Volley And Bayonet™
The Age of Frederick ©2000, Frank A. Chadwick, all rights reserved.
CREDITS Game Design: Frank Chadwick & Greg Novak Playtesting: The Volley & Bayonet Mailing List (Thanks, Guys!) Useful Advice: Rich Bliss, Jeff Glasco, Tom Harris, John Holtz, Glenn Kidd, Keith McNelly, Jim Nevling Research Assistance: Giorgio Baratto, Fabrizio Daví, Bob Kalinowski, Mike Kirby, Diego Lena, John Morgan, Mark Sieber, Martin Soilleux-Cardwell, Michael Welker
Warfare In The Age of Frederick The Great For the wargamer, history is a painted trollop, and an irresistible one at that. It seduces us with promises we cannot ignore. Lead the legions against the Gaulic rebels, it croons. Break Wellington’s lines at Waterloo. Face down Rommel at Tobruk. Come on, Big Boy, you can do it! Sadly, those promises often prove empty. Reading about a battle is one thing; recreating it on the gaming table is something else entirely. And yet, we continue to try, and our attempts are not without merit. But wargaming is a formal, deliberate sort of pastime, and war usually isn’t. So we capture a part of the thing, but we have to let another part of it go. The Seven Years War is a subject wargamers have long been drawn to, and for excellent reasons. Battle was a more formal, deliberate affair in the Age of Frederick, and so seems somehow ideally suited to that formal, deliberate pastime we love so well. There was something stately about battles in the Age of Enlightenment (or at least, from the safe distance of two and a half centuries, we can imagine that there was), and if wargames can do anything, they can “do” stately. Here, then, is a game which we sincerely hope does an elegant justice to an elegant age.
Detailed Table of Contents Basics Scale .......................................................4 Sequence of Play ....................................4 Roster Sheets ..........................................4
Morale and Disorder Morale Tests........................................... 20 Testing Morale ....................................... 20 Morale Modifiers ................................... 20 Army Commanders ................................ 21 Effects of Failure.................................... 21
Basing Troops Base Sizes...............................................5 Figures per Base (etc.)............................6
Disorder and Rout Becoming Disordered ............................ 21 Types of Disorder................................... 22 Effects of Disorder ................................. 22 Rout........................................................ 22 Effects of Rout ....................................... 22
Visibility ................................................8 Command Subordination .........................................10 Placement of Command Stands..............10 Effects of Command Control .................11 Movement General Procedure ..................................12 Movement Allowances…………………12 Movement and Facing ............................12 Formed Troops .......................................12 Poorly Trained and Militia Units............12 Unlimbered Artillery ..............................13 Other Stands ...........................................13 Movement of Artillery............................13 Manhandling Guns .................................13 Movement Through Friendly Units........13 Stationary................................................13 Recovery and Disorder ...........................14
Recovery from Disorder and Rout Disorder.................................................. 23 Rout........................................................ 23 Monarchs................................................ 23
Detaching Skirmishers.........................14
Combat Combat Procedure.................................. 26 Order of Attacks………………………..26 Multiple Defenders ................................ 26 Defensive Fire ........................................ 26 Number of Dice Rolled .......................... 27 Allocation of Combat Dice to Targets ... 27 Hit Numbers........................................... 27 Inf / Cav / Arty / March Col Hit #s…27-28 Casualties ............................................... 28
Retreats Retreat Path ............................................ 23 Blocking Terrain .................................... 24 Disordering Other Stands....................... 24 Retreating Skirmishers........................... 24 Blocking Cavalry ................................... 24 Advance ................................................. 25 Militia .................................................... 25
Terrain and Movement (Intro) ...........14 Charge Movement Charges...................................................16 Charge Restrictions ................................16 Cavalry Charging Skirmishers ...............17 Pursuit in Woods ....................................17 Fugitives .................................................17 March Column Movement...............................................18 Forming / Reforming March Columns...18 Column Length.......................................18 Combat ...................................................19 Table Entry.............................................19
Ranged Fire Combat............................ 29 Melee Combat Melee and Ranged Fire .......................... 30 Winning Melees ..................................... 30 Advances................................................ 30 Retreats .................................................. 30
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Skirmishers in Melee..............................31 Artillery in Melee ...................................31
Buildings Towns and Villages…………………… 47 Movement .............................................. 47 Morale .................................................... 48 Combat................................................... 48 Skirmishers in Buildings........................ 48 Wooden Buildings and Catching Fire.... 48
Facing and Combat Front Arc ................................................32 Flank Attacks..........................................32 Protected Flanks .....................................34 Saving Throws Causes of Saving Throws Buildings ................................................35 Forest......................................................35 Broken Ground .......................................35 Works .....................................................35 Counterbattery........................................35 Skirmishers.............................................35 Cavalry ...................................................36 Cavalry Skirmishers ...............................36 Disorder..................................................36 Multiple Saves........................................36
Vegetation (visibility / movement / combat) Orchard................................................... 50 Forest...................................................... 50 Standing Crops....................................... 51 Rivers / Streams (visibility / movement / combat) Rivers ..................................................... 52 Streams................................................... 52 Marshy Streams...................................... 52 Bridges and Fords .................................. 53 Ground Features (visibility / movement / combat)
Marsh ..................................................... 54 Broken Ground....................................... 54 Hills........................................................ 55 Roads (incl. Sunken Roads)................... 55
Specialized Artillery (incl. Battalion Guns) Battalion Guns........................................37 Artillery Batteries ...................................37 Siege Artillery ........................................37 High Angle Fire......................................37
Works (visibility / movement / combat) Hasty Works........................................... 56 Field Works............................................ 56 Fortresses ............................................... 56
Cavalry Breakthrough Breakthrough Options ............................39 Permanently Disordered Cavalry............39 Impetuous Cavalry..................................39 Breakthrough Charge Resolution ...........39 Breakthrough Morale Test......................39 Breakthrough Disorder ...........................40 Breakthrough in the Morale Phase .........40 Breakthrough in the Combat Phase ........40 Multiple Attacks.....................................40
Night……………………………………57 Alternate Scales ............................... 58-63 Scale Units........................................ …..64 Battles............................................... 65-67
Combat Example ............................. 41-44
Pt II Historic Battles Introduction………………………….68-70
Exhaustion and Collapse Exhaustion..............................................45 Collapse..................................................45
Battle of Krefeld……………………..71-78 Battle of Prauge………………………79-87
Special Units Corps Troops ..........................................46 Small Divisions and Corps.....................46
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BASICS SCALE The rules adopt a scale which allows almost any battle from the period to be played on a single moderately sized gaming table. Each inch on the playing surface represents 100 yards of actual ground. Each game turn represents one hour of elapsed time. Each strength point of infantry or cavalry represents 500 troops. Each strength point of artillery represents 6 guns The Alternate Scale rules (page 58) allow for fighting battles at smaller scales, either smaller battles or interesting details of important large historic actions. SEQUENCE OF PLAY Each game turn consists of two identical player turns. In the first player turn, one side is the attacker and the other is the defender, and in the second player turn these roles are reversed. Each player turn consists of the following phases: Command Determination: The attacker determines which of his units are in command and which are not. Movement: The attacker moves any or all of his un-routed units, as desired. Rally: The attacker rallies any routed units in contact with corps or army commanders. Morale Tests: Both sides test morale for units in contact with the enemy or within short range of enemy firing units. Combat: All combat is resolved in the order determined by the attacker. Exhaustion: Both players check to see if any divisions have become exhausted during the turn. If so remove any stationary markers from all stands of the division. Test for morale collapse on all exhausted divisions. ROSTER SHEETS Each player will have a roster sheet which shows the morale and the number of hits each stand can suffer before it is removed from play. Each strength point in the game at the largest scale represents 500 men or 6 guns, but a game "hit" represents the loss of about half that number. In other words a stand is removed from play when its casualties have reduced it to about 50% of its original strength. 4
In general, massed cavalry stands and formed infantry stands take 2 or 3 hits, and artillery stands take 1, 2 or 3 hits. Skirmish stands and linear cavalry stands always take only a single hit. Command stands are never hit and remain in play so long as at least one of its subordinate stands remains. BASING TROOPS All armies in the Age of Frederick (1745-1776) consisted of infantry, cavalry, and artillery. Infantry habitually deployed and fought in line, and so is called Linear infantry in Volley and Bayonet, and is mounted on linear bases (twice as wide as they are deep). Cavalry , on the other hand, is usually mounted on massed bases (as deep and they are wide). Base Sizes There are seven types of stands in the game. These are linear infantry, linear cavalry, massed cavalry, infantry skirmishers, cavalry skirmishers, artillery, and command stands. The standard sizes for these bases are listed below, with the first number being the frontage and the second number the depth. Standard Base Sizes Linear Infantry & Cavalry Stand Massed Cavalry Stand Skirmish Infantry Stand Skirmish Cavalry Stand Artillery Stand Command Stand
3" x 1.5" 3" x 3" 1.5" x 1.5" 3" x 3" 1.5" x 3" 1.5" x 1.5"
In all cases the depth of the base can be increased as necessary to allow for the size of castings. 28 mm cavalry, for example, may need a 2” deep linear base. Specialized light infantry stands may detach one or more skirmishers or break down completely into skirmishers. Detached skirmishers do not represent the skirmishers thrown out to screen the immediate front of a battalion, but rather are large detached bodies of light infantry, usually about a battalion, sent to occupy particular features or stretches of ground. These detached bodies could operate in extended or close formation and within the rules can be assumed to be in either formation as appropriate to their task on the gaming table. Cavalry is almost always deployed on massed stands, but it’s best to always model light cavalry on linear bases and use a sabot to represent the massed base. Separate linear stands are used for cavalry habitually deployed in small detachments or the occasional detached regiment. Also, light cavalry can break down into separate skirmish stands, and its best to use linear stands on sabots for this (as noted below). Skirmish cavalry bases (sabots) have no figures on them, but instead are simply an easy way to show that a linear cavalry base is in skirmish formation. Landscape the front and rear 3/4" strips of the skirmish base but leave a space in the middle for a linear cavalry base. When the linear cavalry stand goes into skirmish order, place it on the skirmish-size base.
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Note that a massed cavalry stand that may skirmish is broken down into 2 or 3 skirmish stands. Gamers may choose to have skirmisher stands made up for these units, or have linear stands on skirmish bases to replace them. Figures Per Base The number of figures mounted on a stand is irrelevant, and so the rules may be used with any scale figures desired without modification. The first playtest/demonstration of the rules was with 54 mm figures mounted four infantry or two cavalry to the massed formation base and single figure skirmishers. It has been played extensively with figures ranging in scale from 54 mm (2-3 infantry and 1-2 cavalry per base) through 28 mm, 15 mm, 10 mm, 6 mm, and even to 2 mm. The smaller scales allow players to turn the base into a virtual diorama. Smaller Scale Figures I prefer to use nice big figures, and when smaller figures are used I prefer to see them mounted on standard bases, and I like the look of lots of soldiers in big massed formations. But some folks have limited gaming space, and so may find it more convenient to used half scale or 2/3 scale bases and reduce the number of figures accordingly. This is particularly useful for the 6 mm figures now finding favor. Just remember to reduce all movement distances and ranges accordingly. When playing with smaller scale figures, the depth of artillery bases may be reduced to the same as their width. Avoiding Remounting Remounting figures for a new rules set is the bane of wargamers. You will want to try the rules out without remounting your figures, and the easiest way to do it is with sabots. A sabot is a piece of wood, card or plastic cut to the correct base size but without troops. As all other rules use smaller bases, it is easy to arrange several stands of infantry or cavalry on the Volley and Bayonet sabot and still leave room on the back for a unit identification label. Eventually, after you fall completely in love with these rules (as you certainly will!), you can remount your troops at your leisure, but in the meantime this is a very workable expedient, and one which was used in playtesting of some of the larger battles.
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A WORD FROM THE MANAGEMENT: FOUNDRY BASING The Foundry Company’s armies are based in two ranks on 40 mm square stands. We gain great tactile enjoyment from the chunky feel of a square stand with three or four models on it (two for cavalry) and think they look great on the tabletop, as do many gamers who have seen Foundry armies. The basics of the basing system are as follows: We base individual infantry figures on 20 mm bases, with cavalry on 20 mm x 40 mm (or deeper, as needed) bases. Once you have a fair number of figures on single figure bases, move up to the larger 40 mm multi-figure bases. Trained close order infantry: Based 4 to a stand, neatly ordered. Irregular close order infantry: Mostly based 4 to a stand, with some 3’s mixed in, and some 5’s if there’s room. We position them a little unevenly. (In the Seven Years Wars this would include provincial militia.) Trained loose order infantry: Based 4 to a stand unevenly ordered. (In the Seven Years Wars this could include jaegers and other regular skirmishers.) Irregular loose order infantry: Based as a mixture of 2, 3, and 4 to a stand, quite unevenly ordered. (In the Seven Years Wars this would be Free Corps, Croats, etc.) Close order & trained loose order cavalry: Based 2 to a stand. (Most Seven Years cavalry) Irregular loose order cavalry: Based as a mixture of 1 and 2 to a stand. (Cossacks and other banditi.) Foundry Basing with Volley and Bayonet If you initially build up your army on 20 mm stands, then once you have enough stands to fight a small battle, treat each figure as a stand and just quarter the movement and firing ranges in the book. This will give you a quick feel of the rules, although you’ll have to fudge the artillery rules a bit (as the guns will be far too wide). You can also then begin building your army of standard 40 mm square bases. Hang onto the 20 mm stands, as you can easily combine them into 4-figure massed bases or 2figure linear bases. When you have a good supply of 40 mm bases, you can play the rules using half scale measurements. From that point on, and assuming you stay with Foundry basing, you will need to make sabots, as described above. Massed base sabots should be 80 mm x 80 mm, linear base sabots should be 80 mm wide and 40 mm deep, and artillery sabots should be 40 mm wide and 80 mm deep. Massed bases are made up with four 40 mm bases (or an equivalent number of 20 mm stands) and linear bases are made up with two 40 mm bases. Individual 40 mm bases are used as detached skirmishers as well as command stands. Use the movement distances and ranges as written in the game.
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VISIBILITY A stand is only visible to another stand if an unblocked line of sight can be traced between the two stands. A line of sight is a straight line between the two stands, traced from any point on the stands as chosen by the player determining visibility. It is blocked if it passes through an obstacle. Obstacles include woods, towns, and hills. In addition, depending on the scenario, stone walls, embankments and other terrain may act as obstacles to line of sight (at the discretion of the referee or by previous agreement among the players). Stands which are not visible to an opponent may not be attacked. The referee may decide to hold non-visible stands off the table at the start of a game and not place them on until enemy troops can actually see them. Towns and Villages Stands in a town are visible from stands outside the area and can see outside the town, but line of Woods There are two types of woods in the game: orchards and forests. They have different movement and combat effects, but their visibility effects are nearly the same. Whenever the term Woods is used below, it applies equally to orchards and forests. Stands outside woods may not trace line of sight through woods. Stands in woods are visible from units outside the woods and can see outside the woods only if they are on the edge of it. Otherwise they are invisible to units outside the woods and may not see out themselves. A line of sight between stands in the same orchards is not blocked if the stands are within 3 inches of each other. A line of sight between stands in the same forest is not blocked if the stands are within 1 inch of each other . Standing Crops A unit cannot see through standing crops unless it is on a higher elevation than the crops. If the unit is on a higher elevation than the crops, the crops are no longer a block to visibility. Whenever an artillery unit, cavalry unit, or formed infantry unit passes through a field containing standing crops, they are knocked down and have no further effect on visibility. Broken Ground Broken ground usually has no effect on visibility, but may at the umpire’s discretion. Some nineteenth century vineyards relied on stands of trees with vines growing from and between them, which would certainly block line of sight, as would taller hedgerows. Lower terraced vineyards, low hedges, and simple uneven ground, on the other hand, would usually not do so. Hills Each hill is assumed to have a crest line, which runs down the center of the hill perpendicular to the line of sight of a unit. 8
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>> The elevation of the target, the observer, and any intervening obstacles determines whether the line of sight is obstructed. Woods and buildings are each one elevation high. Hills are one elevation per contour. If the target and observer are on the same level, an obstacle which rises higher than that level blocks line of sight. If the observer and target are on different levels, the following applies. If the height of the obstacle is lower than or equals the height of both stands, the line of sight is unblocked. If the obstacle is higher than one of the stands, then the following applies: The minimum requirement for passage of line of sight over an obstacle is that the stand on the higher elevation must be at least one level higher than the obstacle, and that the obstacle be closer to the higher stand than to the lower stand. If the higher stand is at least two levels higher than the obstacle, the obstacle can be at any point along the line of sight, as long as it is not within two inches of the lower stand. For purposes of determining an obstacle, hills have a cumulative effect in that they are added to any other obstacle found on top of them. Thus, if woods are found on top of a hill one contour high, the obstacle would be treated as if it were two levels high. Finally, crests of hills block line of sight when looking to or from a lower elevation, but not to the same or higher elevation. <>
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COMMAND Command determination takes place at the beginning of a player's turn. All command stands and all units entering the table for the first time are automatically in command. All other units which are within six inches (6") of a command stand to which they are subordinated are in command. In addition, any unit of a division is in command if it is touching another unit of the division which is itself in command. In this case, which is called command by contact, the unit in command by contact must also end its turn in command by contact to the same commander. Example In the following diagram, the two stands of cavalry on the flanks are out of command control. All other stands are in command. All stands are within the six-inch command radius of the commander except for the infantry stand on the far left. As this stand is touching another stand which is in command control, however, it also is in command. <> <> Subordination A stand is subordinate to its own division commander, its own corps commander, and its army commander. It is not subordinate to a different division or corps commander. Any troops listed in a scenario as army troops may be commanded by the army commander or any corps commander in the army. Any troops listed in a scenario as corps troops may be commanded by the army commander, the commander of the corps in which the troops are listed, and any division commander of that corps. Placement of Command Stands Although command stands are usually marked with the identity of the actual unit commander, command stands represent the unit’s center of gravity for command control purposes rather than the actual physical presence of a particular officer. Command stands should be placed wherever is convenient for the player, provided the new location is within the movement allowance of the command stand. If the presence of a command stand would block the movement of either friendly or hostile troops, the owning player may displace the command stand the minimum amount necessary to allow the movement to proceed unhindered. If a division commander is present with or near (within 3 inches of) one unit of a division when it is destroyed, he may be moved immediately to the location of any surviving element of the division, the same holding true for corps commanders. This movement is not limited by the movement allowance of the commander. If a division commander is present with or near (within 3 inches of) one unit of a division when it is routed or forced to retreat from melee, he may move back with the stand or remain in place, at the owning player’s option. 10
EFFECTS OF COMMAND CONTROL Only units in command may move toward visible enemy units or become stationary. Units out of command may not move closer to visible enemy units. Units out of command may only move half their movement allowance, may not recover from disorder, may never become stationary for purposes of morale or combat, and if they move at all are disordered at the end of their movement. (Units out of command which do not move, however, are not disordered). Units once stationary do not lose their stationary status due to a loss of command. Troops out of command may make a free facing change (if normally allowed to do so) and it does not count as movement. Artillery out of command may neither limber nor unlimber during the movement phase of the turn.
