibility or moves, they may be moved or destroyed only in siege
games.

Elements noted in their army list can exchange their present on-table position with the position of the artefact (W).
Such an exchange exhausts 2 PIPs and takes place in point 2 of the Sequence of Play. No exchange is possible if the
element is in edge contact with the enemy or would end within 50p of any enemy element.

Artefact (A)
Artefacts (A) are rare and powerful items that can augment friendly magical activity and downgrade enemy magical
operations. Artefacts (A) cause all enemy magic-users within 100p of the artefact to temporarily lose all magical
ability and function, and any element, friend or enemy, with 200p of the artefact (including the parent element) may
not be influenced by enemy magic or magical assault. Elements using an artefact (A) conduct magical combat at a
factor of +4 and if the element is a magic-user it will count as an (S) magic user in its own bound even if it is
otherwise a lesser grade.

Artefacts (A) allow 2PIPs to be reserved from this bound to be used in following enemy or the element's next bound
for spell-casting if the parent element of the artefact is a magic-user.

Artefact (H)
Artefacts (H) can be magical weapons, religious or magical standards or holly relics brought on to the battlefield to
guarantee success or staffs-of-office of supernatural power. They allow the user’s army to command strange or
supernatural troops or can be a convenient place to add element equivalents to the general or hero associated with it.

Artefact (R)
Artefacts (R) can be magic rings or weapons or similar that confer apparent invulnerability on users. Elements with
an Artefact (R) roll two dice in close combat and choose either score.

Artefact (S)
Artefacts (S) are magic or famous weapons, often associated with generals, that can inspire troops who believe the
wielder of such a weapon is invulnerable or dangerous enough to lead their side to victory. Elements using an
artefact (S) can, during its bound, cause the same effect as the spell of inspire, to his own element or to any single
friendly element it is in contact with, but not both. The element need not be nominated until after dice are thrown.

The owner of an artefact (S) can also determine sequence of close combat for any elements in edge or corner contact
with the parent element even in an enemy bound - if the element is under the influence of conflicting artefacts (S)
revert to the usual player nominated sequence.

EXCHANGING MOUNTED AND FOOT ELEMENTS


Those knights, cavalry or light horse who are specified in our army lists as able to do so can dismount to fight on
foot, replaced by duplicate foot figures. Others can do so only to defend fortifications (in which case they must
remount to leave these) or within 300p of enemy fortifications or enemy war wagons on a hill or if a general (plus
any troops double-based with him) whose command is now otherwise entirely on foot.

All must dismount to defend fortifications. Some flyers can be exchanged for land troops as described in their
particular army list. Camelry except (X) are already assumed to fight dismounted where appropriate, using camelry

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combat factors and outcomes, so are replaced by duplicate foot figures to defend fortifications or within 300p of
enemy fortifications or war wagons on a hill, and must be to defend fortifications.

Elephants, expendables, beasts and camelry (X) cannot dismount or defend fortifications. It is unnecessary to
formally dismount troops fighting to capture ships or loot baggage, since we assume that individuals get off to loot
or make a passage while others still fight mounted. Unless specified otherwise by our army lists, mounted troops
dismount as follows:

If armed with bow, crossbow or handgun:


Knights with bow - if (X) as Bowmen (S), otherwise as (O).
Cavalry - if (I) as Bowmen (I), if with handgun as Artillery (X), otherwise as Bowmen (O).
Light Horse with bow or crossbow or Camelry with bow as Bowmen (I).
Otherwise:
Knights (S), (O) or (I) as Blades (S). Knights (F) as Spears (O) or Blades (O). Knights (X) as
Spears (S)
Regular Cavalry - if (S) or (O) as Auxilia (S), if (I) as Auxilia (I).
Irregular Cavalry or Camelry - if (S) or (O) as Warband (S), if (I) as Auxilia (I).
Light Horse as Auxilia (I).

Dismounters exchange three elements of chariots, one of other knights, cavalry or camelry or two of light horse for
one foot element of appropriate type.

Except at deployment time, or to mount to spontaneously advance against demoralised enemy or flee, mounting or
dismounting requires a full single element tactical or march move for each dismounted element.

If it is to remount, an additional chariot or cavalry size base with identical riderless mounts and their holders must
be provided for and accompany each dismounted element adjacent to its rear, or that of any element providing rear
support or overhead shooting or its mounts.

If so specified in their army list, foot can be given additional bases with riderless mounts and their holders as above
and classed as Mounted Infantry.

Unless these have lost or left their mounts, they march and flee as camelry if on camelry, cavalry if not, but
otherwise move as foot. They always count as foot when shooting, shot at or in close combat, so do not use a
tactical move to dismount or remount. Duplicate mounted figures can optionally be used when they are mounted.

An alternative for mounted infantry is to mount them on square bases with some foot and mounted or carts
depicted, such elements' mounts are never separately destroyed and when recoiling, following-up or calculating
sweep away zones measure from the notional size of the foot base.

Riderless mounts do not count towards any element count.

They are immediately removed from the table if in even corner contact with enemy, or if shot at or if their owners
are destroyed, make a tactical move except remount, a march move except by mounted infantry, or any spontaneous
or outcome move on foot, or pass through or are passed through by any but psiloi or sneakers,: if so they cannot be
remounted.

NAVAL LANDING FORCES


Except for boats (F), which have insufficient capacity, and ships (I) if substituting for land baggage, each naval
element can and must carry one land element.

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This must be of an appropriate type for its nation, as specified in our army lists. Its cost is additional to that of the
naval element. A naval element in contact with a beach, quay or river bank can disembark its landing troops.

Until landing troops are re-embarked, it cannot be moved, and is assumed to have few fighting men, so has minimal
ability to defend itself. If the terrain lacks any route of access for naval elements, their landing troops and baggage
instead deploy on land.

AERIAL LANDING FORCES


Some elements of Airboats can carry one land element. This must be of an appropriate type for its nation, its cost
is additional to that of the aerial element. Airboats and their landing troops count as separate elements if lost when
disembarked. They will count as both lost if the airboat is lost while still carrying crew element.

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ORGANISING AN ARMY

ELEMENT BASING
All figures must be combined into elements of several figures affixed to a rectangular base of card or similar material.
Base size is not critical provided that all bases have the same frontage and both armies use the same conventions.
The basing recommended below is a simplified version of that used for WRG 7th and is equally suitable for DBA,
DBR or HOTT. Naval and airboat elements can use models of reduced scale.

If figure scale is: 25mm 10mm 15mm 6mm 2mm

The largest recommended naval scale is 15mm 6mm 1/600 1/1200


Element frontage (width) 60mm 40mm 40mm 30mm
Depth if:
Demon, Dragon (I, F) 60mm 40mm 40mm 30mm
Elephants, Chariots, Expendables, Artillery unless (X)
or on wagon, Baggage 80mm 40mm 40mm l0mm
Knights, Cav, LH, Camelry, Hordes, Beasts 40mm 30mm 20mm l0mm
Blades (F) or (X), Warband (F), Auxilia, Bowmen,
Psiloi, Art(X), Behemoth, Lurker, Sneaker, Flyer 30mm 20mm l0mm 10mm
Spears, Pikes, other Blades, other Warband 20mm 15mm 5mm l0mm
War Wagons, Art on wagons or naval (minimum for
naval scale above) Dragon (O, S) Airboat 120mm 80mm 80mm 60mm
Models per element if:
Elephants, Chariots, Camelry (X), Artillery (S) or (F),
thunder-bomb oxen 1 1 2 3
Artillery (O) or (I) 1-2 1-2 2-4 4
War wagons (S) or (I), Galleys, Ships, Boats (S) or (F)
(for naval scale above), Demons, Dragons 1 1 1 1
Other war wagons 1 1 2 3
Other Boats (for naval scale above) 1 3 3-4 3-4
Figures per element (unless chariots, for which
see above) if:
Behemoth, Flyer, Sneaker, Lurker 1-2 1-2 1-4
Light Horse, Psiloi 2 2 4
Beasts 2-3 2-4 3-6
Knights (S), (O), (I) or (F), Cav, Cam, Blades (F) or
(X), Warband (F), Auxilia or Bowmen if irregular 3 3 6
Knights (X), Spears, Pikes, other Blades, Ax if regular,
other Wb, Bow if regular, Art(X), herds 4 4 8
Hordes 5-8 5-8 10-16

Elephants (S) add extra crew or two or more escort figures and Artillery two or more crew figures per model. A
Baggage element typically has one or more tents or yurts if immobile, a wagon or several pack animals with drivers
if mobile. A better alternative for 6mm is to use 15mm base depths and double the number of 6mm figures specified
above, based in two rows. Except for (O) war wagons, the number of models remains that specified, based in a
single row. Though it requires more figures, this system gives a better impression of large bodies of men. It also
allows the representation on each element of formations such as wedge or Cantabrian circle, or wolf archer parties
riding and in reserve.

Some 15mm Behemoths, Flyers, Lurkers, Sneakers and Beasts may need to be, and most look better if, based 40mm
deep to accommodate models.

19
10mm figs can be mounted with optionally one more figure or model than that specificed for 15mm or a single strip
of figures of a distinctive appropriate type.

Regular figures should be evenly distributed along the base in a single level row. Irregulars are distinguished by using
figures of differing type, pose and/or colour scheme placed more randomly. 6mm blocks, and some 10mm strips,
will have to be cut and combined, with irregular or skirmishing troops often in small random clumps. 2mm figures
come in blocks of varied size, four of which make a warband or horde or two any other element. Mount war wagons
in single file. The general's element must be recognisable by his figure or standard or magnificently decorated white
riding triceratops. Such elements and any depicting unit commanders fight as the rank and file type.

It is sometimes convenient to base two elements that habitually fight together on one double depth base. This is
permitted only if the rear element could provide rear close combat support to that in front, or could shoot over it at
a target on the same level, or if baggage. Players should take the opportunity to create double elements of baggage
such as ornate dioramas depicting slave pens, mobile zoos, orc torturers committing human rights abuses,
magnificent Numenorian pavilions or elf tree-houses. A double element counts as two elements in all circumstances,
except:
• A double element moves as if a single element having the maximum permitted move of its slower type. It expends
PIPs as whichever type would require the most if alone. If, however, it moves backwards (ie any part of it crosses
the original line of its rear edge), it expends PIPs as if 2 single elements, unless both its elements are cavalry or both
are skirmishers.
• A double element which is not part of a group contacts enemy or responds to contact as if a single element
• A double element makes an outcome move as if a single element of the front type.
• A double element is destroyed if one of its element is destroyed, even if the second element would not normally
have been destroyed.

When a double element recoils or pursues, it moves forward or back the depth of the front rank element, usually
half the depth of the double element, When a double element is destroyed, the distance behind it within which
friendly elements are destroyed is measured from the rear of the front rank element, usually half the depth of the
double element.

Lurkers based deeper than psiloi to accommodate models do not gain extra distance to reach out of a feature to
attack enemy.

ARMY SIZE
Unless the battle is a campaign or scenario game, each side consists of troop elements up to an agreed total of army
points (AP) between 300 and 500 AP if playing in normal scale. If playing fast-scale games armies are between
100AP and 135AP in a single command under a single general, in which case elements represent up to three times
the notional number of men or creatures. In all normal scale games each army is controlled by 2 to 6 generals, each
with his own command. Each element must be part of one of these commands, and cannot be transferred to a
different command. One general must be designated as commander-in-chief. Up to three generals can be subordinate
generals of his own army. Any others must be allied generals either controlling foreign troops, or of his own
nationality but of doubtful reliability and so treated as allied rather than subordinate a fifth or six command can
only be an ally-general single element command representing a special hero, personality, magic user or creature
other generals can also be one element if desired. Subordinate or allied generals can either represent extra players or
not. Each army must include two baggage elements per normal command (see baggage above), or count these as
having already been destroyed in close combat if the player has not provided them. Baggage must be all assigned to
a single C-in-C or sub-general's command, except that all those of an ally-general can instead be retained in his own
command. All elements and generals must be assigned to commands before the set-up procedure on P. 22 is started

20
Our accompanying army list books specify element types and numbers for many fictional or semi-historical armies
able to be played with these rules. All references to lists in these rules refer to these books and not to players'
competition lists. An army can have only sufficient permanent fortifications to enclose the on-table part of a BUA,
or temporary fortifications to do the same and/or as specified in its army list.

Points spent on fortifications restricted to BUA are wasted if the terrain includes no BUA or the army turns out to
be the invader. Points spent on naval elements are wasted if they have no access on to the table. Their landing
troops and baggage can still be deployed, however, being assumed to have disembarked and joined the army prior to
the battle.

ELEMENT COST
Basic cost of element of:
Regular Irregular
(S) (O) (I) (F) (X) (D) (E) (S) (O) (I) (F) (X) (D)
Demon - - - - - - - 27 22 - - - -
Dragon - - - - - - - 25 20 14 - - -
Dragon (W) - - - 22 - - - 27 22 16 - - -
Behemoth 17 16 11 - 19 - - 15 14 9 - 17 -
Flyer 14 11 8 - - - - 13 10 7 - - -
Airboat 15 12 9 - 17 - - - - - - - -
Elephants - - - - - - - 20 16 14 - 22 -
Knights 15 12 10 11 13 - - 12 10 8 9 11 -
Cavalry 10 8 6 - - - - 9 7 5 - - -
Light Horse 7 5 3 4 - - - 7 5 3 4
Beasts - - - - - - 7 5 3 - -
Camelry - - - - - - - 11 6 5 - 9 -
Expendables - - - - - - - - 7 - - - -
Spears 7 5 4 - - - - 7 4 3 - - -
Pikes 5 4 3 - 4 - - - - 3 - 4 -
Blades 9 7 5 7 8 10 13 7 5 4 5 6 8
Warband - - - - - - - 5 3 - 3 - -
Auxilia 5 4 3 - 4 - - 4 3 2 - 3 -
Bowmen 7 5 4 - 7 - - 5 4 3 - 5
L'ker, Sneaker 3 2 1 - - - - 3 2 1 - - -
Psiloi, 3 2 1 - 6 - - 3 2 1 - 6 -
Artillery 10 8 4 10 5 - - - - - - - -
War Wagons 14 10 3 - 7 - - 10 8 2 - 6 -
Hordes - - - - - - - 2 1 1/2 1 - -
Galleys 4 3 - 2 - - - - - - - - -
Ships - - - - - - - 4 3 2 - 6 -
Boats - - - 2 6 - - 3 2 1 - - -
Pontooneers 5
Land Baggage - - - - - - - - 0 0 - - -

Adjustment for all grades if: Reg Irreg


Knights, Light Horse or Cavalry if chariots -1 -1
Mounted infantry +1 +1
Rear element of double base if specified in army lists -2 -1
C-in-C's or sub-general's element +20 +10
Ally-general's element +10 +5
Fortifications

21
Temporary fortifications to cover the front of 1 element 2 2
Adjustment if TF part of a BUA specified in army list as defending camps or baggage
-1 -1
Permanent fortifications to cover the front of 1 element 2 2
Adjustment if a raised tower +1 +1
Adjustment if a gateway: +2 +2

Non-outward-facing parapets of a tower are free, so for example: a square PF of four corner towers (4 x 6AP), 1
gate tower (1 x 5AP), 3 interval towers (3 x 3AP) and 8 wall sections (8 x 2AP) costs 54AP.

• Extra for Artefacts (P) +5AP; (W) + 5AP, (A) +15AP, (H) +1AP, (S) +5.
• Artefacts (R) double the total cost of an element.
• Extra to increase the reputation of an artefact; @ +1.5AP per 0.5 element equivalents up to a total of +3.5 element
equivalents to the parent element, its command and army.
• Extra for Magic ability (S) +13AP; (O) +10AP, (I) + 7AP

PREPARING FOR BATTLE

SET-UP DICING
Except in a scenario or campaign battle, each side's C-in-C sits at a different long table side. They first each
nominates a season of the year. Both then dice, each adding his army's aggression factor (a number from 0 to 4
specified in its army list) to his raw score. If adjusted scores are equal, dice again until a round of dicing produces
unequal adjusted scores. The side with the higher adjusted score is the invader, the other is the defender. The battle
takes place during the invader's nominated season. Now add together the raw scores of all dice thrown. The total is
used to determine the time that thebattle can start (see P 25).

