by Barry Gray
1. INTRODUCTION1.1 Focus Der Grosse Koenig is a set of rules for recreating strategic campaigns of the Seven Years War in Central Europe. It is compatible with any set of SYW miniatures rules. It represents a typical year of the war. Players start with historical leaders and force ratios, but are free to determine the deployment and maneuver of their armies. 1.2 Scope These rules provide a framework for generating tabletop miniatures battles. Administrative details are minimized, to cut down on bookkeeping and allow players to concentrate on maneuver. Two to five people can play, with each player representing the overall leader of an army or group of armies involved in the war. With five players, each commands one of the following: Austria/Empire, France, Hanover/Allies, Prussia, Russia/Sweden. With four players, the Austrian player commands the Russians and Swedes. With three players, the Prussian player commands the Hanoverians and Allies. With two players, the Austrian player also commands the French. In multi-player campaigns, players compete as alliances, i.e., Prussian alliance (Prussian and Hanoverian players) and Austrian alliance (Austrian/Imperial, French, and Russian/Swedish players). Note that the Austrian and Russian players each control two separate armies, and that the Hanoverian player controls the forces of many states, which are represented as one army. The Empire refers to the collection of German states that sided with Austria and France, but also includes Bavaria and Wurttemburg, which are represented separately on the map. Russia and Sweden, although not represented on the map, begin the campaign with armies occupying German territory. 1.3 Format The rules are divided into 14 Major Rules (e.g., L, 2., etc.). Each Major Rule begins with a General Rule expressing the main concept of the rule, followed by a Procedure that describes how the rule is applied in the game. The rule is further subdivided into special cases and subcases which amplify or modify the general rule. Numerous examples and diagrams are interspersed with the rules. All the charts and tables needed for play are included on page 12 for easy reference. 1.4 Interpretation Because this is not a complete game, but rather an interface for tactical wargame rules, situations may arise that are not clearly or easily handled by tightly defined rules. In such cases, knowledgeable players may agree to their own interpretation, in keeping with the spirit and intent of the rules. In the same way, numerical values expressed anywhere in the rules may be modified by mutual consent of all players, so long as the change is applied throughout the campaign. 2. THE MAPGeneral Rule: A small sketch-map of Central Europe is provided with these rules. A hexagonal grid is superimposed over the map, on a scale of about 10 miles to the hexagon. The Terrain Key (2.1) shows what the map symbols mean. The Terrain Effects Chart (2.2) explains what effect terrain features have on supply (see 5) and movement (see 6). Procedure: Players can buy blank hexagon sheets at local wargame stores, or from mail-order hobby merchants, and transfer the terrain from the sketch map to full-size hexes, to play the campaign as a board game. Alternatively, the sketch map can be copied, and each player can plot his deployment and movement on a separate copy of the map. For a full-size map, with numbered hexagons, plus a counter sheet, see the Advertisement. 2.1 Terrain Key (See Map.) 2.2 Terrain Effects Chart (See page 12.) 2.3 Cities At the start of the campaign, all cities within the boundaries of each player's controlled areas are under his control unless otherwise stated. Possession of fortresses and certain other cities is important to the Victory Conditions (see 12). Enemy cities and fortresses can only be controlled by occupying them with friendly points. The relative size of the cities on the map is denoted by the symbol next to the name. The City Chart explains the significance of each symbol. 2.3.1 City Chart (See page 12.) 2.3.2 The number of buildings is how many house models would appear on the tabletop if the battle took place near that city. To prevent cluttering the map, circle and dot cities are only shown if they are fortresses, since these small cities are possible features of almost any wargame table. 2.3.3 Fortress Victory Points (VPs) are awarded at the end of a campaign for capturing fortresses (represented by points around the symbol on the map). 2.3.4 The number of bastions applies only to fortress cities. Fortresses can hold an unlimited amount of points if a leader is present, but only 100 points per bastion if there is no leader (see 3). 