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MOVEMENT In the movement phase any and/or all units of the attacking player may move. GENERAL PROCEDURE Each unit may move up to its full movement allowance, unless limited by terrain or the effects of command (described above). Movement Allowances Movement rates are as follows: Type Formed Infantry Skirmish Infantry Heavy Cavalry (& all Cavalry with Battalion Guns) Medium and Light Cavalry Siege Artillery Other Foot Artillery Horse Artillery Commanders
Movement 12 inches 16 inches 20 inches 24 inches 12 inches 16 inches 24 inches 24 inches
Movement and Facing Facing has an important effect on movement, and it was difficult for large bodies of formed troops to perform complex maneuvers on the battlefield. A unit must maintain its facing while moving and move in the direction it is faced. It may move obliquely at up to a 45 degree angle from directly ahead, so long as its facing is maintained. <> <> Formed Troops: Formed troops refers to non-skirmish infantry and cavalry. A formed infantry or cavalry stand may make one free facing change at any time during its movement, changing its facing to any direction desired. An additional facing change costs either half of its total movement allowance for the turn (slow infantry pays 6 inches, other infantry pays 8 inches, heavy cavalry 10, other cavalry 12, etc.) or a disorder result, at the player’s option. Note that stands with no movement left may change facing by becoming disordered. However, only non-disordered stands may change facing by accepting a disorder result; already disordered stands may not. Poorly Trained Troops and Militia: In some scenarios some troops will either be classified as Poorly Trained (PT) or Militia (Mil). Although militia has an additional effect on morale, the effects on movement of both of these troop classifications are identical. Poorly trained formed troops and militia do not receive a free facing change during movement. All facing changes cost either half of the unit's movement or a disorder result. Again, only nondisordered stands may change facing by accepting a disorder result; already disordered stands may not. (Note that since militia are always disordered - as explained later in the Morale and Disorder rule - they may never change facing except by paying half of their movement.) 12
Unlimbered Artillery: Unlimbered artillery is not allowed a free facing change, but may pivot in place. See artillery movement and facing below. Other Stands: Skirmishers, commanders, and limbered artillery may make as many facing changes as desired during movement, all at no cost. Note, however, that poorly trained skirmishers and militia skirmishers do not receive any free facing changes during movement. Movement of Artillery In general, artillery may only move while limbered, but may only fire while unlimbered. (But see Manhandling Guns below.) Limbering and unlimbering each count as a facing change, and while limbered artillery does not pay any penalty for facing changes while actually moving, it does pay the facing change costs for limbering and unlimbering. Normally this would allow an artillery unit to limber (its free facing change), move half, and then unlimber (paying a half move to do so), or alternatively limber for free, move its full movement allowance, and unlimber by becoming disordered. However, foot artillery may never limber and unlimber in the same turn, even if it has sufficient movement to do so. Horse artillery may limber and unlimber in the same turn (by paying whatever movement cost is required). Note that artillery which does not move but which uses a free facing change to unlimber becomes stationary, as it has not expended any movement. Unlike infantry and cavalry, unlimbered artillery may not pivot in place as a free facing change. Unlimbered artillery may change facing but doing so counts as movement and so loses (or prevents) stationary status. Manhandling Guns: A gun may be manhandled (or moved by prolong) 2 inches without limbering. This consumes its entire movement. Guns may not be manhandled through any terrain which requires a movement cost penalty, such as into broken ground, up a hill, or across a stream. Movement Through Friendly Units All units may move freely through friendly units during movement without adverse effect. Formed units which move through other friendly formed units during a retreat or a rout (see the Morale rule later) may disorder the unit moved through. See the Morale and Disorder rule, for a detailed explanation. Stationary An infantry or artillery unit which is not disordered or routed, is in command, and does not move during a turn may be declared stationary at the end of movement. Stationary status is marked by placing a "stationary" marker (usually a length of green pipe cleaner) behind the unit. The effects of being stationary are covered in the combat rules below. Once a stationary unit moves, remove the stationary status marker. Note that a free facing change does not cost any movement and so may be made by a stationary unit without removing its stationary status marker. Likewise a unit which makes no other movement in a turn may make a free facing change and become stationary.
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Recovery and Disorder Any disordered unit (see the Morale and Disorder rule) which begins the turn in command may reform (recover from disorder), but expends half of its movement allowance doing so. Disordered units may reform at either the beginning of movement or at the end of movement, but may not make a partial move, reform, and then complete their move. DETACHING SKIRMISHERS Many stands may detach a single strength point of skirmishers, as detailed either by the army notes or the scenario notes. This happens at the very beginning of movement, does not cost any movement, and the skirmisher may later be reabsorbed at no movement cost. Stands may not detach a skirmisher if this would reduce them to less than 2 strength points. Some stands may break down entirely into skirmishers. This includes all light cavalry and specially trained light infantry of some armies. Each strength point in the stand produces one skirmisher. The original stand is removed from the table and replaced by the appropriate number of skirmisher stands at the beginning of the movement phase and at no movement cost. In the case of light cavalry stands, replace the massed stand with the appropriate number of linear cavalry stands on skirmish bases (sabots). Linear cavalry is usually one strength point per stand to begin with. In this case the linear cavalry stand is placed on a larger skirmish base (sabot) to show that it is skirmishing or left on its regular base to show that it is formed. Linear cavalry pays half of its movement to reform and may only do so at the end of its movement. Two or more skirmish stands from a larger stand broken into skirmishers may recombine by moving together and then paying half of their movement allowance. The skirmish stands must be from the same original unit. Cavalry stands broken into skirmishers may be reformed by any one or more surviving skirmish stand of the unit by paying half of its movement. The skirmish stands are removed and replaced with a formed stand at the end of the movement phase. Skirmishers may not move into contact with the enemy the turn they reform. TERRAIN AND MOVEMENT Terrain affects movement as detailed in the various terrain rules. In general, terrain types will either disorder the unit when it moves through the terrain, cause a penalty of half a unit’s movement to cross a barrier, cause the unit to pay double cost while moving through a specific type of terrain, or some combination of the above. All of these terrain penalties are cumulative. By way of example, forest causes infantry to pay double for movement while a stream costs half of a unit’s total movement allowance to cross. The infantry stand below wishes to move forward through the forest and across the stream. It moves one inch in clear terrain and then three more inches in forest. The three inches in forest count double, and so at the edge of the forest the stand has expended seven of its total of sixteen inches of movement. Crossing the stream costs half of the stand’s total movement allowance, or eight more inches, which leaves the stand with only one inch of movement on the far side of the stream. Even though part of the stand is still in the stream, the stand has paid the penalty for crossing and so in the next move would continue moving without further penalty.
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CHARGE MOVEMENT CHARGES Stands which move into contact with enemy stands (called “charging”) may not move obliquely during their movement, may only make one facing change, and must make that facing change only at the very start of their movement. A stand in march column (p. 18) must leave march column before making any other movement if it is to move to contact. Example: Allowed and prohibited charge moves are illustrated in the diagram below. <> <> CHARGE RESTRICTIONS Some stands are prohibited from moving into contact with enemy stands under some circumstances. In general, a stand which is prohibited from moving into contact with an enemy stand may not move closer than 1 inch to such a stand. Infantry skirmishers, for example, may not move closer than 1 inch to any enemy stand. No stand may move into contact with an enemy stand which it could not see at the start of its movement. (However see Pursuit in Woods below) Stands which discover previously hidden enemy stands during movement by moving into or over their position must stop one inch away from them or at the point of visibility, whichever is closer, and halt movement at that point. See the visibility and terrain rules above. No stand may move into contact with an enemy stand occupying terrain which the moving stand cannot enter. Cavalry, for example, may not move into contact with infantry occupying a town. Some unit types are prohibited from moving into contact with specific types of enemy stands, as detailed below. Artillery: Artillery stands may never move into contact with any enemy troops. Formed Infantry: Formed infantry may not move into contact with formed cavalry stands (but may move into contact with cavalry skirmishers). Infantry Skirmishers: Infantry skirmishers may never move into contact with any enemy troops. Formed Cavalry: Formed cavalry may move into contact with all enemy stands. Cavalry Skirmishers: Cavalry skirmishers may move into contact with enemy skirmishers, routed troops, and troops in march column, and may contact artillery in the flank or rear, but may not move into contact with any other types of troops.
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CAVALRY CHARGING SKIRMISHERS Whenever skirmishers are charged by formed cavalry, the cavalry passes completely through their position and continues on to contact another enemy unit or to the limit of its movement. Cavalry skirmishers withdraw 6 inches ahead of the attacking cavalry until it (the attacking cavalry) contacts a formed enemy unit and stops (at which point the cavalry skirmishers will be behind the intervening friendly unit) or until the attacking cavalry exhausts its movement, in which case both stands stop with the skirmishers 6 inches ahead of the charging cavalry. If the retreating cavalry skirmisher would have to contact an enemy unit or blocking terrain it stops movement and is contacted by the charging enemy cavalry. Infantry skirmishers attacked by formed cavalry are moved to the closest cover (town, village, forest, or friendly formed unit), provided the distance to the cover is equal to or less than half the distance from the skirmisher to the attacking cavalry at the start of its move. If the distance is greater than that, the skirmisher is instead eliminated. PURSUIT IN WOODS If two opposing stands are in the same woods (orchard or forest), can see each other, and one of them moves out of visibility, the opposing stand may pursue to maintain contact. When a stand in the woods withdraws from visibility the opposing player may immediately declare a pursuit. He does so by placing a pursuit marker at the point where the opposing stand left visibility. (Use a single charging figure individually mounted or some other easily identifiable marker.) In the pursuing player’s next movement phase the pursuing stand (the stand which could see the enemy stand in the preceding player turn) may make a single facing change and charge directly through the follow-up marker. This charge continues either until the charging stand contacts the pursued stand, the charging stand exhausts its movement, or the charging stand encounters another enemy stand. The charging stand may contact an enemy stand other than the pursued stand only if it could see that stand at the start of its movement. If it encounters an enemy stand which it could not see at the start of its movement then it must stop at either 1 inch or the closest point of visibility, whichever is closer. Pursuit is never mandatory; even if a player declared pursuit during his opponent’s turn he is not required to actually conduct the charge when it is his turn to move. If he elects not to do so, he simply removes the pursuit marker and is free to move the stand normally. FUGITIVES If a charging unit contacts an enemy routed stand during the movement phase the routed stand immediately routs again (and loses another casualty) and the charging stand may then continue its charge movement and contact another enemy stand (provided it is in its movement path and meets the other requirements listed above). 17
MARCH COLUMN Units in march column move considerably faster, but at a penalty in combat. MOVEMENT Units in march column move at twice their normal speed across open country and three times their normal speed on roads. (Each inch of movement expended allows the unit to move two inches cross-country or three inches along a road.) A unit which begins its move on a road and in march column may then turn as many times as it wishes so long as it is on a road and facing down it. This unlimited ability to change direction while moving along the road does not use up the stand’s free facing change. Note that units using march column to move cross country must pay for facing changes normally. Units in march column may not move obliquely. FORMING AND REFORMING FROM MARCH COLUMN It costs half of a unit's movement allowance to form march column and half of its movement allowance to reform from march column into field formation. Troops which reform from march column to field formation may face in any direction. Poorly trained troops which reform from march column are faced in the direction of the march column. COLUMN LENGTH Units in march column are considerably longer than their base depth. This is shown by placing 3” long (and any desired width) march column markers behind the unit. These can be simple squares of wood or tile, but if cotton is glued to the base and it is spray painted brown it gives a good impression of road dust. The number of road column markers added to each unit is shown below. Units Markers Skirmish Infantry 1 Linear Infantry and Cavalry, Skirmish Cavalry 2 Massed Cavalry 3 Artillery Battalions 3 Artillery Batteries * 1 * An artillery battery is an artillery unit which begins the game with a single strength point. <> <>
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COMBAT Units in march column may not conduct ranged fire and may not move into contact with the enemy. Artillery units in march column which are meleed are automatically eliminated (at the beginning of the combat phase). Infantry and cavalry stands in march column may conduct defensive combat if meleed, but only with 1 die per stand (and with each march column marker counting as a stand). However, a stand and its march column markers may never defend with more dice than the stand itself has. For example, a linear infantry stand normally has 2 melee dice. The stand itself and each of the two march column markers may defend with a single die, but the total of melee dice rolled may never exceed two, even if all three stands are attacked. Any unit in march column which loses a melee and is forced back is no longer in march column. TABLE ENTRY Most units which enter the game during play are assumed to enter in march column. The scenario notes will specify whether a unit enters in field formation or march column. If several units enter the table on the same turn in march column and along the same road, the owning player must specify their order of march. The first unit enters with its full movement allowance available. The second unit enters having spent road movement equal to the length of the first unit’s road column. The third unit enters having spent road movement equal to the length of the first two units’ road columns, etc. For example, three massed infantry stands enter along the same road. Each massed stand has a column length of 12 inches (the stand itself and three additional road column markers). The first stand enters with all 16 inches of movement remaining. The second stand enters having spent 12 inches of road movement (the length of the first stand’s column), which would cost 4 inches of its movement allowance, and so it has 12 inches of movement remaining. The third stand enters having spent 24 inches of road movement (the length of the first two stands’ columns), which costs 8 inches of its movement allowance, and so it has 8 inches of movement remaining. Although these numbers may sound confusing, it is easy to understand if you simply visualize the units stacked up in road column off of the board and beginning their movement from those positions.
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MORALE AND DISORDER Morale is the most important measure of a unit’s combat effectiveness, and influences almost all aspects of the game. MORALE TESTS Morale tests take place in the morale phase of the player turn. All units of both sides within an enemy stand’s close range or in contact with an enemy stand (except for command stands) must test morale. Only units in the arc of fire of an enemy unit are considered to be in close range for morale purposes. Stands in contact must always check morale, even if hitting an enemy stand from the flank or rear and thus not in its firing arc. Testing Morale All morale tests occur, for game purposes, simultaneously. Morale tests are made by rolling a D6 for each unit and comparing the result to the unit's modified morale. If the result is equal to or less than the unit's modified morale, it passes the test; otherwise it fails. Morale Modifiers Morale is modified by the status and location of the unit testing morale, as summarized below. Status Modifier Defending high ground[1] +1 Defending building or works +1 Meleeing enemy unit in flank +1 Army commander attached to unit +1 Meleeing skirmishers +1 Disordered –1 Any unit meleeing unlimbered artillery from front[2] –1 Any artillery meleed by cavalry[3] –1 Infantry meleed by cavalry[4] –1 Cavalry versus heavier cavalry –1 Formed Infantry or March Column meleed from flank[5, 6] –2 Any other unit attacked from flank[5] –1 NOTES 1. Cavalry units do not receive this bonus. Infantry and artillery stationary on a hill receive a +1 morale bonus if meleed by units which began their move on lower ground. If the morale test is triggered only by close-range fire they receive a +1 morale bonus if stationary and the firing unit is on lower ground. 2. This penalty is paid only when meleeing artillery stands, not when meleeing infantry or cavalry stands which contain battalion guns. 3. This penalty is not paid by artillery which is both stationary and supported. 4. This penalty is not paid by infantry with secured flanks. For formed infantry, a stand has secured flanks if there is a friendly infantry or cavalry stand in physical contact with the flank, the flank abuts terrain impassable to cavalry, or the flank is protected according to the Facing 20
and Combat Rule. Any stand attacked from the rear is treated as not having secured flanks, even if both flanks are secured as defined above. 5. Attacked from flank includes both melee and close range fire. In order for a unit to suffer the morale modifier for close range fire to flank, the unit must also be in the firing arc of the enemy unit. 6. A formed infantry stand or any stand in march column meleed from flank suffers the –2 morale modifier in place of, not in addition to, the normal –1 modifier for being attacked from flank. Army Commanders An army commander (except monarchs) may be attached to any one unit of the army for purposes of giving the unit a +1 morale bonus. If the unit suffers any casualties, though, roll a die at the end of the combat phase. On a die roll of 6 the army commander has become a casualty. Remove the army command stand from play for the rest of the game. Effects of Failure An undisordered unit which fails its morale test remains in contact and may still participate in combat, but is disordered. Mark a disordered unit by placing a yellow temporary disorder marker on it. For additional effects of disorder, see below. An already disordered unit which fails its morale test routs. Place a red permanent disorder marker on it in addition to its yellow temporary disorder marker. Results of morale tests are all applied at the end of the morale phase. First place all disorder and rout markers on units, then move all routing units in the order desired by the owning player. Note that movement of the routing units may trigger additional routs. DISORDER AND ROUT Disorder is one of the central concepts of Volley & Bayonet. Disorder represents the loss of cohesion a unit suffers as a result of difficult terrain, faltering morale, or defeat in combat. Becoming Disordered Stands may become disordered as a result of movement, morale, or combat. A stand which moves through disordering terrain immediately becomes disordered. See the terrain rules for a complete explanation of which terrain types disorder which troops. If a stand contacts an enemy that is in towns or behind forts, the attacker is only disordered once it enters that terrain after combat. It is not disordered while conducting combat. A stand which fails a morale test suffers a disorder result. In addition, a unit which routs or is forced to retreat through a friendly stand disorders that stand. (See below.) A stand which loses a melee combat retreats and is disordered. In addition, a unit which retreats from a lost melee and is forced to retreat through a friendly unit may disorder that unit. See the Retreat rule later.
