LION OF THE NORTHFastplay Rules for Combat during the Thirty Years War by Michael Peters 2nd Edition 1. INTRODUCTION 2. BASING
This is a suggestion for 15mm figures, but neither the base size nor the number of figures are crucial, as long as the players use identical sets, as combat is by stands. B. In a tabletop game, scales can only be flexible approximations, and in these rules 1cm equals some 8-12 meters and 1 turn equals some 15-20 minutes. One stand with infantry or cavalry represents between 200 and 500 men, and one artillery stand represents a full battery. 3. GAME SEQUENCE 4. COMMAND CONTROL B. A group is any number of stands, of the same type (only foot or horse or artillery or only foot and artillery: note that foot and artillery are the only types that can be combined in one single group), whose bases form a single, unbroken frontage, and whose edge/s are in full contact with the next stand or stands. Each stand in a group must move parallell to or follow the first stand in the group that moves, and move the same distance or make the same wheeling motion. (A group moving by road, through a gap or across a bridge or a ford must off course move in column.) C. It costs 1 Cpt to move one stand or group, unless the general is either dead or in base contact with a enemy stand, or the moving stand is over 40 cm from the general, in which case it costs 2 Cpts. The general alone always move without any Cpt cost. D. Force March. If a Player spends 1 extra Cpt on a unit, that single unit may move double its normal movement. (Triple moves or force marching whole groups for extra Cpts is not allowed.) E. Discipline levels. Armies have Discipline levels: they are either Steady, Regular or Unruly. The discipline level influence the rallying of disordered stands and the effects of losing the baggage train. It also determines what type of die the player uses when rolling for Cpts: if the army is steady he gets a D8, if army is regular a D6, if army is unruly a D4. 5. MOVEMENT OF FOOT, HORSE AND GENERALS B. Terrain effects. Stands starting and ending on roads double their movement. Stands entering woods must immediately stop, and in each following movement phase they start in woods the player must roll, 1d6 if foot or general, and 2d6 if horse, and subtract the result from the stands movement allowance. Only foot stands or generals may enter a marsh, with the procedure being the same as for woods. Stands entering a ford must stop, and in the next movement phase they roll 1d6 and subtract the result from the stands movement allowance. No stand may cross water except by a bridge or ford. C. Moving through stands. Stands may move through friendly stands, disordering, but never destroying them in the process. Generals may move freely through friendly stands, without disordering them. Stands may never move through enemy stands. 6. MOVEMENT OF ARTILLERY B. Heavy guns, Organ guns and Mortars may never move. 7. FIRE COMBAT B. Different stands use different types of dice when they fire. (See the Capability Table.) In order to fire, the appropriate die is rolled, and this the Fire Value is compared to the Range Value. The Range Value is 5 on short range, 6 on normal range and 7 on long range. If the Fire Value is higher than the Range Value the target is disordered. C. Targets in cover, i.e. in woods, behind walls, hedge or gabions, are given a saving throw with 1D6 when disordered by fire: if the result is 4, 5 or 6, the stand is not disordered. B. Adjacent fire. When the gameplay card says that stands are allowed to fire "against enemy stands adjacent", it means that stands may only fire at enemies that are in base contact with them (regardless when they moved into contact). Note that this means that stands may be allowed twice during a game turn. C. Exploding guns. Whenever a "1" is rolled by an artillery stand, roll 1d6. If the result is another "1", the gun has exploded, and is removed from play. D. Grapeshot. When artillery stands (except Mortars) fire against stands adjacent, 1d3 is added to the die roll. 8. MELEE COMBAT B. Terrain obstacles. If attacking uphill or if Horse or Pike are attacking in woods then a tie means that the attacker is disordered. C. Flank attacks. A Flank attack is when a stand is melee attacked on two opposite base edges or more. When performing a flank attack 1d3 is added to the original die roll. D. Supported pike. If pikes have another pike stand standing directly adjacent and behind it, facing the same direction, then the pike is Supported, and 1d3 is added to the original die roll. E. Generals. Generals (and artillery) may never melee attack. They defend with 1d4. Generals who themselves are not in base contact with enemies, but who are in base contact with a friendly stand performing melee combat, may add 1d3 to that friendly stands die roll. This can only be done once per melee phase. F. Retreats. Whenever a stand is disordered after being melee attacked, it must retreat backwards 5 cm. If the attacker was a foot stand the stand may elect to advance fully into the vacated space, if the attacker was a horse stand the stand must advance fully. 9. DISORDERED STANDS B. Capturing Artillery. The above applies to artillery as well, with this exception: if a disordered Artillery stand is disordered again as a result of melee, roll 1d6. If the result is 1-3 the gun is spiked, i.e. destroyed, 4-6: The gun is captured. Captured guns functions as normal, with one exception: they may never be moved. C. Disordering generals. Whenever generals suffer a disordered result, they are not disordered per se (and they subsequently never need to rally etc), instead the owning player rolls 1d8. A result of 1-5 means No effect; a result of 6-7 means that the General is Wounded: from now on his movement allowance is 10cm per turn (and if wounded again he is killed); a result of 8 means that the General is killed (and removed from play). 10. RALLYING 11.