3. DEPLOYMENTGeneral Rule: Most popular Seven Years War miniatures rules use a point system to let players "buy" armies for tabletop battles. Before beginning the campaign, players must agree on the total number of these points that each of the seven armies will start with. EXAMPLE: If a player has a painted army that amounts to 2,000 points, his army in the campaign can probably be at least 4,000 points, but should not be more than 6,000 points. Otherwise, he may bring together more points in a battle than he can represent on the tabletop. Regardless of the total number of points in each army, the rating listed on the Deployment Chart (3.4) must be adhered to. EXAMPLE: If the Swedish army contains 200 points, the Prussian and Austrian armies each have 3200 points. The French army has 300C points, the Hanoverian and Russian armies each have 1500 points, and the Imperial army has 800 points. Procedure: At the start of the campaign, certain areas (and all the cities and fortresses in them) are controlled by each country (see 3.4, and Map). Before the campaign begins, each player deploys the leaders and siege trains under his control. He then assigns the points in his army (as determined above) to his leaders, or to fortresses under his control. Use the sketch map to plot deployment secretly. Every player knows the total strength of each country's army, bu tthe size of the various forces on the map is hidden to all except the owner, until revealed through reconnaissance (see 8). 3.1 Game Counters Players will need to make their own game counters. There are four kind of counters: leaders, garrisons, siege trains, and status markers (see page 12 for illustrations). 3.1.1 Leader counters represent the principal generals in the field. (See the list of historical leaders in rule section 14.) The location of a] leaders (but not the forces they command) is known to all players. The Deployment Chart (3.4) lists the number of leaders in each army. Players must select their leaders from the list in section 14. The selection may be done in any manner agreeable to all players. Regardless of the manner of selection, the Prussian player must include Frederick as one of his 10 leaders. 3.1.2 Points are indicated by chits for fortress garrisons only, since they must accompany a leader if they are not in a fortress, and are assumed to be with the leader wherever he goes. Players must keep track of the number of points with each leader or garrison secretly. 3.1.3 Siege trains represent siege guns, mortars, engineers, and other necessary articles for conducting sieges. The Deployment Chart (3.4) lists the number of siege trains in each army. 3.1.4 Status markers labeled "D" and "U" are placed on top of other counters, to indicate demoralized and unsupplied forces. Players may make as many of these as needed. 3.2 Deployment Restrictions 3.2.1 Leaders may be deployed anywhere in the areas controlled by their country. All leaders must have at least 50 points under their command, unless they are with a force led by another leader. A leader with his accompanying points is called a "force." 3.2.2 Points and siege trains must be deployed either with a leader or in a fortress. 3.2.3 All fortresses in areas controlled by a country must be garrisoned by at least 50 points of that country's army. (Exception: see 3.2.4 and 3.2.5.) Points in a fortress are called a "garrison." 3.2.4 In addition to France and the Austrian Netherlands, the French player may deploy any part of the French army anywhere in the Empire West of the Rhine River. French points may garrison Empire fortresses West of the Rhine. 3.2.5 The Hanoverian player may deploy any part of his army in the fortress of Munster. If he does so, however, the Austrian player may deploy any part of the Austrian army in one of the following fortresses: Dresden, Glatz, or Schweidenitz. 3.2.6 The Commander In Chief of each army (the leader with the lowest rank number) must have a larger force than any of his subordinates. If this restriction is not met at any time during the campaign, the owning player must move enough points to the CIC to meet it. The Prussian army is exempt from this restriction. 3.3 Neutral Countries Mecklinburg, Poland, Denmark, and the United Provinces are not controlled by any player. Forces may move freely through Mecklinburg and Poland, and occupy and use their fortresses. Denmark and the United Provinces may not be entered by forces of any army, nor may their fortresses be used by any player. Supply lines may not be traced through Denmark or the United Provinces. 3.4 Deployment Chart (See page 12.) 4. SEQUENCE OF PLAYGeneral Rule: Each turn of the campaign represents one-half month of real time. There are 18 turns in the campaign. The first turn is April I and the last turn is December II. The last three turns (November II through December II) are winter turns. Procedure: Each turn consists of nine phases, each of which must be conducted by all players simultaneously, in the following order:
2. March Allocation Phase: Players determine how many marches they may expend this turn. 3. March Phase: Players write orders for marches. All orders are carried out simultaneously. 4. Forced March Phase: Players write orders for forced marches, then roll to see if leaders with force march orders carry them out. All orders are carried out simultaneously. 5. Attrition Phase: Players determine attrition effects for each force on the map. 6. Reconnaissance Phase: Forces within range of enemy forces perform reconnaissance. 7. Battle Phase: If two forces start a battle, the campaign is interrupted while the battle is fought. After the battle, record losses, and determine any retreats. 8. Siege Phase: Determine status of all sieges. 9. Retreat/Rally Phase: Players retreat forces from battle, withdraw garrisons from captured fortresses, and attempt to rally demoralized forces. 5. SUPPLYGeneral Rule: At the beginning of each turn, players determine whether each force is supplied or unsupplied. Unsupplied forces are indicated with a U marker. A force remains in the supply condition at which it began the turn for the rest of that turn. Procedure: To be supplied, a force must be able to trace a supply line from a friendly garrisoned fortress. This line may be traced through the hex grid from the fortress to the force, a distance of 10 Movement Points (see 6). Or, it may be traced along major or minor rivers, or coastline hexes, for an unlimited distance. One method or the other must be used. They cannot be combined in any way. (See example below.) 5.1 Supply Effects 5.1.1 An unsupplied force loses one Movement Point per march or forced march due to foraging. 5.1.2 An unsupplied force loses 10% of its points in the attrition phase of each turn in which it began unsupplied, even if it moves within supply range during the turn. 5.1.3 An unsupplied force that fights a battle is automatically demoralized after the battle, whether it wips or loses (see 10.2). 5.2 Supply Cases 5.2.1 A supply line traced over land must pay all terrain costs (see 2.2) as if a force was moving from the fortress to the force. However, it does not pay any extra Movement Points to enter an enemy-occupied hex (see 6.4.4). 5.2.2 To trace supply by water, the fortress and the force it is supplying must be in coastline hexes, or hexes that have a river flowing along one of their hexsides. 5.2.3 A supply line may be traced into, but not out of, an enemy occupied hex. A river supply line may be traced into, but not out of, a hexside adjacent to an enemy occupied hex. 5.2.4 Friendly forces do not negate the presence of enemy forces or fortress garrisons for tracing supply lines. 5.2.5 A force inside a fortress is always supplied. 5.2.6 An enemy force in the same hex as a friendly fortress cuts off all supply from that fortress. 5.2.7 A fortress garrisoned by a different, but friendly country is a supply source for any force belonging to the same alliance. 5.3 Croats Austrian forces have a special "Croat Screen" in the six hexes surrounding them, which cuts supply lines as if there was an Austrian force in those hexes. This screen is negated in any hex occupied by an enemy force. It is eliminated entirely if there is an enemy force occupying the same hex as the Austrian force. Austrian garrisons with no leader do not have a Croat Screen. EXAMPLES: The fortress is garrisoned by Hanoverians. It can supply a Hanoverian or Prussian force in hex D by land or river. D is supplied even if a French force occupies hex D also. If a French force occupies A, D is unsupplied, even if a Prussian force is also in A. If an Austrian force occupies B, D is unsupplied, unless friendly forces occupy hexes A and C, to negate the Croat screen. A force in B can only be supplied by river, because it is I I Movement Points by land from the fortress to B. An enemy force in B cuts river supply to a friendly force in C, but not vice versa. 6. MOVEMENTGeneral Rule: There are two types of movement: march and forced march. All march movement must be completed before any force march movement is made. This allows players to try to react to the enemy's marches by force marching with some of their forces. A force's ability to march is dependent on the number of marches allocated to the army each turn (see 6.2). A force's ability to force march is dependent on its leader's Strategic Initiative Rating (see 6.3). Procedure: Movement is calculated in terms of Movement Points (MPs). Forces expend MPs when moving through the hexagonal map grid. Because all movement occurs simultaneously, players must write specific orders for each force's movement. A simple code system is used to record each march or force march order. Each hexagon around the hex a force occupies is assigned a number, with the hex to the West being number one, and the others numbered clockwise from there. EXAMPLE: If a player wrote orders for a march as "1-2-2-1-6," the force would have to move as shown: Alternatively, players may plot their moves on copies of the sketch map. After all orders are written or plotted, they are revealed, and the forces are moved on the map according to their orders. Players should clearly indicate each leader or siege train by name or number in their orders, to avoid any confusion. 6.1 March Allocation Table (See page 12.) 