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Types Of Disorder There are two types of disorder - temporary and permanent. Temporary disorder is marked with a yellow disorder marker while permanent disorder is marked with a red marker. In general any un-disordered unit which suffers a disorder result receives a temporary (yellow) disorder marker. If a unit which already has a temporary (yellow) disorder marker suffers an additional disorder result it receives a permanent (red) disorder marker (and is routed, see below). The simplest disorder markers are red and yellow pipe cleaners. More esthetically pleasing markers are individual casualty stands with the stand edges painted red or yellow. Effects of Disorder All disordered units suffer a -1 modifier to their morale. All units receive a saving throw on all casualties caused by a disordered unit. In addition, any unit which is disordered and which receives an additional disorder result due to morale or combat immediately routs. A disordered unit which receives an additional disorder result due to voluntary movement through disordering terrain does not rout and suffers no additional adverse effects. However, it may not recover from disorder at the end of its movement that turn. (Note that a mandated retreat or rout through such terrain does have adverse effects described below.) If the terrain would not have caused an additional disorder the unit may recover at the end of the turn. For example, an infantry stand which begins the turn disordered in a town and which moves out into the open may not recover from disorder since the act of leaving the town causes an additional disorder result. Rout Any disorder result due to a failed morale test or a lost melee suffered by a unit which was already disordered causes the unit to rout. Routed artillery, linear cavalry, and skirmish units are immediately eliminated. All other routed units immediately take one casualty, and move one full move to the rear. If this additional casualty would eliminate the unit it is still moved to the rear and is removed from play after completing its movement. Units in march column which rout are no longer in march column, and move to the rear at their normal movement rate, measuring from the former head of the column. Routed units are marked by placing a red disorder marker on the unit in addition to the yellow disorder marker. Effects of Rout Routed units remain routed until rallied. Routed units may not fire or move. If contacted by an enemy stand while routed, they automatically rout again (suffering another casualty and moving an additional move to the rear).
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RECOVERY FROM DISORDER AND ROUT Only temporary (yellow) disorder markers may be removed. Red disorder markers remain in place for the balance of the game. Disorder Unrouted units (those with only a yellow disorder marker) which begin the turn in command may recover from disorder during the movement phase. They do so by expending half of their movement allowance. They may recover from disorder at the beginning of their movement or at the end, but may not (for example) move a quarter of their movement allowance, recover from disorder, and then move the remaining quarter of their movement allowance. Note that since recovery from disorder requires the expenditure of movement, no stand may recover from disorder and go stationary in the same turn. Rout A routed unit may be rallied during the rally phase by its corps or army commander if he is in contact with the stand. Rallied units may not move or participate in combat the player turn they are rallied. (They may make a single facing change.) Once a unit recovers from rout, it is permanently disordered. To mark permanent disorder, remove the yellow disorder marker but leave the red disorder marker. If the unit routs again later, mark it by putting a yellow marker on the unit. In other words, units with one disorder marker (red or yellow) are disordered, while units with one marker of each color are routed. Units may remove yellow disorder markers but not red ones. Monarchs In some cases the army commander is also a monarch, and in these cases two special rules apply. First, the Monarch does not have to be in contact with a stand to rally a unit. Instead, all friendly units within 6 inches of the monarch rally during the rally phase. Second, the Monarch cannot be attached to a unit to give it a morale bonus. (Soldiers become nervous when the monarch is too close to the fighting, and sometimes will forcefully escort the monarch to the rear.) The most obvious monarch in the period covered is Frederick II. RETREATS A unit which loses a melee must “retire,” retreating half of its movement away from the unit or units it was in contact with (see the Combat rule). It ends the retreat facing the enemy from which it retreated. A unit which routs must first turn around to face away from the enemy and then retreat its full movement allowance away from the unit or units which caused it to rout. In both cases, this retreat movement may disorder friendly units. Retreat Path A retreating stand must move directly away from the stand or stands which meleed it or caused it to test morale. If several enemy stands were involved the retreating stand must move directly away from the middle of the mass of the enemy stands. A stand may only vary its movement to 23
avoid contact with enemy stands; it may not vary it to avoid contact with difficult terrain or friendly stands. A retreating stand varies its movement by the minimum amount necessary to avoid contact with enemy stands. A retreating stand may move directly across the ground occupied by enemy infantry skirmishers by simply moving the skirmisher to one side or the other (as determined by the player owning the skirmisher). A stand may make any detours necessary to avoid enemy formed stands and cavalry skirmishers so long as there is at least a 4 inch gap between the enemy stands. If there is less gap than this, the retreating stand is eliminated. Blocking Terrain Stands which are forced to rout or retreat through disordering terrain lose one additional strength point. However stands may pass across bridges, out of towns, and up or down slopes without penalty. Movement across a stream or ford does not cause a casualty; movement across a marshy-banked stream does. Stands never pay higher movement costs when retreating through difficult terrain; they retreat the entire distance of their normal movement allowance. Stands may not retreat across or through impassable terrain (such as an unfordable river). If there is no other alternative to so doing the stand loses an additional strength point and stops upon first contact with the impassable terrain. Disordering Other Stands Stands which retreat back through a formed friendly unit disorder the stand only if some part of the retreating unit's base passes through two opposite sides of the other unit's base and if the first point of contact between the stands is within the first half of the retreating unit's required retreat distance. A routing or disordered stand passing through a non-disordered stand will pass completely through it and leave it disordered. A disordered stand retreating back through an already disordered stand will carry the other stand back to the rear with it but will not rout it. A routing stand passing back through an already disordered stand will rout it. Troops either routed by a routing stand or carried back in disorder by a retiring stand move back with the routing or retiring stand ahead of it and in a body. Stands farther to the rear through which the retreating or routing stands pass are considered to be passed through by a single stand, not multiple stands. Retreating Skirmishers Skirmishers forced to retreat through other friendly units, either friendly skirmishers or formed troops, do not disorder them. Blocking Cavalry Retiring and routing infantry will retreat through and disorder friendly formed cavalry if the cavalry is encountered in the first half of the infantry’s retreat. Retiring and routing infantry in the second half of its retreat stop as soon as they come in contact with friendly formed cavalry and move no further to the rear, unless the friendly cavalry is in march column. If the friendly cavalry is in march column, the retreating or routing infantry will pass through the cavalry and continue moving to the rear. 24
Advance If a defending stand routs due to a failed morale test, any attacking stands contacting the routed stand may advance into the vacated ground and/or make a facing change. (Only one stand may advance and hold the ground but all that were in contact with the routing stand may make facing changes.) MILITIA Some stands are noted as being militia. All militia begins the game with a red permanent disorder marker (and retains it throughout the game). This means that targets fired at by militia always receive a saving throw for being fired at by disordered troops, and that any failed morale test results in the militia stand routing. It also means that militia, since it is permanently disordered, may never go stationary, and that it always receives the -1 morale penalty for disorder. Militia are also treated as poorly trained (PT), as explained on page 12 Poorly Trained Troops and Militia, and are always treated as having No Elites (NE) for purposes of melee tie resolution, as explained on page 30 Winning Melees.
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COMBAT There are two types of combat, ranged fire and melees. Melees consist of combat between two or more hostile stands in physical contact, while ranged fire consists of combat between hostile stands not in contact. All units (except command stands) may participate in melees, while only infantry and artillery may normally conduct ranged fire. A few cavalry stands have ranged fire capability as well: those with regimental artillery, termed “battalion guns” under the rules. COMBAT PROCEDURE Both types of combat are conducted in similar manners, with the exceptions noted later. In general, the attacker decides which stands of the defender will be attacked during a turn and in which order the attacks will be made. Order Of Attacks The attacker begins the combat phase by declaring which specific defending stands will be attacked. He then announces the first enemy stand to be attacked, indicates all of his own units which will attack it, and then resolves the combat. When all combat rolls (both melee and ranged fire and the defensive fire from all attacking and defending stands), retreats, and advances from that combat are done, he chooses another enemy stand to attack (from those designated at the start of the phase), announces all of his own units which will attack it, and resolves the combat. This continues until all designated defending stands have been attacked. Each stand (of both the attacker and defender) attacks or fires defensively by rolling one or more 6-sided dice. Each die roll which is the correct hit number causes a casualty on the target unit. Multiple Defenders Usually a battle consists of one or more attackers firing and/or meleeing a single defending stand. Occasionally it will consist of one attacker firing at or meleeing several defenders. For example, a stand moves forward and contacts two enemy stands. In this case both defenders must be attacked as a single melee battle, both may melee defensively, and the attacker must split his melee dice as evenly as possible between the two defending stands. Defensive Fire All stands of the defender are allowed to fire at any enemy unit which attacked them, provided it is within range and firing arc. A defending non-artillery unit may fire defensively against a melee attacking unit from any direction. A defending artillery unit may only fire defensively in melee against an attacking unit which is meleeing its front. In addition, defending units not attacked may fire defensively at any enemy units which are within their firing arc and which are in close range (but not long range) of the firing defending unit. If this fire is directed at attackers which are participating in a melee it is resolved as part of that battle. Otherwise this fire is conducted after all battles initiated by the attacking player have been resolved. Note that the term “defensive fire” includes defensive melee combat as well as ranged fire. The term “melees defensively” is sometimes used for clarity, but in general all references to firing defensively should be understood to include defensive melee combat as well.
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Regardless of the result of the attack, the defending unit is allowed to conduct its defensive fire (unless unable to due to range or firing arc limitations). Each defending stand may only fire once in the player turn. Stands which are in melee contact may only use their melee dice for defensive fire and the dice must be directed at the enemy stands in contact (either all at one stand or divided among several). Number of Dice Rolled The number of dice rolled by a stand in attack and counterattack is determined by the stand type, whether or not it is stationary, and whether it is engaged in ranged fire or melee combat. These are summarized in the table below. Unit Infantry Skirmisher Linear Infantry (early firelock drill) Linear Infantry Skirmish Cavalry Linear Cavalry Massed Cavalry Artillery Battalion Artillery Battery
Normal Fire 1 2 2 NA NA NA 1 1*
Melee 1 2 2 2 2 4 1 1*
Stationary Fire Melee NA NA 3 3 4 4 NA NA NA NA NA NA 2 2 1 1
* Target receives saving throw. Early Firelock Drill refers to certain armies armed with primitive weapons or very poorly trained. See the army lists. Allocation of Combat Dice to Targets Units involved in a melee may only allocate their combat dice to the units they are meleeing or which are meleeing them. If a stand is being meleed by two or more stands it must divide its dice as evenly as possible between them. When conducting ranged fire, artillery may direct its fire at any units within range, and artillery may divide its dice between two targets. Defending artillery fired on by enemy artillery or infantry may return fire at the stand or stands which fired on it, or it may fire at any other enemy stand or stands within close range, or divide its fire between any of the above. Infantry and cavalry with battalion guns must always fire at the closest enemy unit in its arc of fire. If two enemy units are equally close, the infantry unit must divide its dice between them equally. HIT NUMBERS Each die roll which rolls the correct hit number produces a hit. Infantry Hit Numbers: Infantry stands (including dismounted cavalry) hit on a 6 in most cases. An infantry stand specifically identified by the rules or a scenario as Shock Infantry hits on 5 or 6 when conducting melee attacks. When conducting any fire combat and when defending against melee attacks its hit number is 6. 27
Skirmishers specifically designated as sharpshooters hit on a 5 or 6 in ranged fire, but a 6 in melee.(Sharpshooters must be in skirmish order and must have a full base width between stands to receive the sharpshooter advantage.) Cavalry Hit Numbers: Mounted cavalry units hit on a 6 in most cases. If a formed cavalry stand (not a skirmisher) is not disordered and its opponent is disordered, add 1 to the cavalry hit dice (i.e. each die hits on a 5 or 6). This is called “cavalry shock.” If the cavalry stand is splitting its dice between two opponents, only one of which is disordered, the addition is made only on the hit dice directed at the disordered opponent. Artillery Hit Numbers: Artillery hits on a 6 at long range and on a 4, 5, or 6 at close range, including melee contact. March Column Units in march column may not conduct ranged fire, either offensively or defensively. Artillery in march column which is meleed is automatically eliminated. Infantry and cavalry stands in march column may melee and be meleed, but when involved in a melee each of the bases representing the unit (the unit base itself and the march column bases behind it) attacks or melees defensively with only 1 die. Only the lead base in the unit may melee (since only it has a front face capable of contacting the enemy). The other three bases may only melee defensively if they are meleed. All bases are still considered a single unit for all other purposes. CASUALTIES Each side has a roster sheet, and for larger actions will probably have one roster sheet per corps or large division. As a stand takes casualties they are recorded by marking off boxes on the roster sheet. A blank roster sheet is provided which may be photocopied for use by the owner of this rules book for use in Volley and Bayonet games. Fill in the unit name, blacken out unneeded exhaustion and casualty boxes, and fill in any needed unit information (such as morale, weight, etc.) Whenever a unit loses its final strength point it is eliminated. If it loses its final strength point due to fire combat only (that is, while not involved in melee) it is simply removed from play. If it loses its final strength point while involved in melee (even if the loss is inflicted by ranged fire), it is retreated first as if it had lost the melee and then removed. If it loses its final strength point while involved in melee (even if the loss is inflicted by ranged fire) and it is already disordered, it is routed first (as if it had lost the melee) and then removed. An infantry or cavalry strength point in Volley and Bayonet represents 500 men present in the ranks, but a roster casualty suffered in battle represents only about 250 actual casualties. Thus a six strength point unit (3,000 men) which suffered five casualties would be reduced to 1,750 men still in the ranks, not 500. The assumption of the game system is that once a unit is reduced to half strength it becomes combat ineffective for the rest of that day due to shock, fatigue, and disorder.
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RANGED FIRE COMBAT Units may conduct ranged fire, provided the target of the fire is within visibility, within range, within the firing unit's arc of fire, and there is an unblocked fire lane to the target. Units have the following ranges. Note that infantry and battalion guns only have a long range, not a close range. Unit Close Long Infantry — 2" Battalion Guns (part of infantry stand) — 4” Very Light Guns (1-2 pdrs) 3” 6" Light Guns (3-4 pdrs) 4" 8" Field Guns (6-9 pdrs) 4" 10" Heavy & Siege Guns (12 pdrs +) 4" 12" In general, enemy units which are visible to firing units (see the Visibility rule on p. 8) may be fired at. Some units which are visible, however, may not be in a unit’s line of fire. Line of fire is blocked by any friendly units and by any formed enemy units. Enemy commanders and enemy skirmishers do not block line of fire. Fire requires that a fire lane is open which is sufficiently wide to allow fire. A fire lane is sufficiently wide if it is equal to the base frontage of the firing unit. In other words, a 1.5-inch fire lane allows artillery and skirmishers to fire while a 3-inch fire lane allows all other units to fire. If a potential fire lane is blocked by standing crops (only), a unit may still fire provided only half or less of the fire lane is so blocked. A single firing lane can be used by multiple units to fire on the same target. (See illustration) <<>> <<>>
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MELEE COMBAT A melee takes place when two or more opposing stands are in contact. Melee and Ranged Fire Melees may be combined with ranged fire, provided all of the normal requirements of ranged fire (firing arc, range, line of fire) are met. Both sides in a melee may add in supporting fire. Attacking support fire is simply ranged fire directed at the defending unit being meleed. For the defender supporting fire consists of fire at any unit conducting a melee attack on the defending unit. Only defending units in close range of an attacking unit may fire defensively in support of the melee defender. Attacking units at any range may fire in support. Winning Melees When both sides have fired all units involved in a melee (including any ranged fire units firing in support of the melee) and conducted all saving throws, add up the actual total casualties suffered by each side. Only casualties suffered by stands actually in contact count for this calculation. The side which took the most casualties loses the melee while the side which took the least casualties wins the melee. When the same number of casualties are suffered by each side in a melee, the tie is always broken with a die roll. Both sides roll a die and add their modified morale. If more than one unit is involved in the melee add the highest modified morale for that side. In addition, add the following to the die roll: Status Infantry with elites versus infantry with no elites Flank-secured infantry versus non-lancer cavalry Non-flank-secured infantry versus cavalry Artillery versus cavalry Supported Artillery versus infantry**
Modifier +2 +2 –2 –2 +1
**Supported artillery is any artillery which has a stand of friendly formed non-disordered infantry touching the back or either side of its base and facing the same direction as the artillery. The high die roll wins. (Reroll in the event of a tie, and continue to reroll until a result is achieved.) The preceding notwithstanding, a side which is completely eliminated during the melee cannot win the melee, even if its opponent took more casualties. Advances If the attacker wins, any and/or all attacking units involved in the melee (but not firing in support of it) may advance to occupy the abandoned ground and/or make a free facing change. Defending cavalry which wins a melee may exercise the same options. A victorious unit may not advance to contact an enemy unit, and must stop a quarter inch away from it. Retreats The stand (or stands) of the losing side involved in the melee (but not those which simply conducted ranged fire in support of the melee) are disordered and retreat half of their normal full 30
movement directly away from the closest enemy unit. Each stand ends its retreat facing the enemy from which it retreated. If already disordered, the unit routs and moves its full move away. For a detailed description of retreats and their effects on other units see page 23. Skirmishers In Melee Whenever infantry skirmishers are meleed by formed infantry or cavalry skirmishers, the melee is fought as with any other melee, but the final result (after casualties have been removed) is handled slightly differently. If the infantry skirmisher is not eliminated, it falls back a half move and does not suffer a disordered result, while the attacker is allowed to occupy the vacated ground, make a free facing change, and is not disordered (even if it suffered more casualties than it inflicted). Infantry skirmishers which occupy a village, town, broken ground, or work melee normally. That is to say it is possible for them to win the melee and hold their ground, forcing the attacking troops back in disorder. Whenever cavalry skirmishers fight other cavalry skirmishers or infantry skirmishers the melee is resolved normally. Artillery in Melee Limbered artillery is automatically eliminated by melee contact (at the beginning of the phase). Unsupported unlimbered artillery which loses a melee is eliminated if the attacker occupies the ground originally held by the artillery unit by advancing at least one inch. If the attacker is unable or unwilling to do so, the artillery unit may retreat (provided it still has remaining strength points and is Unrouted). Supported unlimbered artillery which loses a melee may retreat. Supported artillery is any artillery which has a stand of friendly formed non-disordered infantry touching the back or side of its base and facing in the same direction as the artillery.
