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Introduction
Unit Profile
Movement equals the number of squares you can move in inches, though a double move is possible
(more details on that later).
Physical Save represents models armor, including their shield. This can be improved by being in cover.
A Magical save is also possible, however no units come with one, so it is not listed on a profile. (more
details on that later)
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Hit Points represents the amount of failed saves a model can take before he is removed from play. This
is most often just one.
Discipline represents how well trained a unit is, how fearless they are, and how well they hold their
ground and obey orders. A Unit of units will use the best Discipline value in the unit. Note that lower
discipline values are better!
What a Turn Is
Players take turn moving their groups of models, called units. Each player will move all of his units, one
at a time, completing all of their movement and shooting before any melee combat is done. After this is
done, the players will conduct any melee combats that have been initiated during that players turn. This
will be covered in more detail later.
At the start of one players turn they will move all of their units, and shoot with them. This can be done
in any order, though you must complete moving and shooting with a unit before moving and shooting
with another.
Rotation
At the start of a units movement it has the option of rotating on the spot. A unit who rotates less than
90 degrees does not suffer any penalty to movement speed. You can also slowly turn a unit as it moves,
though it should have rotated less than 90 degrees during the duration of its movement. If a unit
rotates more than 90 degrees, then they may only move their normal speed that turn. A model can
move half its speed (Round up, where necessary) backwards, and may not double move.
Shooting
model has. Always keep the die at the number of hit points they currently have. (There is no particular
reason to do it this way, it just keeps it simple for everyone if we all do it the same!)
When you are making saves for multi hit point models, it is important to note that you must remove
whole models. What this means, is that if a unit of say, cavalry (who all have two wounds) suffer 8
wounds, then you must remove 4 models, and cannot spread the wounds amongst the survivors.
After saves have been made, the opponent will remove any models who were killed. You may removed
models from any part of a unit, following the unit formation rules. Though in reality it will most often be
the models in front who were killed, the models in back will automatically move up to take their place,
as any good soldier should, so it makes sense to take models out from the back.
Cover
Sometimes there will be forests, barricades, or ruins that make it difficult to see units that you are
attempting to shoot at. However, if you can see them, and they are simply obscured, then you may still
fire at them, but they get a plus one cover bonus to their Physical Save.
Reload Speed
There are three different reload speeds that weapons may have, 1, 2, and 3. This property has to deal
with the amount a unit may move, and fire.
Reload Speed Effects
1 A unit with weapons that have a reload speed of 1 needs half of a move action in order
to reload their weapon, and fire it. A reload speed one weapon does not come pre-
loaded. You may fire a reload speed 1 once in a turn and get one move action or, you
may forgo moving, and fire the weapon twice.
2 A unit with weapons that have a reload speed of 2 work very differently from reload
speed 1 weapons in that they may come pre-loaded. All weapons will begin pre-
loaded at the start of the game. If a weapon is loaded, then the unit with that weapon
may move once, and fire it. After that, they must forgo two move actions in order to
fire the weapon again, though they may fire it on the same turn that they forgo their
movement.
3 Units with reload speed 3 weapons may never move and fire, under any circumstances.
It takes all of the concentration and time of the firer to reload the weapon, aim the
weapon, and fire the weapon.
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Artillery Crew
A weapon with this property must be fired by a crew of at least two models, though they are sometimes
bought with more than two, and usually three. Units operating a weapon with the Artillery Crew
property cannot double move. Artillery Crews use a different chart when determining the number of
hits they get with their weapon. This is because an Artillery weapon does not simply hit or miss the
Roll Needed to target. Cannon Balls have been
Aim Roll Needed to Hit
recorded to go through as many as
Direct Hit
two dozen people, but that is rare
1 N/A 6 indeed. If a hit is scored on the
chart, then the opponent takes half
2 5+ 6 the number of hits listed on the
weapons profile. If a direct hit is
3 4+ 6
listed, then the opponent takes a
4 3+ 5+ full number of hits listed on the
weapons profile.
5 2+ 4+
Minimum Range
Units with this special rule may not fire at units at or within the range listed. For example, a catapult has
the Minimum Range (20) property, and therefore may only fire at models that are 21 inches or more
away.
Indirect Fire
Some ranged weapons allow you to fire over obstacles that are in the way, such as buildings, or more
commonly other units. These weapons will have the “Indirect Fire” property, listed in their profile.
Units firing indirectly suffer a negative one penalty to their aim characteristic for the purposes of firing
that round. If a unit firing indirectly cannot see the enemy they are aiming at (but are still in range!),
they may still fire as long as they can draw a command line with a unit who can see the target unit.
Command Lines will be discussed in a later section. If this an artillery piece, they cannot score a direct
hit (they simply hit instead).