6.2 March In the March Allocation Phase, each player determines how many marches are available to each army he commands. He does so by rolling the number of dice shown on the March Allocation Table (6.0 for his army, and applying any modifier to the result. EXAMPLE: The Austrian player rolls 2 dice and gets a 5. He applies the -2 modifier, leaving him 3 marches for the turn. Players allocate the available marches to their leaders and siege trains. Each march allows a force or a siege train to move up to 5 MPs. Forces that do not receive a march order may not move in the March Phase. Marches cannot be saved and used in later turns. 6.2.1 Imperial forces must use Austrian marches to move. Swedish forces must use Russian marches to move. The Austrian and Russian players may allocate marches to Imperial and Swedish forces, respectively, in any way they choose. 6.2.2 A force commanded by a leader of Strategic Initiative Rating (IF 0, 1 or 2 can be given one march per turn. A force commanded by leader of Strategic IR 3 or 4 can be given two marches per turn (see 14 EXAMPLE: If the Austrian player has 3 marches for the turn, at one of his leaders is Laudon, he may give 2 marches to Laudon and one to another leader (or siege train) or I march to Laudon, and one to eat of two other leaders. 6.2.3 Points without a leader cannot be moved. They can only be moved by a leader of the same country. 6.2.4 If two forces of different countries are in the same hex, they net two separate march commands to move together. 6.2.5 Siege trains require a separate march order to move each one, even if they are in the same hex as a leader of the same country. They mg only be given one march per train per turn. 6.2.6 Leaders of the same country have relative ranks, with 1 being the highest rank. If more than one leader of the same country occupies a he the highest ranking leader is in command of the whole force. He may move all others without any extra march commands. Subordinates mg be dropped off along the line of march (but they must have points with them). Forces dropped off may not move any farther that turn. EXAMPLE: Frederick starts in hex A with Seydlitz and Ziethe and a siege train. The Prussian player gives two marches to Frederich and one to the siege train. Along his march, Frederick moves through hex B, occupied by another Prussian force, but cannot pick it up. At hex C, the siege train cannot move farther, so a force under Seydlitz is left in the same hex, while Frederick continues on with Ziethen to hex D. 6.3 Forced March After all march orders have been carried out, players may write orders for forced marches. A forced march is an additional march of 5 M. over and above any regular marches made by a force. If a force is ordered to force march, the owning player rolls a 6-sided die and compares the result to the leader's Strategic IR. If the result equal to or less than the leader's IR, the force may be moved as orders. Otherwise, it remains where it is. EXAMPLE: Frederick can force march on a die roll of 1-4. Soubise can never force march. 6.3.1 A force can force march out of an enemy occupied hex, to avoid potentially unfavorable battle. 6.3.2 A force that force marches into an enemy occupied hex prevents the enemy force from retiring from battle (see 10.0.) 6.3.3 Siege trains cannot force march. 6.4 Movement Restrictions 6.4.1 Forces may freely move into and through hexes occupied friendly forces. A force may not "pick up" another force along its line march, however. 6.4.2 If two leaders of the same country are in the same hex at the beginning of a turn, the lower ranking leader can give his points to the higher ranking leader, but not vice versa. However, a leader may never be left alone in a hex with less than 50 points under his command. Frederick can give points away to any other Prussian leader in the same hex. 6.4.3 If a leader begins a turn inside a fortress garrisoned by points of the same country, he may add some of these points to his force, as long as at least 50 points remain in the fortress. He may also add points from his force to the garrison, as long as he keeps at least 50 points under his command. 6.4.4 Entering a hex containing an enemy force costs two extra MPs, over the normal cost to enter the hex. A force that enters such a hex must stop moving and remain there until the next turn. If a force does not have enough MPs left-to enter the hex, it remains in the adjacent hex. Exception: If the enemy force is also attempting to move into this hex, both forces end their movement in the hex occupied by the force that moved the shortest distance that turn. If both forces moved an equal distance, each player rolls a die and adds his leader's Strategic IR to the result. The player with the higher total chooses the hex in which the forces meet. Ties mean roll again. EXAMPLE: A force led by Ferdinand (F) and a force led by Contades (C) move toward each other on a road. If Contades stops in hex A, Ferdinand