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FACING AND COMBAT
Facing limits the ability of a unit to attack and may impose penalties on defenders for being attacked from the flank. FRONT ARC A unit (of either the attacker or defender) may conduct ranged fire at an enemy unit which is within range, visible, and inside of the unit's 90-degree arc of fire (see illustration below). <<>> <<>> A unit may only melee attack an enemy unit if it is in contact at some point along the front face of its base (including the front corners). A defending non-artillery unit may fire all of its dice defensively against a melee attacking unit from any direction. A defending artillery unit may only fire defensively in melee against an attacking unit which is meleeing its front. A unit in a building has an all-around arc of fire but may only fire up to 1/4 of its fire dice (rounding fractions up) from each face of the building. If firing from several faces of the building it may never fire more than its total allowed number of fire dice. A unit in a building still fires defensively with all allowed dice when meleed, even if meleed from only one direction.) FLANK ATTACKS A unit suffers a morale penalty for being attacked in flank (by either melee or close range fire) and a unit meleeing an enemy unit in flank enjoys a morale benefit. A unit is not flanked if taking long range fire through its flank, but is flanked (and suffers the morale penalty) if taking short range fire through its flank or when being meleed in flank. For purposes of this rule attacks from the rear are considered flank attacks. Note that although skirmishers and limbered artillery normally do not pay to make facing changes, they still have flanks and so may suffer the penalties for being flanked. In order for a unit to flank an enemy unit when meleeing, the center point of the front of the attacking stand must be behind the front of the defending stand, and the front of the attacking stand must be at a 45-degree angle or less with respect to the side of the defending stand. Since a charging unit may not move obliquely or make any facing changes after it starts its movement, there is an easy rule of thumb to determine whether a unit may conduct a melee flank attack. If the center point of the attacker’s stand begins inside the 90 degree arc of fire of the defender, the attacker cannot get to a flank attack position. If the center point of the attacker’s stand begins outside the firing arc it can achieve a flank attack. In order to conduct flanking fire any part of the front of the firing stand must be behind an imaginary line drawn extending the target unit's front to each side. (See illustrations below) 32
<<>> <<>>
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PROTECTED FLANKS A formed (i.e. non-skirmish) infantry unit may protect its flank by closing up with another friendly formed infantry unit. If a formed infantry unit is adjacent to another friendly formed infantry unit and at right angles to it, the side of the base which forms an extension of the neighboring unit's front is a protected flank. Attacks against this side of the base do not count as flank attacks. Furthermore, an infantry stand may fire up to half of its dice (rounding fractions up) through its protected flank. Two isolated formed infantry units may protect each others flanks by forming back-to-back. In this case neither unit has any flanks, and each unit may fire up to 1/4 of its dice (rounded up) from each side of its base and 1/2 (rounded up) from its front. An infantry stand with a protected flank still fires defensively with all dice when involved in a melee, even if meleed from only one direction. <<>> <<>>
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SAVING THROWS Not all hits necessarily cause a casualty. In some cases the target unit is entitled to make saving throws to reduce the chance of an actual casualty being suffered. Whenever a saving throw is made a roll of 1-3 fails (the hit does produce a casualty) while a 4-6 succeeds (the hit does not produce a casualty). CAUSES OF SAVING THROWS The following conditions allow a unit to take a saving throw. Buildings All troops in wooden and stone buildings make a saving throw on each casualty from fire (except from heavy or siege artillery) and from melee. (All troops defending in stone buildings have additional advantages as explained in the Building rule.) Forest All infantry in forest make a saving throw on each casualty inflicted by fire (not melee). Broken Ground All infantry skirmishers in broken ground make a saving throw on each casualty inflicted by fire (not melee). Works All troops in hasty works make a saving throw on each casualty inflicted by infantry and skirmish fire (but not melee or artillery fire). All troops in field works make a saving throw on all casualties from fire (unless inflicted by siege artillery) and melee (if defending). All troops in forts make a saving throw on all casualties from fire and melee (if defending). Counterbattery All artillery makes a saving throw on each casualty inflicted by enemy artillery (unless the casualty was inflicted by heavy artillery, siege artillery, or by flanking fire). The fire from the single die of battalion guns from some infantry and cavalry units does not count as artillery fire for purposes of this rule. Skirmishers All skirmishers (except militia and poorly trained) make a saving throw on each casualty inflicted by enemy fire (not melee). Skirmishers must have a full base width between them and any friendly stand (other than command stands) to each flank to receive the saving throw. Militia skirmishers and poorly trained (PT) skirmishers do not receive this saving throw.
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Cavalry All cavalry stands may make a saving throw on each casualty inflicted by enemy fire (not melee). Whenever cavalry uses this saving throw, however, it must withdraw six inches directly away from the firing enemy unit, whether or not the saving throw is successful. A separate six inch withdrawal is made for each saving throw attempted. If more than one enemy unit is firing the cavalry must withdraw in the direction which comes closest to taking it farthest away from all of them. Cavalry skirmishers do not receive two saving throws under this rule. Cavalry Skirmishers Defending cavalry skirmishers may trade attack dice for saving throw dice in melees. That is, the skirmisher may counterattack with 2 dice (no saves), counterattack with 1 and save with 1, or save with 2 dice and make no counterattacks. The cavalry skirmisher must withdraw 6 inches per saving throw die used, and are disordered at the end of the combat (counting as having lost the melee). If the skirmishers withdraw in this manner, their opponents automatically win the melee, regardless of the ratio of casualties inflicted. Disorder All troops make a saving throw on any casualty inflicted by a disordered unit. MULTIPLE SAVING THROWS If a unit qualifies for more than one saving throw, multiple throws are made for each casualty. For example, a skirmisher in dense woods is attacked by a disordered infantry stand using ranged fire and 1 hit is scored on the skirmisher. The player who owns the skirmisher may make three saving throws (one for skirmishing, one for dense woods, one for disordered attacker) and if any one of the throws is a 4, 5, or 6 the hit does not produce a casualty. Skirmishers in buildings sacrifice their skirmisher saving throw in exchange for the building saving throw.
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BATTALION GUNS AND OTHER SPECIALIZED ARTILLERY Battalion Guns Stands in the game with battalion guns will be identified by the scenario or army list. Stands with battalion guns receive one additional die for combat with a long range of 4 inches and no close range. Infantry battalion guns may conduct ranged fire and melee combat; cavalry battalion guns may only conduct ranged fire. A stand which routs, immediately and permanently loses its battalion guns capability. A stand which moves across a marshy banked stream (except at a ford), immediately and permanently loses its battalion guns capability. A formed infantry stand may enter and remain in forest, buildings, and works without effect on its battalion guns and may use its battalion guns capability normally. The one die for battalion guns may be fired from any face of a town and is not considered part of the 1/4 dice limit of the unit. Artillery hit by the fire of battalion guns does not receive a saving throw for being fired on by artillery. Artillery Batteries Any artillery unit which begins the scenario with a single strength point is a battery. Batteries receive only a single die for fire and melee. If the battery is not stationary then the target of the fire receives a saving throw on hits caused by the battery. If the battery is stationary then the target units do not receive a saving throw (aside from any normally due them because of terrain, etc.) Siege Artillery Siege artillery may only fire when stationary. High Angle Fire Howitzers and mortars are sometimes used to deliver high angle fire. In most games, particularly at the large scale covered by Volley, Bayonet, and Glory, high angle fire is below the “grain” of the game. That is, most (if not all) conventional artillery units represented in the game are assumed to contain some howitzers and the fire effects of such small numbers of high trajectory pieces is ignored. If playing reduced scale battles (see Reduced Scale) they become more important. Also these rules may be used, if desired, to cover the very rare “pure” howitzer units. Howitzers are used exactly like conventional artillery and have the same ranges as conventional artillery of the same weight. Thus when playing using the standard scale a heavy howitzer has a close range of 4 inches and a long range of 12 inches. Howitzers may deliver conventional low trajectory fire at any time. However, instead of delivering conventional fire, howitzers may choose to employ high angle fire at any range. Mortars always use high angle fire.
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High angle fire may be conducted over the heads of intervening units which would normally block line of fire. The firing artillery unit must be able to see its target, however, and so high angle fire may not be delivered over intervening terrain features, only intervening troops. Troops behind simple linear works (walls, field works, etc.) receive no saving throws versus high angle fire. Troops in woods, towns, villages, and forts still receive saving throws. All high angle fire is conducted as if at long range (i.e. the hit number is always 6), regardless of the actual range. As mortars may only conduct high angle fire they will only have a long range listing.
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CAVALRY BREAKTHROUGH If a unit meleed by a formed cavalry unit routs, the victorious cavalry has achieved a breakthrough. Note that a cavalry breakthrough may occur during the morale phase (if an already disordered opponent fails its morale test and routs) or during the combat phase (if an already disordered opponent loses the melee and thus routs). If a disordered stand loses its final strength point in melee, it is routed (see the Casualties section of the Combat rule, p. 29) and the cavalry achieves a breakthrough. BREAKTHROUGH OPTIONS Cavalry which has achieved a breakthrough may do one of three things: it may either occupy the vacated ground and make a facing change, retire up to six inches toward the closest friendly troops and make a facing change, or continue the charge. Permanently Disordered cavalry Permanently disordered cavalry may not continue the charge or fall back; it may only choose to occupy the ground and make a facing change. Impetuous Cavalry Cavalry specifically identified in the Army Lists or scenario rules as Impetuous Cavalry does not have a choice in conducting breakthrough movement. It must charge forward every time that it has an opportunity to do so (unless it is already permanently disordered). BREAKTHROUGH CHARGE RESOLUTION If the unit continues the charge, the charging unit moves directly ahead toward the routing opponent and ends the charge move in contact with the router, unless it encounters another enemy stand first, in which case it ends its move at that point. The charging unit may never move further from the point of breakthrough than its normal movement allowance, so routing light and medium cavalry will be able to outdistance pursuing heavy cavalry. If the router was eliminated by combat, the charging unit moves up to half of its normal movement forward and contacts any enemy unit directly ahead of it in that area. Breakthrough Morale Test Once the breakthrough cavalry encounters another enemy stand it must make an immediate morale test, just as if encountering an enemy unit for the first time. If the stand encountered is already routed, the cavalry does not have to test morale again.
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Breakthrough Disorder If the option to charge is taken, the charging cavalry automatically suffers a permanent disorder result due to continuing the charge. If the cavalry already has a temporary disorder, it is removed and replaced with a permanent disorder (it does not rout the cavalry). This permanent disorder is suffered after all additional morale tests have been made but before charge combat is resolved. Breakthrough in The Morale Phase If the breakthrough charge takes place in the morale phase, the unit contacted must then test morale preparatory to a melee. If the stand contacted is already routed then it automatically routs again. In any case if the opposing stand routs then the breakthrough process is repeated again. Breakthrough in The Combat Phase If the breakthrough charge takes place in the combat phase, the player owning the cavalry stand must fight out all battles associated with the breakthrough cavalry before going on to the next combat. If it contacts a stand already contacted by another friendly stand then the attacks of both the charging cavalry and the other friendly stand (and any stands supporting the attack by fire) are conducted at the same time. If it contacts a stand not already contacted by another friendly stand then the enemy stand must make an immediate morale test. Note that all defending enemy stands already in contact with other troops have tested morale and so are not required to test again. Multiple Attacks Usually an enemy stand may only be attacked once in a single player turn (although several enemy units may combine to launch the attack). In the case of a cavalry breakthrough, however, it is possible for a stand which was already attacked by one or more enemy units to be attacked again by the breakthrough cavalry.
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COMBAT EXAMPLE All units are assumed to have a morale of 5. White is attacking. All of the Gray units and both White artillery units are stationary. All infantry stands have 3 strength points and battalion guns; all cavalry and artillery stands have 2 strength points. White Infantry 1 and White Cavalry 1 have charged Gray Infantry 2. White Infantry 2 has charged Gray Artillery 1. The other stands are not in melee contact, although Gray Artillery 2 and White Artillery 2 are both within close range of each other. Gray Artillery 1 and White Artillery 2 are also within close range of each other. Gray Infantry 1 is within long artillery range of White Artillery 1. <<>> <<>> MORALE PHASE All units must test morale except for White Artillery 1, Gray Infantry 1, and Gray Infantry 3. White Artillery 2 and Gray Artillery 2 test because they are within close artillery range. All others check because they are in contact. (Some of the stands are both in contact and close artillery range, but they still test only once.) White Cavalry 1 and all three testing artillery units test using their unmodified base morale of 5. White Infantry 1 adds 1 to its morale for charging an enemy unit in flank. White Infantry 2 subtracts 1 from its morale for charging guns from the front. Gray Infantry 2 subtracts 2 from its morale for being charged in flank and an additional 1 for being charged by cavalry. The morale die rolls and their results are as follows: Unit White Inf-1 White Inf-2 White Cav-1 White Art-2 Gray Art-1 Gray Art-2 Gray Inf-2
Base 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
Modified +1=6 –1=4
–3=2
Roll Result 6 pass 5 disorder 4 pass 3 pass 2 pass 1 pass 6 disorder
COMBAT PHASE The White player decides to simply run the attacks from his left to right, as he sees no possibility that a victory in one of the two assaults will enable him to cut off the retreat of the other unit. First Attack The first attack is against Gray Infantry 1 by White Artillery 1. The white player rolls two dice for sixes to hit (long range artillery fire). He rolls a 3 and a 5, causing no hits. Gray Infantry 1 could fire back at any unit which was within close range, but none are, as close range for smoothbore muskets and battalion guns is melee contact. Failing this, Gray Infantry 1 may return fire against any stand which fired at it, but White Artillery 1 is out of musket range, so there is no return fire. 41
Second Attack The second attack is on Gray Infantry 2. White Infantry 2 rolls three dice for sixes to hit (two from the infantry and one for the battalion guns). It rolls 5, 4, and 3 for a total of no hits. White Cavalry 1 rolls four dice for fives and sixes to hit, because it has cavalry shock. (It is not disordered and its opponent is). It rolls 2, 1, 6, and 5, for two hits. The Gray player marks off two boxes on his roster sheet. Gray Infantry 2 returns fire. Although it was stationary at the beginning of the turn, when it failed its morale test and became disordered, it lost its stationary status, and so rolls only 3 dice for sixes to hit (two for non-stationary infantry and one for the battalion guns). It divides its dice and the gray player rolls 6 and 6 against the infantry and 6 and 6 against the cavalry, or a total of two hits on each stand. However, since Gray Infantry 2 is disordered, both white units make saving throws on the hits, with rolls of 4, 5, and 6 saving. The infantry rolls a 1 and 4 while the cavalry rolls a 3 and 4. The infantry stand takes one hit and the cavalry takes one. The White player marks these off of his roster sheet. Both sides in the melee took two casualties, so the melee is tied and decided by a die roll. Both sides roll a die and add the modified morale of their best single unit to the result. For White, this will be Infantry 1, which has a modified morale of 6 (5 plus one for attacking the enemy ion flank). For Gray, the only unit present is Gray Infantry 2, and it has a modified morale of 2 (5 minus 1 for being attacked from flank, and now also minus 1 for being disordered, and minus 1 for being charged by cavalry, since it is no longer stationary). In addition, Gray subtracts an additional 2 from the melee tie breaker for being non-stationary infantry versus cavalry. (Note that this is a modifier to the tie breaker roll, and is in addition to the melee effect.) This means that no matter what Gray rolls, White will beat the roll and win the melee. Since Gray loses the melee, Gray Infantry 2 would normally have to retreat half of its move and be disordered. But since it is already disordered, it instead routs its full movement to the rear. The additional casualty suffered for the rout is also the last remaining strength point of Gray Infantry 2, and so it is removed from play, but not until after it completes its rout movement. This is very important, as its route movement takes it through Gray Infantry 3. Since it first encounters Gray Infantry 3 in the first half of its rout movement, and since it will pass through two opposite sides of Gray Infantry 3, Gray Infantry 3 will be disordered. At the end of its rout movement, Gray Infantry 1 is removed from play, as it has lost its third and final strength point. White Infantry 1 occupies the ground vacated by the infantry and turns to face Gray Infantry 1, anticipating a counterattack next turn. Cavalry Breakthrough Since Gray Infantry 2 routed from the melee, White Cavalry 1 has achieved a breakthrough move. The White player must decide whether he will take this breakthrough before resolving any other battles. He decides to take the breakthrough charge, and so moves White Cavalry 1 directly along the retreat path taken by Gray Infantry 2, until it halts when it contacts Gray Infantry 3. This battle is now resolved immediately. Gray Infantry 3 is morale 5, but is -1 for disorder and -1 for being charged by cavalry, so has a modified morale of 3. White Cavalry 1 is morale 5. Both sides roll a 4, with the result that White passes but Gray fails, and thus routs to the rear, losing a strength point. White now also places a permanent disorder marker on White Cavalry 1 for making the breakthrough charge. (Note that this is done after the morale test.) White may not conduct an additional breakthrough (as the 42
cavalry unit is now disordered) and instead occupies the ground vacated by Gray and turns to face the Gray artillery. Third Attack The third attack is against Gray Artillery 1. White Infantry 2 is in contact with it and, in addition, White Artillery 2 is within short range and has a firing lane. White Artillery 2 could instead fire at Gray Artillery 2, but elects to support the infantry assault instead. White Infantry 2 rolls three dice for sixes to hit, and rolls 6, 5, and 4, for 1 hit. However, as White Infantry 2 is disordered, Gray makes a saving throw, rolls a 6, and thus suffers no casualties. White Artillery 2 rolls two dice for fours, fives, and sixes to hit (artillery at close range), and rolls a 4 and a 3 for one hit. Gray again is allowed a saving throw (for artillery fired on by artillery), rolls a 5, and again suffers no casualties. Gray Artillery 1 now fires at White Infantry 2. Since it is in contact, it must fire at the stand charging it, and so could not fire at White Artillery 2. Gray rolls two dice for fours, fives, and sixes to hit, rolls a 4 and a 3, and so puts one hit on White Infantry 2. As Gray suffered no casualties and White suffered 1, Gray wins the melee. White Infantry 2 would normally retreat and suffer a disorder, but since it is already disordered it instead routs its full move to the rear and suffers an additional casualty. The White player marks this off on his roster sheet. Gray Artillery Attacks White has completed all of its attacks. Now Gray Artillery 2 is allowed to fire, since it is within close range of White Artillery 2. It rolls two dice for fours, fives, and sixes to hit, rolls a 6 and a 5, causing two casualties. White is entitled to saving throws for these hits (artillery fired on by artillery) and rolls a 5 and a 1, canceling one of the two hits. White records one casualty on White Artillery 2 on his roster sheet. Since the fight between Gray Artillery 2 and White Artillery 2 was not a melee, neither side is obligated to retreat or suffer a disorder result. Note that even though White Artillery 2 fired in support of the melee between White Infantry 2 and Gray Artillery 1, it was not itself in melee contact, and so hits scored on it do not influence the outcome of the melee.
