Note: You need a set of Day of Battle rules--RL.

This Quick Play Guide will help you get started right away with Day of Battle. Good luck - Sir Chris. Questions can e-mailed to dayofbattle@yahoo.com.

Creating a Leader

Follow these 4 steps (page 4):

Day of Battle uses a deck of 54 playing card's which is reshuffled as it runs out. Unless modified by the rules the cards have the following numerical values. Ace: 1, 2-10 as is, Jack, Queen, King: 5, Joker: 1 or special. This rule replaces the rule in the rule book! (page 3)

1: Social Rank: Draw a card and compare it to the social rank table (page 4, side bar). If a Joker is drawn draw another card.

Face = Great King
Numbered = Commoner.

2: Esteem: A leader's esteem determines the minimum command necessary to maintain his standing in the eyes of his peers. Draw a card, adding the leaders social rank to the card value for his score.

Score	Level of Esteem
1-5	1. Unknown
6-8	2. Known
9-12	4. Notable
13-15	5. Famous
16	6. Extraordinary

2a: The Household: A leader's household is the sum of his social rank and esteem.

3: Motivation: There are 3 types of motivation: chivalric, mercenary and raider. A leader gains the most honor points (page 5) when his actions match his motivation.

Draw one card.

1-4 raider
5 mercenary
6-10 chivalric

4: Skills: Draw 4 cards assigning one to each of these skills.

Initiative: Add 10 for a total value of 11-20.

Morale: 1-10. Combat: 1-10. Personal Combat Skill: Add 10 for a total value of 11-20.

Creating an Army

Army Points (page 9)
Draw a number of cards equal to the leaders social rank and add them up. Add the leaders household value to the card total.

Leaders, banners, and Cos. cost 1 army point ea. Each leader must have a banner. Each leader must have a camp (free).

Unit Cost: 1 army point per stand +1 army point for the unit itself.

Notes and Special Rules: Some army unit profile charts have additional costs listed. These must be used.

Assembling the Army: First pay for the leader, his banner and all the stands listed as minimums on the army unit profile charts. Organize the stands into units and deduct their unit cost. Any remaining army points may be spent on additional leaders, stands and units up to the maximums allowed on the army unit profile charts.

Unit Profile Chart Information (page 8)

Combat Value: This is the highest number a Cos. can roll to strike an opponent.

Morale Grade: The higher the MG the more likely the Cos. will stick around.

Move: A normal move.

Maneuver Factor: Incidental movement of and distance allowances between units.

Stands/Company: The minimum (1st) maximum (2nd) number of Stands or Cos. allowed in the army.

Sample Army Unit Profile Chart

Pre-Game Procedure: Before starting a game perform the following.

Players agree on using basic or advanced rules (only advanced are show on this aid). Armies are organized and leader social ranks are revealed. Army commanders each draw 1 card adding their initiative. The highest score is the initiative winner and the first active side. The winner decides if he'll to fight using his Army UPC terrain selections or his opponents. Starting with the loser each draws and places one piece terrain, alternating sides until finished (page 10).

Starting with the loser, armies are deployed (page 10).

Game Turn Procedure:

DOB is a move/counter-move game. One side is active (playing) while the other side is passive.

When the active side finishes the roles are reversed. Each active leader can issue commands simultaneously. Once issued a command must be played to completion before that leader may issue another command! He may continue to issue commands until he:

Runs out of commands.
Runs out of units to command.
Wishes to end his turn.

Issuing Commands to a Unit

A leader may issue any the commands below. A unit may perform up to 3 commands each turn. A command may not be duplicated.

Types of Command:

Maneuver - any combination of the 4 (page 13). Charge, Move, Change Frontage, Skirmish Move,

Fire (page 16)

Reorder or Rally (page 20)

Battle Victory

The battle ends when either army loses their last leader or 1/3 of the Cos. in their army either through figure casualty loss, or breaking from the field.

The Army and the Battle Line: The leader with the highest social rank is the army commander. All units must start in a battle line (page 10).

Command

There are two steps to issuing commands. The leader must determine how many cards (and their values) he has that turn (called command points on page 12). He must determine the cost of a command to a unit and how many cards it will take to perform the command.

Step 1: Initiative Check: At the start of each leader's turn make an initiative check. Roll 1D20. If the score is =/- than his modified initiative he draws as many cards as his social rank (page 12) Each card determines how many commands he may give (page 12). The maximum number of cards (see exceptions) that a leader may hold is equal to his social rank. A leader may save cards from turn to turn subject to the maximum card rule and exceptions below.

Exceptions

The army commander may transfer 1 card to each leader per game turn (alters rule, page 12).

A leader that rolls a 1 for his initiative check passes the check and gains a bonus card.

Step 2: Command Cost

When a leader issues a command he plays one or more cards on the unit. Multi point cards allow a unit to perform orders that require more than 1 command point or to perform more than one order. Most commands cost 1 point or a numbered card (see CP GENERATION CHART on page 12 for the actual cost).

Each card has a command point value. Numbered cards and jokers = 1, face cards = 2, ace = 3. A joker may also be used to issue an order to a unit during the opponent's turn.

Splitting Cards: A card, no matter how big may only be played on a single unit. It may not be split up. Left over points will be lost.