One Shot
Any ranged weapon with the One Shot property can only be shot once in the game. After that it may
not be used for any reason.
Defensive Weapons
Defensive Weapons are typically light and easy to use. They are deployed when a unit is attacked by
another unit in melee combat. As soon as a unit moves to engage a unit who has Defensive Weapons,
the unit with Defensive Weapons makes an immediate out of sequence shooting attack on the engaging
unit.
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their basic speed. They cannot fire ranged weapons, but if an enemy unit is close enough then they may
engage it in melee combat. Next turn they will act normally as if nothing had happened.
A unit may continue to make discipline tests at the start of movement until it has moved off of the
board. This happens if the double move they take during their fleeing causes any model in the unit to
move off the board.
Melee Combat
Remember that lower discipline values are better, so a penalty is actually an addition to a units
discipline value.
Sometimes, a unit is seriously injured, and must take a discipline test to keep fighting. If a unit takes
twice as many unsaved hits in melee combat as their opponent, then they must take a discipline test at
a +1 for each full quarter of the unit that has been lost since the start of the game. For example, if a unit
of legionnaires started the game with forty models, and is now at 16 (They have lost 24) then it would
take this test at a +2 penalty because they are at a +1 penalty for each 10 models that were killed. (The
remainder has no effect)
If they score a wavering result (failing their discipline test by 2 points or less), then they will keep
fighting, but will only get a number of attacks equal to half of their combat strength in the next round of
melee combat. If they get a flee result, then they will immediately double move back towards their own
board edge, as described in the Discipline Tests during Ranged Combat, and Falling Back section.
However, during this move they can rotate as many times as they need to in order to move towards
their board edge. While they are doing so, the enemy unit makes another full round of attacks against
them, using their new (and probably somewhat reduced) combat strength. After that, the unit can take
new Discipline checks to try and regroup, as described above.
When the unit who is being flanked makes its attacks, all of the attacks in the row that is farthest back
will be directed against the unit who is flanking them, and all the rest of the attacks will be made to the
unit who is in front as normal (you are splitting the attacks, not attacking twice!). For the purposes of
determining discipline tests, combine the combat strength of both of the flanking units against the unit
who is being flanked to determine who has the highest. If the flanking units combined combat strength
is lower (a sad day indeed) then only the unit in front must make a discipline test. If the flanked unit
must make a test, then both opponents will re-roll attacks on them.
When determining if the flanked unit took twice as many unsaved hits, add the unsaved hits from both
of the flanking units together. If the flanked unit fails a discipline test, and gets the flee result then they
will not fall back. Instead, they will continue to fight, but only fight at half of their combat strength,
rounding down.
Simple Weapon
A simple weapon is a one handed sword, or axe. It is easy to use, and most armies are outfitted with
them. A simple weapon hits on a 4+.
Spear
A spear is a long weapon with a sharp point. It is cheap to make, and an ideal defensive weapon. A
spear weapon hits on a 4+ If an enemy unit moves to engage a unit with spears, then the unit with
spears will make all of its attacks before the enemy unit does. The discipline test will still happen before
any blows are struck. Any models killed by the unit with spears do not get attacks when that unit fights
back. Also, if a unit of cavalry (which will be discussed later) charges a unit of spears, then the unit with
spears will hit on a 3+ instead of the usual 4+.
Blunt Weapon
Blunt weapons can be maces, hammers, or even heavy axes. Blunt weapons are used to smash through
armor. A blunt weapon hits on a 4+. Blunt weapons reduce the enemy’s physical save by two when the
enemy is making saves against them. Blunt weapons are slow to use however, and they will attack last
in combat. Any models killed before the unit with blunt weapons attack do not add their combat
strength to the number of attacks that unit gets.
Lance Weapon
A Lance is a heavy version of a spear used by Cavalry. A Lance Weapon hits on a 4+. If a unit of cavalry
moves into melee combat with a lance, then they will strike first, just like spears. If they move into
melee combat against a unit with spears, then each unit will attack at the same time. Note that these
bonuses only apply if the cavalry unit was the one to move into melee, not if they were engaged by a
unit.
Unit Types
Most units on the battlefield are just foot soldiers. However, some units are very different, such as
skirmishers or cavalry. In war there are also officers, and champions. These units rules are discussed
here.
Cavalry
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Cavalry are warriors on horseback. A large riding horse easily weighs a thousand pounds. Horses can
also move much faster than men on foot, and are therefore faster. First and foremost, units of cavalry
have at least two hit points. This makes them much tougher. It is better not to think of one hit point as
being the horse, and one his rider, but the combination of both as being tougher than normal. Units of
cavalry will have a much greater speed than normal, and have access to lance weapons, as described
above.