Final Positions The following diagram shows the positions of most units at the conclusion of the turn. White Infantry 2 and Gray Infantry 3 would actually be farther away (off the page), but is shown for clarity. Gray Infantry 2 has been removed from play
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<<>> <<>>
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EXHAUSTION AND COLLAPSE Cumulative casualties will eventually exhaust a division and may cause its morale to collapse. EXHAUSTION Exhaustion represents a marked decline in combat effectiveness of a division due to cumulative casualties. Procedure Each division has an exhaustion level which is determined at the start of the scenario, but which is usually 40% to 60% of its total strength points. Average divisions use 50%, better divisions (those with a higher proportion of good troops) use 60%, while poorer divisions use 40%. Always round fractions to the nearest whole number, with fractional results of 0.5 rounded up. For example, an average division with 9 total strength points would have an exhaustion level of 5. A separate exhaustion track is provided on the roster sheet for each division. Mark off one box of the exhaustion track for each casualty suffered, regardless of cause. In other words, casualties from fire, melee, rout, and retreat through blocking terrain all contribute to exhaustion. Mark exhausted divisions by placing a temporary disorder marker on or next to the division command stand. Effects of Exhaustion Once a division has strength points eliminated equal to its exhaustion level, that division may no longer move into contact with (conduct offensive melees against) enemy units. In addition, no stand in the division may go stationary, and any stand already stationary loses that status. The effects of exhaustion take place at the end of the player turn, not immediately. Stationary stands of a division which becomes exhausted during a player turn do not lose their stationary status until the end of that player turn. COLLAPSE Collapse represents a sudden and catastrophic failure of morale in a division caused by casualties. Procedure At the end of each player turn during which a division is at or beyond its exhaustion level (including the player turn it becomes exhausted) and in which it suffers any casualties, the owning player rolls a die. If the die roll is equal to or less than the total casualties suffered that player turn by the division, the division suffers a morale collapse. An easy way to keep track of hits taken in a single turn is to make a single line through the exhaustion box when the hit is taken and then, at the end of the player turn, black in the box completely. This way, at any given time, you know how many hits were suffered in the current player turn, as these are the ones with only a single line through the box.
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Another way is to place a six sided die next to the division command stand as soon as a division goes exhausted. Have the side of the die facing up show the number of casualties already suffered this turn. If and when the division suffers more casualties, turn the die to show the correct new total. At the end of the player turn the number showing is the number or less which will cause collapse. Mark collapsed divisions by placing a permanent disorder marker on or next to the division command stand. Effects of Collapse If a morale collapse results, all units in the division are permanently disordered, any units which were already disordered instead rout to the rear, and any units already routed are eliminated. Units which have suffered one morale collapse are not immune to further collapses; if the same division suffers casualties in a later turn it rolls again for collapse. SPECIAL UNITS Corps Troops Units which are not part of a division (such as a corps cavalry brigade) have no effect on division exhaustion and are not usually affected by it. However, if all of the divisions in a corps are exhausted, all corps troops in the corps are considered exhausted as well. If all of the divisions in a corps have collapsed, all corps troops in the corps are considered to have collapsed as well. Mark exhausted corps by placing a temporary disorder marker next to the corps command stand. Mark collapsed corps by placing a permanent disorder marker next to the corps command stand. Small Divisions and Corps Corps which are not divided into divisions have a corps exhaustion level instead. Very small divisions (2 strength points) are not subject to division exhaustion or collapse.
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BUILDINGS There are two types of buildings in the game — towns and villages. Each town is represented by a 6-inch by 4-inch base (made of wood, card, or plastic) on which a 3-inch by 3-inch open area has been drawn or surrounded by low walls. The remainder of the base should have one or more buildings. Larger towns are represented by several adjacent town blocks. Each town block may hold either two linear infantry stands, or four infantry skirmishers, or a combination of one linear stand and two skirmishers. Each village is represented by a 3-inch by 2-inch base on which a 1.5-inch by 1.5-inch open area has been drawn or surrounded by low walls. The remainder of the base should have one or more buildings. Each village block may hold one infantry skirmisher stand. <<>> Buildings blocks (both towns and smaller villages) may be either stone or wood. In western European countries, most towns and villages would be stone during our period. Eastern European (particularly Russian) villages and towns were mostly wood. MOVEMENT Towns Infantry skirmishers and commanders may enter and move through towns without penalty. Other units may move through towns without penalty if in march column. Formed infantry not in march column may enter towns, but become disordered immediately upon entering, immediately upon leaving, and immediately upon moving from one town block to an adjacent one. Infantry not moving in a town may recover from disorder while in the town. Infantry which charge a town are not disordered unless they advance into the town after combat. Cavalry and artillery not in march column may pass through a town block (and be disordered). They may stop in the town but remain disordered (may not recover while there) and have no combat dice, either fire or melee, so long as they are in the town. Cavalry and artillery in towns are assumed to be on the roads and side streets of the town, and thus block road movement though it. They do not reduce the capacity of the town to hold infantry stands in its buildings. Villages Villages (and substantial farmsteads, which are also represented by village blocks) are small enough that they do not block line of sight or movement. Cavalry, artillery, and infantry may move through unoccupied villages without being disordered (in fact they open ranks slightly and move around them) and may end their move with part of their base on the village. They simply receive no benefit from the village terrain. Units may not move through a village which is occupied by an enemy infantry skirmisher, however.
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MORALE All stands in buildings receive a +1 bonus for morale. When multiple stands (either skirmishers or regimental bases) occupy the same town block, each stand checks morale separately but are all considered to be a single unit for melee. That is, all units in the building block may fire defensively at any units attacking any unit in the building and all losses on both sides are compared to determine the winner. If the attacker wins all surviving defending stands are ejected from the building. If the defender wins all attacking stands are driven back in disorder. COMBAT The maximum number of fire and melee dice allowed to units defending a town block is equal to the fire and melee dice of a single stationary massed infantry stand. For example, a linear infantry stand has 2 fire and 2 melee dice (4 and 4 when stationary). A massed stand has 2 fire and 4 melee dice (4 and 6 when stationary). A town can hold up to 2 linear stands, which, when stationary, could generate 8 fire dice and 8 melee dice. The maximum allowed number of dice, however, is 4 and 6. If any or all of the defending stands have battalion guns, then the additional die or dice for those guns may be fired. The troops occupying a building block may fire one quarter of their total fire dice (rounding fractions up) out of each face of the building in ranged fire, but may never fire more than their total number of allowed dice in any turn. Units in buildings have no facing and are never attacked in flank. Stands in any type of buildings receive a saving throw on all melee hits and all ranged fire except from heavy artillery and siege artillery. Stone buildings have the following additional effects. No small arms fire is allowed at stone buildings. All artillery fire is treated as if it was long range fire for all purposes. Artillery units normally within close range may not fire at stone buildings during the opponent’s player turn. Skirmishers In Buildings Skirmishers in buildings lose their saving throw versus fire for being skirmishers and instead are treated as formed troops. That is, they are not required to retreat from a victorious melee. They retain the saving throw for the building versus both fire and melee. Troops attacking them do not receive a +1 morale modifier for attacking skirmishers. Wooden Buildings and Fire Roll a die once during the combat phase of each player turn in which artillery was fired against the building block or in which a melee attack was conducted against the building block. On a roll of 6 the building block catches fire. All troops occupying the building block retreat out of the building block at the end of the combat phase and are disordered. No troops may enter the building so long as it is on fire.
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Roll a die at the start of each game turn (not player turn) following the turn in which the building block caught fire except for the turn immediately following the one in which it caught fire. (In other words, the fire will always burn for at least an hour.) A village fire goes out on a roll of 5 or 6, a town fire on a roll of 6. Once the fire is out remove the building block from the table, but the former site of the village or town is now treated as an area of rough terrain.
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VEGETATION Vegetation includes natural vegetation (such as trees) and cultivated crops. ORCHARD <<>> Orchard includes true orchards as well as lightly wooded meadows and “wood lots”, where the trees are widely spaced, there is little or no undergrowth, and most lower branches and dead wood have been removed. They are usually represented on the gaming table by widely or evenly spaced trees without lichen outline. The outside of the open woods should be delineated, however, and if no formal delineation (such as fences, green yarn, or a light green felt cutout) is provided, the outline is assumed to be straight lines connecting the outermost trees of the open woods. Movement Skirmishers, and commanders move through orchards with no adverse effects. Artillery and all formed troops pay double moving through orchards. Formed cavalry, in addition to paying double moving through orchards, is disordered immediately upon entering orchards, and may not recover from disorder while in orchards. Combat Skirmish infantry in orchard receives a saving throw from fire (but not melee). FOREST <<>> In forest, trees are closer together than in orchards and there is considerable undergrowth. Forest should be shown on the gaming table by a clearly outlined area, either using lichen or a dark green felt cutout. Model trees should be added for decoration, but they should be easy to move so as not to interfere with the placement of troops. The battle maps included in the game have only a single version of the woods terrain pattern. Whether the woods pattern represents Orchard or Forest is specified in the scenario notes. Movement Infantry skirmishers and commanders move normally through forest. All other stands pay double movement when moving through forest. Artillery may not unlimber in forest. Formed infantry and cavalry, in addition to paying double movement when moving through forest, are disordered as soon as they enter forest. Artillery may not unlimber in forest. No stand of any type may recover from disorder in a forest.
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Combat All infantry in forest receives a saving throw from fire (but not melee). STANDING CROPS Standing crops are only found in fields during June, July, and August. They are represented on the gaming table by cutouts of brown or yellow felt, or tall grass mats (such as found on welcome mats or astroturf). Pieces approximately three inches square are useful for removal after formed troops have trampled them. Standing crops affect only visibility; they have no other effect on movement or combat.
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RIVERS AND STREAMS Rivers are wider barriers, while streams are narrower. Streams are often marshy banked or steepbanked (both are treated the same in the game), which makes them a more substantial obstacle to movement. RIVERS <<>> Rivers are usually represented by broad strips of model water, either scale models of actual river or broad strips of blue felt. Movement Units may never cross rivers except at bridges or fords. STREAMS <<>> Streams are usually represented by narrow blue felt strips or actual model streams. Movement All stands pay half of their movement allowance to cross a stream. No additional movement is expended to cross the actual physical width of the stream on the table. An undisordered stand may cross a second stream in the same move by voluntarily accepting a yellow temporary disorder marker. Stands moving up or down a stream (instead of across it) do not pay the crossing penalty until they actually cross the stream, and so the owning player must declare each turn on which side of the stream is the main body of the unit represented by the stand. Combat Units which cross a stream and contact an enemy unit whose front is facing and touching (that is, defending the far bank of) the water barrier are disordered. Units which cross marshy streams and contact units on the far bank do not receive an additional disorder effect. <<>> <<>> MARSHY STREAMS Prior to modern drainage practices, many European streams had low banks with stretches of marshy ground along part of their length. Marshy banks should be shown the same way as marshy ground. Movement The marshy banks of these streams are a major obstacle to movement. Artillery may only cross marshy streams at bridges and fords. Infantry and cavalry may ford marshy streams, but are 52
disordered as soon as they enter the stream and may not recover from disorder so long as they remain in the stream. Infantry and cavalry stands which cross marshy streams (except at a ford) lose their battalion gun capability (if they have any). All of the above penalties are in addition to the normal movement cost to cross a stream. Combat Units which cross marshy streams and contact units defending the far bank do not receive an additional disorder effect. BRIDGES AND FORDS <<>> Bridges are marked with model bridges crossing rivers and streams. Fords across rivers and across marshy banked streams are marked with wagon tracks, low banks, or some other readily identifiable indicator. Bridges and fords are separate terrain types and their effects do not vary with the type of river or stream they cross. Movement Units may cross at bridges without penalty if in march column. Units not in march column may cross a bridge and either pay half of their movement allowance to do so or suffer a disorder result, at the owning player’s option. Fords allow units to cross a river or a marshy banked stream as if it were a normal stream. The narrow fordable stretches of an otherwise unfordable river or an otherwise marshy banked stream and the entire lengths of a fordable stream are treated identically for movement. Combat Units which cross a bridge or ford and contact an enemy unit whose front is facing and touching (that is, defending the far bank of) the water barrier are disordered.
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GROUND FEATURES Ground features include marsh, swamp, broken ground, hills, and roads. MARSH <<>> Marshes are areas of soft wet ground which can be difficult for artillery and formed troops to cross. This type of ground can be particularly troublesome since it is difficult to tell how soft it is by visual inspection. Marsh should be shown on the game table by scattering a light, uneven covering of very small pieces of lichen or some other terrain material over the marshy area which can be delineated by a light colored felt cutout such as brown or blue. Movement Artillery may not cross a marsh. Marsh has no effect on infantry skirmishers or command stands. Whenever cavalry or formed infantry enters marsh, it is immediately disordered and may not recover from disorder so long as it remains in the marsh. In addition, all movement costs in the marsh are quadrupled, which means that every inch moved in marsh costs four inches of movement. Combat Marshes have no effect on combat. BROKEN GROUND <<>> Broken ground includes areas of very rocky ground, but most commonly represents areas of vineyards, intensive hedgerows, small farmsteads, or other areas made difficult or uneven by natural or man-made irregularities. Movement Artillery, cavalry, and formed infantry pay double cost when moving through broken ground. Formed cavalry is disordered as soon as it enters broken ground and may not recover from disorder until is leaves the broken ground. Skirmish cavalry is not disordered but pays the double movement penalty. Skirmish infantry moves through broken ground normally. Combat Skirmish infantry in broken ground receive a saving throw from fire (but not melee). In addition, skirmisher infantry attacked by cavalry in broken ground are not automatically eliminated. Instead they fight a melee as if fighting enemy formed infantry. If they survive they must withdraw, just as when fighting enemy formed infantry.
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HILLS <<>> Hills are represented by cutouts of Styrofoam or other common scenic material. The height of the hill on the game table is a matter of personal taste, but one inch is adequate for most scale figures. Movement Formed infantry and formed cavalry pay no cost to climb or descend one hill contour. They pay half their movement and are disordered if they climb two hill contours of the same hill in the same turn or descend two hill contours of the same hill in the same turn. No penalty is paid for climbing one contour and descending another. Artillery stands pay half their movement to climb one hill contour, but pay no penalty to descend a contour. Artillery stands may never climb or descend two contours of the same hill in the same turn. Artillery moving along a road, even if not in march column, may climb or descend multiple contours without penalty. Skirmishers never pay a penalty to climb or descend hill contours. Combat Infantry and artillery stationary on a hill receive a +1 morale bonus if meleed by units which began their move on lower ground. If the morale test is triggered only by close-range fire they receive a +1 morale bonus if stationary and the firing unit is on lower ground. ROADS Movement Stands in march column and moving along a road ignore all terrain through or across which the road passes. <<>> Combat Sunken roads are treated as field works (see below) for all purposes except they do not provide a saving throw for melee losses inflicted by enemy infantry. They do provide a +1 to morale, saving throws for all ranged fire except from siege guns, and saving throws from melee losses inflicted by enemy cavalry.