can enter the same hex, even though this would normally require six MPs. If Contades is ordered to move to hex B instead, while Ferdinand is ordered to A, both players must roll a die. If both players roll a three, the Hanoverian player wins because of Ferdinand's higher tactical IR, and he may choose to meet Contades in either A or B. 6.4.5 Terrain affects movement (see 2.2). If a force does not have enough MPs remaining in its march to enter a hex or cross a river hexside, it must stop where it is. 6.4.6 An unsupplied force can only move 4 MPs for every march or force march order it receives. All forces subtract I MP from their movement in winter turns (the last 3 turns of the campaign). EXAMPLE: If an unsupplied force is given one march order during a winter turn, it can only move 3 MPs. 7. ATTRITIONGeneral Rule: During the attrition phase of the turn, forces may lose a percentage of their total points due to adverse conditions. Procedure: The Attrition Effects Chart lists the causes of attrition, and their effects. If a force is subject to multiple causes of attrition, add up the total percentages involved and subtract this total from the force. EXAMPLES: A force that expends 10MPs in the March Phase (by making two marches) would take 5% attrition. A force besieging an enemy fortress during a winter turn would take 15% attrition. An unsupplied force that force marches 3 MPs would take 13% attrition. 7.1 Attrition Effects Chart (See page 12.) 8. RECONNAISSANCEGeneral Rule: Normally, players do not know how may points are with each enemy leader. Reconnaissance allows them to discover the overall strength of an enemy force, although this intelligence is still imperfect, since the points can be composed into any units. Procedure: During the reconnaissance phase of each turn, if two forces are in the same or adjacent hexes, both sides must tell how many points are in their forces. They do not have to reveal the presence of siege trains, or the identity of any leaders (other than the commander) in the hex. 8.1 Austrian Forces Austrian forces can perform reconnaissance at a range of two hexes. Naturally, the opposing force would not learn anything about an Austrian force two hexes away. 8.2 Garrisons Reconnaissance reveals the strength of garrisons as described above. Fortress garrisons with no leader can only perform reconnaissance in the hex they occupy. 9. BATTLEGeneral Rule: Any opposing forces occupying the same hex at the beginning of the battle phase must fight a battle, if and only if either player involved wishes to do so. The campaign is halted until the outcome can be determined on the tabletop by the players involved. Procedure: Before the battle, both players add up their total points in the hex. If one force outnumbers the other by 4:1 or more, there is no battle. Instead, the entire smaller force is eliminated (taken prisoner), and the larger force suffers no losses. Otherwise, both players build armies based on the number of points available to them. Points must be used to build units of the same country, e.g., Prussian points become Prussian units. Exception: Hanoverian points may be used to buy British, Hessian or any other units allied to Hanover. Empire points may be used to buy Saxon, Bavarian, Wurttemburger, or any other units in the Reichsarmee. (Note: British units usually composed a small part of the Allied Army. Players should restrict the percentage of points that can be spent for British units, or make British units cost more than other units.) 9.1 Siege Trains Siege trains are never represented in a battle. If a siege train is attacked without an escort, or if the entire escort surrenders, the siege train is captured, and may be used by the capturing player. 9.2 Multiple Forces No matter how may forces from each alliance entered the hex, when they entered, or from what direction, the forces of each alliance are merged into a single army for the battle. The highest ranking leader of the country with the largest force is the commander in chief for the battle. 9.3 Terrain A third party should determine the terrain for the battle. Battles in rough terrain hexes should have significant amounts of forests and hills, and few towns. Battles in marsh hexes should have few hills. It is up to players' discretion whether to represent other terrain from the map (cities, fortresses, rivers, etc.). If a town from the map is represented on the table, refer to 2.3.1 for the number of buildings to use. 9.4 Field Works 9.4.1 If one force has occupied the hex since the previous turn, it is allowed 12" of field works for each turn it has remained in the hex. 9.4.2 If a force commanded by Frederick has occupied the hex since the previous turn, and is in the same hex as a Prussian controlled fortress, the Prussian player is allowed 12" of field works for every march order he expends on this force. (Instead of moving, Frederick uses the marches to build works, as at Bunzelwitz.) The Prussian player may expend as many of his marches as he likes on works, but he must announce this action during the March Phase. After building these works, Frederick cannot initiate a battle without leaving the works. 