Once firing has been completed, any units of the active clan in base-to-base contact with an enemy unit conduct melee combat provided the units did not already fight earlier in the turn. Only one melee resolution is made per stand per turn. It is possible, in the case of multi-unit melees, for some stands of a unit to fight one opponent and then other stands of the same unit could fight a different enemy later in the turn. Units may not voluntarily break off from melee but may be forced to due to enemy pressure or morale failure.
Eligibility to Fight
Any stand whose front base edge is in contact with an enemy stand may fight. A stand immediately behind an eligible stand may also fight depending on order and weapons. A single stand to the flank of a stand eligible to fight that has no frontal opponent is also eligible to fight as an overlap from the second round of melee. Overlapping stands maintain their formation; they do not lap round 90° on to the flank of the enemy unit. Units may count 1 stand in contact with an enemy headquarters (plus any eligible rear rank and overlaps). Up to 2 stands may fight from or against each side of a building.
All weapons can only fight with 1 rank on the first round of melee except long-shafted spears fighting to their front, which can fight with 2 ranks. On subsequent rounds, all weapons can fight with 2 ranks. Disordered units may only fight with one rank. Missile armed ashigaru and headquarters use Improvised Melee Weapons. No charge bonus modifiers are applied to units charging a building.
Procedure
Each side rolls 2d6 for each stand eligible to fight. Add Weapon and Melee Modifiers to each dice total. For each stand scoring a final total of 8 or more, a hit is scored on the opposing unit. As with firing, a stand is removed for every 3 hits on a unit. Hits can be recorded using markers or a roster sheet.
Melee Tables
| Weapon Table | ||
|---|---|---|
| Weapon | Vs Foot | Vs Mounted |
| Long-shafted Spear | +1 | +2 |
| Pole Arm | +2 | +2 |
| Improvised Melee Weapons | +1 | +0 |
| Lance | +1 | +1 |
| Melee Modifiers | |
|---|---|
| +2 Cavalry Charging | -2 Enemy has Heavy armour |
| +2 General with unit | -2 Enemy fighting to flank/rear |
| +2 Frenzied | -2 Enemy occupying a building |
| +2 Pursuing | -1 Enemy has higher quality status |
| +2 Good order long spear / lance on 1st round | -1 Enemy has Medium armour |
| +1 Daimyo with unit | -1 Disordered |
| +1 Good order pole arm on 1st round | -1 Enemy uphill or behind obstacle |
| +1 Infantry charging | - |
| +1 Following Up | - |
Challenges
When two opposing units, engaged in melee, have their respective daimyo’s (or General) attached, the leader of the clan whose army has the initiative may challenge his opponent to a duel before the current round of melee is fought. If this is refused, the refusing commander has lost face and has his leadership rating permanently reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 1) and no further action is necessary. If the challenge is accepted, both leaders fight to the death before the units’ melee is conducted. Both leaders roll 1d6 and add it to their command rating. Highest score wins and the loser is killed. Re-roll if it is a tie. The winning leader adds 1 to his command rating (up to a maximum of 4). The losing leader’s unit must take a morale test at the end of the turn even if they win the ensuing round of melee.
After Melee
The side that scores the most hits wins the melee and the losing unit is pushed back 3cm. If the winning side scores 2 more hits than the loser, the losing unit is routed instead. The winning unit must follow-up a push-back or pursue a rout for one turn, except that infantry (even if frenzied) cannot follow-up or pursue cavalry that charged into contact this turn and units in a multi-unit melee may be unable to do so.
If both sides score an equal number of hits, they remain in contact for another round of melee. Note, however, that should either or both sides lose a stand, a morale test will be required which could result in one or both sides being required to break contact by falling back or routing.
Should a leader be attached to a unit losing a stand, roll 1d6 and add the number of stands remaining in the unit. A result of 4 or less means the leader is killed and a morale test will be required. A headquarters counts as 1 remaining stand.
Push Back and Follow Up moves
A push back is a 3cm move straight back facing the enemy. It represents a gradual giving of ground under pressure throughout the fight. If the unit is unable to move back the full distance because friendly troops or impassable terrain blocks it, the unit becomes disordered immediately. If it is blocked by enemy troops or the table edge, it is destroyed and removed. A unit must normally Follow Up to maintain contact except that infantry do not follow up cavalry who charged into contact with them this turn or if a multi-unit melee makes this impossible or non-frenzied troops that are defending a linear obstacle may choose not to follow up.
Rout Moves
A routing unit makes a free 180° turn away from the enemy and moves at rout speed, as diced for, directly away from the enemy. It can make no further turns or wheels to avoid friendly units or passable terrain on its initial rout move but can make the minimum wheels necessary to avoid impassable terrain or enemy units. If the unit is required to rout from melee while also being contacted on flank or rear, it is destroyed.
Should the routing unit meet friends, it must pass straight through them and will move sufficiently far enough to clear them even if this means they exceed their rout move distance. The interpenetrated unit will become disordered and must make a morale test at the end of turn.
On subsequent turns, the routing unit will continue to move at rout speed as directly as possible towards its own base line until it rallies or it leaves the battlefield. It may make wheels to avoid other troops or terrain provided it increases the distance between itself and any enemy units. Should this be unavoidable or any part of the unit crosses the table edge, it is destroyed and removed from the table.
If the unit had already routed in the game, it makes its initial rout move as above but is removed at the end of the turn.
Pursuit Moves
A unit must normally pursue a routed enemy unit at up to their pursuit move distance as diced for. Should they maintain contact after the rout/pursuit moves have been made, the routers are destroyed. A unit cannot pursue if they are infantry routing cavalry who charged into contact this turn, or if a multi-unit melee makes this impossible. Non-frenzied troops defending a linear obstacle may choose to either halt or pursue.
Should the pursuing unit meet another enemy unit, this new unit must test morale if it is of a type that would normally have to test for being charged. Any melee will take place on the following turn even if this fresh enemy has not yet been activated this turn. The pursuing unit will get the +2 modifier for pursuing but will also be disordered if the original melee lasted more than one turn.
A pursuit only lasts one turn but frenzied troops will keep pursuing the routed enemy until the routers are removed from the table or are contacted again.
Multiple Unit Melee
Occasionally, one unit may be in melee with more than enemy unit. When the first unit is activated, all units in the melee are activated and all units fight with any eligible stands. The procedure to establish hits is identical. The single unit always suffers the worst melee outcome. For example, a single unit could win one melee and lose another. In this case, the unit would have to fall back or rout depending on how badly it lost part of the melee. Similarly, should one part of a unit win a melee and the other half draw, the winning half may not follow-up even if frenzied (but their opponents would still be pushed-back/routed). If a unit has been activated and fought in melee, and is then charged by another enemy unit later in the turn, the unit may fight against this new enemy as normal, even though they had already been activated.
If a unit is contacted from more than one direction e.g. front and flank, and the unit is pushed back or worse from both directions simultaneously, the unit is destroyed and removed from the table. Only one victorious unit may follow up at the winner’s discretion, the other unit(s) must halt.
Daimyo Samurai Wargames Rules 1550-1615
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