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WORKS The game covers three types of works: hasty works, field works, and fortresses. These works are scenario-specific "terrain," and cannot be constructed during the game. HASTY WORKS Hasty works are very light breastworks thrown up quickly, intended to provide some cover and protection from small arms fire but not a serious impediment to movement or protection from artillery fire. Movement Hasty works cause no movement penalty. Combat In addition to the +1 morale bonus for being behind works, infantry and artillery receive a saving throw against small arms fire (but not artillery fire or melee attack). Low stone walls between fields may be considered hasty works as well, if defined as such by the umpire or by mutual agreement of the players. FIELD WORKS Field works are more substantial earthworks intended to provide proper protection against enemy field artillery. They usually do not include major anti-infantry obstacles such as a ditch, stakes, etc., although there may be a shallow ditch created by the removal of earth to form the work itself. Also the presence of the work may cause the assaulting troops difficulty. Movement Field works disorder artillery and cavalry when they enter or leave the works. Note that entering the works during an advance after melee counts as movement for purposes of disordering the stand. Cavalry and artillery are not disordered when they enter or leave a work which is open to the rear (assuming they enter from that direction). Troops which melee a work must enter it after combat, provided they win and to the extent possible. If multiple units attack the work, the attacker chooses which unit actually enters and occupies the vacated space (and thus is disordered if cavalry). Combat In addition to the +1 morale bonus for being behind works, infantry and artillery receive a saving throw against melee and all ranged fire except from siege guns. FORTRESSES Very elaborate fortresses of the Vauban type are unassailable by infantry unless a breach has been created by siege artillery prior to the assault. This would not normally occur during a game, but referees may wish to game out such an assault by assuming a breach has been created before the beginning of the tabletop game. If so, troops are disordered when crossing the breach.
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NIGHT Occasionally, the first or last turn or two of a battle will be a night turn. Night turns are like any other, with two exceptions. First, the maximum visibility at night is four inches. Second, no stand may recover from disorder at night.
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ALTERNATE SCALES The intent of Volley and Bayonet is to allow players to fight complete historical battles on a single gaming table, and complete them in a single gaming session of reasonable duration. The scale adopted as the basic scale throughout the rules allows this every battle fought during the Age of Frederick. However, there are a number of smaller battles which are of considerable interest, and often historic significance, but which are too small to address using the standard scale. To do this, a smaller scale is clearly needed. The basic mechanics of Volley and Bayonet will still serve to fight out these actions with only minor modifications to the rules. Note that all movement rates, and the radius of command, remain unchanged at all of the scales below. Unit Commanders Unit commanders are a new type of command stand introduced at the Battalion Scale and lower. Unit commanders may be mounted separately or directly on any one stand of their unit. (Regiment commanders at the Wing scale, and battalion commanders at the Division scale are usually mounted on one stand of the regiment or battalion; brigade commanders at the battalion scale are not.) Unit commanders may not rally troops and have a command radius of only 3 inches for formed troops. They have a command radius of 6 inches (the same as all other commanders) for skirmishers. If the stand containing the unit commander is destroyed, the commander is lost as well. Skirmishers and Line of Fire At the basic scale of the game, skirmishers cannot block musketry, because the musket ranges are so short compared to the size of the unit stand. At some of the lower scales, the increased range of musketry (and what the skirmish stands actually represent) makes this a possibility. Musketry may not pass through a skirmish base, or the area one base width to either side of it, and instead must be directed at the skirmish stand itself. Artillery fire may still pass through skirmishers.
REGIMENT SCALE The basic, or “standard” scale of Volley and Bayonet is called the Regiment Scale. It is so called because an infantry stand usually represents a full-strength regiment of infantry. The statistics of the regimental scale are as follows: Ground: 100 yards per inch Time: 1 hour per turn Manpower: 500 men per strength point Guns: 6 guns per strength point. Exhaustion: By division
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BATTALION SCALE The next lowest level of the game is the Battalion Scale, so called because an infantry stand usually represents a full-strength battalion of infantry. The statistics of the battalion scale are as follows: Ground: 50 yards per inch Time: 30 minutes per turn Manpower: 200 men per strength point Guns: 4 guns per strength point. Exhaustion: By division. There are few differences in the rules from the basic game. Ranged Combat Multiply all weapon ranges and visibility distances by 2. Commanders Brigade commanders are added to the game. Brigade commanders are treated and mounted as unit commanders. Only brigades which have three or more battalion stands receive a unit commander. Other commanders continue to function in the same way as at the Regiment scale. Mounting Infantry and cavalry are mounted exactly as they would be at the regimental scale: formed infantry on linear bases and formed cavalry on massed bases. Battalion guns are still considered to be integral to the infantry or cavalry stand. Artillery Two strength-point artillery stands at Battalion Scale are single batteries (approximately 8 guns) but are treated as if they were Regimental Scale battalions. One strength point artillery stands at the Battalion Scale (4 guns) are treated the same as Regimental Scale batteries. Buildings Villages are now represented by a single town block. Actual village blocks represent a group of one or two isolated buildings. Towns are represented by two town blocks for each town block at the Regiment scale. Major roads through the town are shown as open road areas. WING SCALE The next lowest level of the game is the Wing Scale, so called because an infantry stand usually represents a wing, or half of a battalion. In some cases weak battalions are represented by a single stand. The statistics of the wing scale are as follows: Ground: 25 yards per inch Time: 15 minutes per turn Manpower: 80 men per strength point Guns: 2 guns per strength point. Exhaustion: By brigade. Ranged Combat Multiply all weapon ranges and visibility distances by 4. 59
Commanders Regiment commanders are added to the game. Regiment commanders are treated and mounted as unit commanders. Only regiments which have three or more stands receive a unit commander. Brigade commanders function as do division commanders in the standard rules. (They may command but not rally). Actual division commanders at this scale function as corps commanders under the rules. (They may command and rally.) Actual corps commanders and above function as army commanders under the rules. (They may command, rally, and attach themselves to a stand to provide a +1 morale bonus.) Mounting All infantry and cavalry are mounted on linear stands. Battalion guns are now shown as separate artillery units. Artillery All artillery stands begin each Wing Scale scenario with only one strength point and are treated as though they were batteries at the Regimental Scale. This means that unlimbered artillery stands always fire one die in combat. If the firing artillery is not stationary, the target receives a saving throw on hits; if it is stationary, the target does not receive the saving throw. Stands in close range of artillery at the wing scale are only required to test morale if they are within close range of two adjacent artillery stands, and are on or within three inches of a line drawn forward from the adjacent edges of the two stands. (In other words, a single stand of two guns on its own does not trigger a morale test; only “batteries” of four or more guns massed together do so.) Each stand of light or very light artillery may be assigned to an infantry stand at the beginning of the scenario, if desired. For the rest of the scenario, the artillery stand moves with its assigned infantry stand at the same speed as the infantry, the guns being manhandled by men detached from the infantry stand. The artillery stand must have the same facing as the infantry stand. If the infantry stand enters any terrain impassable to artillery, the artillery stand is left behind and may not move or fire for the balance of the scenario. (It is effectively lost for purposes of the scenario, but is recovered for purposes of a campaign game.) If the infantry stand enters melee, the artillery stand stops 1 inch short of contact, and may fire as if it were within contact with its supporting infantry. It must move back into contact at its first opportunity. If the infantry stand is forced back from melee, the artillery stand remains in place until the infantry can rejoin it. Artillery receives a saving throw from all fire, not just counterbattery fire. (Artillery does not receive a saving throw from melee.) Buildings Farmsteads with outbuildings are represented by a single town block. Actual village blocks represent a single isolated building or a cluster of smaller outbuildings. Towns and villages are represented by two or more town blocks, each representing a block or half-block of the town. Roads and streets through the town should be represented as open areas 60
three inches wide, which allows stands of cavalry and artillery to deploy in and fight inside the town (but not in the town blocks). Other open areas, such as town squares and courtyards, should also be shown as areas three inches across or larger. Infantry may not move directly from one town block to an adjacent connected one; they must move into the street (and suffer disorder) and then move by street to a place adjacent to the other town block and then enter. Regimental Integrity At the Wing level, all stands of the same regiment which are touching at the end of movement function as a single entity, and are called the “united regiment.” The united regiment tests morale as a single entity, and the effects of the morale test apply to all stands of the united regiment. If one stand of the united regiment is already disordered, the entire united regiment suffers the -1 modifier to its morale. If the united regiment fails the morale test, only the one stand already disordered routs, and the rest are simply disordered. The stands of the united regiment suffer casualties as a whole. Although each stand has a separate roster sheet, all casualties on the united regiment are scored on the single weakest stand of those which are united, until that stand is eliminated. Then all hits are scored on the next weakest stand, and so on. The stand containing the Unit Commander is always the last stand in the united regiment to be removed. If one stand of a united regiment is fired at, all stands of the united regiment may return fire (but only into their firing arc and only at enemy stands which fired at them). Any stand of the regiment (except for skirmish stands) which is not touching the rest of the regiment (and so is not functioning as part of a united regiment) suffers a -1 morale penalty. If there is only a single stand remaining in the regiment, that stand counts as the united regiment, and does not suffer the morale penalty. If there are only two stands in the regiment, one stand (of the player’s choice, but determined at the start of the game) constitutes the united regiment if the two stands are split, and does not suffer the morale penalty. The other stand, if split off from the united regiment, does suffer the penalty. Any stand which was part of the united regiment at the start of movement can continue as part of the united regiment if it ends its movement still in contact with it. If it ends its movement no longer in contact, it functions as a detachment (and suffers the -1 morale penalty). Any stand not part of the united regiment at the start of movement may rejoin the regiment by ending its movement touching the regiment. However, it costs half of the movement of both the detached stand and the united regiment to reabsorb the detachment into the regiment. Drill There are two aspects of formation movement which are handled differently at the wing and lower scales. Interpenetration: The gaps between units (and the time to open and close ranks to allow passage of a friendly force) are no longer assumed to allow easy passage of lines. If a friendly formed stand interpenetrates another friendly formed stand, both stands are disordered. Interpenetration consists of any part of the moving stand passing through two opposite sides of the interpenetrated stand. For the purposes of this rule, limbered artillery counts as a formed unit. Unlimbered artillery and all skirmishers do not count as formed units. Facing Changes: At the higher scales, a facing change is always done on the center of the stand. This is because each stand represents a number of separately maneuvering elements which 61
rearrange themselves within the general area occupied by the unit stand. At the lower levels, however, a stand represents a single element which maneuvers on its own and as a whole. The main effect of this is that the pivot point of the stand for purposes of facing changes is one of the forward two corners (whichever the owning player desires) instead of the center. The one exception to this is that a stand may turn 180 degrees around in place and is not required to pivot on a corner. DIAGRAM 13
DIVISION SCALE The lowest level of the game is the Division Scale. Each infantry stand represents a quarter of a battalion (one or two companies, depending on the nationality). In this period, such a unit was called a division (not to be confused with the larger formations consisting of several regiments and usually commanded by a lieutenant general) or sometimes a grand division. The statistics of the division scale are as follows: Ground: 12.5 yards per inch Time: 10 minutes per turn Manpower: 40 men per strength point Guns: 1 gun per strength point. Exhaustion: By brigade or regiment. Ranged Combat Multiply all weapon ranges and visibility distances by 8. Commanders Battalion commanders are added to the game. Battalion commanders are treated and mounted as unit commanders. Only battalions which have three or more stands receive a unit commander. Regiment and brigade commanders (mounted as separate command stands) function as do division commanders in the standard rules. (They may command but not rally). Division commanders at this scale function as corps commanders under the rules. (They may command and rally.) Actual corps commanders and above function as army commanders under the rules. (They may command, rally, and attach themselves to a stand to provide a +1 morale bonus.) Mounting The same rules for mounting are used as at the wing scale. Artillery The same additional rules for artillery are used as at the wing scale. Buildings Farmsteads or groups of outbuildings are represented by a single town block. Each actual village block represents a single isolated building. 62
Towns and villages are represented by two or more town blocks, each representing a block or half-block of the town. Roads and streets through the town should be represented as open areas three inches wide, which allows stands of cavalry and artillery to deploy in and fight inside the town (but not in the town blocks). Other open areas, such as town squares and courtyards, should also be shown as areas three inches across or larger. Infantry may not move directly from one town block to an adjacent connected one; they must move into the street (and suffer disorder) and then move to a place adjacent to the other town block and then enter. Enclosures (such as churchyards or the courtyards of manor houses) are represented by walled enclosures with the walls counting as works (or hasty works if the walls are in poor repair or insubstantial). Park areas in towns may be represented by stretches of open woods. Battalion Integrity The same rules for regimental integrity are used as at the wing scale, except at the division scale they apply to battalions, not regiments. Small regiments may be counted as a single battalion for purposes of this rule. Drill The same rules for drill are used as at the wing scale.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT SCALE How do you decide which scale is best? In many cases this is simply a matter of taste. If you feel like playing out a low-level tactical game then use the division or wing scale. The question becomes more difficult when you want to refight a historic battle. The rules are intended to let you refight a real battle, and so the place to start is the real battlefield. Find a map and just take a look at it. Measure the size of the battlefield and see how big a table you will need. The following chart shows the actual “footprint” of a 6-foot by 9-foot gaming table at the four scales. This size is used because it usually breaks in convenient increments of miles and so makes estimating table size fairly easy. If your table is somewhat smaller (say 5-foot by 8-foot) adjust the “footprint” accordingly. Scale Regiment Battalion Wing Division
Table 4 miles x 6 miles 2 miles x 3 miles 1 mile x 1.5 miles 0.5 miles x 0.75 miles
Once you look at the comparative battlefield sizes the different scales give you, the answer will usually be obvious.
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SCALE UNITS Once you have an ideal scale, you will need to reduce the historic units to game units. Assuming you have an order of battle to work from it is a simple (if sometimes tedious) job to convert the various manpower strengths and gun counts to scale units. Along the way, however, you will have to make some decisions. What are the minimum and maximum strength points that you can put on a single stand? Skirmishers and linear cavalry are easy: one strength point each. Artillery is also fairly easy: three strength points maximum, but more commonly two. The minimum number of strength points for a linear infantry stand is two. Its maximum is four at the regiment/Battalion scales, and five at the Wing/Division scales. The minimum number of strength points for a massed cavalry stand is 2 and the maximum number is 3 at both regiment and battalion scale. Massed stands are not used below the battalion scale. Where to Break Stands Whether a mass of men equaling 4 strength points should be represented by one stand or two with fewer points each is the referee’s decision, but two general rules should serve as guides. First, units which fought together should, if possible, be represented by a single stand. Second, the poorer the troop quality the larger the average manpower strength of the stand, all other things being equal. The army lists will provide some guidance using historical formations.
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BATTLES Battles are what Volley and Bayonet is all about. Although the original intent of the system is to allow the refighting of historical battles, most groups will end up fighting staged non-historical battles at least as often as historical refights, for several reasons. Historical refights require a considerable amount of research, more so than a group may want to invest in a casual game. Additionally, for groups intimately familiar with the history of their favorite campaign, historical refights may lack the sense of uncertainty that a staged battle has; players know how the general course of a refight of Waterloo is likely to go. There may be genuine suspense as to whether Picton will hold the ridge or whether Jerome will overrun Hougoumont or whether Blucher will arrive in time, but there’s not much question that these will be key incidents in the drama. Also many groups like to fight campaigns, and we heartily commend that sentiment. Volley and Bayonet is ideal for campaign game resolution due to its fast speed of play, but obviously battles fought as part of a campaign game are non-historical, even if the forces involved are historically based. Finally, all historical gamers are intrigued by the question “what if?” Exploring historically possible alternatives is one of the most intellectually interesting parts of wargaming, and that means fighting battles which never happened, but which might have. The comments on rating troops at various scales can help set up a historical battle and the point system and army lists given later can assist in what-if battles. The following notes provide additional direction. Armies and Sides The Seven Years War was characterized by formal pitched battles between roughly equal armies. This is ideal for the wargamer, as it allows two friends with similarly sized armies to fight games which bear a considerable resemblance to historical events. The Army lists in the game have points for the units of all the armies, as well as guidelines on how many commanders different armies typically had in the field. Using these lists, players can build armies and rate their point values for a game. The two armies should be roughly the same point value, but not exactly the same, as that tends to produce stalemates. So we recommend that one side be the attacker, and be given 20% more points than the defender. So the defender might have a 600 point army, while the attacker could put 720 points on the table to match it. Which player is the attacker and defender determines which side moves first (the attacker) and how much of the table each side has for its initial setup (see below).
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The Battlefield Photocopy all of the historical battle maps from this book (permission to make one photocopy for personal use is hereby granted), and glue them to stiff card (or just photocopy them directly onto card stock). Carefully cut them into square map tiles, along the grid lines printed on the maps. Most of the historical maps consist of six map tiles, but a few consist of only four. Once you have all of the map tiles cut out, shuffle them up and deal out six tiles to each player. The Defender starts by laying down any one map tile. The Attacker then lays a tile down next to it. The tile the attacker lays down must match up to one side of the tile already placed. Hills must match up with hills, rivers must match rivers, and streams must either match streams or ponds. (ponds can be freestanding). Woods and marshes do not have to line up. The defender then places another tile, and the players alternate doing so until they have constructed a three tile by four tile battlefield. Each tile placed must match the edges of each tile it is placed adjacent to. If a player cannot place a tile (because none of his match those already in play), he passes his turn, but draws two more tiles from the deck of unused tiles. The configuration of the final battlefield must be three tiles across and two tiles wide, but there are no constraints on where a tile is placed until there are three tiles in a row. A tile with a full marsh edge must be placed so that the marsh edge forms one of the outside edges of the finished battlefield. If there are not already three tiles in a line, the tile can be placed anywhere, and its placement defines at least one outside edge. A full marsh edge may never be placed against the edge of a tile already placed, even against an already placed full marsh edge. Once the battlefield is assembled, the defender decides whether the wooded areas are forest or orchard, whether the streams are marshy banked or not, and whether the buildings are stone or wood. (All woods, streams, and buildings on the table will be the same type.) SetUp The two players set up at the same time, and may use a screen if desired. The defender picks which side of the table he will defend, and sets up anywhere in the three map tiles on that half of the table. The attacker sets up in the other three tiles, but not within eighteen inches of the edge of the table’s center line. Game Length and Victory Battles last for six turns plus the roll of a six-sided die (meaning they can last anywhere from seven to twelve turns). Usually, armies fought to drive off or damage the opponent’s army, and that was reflected both by casualties suffered and how well one side was able to dominate the battlefield. Here’s an easy system for measuring those things, without requiring lots of calculations. Each side receives one victory point for each enemy division exhausted during the battle. They also receive an additional point for any division which is also destroyed (all stands gone from the table at the end of the game). Russian infantry divisions, due to their considerable size, count double points when exhausted or destroyed.