DEMORALIZATION B. For purposes of demoralization and winning the general counts as 2 stands, regardless if army is steady, regular or unruly. Once an army is demoralized it cannot be un-demoralized. 12. SPECIAL TYPES B. Reinforcements. Previously eliminated stands brought into play again as reinforcements still counts as eliminated for purposes as winning, but not for purposes of demoralization. C. Dragoons. Dragoons may "dismount". To do this, the stand may not be in base contact with enemies and may not move the turn in question. At the end of their movement phase they are then simply replaced by a musketeer stand. Once dismounted, the stand may not change back again. Dismounting does not require Cpts. D. Mortars. Mortars may never move, never need a LOS and may only fire on long range. Stands fired upon by mortars are never allowed a saving throw. 13. THE GAMEPLAY
DECK 1 x "Player 1 melees"
14. VICTORY
CONDITIONS B. If the game ends because of sunset, without any side inflicting 60% casualties on the other, and both or none of the armies are demoralized, then the battle is a draw. If one of the armies were demoralized at sunset, the opposing player has scored a Minor victory. 15. RANDOM EVENTS Die Effect 1 Bad visibility: Only fire on short range allowed. All Control Points die rolls are modified by -1. At the start of next turn roll 1d6: 1-3 = Bad visibility continues, test again next turn; 4-6 = Normal visibility restored, no more tests needed. 2. Sunset: The game will end in as many turns as shown on 2d6. The first time this occurs, it can be ignored, but only at the mutual consent of both players. 3 Surprise march: First determine which player that will benefit from the event. Both roll 1d6, highest roll gets it, both in case of a tie. Benefiting player rolls 1d4. That number of single stands may triple their movement this or the next turn. 4 Reinforcements: First determine which player that will benefit from the event. Both roll 1d6, highest roll gets it, both in case of a tie. Benefiting player take 1d4 stands (no artillery or generals) from the pile of destroyed stands and return it to play, placing it within 10cm of his own table edge. 5 Good omens: First determine which player that will benefit from event. Both roll 1d6, highest roll gets it, neither in case of a tie. In the next own rallying phase all disordered stands of the benefiting player are automatically rallied. 6 Fanaticism: First determine which player that will benefit from the event. Both roll 1d6, highest roll gets it, both in case of a tie. Benefiting player rolls 1d3. That number of single stands may double their melee die roll (in attack or defense) this or the next turn.
LION OF THE NORTH SUMMARIES
Movement 24cm Generals, Croats (Light Cavalry) Fire die d6 Dragoon, Reiter Melee die d3 All Guns and Mortars Maximum Range 5cm Dragoon, Reiter 3. SIMPLE DIE SUMMARY Command Points Roll: Steady army use 1d8, regular 1d6, unruly
1d4. Stands in cover: Are allowed a saving throw of 1d6. If 4-6
stand it is not disordered. Terrain: If attacking uphill or Horse or Pike attacking in
woods: tie = attacker disordered. Supported pike: Stands add 1d3 to melee roll. General adjacent: Stands add 1d3 to melee roll. General disordered: Roll 1d8: 1-5=No Effect; 6-7= General
Wounded ; 8= General Killed. Rallying: All use 1d8. Steady army stands rally on 5-8, regular on 6-8, unruly on 7-8. CAPABILITY TABLE
For any enquiries please e mail: pjotr@cyberdude.com
|