Now deduct the lower of the last pair of raw scores from the higher. The difference is the weather score. If the score
of the invader's last die was odd, the direction he faces is due west, if even, due east.

For example, Dwarves with an aggression factor of 2 throw a 4 and their Goblin opponents whose aggression factor
is 3 throw a 3. Their adjusted scores are equal, so they dice again. This time the Dwarves throw a 3 and the Goblins
a 4. The Goblins' adjusted score of 7 is higher than the Dwarves' adjusted score of 5, so the Goblins are the
invaders. The total of both sides' raw scores is 4 + 3 + 3 + 4 = 14, so the time is 14 hours after midnight. The
weather score is 4 - 3 = 1, so it is early afternoon on a clear calm day.

TERRAIN
Players should feel free to alter the terrain rules if they do not produce battlefields appropriate to your fictional
world.

The terrain can be built up from Geo-Hex or from 24" (60cm) or 12" (30cm) square terrain boards with permanent
asymmetric terrain features, or by the methods in our forthcoming terrain book, or by using an oversize terrain cloth
painted with surface features, or by the traditional method of placing separate irregular terrain features on a plain
cloth.

Terrain Choosing
Invaders generally chose the season and route of invasion, which might be beside a waterway (WW) or mountain
range (MRa), along a river (Rv), or, if nervous of a mounted enemy, through hilly country. The defender chose
where on that route to oppose him, such as on a transverse river or line of hills, in ambush country or near a city or
fortress. We simulate this with terrain features placed on top of a flat green or light brown playing area notionally
first bisected then trisected into four flank and two central sectors, which are then numbered 1-6. Terrain features
can be linear, such as a single waterway or single mountain range, rivers or external roads, or realistically shaped area

22
features such as hills, woods or a single built-up area (BUA). Only terrain features specified by army lists books as
being available for the defender's army can be used. A BUA can always include 0-2 connecting internal roads, and, if
on a hill, a link road to the bottom of the hill. Any fields must be contiguous with a BUA and enclosed if list books
allow, open if not. Features cannot be superimposed, except roads, a hill on a waterway (as an island or
promontory), a BUA incorporating a hill or island placed as a promontory or marsh, rocks, dunes or a BUA partly
replacing beach. Terrain is laid in three phases.

1. The Invader can choose whether or not to provide and position one only of the following:
• If allowed naval elements and has at least half the maximum, a waterway along one short edge.
• A Mountain Range along one short edge.
• A river flowing from one long table edge to the other and between 600p and 1,200p from one short edge.
• A road from one central sector table edge to the other, plus 0 or 2-4 feature equivalents of entirely steep hills.

2. The defender now provides and positions one feature (of 1-1.5 feature equivalents if an area feature) of each
compulsory terrain type not yet present, then 2-3 further feature equivalents of his choice, WW, Rv BUA/field
first, but only:
• One waterway or mountain range, and only if not already present and he positions a BUA in contact with it.
Unless it is compulsory he can only include a WW or MR in his terrain selection if he dices and scores a 5 or 6 for
each.
• One river, and only if it flows from one short table edge to the opposite, or to a waterway, or to a attacker-
positioned river. Divide the table depth into four and dice. The river cannot go outside the indicated zone: 1- zone
nearest defender, 2,3 - central zone nearest defender, 4,5 - central zone near invader, 6 - nearest zone to invader.
• One BUA, and only if in contact with a waterway, or, if there is none, in a flank sector, or placed so that a
gateway and/or internal road links with an invader positioned road. The BUA and any fields must all be entirely
within 1 sector.
• Up to two external roads, and only if they link with a BUA or joins/cross a previous road, or roads are
compulsory.

3. An invader who has not yet placed any terrain can nowchoose to provide and position 1 feature of up to 1
feature equivalent size - either a gully if in Dry, an area of boggy ground if not, oa a bare or rough hill with all slopes
gentle.

An area feature cannot be more than 1,000p across in any direction nor less than 100p. If it nowhere exceeds 500p
across it counts as a 0.5 feature equivalent, if it anywhere exceeds 750p as 1.5. A BUA on a hill or island counts as
the sum of them both. No player can use more than 3 features of the same feature

equivalence and going. An area feature can be:

• Good going [GGo], of bare gentle slopes, open fields, or of water features, bog or marsh frozen by cold weather.
• Rough going [RGo], of moderately boggy, rocky or brushy gentle slopes or lower ground or sunken gully.
• Difficult going [DGo] of steep or wooded, vine-planted or terraced slopes, woods [Wd], orchards or oasis palm
groves [O], small fields enclosed by walls, hedges, irrigation channels or paddy bunds
[E], vineyards [V], marsh [M], sand dunes [D], and built-up areas [BUA] unless defending perimeter fortifications.

Each compulsory and chosen area feature except any BUA or contiguous field is diced for in turn and must be
placed entirely in the indicated sector. A second dice throw determines the position of the feature within the sector:
1,2,3,4 it must touch the table edge or waterway, 5,6 its centre must not be within 500p of the table edge. If it will
not fit in in without moving earlier features, it is discarded even if compulsory. Each player must choose all his
features before he positions any.

23
Space between features is good going and may represent unimproved pasture, steppe or hard desert. An element
that is in more than one type of going is treated as in whichever would slow mounted troops more. Camels of any
troop type except baggage count dunes and brush as good going and other rough going as difficult.

A hill is a single feature whether some or all of its slopes are steep, rough or wooded, or all are gentle and clear.
Unless modelled with crests, all hills are assumed to slope from a central ridge or point down to their edge. Hill or
gully slopes give an advantage in close combat to an element with at least part of its front edge upslope of all of the
opposing element

External roads [Rd] may just be well-used tracks. Each counts as 1/2 a feature equivalent. It must be approximately
one element width or less, since troops often moved astride. It goes through or over features placed before or after,
and can cross each river once by bridge or ford. Combat along a road counts as in the off-road going on its edges
which must be identical on both sides.

Water features can be either waterways [WW] suitable for sea-going vessels, such as the sea, large lakes or giant
rivers such as the Styx, Danube, Euphrates, Tigris, lower Nile or Yangtse, or ordinary rivers [Rv].

Only a single waterway [WW] can be used. It must extend between 300p and 900p inward from a short table edge
and with no more than half extending 600p inward. It is edged by a further 50p - 100p of beach (50p if not
depicted), except where a promontory, marsh, rocky or dune area feature or the quay, defences or foreshore of a
BUA are placed. Beaches are good going to land troops. Unless frozen, waterways are impassable to land elements
but passable all naval and water-adapted elements. A BUA or hill touching a waterway can project into it as a
promontory if no closer than 300p to the table edge. An island (a hill completely surrounded by the waterway it
touches) cannot be closer than 300p to the table edge nor closer than 1 element width to the shore. A gap no more
than 200p wide between island and shore is treated as a river for movement and combat by naval and land troops. If
a waterway placement is obstructed by hills on both flanks, those on the less hilly flank are moved directly inland
the minimum necessary to become islands or promontories.

The first river [Rv] placed must flow from a specified table edge to the opposite edge, or to a waterway along that
edge. If both players place a river, the defender's must flow from a short table edge to the first. A river can only
curve to the extent that no two points on its mid-stream line are separated by a strait line distance of less than 3/4
of its distance between them measured along the mid stream line. Its width must not exceed 200p. Troops wading a
river do not count as in rough or difficult going, but are penalised in other ways (see P x & fig 15). A land element is
wading a river if any part of it is in the river. A rivers can be crossed safely without delay by bridge or road ford. Its
nature elsewhere is unknown until the first player attempts to wade it off-road or place boats on it. It will then be
found to be Paltry, Easy, Tricky or Dangerous. All rivers aid troops defending their banks. Only boats can move
along an unfrozen river, and then only if it is at least one element wide and is not paltry. Fords or undefended
bridges do not block boats.

Naval elements in contact with a beach, quay, river bank, bridge or fortification can be in close combat with land or
aerial elements using their normal combat factors. They can also land troops and cannot then move until troops re-
embark.

Naval movement is in difficult going if galleys in strong winds, boats moving up-river, or ships if no wind or headed
within 45o of directly upwind. Naval elements cannot be deployed on frozen water features.

If using terrain squares, the defender selects and places them so that each is consistent with its neighbours and
continues any features crossing their adjacent edges. If using a painted terrain cloth, the defender scatters hill shapes
on the table, then drapes the cloth over the table so that the desired part is on top and the remainder falls over the

24
sides. Any hills under water features are nudged to one side and buildings and trees placed to complete the painted
features.

Only a single Mountain range [MRa] can be used. It must extend between 300p and 900p from a short table edge
and with no more than half extending 600p inward. It must be edged by 50-100p of steep and rocky slopes, or by
the defences of a BUA. Each sector containing the MRa must have one area of steep and rocky slopes of one to two
element widths extending from the table edge to the edge of the MRa. Except for these rocky-steep areas, MRa are
impassable to land and naval.

Mountain ranges (MRa), WW, Rv and other terrain features do not affect aerials' moves who can move freely over
them.

TIME OF DAY OR NIGHT


The raw set-up dicing total gives the number of hours after midnight that deployment is ends. Some fictional worlds
have weather and daylight conditions different to those on earth - players should feel free to alter these rules to suit
their fictional world.

One hour passes each time the defender completes four bounds. Sunrise to Sunset is:

• 0400 to 2200 in Cold if summer.


• 0500 to 1900 in Cold in spring or autumn, or in Warm or Dry in summer.
• 0800 to 1600 in Cold, Warm or Dry if in Winter.
• 0600 to 1800 in other climates or seasons.

Dawn is the hour before sunrise. Dusk is the hour after sunset. Night is between dusk and dawn. There will be
moonlight if the defender's last set-up raw die score was an odd number and there is no overcast, nor current mist,
rain or duststorm.

If delpoyment ends between midnight and dawn, either side can choose to start the battle immediatly if in summer,
or half an hour before dawn if in spring or autumn. Otherwise it starts at dawn. If it starts before dawn, any
command that is unreliable, or twice has a PIP score of 2 or less, does not move again until dawn breaks or any of
its elements has seen enemy.

If night falls during a battle, this continues if in moonlight and either side chooses. If not both sides are assumed to
break off and return to camp. Both then choose simultaneously whether to retreat under cover of darkness. If either
does, the battle ends and one VP is transferred from a retreating side to a side that remains. If neither retreats, any
demoralised troops not in fortified BUA are removed and remaining troops less losses but plus any flank marhers
that have not arrived re-deploy on table at dawn as if the start of a new battle. No flank marches or ambushes are
permitted. All losses are carried forward and demoralisation points are based on the original strengths of the armies.
Deamons, dragons and aerial that arrived before re-deployment do not re-dice for arrival - those that did not arrive
before re-deployment continue dicing as usual.

CLIMATIC REGIONS
We recognise four climatic regions, which we call Cold, Warm, Dry and Tropical. The home climate of each army is
specified at the head of its army list. If the opposing armies originate in different climatic regions, they are assumed
to meet in that of the defender.

• Cold applies north of the Pyrenees, Alps, Caucasus and the Central Asian Desert, to the Danube basin, Galatia,
Angmar, Mordor, Cimmeria, Mongolia, Tibet, Korea, Japan and highland Peru, and to all large mountain regions.
• Warm applies to southern Europe, Africa north of the Atlas, Atlantis, Asia Minor except Galatia, and
Syria/Palestine.

25
• Dry applies to the Sahara, Libya, Egypt, West and East Sudans, Arabia, Persia, Stygia, Harad, the Indo-Persian
border, and the Central Asian and Simpson Deserts.
• Tropical applies to Africa south of the Sudans, India, South East Asia, Zimbabwe, Punt, China south of the Fei
river, Australia north of Townsville and Central and South America.

WEATHER
If the weather score is:

0-1 Perfect clear and dry weather with minimal cloud cover. Light wind as for score of 5, except in bounds in which
the average PIP score is 2 or less, during which there is no wind.
2 Fog in Cold if winter, mist in other climates except Dry or other seasons, from 1 hour before dawn until any
bound's PIP dice average less than 3. If the battle starts at least 2 hours after dawn, or continues past that time, fog
or mist is automatically assumed to have cleared. No wind.
3 Strong wind blowing from South West in Cold or Tropical, from South in Warm or Dry. Overcast and risk of rain
in Tropical if spring or summer, or in Cold. Risk of dust storms in Dry if spring or summer. Risk of shipwreck.
4 Light wind blowing from North West in Cold or Warm, from South West in Dry or Tropical. Overcast and risk of
rain in Tropical if spring or summer. Rivers flooded in Warm if spring. Rivers and marsh frozen if Cold in winter.
5 Overcast if spring, autumn or winter. Light wind blowing from North East in Cold if winter, South West in Cold if
spring, summer or autumn, North West in Warm, South West in Dry or Tropical. Waterways, rivers and marshes
frozen and risk of snow in Cold if winter. Risk of rain in Cold if spring or autumn, in Warm if spring, autumn or
winter, in Dry if winter, in Tropical if spring. Rivers flooded and mud in Cold if spring or autumn, in Warm or Dry
if winter, in Tropical if spring. Risk of dazzle if summer. Thirst in Warm if summer, in Dry if summer or autumn.

Change in wind direction: the wind backs 45o anticlockwise when any bound's PIP dice average 5 or more, veers
45o clockwise if they average 2 or less.

Snow, rain or dust storm risk: Such weather starts when any bound's PIP dice average 5 or more then ceases when a
latter bound's PIPs average 3 or less, once ceased, snow and dust storm do not occur again. An army with fewer
than three extant commands adds extra dice whose only function is to check weather, such dice can not be swapped
- an army with more than three commands nominates which of them will count for checking weather before any are
thrown.

Snow, fog, mist: Reduces visibility. Restricts movement, difficult going and combat disadvantage for aerial except
Dragon (W.S). Combat disadvantage if shooting,
except if in snow if within 45o downwind.
Rain: Combat disadvantage if non-water adapted bowmen or artillery,and shooting or in close combat, aerial move
only as single elements.
Dust storm: Reduces visibility. Combat disadvantage unless facing within 45o of directly down wind. Restricts
movement of all but Bedouin, Zuagirs or similar desert-sand adapted. Aerial move only as single elements, difficult
going and combat disadvantage for aerial except Dragon (W.S).
Flooded rivers: Increases difficulty of river crossings.
Dazzle: Combat disadvantage if facing within 45o of due East within 1 hour after sunrise or within 45o of due West
within 1 hour before sunset, unless the element's front edge is entirely within a wood, orchard, grove or gully or on
the slope of a hill's shaded side.
Strong winds: Combat disadvantage if shooting except within 45o of directly down wind. Naval and aerial move
only as individual elements. Aerial move only as single elements, difficult going and combat disadvantage for aerial
except Dragon (W.S). Naval with the land edge of a waterway directly down wind within an element base width are
destroyed by shipwreck unless moved or halted, or already in contact with a quay, or galleys or boats already in
contact with a beach or airboats destroyed if within one element width of a MRa unless moved, halted or already in

26
contact with a suitable airport, friendly immobile baggage or BUA. Difficult going and combat disadvantage for
galleys.
No wind: Difficult going for ships.
Mud: Converts roads into rough going, both for movement along or across them, and for combat if through good
going. Combat disadvantage if land moved upslope into contact this bound.
Thirst: Combat disadvantage after the side's 6th bound unless it has a river, lake or other feature depicting fresh
water or friendly built-up area closer to its base table edge than is the rear of its most advanced element. Demons,
dragons, lurkers and sneakers ignore thirst unless they are water adapted. Salt-water adapted creatures can count a
salt-water feature as negating the effects of thirst.
Overcast: Reduces visibility at night.

VISIBILITY
Troops or terrain features are visible in daylight and clear weather to all viewers whose direct line of sight is not
blocked by intervening hills, sand dunes, woods, orchards, olive or palm groves or BUA. Dusk and dawn reduce the
maximum distance at which they can be seen to 600p moonlight, day-time mist or snow to 300p, and a moonless,
overcast or misty night, fog or dust-storm to 100p. Troop elements do not block line of sight.