9.4.3 Works disappear immediately when a force leaves the hex. 9.5 Losses After the battle, each player must count the point value of all figures he has lost, and deduct this amount from the total points in his force. If a leader is killed or captured in the battle, remove his counter from the map. A force without a leader of the same country after a battle is demoralized (see 10.2) even if it won. 10. RETREAT, DEMORALIZATION & RALLYGeneral Rule: After every battle, one force must retreat. A force may be demoralized by the battle. Demoralized forces are restricted in their actions until rallied. Procedure: All retreats and rally attempts are performed at the end of the turn. Retreats are not considered movement, and do not expend any marches. Garrisons granted the honors of war (see 11.6) are withdrawn during this phase. 10.1 Retreat There are two ways to retreat from a battle: retiring and routing. A force that was given a march order in the march phase may retire from a battle rather than fight. This form of retreat must take place before a battle is fought, unless the enemy player agrees to allow a force to retire during a battle. If a force stands and fights, and is defeated outright, according to the tactical rules used, it is demoralized and routed. 10.1.1 A force may not retire if it is outnumbered by 4:1 (see 9), or if any part of the enemy army reached the hex by forced march in the current turn (see 6.3). 10.1.2 If a force retires from a battle, it must retreat 5 MPs toward the nearest friendly fortress in the retreat/rally phase. 10.1.3 If a force routs from a battle, it must retreat 10 MPs toward the nearest friendly fortress in the retreat/rally phase. 10.1.4 A force must retreat as a single group. It must expend all its MPs, unless it reaches a friendly fortress during its retreat. A force may retreat into a friendly garrisoned fortress in the same hex as the battle it is retreating from. 10.1.5 A retreating force may not retreat into an enemy occupied hex. It may retreat through Croat Screen hexes adjacent to Austrian forces. 10.1.6 All normal terrain costs for movement apply to retreats. 10.2 Demoralization A force that is demoralized must be indicated with a D marker on the map. While demoralized, a force subtracts one from the morale ratings of all its units in battle, and its commander's IRs are both considered to be zero for all purposes except rallying. 10.2.1 A demoralized force may not be divided in any way by the owning player. 10.2.2 A demoralized force may still be given march orders, but may not intentionally enter a hex occupied by an enemy force or garrison. 10.2.3 If a demoralized force enters the same hex as another friendly force, the other force is also demoralized. 10.2.4 An unsupplied force that fights a battle is automatically demoralized after the battle, whether it wins or loses (see 5). 10.3 Rally After all forces have retreated, players may attempt to rally any demoralized forces. A single die is rolled for each demoralized force. If the die roll is less than or equal to the combined (Tactical and Strategic) IR of the force's leader, the rally attempt is successful, the demoralization marker is removed, and the force may function normally next turn. EXAMPLE: With a combined IR of 3 + 4 (7), Frederick cai automatically rally his force if it is demoralized. 11. SIEGEGeneral Rule: Fortresses are permanent terrain features which cannot be created or destroyed. Capturing fortresses is an important means to victory (see 12). An empty fortress may be captured by any force enterin:g the same hex. If an enemy force or garrison occupies the fortress, how ever, it can only be captured by siege. The garrison cannot be attacked in a regular battle, and is not affected by battles in the same hex. Procedure: A fortress is considered besieged when, in the Siege Phase:
2. The force has at least one siege train in the same hex; and 3. The force has been in the hex at least one complete turn. If these conditions are not met in any given turn, the fortress is merely "blockaded" and cannot be captured. In the Siege Phase, for every siege in effect, the besieging player rolls two 6-sided dice. He then adds to the result all applicable besieging factors on the Siege Chart (it. 1), and subtracts all applicable garrison factors. If the modified result is 12 or more, a breach is made in the for tress walls. 11.1 Siege Chart (See page 12.) 11.2 Garrisons Leaders, points, and siege trains may all garrison fortresses. Point without a leader in a fortress hex are always assumed to be garrisoning the fortress. A garrison without a leader may only contain a maximum c 100 points per bastion (see 2.3). A garrison with a leader may be of an size. The points assigned to a fortress constitute the entire garrison including guns and gunners. Such garrisons should be shown on the ma by a chit indicating their country. 