Marlborough Light,

Being simple rules for fighting large battles in the eighteenth century
By Martin Rapier 16.4.11

1. Scales and organisation

The unit and ground scales are somewhat variable, however on average a unit represents
around 3000 infantry, 1500 cavalry or 20 or so guns and a square is roughly 1000 paces.
Each turn represents roughly an hour. Games last nine turns or until one side is destroyed.

2. Unit types
Leaders, may rally units and provide additional commands.
Infantry, generally close formed line infantry.
Horse, heavy cavalry operating either with fire or shock action.
Dragoons, less effective cavalry which can also dismount as static infantry.
Guns, artillery pieces, immobile once deployed. Range 2 squares straight ahead.
Baggage/camp indicates entry point for army.
Troops and leaders are further subclassified as poor, average and good, a representation of
training, doctrine, morale etc.

3. Battlefield
Is laid out as five squares wide (centre, wings, flanks) and four deep. Terrain includes hills,
streams, rivers, woods, marshes and built up areas. Stacking limit is normally twelve units but
only eight in rivers or woods and applies at all times (including movement). Camp is behind
the centre rear square.

4. Setting up the game

Use a historical scenario or see possible army lists at the end.

5. Turn sequence
Alternate turns, but the action of each activated group is resolved individually.

6. Deployment
The first move is the deployment turn, if it is a normal battle, both sides move onto the table in
the middle three squares as a normal move, however they may not cross the centre line and
groups may enter facing a flank already.
If one side is surprised, a maximum of four units may enter each turn.
If one side is fortified, they may deploy on table up to the centre line and across its width.

7. Commands
Total commands are determined by leader quality and number and quality of combat units. 1
per six units, 1 per good leader + half D6 (FRD).
Generals also get extra commands to use in their own or adjacent square, average get 1,
good get 2. If stationary they may be used in the same or adjacent squares, if they
accompany other units they may only be used in the same square, if they move
independently they lose their extra commands.

A group are units in the same square facing in the same direction. All units in a square at the
end (but not necessarily during) of a move must be facing in the same direction. All actions
cost one command, but some commands may be applied to two good units. Actions:

Activate a group of 1 or more elements for movement/facing or formation changes/combat.

Activate one unit (or two good units) for a march move. Marching units may not attack.
Give a combat bonus to one unit (or two good units), max of one combat bonus.

8. Formations and Actions

All elements in a square must face the same direction at the end of the turn, arrange them
into lines of four elements maximum, the front line is limited by the attack limit. To rearrange
units in a square, the square must be activated.
Artillery cannot fire while it is moving and once it fires it never moves again. It cannot pivot
and does not take part in combat if the rest of the square fights to a flank.
9. Moves
Infantry Horse Dragoons** Guns*
Move 1 2 2 1
March move**** 2 4 4 2
Enter/attack 1 2 vs marsh, 2 vs marsh, May not enter
square wood,hill, bua wood,hill, bua woods, marsh
else 1 else 1 else 1
Change 1 (0 if 180deg) 1 (0 if 180 deg) 0 0
facing***
* May not move once they have fired.
** May not move if deploy as infantry, and can only defend square.
*** May not change facing to a flank if there are enemy units to their front, but may fall
back/advance
**** May not march move and attack. This is used to deploy reserves or seize key terrain.

10. Combat, rallying and morale

To attack a square units must be activated and have enough movement to enter it or be
within artillery range (2 squares straight ahead). Attack limit is four horse/foot units (3 from
stream, 2 from river, 2 into a BUA), other units are arranged in support. Horse and mtd
dragoons count as two units. Artillery may fire from the rear as long as attack limit of 4 is not
exceeded

Combat is mutual, between front lines (ie the defender fires too), but not flank/rear attacks.
Roll 1D6 per fighting unit
Infantry, Artillery, Mtd Dragoons 5+, Horse 4+, Dismtd Dragoons 6
A 6 is always a hit and a 1 always a miss.
+1 if combat bonus, +1 if flank/rear attack, +1 if combined arms attack against infantry only -1
if target on hill or cover (not vs arty unless fortification) -1 if enemy on three sides, -1 if poor
troops.

Units start the game fresh, one hit disorders them, two hits routs them. Disorder only affects
morale, not combat. Routed units are destroyed.

Spread hits among front line for frontal combat, rear units if hit in the rear and any if flank
attack. Excess hits allocated to units in support. Artillery is always hit last unless defending a
square. Artillery may never destroy a unit with fire unless it is firing in defence of a square
being assaulted.

If a unit is routed, any leader in the square may attempt to rally it. The hit is ignored on a 4+
and the leader is disabled on a 1. Roll again, 1 killed, 2-3 wounded, leave the battle, 4+ swept
away by routers, out of action for one turn.

If a unit in the square is routed, the square takes an immediate morale check for each one.
Throw 1D6,need to score greater than 0.
-1 if unit is disordered, -1 if unit is poor, -1 for every four units already routed, +1 if unit is good

If fail morale, fresh units take a hit and become disordered and fall back one square. Guns
and disordered units rout and are lost. Generals fall back with any surviving units, at risk if
there aren’t any. Units lost to morale failure do not cause another morale test.

If an attacked square is vacated for whatever reason, the attacker may advance any or all of
his units into it up to the stacking limit.

11. Winning and Losing

Fight on until time runs out or one side is destroyed. If desired add up victory points based on:

i) handicap from any points difference at start

ii) full value of all routed units
iii) half value of all disordered units
Army Lists

Unit Good Average Poor

General 20 10 -
Foot 5 3 2
Horse 7 5 3
Dragoons - 4 -
Guns - 8 -

Anglo-Dutch +4
1 x Good General (M) plus 0-1 Average General (Overkirk)
1-4 Average Horse (British, Dutch, Danish)
0-2 Poor Horse (German)
1-5 Dragoons
0-3 Good foot (guards and grenadiers)
7-15 Av foot (British, Dutch, Prussian, Danish)
2-8 Poor Foot (other German)
1 gun per 7-10 foot, plus 1 extra if desired

Core
1 x Good General, 1 x Av Horse, 1 x Dragoon, 7 x Av Foot, 2 x Poor Foot, 1 x gun (62)

Imperial +3
1 x Av General (Baden) or Good General (Eugene)
2-5 Av Horse
1-4 Dragoons
9-28 Poor infantry
1-2 guns

Core
1 x Av General, 2 x Av Horse, 1 x Dragoon, 9 x Poor Inf, 1 x Gun (50)

Franco-Bavarian +1
1 x Good General (Villars or Vendome) or Average General (Tallard, Villeroi, Boufflers)
0-1 Average General (Elector of Bavaria, Marsin, Burgundy)
0-2 Good Horse (Gendarmerie)
2-5 Horse
1-4 Dragoons
0-2 Good foot (Grenadiers)
0-2 Average foot (French Guards)
9-20 Poor foot
1 gun per 6-8 foot, plus 1 extra if desired

Core
1 x Av General, 2 x Av Horse, 1 x Dragoon, 9 x Poor Foot, 1 x gun (50)

100 points gives a reasonable game, if points under/over award the difference to the other
side.

Battlefield setup
i) throw opposed dice, adding in mods above. Higher score is attacker and moves second
ii) Pick up to eight terrain pieces (defender seven, attacker one) with a minimum of one village
and a maximum of one river. Marshes are usually placed in the same square as a river or
stream. Hills may be open or wooded. For each dice for table side it has to be nearer.
iii) Place alternately, and for each feature dice for table side it is nearer
iv) dice for entry side, attacker +2