Land troops or plashing within a wood or troops within the interior of a built-up area cannot be seen from beyond
50p, nor those within an orchard or oasis palm grove or sand dunes from beyond 150p unless either disclose their
presence by shooting or magically assaulting out. Troops less than those distances inside the edge see out as if
outside. Psiloi or sneakers in vineyards, marsh, rocky areas or brush cannot be seen beyond 150p unless moving or
in close combat.

Land troops at least half way up hills cannot see or be seen from less than 600p beyond a lower hill, wood, orchard
or olive grove or sand dunes. Those on the flat or lower on hills cannot be seen over these at all. Land troops on
steep slopes or beyond a crest cannot be seen from the same hill at beyond 100p. A gully can be seen into only
from its edge. Troops in a gully can see out, but cannot shoot out.

Knowledge of enemy presence or adverse events is assumed to spread through a command by informal means,
whether the general wishes it or not. Troops are considered to be aware of any enemy:
• Who are visible to or have shot or magically assaulted at any element of their command.
• Who have been observed within or moving into concealing terrain by an element of the command and not been seen
to move out again.
• Who are within fortifications.

Some common fictional races can see better than humans at night and can see the distances on the following chart.
The list is a general guide some fictional worlds will differ greatly. Those elves associated with woods can see 100p
in Wd.

Dusk- Moonlight Moonless


Dawn night
Humans 600 300 100
Elf, half-orc 600 600 200
Wolf, Goblin, Troll 600 600 600
Demon, magic-users
and dragons 1200 1200 1200

DEPLOYMENT
The defender is assumed to have the greater local knowledge and scope for choosing the battlefield or preparing
defensive positions or ambushes. The invader is assumed to have the initiative and to have some choice of direction
of approach. None of this affects tactical posture, which is entirely the choice of the players.

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Unless inside or part of a fortified BUA or in ambush, troops, baggage and TF cannot be deployed:

• Further forward than 300p of the table centre line.


• Unless Naval, within 300p of a table short edge.
• Within 200p of an enemy-garrisoned fortified BUA.

Baggage must be placed in a BUA, or in a group or groups in GGo, (a) with each group's rear edge in full contact
with the base table edge, or (b) in contact with a WW, Beach or Rv. TF specified by army lists as defending camps
or baggage must have each end touching their sides's base table edge, a WW or a Rv and contain baggage.

The defender first places his baggage, any fortifications not part of a BUA, and any element garrisoning a fortified
BUA. The latter can include some or all elements of one command only, which cannot be the largest command in the
army. The invader then places his baggage and any TF

Both sides then record: (i) The relative position of their commands from right to left and front to rear. (ii) the flank
of arrival of any commands making off-table flank marches - note if aerial elements are left offtable, (iii) the position
and direction faced of each element deployed in ambush, and note if they are dismounted.

They then deploy their remaining troops, except demons or dragons, or aerial left off-table, or any making off-table
flank marches or in ambush. They alternately deploy one on-table command each, starting with the defender. Each
side's first command must be the one with with the largest total number of elements including baggage but not
ambushers or troops awaiting arrival. Its remaining commands can be deployed in any order. Off-table flank
marchers are not placed on table until they arrive. Ambushers are not placed on table until they first move, are seen
by enemy, conduct all but pre-battle magic of magic, shoot or magically assault. Elements of different commands
must not intermingle when first deployed.

The feature of operation of lurkers need not be nominated at deployment time and lurkers may operate outside the
nominated area for their command.

Demons and dragons, including generals, deploy only when their command scores a 6 on its PIP die. A flank-
marching or unreliable command containing demons or dragons requires a second 6 to deploy them. Demons or
dragons of a command that is both unreliable and flank-marching will require a third 6 to deploy them. When the
required 6 is thrown the demons or dragons are placed on the table base edge (or flank of arrival), the act of
deployment does not expend the 6 PIPs so the demons or dragons can move in that bound measuring from the table
edge. A command awaiting demons or dragons must deploy all of them when the 6 is scored.

A demon or dragon crewing naval or airboat, or capable of changing its form to another type must still be deployed
as above.

All the non-flank marching aerial of a command can opt to delay deployment until their command scores a 6 on the
PIP die, in which case they must deploy in the same way as demons or dragons. A player neglecting, refusing or
unable to deploy such aerial elements counts them as lost.

Lurkers are deployed as a tactical move expending 2-PIPs with all other modifiers applying - count distance to
commanding general as the distance to the site of intended deployment.

Lurkers are deployed by placing them in edge or corner contact with an enemy, in the player’s first bound against
enemy deployed in difficult; or thereafter against enemy that either; entered difficult going last bound, was
discovered in ambush in difficult this bound or last, or placed in contact with an enemy wholly or partially outside
the difficult going such that at least part of the lurker’s base remains in difficult.

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Water lurkers differ in that they can be deployed only in edge or corner contact with enemy just deployed in or
entering or revealed in M or against non-Naval enemy wholly or partially outside the WW or Rv or M that the
water lurker can contact and retain some part of their base in M, Rv or WW. Water lurkers can also be placed
against naval enemy leaving their own deployment area in a WW or Rv, or having last bound arrived by a flank-
march on a WW or Rv or who last bound entered the lurker’s deployment area in a WW or Rv.

Lurkers may not be deployed in a non-water feature that is partially within the enemy deployment area or within
an enemy fortified BUA.

Lurkers destroying enemy or forcing them to recoil or flee or break off are temporarily removed if they are no longer
in close combat or overlapping enemy. They may re-deploy later and are not limited to the same feature. If there is
no appropriate feature for lurkers to deploy in they may not be used but do not count as lost.

OFF-TABLE FLANK MARCHES


Up to half an army's complete commands can be sent on off-table flank marches. Only one can be on each flank.
The flank of arrival must be recorded for each such command at deployment time. A C-in-C cannot flank march.
Baggage can flank march only if mobile and allied. Only naval and aerial elements can flank march to arrive on a table
edge occupied by a waterway. A PIP score of 6 by a flank marching command indicates the impending arrival of
that command in its next bound. The flank of arrival is immediately declared and the opponent asked if he also has
an off-table flank march on that flank.

If both sides have a command making a flank march on that flank, the two commands' total numbers of elements
including baggage are compared. A smaller flank march is driven back, as are both if equal sized. A driven back flank
march arrives by march moves in its next bound anywhere in its side's own half of the specified flank edge. Any
elements failing to do so instead flee on. Elements still unable to move on are lost. A larger flank march arrives in its
next subsequent bound.

Unopposed or larger flank marches arrive anywhere in the opposing side's half of the specified flank edge. Arrival is
by march or tactical moves. Baggage arrives after all non-dragon, non-demon elements. Any elements failing to move
on to the table in the bound of arrival are assumed to be straggling. Unless demoralised, in which case they are lost,
stragglers arrive in the next bound in which their command's PIP score is 6. Those failing to arrive by tactical or
march moves instead all arrive by spontaneous advance. Any that do not have room are lost. Any enemy element
within 300p of and in sight of the place of arrival on the flank table edge of any element of an unopposed or larger
flank march must immediately flee directly away from that table edge, unless in close combat other than as an
overlap or inside a fortified BUA.

Front rank elements arriving by tactical or march move measure their move from the table edge, as does each element
fleeing or spontaneously advancing on. No element can arrive inside a fortified BUA or with part of its base off
table.

AMBUSHES
An ambush is an element or elements initially deployed in any of the following situations in flank sectors only:
• Concealed within a wood, orchard, olive or palm grove, sand dunes or a gully.
• Hidden from the enemy deployment area by intervening hills, sand dunes, woods, orchards or olive/palm groves.
• If psiloi or sneakers, hidden in these ways or in a vineyard, rocky area or marsh, or in brush.

Its location is written down at deployment time, but it is not placed on-table until it first moves, shoots, conducts
magic assault, casts any spell but pre-battle influence or is seen by enemy. A defender cannot place ambushers
further forward than the table centre line. An invader cannot place ambushers further forward than 300p short of the
table centre line. An ambush cannot be placed within 200p of an enemy garrisoned fortified BUA. An ambush

29
cannot include baggage or or fortifications other than plashed wood edges If impetuous troops in ambush need to be
restrained without betraying their presence, it is sufficient for the player to leave an appropriate number of PIPs
apparently unused, rather than declaring them as used for a halt.

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FIGHTING THE BATTLE

SEQUENCE OF PLAY
The two sides take alternate bounds. The invaders take first bound. During each side's bound:
(1) Its commander-in-chief dices on behalf of each of its commands whether on or off table for that command's
player initiative points (PIP), to be used to make tactical or march moves or to temporarily halt spontaneous
advance or retreat moves or drifting, or to test for arrival. Note is taken of any change in the weather.
(2) It first makes tactical or march moves, then any spontaneous moves or drifting that have not been prevented. A
legal move cannot be taken back once made. Opponents' impetuous troops must immediately pursue break-offs if
required to do so.
(3) All elements of both sides that are eligible to shoot, shoot and make or inflict outcome moves, in an order
decided by the side whose bound it is. Surviving magic-using elements may initiate a magic assault or cast a spell,
but not both, in an order decided by the side whose bound it is.
(4) Any elements of both sides that are in contact with enemy fight and make or inflict outcome moves, in an order
decided by the side whose bound it is.

PLAYER INITIATIVE POINT DICING


The C-in-C simultaneously throws one PIP die on behalf of each and every command at the start of each of his
side's bounds. The colour of these dice depends on the status of each command's general. A general is irregular if his
element is irregular. A command's die continues to be thrown each bound until all the command's, non-lurker, non-
baggage elements have been lost.

Irregular and allied generals' commands are each allocated a different colour die at the start of the game, which die
and its PIP scores they use throughout the game.

The dice for other regular generals' commands are all the same colour. The C-in-C specifies after throwing each
bound, and before any moves are made, which of these commands uses which die and its PIP score that bound.
However, a command instead dices independently if at night, or in mist, fog, snow or a dust-storm, or the C-in-C
has been lost, or the command's general is flank marching off-table or is in ambush.

PIPs cannot be saved for future bounds or transferred to other commands. The use of magic expends PIPs from the
command total that the magic using element is part of. 1 PIP is expended for each tactical move, each march move,
and each halt to prevent spontaneous retreat or advance or to stop naval or aerial elements drifting in strong winds.
This is modified for each of the following that apply:

March moves by single elements of Sneakers cost 1/2 a PIP each in any bound that the army performs march moves
only with Sneaker elements.

To launch, complete or finish dismantling a pontoon bridge exhausts 3 PIPs. To deploy lurkers exhausts 2 PIPs per
element.

-l If the element or group to be moved or halted includes the C-in-C or if the C-in-C casts magic or a sub-general
who has not moved during the game if to be halted. This modifier can be used only once per bound.

+1 If the element or group to be moved or halted is more than 1,200p from the general's element, or more than 600p
and neither is in sight of the other; or if the general's element is in front edge contact with enemy, or is straggling off-
table or has been lost. The distance is taken as being the shortest distance between the nearest point of the general's
element and the nearest point of the element or group to be moved or halted without passing either through terrain
impassable to both light horse and boats or through any enemy element. Measure to or from aerials without passing
through enemy aerial.

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+1 If a single element or group move on land, but not a halt, includes any irregulars except light troops, sneakers or
cavalry, and either of the following also apply:
• Any element deviates from straight ahead, unless following another element in (but not into) a 1- element wide
column, or moving (i element wide) along a road or river bank, or any element contacts enemy.
• Any irregular element, other than of light troops, or a general and any element doubble-based with him, moves
less than its full move, unless the move ends when at least one element contacts enemy, a river or impassable
terrain, or a march discovers enemy within 200p.

+1 If a group move, but not a halt, includes any mounted infantry, knights, cavalry, light horse, beasts or dragons,
other than a general (even if doubly-based) and also any unmounted foot other than psiloi behind cavalry they can
support.

+1 If a single element or group move, but not a halt, includes any artillery except (F) or (X).

+1 For each single element move used to mount or dismount.

+1 If a single irregular element or a group including any irregulars is halted to prevent spontaneous advance or
retreat, unless entirely of foot occupying rough or difficult going, or entirely of foot defending fortifications or a
river edge, or entirely of foot uphill of the nearest enemy of whom they are aware.

+1 If a marching group other than a single element wide column includes any irregulars marching on land for a third
or subsequent time that bound, except skirmishers or sneakers.

UNRELIABLE ALLIES
An ally general whose first PIP die score is 1 is unreliable. He will not commit himself until any of:

• He scores a 6 on his PIP die. (If flank marching, subsequent to the 6 required for arrival).
• Enemy shoot at, magically assault or move into contact with any of his troops.
• An enemy command becomes demoralised.

Before that: (a) His troops cannot shoot, magically assault, spontaneously advance, or make march moves closerrto
any known enemy within 600p, except to arrive on table without contacting enemy, (b) If he is irregular abd of a
different nation to the main army, or if regular or irregular and of the same nation in a civil war his command
(including its baggage) will change sides and become a committed enemy command if any of its own side's
commands become demoralised.

In some fictional worlds it will not be appropriate to have irregular allies of certain races change sides and join an
enemy with whom they share a racial enmity. Players should agree on the treachery potential of any unusual allies
before any PIP dice are thrown.

TACTICAL MOVES
A tactical move by land, air or water can be by a single element or by a temporary group of elements all of the same
command. No element can take part in more than one tactical move per bound.

Single element moves:


A move by a single element other than of expendables:
• Can be in any direction provided that neither front corner of its base, nor any corner if train or airboats ends more
than the troop-type's maximum permitted move distance from where that corner started. [See figure 1].
• Can be used to break off from enemy in contact with its front and move at least 100p directly to its own rear, but
only if it is either at night or by sneaker or naval, or the element breaking off would have a greater maximum move in
the terrain it ends in than would the element being broken off from. An element in contact with an enemy front edge

32
to its flank or rear cannot break off. A break- off move must not deviate from strait back, nor end in contact with a
new enemy element.
• Can be used to dismount or remount troops, except mounted infantry who do so automatically. A full single
element move is required for each dismounted element. If this replaces or is replaced by two or three elements, each
of these must start or end in edge contact with at least one of the others. Elements using tactical move to mount or
dismounting cannot start or end in edge contact with enemy.
• Can be used to embark on or disembark from naval in edge contact with a beach, quay or river bank, starting or
ending respectively in edge contact with the naval element. An element cannot disembark if enemy land troops are
defending the water's edge against it, in which case combat must be fought by the naval element until the enemy
recoil, break-off, flee or are destroyed. It can disembark to contact enemy who are positioned away from the edge,
these being moved back if necessary to make room.
• Can be used to deploy Airboat marines which can be landed or loaded as a tactical or march, move at any point on
the ground but in contact with or under the airboat, beyond 300p of known enemy.

Group moves:
A group is defined as a number of elements which, except as made necessary by wheeling a column or passing
through a gateway, are facing the same direction, and each in both edge and corner to corner contact with another of
the group's elements. A group including expendables cannot include elements of other types unless in a one element
wide-column. A group including aerials may not include any land or naval.

A group move cannot start with any element in contact with an enemy element's front edge. Unless moving laterally
to form or expand from a single element wide column, or prevented by friends or terrain, elements moving as a
group must each move parallel to, or follow, the first of them that moves and must move the same distance or wheel
through the same angles. A group move cannot include changes in frontage, turns or movement to the group's rear
except as below, nor any sideways or oblique inclining movement other than as specified in Fig 15 or by up to half
an element width to line up directly opposite enemy who are within one base width, nor mounting, dismounting,
disembark, embarking, loading or unloading airboats.

