Movement is nominally simultaneous. However, each player completes movement on one half (right or left) of his side on board before he can start moving troops on the other half ie: both move simultaneously on their right or left half of the board. then the other.
Choice is determined by competitive die roll. Prior to choice of sides being determined, forced retreats, and designated retreats are taken. Then those units, which have won melees, may exercise the option to occupy conquered ground, pursue beaten units or rally in place. Also, those units forced to rally (escaping pursuit or cavalry rallying after pursuit in melee) may place where they are to rally.
After all movement is complete, all units in range, beginning with artillery, may fire. One die is rolled per base. (Sometimes more for artillery firing canister and light infantry) to determine hits. Casualties by roster figure. Casualties are deducted and only survivors count in melees. Normally only front ranks may fire. Exceptions are troops firing up at targets on hills or from defended buildings. It is assumed that loaded muskets are passed to those at windows, loopholes etc.
TROOP ORGANIZATION: 1846
Infantry: 4 bases (roster of 20) 1 use 20 figures, 5 on a each 1 1/4" by 2' base
Cavalry: 2 bases (roster of 10) 1 use 8 figures, 4 on the same size bases as the Infantry
Artillery: 1 base (roster of 2 guns & 5 crew) I use 2 guns & 5 crew on a 3" by 1 1/2" Base
MOVEMENT
| TROOP | WALK | TROT | CHARGE | RETREAT | MARCH COL | ROAD COL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Cav. | 4" | 8" | 12" | 4"/8" | 12" | 14" |
| Light Cav. | 4" | 8" | 16" | 4"/8" | 16" | 18" |
| Staff | 4" | 8" | 24" | - | - | - |
| Infantry | 4" | - | 8" | 4"/8" | 6" | 8" |
| Square | 2" | - | ||||
| Horse Art. | 4" | 8" | 12" | 4"/8" | 10" | 12" |
| Field Art. | 4" | 8" | 8" | 4"/8" | 6" | 8" |
Cavalry and Artillery may move through woods either at a walk or not at all. Infantry is cut to 3", Lights are not affected. Hill contours cut all troops to 4" per contour. Artillery may move, deploy and fire if it was not been in firing position the previous turn. It may pivot 60 degrees and still fire. Artillery may gallop only once in succession, Cavalry may gallop (charge) only twice in succession.
MELEE
Melees are resolved by the combat values of troops adjusted by tactical factors (flank, rear, disorder etc.) and various uses of dice. (D6 for Mexicans and D8 for Americans) Normally a full tactical units of Infantry (4 bases) or Cavalry (2 bases) count in melee. However only base adjoining that contacted (within 1") and 4 deep for infantry and 2 deep for cavalry will count.
EXAMPLE
Thus a 4 base infantry unit caught in flank will count only 2 bases.
However the entire unit will break if defeated. Regardless of formation, a tactical unit struck in flank or rear will suffer deductions from all its bases or roster strength.
Melee is resolved as follows: the score of three (3) dice per side multiplies Combat values (adjusted by tactical factors). High score wins. One (1) casualty is suffered per victorious unit. As for defeated units: two dice are rolled (in this case six sided regardless) and the difference applied to the combat results table.
DEATH DIE
A fourth dice may be added for the general leading in person. If a one (1) is rolled the general is killed or at least rendered hoer's d combat.
FORFEIT: The player with fewer points may claim forfeit. That is to accept a die difference of one (1). If he refuses and loses the melee anyway his subsequent loss is double in severity.
MELEE POWERS Inf/Cav
| STATUS | INF. | CAV. | IMPETUS PER BASE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irregulars | 4 | 4.5 | .5/1 |
| Lights | 4.5 | 6 | .5/1 |
| Line | 6 | 7.5 | .5/1 |
| Elites | 7.5 | 9 | 1/2 |
| Guards | 9 | 10.5 | 1/2 |
| Mexican Art. | 6 | - | - |
| US Art. | 9 | - | - |
SQUARE Infantry adds 50% of their combat points against Cav. Take fire as enfiladed.
There is no impetus for units firing, or for cavalry attacking squares. Cavalry fights with a minimum frontage of two (2) bases. Infantry directly behind an artillery battery gives one half (1 /2) its combat power to the battery in melee. Cavalry in support of guns lends its full combat power to the battery in melee. Cavalry may also countercharge at any time. A six (6) rolled by a defending unit stops a charge, A six (6) rolled by an attacking units throws defender into disorder. ( -I per base ) A hit taken in flank results in an additional -1 per base, -2 if taken in rear. Houses etc add 3 to 5 points per base, but loose 1 point of power per base per attack. All troops in house fighting (attackers & defenders) count 1 point per base. Cavalry may not attack buildings while mounted. Bridges add 2 points per unit defending, hedges and light works add 3 per unit, walls and heavy works add 6 per unit, and a redoubt adds 24 points. As mentioned above generals in melee add a die.
In infantry and cavalry melees, the loser retreats in order with die difference of 0, and in disorder with any greater difference,
| COMBAT RESULTS TABLE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Die Difference | Infantry Casualties | Cavalry
Casualties | Artillery |
| 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 gun destroyed, battery limbers up and escapes. |
| 1 | 2 | 1 | All guns captured, gunners & limbers escape. |
| 2 | 3 | 2 | As above. |
| 3 | 4 | 2 | As above. |
| 4 | 5 | 2 | As above |
| 5 | 6 | 2 | 1 gun destroyed, rest of battery captured. |
A standard is captured on a difference of 3 or more.
Irregulars and light foot will rout on a difference of I or more.
Line and Light Cav. will hold on 0, retreat in order on I or 2, in disorder on 3, and rout
on 4 or 5.
Elites and Guards will hold on 0 or 1, retreat in order on 2 or 3, retreat in disorder on 4
and rout on 5.
- UNITS MELEED WHILE ROUTING AUTOMATICALY LOSE!
| WEAPON RANGES & EFFECTS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Die Result | 4-5-6 | 5-6 | 6 |
| Hs. Art. | 12" (2 dice) | 24" | 30" |
| Fd. Art. | 16"(3 dice) | 32"(2 dice) | 40" |
| Hv.Art. | 20"(3 dice) | 36"(2 dice) | 48" |
| Howitzer | 12"(3 dice) | - | 30 - 48" (2 dice) |
| Rifle | 6" | 12" | 18" |
| Musket | 4" | 8" | 12" |
| Carbine | 4" | 8" | - |
| Skirmishers | - | 4" | 8" (2 dice per stand, rifles +4") |
Enfilade adds 1 die per unit firing.
All entries are per base. Fist fire is at +1 for small arms only. Artillery hits confirmed by 2-4-6 destroys a gun, otherwise kill gunners. Howitzer hits automatically destroy guns and fire buildings. Bases having lost greater than half their roster strength may not fire, count in melee. When an entire unit has lost half its strength, it retires from the field, fighting only if attacked. Units retreat through other units disorder themselves and the other unit.
NOTE ON DICE
One of the major changes I made in these rule is the giving the Americans 8 sided dice. In all cases a score of 7 or 8 is to be a 6.
FACING RESRICTIONS
At a walk or in column a unit mace up to ninety degrees. Cavalry at a trot may face up to sixty degrees. Any charging unit may face only up to 30 degrees.
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© Copyright 2001 Hal Thinglum
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