Free Commands: Each turn an active leader has one free command point he may issue to a unit he is in contact with. This command point may be used alone, as a battle line command (see below) or combined with cards. (page 12)

Battle Line Commands: When attached to a battle line a leader may issue the same command to all units within the battle line (see page 15). All the units that have not yet been commanded this turn must attempt to perform the command while maintaining the BL. Charges require the slowest unit be able to reach the target. The cost in command points for a battle line order is at the cost of the most penalized unit within. Units that have already been commanded will be left behind if the BL maneuvers.

Uncontrolled Actions (UA): These are noted as (-) in the rules. UA take place immediately, forcing a unit to act out of turn. UA halts all other play until completed. Each UA that occurs temporarily reduces the leader's initiative -1 on his next initiative test. The following events cause UA:

Reacting to a charge.
Returning fire.
Failing a morale check.
Defending in a melee.

Maneuver: Movement Rates

The distance listed under MOVE on the Army Unit Profile Chart is the normal move.

Charge Moves: Non skirmisher units may use up to 3 normal moves to charge an enemy. They may perform any maneuver action during the first normal move of a charge, from then movement is straight ahead.

Proximity Movement (PM): Skirmishers, charging units and leaders do not use PM. The closer a unit the enemy is the slower the movement.

Distance Bands (page 15): The distance to the closest seen enemy will determine the unit's movement for the game turn.

0-15" normal movement, 15-30" double normal movement, 30"+ triple normal movement.

Crossing Distance Bands: When a unit crosses from one band to another its remaining movement will be halved. If moving away from the enemy, double what remains.

Combat

Missile Fire and Melee: In missile fire the firer rolls dice. In melee all units involved roll dice. In either case roll 1D20 for each eligible Cos.. If the number rolled is =/- than the roller's target number (TN) a strike is scored on the target. The total strikes are applied to the STRIKE RESULTS TABLE for the final resolution of the combat (page 16).

Number Of Dice Rolled: 1D20 per Cos. firing, in contact or overlapping in the first rank or directly behind in a second rank. 1D20 for each attached leader.

Missile Fire: Missile fire is by Cos. Units may split their fire between targets.

Rate Of Fire: When missile units are firing at one another the highest ROF rolls first. The lower applies the results and then returns fire (page 16).

Melee: When a unit charges to contact it is in melee. A unit must be commanded to charge (see CHARGE RESTRICTION TABLE, page 18).

Simple Charge Procedure

The Charger moves 1 normal move towards the target. It may maneuver in anyway during this portion of its charge. Missile fire from the defender is at ineffective range (-) if contacted in 1 normal move otherwise at effective range (-) (see CHARGE RESPONSE TABLE (page 18). Supporting fire takes place if the support is within effective range of the charger at the end of the first normal move and contact hasn't been (-). Finally, if the charger has not contacted it moves to contact (see breaking off a charge, page 18).

Simple Combat Procedure: Units use the combat value listed on their Army UPC. This may be modified (see page 17). Units roll the proper number of dice. The defender is (-). The unit that took the most strikes is the original loser. Ties always go to the defender. Strike results are applied to the units. Morale checks (if called for), are performed, first by the loser. If the loser fails the winner ignores any checks it may have had to make. If neither fails the loser falls back 1MF +1" per strike difference, ending the melee. Any morale failures are considered (-).

Common Retainers

These may perform one of the following. Some actions may not require a die roll*. Roll 1D20 for each attempt (see page 18).

Retainer Type	Success Roll
Page	1-10
Squire	1-15
Sergeant	1-19

Actions:

Command a unit. Escort a prisoner to a camp.
Escape being wounded, killed or captured.
Re-roll or re-draw a card made by the leader *.

Morale

When to Make a Morale Check

When a units leader or banner is lost, killed or captured.
When called for due to strike results.
When a disordered unit suffers a second disorder.

Procedure: Start with the units MG as listed on the army UPC.
Modify and compare to the MORALE TABLE.
If the unit fails, determine the event on the MORALE CHECK EVENT TABLE (page 20).

Support: A unit is supported when there are 2 friendly, non-skirmish units (or terrain) in good order within 1 maneuver factor of the unit making the morale check.

Retreating Units: Any unit counts as moving to the rear if it made such movement over 1MF within the specified distance during the previous or current turn of the testing unit.

Morale Check Results(see page 20)

ADVANCE (-) Morale check failed. Unless in rough or difficult terrain it charges the closest enemy subject to all charge rules, stopping all other play until completed.
CARRY ON Morale check passes.
FAIL (-) Refer to the MORALE CHECK EVENT (page 21).
BREAK (-) Unit moves a full charge move to the rear losing 1 figure. If not rallied w/1 game turn it exits the field.

Disorder: A unit is disordered whenever one of the following happens. A disordered unit suffering more than one disorder checks morale.

Spears fail an order check for melee.
Due to strike results.
Meleed on flank, rear or in column.
Per pass through rules.
When the unit is broken.

Rally or Reorder from Disorder (page 21) A unit must be commanded to reorder or rally itself. The leader must also be attached to rally.

Spears before Melee (page 21) Roll 1D20, if the roll is =/- its MG it passes in order. Attached leaders add their morale.
Blocks and shield walls add +5.
Trained units moving over 1 normal move, others moving, or any in disorder or changed frontage halve their MG after modifiers.

Harassing Morale Checks (HMC) An HMC may be called by a leader on any unit within sight of his BL when an event on the MORALE CHECK EVENT TABLE occurs that applies to the unit (page 20). When a successful HMC is made the leader may make another, free, follow up HMC. A score of Carry On or Advance causes the calling leader to lose 1 HMC. All other scores are considered successful.

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