An entire group move can be used to:

• Expand from a single element wide column. The front element remains stationary. Other elements move as if by
single element moves. All must end facing the same direction and in both edge and corner to corner contact with
another element of the original group. None can end in contact with enemy. All front rank elements must be lined up
level with the original front rank element. The maximum distance that any front corner of any element can move is
50p more than its permitted tactical move distance in that terrain. [See figure 3].
• Contract into a single element wide column from a wider group. The front of the column moves forward by up to
its full tactical move distance, including any bonus for moving along a road. It can wheel. Other elements move as if
by single element moves. The nearest elements fall in behind the column, the rest moving to close up any resulting
gaps. No element may end further to the rear than its previous position. Until the groups is entirely in column, all
must end facing the same direction and in both edge and corner to corner contact with another element of the original
group. None can end in contact with enemy. The maximum distance that any front corner of any element can move
is its normal tactical move, including any bonus for moving along a road if the front of the column is doing so. It
may take more than one move for the whole group to join in the column. [See figure 4].

Unless expanding from a column, a group move can include:


• One or more wheels, measuring the move distance of the outer front corner of each wheel in a straight line.
• An initial and/or final 180o turns if the group is entirely of light horse, or entirely of psiloi, or entirely of sneakers,
or entirely of regular naval or entirely of flyers, in each case measuring the move of each element from its initial
front edge to its final rear edge.

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Each element of a one element wide-column wheels in succession on arrival at the place where the first wheeled.
Until all have done so, the column will have a bend at that point. Only the front element's move is measured the
other elements being treated as if moving the same distance. A group move must be in or into a one element wide-
column if:
• Through a gateway or leaving a TF, or entirely along a road, or across a road ford or bridge.
• Ending the move in difficult going, unless all elements are of psiloi or sneakers or move into edge or corner to
corner contact with enemy visible at the start of the move.
• Across a tricky or dangerous river, this simulating discovery and use of an unmarked ford.

Movement restrictions:
No element can cross the front of or retire from in front of any enemy element closer than one element base width
distance with no element, fortification or, unless the enemy is naval, water even partially intervening, nor thereafter
continue moving, except:

• To advance directly forward towards such an element at least part of which is directly in front.
• To advance and line up directly opposite such an element's front.
• To advance so that its front edge contacts the front edge or front corner only of whichever enemy element can be
so contacted by the shortest move. [Fig. 2]. An element attempting contact having started opposite a joint between
two enemy elements must therefore contact the enemy element it initially overlaps most.
• To follow behind an element or elements contiguous with its front in any of the above.
• To retire directly to its own initial rear without ending in edge contact with enemy.
• As a spontaneous or outcome move.
• If the emeny are skirmishers and the movers are impetuous troops and their entire move is directly forward.

Aerial can move across the front of, or retire across the front of, land or naval enemy that are within one element's
width. Land or naval can move across the front of, or retire across the front of enemy aerial that are within one
element's width.

However, troops listed in the paragraph above must obey all the movement restrictions listed earlier when moving
into contact with enemy or breaking off from enemy, or when aerials are within one element width of enemy aerials.

When moving within an element base width of enemy, any sideways movement of up to half a base width needed to
line up with enemy elements is disregarded for the purpose of PIP expenditure and permissibility of group
movement and, if the move is otherwise straight ahead or by a group, for measuring move distance.

When an element which is not part of a group or which is part of a group entirely of skirmishers or sneakers
is contacted by the front edge of an enemy element which is part of a larger group, it must immediately pivot and/or
shift sideways as necessary to exactly face the element contacting it, unless already in contact with emeny to its
front or either :
• It is defending fortifications or the edge of a terrain feature, or is of a type that does not turn to face flank contact.
• This will position it so that a recoil would meet a friendly element it could not pass through or push back enough
to fully recoil, or a flee move from combat would take it off table, even if a recoil or flee move is not a possible
outcome.
• There is insufficient space for it topivot or shift.
If such an element is in even partial edge to edge contact with another friendly element other than of skirmishers or
sneakers, it need not pivot, but must shift sideways to line up. The player whose bound it is chooses the order of
multiple shifts/pivots.

If the enemy is not required to pivot or shift sideways as above:


• Elements initiating close combat must move into edge to edge and corner to corner contact with an enemy element
and, except as specified as above, and cannot exceed their normal move to do so. [Fig. 8a & 8b note also Fig 7].

34
• An element moving into contact with an enemy element's flank must line up with one of its front base corners
touching the enemy element's front base corner. [Fig. 6.] An element cannot move into contact with an enemy
element's flank or rear unless it starts entirely on that side of an imaginary line prolonging that base edge of the
enemy element. [Fig. 5].

Bowmen, even Bw (X), cannot move to contact the front of mounted enemy they can shoot at. Train cannot move
to contact enemy troop elements or fortifications, except that WWg (S) can contact fortifications and WWg (X) can
contact troops. Chariots, expendables, artillery except (X) or man-held rockets, war wagons and wheeled baggage
ending their move off-road in rough or difficult going can only do so as single elements. Expendables can change
direction by wheels except when turning to face enemy in front edge contact with their flank or rear.

Troops can enter fortifications only unopposed at a gateway, or by assault. Infantry can only leave a PF and
mounted or train any fortification, by a gateway. When entering or leaving a fortification, whether by a gateway or
otherwise, the distance between its near and far edges is disregarded.

MARCH MOVES
March movement by land, air or water differs from tactical movement in that, there being no enemy in the
immediate vicinity, it is assumed to be continuous and to include movement during the preceding enemy bound. A
march move by non-sneakers expends the same PIPs as a tactical move. It is identical to a tactical move except that:
• A march move cannot start or go closer to known enemy than 200p and ends immediatly on discovering enemy
within 200p.
• An element can make or join in as many march moves during each bound as there are sufficient PIPs for, but
cannot also make a tactical move that bound.

HALTS
A halt can be used to prevent any of the following for the current bound:
• An element or group from making a spontaneous advance.
• A naval or airboat element from drifting in strong winds and being wrecked.
• An element or group belonging to a demoralised command from fleeing in spontaneous retreat. In
this case of single elements only, such a halt can include a 180o turn towards enemy.

It is not a move, even if it includes a 180o turn, so is not affected by difficult going. A group halt can be used to halt
any or all of the defenders of a fortified enclosure (continuous except where intersected by a terrain feature, a table
edge, or a gateway).

SPONTANEOUS ADVANCE
Some troops are impetuous and are liable to advance without waiting for orders. These are:
• Irregular elements of - knights if (S), (O) or (F) (but not (X)), camelry if (S), expendables, warband, dragons,
demons, beasts, behemoths, blades if (F) (but not (X)) and hordes if (S).
• Any regulars or irregulars, other than artillery, war wagons, baggage or naval, who are aware of demoralised enemy
closer than the nearest undemoralised enemy and within 600p, or who would contact enemy baggage.

Impetuous elements must make a spontaneous advance as individual elements unless any of the following apply:
• They have made a tactical or march move this bound.
• They are prevented from moving this bound by a single element or group halt.
• Their front edge is already in contact with enemy, or the front edge of an enemy element is in contact with them.
• They are in a position to give rear or overlap support to friends whose front edge is already in contact with
enemy.
• They belong to the command of an uncommitted unreliable ally general.
• They belong to a demoralised command.

35
• They would contact enemy elephants, dragons, demons or behemoths unless they are themesleves dragons,
demons or behemoths.

A spontaneous advance must be towards the nearest enemy baggage element if this is visible and there are no known
enemy elements within 200p either side of the impetuous element's direct route to it, otherwise towards the centre
of the closest enemy of which it is aware, measuring between the furthest apart front corners ignoring the following:

• Any enemy in or beyond terrain the impetuous element cannot enter and cannot by-pass by a diversion of 300p.
• If the impetuous element is mounted, any enemy in difficult going or beyond enemy fortifications.
• Enemy skirmishers or sneakers unless any part of their element base is directly to the impetuous element's front.

Spontaneous advancers unaware of any enemy they do not ignore move towards the centre of the enemy base table
edge. If still unaware of such enemy on reaching that edge, they halt.

A spontaneous advancing element moves its full tactical distance and directly toward its target, making any
necessary changes of direction by wheels and/or 180o turns, except that:
• It can make any shifts, inclines or pivots necessary to contact its target this bound if it cannot do so by wheeling.
• It must reduce its move by 10p if needed to avoid ending in front corner to front corner contact with friedns unless
its front edge contacts enemy, or it can give rear or overlap support to friends in contact with enemy.
• It can pivot backwards by the minimum necessary to align the direction it ends facing with that of a friendly
element within an element base width which is already in edge or corner contact with enemy or which has already
made a spontaneous advance this bound.
• Its move ends if its front edge contacts an enemy element, or if it becomes eligible to give rear or overlap support
to friends whose front edge is already in contact with enemy or it is within 50p of mounted or aerial enemy it can
shoot at.
• It moves double distance unless within, or the move would bring it within 200p of any known enemy.

A Further Note about Spontaneous Advance


If another friendly element is already in contact with the front edge of the nearest enemy element, a spontaneously
advancing element will attempt to move into whichever is nearest of a rear support, overlap or flank contact
position if any of these is possible.

36
TACTICAL AND MARCH MOVE DISTANCES
The maximum distance (p) that any element or element of a group can move, if permitted in that terrain, is:
Entirely Off-
On Road road in
Good Rough Difficult
Light Horse 250 250 200 100
Cavalry, Camelry or
Expendables 200 200 150 100
Beasts 200 200 200 200
Elephants or Knights. 200 150 150 100
Auxilia, Demons, Behemoths
or Psiloi 200 150 150 150
Spears, Pikes, Blades,
Warband, Bowmen or 200 100 100 100
Hordes
War Wagons, Artillery
except (S), mobile Baggage 150 100 50 50
Artillery (S) 100 50 50 -
Naval except (X) - 200 - 100
Naval (X) - 100 - 50
Dragon 200 200 150 150
Dragon (W) - 300 - 150
Airboat - 200 - 100
Flyer - 350 - 150
Sneaker 150 150 150 150

However"

• Troops classed as Fast (F), add an extra 50p to their maximum tactical, march or fleeing move distance off-road, if
either mounted, artillery or naval in good going or if other foot.
• An element in front corner to front corner or side edge to side edge contact with an enemy at the start of its move
can add 50p to its maximum distance to move into frontal contact with that enemy element's flank edge.
• Off-road moves are restricted to 100p if any element is crossing any but a paltry river, or when visibility id
reduced to 100p by night and/or, unless Bedouin/Zaugir in day-time dust-storm, by weather.

Aerial can claim no road movement bonus.

MOVING THROUGH FRIENDLY TROOPS OR GAPS


Except when contracting a group into a column, no element can enter a gap less than one element wide between
elements it could not interpenetrate in the direction moved and/or fortifications or impassable terrain, unless while it
is in the gap it moves straight ahead or back and stops when it meets any obstruction that it cannot pass through..
Elements within or entering a one element wide gap between two enemy elements can change direction 90o to move
into frontal contact with the flank of an enemy element. Otherwise, such elements can only move directly to their
own front or rear and any remaining move must be in the same direction.

No element can interpenetrate friends who are in contact with an enemy element's front edge, nor land troops
friends in a river. Friends not in spontaneous advance are permitted the following interpenetrations directly to their
front or rear:

• Mounted can pass through psiloi or sneakers who are facing in the same or opposite direction.

37
• Psiloi or sneakers can pass through any land or naval troops who are facing in the same or opposite direction.
• Bowmen except (X) can pass through or be passed through by blades facing in the same or opposite direction.
• Infantry can pass through train irection.
• Boats can pass through or be passed through by galleys or ships facing the same or opposite direction.
• Sneakers can interpenetrate enemy in difficult going, or if water adapted sneakers also enemy in a Rv, provided
that the enemy are facing the same or opposite direction and that the sneaker does not end that move in contact
with enemy. Sneakers already in contact with enemy as listed above, can chose to move through them in a latter
bound.
• Aerials can pass through (ie. by flying over) any friend or enemy who are facing in any direction, except that
they can never pass through enemy aerial.
• Land and naval can pass through (ie. move under) any friend or enemy aerial, in any direction, that is not in
contact or overlapping a non-aerial opponent.

Elements making a spontaneous advance can and must pass through any friends in their path except elephants,
dragon, demon and behemoths, unless the friends are already in edge contact with or eligible to give rear or overlap
support against enemy or have themselves already made a spontaneous advance in the current bound. When any
except train are passed through by a spontaneous advance, the following actions are taken as the interpenetration
starts:

• Foot passed through by knights, dragon, demon, behemoth or expendables flee.


• Other impetuous troops that have not yet moved this bound recoil if they can complete this. They then make a
full spontaneous advance, even if halted this bound, as soon as the element passing through has completed its move.
• Other impetuous troops that have already made a tactical or march move this bound, or other non- impetouos
troops, recoil if they can complete this.
• Land or naval passed through (ie. flown over) by impetuous aerial, and aerial passed through by impetuous land or
naval do not recoil or flee or join in behind.

When the move of a single non-spontaneously advancing element or an element of a group is insufficient to clear the
base of an element it is passing through, it cannot pass through if such a move would end in contact with enemy,
otherwise it is placed immediately beyond the friendly element's far edge. Any following elements stop at the
friendly element's near edge. Such split-off elements are no longer part of the original group.

Aerial elements that fail to clear troops when interpenetrating (flying over) and troops interpenetrating (moving
under) aerials note the real position of the aerials by placing a black felt or card base shape on the table such that the
land or naval can be placed on top of the card or felt.

CROSSING WATER OBSTACLES


Waterways are unfordable except to owhere an island is within 200p of the shore.

A river can always be crossed by a road ford or bridge. The first element to enter each unfrozen river during the
game, or the same river in a different table sector, except by a road ford must dice for its difficulty, adding 2 if in
flood and deducting 1 if running to another water feature or a short table edge, 2 if in Summer or Autumn in dry or
in summer in Warm or Cold. If the total is:

If the total score is:

<3 It is Paltry. It can be waded anywhere in any formation without delay.


3-4 It is Easy. It can be waded anywhere in any formation, but at reduced speed.
5-6 It is Tricky. It can be waded anywhere by a single element-wide column at reduced speed. Blades (S) or Spears
(S) dismounted knightys treat the river as dangerous - see below.

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7+ It is Dangerous. It can only be waded by a single element or single element-wide column at reduced speed. Each
element must dice again separately as it enters the water, adding 1 if it is a general's element or if an element
immediately in front has just crossed successfully. A score of 1 indicates that the element is destroyed by
drowning, 2, 3 or 4 that entering the river is now impossible anywhere within 300p that bound, 5 or more that that
it can cross safely. Unless destroyed anyway by another cause, an element recoiling, fleeing or pushed back by
friendly recoilers in or into such a river is destroyed by drowning unless it dices and scored 5 or more.

Troops wading a river must do so as in fig 15. A frozen river or waterway is impassable to naval elements and good
going to land elements. Land elements fleeing across a bridge or a frozen river, frozen waterway or frozen marsh
must each dice each bound and are destroyed by drowning unless they score score 2 or more.

Water-adapted elements never fail to cross and are never drowned crossing rivers, waterway, marsh or bridges as
described above.

MOVEMENT AT NIGHT OR IN MIST, FOG, SNOW OR A DUST STORM


The following rules changes apply at night (after dusk and before dawn) or in mist, fog, snow or a dust-storm:

• Instead of regular commands being allocated dice by the C-in-C after throwing, each throws its own PIP die.
• Any command that is currently unreliable or has twice had a PIP score of 2 or less since the visibility restricting
conditions started does not move or dice again until dawn breaks and any visibility restricting weather has
ceased, or any of its elements has seen enemy since the conditions started.
• Move distances are restricted as specified on P 37.

TYPES OF COMBAT
Combat is either distant shooting magical assault or close combat. Distant shooting is limited to those troop
types that historically shot at long range. Magical assault represents magicians casting spells or invoking arcane and
supernatural powers to psychologically or physically harm enemy, it is most powerful against other magic users.
Close combat includes not only hand-to-hand combat, but also all shooting by mounted archers or javelinmen, foot
skirmishers or other troops that normally shot only at short range, irrespective of the theoretical maximum range of
their weapons, or at enemy who are charging or already in contact.

DISTANT SHOOTING
Artillery, bowmen, war wagons (S) or (O), elephants (X), airboats (X), (O) or (S), ships (S), (O) or (X) and galleys,
and boats (S) or (X) within range and which did not march or flee this bound can shoot at any one enemy element
any part of which is visible within an element base width of straight ahead of any part of their front base edge, at
least two corners of the target element must be in front of a line extending the front edge of the shooting element.
War wagons, airboats and artillery (O) on wagons and boats (S) can count any base edge as their front edge for
shooting. Shooting is not permitted if either shooter or target is in close combat or counting as an overlap or
providing rear-support to or contiguous to the rear of an element in close combat. Rear-rankers can shoot at aerial
targets.