11.3 Entering & Leaving Fortresses All forces in a fortress hex must be indicated as being either "inside" or "outside" the fortress. This can be done by flipping over the leader or any force inside a fortress. There is no MP cost to enter or leave a fortress, but it is considered movement, and does require a march order to successful force march. Forces friendly to a garrison may not enter or leave a blockaded or besieged fortress without fighting a battle with the enemy force. Forces inside a fortress cannot attack enemy forces in the same hex. EXAMPLE: A garrison of a fortress cannot attack an enemy force in the same hex without a leader and a march order, to let them come out of the fortress. 11.4 Supply Besieged or blockaded fortresses cannot function as a supply source except for forces inside the fortress. 11.5 Attrition All forces involved in a siege, both besiegers and garrison, lose 5% their total points each turn of the siege. Neither force suffers attrition due to a blockade. 11.6 Honors Of War If the walls are breached, the garrison must request that it be granted the honors of war. The besieger must either grant or deny honors. 11.6.1 If the besieger grants. the honors of war, the entire garrison placed in the nearest fortress garrisoned by the same country, which not blockaded or besieged. It may not be moved in the next turn. I there is no other fortress garrisoned by the same country, the garrison is removed from the map. The besieging force may enter the fortress. 11.6.2 If the besieger denies the honors of war, the garrison must either surrender or fight. If the garrison surrenders, it is removed from the map. The besieging force may enter the fortress. 11.6.3 If the garrison chooses to fight, its points and those of the besieging force are eliminated in a 1:1 exchange. Whichever side has points remaining after the exchange retains control of the fortress, and captures any leaders and siege trains present with the eliminated force. EXAMPLE: A 500 point force with a leader of Tactical IR of I is besieging a fortress garrisoned by 100 points, commanded by a leader with a Tactical IR of 0. The besiegers have 2 siege trains. The garrison has I siege train in the fortress. The siege has been going on for 3 turns. The besieger rolls a 5 on two dice. The total factors amount to a +7 modifier. 5 + 7 - 12, so the fortress walls are breached. The garrison requests the honors of war. The besieger, knowing that he outnumbers the garrison, and not wanting it to be able to fight again, denies the honors. The garrison decides to fight it out, and is eliminated. The besieging force loses an equal number of points. The commander of the garrison is taken prisoner, the siege train is captured, and the besiegers enter the fortress. 12. VICTORYGeneral Rule: Players are awarded (or lose) Victory Points (VPs) for capturing fortresses and fighting battles. Some players are awarded VPs for controlling key cities. Procedure: The Victory Point Chart 02.0 shows the number of VPs awarded for achieving certain conditions. Victory is determined at the end of the campaign by totaling the Victory Points (VPs) won by each player. The player with the highest total wins. 12.1 Victory Point Chart (See page 12.) 12.2 Battles When two players fight a battle, one will gain points, while the other one loses them. 12.2.1 More points are awarded (or lost) when a force is demoralized, than when it retires. 12.2.2 The size of the defeated force affects the number of points awarded (or subtracted) from each player's total. 12.2.3 If more than one player fights on the same side in a battle, points awarded or lost are distributed equally to each player, with odd points going to the player with the largest force. 12.3 Sieges 12.3.1 In a siege, VPs are not awarded or lost for garrisons granted the honors of war. 12.3.2 If the besieger denies the honors of war, the player who retains control of the fortress is considered to have demoralized the enemy force, for Victory Point purposes. EXAMPLE: In the siege example above, the besieging player is awarded 1 VP for eliminating the garrison (plus the Fortress VPs, if he holds onto the fortress until the end of the campaign). The player commanding the garrison loses 1 VP. 12.4 Fortresses 12.4.1 Victory Points are not awarded for fortresses in Mecklinburg, Poland or the United Provinces. 12.4.2 Players do not receive VPs for controlling a fortress they held at the start of the campaign, even if it was captured by another player and then retaken. 12.5 Key Cities 12.5.1 The Prussian player receives two VPs for each of the following cities he controls at the end of the campaign: Berlin, Koenigsberg, Breslau, Magdeburg and Dresden. 12.5.2 The Hanoverian player receives three VPs for each of the following cities he controls at the end of the campaign: Bremen, Hanover, and Brunswick. 