UNITS: Infantry has four stands of two figures each-, mounted cavalry has four stands of one figure each, dismounted cavalry has three stands of two figures each plus one horse holder stand; artillery has one gun and two crew stands of two figures each. Infantry and cavalry can be four deep in column (not deployed) or one deep in line (deployed). Artillery can be limbered (not deployed) - trail in direction of movement) or unlimbered (deployed - muzzle in direction of fire). Units can fire only when deployed. Infantry and cavalry can charge only when deployed. Elite infantry and cavary begin with five stands; poor with three; elite artillery with three stands; poor with one.
BRIGADE ORGANIZATION & INITIAL ORDERS: Each player has ten to twenty units in brigades of two to five units, each commanded by a Major General. Initial brigade orders are advance (place the Major General in front of the brigade); hold (Major General behind the brigade); or withdraw (Major General behind the brigade facing the rear). If the Army Commander is with the brigade or unit he may automatically change orders. Orders can also be changed by a brigade commander by tossing a "5" or "6" on a D6.
TURN SEQUENCE: Confederates activate/resolve combats; Union activates/resolve combats.
ACTIONS: A unit must pass an accomplishment toss to:
- Change formation
- Withdraw from melee
- Charge into melee (new or existing)
Note that artillery may not move into contact; that cavalry and infantry must be already deployed to do so, and add 1 to the toss if the enemy is behind cover.
Toss 1 die: Infantry and cavalry fail if the toss exceeds the number of stands in the unit; succeed if the toss is less than or equal to the stands remaining in the unit (for artillery, count figures rather than stands). A successful change of formation counts as movement for the unit. Note that failure means that a unit under movement orders (advance or withdraw) continues to move unless this would force a unit that is not deployed to contact an enemy unit (in which case the unit stands). Artillery units with movement orders may unlimber (which halts movement, but does not change orders). Units with hold orders may attempt to charge if an enemy unit is within range.
MOVEMENT: Crossing obstacles requires a success toss: succeed on 1-4; fail on 5 or 6. Failure is no movement; success is move at normal speed.
- Deployed artillery = 0"
Deployed infantry/dismounted cavalry = 5"
Deployed cavalry or infantry/artillery not deployed = 10"
Generals or cavalry not deployed = 15"
Units in a mixed brigade may conform to the movement of the slowest unit.
COMBAT: Going through each category separately - Artillery is resolved (line of sight); then musketry (18" for infantry; 12" for cavalry); then melee (contact) - the phasing player totals the number of units attacking a target unit and tosses one die, normally scoring a hit (i.e., forcing a morale check) on a 5 or 6. Modifiers are:
| -1 from toss | +1 to toss |
|---|---|
| if artillery at over 24" | for first round of melee |
| if target behind cover | if target not deployed (i.e., limbered or in column) |
| - | If target mounted cavalry under fire If target attacked by mounted cavalry (-2 if target is behind cover - note that this means cavalry scores only a "6" by having a +1 for first round of melee For every additional attacking unit |
(Note: Artillery may hit targets that are at long range and behind cover only by combining fire from several batteries)
MORALE: If the attacker scores a hit, the defender must check morale. Toss 1 die: (Artillery -1 from fire/+1 in melee; all units if behind cover from fire -1)
- 1 or 2 a unit rallies
3 or 4 a unit either fails morale (lose 1 stand), or (owner's choice) immediately falls back 10" (15" for cavalry) and reforms not deployed.
5 or 6 a unit both losses a stand and falls back as above.
A Major General may attempt to rally a unit before morale effect: toss one die:
- 1-3 = subtract that number from morale toss
4 = no effect
5 = General capture if in melee (otherwise no effect)
6 = General is killed
If a Major General is killed in a rally attempt, his brigade checks as a whole for changes of brigade orders (units take all further reaction tests individually):
Toss 1 die (-1 if withdrawing; +1 if advancing)
- 1-2 = withdraw
3-4 = hold
5-6 = advance
Note: The Army Commander may also attempt rallies, but brigade movement orders are not affected by the loss of the Army Commander.
A unit of infantry or cavalry remains in play as long as it has three stands; a three stand unit that losses a stand is removed. Note that guns are left in place if their crews fall back or are eliminated.
SKIRMISHERS AND DISMOUNTED CAVALRY: Infantry skirmishers have a front
line of four figures on a 10" front with the remaining stands in a rear rank; move 10" or move 5" and fire (-1 to fire if crossing obstacles or rough terrain) and may not charge (and automatically lose melees if attacked and +2 modifier on morale after melee); count as behind cover for fire (also screen troops behind from fire and vice versa). They may fall back 10" and reform in column on a successful accomplishment toss.
Cavalry may dismount on a successful accomplishment toss. Replace one mounted
cavalry stand with a horse holder stand and all others with dismounted cavalry stands (i.e., a four-stand cavalry unit becomes three dismounted cavalry stands and one horse holder stand). Place the dismounted cavalry stands in line with the horse holder stand behind them. Movement is 10". Dismounted cavalry may remount on a successful accomplishment toss. In all other respects,
dismounted cavalry are treated as infantry.
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© Copyright 2000 Hal Thinglum
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