Maximum ranges are 50p for Airboat (O) or (S) who can shoot only at land or naval. 100p for (X) artillery, 200p for
(I) artillery, bowmen, war wagons, galleys, (S) boats and ships, 500p for other artillery. Ranges are measured from
the nearest point of the front edge of each front rank shooting element to the nearest point of the target element.
Range for shooting at or by troops defending a fortification is measured to and from its front edge.

An element can shoot only once per bound and must do so unless a recoil by the target would result in destruction
of friends. A 2nd or 3rd element that shoots at the same target element aids the shooting of the 1st instead of its
action being resolved separately. Further elements shooting at the same target have no extra effect. Artillery except
2 deep (X) shoot only in their own bound. 2 deep (X) shoot as one element in both own and enemy bounds, but not
together in the same bound, simulating fire by rotation. Artillery except (X) cannot shoot if moved this bound.

39
A contiguous 2nd rank element of bowmen lined up directly behind bowmen who are of the same command, armed
with the same type of bow and of the same grade or of (X) grade mounted on the same base, can aid their shooting,
unless either element is in difficult going and the target is land or naval. Artillery (F), elephants (X), artillery on a
hill,war wagons (S), ships (X) can shoot over infantry unless these are pike or bowmen or within 150p of the target.
Troops defending permanent fortifications can shoot over any friends. Artillery can shoot over/through enemy
psiloi. Aerial can shoot or be shot at over any other troops including Bw (X).

Shooting is otherwise only permitted if no part of another friendly or visible enemy element is between a line
connecting one front corner of the shooting element to any corner of the target element, and another connecting the
other front corner to a different corner of the target element without crossing the first line and there is at least an
element wide gap to shoot through.

Front rank elements can only shoot at the eligible target most directly to their front except that artillery can choose
to ignore psiloi. Rear rank bowmen can only shoot at the same target and range as the front rank element directly to
their front.

Any shooters can opt to ignore and shoot through enemy sneakers at different targets beyond them.

Magical assault
Magic using elements can assault the enemy at a distance by invoking arcane powers to physically or
psychologically harm him. Magical assault may not be attempted by an element in front-edge contact with the
enemy or against any enemy who have their front edge in contact with an enemy, or acting as rear-rank supporters,
or lined up contiguous to the rear of an element in close combat, or against enemy the magic-user is not aware of.

At point-3 in the Sequence of Play after all shooting but before point-4 when any close combat is resolved, any
element with magic ability may magically assault one enemy element or cast a spell - but not both. Some spells by
their nature, such as Pre-battle influence, imply casting before point 3 in the Sequence.

Conducting magical assault exhausts 2 PIPs left unused by the magic user's command for each magic user attempting
the assault. The range for magical assault is 200p which can be increased by 50p for each one additional PIP added
by an element with (S) magic ability, or each 2 PIPs added by an element with (O) magic ability or each 3 PIPs
added by an element with (I) magic ability.

Elements who wish to mutually magically assault are calculated as separate events, in the order determined by the
player whose bound it is.

CLOSE COMBAT
Close combat occurs when an element has moved into, or remains in, both front edge and corner to corner base
contact lined up with an enemy element or a fortification it is defending behind. [See figs 5-7].

Land or naval can move into contact with aerial to force close combat - representing fire at close range, perhaps with
improvised weapons, fierce taunting, clashing of shields as by Jason or Herakles to repel giant birds - or
manoeuvring to threaten the aerial's friends. (Players should note that this rule might feel counter intuitive in a range
of circumstances - but it is needed for play balance and play mechanics reasons and is linked to and compensated by
sections in the combat results area.)

At the end of the movement phase, any element, other than of train, boats, dragons on WWg sized bases and
airboats, which has been contacted to flank and/or rear by enemy elements' front edge(s), and which is not in frontal
combat with an enemy front edge or providing rear support to such a combat, turns to face the rear attacker if any,
otherwise whichever flank attacker contacted it first. If an element contacts the flanks of two or more such

40
elements, all these turn to face, the second and subsequent elements moving to behind the first. If an element or
elements contacted in flank have insufficient room to turn to face, the enemy element must make room by moving
back. If this is not possible, both moves are cancelled. If turning to face one flank or rear attacker breaks contact
with another, this moves to renew contact if there is room. If an element which is double based or providing rear
support to friends in frontal combat with an enemy front edge is is contacted to flank or rear, this is treated as a
contact with the flank or rear of the front element.

Train, boats, dragons on WWg-sized bases and airboats, do not turn to face enemy but count the edge first
contacted by an enemy front edge as their front edge, and, unless boats, any edge in contact with an enemy side edge
as a side edge. Aerial can pass freely over fortifications whether defended or not.

An element can count as an overlap against an enemy element if either of the following apply [See Figure 7]:
• It is in both side edge and front corner to front corner contact with the friendly element in frontal contact with the
enemy element and at least the nearest part of its own front edge is free of contact with any enemy element.
• It is in side edge contact with the enemy element's side edge, even if is itself in contact with a friendly or enemy
element to its front. Two opposing elements in contact on their side edges overlap each other.

An element overlapping or in frontal contact with the flank or rear of an enemy element which is fighting to its front
fights only as a tactical factor for its friends. It can overlap two enemy elements on opposite flanks, or elements
exposed by its own frontal opponents having recoiled, fled or been destroyed that bound. An element can only
count one -1 tactical factor for the flank being contacted or frontally contacted. Elephants cannot count as overlaps
for friendly mounted troops except elephants. No troops can count as overlaps for friendly expendables.

If a war wagon, dragon on WWg-deep bases, airboat or artillery element with a long base edge currently acting as its
front edge is contacted on that edge by two enemy elements, it fights each in turn that bound. If only half the edge is
currently in contact, the attacker is overlapped.

Troops attacking fortifications always count as fighting foot. Infantry assaulting permanent fortifications or
gateways are assumed to provide themselves with ladders, axes or improvised rams. Mounted troops can only
assault temporary fortifications, except that elephants and dragons can assault any gateways. Aerial can assault any
fortifications.

Troops assaulting an undefended fortification section do so as if attacking defenders, but count a defending CF of 0.
Except at a fortification corner, attackers or defenders can overlap eachother as if the fortifications did not separate
them. A defending element that does not occupy a single fortification section must shift to conform to an attacker if
there is room.

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RESOLVING DISTANT SHOOTING OR CLOSE COMBAT
Whether in contact, shooting or only shot at, each player dices for his element, and adds the appropriate combat
factor (CF) to its score as follows, together with any rear support or tactical factors that apply. [See figures 10, 11a
and 11b] Air on the chart below means combat against any aerial including Dragon (W).

Elephants +3 v Air +5 v Mtd +3 v Nav +4 v foot


Expendables or +3 v Air +4 v Mtd +4 v Nav +4 v foot
artillery
Knights or War - +3 v Air +4 v Mtd +4 v Nav +3 v foot +4 v Bw
wagon shooting
Pikes +5 v Air +4 v Mtd +4 v Nav +3 v foot
Spears +4
Camelry +3 v Air +4 v Mtd +3 v Nav +2 v foot
Cavalry, Gal, Shp +3
Blades +3 v Air +3 v Mtd +4 v Nav +5 v foot +4 v Bw
shooting
Bowmen, +4 v Air +4 v Mtd +3 v Nav +2 v foot
Wb, Auxilia +3 v Air +2 v Mtd +3 v Nav +3 v foot
-LH, Ps, Hd, Bts,
Lurker, Sneaker or
Flyer +2
Bg, Nav if troops - +1
disembarked
Airboats +4
Demon +5
Dragon +4 v Air +4 v Mtd +5 v Nav +5 v foot
Dragon (W) +5 v Air +4 v Mtd +5 v Nav +5 v foot
Behemoth +3 v Air +4 v Mtd +5 v Nav +5 v foot
Beasts +2 v Air +4 v Mtd +2 v Nav +3 v foot

Rear Support Factors


Some troop types add to their normal combat factor if supported to their rear by contiguous friendly elements of
appropriate type, (and species/race if specified in army lists), and of the same command, lined up with them and
facing in the same direction, provided that no rank is of chariots, nor in difficult going, nor defending fortifications,
nor being shot at unless knights (I), nor has any edge in contact with the front edge of enemy expendables nor has
just moved into close combat against artillery (S) or aerial.

• If expressly required by an army list to be mounted on a double element base, knights (I) fighting foot, knights or
cavalry or LH to their front or shot at except by artillery add +1 for a single supporting second rank of knights (I).
• Cavalry who are fighting cavalry or light horse to their front add +1 for a single supporting rank of cavalry (I) if
(I). (O) if not.
• Spears add +1 for a single supporting rank of spears, if both are the same grade and in good going.
• Pikes except (X) add +1 for each supporting rank of pikes up to 3, if all are the same grade and in good going.
• Pikes (X) add +1 for a 2nd or 3rd rank of pikes (X) or (I), if all are in good going.
• Blades who are fighting knights, camelry (S) or dragons to their front add +1 for a single supporting second rank of
blades.
• Warband add + 1 for a single supporting rank of warband.
• Warband (S) fighting mounted troops to their front add +1 for each supporting 3rd or 4th rank of warband (S) if all
ranks are (S).
• Auxilia (X) add +1 for each supporting second or third rank of auxilia (X) if the second rank is of auxilia (X).

42
• Other auxilia in close combat against spears, pikes, blades, auxilia, bowmen, Behemoths or Demons add+1 for a
supporting second rank of auxilia of the same grade.
• Bowmen in close combat against spears, pikes, blades, auxilia, bowmen, Behemoths or Demons add+1 for a
supporting second rank of bowmen of the same grade armed with the same type of bow.
• Psiloi who are fighting skirmishers to their front add +1 for a single supporting rank of psiloi (O), Elf psiloi (S)
add +1 for a single supporting rank of psiloi (S) if fighting skirmishers.
• If expressly permitted by their army list, spears, pikes, blades or auxilia who are fighting warband, aerial or
mounted troops except knights (X) to their front or attacking fortifications or war wagons add +1 if supported by a
single 2nd or 3rd rank of psiloi armed with bows, or a single 2nd rank of psiloi armed with crossbows or handguns.
• If expressly permitted by their army list, cavalry who are fighting cavalry or Kn (X) to their front add +1 for a
single supporting rank of psiloi (S) or (I).

Tactical Factors
Add to or subtract from scores for each of the following tactical factors that applies:
+2 If foot defending fortifications when shot at or in close combat, unless any of the following apply:
• They are war wagons.
• They are in close combat with or shot at by aerial.
• They are behind permanent fortifications and being shot at by artillery (S).
• They are behind temporary fortifications and being shot at by any artillery or in close combat with psiloi (X).
• They are behind any fortifications and in close combat with or shot at by a war wagon (S) or ship (X) tower.
+1 If a general's element of an undemoralised command, and either in close combat or shot at or magically assaulted.
+1 If in close combat and either upslope, or on a PF tower, or defending a river bank other than at a road ford or
bridge unless aerial or fighting aerial.
-1 For each flank overlapped, and/or each enemy element in frontal contact with flank or rear, or for each 2nd or 3rd
element aiding a shooting enemy.
-1 If disadvantaged by weather or shooting to or from a wood, orchard or olive or palm grove.
-2 If part of a demoralised command in other than its general, and either in close combat or shot at or magically
assaulted.
-2 If mounted troops other than beasts or dragons who are attacking across fortifications; or mounted other than
beasts who are in close combat either on or off-road while in, or in contact with the front edge of enemy foot who
are in, going rough or difficult to the mounted troops.
-2 If blades or (S) or (O) warband who are in close combat against foot to their front while in rough or difficult going
either on or off-road.
-2 If spears, pikes, (O) hordes, train who are in close combat while in rough or difficult going either on or off-road or
while crossing any but a paltry river except by a road ford or bridge.
-2 If non-(X) Behemoth in difficult going and in close combat.

Note that aerial take no negative tactical factors in difficult or rough as they are assumed to be flying over it. All
Beasts are assumed to be adept at fighting in difficult and rough regardless of the kind of animal depicted and so take
no negative tactical factors caused by rough or difficult.

Grading Factors
Compare your element's total before grading factors to that of its shooting or frontal close combat (see elsewhere
for magically assault) opponent before grading factors, then adjust by each of the following that apply:
• -1 if your element is neither artilley shooting, nor is Demons, Airboats or Dragons and opposing elephants,
demons, dragons in close combat, nor is Blades (D) opposing Dragons, and scored more than (S) opponents
• +1 if your element is (S) shooting and scored exactly 1 more than (S) opponents or equal to (O) or (F) opponents.
• +1 if your element is shooting or in close combat and scored equal to or more than (I) opponents.
• +1 if your element is in close combat in your bound or shooting, is not artillery, and scored more than (F)
opponents.

43
COMBAT OUTCOME
Now compare the final totals of your element and its opponent, then immediately make the outcome move
specified below. This depends on your element's own type and that of the main enemy element shooting at it or in
frontal close combat with it, but not that of elements aiding shooting at it or overlapping it or if in frontal contact
with its flank or rear. Outcomes applying only in good going do not apply when attacking or defending across
fortifications.

Elements disregard an unfavourable outcome in each of the following circumstances:


• When shooting without being shot back at.
• When fighting as an overlap.
• When attempting to cross undefended fortifications.

An element in frontal contact with an enemy element's flank or rear edge disregards the outcomes listed below. If,
however, the friendly element fighting the enemy frontally recoils, flees or is destroyed, the element to flank or rear
recoils.

If an element's total is equal to that of its opponent:


Expendables. Destroyed.
Baggage. Destroyed by sneakers.
Other troops. Continue fighting next bound if in close combat and neither breaks-off.

If an element's total is less than that of its opponent, but more than half:
Lurkers or
- Expendables. Destroyed.
Elephants. Destroyed by artillery shooting, by light troops or by (X) camelry. If not, recoil.
Knights. Destroyed by elephants, expendables, demons or light horse, by (S) bowmen whose front they have
moved into contact with this bound, by (X) blades in an enemy bound, or if in close combat in difficult going. If not,
recoil.
Beasts. Destroyed by mounted, dragon (W) or demon if in close combat in good going. If not, recoil.
Light Horse. Flee from artillery shooting, from expendables, or if in difficult going. If not recoil
Other mounted. Flee if in close combat in difficult going or from expendables. If not, recoil.

Spears, Pikes or
- Blades. Destroyed by knights, (S) camelry or expendables if in going these count as good or by demon, dragon or
warband. If not, recoil.
Blades (D). Destroyed by knights, (S) camelry or expendables if in going these count as good or by demon or
warband. If not, recoil.
Warband. Destroyed by expendables, behemoth, camelry (S) or knights if in going these count as good, or by
elephants, demon or dragon. If not, recoil.
Auxilia. Destroyed by knights, (S) camelry or behemoth if in going these count as good or by dragon or demon, and
also, if auxilia (X), by elephants, expendables or warbands. If not, recoil.
Bowmen. Destroyed by dragon (W), flyer or demon in contact in good going or by any mounted troops in contact.
If not, recoil.
Psiloi. Destroyed by knights, cavalry, camelry (S) or light horse if in going these count as good. Recoil from
elephants, behemoths or expendables, or if shot at except by artillery, or if in going neither counts as good. If not,
flee.
Artillery. Destroyed by any in contact. If not, recoil unless in a fortification.
War Wagons. Destroyed by artillery except (X) or unless (X), by elephants, behemoth, beasts, dragon or demon. If
not, recoil if (S) assaulting fortifications.

