12. American Off-Board Movement. The Americans will always maintain 1 army per area and 1 garrison for each fort in the area. If an American army does not move on the OB, it is presumed to be entrenched if scouted by the British. American armies either move UP 1 location on the OB (O to 5, 5 to 10 or 10 to 15) or Down 1 location (15 to 10, 10 to 5 or 5 to O). Detachments automatically move 1 location towards the American Army in the area.
If an American army does not have any priority targets above its present position then it will not go Up 1 unless a French Battle Fleet has been deployed in a higher location. An American army will destroy a Fort it occupies if in location 15 before moving Down 1. An American army will build a Fort if SP & material available before moving Down 1 from location 10 or 5.
The requirements for an American army to build a fort are having one extra SP (CA or FR), one extra Artillery and one extra Supply in the army to build the fort plus a minimum of 5 SP available as a garrison, together with a further one extra Artillery and one extra Supply if available.
Up and Down movement depends on the following situations in the priority order given (1 to 5).
Up 1 Location:
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1. SP = or > requisite.
2. In location 5 & British control area & BRE number < 1.
Down 1 Location:
3. SP < requisite
4. There are no priorities in the location
5. BRE number ( 1
If there is an area change on the 0B due to the D6 randomiser when moving up, 1/2 of the Amer. army (round down) will move to the new area.
(13) American_Movement. Carry out a (B) check for each American army on the GB which has one or more priorities within one move. Check each town in the following order until the (B) check succeeds, in which case march on that priority town, or all rolls fail in which case evade to the OB and carry out an OB move taking into consideration any dismantling or building of forts in the hex before the army leaves.
-
1. Priority with a fort*
2. 1st Priority
3. 2nd Priority
4. 3rd Priority
*Use town priority if more than 1 fort present in the location.
Battle is automatic against the 1st priority checked (no die roll necessary) in the December 1780 turn.
(14) American Combat. For Multiple Combat purposes an American army must carry out a (B) check to continue combat. Re-roll (B) after any combat if the BRE number changes to a lower number. If the British defenders initiate combat, the American army is not entitled to a (BE) roll.
(15) American Replacements. Place American replacements with the American Army operating in the area if in a location with uncontrolled strategic town hexes or in the nearest location to the army which has at least one un-controlled Strategic town hex.
The Americans will maintain 1 Dragoon SP per area at all times.
Always maintain a garrison of 5 SP with the optional supply and Artillery units in each American fort on the GB.
(16) The American Continental Navy
The Continental Navy (CN) is handled by the following system and does not move by hexes on the board. The counter can still be used to denote if the CN is functional (face up) or damaged (face down)
Whilst deployed, the CN continuously hunts for British shipping along all the length of the coast. Any unescorted British Transports (TR) will be engaged by the CN on a D6 roll of 5-6. Roll for each and every TR or stack of TRs half way through their plotted course (solo player must specify before moving his fleet/s). It is possible for the CN to be involved in more than one Fleet Engagement per turn. If the CN unit is damaged, it is out of the game for the required number of quarters.
(17) French Intervention. When French forces intervene, first deploy the land element of each fleet (5/FR, 1/A, 1/S) in Location 15 on the 0B of area (D6):
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1) West Indies
2) Deep South
3) South Central
4) Middle States
5) New England
6) Canada
All French Battle Fleets (BF) in play operate together as one fleet and are either in Location 15 (in the coastal waters) of an area or on the game Naval OB Movement Chart at any one time.
Roll on the French Intervention Table once per quarter to know where the French BFs will be operating for priorities (3) and (4).
French BF Duties in order of priority:
- If the Naval SP difference between total American and British naval forces deployed is ever -2 against the Americans, the French BFs will move to the West Indies until the ratio improves.
- If American Supply in any area is ever reduced to Zero, the French BFs must immediately obtain a supply from one of the sources available, and transport it to the area (place in Location 15).
- The French BFs will carry out one Sea Invasion from the location it is deployed per quarter. Instead of an Army moving Down 1 on the OB (See 12), the French BFs will pick up Half that army (or up to capacity) and transport it to another area (place in Location 15). Roll for the area on the French Intervention Table.
- French BFs will carry out Blockade Duties in a location when not involved in one of the operations mentioned above. If the British player attempts to reinforce a location where the French BFs are operating, he will be attacked by the French fleet/s if the French roll up to the Number of French BFs on Blockade +1 on a D6. This attack happens before any Embarkation/Debarkation can be carried out by the British player. Pre-plan the move before checking for French interception.
For the British fleets to engage the French BFs they must spend one turn searching for them. The French BFs will be found if the British player rolls up to the Number of British BFs Searching on a D6. A fleet engagement will then take place.
I hope that any of you who try solo 1776 will enjoy the challenge as much as I do. Until next time.....
May you always catch old Washington and his army before they disappear into the wilderness!
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