12.6 Surrender If at the end of any turn, all circled star and star cities in the home could try of an army are controlled by enemy forces, that army is remove from the map. (Star cities are listed in 13.9.) Forces of other armies at still free to move through the home country of the surrendered army, an -may capture and use unoccupied fortresses. 12.7 Frederick If Frederick is killed or captured, the campaign ends immediately, an the player whose army was responsible for Frederick's demise is the winner. 13. OPTIONAL RULESIf desired, campaigns can be linked together using the following rule These rules are only used between campaigns. 13.1 Winter Quarters At the end of turn 18, all forces not in fortresses or star cities are place in the nearest friendly controlled fortress or star city, even if they at besieging an enemy fortress. All demoralized and unsupplied markers at removed. All points and siege trains must begin the next campaign from these same positions. Leaders may be redeployed to any friendly controlled fortresses or star cities. 13.2 Prisoners Of War Any points or leaders eliminated by a 4:1 attack, surrendered in garrison, or surrendered according to the rules of a tactical battle become Prisoners of War. POW's may be exchanged on a 1:1 basis by player who hold each other's points or leaders prisoner. Recovered prisoners may be deployed in any friendly controlled fortress in their home countries. 13.3 New Leaders Each player can pick one leader counter at random from those not selected in the first campaign. In addition, each player may remove one leader from the map and pick another leader from the unused pool to replace him. All new leaders may be placed in any fortress garrisoned by points of the same country. Removed leaders may not be returned to the game. 13.4 New Points Each circled star and star city generates new points. The points generated are considered to belong to the country controlling the city. These reinforcements must be placed in the city that generates them. The amount is the same for each city, but must be determined by mutual consent of all players. 13.5 New Siege Trains Each player can build one siege train per year. To do so, he must sulbtract 300 points from the "new" points he receives. If the player does not have 300 new points, he cannot build a siege train. New siege trains may be placed in any fortress in the player's home country that he controls. 13.6 Lending Points Players may give their points to other countries, according to the following chart. These points may come from any city controlled by the donor and be redeployed in any city controlled by the recipient. Once redeployed, the points become the same as any other points in the recipient's army. Country May give points to:
Austria Russia, Sweden, Empire Prussia Hanover, Russia Hanover Empire Britain* Any country opposed to France *Britain is controlled by the Hanoverian player. It is assumed to have one star city available (off the map) to send points to the Continent. At the start of the second and each succeeding campaign, (after new points have been added) the Hanoverian player must check to see if British aid is cut off. Roll one die, and add one to the result for each campaign completed. On a modified result of 7, Britain stops sending points to the Continent for the duration of the war. The Hanoverian player may still use his points to build British units for battles, however. 13.7 Peace If they can make peace with all players opposing them, players may leave the game between campaigns. Their home countries are treated the same as the United Provinces (except for the Empire, which is treated the same as Poland). 13.8 Changing Sides Players may change sides to the other alliance between campaigns. All players are free to offer whatever inducements they can to keep or turn other players. The small armies of the Empire and Sweden may follow a different course from that chosen by the Austrian and Russian players, respectively, if those players desire to do so. 13.9 Star City Chart (See page 12.) 14. LEADERSThe chart below lists the leaders of all armies, and their capabilities. An asterisk next to a leader's Strategic IR indicates that he may receive two march orders per turn. Name Rank Tactical IR Strategic IR PRUSSIA AUSTRIA EMPIRE FRANCE HANOVER RUSSIA SWEDEN 4.0 Sequence of Play 1. Supply Phase: Players determine the supply state of each force.
13.9 Star City Chart
Austria Budapest, Prague, Vienna Austrian Neth. Antwerp, Brussels Empire Frankfurt, Munich, Nuremburg, Stuttgart France Lille, Paris, Strasburg Hanover Bremen, Britain*, Brunswick, Hanover Mecklinburg Hamburg Poland Danzig, Posen Prussia Berlin, Breslau, Stettin Saxony Dresden, Leipzig United Prov. Amsterdam, Hague, Rotterdam *Not shown on map. Der Grosse Konig Large Campaign Map (Very slow: 373K)
Back to Table of Contents -- Courier Vol. VII #4 To Courier List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1987 by The Courier Publishing Company. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com |