44
Hordes. Destroyed by knights, camelry (S) or expendables if in going these count as good or by behemoth, dragon,
demon, elephant or warband. If not, recoil.
Naval. Destroyed by water-Lurker (S) in own bound. If not recoil.
Flyers. Recoil.
Unladen naval. Destroyed by any in contact except expendables.
Baggage. Destroyed by any in contact. If not, flee if mobile.
Demons, Dragons Destroyed by generals in close combat, if not, recoil.
Behemoths Destroyed by generals in close combat or by demons in own bound, if not, recoil.
Sneakers. Destroyed if in close combat with generals, Lurkers or Sneakers or if in close combat with knights,
camelry (S) cavalry, light horse, Dragon, Demon or Flyer in going they count as good. If not, flee D6 moves.
Airboats. Destroyed by Ps (X) or Arty (S). Otherwise recoil.
Generals or
- fort defenders. Destroyed by Sneakers.
Other Land. Recoil.

Any not listed above as being destroyed by sneakers ignore an adverse result from sneakers.

If an element's total is half or less than half that of the enemy:


All Land. Flee from aerial if in BUA, Wd, E or O.
Cavalry. Flee from spears, pikes or auxilia (X) if in good going, from close combat with artillery except (I) or (X), or
from naval. Otherwise destroyed.
Light Horse. Destroyed if in close combat by dragons (W) or flyers if in close combat in good going Destroyed by
any mounted troops, bowmen, demons, psiloi (O) (including Elf (S)) or war wagons (O) , or if in close combat in
difficult going. If not, flee.
Psiloi. Destroyed by any mounted troops or flyers if in going these count as good, by bowmen auxilia except (X) or
psiloi or if (X). If not, flee.
Behemoths. Recoil from light horse or non-(X) psiloi or Flyers. Destroyed by other land or aerial.
Sneakers. Recoil from baggage; destroyed if in close combat with generals, Lurkers or Sneakers or if in close combat
with knights, camelry (S) cavalry, light horse, Dragon, Demon or Flyer in going they count as good. If not, flee D6
moves.

Naval. Destroyed by artillery (S) or airboat, or by any in contact except expendables or beasts. Flee from other
shooting.
Unladen Naval. Destroyed by any except expendables.
Flyers. Destroyed by Aerial in close combat or by bowmen, psiloi (O) (including Elf (S)) or war wagon (O) it has
moved into contact with this bound. If not, flee.
Airboats. Destroyed by Aerial, Ps (X), Artillery other than (X) or by bowmen or war wagon (O) or (S) in close
combat. If not, flee.
Other land or
- aerial. Flee if in close combat with artillery except (I) or (X) or from naval. Otherwise destroyed.

Any not listed above as being destroyed by sneakers ignore an adverse result from sneakers.

RESOLVING MAGICAL ASSAULT


Magical assault is conducted at a base factor of +4, defenders other than magic-users defend with their “+ foot”
factor. All magic-using elements defend against magical combat at a factor of +3. A general can use his +1 when
defending against magical assault or when magically assaulting a magic-using capable element, this and
demoralisation (-2), are the only factors influencing magical combat. A second or third element magically assaulting
the same target aid the first in the same way as distant shooting.

45
Magical assaulters use their opponents' (I) and (S) grade as if targets of distant shooting when calculating grading
factors following magical assault - however the target can count its magical ability if this is of a higher grade than its
normal troop grading.

Additional Grading Factor for magical assault:


+1 if your element is magically assaulting and scored more than a target that has magic ability (I, O or S), which is
lesser than or equal to your own.

+1 if your element is magically assaulting with (S) magic ability and scored more than a target that has magic ability
(I, O or S) which is lesser than or equal to your own.

Elements scoring less in magical combat recoil; magic-using capable elements, lurkers, sneakers, demons scoring half
or less are destroyed, other elements scoring half or less, flee. Magical assaulters ignore an unfavourable result
unless assaulting an enemy element with magic ability. Any second or third element assisting the assault shares the
fate of the first.

DESTROYED ELEMENTS
A destroyed element is removed. This represents its survivors breaking, dispersing and fleeing the field individually,
or if naval, its vessels having been sunk, burned, captured, shipwrecked or having limped off crippled. Destroyed
baggage is assumed to have been pillaged and burned and any survivors scattered. When a naval or airboat element is
destroyed, any landing troops currently embarked are also destroyed. If shipwrecked on a lee shore by strong
winds, they survive as Hordes (I) if not water-adapted; water-adapted survive as their normal troop type.

When an element is destroyed as its close combat outcome or by being unable to complete a recoil from close
combat, all friendly elements which gave rear support, or with any part directly behind and less than the destroyed
element's base depth from the initial position of its rear edge, or less than one base width if this is less or their
nearest part is directly behind the destroyed element is a flank or rear edge or rear corner, are also destroyed unless
any of the following apply.

• The front element is of psiloi, lurker or sneaker and the nearest element behind is not one of these.
• The front element or that behind is war wagons, baggage or naval, or the front is artillery.
• The elements behind are separated from that in front by a fortification or the front element drowned.

Aerial elements are not destroyed by being within one element base width or depth behind a land or naval element
destroyed in close combat. Only aerial are destroyed by being within base width or depth behind an aerial element
destroyed in close combat.

RECOILING ELEMENTS
A recoiling element moves back its base depth to its rear without turning, or a base width if this is less. Air
surrounded by land or naval recoil until clear of all such enemy. If it meets friends facing the same direction, it
passes through to their rear if of a type allowed to do so, or if aerial it meets friends facing in any direction - it
passes clear, otherwise if naval it pushes back naval, if land it pushes back any but elephants, dragon (non-W) or
demon or behemoth, war wagons, baggage or naval. If it meets skirmishers or sneakers facing in any other direction,
it pushes them back unless their front edge is in contact with enemy. Other troops not facing in the same direction
cannot be recoiled through or pushed back. Elements that would be passed through by or pushed back by recoiling
elephants, dragon (non-W), demon or behemoth instead flee.

An element which recoils as a result of distant shooting or magical assault directed at them solely by enemy entirely
behind an imaginary line extending its rear base edge, first turns 180o. Land troops on a bridge who recoil from naval
turn and flee back to land.

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A recoiling land or naval element is destroyed if it starts or ends its recoil with an enemy element's front edge in
contact with its flank or rear; (an aerial recoiler is destroyed only if at least one of the enemy elements in contact
with flank or rear is aerial, psiloi (O) (including Elf (S) or bowmen) or if before it has completed its recoil move, its
rear edge or rear corner only either:

• Meets enemy (other than psiloi contacted on a side or rear edge or rear corner, who immediatly flee), if an aerial
recoiler only if it meets an aerial enemy. Unless the recoilers are psiloi or sneakers, this enemy is also destroyed if
contacted on a rear corner only or a rear edge by the recoiling element's rear edge, or on a rear or side edge by the
recoiler's rear corner only. It does not then count as having been destroyed in close combat.
• Meets friends that it cannot pass through and cannot push back sufficiently to complete its recoil move.
• Meets terrain it cannot cross (land troops can re-embark. A boat recoiling on a river follows its curves).
• Land or naval meets a PF parapet or TF, except the inside of a temporary enemy fortification or unopposed at a
gateway.

FLEEING ELEMENTS
Depending on the circumstances, a fleeing element moves as follows:
• An element fleeing as a result of distant shooting, magical assault or close combat first recoils one base depth. It
then moves directly to its own rear, making a 180o turn to do so.
• An element fleeing from an enemy flank march moves directly away from the flank table edge if land or aerial,
towards its side's base edge if a naval element, making an initial turn if necessary.
• An element fleeing after being passed through by spontaneously advancing friends [See P. 20] makes an initial
180o turn unless the impetuous friends passed through within 90o of from front to rear.
• An element fleeing from a recoiling enemy or elephant, dragon, demon or behemoth element [See above] moves in
the same direction as the recoiling element, making an initial turn if necessary.
• An element fleeing in spontaneous retreat as a result of demoralisation moves towards the nearest point on its
side's base table edge, or the edge of arrival if it successfully flank marched, except that an element of naval landing
troops, in which case it moves towards the nearest unladen friendly naval element capable of embarking it if any
exist. In either case it makes an initial turn if necessary.

After any initial recoil, a fleeing element can and must change direction by the minimum necessary up to 90o to
avoid enemy, friends it cannot pass through, difficult going it cannot enter this bound or impassable terrain, or a
table edge other than its side's base table edge or, if it successfully flank marched, its edge of arrival, provided that
no such obstruction is visible in the new direction within 200p or to pass through friends it contacts. It is destroyed
by enemy or impassable terrain it cannot so avoid. Friends it cannot pass through or avoid are burst through, then
flee behind it until it stops or their own flee move is exceded. It cannot deviate to avoid crossing an unfrozen river,
or a frozen river, frozen waterway or frozen marsh, a failure to succeed in any of which destroys it, including during
an initial recoil.

A fleeing move, excluding any initial recoil, is 50p more than full tactical move distance in that terrain. If it involves
a turn, move distance is measured from the original position of the element's rear edge after any recoil to the final
position of its front edge. It ends without turning again. Mounted infantry flees as camelry if on camels, otherwise
as cavalry. Dismounted that can remount do so. An undemoralised element flees for one bound only unless it
suffers a new cause of flight.

Any friendly element of skirmishers or sneakers, any part of which is directly behind and less than one element
base width from the initial position of the rear edge of any front rank element starting to flee from close combat,
also flees. Land skirmishers or sneakers do not flee as a result of being within one element base width behind Aerial
starting to flee from close combat and Aerial skirmishers do not flee as a result of land starting to flee.

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PURSUING ELEMENTS
If its close combat opponents recoil, break off, flee or are destroyed, an element of knights except (X), pikes,
irregular blades or irregular spears (not Bow (X)) waders or naval, or of any troops if impetuous, immediately
pursues straight its full move if this contacts enemy baggage, otherwise the lesser of its own base depth or width,
unless any of :
• It is fighting sneaker or lurker.
• It is in contact with an enemy front edge to its flank or rear after a frontal opponent breaks off.
• It fought only as an overlap or flank contact.
• It is foot whose opponents were skirmishers, pikes or blades against mounted or knights against psiloi, and choses
not to.
• It is defending a fortification or river bank, took a tower, or would enter a river or waterway (if not water-
adapted).
• Its is land or naval fighting aerial.
• Its pursuit would take any part of its base off table.
(• A pursuit by aerial to reach baggage may not begin if the path is to pass over enemy.)

Elements which provided rear support to pursuers must also pursue. If a naval or aerial element's close combat land
opponents recoil, break off, flee or are destroyed, its landing troops can choose to pursue. If a pursuing element
other than one pursuing a break-off contacts a new enemy element which is not already in close combat, the ensuing
combat does not occur until next bound. If there is room, pursuers conform to enemy baggage their front edge
contacts. An element of expendables whose pursuit move reaches difficult going is destroyed.

STORMING FORTIFICATIONS
An element assaulting fortifications which destroys a defending element or forces it to flee or recoil, or which
achieves a higher score than an undefended fortification, immediately pursues one base depth measured from the
inner edge of the fortification, any opponents recoiling sufficiently to make room. Friends following, unless through
a gate, count as if assaulting an undefended fortification next bound. If an element subsequently recoils or flees back
across a gateway or temporary fortification, this is measured from the outer edge of the fortification and infantry
opponents pursue back into contact with the fortification. A war wagon (S) or naval or airboat does not itself
pursue across a fortification, but, if war wagons (S), an element of infantry in contact behind, or if naval or airboats,
its landing troops can do so instead, or if naval those of a naval element in contact behind , can.

LOSSES
Destroyed elements are lost. An element is removed from the table if any part of its base crosses the table edge,
whether voluntarily or when recoiling or fleeing. Unless a magic user temporarily off-table having been extricated,
such an element is lost.

For the purpose of calculating demoralisation and defeat

• Each element of psiloi, sneaker, lurker, hordes except (I) or boats (F) counts as half an element. Expendables and
hordes (I) count as zero element equivalents.
• A dismounted element counts as the number of mounted elements it was exchanged for. Its mounts do not count.
A shape-changing element counts original equivalents and losses as its highest possible type.
• An element of naval landing troops counts as its original element equivalents whether embarked, shipwrecked or
disembarked. Its vessels do not count. An element of ships (I) substituting for baggage counts as one baggage
element.
• Artefacts adding to the element equivalent of its parent element count as original and lost elements to the
command and army. If the parent element is lost in any way the artefact's additional equivalents are also lost.
• Baggage does not count towards the original element equivalent count of an individual command nor that of the
army, but baggage losses are added to the total losses of the army when calculating final defeat only. Each baggage

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element counts as two elements if destroyed in close combat, one if lost any other way, none if demoralised but not
yet lost or if it has changed sides.
• If any non-sneaker land invaders have passed through the centre of a BUA, add 4 elements to defender's army
losses.

DEMORALISED COMMANDS
An entire command becomes demoralised for the remainder of the game when either of the following applies:
• At the end of any bound by either side at least one third of its original element equivalents have been lost if
playing 321AP or more, or more than 1/3 if playing 320AP or fewer.
• Its general is lost and its next PIP die score is not greater than the cumulative total of element equivalents lost by
the command. This represents immediate panic after loss of a general, so only applies once per command.
• A single element command is demoralised if any of its non-baggage elements are lost.

A demoralised command can use its PIP die each bound to make one single element tactical move and any remainder
to halt groups or single elements for the current bound. All other mobile elements must flee in spontaneous retreat
unless within the circuit of a fortification not entered by the enemy or in a tower, or already in edge contact with
enemy other than as an overlap.

MAGIC

Conducting magic
Magic ability can be given to any non-lurker element as noted in the army lists: magic ability is optional for all
elements listed as capable of using it.

To magically assault the enemy or cast a spell requires at least 2 PIPs to be expended, per element attempting
either, from the PIPS of the command the element is part of. A spell or magical assault not cast in the player's own
bound but reserved until the enemy's immediately following bound costs 3 PIPs. A magic user can be nominated, at
the time of organising elements into commands, to be 'out of phase' and count enemy bounds as his own, and vice
versa, for the 2 or 3 magical PIP expenditure listed above. The C-in-C may use his -1 PIP modification only if his
element is casting the magic. A magic-using element part of an unreliable command will not attempt any magic until
unreliability is resolved. An off-table or flank-marching element can cast Pre-battle influences, no other magic can be
attempted by off-table elements. Demoralised elements may use magic.

A magical user can go into PIP debt for the player's next bound by casting a spell or magical assault, but not for
extending range, when not enough PIPs are available. Record the magnitude of the debt. In his next bound the debt
must be made up by expending one more PIP than his debt - if the debt is not made up the magic user is removed
from the table and counts as self-destroyed and lost. A magic user can go into 'double-debt' by casting a spell or
magical assault in his own bound and using magic in the enemy's immediate next bound - in which case he will need
to spend 6 PIPs to avoid destruction.

Spells
The following spells may be cast by any magic-user; unless noted more than one magic-user can attempt the same
spell in the same bound. Some spells may not be appropriate for your fictional world or for particular magical
institutions within your fictional world - in which case players should agree not to include certain spells. The
grading (S), (O) or (I) after the spell name is the minimum level of magical ability required to cast the spell.

Pre-Battle influence
Pre-battle influence can be attempted by only one magic-using element per side. Only one of the influences can be
attempted per side. Attempting any pre-battle influence expends all the army’s first bound PIPs - such an army will
roll notional PIP dice as usual to determine weather, off-table arrivals, stalling of night assaults and reliability of

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allies. Players secretly nominate which if any influence they will attempt and reveal their intention as described
below.

Pre-Battle influence - aggression (O)


Immediately after aggression factors are declared but before set up dice are rolled players simultaneously reveal their
intention to use or decline “pre-battle influence aggression” If both players wish to use the influence, they
simultaneously write down whether they intend to raise or lower his army’s aggression factor by up to the score of
one D6 - players then roll their D6 (for adjusting aggression) and the lower scorer (roll again if equal) adjusts his
aggression in accordance with his written intention - the higher scorer then adjusts his aggression in accordance with
his written intention. Then dice to determine the invader as usual.

Pre-Battle influence - time (S)


Immediately before set-up dice are rolled (See. P. 22) the players announce their intention to use or decline “pre-
battle influence time”. Having seen the time of day the influencing player can move the time back or forward up to
D6 hours. If both players wish to alter the time they simultaneously write down whether they intend to move time
forward or back by up to the number of hours shown on the score of one D6. Both players roll their D6 (for
adjusting time) and the lower scorer (roll again if equal) adjusts time in accordance with his written intention - the
higher scorer then adjusts time in accordance with his written intention.