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Each side receives one point for each map tile of the table it completely controls at the end of its last turn. In other words, the attacker receives one point for each map tile he controls at the end of the last attacker player turn, and then the defender receives one point for each map tile he controls at the end of his own last player turn. To completely control a map tile, a player must be the only side with a formed unit in the tile or have been the last side to have a formed unit in the tile. Note that skirmishers do not affect control of map tiles for victory purposes. The defender receives one point at the start of the game (just for being the defender), and in addition receives 1 victory point for each extra division his opponent has. Russian infantry divisions, due to their considerable size, count as two divisions each for this calculation. At the end of the game, the attacker wins if he has more victory points than the defender. The defender wins if he has the same number of points or more than the attacker.
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Part II Historic Battles The scenarios are broken into three groups, each of which corresponds to a separate theater of war: West, South, and East. Each of these also represents the operations against one of the three principal belligerents arrayed against Frederick. The Western Theater encompasses the watershed of the Wesser River. The scenarios depict the key battles in the French struggle to turn Frederick’s strategic deep right flank, and the actions of the Allied Army of Observation to thwart them. The Southern Theater includes all of Saxony and the Austro-Prussian borderlands between the Elbe and Oder. The Prussian Army fought the Austrians and their German allies in this theater, and it included some of the most bitter fighting of the war. Finally, there was the East, including the Oder itself and Poland and East Prussia beyond it. This was the front against which the Russian Army launched itself in repeated attacks, and came as close as any of the anti-Prussian coalition to bringing Frederick’s kingdom down.
WEST W2. Krefeld - 23 June, 1758
SOUTH S2. Prague - 6 May, 1757
All of these battles are fought using the Regiment Scale. Each roster strength point represents 500 men or 6 guns. Each inch on the playing surface represents 100 yards of actual ground. Each turn is an hour of real time. Each scenario includes a brief introduction, which places the battle into the context of the overall campaign, followed by a general description of the battlefield and then the historical battle. Following the battle description is a set of notes to make running the battle in game terms possible. These are mostly self-explanatory, and cover such things as definitions of various terrain in game terms, victory conditions, setup instructions, etc. A map is provided, divided into squares, which are referred to throughout the rules a “map tiles.” Each of these represents 3600 yards by 3600 yards in the game’s nominal scale, of a three foot by three foot section of table. As most of the maps are made up of six tiles, the standard table size called for is six feet wide by nine feet deep. Players with slightly smaller available gaming areas should just reduce the proportions slightly to fit their table, and trust that the course of military history will not be entirely disrupted by such a minor change.
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Finally, there is a detailed game order of battle, which will also serve as a game roster sheet, and is intended to be photocopied by the players and used during the game. You have specific permission to photocopy those pages for that purpose. The order of battle is designed to give you as much information as possible about the armies. Often game units are made up of several historic units, and wherever possible those historic units are noted. The general format followed by these order of battle is as follows: Armies are described at the top of the order of battle, along with the army commander and deputy commander, if any. Corps are flush left, divisions are indented one tab, exhaustion levels are indented two taps, the actual game units (each representing a single stand) and intended three tabs, and component units of the game units are indented four tabs. All command echelons higher than the game units are in standard type, all small component or included units of the game units are in italic, and the game units themselves are in bold. The game units are usually numbered. If they represent a specific numbered infantry or cavalry regiment, they bear that number. If they are a brigade, (or part of a brigade), or an artillery unit assembled for the battle, or some other ad hoc or named unit, they are assigned an arbitrary number, such as Hanoverian infantry 1, Hessian infantry 2, Heavy Cavalry Brigade 3, etc. Where the commander’s name or unit designation is known, it is shown in brackets after the unit designation. This numbering system is used solely to make it easier to label game units, and avoid, to the extent possible, relabeling stands from one game to the next. Types of units in the unit identification line are often abbreviated, as follows: C Cb Ch CL D F Fr G Gar Gz H HG I Jgr L M U
Cuirassier or (Heavy) Cavalry Carabinier Chasseur Chevauleger Dragoon Fusilier Free Grenadier Garrison Grenz (border, or “Croat”) Hussar Horse Grenadier Infantry Jaeger Light Musketeer Uhlan (Lancer)
Sizes of units in the unit identification line are abbreviated as follows: B C R
Battalion Corps Regiment
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So, for example, the designation FrC 3 stands for Free Corps 3, while the designation CR 1 stands for Cuirassier Regiment 1. The designation LC stands for Light Corps, while LDR stands for Light Dragoon Regiment. The information included in parentheses after the unit designation includes its morale number, its training,level (PT = Poorly Trained), whether ot not it includes battalion guns (BG) or elite troops (NE = No Elites), its weight (for artillery and cavalry), and any special characteristics, such as skirmish ability, shock, or sharpshooter status. The boxes to the right are the number of strength points in the unit. A box with an “s” in it indicates a skirmish-capable strength point.
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W-2 KREFELD 23 June, 1758 Frank Chadwick
The allied defeat at Hastenbeck prompted Cumberland to retreat north, and soon he had abandoned all of Hanover except for a small strip of territory in the north. Hemmed in by the French army, he agreed to the Convention of Kloster Zevern, which would have taken Hanover out of the war and opened Frederick’s western flank. Fortunately for Frederick’s cause, neither side was satisfied with the terms of the agreement, and neither government ratified it. Within months, the Army of Observation was again in the field against the French, but Cumberland had been recalled to England, and the army was now led by Ferdinand of Brunswick, one of Frederick’s most able subordinates. The French Army, which had been victorious at Hastenbeck, was now weakened by a lack of supplies and by a number of detachments sent south. The crushing defeat of a French Army (with some Imperial German troops as well) further depressed French morale, and they began a retreat back to the west. By the winter of 1757, they were back across the Rhine. In the spring of 1758, Ferdinand followed up his advantage by crossing the Rhine and invading the Rhineland. On June 23, he met the French, now under Clermont, near the town of Krefeld.
The Battlefield The battlefield at Krefeld is represented by the six map tiles labeled KR-1 through KR-6. The long grain of the battlefield is east-west, with the outer edges of tiles KR-1,, 3, and 5 forming the northern map edge. The most important features of the battlefield near Krefeld were the two water obstacles. Both were artificial canals, steep-sided and deep, and were uncrossable except at bridges and causeways. The main feature running west to east was called The Landwehr, while the canal feeding off of it and running generally northwest to southeast was the Great Ditch. The ground east of Krefeld itself was very swampy, and covered the right of the French defensive position. Allied light troops tried to make their way through these bogs, but without success. The ground around Krefeld and the several smaller villages along the watercourses is very broken up by numerous small farmsteads, walled fields, vineyards, and small woodlots. These are represented as broken ground on the map, and their locations and density are purely guesswork. (The Krefeld battlefield today is entirely built over.)
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The Historic Battle Ferdinand, like his mentor Frederick, was seldom intimidated by superior numbers, and often attacked while outnumbered. At Krefeld, Ferdinand not only attacked a stronger enemy, but one in a very strong natural position, and did so without an apparent hesitation. His decision is only explainable by a complete contempt for the fighting qualities of the French army which faced him, and his victory owed as much to good luck as to any brilliance of command on his part. The French army had been badly demoralized by the retreat of the previous year, but by Krefeld had been built back up to strength, and Clermont commanded about 32,00 infantry in seventy-four battalions and 12,000 cavalry in 111 squadrons. Ferdinand had only 32,000 men total, in thirty-seven infantry battalions and fifty-five squadrons of cavalry. Obviously, average unit strength was still low in the French army, and they had adopted the unusual expedient of breaking up a third of their infantry brigades to bring the other two thirds up to their normal strength. (French infantry brigades at Krefeld averaged six battalions, instead of the normal four). French cavalry brigades remained very weak (averaging about 600-700 men each), and so for game purposes we have doubled their brigades up into combined twelve-squadron units. Clermont deployed his army behind the Landwehr and in considerable depth,, with the infantry in two lines and the cavalry in two more lines behind the infantry. The various grenadier and elite cavalry units were behind Fischeln. Ferdinand directed Spoercken to attack through Krefeld and pin the French near Fischeln in place, hopefully pushing light troops through the swamps and around the French right. Oberg was to attack the crossings at Mai and Am Stock. But the main attack, led by Ferdinand in person, was a wide right hook intended to take the french from flank and rear. The Erbprinz would attempt to force a crossing at Holterhode while Holstein crossed near Votzhoefe. By 2:00 PM, all of the Allied attacking columns were in position, and the battle began. Oberg’s and Spoerken’s artillery began firing and the Erbrpinz’s infantry engaged the French near Holterhoefe. St. Germaine reinforced the troops around Holerhoefe with two more brigades, and the struggle went on until 5:00 PM, when the Erbprinz committed his reserves and pushed across the Great Ditch in force. Clermont began moving reserves west from Fischeln, including much of his cavalry, to counterattack the Erbprinz. Holstein had found the crossing at Votzhoefe too well guarded to attempt a crossing, but at this time a local brought news of another crossing point, near Engerhof, apparently unknown to either side (as it was not guarded by the French). Holstein threw across his lead brigade, followed by the rest of his cavalry. The French cavalry counterattacks and drove back the lead brigade, but Holstein then counterattacked with the rest of his cavalry and drove back the French. These were French reserves intended to attack the Erbrpinz, but engaged by Holstein instead. The brigade of french carabiniers appear to have been the first troops actually to launch a counterattack, but they attacked without supports and they were shot down by 72
four battalions of Hanoverian infantry. Holstein then charged again and routed the french cavalry. The Erbprinz had formed his troops up again, after having waded the Great Ditch or pushed forward through vineyards, and now linked up with Oberg’s troops (who crossed at Am Stock, and perhaps even Mai, although that is less probable) and pushed east toward Fischeln. As the retreating french units disordered the reserves sent to counterattack, Clermont decided the battle was lost and began a general retreat. Some of Spoercken’s troops moved south from Krefeld. but too late to conduct an effective pursuit.
Gaming the Battle of Krefeld The following notes should make it possible to recreate the battle on the gaming table. Command: Ferdinand and Clermont are army commanders of their respective armies. All other commanders are corps or division commanders, as indicated by the level of unit they command. Terrain: The battlefield terrain is treated as follows. The Stream: All streams are marshy-banked. Buildings: All towns are stone. All village blocks are wood. Forest: All woods are forests. Broken Ground: Tee stretches of broken ground represent small farmsteads, woodlots, hedges, and orchards, and should be represented accordingly. They obey the normal rules for broken ground. Game Length: The game begins with the 1400 turn and ends with the conclusion of the 2000 PM turn (a total of 7 turns), or earlier by mutual agreement. The Allies move first. Victory: To win, the allies must capture either the town of Fischeln or every crossing point (bridge) on both streams. Deployment: The French deploy anywhere between the two water barriers. After the French player sets up, the Allied player decides where his troops will enter. The Allied Army enters the table on the first game turn. It may enter anywhere on the north and/or west edge. At least two divisions must enter on the north edge. SPECIAL RULE: The Secret Crossing Point At the start of any Allied player turn during the game, the Allied player can declare that he has discovered a secret crossing point across either of the water barriers. He does so by placing another bridge or causeway anywhere on the table crossing one of the watercourses.
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THE ALLIED ARMY - Ferdinand of Brunswick
CORPS OF THE FAR RIGHT - Lieutenant General Holstein Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] Prussian Dragoon Brigade (M6, Med cav) DR: 9 Holstein, 10 Finck Hessian Heavy Cavalry Brigade (M5, Hvy cav) CR Leib, Prinz Wilhelm, Miltitz Hessian Dragoon Brigade (M5, Med cav) Hessian DR Leib; Han DR Bock Prussian HR 8 Malachowsky (M5, Med cav, SKO)
CORPS OF THE RIGHT - Lieutenant General The Erbrinz of Brunswick Infantry Division 1 (commander not known) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] Han. Field Artillery 1 (M5, Field, PT) Han. Grenadiers 1 (M6, BG, Shock) GB Schulenburg, Schack Han. Infantry 1 (M5, BG, NE) IR Scheither, Spoerken Han. Infantry 2 (M5, BG, NE) IR Bock, Post Han. Infantry 3 (M5, BG, NE) IR Dreves; Buckeburg IR Infantry Division 2 (commander not known) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] Hessian Infantry 1 (M6, BG, NE) IR Garde, Leib Hessian Infantry 2 (M5, BG, NE) IR Prinz Karl, Hanau Brunswick IR Leib (M5, BG, NE)
CORPS OF THE CENTER - Lieutenant General Oberg Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] Han. Heavy Artillery 1 (M5, Heavy, PT) Han. Infantry 4 (M5, BG, NE) IR Schele, Reden Han. Infantry 5 (M5, BG, NE) IR Druchtleben, Oberg Han. Infantry 6 (M5, BG, NE) IR Kielmansegg; FB Fersen Han. Heavy Cavalry Brigade 1 (M5, Hvy cav) CR Leib, Hodenberg, Bremer
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CORPS OF THE LEFT - Lieutenant General Spoercken Mixed Division 1 (commanded directly by the corps commander) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] Han. Heavy Cavalry Brigade 2 (M5, Hvy cav) [ ][ ][ ] CR Garde du Corps, Grenadiere zu Pferde, Heisse, Hammerstein, Grotthaus, Reden, Briedenbach Han. Dragoon Brigade (M5, Med cav) [ ][ ][ ] DR Dachenhausen, Briedenbach Han. Garde IR (M6, BG, Shock) [ ][ ][ ] including GB Cramm Infantry Division 3 (Lieutenant General Wutginau) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] Han. Heavy Artillery 2 (M5, Heavy, PT) Han. Infantry 7 (M5, BG, NE) IR Behr, Linstow Han. Infantry 8 (M5, BG, NE) IR Jung-Zastrow, Anhalt Hessian Infantry 3 (M5, BG, NE) IR Grenadiere, Fuerstenburg Hessian Infantry 4 (M5, BG, NE) IR Anhalt, Mansbach Brunswick IR Behr (M5, BG, NE) Light Division 1 (Colonel Freytag) Exhaustion [E] [E] Han. Foot Jaegers (M5, skirmish sharpshooters) Han. Prussian HR Luckner Reusch (M5, Lt cav, SKO) including 2 squadrons of Pr. HR 5 Reusch Han.Horse jaegers (M5, Lt cav, SKO) Han. Scheither’s Horse (M4, Lt cav, SKO)
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THE FRENCH ARMY - Compte de Clermont
ARMY TROOPS Light Division1 (General Chabot) Exhaustion [E] [E] LC 3 Volontaires de Flandre (M4, NE, skirmisher) LC 11 Legion Royale Foot (M4, NE, skirmisher) LC 11 Legion Royale Horse (M4, Lt cav, SKO) HR 58 Bercheny (M4, Lt cav, SKO) HR 59 Turpin (M4, Lt cav, SKO)
CORPS OF THE FIRST LINE - Lieutenant General Contades Infantry Division 1 (Lieutenant General Chevert) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] Field Artillery 1 (M5, PT, Field) Brigade Picardie (M4, PT, BG) IR 1 Picardie, 100 Enghein Infantry Brigade Auvergne (M4, PT, BG) IR 9 Auvergne, 29 Bretagne Infantry Division 2 (Lieutenant General de Guerchy) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] Heavy Artillery 1 (M5, Heavy, PT) Brigade Belsunce (M4, PT, BG) IR 10 Belsunce , 64 Rohan-Rochefort Brigade Le Roi (M4, PT, BG) IR 12 Le Roi, 61 Provence Infantry Division 3 (Lieutenant General Lorges) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] Field Artillery 2 (M5, PT, Field) Brigade La Tour du Pin (M4, PT, BG) IR 8 La Tour du Pin, 38 Conde Brigade Champagne (M4, PT, BG) IR 2 Champagne, 19 Aquitaine
CORPS OF THE SECOND LINE - Lieutenant General Nicolay Infantry Division 4 (Lieutenant General Havre) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] Brigade Navarre (M4, PT, BG) IR 3 Navarre, 27 Orleans Brigade Vaubecourt (M4, PT, BG) IR , 17 Vaubecourt, 54 Aumont, 81 Tournais
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Infantry Division 5 (Lieutenant General St. Germaine) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] Brigade Touraine (M4, PT, BG) IR 18 Touraine, 84 La Marche, 96 Chartre Brigade La Couronne (M4, PT, BG) IR 6 La Marine, 28 La Couronne Brigade Brancas (M4, PT, BG) IR 60 Brancas, 116 Lochman
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RESERVE CORPS - commanded directly by the army commander Cavalry Division 1 (commander not known) [First Line] Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] Cavalry Brigade Colonel-General (M5, PT, Hvy cav) [ ][ ][ ] (including Brigade La Reine) CR 1 Colonel-General, 43 Rochefoucald, 18 Berry, 13 La Reine, 44 Vienne, 27 Archaic Cavalry Brigade Royal Cravates (M5, PT, Hvy cav) [ ][ ][ ] (including Brigade Cuirassiers du Roi) CR 8 Royal Cravates, 54 Noallies, 37 Gramont-Fallon, 7 Cuirassiers du Roi, 34 Chabrillant, 41 Saint-Jal Cavalry Brigade Mestre de Camp General (M5, PT, Hvy cav) [ ] [ ] [ ] (including Brigade Dauphin) CR 2 Mestre de Camp General, 21 Chartres, 48 Lenoncourt, 14 Dauphin, 32 Talleyrand, 20 Orleans Cavalry Division 2 (commander not known) [Second Line] Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] Cavalry Brigade du Roi (M5, PT, Hvy cav) [ ][ ][ ] (including Brigade Bourgogne) CR 5 du Roi, 51 Moustiers, 33 Noe, 16 Bourgogne, 63 Montcalm, 22 Conde Cavalry Brigade Royal Piemont (M5, PT, Hvy cav) [ ][ ][ ] (including Brigade Fumel) CR 10 Royal Piemont, 40 Trasegnies, 38 Bourbon-Busset, 42 Fumel, 9 Royal-Roussillon; DR 12 Harcourt Cavalry Brigade Royal Etranger (M5, PT, Hvy cav) [ ][ ][ ] (including Brigade Acquitaine) CR 6 Royal-Etranger, 30 Marcieu, 35 Charost, 17 Acquitaine, 49 Dampierre, 46 Crussol Grenadier Division Lieutenant General Saint-Pern Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] IR 40 Grenadiers de France (M6, BG, Shock) Grenadiers Royaux Brigade 1 (M6, BG, Shock) GR Le Anlau, Bergeret Grenadiers Royaux Brigade 2 (M6, BG, Shock) GR Modene, Chantilly Dragoon Division Lieutenant General Chevrense Exhaustion [E] [E] Dragoon Brigade 1 (M5, Med cav) DR 1 Colonel-General, 7 Orleans Dragoon Brigade 2 (M5, Med cav) DR 4 du Roi, 10 Caraman 77
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Carabinier Division Lieutenant General Poyanne no exhaustion CR 19 Carabiniers (M6, Hvy Cav)
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S-2 PRAGUE 6 May, 1757 Frank Chadwick
Following the drawn battle at Lobositz, the Austrians had failed in their efforts to relieve the Saxons at Pirna, and by the end of the 1756 campaign Frederick had removed one army from the list of those opposed to him. In the spring of 1757, the bulk of the Prussian army was divided into four field armies, deployed in a semicircle around Bohemia, in Western Saxony, Eastern Saxony, Lusatia, and Silesia. These armies crossed the Bohemian mountains along converging axes, and the Austrians had again been caught unprepared. The Prussians out maneuvered or brushed aside Austrian covering detachments, and concentrated against the main Austrian army under Charles and Field Marshal Browne near the fortress city of Prague. The Battlefield The Moldau River screened the northern and western approaches to the city of Prague, and so of necessity the battle was fought to the east of it. The long sides of the battlefield map are north and south, with the edges of tiles PR-2, PR-4, and PR-6 forming the northern edge. Immediately to the east of Prague was a long plateau, crowned by the Ziska Berg. It extended further west in a series of smaller features of which the northern was called the Tabor Berg and the southern the Homole Berg. These formed a naturally strong defensive position for an army defending the eastern approached to prague, and was rendered stronger still by the Rocketnitzer-Bach, a tributary stream of the Moldau which covered the approaches to the high ground with marshy-banked streams studded with deep ponds.