Not all of the advantages of cavalry are in their profile. Units of cavalry can move their base speed for
free while using ranged weapons. This means that they may move their base speed and fire a reload
speed 1 weapon twice, or a reload speed 2 weapon once (even if it was not loaded!).
Units of cavalry can charge quite quickly when they commit themselves to an attack. If a unit of cavalry
is moving to engage an enemy unit in melee combat, they can move an additional three inches. Also,
when a unit of cavalry charges into melee combat, their momentum alone is a weapon. On the first turn
that a unit of cavalry moves into melee combat, each model gets a +1 bonus to their combat strength.
This bonus only applies if the cavalry were the ones who moved into melee combat.
Skirmishers
Skirmishers are groups of units that are designed to harass the enemy. Their whole purpose is to make
sure that the enemy must do what your army wants, by whittling them down if they do not.
Units of skirmishers are irregular troops. They are meant to work far out into the field, and sometimes
behind enemy lines.
Skirmishers can rotate a full 180 degrees at the start of their movement with no penalty. Remember
that movement can be before or after shooting. Also, units of skirmishers can move through friendly
units as long as they do not end up touching them.
Scouts
Scouts move away from the main body of the army to look for the enemy, and harass them, much as
skirmishers do.
The scout special rule gives the same bonuses as skirmishers. In addition, scouts have special rules
regarding their deployment. It is best to read the rules on deployment before trying to understand what
scouts do.
At the start of the game, after both sides have deployed, each side will set up scouts. If only one player
has scouts, this is simple. The player with scouts will place them anywhere on the board so that they are
20’’ away from the enemy deployment zone.
If both sides have scouts, this is rather more complicated. Each player with set their scouts directly in
front of their deployment zone in no mans land (so that the back row is just touching the edge of the
deployment zone). After this is done, players will have a roll off to see who makes the first scout move.
The player who moves their scout unit first will move just one scout unit. Then the next player will
move one of their scout units. Units can double move, but do not have to move at all. Players will
continue alternating moving their scout units until one player has run out of scout units to move. Then
the next player will finish by moving all the rest of his scouts that he has not moved yet (Each scout unit
must have moved, or had the opportunity to move, once before any scout unit can move twice).
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After that you will start the process over again. This goes on until one of the units is moved to within
20’’ of either another scout, or the enemy’s board edge (Or until each player says all of their scouts are
done moving). At this point, the battle starts.
This whole process is very important for the rest of the game, as scout units can to try and hold key
positions, or move into a flank.
Fearless
A unit with the fearless special rule always passes discipline tests, regardless of any penalties that they
have.
Weapon Master
Any unit with the Weapon Master special rule has a +1 bonus to hit wielding any weapon. Remember
that a roll of a 1 is always a miss.
Playing a Game
Commander. Also, each army must spend half of its points (rounding down) on core unit choices. This
will make more sense when you look at an army book.
Setting up a Game
After each side has built their army, players will then set up a board. A standard board is 6 feet by 4
feet, though this is only a guideline. You could play on a completely flat board, representing a flat field,
but this is somewhat boring (though not a bad game to start off with!).
Instead, you can put pieces of terrain on the board. Terrain comes in several different types, which each
player should talk about as they set up their board. Look at the Types of Terrain section below for guide
lines on terrain.
After terrain has been set up, it’s time to determine which deployment type to use. Roll a D6. On a roll
of a 1-3, tactical deployment will be used. On a roll of a 4-6, strategic deployment will be used.
Tactical Deployment
Tactical deployment is played by splitting the board into three sections. Two of them will be one feet
wide on either edge of the board, and the third will be a two foot by six foot space of no-mans land in
the center.
12’’
24’’
4 Feet
12’’
6 Feet
The players roll off, and the winner will choose which 12’’ area he will start in. The other player will take
the other 12’’ area. The players roll off to see who places their first unit, and who goes first. The player
who wins the roll off chooses who places their first unit in the 12’’ area. This can be any unit in his army,
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except for scouts which are deployed as detailed in their special rules. Then the next player will place
his first unit, and players will continue alternating till they are each out of units,
After all units are on the board, then place and deploy scouts. When that is done, the game begins. The
player who placed their first unit will go first.
Strategic Deployment
Strategic Deployment
Strategic deployment works in the
same way as Tactical Deployment,
16’’ except that players deploy in the 16’’
areas.
6 Feet
40’’
16’’
4 Feet
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Types of Terrain
There are multiple types of terrain that can have different effects on units.
Hills
If a ranged unit is on a hill, then they can fire over friendly or enemy units, and other small obstacles.
Similarly, enemy units can shoot at them over other units.
Impassible Terrain
Impassible terrain could be lava, a deep river, or a giant pit. Units cannot pass through impassible
terrain, but can see over it.