Pre-Battle influence - weather (S)


Immediately after set-up dice are rolled and potential weather determined, the players announce their intention to
use or decline “pre-battle influence weather”. The influencing player can then increase or decrease the weather
differential by up to D3. If both players wish to alter the weather they simultaneously write down whether they
intend to increase or decrease the weather differential by up to the score of one D3. Both players roll their D3 (for
adjusting weather differential) and the lower scorer (roll again if equal) adjusts the weather differential in accordance
with his written intention - the higher scorer then adjusts the weather differential in accordance with his written
intention.

At the end of all weather influencing count a weather differential of more than five, as five, and less than zero as
zero.

Daunt (I)
The spell of Daunt causes all impetuous enemy elements within 200p of the magic-using element to stop
spontaneously advancing or following up next bound.

Inspire (I)
Inspire causes any single friendly element within 200p of the magic user this bound or in the enemy bound to count
a recoil combat result this round as a draw or cause any single friendly element to count a flee combat result this
bound as a recoil - the element need not be nominated until after combat dice are thrown.

Fortify (O)
Fortify causes any single friendly element, within 200p of the magic-using element, of a type in close combat with
an enemy type that causes a destroyed result rather than a recoil (such as Bd fighting Wb) to commute a destroyed
result to a recoil this bound or in the enemy bound. The particular element need not be nominated until after the
combat dice are thrown. (note this will not save elements with enemy in contact to their flank or rear).

Rally (I)
Rally causes all friendly demoralised elements within 200p of the magic-using element to not spontaneously retreat
this bound. Cast this spell during point 2 in the Sequence of Play after other PIPs have been expended.

Restrain (I)

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Restrain causes all friendly impetuous elements within 200p of the magic-using element to stop spontaneously
advancing, pursuing or following up this bound. Cast this spell during point 2 in the Sequence of Play, after other
PIPs are expended.

Waterworks (O)
Waterworks raises or lowers the fordability of a (Rv) feature, within 200p of the magic-using element, by one grade
of difficulty (eg Paltry to Easy) for this and the next bound or allows 1 friendly element within 200p of the magic
user to dice again to avoid drowning, the exact element need not be nominated until after the drowning dice are
thrown. (Lowering has no affect on paltry or increasing no affect on dangerous rivers).

Delay flank march (S)


In the bound after an enemy flank march has successfully diced to arrive; but before the next bound, in which the
elements are scheduled to move on to the table, a magic-using element within 200p of the flank of arrival can cause
the flank marchers to delay their arrival for a further bound. A spell to delay the flank march for a second time costs
4 PIPS to cast, a third or subsequent delay costs 6 PIPs.

Counter magic (O)


Counter magic causes all enemy magic-users, but not artefacts, within 200p of the magic-user to temporarily lose all
magical ability and functions for this or the next bound. Any friendly element within 200p of the magic-user may
not be affected by any enemy spell or magical assault next bound.

Lycanthropy (I)
Lycanthropy can be used by some magicians, as specified in their army list, to change their troop type or grade this
bound or in the enemy bound. It may not be used if the element is in contact or if the change would force a combat
overlap this bound. The element pays the AP cost of the most expensive type available to it and may deploy in any
form (as nominated at deployment time). However any that could be dragon or demon must still dice for arrival as
usual but once successful can be deployed in any form. An aerial changing to land or naval must have room to be
placed before the change can be made.

Extrication (S)
Extrication allows the magic-user to be removed from his present on-table position, this bound or in the enemy
bound, providing he is not in contact with the enemy, to off-table, rationalised as supernatural beasts or friendly
elementals or animals spiriting him away. When off-table in this way he does not count as lost. He must re-deploy,
when his command next scores a 6 on its PIP die, either in contact with any friendly baggage or fortified BUA or if
none of these are available he is deployed anywhere on his base edge or edge of flank marching if he did so earlier.
The act of deploying does not exhaust the 6 PIPs. Each magic user can be extricated only once per game.

Expedite sneaker (I)


Allows the magic user to "give" one PIP to any single element of friendly sneakers to perform march move(s) this
bound. The one PIP is in addition to the 2 to cast the spell.

Summon sneaker (I)


Allows any single element of sneakers in the magic user's command to be moved from its present on-table position
to be placed in contact with the on-table magic user. This may not be cast if the magic user or the sneaker is in
contact with the enemy and the sneaker may not be placed in contact with enemy.

MODIFICATIONS FOR FAST SCALE GAMES

Fast scale games of between 100 and 135AP armies should be played on tables of 1/2 the normal area with terrain
features sized to suit. All the elements, including two baggage, are grouped under the sole general - two extra PIP
dice, of a different colour, are thrown each bound - these extra dice's only function is to determine weather.

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The general's +1 PIP can be used only to move/halt his own element or to conduct magic by the general. When
Deploying the defender does not deploy the entire command following baggage placement (and deployment orders),
but rather deploys 3d6 on-table visible elements, the invader then deployed 2d6 on-table visible elements; repeat
this cycle until the armies are ready to start the first bound.

Normal scale army lists can be converted to fast scale by allowing only 1/2 the maximum number of elements (round
up) per troop line and at least 1/4 of the minimums - the general can be of any home-nation type quoted for the list.
Multiple alliance-style armies can group foreign troops under the general. A fast-scale general does not pay the +5,
10 or 20AP surcharge.

VICTORY & DEFEAT


When at the end of any bound by either side an army's cumulative losses, including all troops of commands that are
demoralised or changed sides and any fled or destroyed baggage, at least half of its original element equivalents its
remaining commands also become demoralised. The game is over.

In a competition game each army is worth 5 victory points (VP). 4 to 0.5 are assigned to each command as follows
• A two command army: 4 VP for the C-in-C, 1VP for the remaining general's command.
• A three command army; 3 VP for the C-in-C, 1 VP each for the remaining two generals' commands.
• A four command army: 2 VP for the C-in-C, 1 VP each for the remaining three generals' commands.
• A five command army: 2 VP for the C-in-C, 1/2 a VP for the two smallest commands, 1 VP each for the remaining
two generals' commands.
• A six command army; 2 VP for the C-in-C, 1 VP for the largest remaining command and 1/2 a VP each for the
remaining four generals' commands.

If commands are the same size those demoralised first count as larger. At the end of the battle, each player's score is
the sum of the VP of any demoralised enemy commands, plus the VP of his own undemoralised commands. This
gives a possible score range of 0 to 10. In a large "Swiss Chess" tournament a tie may occur. If so, we recommend
that victory be awarded to the player who scored higher if the two tied players met during the rounds; if equal or
not applicable award victory to the player who scored the fewest 0 scores, if equal award victory to the player
scoring most 10 scores, if equal award victory to the player on the highest total in the penultimate round of a
competition of five or more rounds, if equal hand each player a D6 and stand back.

TACTICAL ADVICE
It is the stated aim of most wargames rules writers that historically valid tactics should give the best chance of
victory on the table, and that wargames generals should be bound by the same constraints as their fictional
counterparts. We feel that these rules go further than any other table-top miniatures rules towards realising these
objectives, with particular importance being attached to the problems of controlling troops in battle.

Under the De Bellis suite of rules command control is absolutely central to successful generalship. Owing to the PIP
system, badly thought out or over-complicated plans will usually come to grief, as will ill-considered attempts to
redeploy in response to unexpected enemy dispositions.

It is important, therefore, to have a satisfactory plan in mind. This should ideally take into account:
• The strengths and weaknesses of your own forces.
• The strengths and weaknesses of the enemy.
• The terrain.
• The enemy's possible deployments and plans.

It should be designed to require the minimum possible number of PIPs to execute, and should allow for the
occasional PIP score of 1.

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It should also allow some flexibility to deal with the unforeseen. This is usually best achieved by retaining a suitable
reserve under the control of the C-in-C. Such a reserve should, if possible, consist of high quality fast moving
troops.

Most of each command should initially be deployed as a single group. Where appropriate, they can separate out
into multiple lines when they are closer to the enemy. Troops close to the enemy should not remain in deeper
formations than required for rear support. Additional rear rank elements will not add to the strength of the
formation and will be swept away if the front rank element is destroyed. Dwarf axemen, for example, should fight
enemy foot in multiple lines, with a space in between. Rear line elements, instead of being swept away, can then
move forward to fill any gaps that appear m the front line. For the same reason, reserves moving across the rear
should not get too close to the front line.

Impetuous troops need to be deployed in large groups, preferably only one per command, otherwise they will soon
go out of control. If possible they should be placed so that they can move straight forward against the enemy
without wheeling or halting. They should not be intermixed with faster or slower types. They should not be
deployed facing disadvantageous terrain. If other troops are placed in front of them, there is a danger that they will
eventually burst through them with disastrous results if your advance is checked.

If a regular army faces a largely irregular force, it will probably be outnumbered. The regular general should use his
superior control to wrong-foot the enemy. If the enemy are impetuous, then attempts should be made to draw them
out of formation before the decisive clash.

Large ambushes, comprising a whole command hidden behind a hill, can surprise the enemy to devastating effect if
he assumes the troops to be off-table on a flank march. Smaller ambushes, or small advanced forces of light horse,
can be effective in holding off the enemy on one wing, while victory is achieved on the other.

Allies may turn out to be unreliable. The effect of this can be minimised if they are deployed in a position where the
enemy will be forced to attack them, thus committing them to your cause. Demons and dragons may arrive tardily
which is best countered by devising a suitable delaying tactic for your enemy.
Flank attacks can be deadly, as they may result in several elements being swept away, so you should try to ensure
that you do not leave your lines exposed to this danger. Conversely, you should attempt to outflank the enemy
where possible. On the other hand, you should not necessarily seize a transient positional advantage if there is a
risk that it may lead to disaster for your own troops in a subsequent bound.

If your light troops are out-fought by their enemy equivalents, they should be withdrawn quickly before their
losses demoralise the remainder of the army. If the orc archers are failing, it is time for the trolls.

You should not be excessively concerned to keep generals out of close combat. Their elements are hard to kill and
hard to withstand, so leading from the front can be valuable - your bravery will be rewarded with special kills on
enemy monsters.

Finally, you should reflect on the thought that historical armies mostly deployed as they did for good reasons
which should be copied by your fictional army. A historical deployment is therefore likely to suit your army best,
at least when fighting analogous opponents against which it was successful!

MISCELLANEOUS

COMPETITION UMPIRING AND RULE INTERPRETATIONS


The use of alternate movement should greatly reduce the need for umpires. When one is used, his function is to
decide if a player's actions or expectations, in a specific instance referred to him, accord to the letter and spirit of the

53
rules as the umpire understands them, and to alter an illegal action by the minimum necessary to make it legal. Each
decision should be made on the individual circumstances, and not taken to constitute a precedent. Players are
entitled to an honest umpire, but not one who is infallible or tolerant of gamesmanship. Umpires should not correct
mistakes made by players until after a game, as it may inadvertently assist one player - using some latitude to help
novices who are in a tangle. Umpires should not make a ruling on anything during a game unless specifically asked
by a player. Competition organisers/umpires should check the army AP totals of players' submitted lists and then
check every list against what is on table. Players should confirm with their opponent the nature of terrain features
before any dice are thrown so as to avoid later confusion. Players must fully define the qualities of all on table
troops - items such as artefacts and magic ability must be clearly noted on a player's army list. Ambushers, flank
marchers and similar must be clearly noted on a map or similar and players should offer this information to their
opponents as they are unveiled. Players may ask the umpire to place ambushers on table, in accordance with the
map, if their deployment position is critical.

Sets of "interpretations" by competition organisers can cause more problems than they solve, due to poor
understanding, careless paraphrasing, or having been made a vehicle for ill-judged amendments. Careful rereading of
the rules should solve most queries, but you are welcome to contact David Brown on dfmbrown@mpx.com.au

CAMPAIGN AND SCENARIO GAMES


As well as equal points casual or competition games, these rules are equally suitable both for scenario games
featuring unequal forces, special victory conditions, or incomplete or misleading information, and for battles in
which circumstances and forces are defined by the events of a campaign including logistical, economic and political
factors.

A simple system for determining final losses in a campaign battle is as follows: Unlike in a competition game, any
troops voluntarily moved off his own table edge by the invader, or off any of the other three table edges by the
defender, do not count as lost for demoralisation purposes, so that it may be possible for a player to extricate his
army more or less intact from an unfavourable situation.

Play ends when one army is completely demoralised or its last non-baggage element leaves the table, whichever
comes sooner. All destroyed elements on both sides are lost. The victor (or player holding the field) regains all his
other elements that have been demoralised or lost off table. The defeated (or retreating) player must dice for each of
his elements that has involuntarily left the table or which remains on the table when the army becomes demoralised.

Both sides count up the number of elements of mounted troops remaining on the table, including those currently
dismounted but retaining their mounts. Any aerial element counts as five mounted elements. Aerial elements can be
lost only if the victor has aerial - in which case include only aerial elements in the count for the ratio of victor to
loser's remaining elements and dice using the 'other mounted' column. Deduct 1 from the score of any element in
contact with enemy.

Ratio of victor's mounted to loser's: Element lost on scores of:


If Hd, Art or Baggage If El or other foot If other mounted
Half or less 1,2,3,4 1,2 0
More than 1,2,3,4,5 1,2,3 1
half but less
than double
Double or 1,2,3,4,5,6 1,2,3,4 1,2
more

Elephants and artillery lost in this way are assumed to be captured by the victor. A similar method can be used to
determine the capture of naval elements, using the ratio of naval elements of both sides and the elephant column
above.

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Other non-standard elements' chance of surviving should be calculated by the umpire based on what type of
creature they represent and how they were recruited into the army.

For example dragons as semi-intelligent beasts with human crew can count as elephants - demons summoned from
the beyond may return there for good if the summoning magician is lost - professional assassins as Sneakers will be
lost unless money can be found for re-hiring.

Artefacts will be captured if the parent element is lost on-table unless the loser can score greater than the victor on a
D6 - or via campaign losses - if the victor can score greater than the loser on a D6. Artefacts (W) are captured.

DESIGNING YOUR OWN FICTIONAL ARMY


Players wishing to build armies not linked to any particular work of fiction can observe the following guidelines to
ensure play balance. Troops MUST accurately depict the type and grade claimed for them.

• Non-allied Wb must all be the same grade, non-allied Airboat must be the same grade.
• No army can have more than 10 elements of Hd (I) . No army can have in total more than 10 elements of Hd (O)
or and Ps (I) per 100AP. (excepting that an army with massed Ps (I) can and must have more than 50 per each
100AP)
• No army can have more than two grades of Hd, no more than two grades of Beasts, no more than two grades of
Dragons.
• Non-allied Kn must be the same grade except that generals may differ.
• Non-allied Flyers must be the same grade except that generals may differ.
• Generals may not be Baggage, Hd (O) or (I) or Lurker.
• Sneakers can be generals only of single element commands.
• Demons (S) refuse to be in a command with a Demon (O) general.
• Behemoths (S) refuse to be in a command with a Behemoth (O) or (I) general
• Dragons (S) refuse to be in a command with a Dragon (O), (I), or (F) general.
• An army with regular land or naval C-in-C and sub-generals must have at least three regular non- skirmisher land or
naval elements per general (not including the general’s element).
• For each non-allied, non-Hd, (S)-grade element there must be at least one (I), (O), (F) or (X)-grade element in the
army. However, an army with more than 90 per cent of its elements (S) can ignore the above restriction.

Players must choose an aggression and home climate at the time they design their army. Before commencing the
game set up, players must announce, climate, aggression and in order their three most numerous troop types/grades,
eg. Irr Hd(S), Reg Bd (O) Irr Beasts(O).

CONTACT ADDRESSES
For details of other WRG wargames rules, army lists and reference books, send a stamped addressed envelope or
international Reply Coupons to: WARGAMES RESEARCH GROUP, The Keep, Le Marchant Barracks, London
Rd, Devizes, Wilts SNl0 2ER Tel: 01380 724558.