The Historic Battle Frederick had the armies which had marched from Saxony already in position north of Prague and west of the Moldau, but he was expecting the arrival of Field Marshal Schwerin's army of Silesia momentarily. Leaving a detachment to screen Prague, he crossed to the east bank of the Moldau in the early hours of May 6 and was soon joined by Schwerin. The two armies united and, at seven AM, began their approach march. Frederick appreciated the strength of the Austrian position, and determined to turn it by means of a flanking maneuver. While Frederick screened the Austrian main position with Penavaire's cavalry division and the infantry of Prince Heinrich's division, Schwerin led the bulk of the army south through Unter-Poczernitz and then west toward Sterbohol. Bevern's corps remained in reserve in the center, but generally following in Schwerin's tracks. Once the Prussian threat was visible, Field Marshal Browne shifted a number of troops to cover the Austrian right. Arenberg's and Wied's divisions from the second line moved over and occupied the Homole Berg, along with all of the artillery of the right wing. The right wing cavalry also moved southeast, and Browne shifted more cavalry from the reserve and left to back it up. 79
Schwerin recognized the need to push the Austrians out of their positions as quickly as possible, and so by 10:00 he was throwing his leading troops at them. Schonaich's cavalry moved south of Sterbohol and attacked the Austrian right wing horse, and that battle seesawed back and forth for some time without wither side gaining clear advantage. Further north, the leading Prussian infantry (the divisions of Winterfeld and Forcade) assaulted the Austrian positions on the Homole Berg and were driven back with heavy casualties, even throwing the second line (the divisions of Hautcharmoy and Lestwitz) into disorder in places. Browne pushed his advantage, and the Austrians marched down the slopes of the Homole Berg to counterattack the Prussians and finish them off. At first they drove them back, but then two unrelated events turned their success into disaster. In the north, the regiments of Bevern's corps were finally coming into action, and some of them had worked their way around behind the Austrian's northern flank, which had become exposed as the infantry attacked to the west. At the same time, Zieten's division of reserve cavalry can made its way south the the pond south of Sterbohol and fell on the flank of the Austrian cavalry there, routing them. With both flanks suddenly collapsing, the Austrian infantry began to retreat, and soon broke up. Now it was the Prussian turn to push their advantage, and at this critical point Field Marshal Browne fell mortally wounded, depriving the Austrians of their overall commander. (Field Marshal Schwerin, on the Prussian side, had also been killed.) By afternoon, the Prussians were rolling up the entire Austrian position, and by nightfall, a battered and demoralized Austrian army had retreated into Prague and was surrounded.
Gaming The Battle of Prague The following notes should make it possible to recreate the battle on the gaming table. Command: Frederick is a monarch. Schwerin serves as army commander for the Prussian Army as well as a corps commander. Browne serves as army commander for the Austrians. (Technically, Prince Charles was his superior, but Browne exercised actual command.) All other commanders are corps or division commanders, as indicated by the level of unit they command. Terrain: The battlefield terrain is treated as follows. The Moldau: The river in tile PR-2 is the Moldau, and is unfordable. Streams: All streams are marshy banked. Buildings: All buildings are wood. Game Length: The battle starts with the 0700 turn of May 6, 1757, and runs either until both sides agree to halt or until the end of the 1800 turn, whichever comes first. The Prussian player moves first. Victory: The burden of attack is on the Prussians, as they are attempting to defeat the Austrians and either drive them back into Prague or scatter them. To do so, they may do one of three things: either exhaust eight out of the fourteen Austrian divisions, or capture the high ground on the west edge of tile PR-1 (thus cutting the Austrians off from Prague), 80
or capture all of the Homole Berg and Tabor Berg, thus turning the Austrian position and cutting the communications into Prague. The Austrian player wins by exhausting six of the ten Prussian divisions. If neither side gains their victory conditions, the game is a draw. If both sides gain their victory conditions, it is also a draw, except that if the Prussians achieve any two of their victory conditions, then they win even if the Austrians have exhausted six of their divisions. Deployment: The two Austrian left wing corps may deploy anywhere on tile PR-1 and also anywhere on tile PR-2 which is within 12 inches of the northern edge of tile PR-1. The two Austrian right wing corps may deploy anywhere on tile PR-3 and also anywhere on tile PR-4 which is within 12 inches of the northern edge of tile PR-3. The Austrian reserve may deploy anywhere on the PR-1 tile. The Prussians may deploy their troops within 12 inches of the north edge of the playing surface, and deploy after viewing the Austrian deployment.
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THE PRUSSIAN ARMY - King Frederick II (Monarch) RIGHT WING CORPS - commanded directly by the King Infantry Division 1 (Lieutenant General Prinz Heinrich) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] Heavy Artillery 1 (M5, Heavy) IR 3 Anhalt (M6, BG, NE) Grenadier 1 [Weid] (M6, BG, Shock) GB Wrede (17/22) Grenadier 2 [Manstein] (M6, BG, Shock) GB 19 Wedel (1/2), 17 Finck (13/26) Grenadier 3 [Rohr] (M6, BG, Shock) GB 12 Kanitz (7/30), 29 Wangenheim (47/Gar 7) IR 13 Itzenplitz (M6, BG, NE) Cavalry Division 1 (Lieutenant General Penavaire) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] Left, Cuirassier Brigade Prinz Schoenaich (M5, Hvy cav) CR 6 Baron Schoenaich, 7 Driesen, Right, Cuirassier Brigade Prinz Schoenaich (M6, Hvy cav) CR 3 Leib, 5 Markgraf Friedrich, 13 Garde du Corps Dragoon Brigade 1 [Meinicke] (M5, Med cav) DR 3 Meinicke, 11 Stechow
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LEFT WING CORPS - Field Marshal Schwerin (also serves as army commander) Cavalry Division 2 (Lieutenant General Prinz Schonaich) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] Cuirassier Brigade 1 [Krochow] (M5, Heavy cavalry) [ ][ ][ CR 1 Krochow, 12 Kyau Cuirassier Brigade 2 [Blanckensee] (M6, Heavy cavalry) [ ][ ][ CR 9 Prinz Schoenaich, 10 Gensd'arms Dragoon Brigade 2 [Plettenberg] (M5, Medium cavalry) [ ][ ][ DR 1 Normann, 4 Katte Dragoon Brigade 3 [Wuerttemberg] (M5, Medium cavalry) [ ][ ][ DR 2 Blankensee, 12 Wuerttemberg Infantry Division 2 (Lieutenant General Winterfeldt) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] Heavy Artillery 2 (M5, Heavy) Grenadier 4 [Amstell] (M6, BG, Shock) GB 28 Burgsdorff (38/43), 6 Ploetz (6G/8G) Grenadier 5 [Left, Manteuffel] (M6, BG, Shock) GB 1 Kalden (3G/4G/DNG), 14 Moellendorf (9/10) Grenadier 6 [Right, Manteuffel] (M6, BG, Shock) GB 16 Woldau (12/39), 24 Ostenreich (29/31) Grenadier 7 [Saldern] (M6, BG, Shock) GB 2 Ingersleben (45/48/9G), 13 Alt-Billerbeck (8/46) FR 40 Kreytzen (M5, BG, NE) 82
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Infantry Division 3 (Lieutenant General Fouque) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] Field Artillery 1 (M5, Field) IR 24 Schwerin (M6, BG, NE) FR 33 Fouque (M4, BG, NE) FR 42 Markgraf Heinrich (M5, BG, NE) FR 35 Prinz Heinrich (M6, BG, NE) II Battalion only Infantry Division 4 (Lieutenant General Hautcharmoy) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] Field Artillery 2 (M5, Field) FR 37 Kurssell (M5, BG, NE) IR 31 Lestwitz (M6, BG, NE) IR 28 Hautcharmoy (M5, BG, NE)
RESERVE CORPS - Lieutenant General Bevern Infantry Division 5 (commanded directly by the corps commander) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] Field Artillery 3 (M5, Field) IR 8 Amstell (M5, BG, NE) IR 23 Forcade (M6, BG, NE) IR 12 Darmstadt (M5, BG, NE) FR 39 Jung-Braunschweig (M6, BG, NE) FR 38 Brandes (M5, BG, NE) Infantry Division 6 (Lieutenant General Lestwitz) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] Field Artillery 4 (M5, Field) IR 29 Schultze (M5, BG, NE) IR 32 Tresckow (M5, BG, NE) IR 26 Meyerinck (M6, BG, NE) FR 43 Kalckreuth (M5, BG, NE) FR 46 Alt-Wuerttemberg (M4, BG, NE) I Battalion only Infantry Division 7 (Lieutenant General Prinz Ferdinand) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] Heavy Artillery 3 (M5, Heavy) IR 18 Prinz von Preussen (M6, BG, NE) IR 30 Kannacher (M6, BG, NE) IR 19 Markgraf Karl (M6, BG, NE) IR 1 Winterfeldt (M6, BG, NE) FR 41 Wied (M6, BG, NE) IR 17 Manteuffel (M6, BG, NE)
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Cavalry Division 3 (Lieutenant General Zieten) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] HR 2 Zieten (M6, Med cav, may skirmish) HR 3 Wartenberg (M5, Med cav, may skirmish) HR 4 Puttkamer (M5, Med cav, may skirmish) HR 6 Werner (M5, Med cav, may skirmish)
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THE AUSTRIAN ARMY - Field Marshal Browne
LEFT WING CAVALRY CORPS (General of Cavalry Furst Esterhazy) Cavalry Division 1 (Lieutenant General O'Donnel) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] Mixed Cavalry Brigade 1 [Loewenstern] (M5, Hv/Med cav) DR 6 Liechtenstein, CR 4 Erzherzog Ferdinand Cuirassier Brigade 1 [Stampach] (M5, Heavy cavalry) CR 33 Anspach Cavalry Division 2 (Lieutenant General Prinz Hohenzollern) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] Mixed Cavalry Brigade 2 [Hedwiger] (M5, Hv/Med cav) DR iv Porporati, CR 29 Bretlach Cuirassier Brigade 2 [Modena] (M5, Heavy cavalry) CR 27 Loewenstein
LEFT WING INFANTRY CORPS - General Baron Kheul Infantry Division 1 (Lieutenant General Sprecher) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] Field Artillery 1 (M5, Field) IR 3 Lothringen (M6, BG, NE) IR 10 Jung-Wolfenbuettel (M5, BG, NE) Infantry Division 2 (Lieutenant General Forgach) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] Heavy Artillery 1 (M5, Heavy) Grenadier 1 (M6, BG, Shock) IR 15 Pallavicini (M5, BG, NE) IR 18 Marschall (M5, BG, NE) IR 29 Alt-Wolfenbuettel (M5, BG, NE) and IR 51 Gyulai (one battalion each) Infantry Division 3 (Lieutenant General d'Arberg) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] Field Artillery 2 (M5, Field) Grenadier 2 (M6, BG, Shock) IR 40 Jung-Colloredo (M5, BG, NE) IR 37 Jos. Esterhazy (M5, BG, NE) including one battalion IR 33 N. Esterhazy IR 54 Sincere (M5, BG, NE)
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Infantry Division 4 (Lieutenant General Clerici) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] Grenadier 3 (M6, BG, Shock) IR 8 Hildburghausen (M5, BG, NE) IR 11 Wallis (M5, BG, NE) IR 17 Kolowrat (M5, BG, NE) IR 20 Alt-Colloredo (M5, BG, NE) including one battalion IR 22 Sprecher Infantry Division 5 (Lieutenant General Wied) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] IR 28 Wied (M5, BG, NE) Mainz IR Lambert (M4, BG) IR 52 Bethlen (M5, BG, NE)
RIGHT WING INFANTRY CORPS - General Graf Koenigsegg Infantry Division 6 (Lieutenant General Baden-Durlach) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] Heavy Artillery 2 (M5, Heavy) Grenadier 4 (M6, BG, Shock) IR 27 Durlach (M5, BG, NE) IR 49 Kheul (M5, BG, NE) IR 36 Browne (M5, BG, NE) IR 35 Waldeck (M5, BG, NE) IR 1 Kaiser (M6, BG, NE) Infantry Division 7 (Lieutenant General Arenberg) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] Field Artillery 3 (M5, Field) Grenadier 5 (M6, BG, Shock) IR 55 d'Arberg (M5, BG, NE) IR 50 Harsch (M5, BG, NE) IR 56 Mercy (M5, BG, NE) IR 9 Los Rios (M5, BG, NE) IR 47 Harrach (M5, BG, NE)
RIGHT WING CAVALRY CORPS - General of Cavalry Graf Lucchese Cavalry Division 3 (Lieutenant General Spade) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] Cuirassier Brigade 3 [Bretlach] (M5, Heavy cavalry) CR 21 Trautmansdorff, ii Lucchesse Mixed Cavalry Brigade 3 [de Ville] (M5, Hv/Med cav) CR 3 Erzherzog Leopold, DR 1 Erzherzog Joseph
86
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Cavalry Division 4 (Lieutenant General Althann) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] Cuirassier Brigade 4 [la Mentrie] (M5, Heavy cavalry) CR 25 Anhalt-Zerbst Mixed Cavalry Brigade 4 [Lanthiery] (M5, Hv/Med cav) CR 10 Stampach, DR 7 Batthyani
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ARMY RESERVE CORPS (commanded directly by the army commander) Infantry Division 8 (Lieutenant General Petazzy) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] GzIR 64 Warasdiner Creutzer (M5, NE, may skirmish) [s] [s] GzIR 60 Carlstedter Liccaner (M5, NE, may skirmish) [s] [s] IR 46 Macguire (M5, BG, NE) [ ][ ][ ] Infantry Division 9 (Lieutenant General Macguire) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] Grenadier 6 (M6, BG, Shock) IR 41 Bayreuth (M5, BG, NE) IR 19 Leopold Palffy (M5, BG, NE) IR 24 Starhemberg (M5, BG, NE) IR 16 Koenigsegg (M5, BG, NE)
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Cavalry Division 5 (Lieutenant General Hadik) Exhaustion [E] [E] [E] [E] [E] Mixed Cavalry Brigade 5 [Argentau] (M5, Hv/Med cav) [ ][ ][ ] CR 8 Palffy , DR 13 Modena Hussar Brigade 1 [Baboczay] (M5, Light Cavalry) [s] [s] HR 34 Dessewffy, ii Splenyi Hussar Brigade 2 [Szechenyi] (M5, Light Cavalry) [s] [s] [s] HR 24 Esterhazy, 30 Baranyay, iii Hadik; GzHR 40 Karlstadt
87