PBM UMPIRE is a computerised system (IBM PC compatibles) for moderating and automatically generating
player reports for campaigns with up to 30 players. A trial version, including a fully functional 20 player Medieval
scenario, is available on 5.25" or 3.5" disk (please specify) for £4.00. On registration, which costs £25.00, the
scenario editor will be supplied. This enables scenarios to be created or modified, and permits battles to be fought
either automatically or using DBM, DBA or other table-top rules. Orders enquiries to Richard Bodley Scott, 28
Priory Gardens, Usk, Gwent NP5 IAJ. Tel: 01291 672496 (8-10 pm only). Please add £2.00 for overseas postage.

55
The SOCIETY OF ANCIENTS is a long established world-wide society for all interested in ancient and medieval
warfare. Its bi-monthly journal SLINGSHOT balances research of a very high standard with more specifically
wargaming content - Contact: shown below.

WARGAMES DEVELOPMENTS is an association of wargames innovators centering around an annual "try it on


the dog" conference, not to be missed. Contact: The Treasurer, 84 Eglinton Hill, Shooters Hill, London SEl8 3DY.

Contact addresses.
Wargames Research Group - The Keep, Le Marchant Barracks, London Rd, Devizes, Wilts SN10 2ER, United
Kingdom - tel 01380724558

The Society of Ancients - add URL

Wargames Developments - The Treasurer, 84 Eglinton Hill, Shooters Hill, London SE18 3DY, United Kingdom. or
Bob Cordery - warden@dircon.co.uk

Society of Fantasy and Science Fiction Wargamers - J

Technomancy
The rate of growth of sites on the Internet means any exhaustive list appearing in print will soon be out of date -
however the following can provide good links to a number of useful resources.
DBM Home Page - De bellis homepagius
Miniatures information - Http://www.eden.com/~tmp
News groups alt. recreation.games.miniatures

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Many thanks to the usual band of no-good troublemakers who sit around and try to get me to classify Orcs as Irr
Wb (I) @ 2AP especially Troy Adlington; Saifur Ali, Peter Barrett, Jeff Bolton, Paul Braun, Robert Brown, Craig
Burnett, Kit Cullen, Jason Dickie, Chris Craig, Jason Gray, Phil Holmes, Geoff Stewart, Aden Steinke, Brett
Martin, Juan Medin, Craig McGarty, Bob Ritchie, JJ Parus, Paul Stanton, Rene Wechner, Mark Turnbull, Melanie
Tilbrook, Radek Zelany, Andrew Bigwood and Alex Shagrat Hafey who helped produce these rules. Many thanks
also to Jim Behemoth Whitehead for the use of his machines.

Finally, renewed thanks to the original DBM testers and army list advisers in Britain, America, Australia and Italy,
but especially to Noel Bugeia, Duncan Head, Scott Holder, Guglielmo Marlia, Chris Peers, Mike Roberts, Jim
Webster, Michael Young, and the members of the Newport Wargames Club.

DIAGRAMS

(These are incomplete - but contain no variation from the DBM standard)

56
Figure 1: Measuring single element move distances.
In each of the above examples the double-headed arrow shows the distance to be measured- i.e. the furthest distance
that any of the element's front corners ends from its original position. . This method of measuring single element
moves is a simplification to remove the necessity of taking into account intermediate turns or wheels, and may
result in some parts of an element moving through a little more than the element's maximum move distance. It is
based on the assumption that the men forming an element do not necessarily maintain a constant relationship to
each other during the move, and that some may move faster to complete the manoeuvre. If; however, the whole
element deviates from a straight path to avoid other troops or obstacles, the extra distance must be taken into
account in measuring the element's move distance.

Figure 2: Crossing an enemy element's front.


Element A can cross the front of C to contact B but not vice versa, as the move to contact B is shorter.

Figure 3: Expanding a single element wide column.

57
A single element wide column can expand as a group move. In these examples the elements are Spears. In both cases
element A must remain stationary.

Figure 4: Forming a single element wide column from a wider group.


A group move can be used to start to contract a group into a single element wide column. In this example the
elements are Spears. Element A moves forward as the head of the column. B, C and D follow. The other elements
are unable to get into the column this move, so merely close up the resulting gap.

Figure 4b: Forming a single element wide column from a wider group.
All elements are cavalry. Element A wheels forward to its left, the rest fall in towards the forming column by single
element moves. Non can exceed their normal maximum move (unlsess A is moving along a road).

58
Figure 4c: Forming a single element wide column from a wider group.
All elements are cavalry. Element A wheels forward to its left, the rest fall in towards the forming column by single
element moves. None can exceed their normal maximum move (unless A is moving along a road).

Figure 5: Flank or Rear Contacts.


Element B cannot contact A in flank or rear. C or D can contact A in flank but not rear. E can contact A in rear but
not flank. F can contact A in flank or rear.

Figure 6: Positioning Flank Contacts.

59
Figure 7: Overlaps.
Element A overlaps B. B and C overlap each other. D overlaps E, and has contacted F in flank. K does not overlap
L. A-G moved as a group, G initiating close combat by lining up in edge-to-edge and corner-to-corner contact with
B. Although A has also contacted the front edge of M (part of a group not of psiloi), they are not in corner-to-
corner contact, so there is no combat between them until one of them conform in a succeeding bound.

Figure 8a: Conforming to the front of enemy elements.


None of the above elements is of psiloi.

If the group of elements A-F moves forward into contact with elements G, H & I, G must pivot to face and line up
exactly with A, H must shuffle sideways to line up exactly with D, I must pivot to face and line up exactly with E.
This is because G, H & I are neither in a group nor in even partial edge to edge contact with another friendly
element, so must conform to the front of enemy elements moving into contact with them as a group.

If G, H & I move into contact with group A-F, this must be by single element moves since they are not in a group.
G must once again conform to the front of A, H must conform to the front of D, and I must conform to the front of
E.

Figure 8b: Conforming to the front of enemy elements.


Elements A, B, C & D are psiloi. Elements E, F, G & H are not. If the group of elements A-B moves to contact the
enemy group E-G, it must wheel and shift to conform to the front of elements F & F, because these are part of a

60
group. A lines up exactly with E, B with F. If group C-D moves to contact element H, H need not pivot as it is in
partial edge to edge contact with G. Group C-D must therefore wheel to contact H with C's front parallel to that of
H. H must then shift sideways if necessary to conform to C.

If group E-G moves straight forward to contact group A-B, it need not conform to the front of A-B as this group is
entirely of psiloi. Instead A, which will be contacted first, must pivot to face E. Elements F & G must move the
same distance as E, so will not contact any enemy. F will count as an overlap against A. If H moves to contact C, H
must pivot to face C, even though C & D are both psiloi, because H is not itself part of a group.

Figure 9a: Spontaneous Advances.


Elements A, B, C & D are lizardmen knights, classed as Irregular Knights (S), and hence impetuous. E and F are
zebra cavalry, classed as Irregular Cavalry (O). Unfortunately, the lizard commander, when moving his troops this
bound, forgot to keep back any PIPs to control group A-D. He should have retained 2 PIPs if he wanted to halt or
manoeuvre the group, 1 PIP if he wanted to move it straight forward 150p. Elements A, B, C & D have neither
made a tactical or march move this turn, nor been halted by a group halt. They must therefore each make a
spontaneous advance towards the nearest enemy element. This is E in the case of A & B, F in the case of C & D.

Figure 9b: Spontaneous Advances.

61
This shows the position after elements A, B, C & D have made their spontaneous advances. They were allowed to
pivot by the minimum necessary to align their direction of facing, but were not allowed to change move length or
direction to put their front edges level with each other. The result is that they are now m echelon, and no longer
qualify as one or even two groups, as they are not in corner to corner contact. In the lizard player's next bound, each
element will have to be moved or halted separately, making it likely that the momentary loss of control this bound
will be permanent, particularly if the zebra player pulled back E & F during his bound.

Figure 9c: Spontaneous Advances.


Elements A, B, C, D, E and F are lizard knights [see 9a].G is zebra cavalry. Once again the lizard commander has no
PIPs left to control group A-F. Elements A, B, C, D, E and F must therefore each make a spontaneous advance
towards the nearest enemy element, which is G.

Figure 9d: Spontaneous Advances.


The lizard player decides to move his elements in the following order: B, E, A, D, C then F. B and E move straight
forward. This diagram shows the position part-way through A's move. A has contacted E, which is blocking its
direct path towards G and which it cannot pass through.

62
Figure 9e: Spontaneous Advance
A can now deviate by the minimum necessary to avoid E, ending up in the position shown opposite. The 3 arrowed
measurements must be added together to determine A's overall move. D, C and F also move in turn and end up in
approximately the positions shown. (Try it and see!).

A Further Note about Spontaneous Advance


If another friendly element is already in contact with the front edge of the nearest enemy element, a spontaneously
advancing element will attempt to move into whichever is nearest of a rear support, overlap or flank contact
position if any of these is possible.

Figure 10: Distant Shooting.


Elf longbowmen (classed as (S) Bowmen) shoot at a Half-Orc schiltron (classed as (I) Pikes) and some goblin
archers (classed as (O) Psiloi). Element A can shoot at G. E can shoot at K. C can shoot at G, but cannot shoot at K
because G is closer to directly to its front. C, therefore, shoots at G, aided by A and B or D. Only 2 elements can
assist C.

Both sides dice. C scores 5 and adds +2 for its combat factor against foot. 6 scores 3 and adds +3 for its combat
factor against foot. It receives no support from H, I or J, and must deduct 1 for each of the two elements aiding its
opponent.

The scores are now 7 to C and 4 to G. G is (I), so C adds +1 to a winning score when shooting at it, making its final
score 8. G's final score is half C's final score, so G is destroyed. As G has been destroyed by distant shooting,
rather than by close combat, H, I and J are not destroyed.

E shoots at K, assisted by F. Both sides dice. E scores 2 and adds +2 for its combat factor. K scores 5 and adds +2
for its combat factor, then deducts 1 for the element aiding its opponent.

The scores are now 4 to E, 6 to K. E's score is less than K's score, but E suffers no penalty because it has not been
shot back at - psiloi having no distant shooting capability. If the dice scores had been reversed, K would have been
destroyed.

63
Figure 11a: Close Combat
A line of four elements of dwarf axemen (classed as (O) Blades) are moved into contact with eight elements four
deep of Macedonian pikemen (classed as (O) Pikes). Each element must be lined up exactly with its opponent with
no part-element overlaps. Element C includes the Dwarf general.

Since it is the Dwarf player's turn, he can choose which of his two elements in edge contact fight first. He decides
on C. A and D will not fight, but can count as overlaps.

Both sides dice. C scores 4, adds its combat factor against foot of +5 and a further +1 for the general. I scores 4,
adds its combat factor against foot of +3, and a further +1 for rear support from each of the three elements of pikes
behind it. However, it must deduct 1 for being overlapped by D.

There are no modifications for grading, as both elements are (O), so the final scores are 10 to C, 9 to I. I has scored
less than C, but more than half as many, so immediately recoils its own base depth, pushing hack 3, K and L.

Figure 11b: Close Combat.


The players now dice for B and E. B scores 6 and adds its combat factor of +5. E scores 1, adds its combat factor of
+3 and a further +3 for rear support by pikes F, 6 and H, but must deduct 2, since it is now overlapped by both A
and C.

E's score is half or less that of its opponent, so it is destroyed. F, G and H all gave rear support, so are also
destroyed.

It is now the Macedonian player's bound, and he can move I back into contact if he wishes to, with 3, K and L in
support, as a group move expending 1 PIP.

64
Figure 12: Flank contact and rear support.
A, B, C & D are Macedonian Pikement (Pikes). X & Y are Dwarf axemen (Blades). X has contacted the front of A.
Y has made a legal flank contact on B. As B can provide rear support to A against X, it does not turn to face Y at
the end of the movement phase. Nor do C or D.

Instead B, C and D provide rear support to A in the close combat against X and Y is treated as if in frontal contact
with A's flank. Thus A suffers a minus 1 tactical factor , and is destroyed if it suffers a recoil combat result (in
which case B, C and D are also destroyed). If X recoils, Y does too.

If there were no enemy in front edge contact with the front of A at the ened of the movement phase, B would
instead turn to face Y and C & D would move behind B. Colse combat would then ensue between Y and B. C and D
would provide rear support to B.

Figure 13 (a -b): Intervening Elements


In order to partly intervene between a moving element and an enemy element whose front it is attempting to cross
within 1 element base width [see P x Movement Restrictions Par 1), the intervening element must, at every point in
the moving element's traversal of the enemy element's front, intersect either of the imaginary lines traced from the
front corners of the enemy element, to the corners of the nearest edge of the moving element. (it is not adequate to
just touch the line, it must be intersected. The imaginary lines cannot cross).

In example 13a above, element C prevents element X from contacting the flank of element A, because no element
even partly intervenes.

In example 13b, element D does not prevent element X from contacting the front of element A, because C partly
intervenes every point in X's traversal of D's front.

65
Figure 14a: Defending a river bank.
Elements A, B and C count as defending the river bank and would get a +- tactical factor in close combat.

In order to do so, an element must be entirely on dry land, facing the river, with the water's edge closer than its own
base depth directly in front of the nearest part of its front edge, and part of its opponent's base still in the water.

Figure 14b: Defending the edge of an unfortified area terrain feature.


Element A is defending the edge of the feature. It does not have to conform to an attacking group.

Such an element must be entirely inside the feature, facing outwards, and close enough to the egde that the enemy
element is at least partially outside the edge.

Figure 15: Wading Rivers.


Elements recoiling, fleeing or pursuing in or into a river ignore the direction of flow. Otherwise a single element or
group wading a river must cross it at between 45o and 135o to the dirtection of the flow except that it can
pivot/shift the minimum necessary to line up the front rank in contact with the enemy obstructing emergence. A
single element or group already in a river can continue directly forwards on its present facing even if this is outside
the 45o to 135o arc, provided that its front rank's edge ends the move clear of the river. Alternatively, it can
pivot/shift by the minimum necessary to conform to the above arc.

All elements wading ariver must face either the direction they are moving or the oposite direction, even if moving by
single element moves. They cannot change direction while in the river, except to pivot/shift as above and/or to move
directly to their previous rear. Troops wading except across a palty river or road ford cannot shoot. Wading troops
recieve rear suport and suffer combat outcomes as if in good going. Naval can pass through friendly or enemy
waders, in which case the waders are immediaty destroyed (except for water adapted who turn and fight if enemy or
are passed over if fiends), this not counting as in close combat.

Example

66
Elements A-D are pikes. The group started to cross the rivcer in its side's last bound. In its next bound, if enemy
element X was not present, its movement options would be (a) to continue moving in exaclty the same direction
until each element was across the river (As A-D is a single-element wide column, any elements completly clear of
the river could start to wheel), or (b) to fall back in exactly the opposite direction - using single element moves.
(Skirmishers could move back as a group).

However, during his bound the enemy moved up element X, obstructing A-D's emergence from the river. This
creates the additional option of pivoting/shifting the group to contact X. The whole group pivots/shifts so that A
conforms to the front of X and B-D line up behind A. This would be so even if A-D ended up facing outside the
permitted 45o to 135o arc. None of them can exceed their maximum move distance - measured as if single elements.

If, in the ensuing close combat, A recoils or flees from X, it will not be destroyed unless the river is Dangerous and
it dices and scores less than 5,B, C and D are not automatically destroyed if A is, but, whether A is destroyed or
not, dice separately for being pushed back or recoiling in a Dangerous river.

Following a recoil, neithe side's movement would be restricted by the proximity of the enemy because of the
intervening water. In its next bound, A-D's movement option would be (a) to move back into combat with X, or (b)
fall back to its rear, once again using single element moves. If A-D were facing a direction outside the 45o to 135o
arc, they would have to pivot/shift sufficiently to conform to this at the start of the move, before falling back.

If the enemy, during his bound, had moved X away, and A-D were facing a direction outside the 45o to 135o arc,
the group could move forward either straight ahead (provided that A's front edge cleared the river) or after
pivoting/shifting sufficiently to conform to the 45o to 135o arc.

67

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