Note that this variant follows the organization of the original Volley and Bayonet rules. UNIT TYPES There are Infantry, Cavalry, and Artillery units. Dragoons are a special case, but fall into either the Infantry or the Cavalry category, depending on whether they are mounted or not. There are no skirmishers of any kind. Infantry: All infantry are mounted on standard linear (regimental, or more accurately, half brigade) stands (3" X 1.5") and are either Pike or Fusilier. The average stand represents a 3 battalion half-brigade. There are no battalion guns (as far as the rules are concerned). Any infantry unit armed with pike (in whatever mixture) is considered "Pike." Any non-pike infantry unit is considered "Fusilier." Cavalry: "Cavalry" covers all mounted units, including mounted dragoons. "Horse" is a sub category of cavalry that includes all mounted non-dragoon units. All Horse is mounted on massed (brigade) stands (mine are mounted 3"x 2" as opposed to the standard 3"x 3") and represent brigades of about 10 squadrons. All Horse get shock effect. Cavalry as a whole has three weights. From lightest to heaviest they are: (M) medium; (H) Horse; and (HH) Heavy Horse: Medium (M) is for Mounted Dragoons. All cavalry, aside from mounted dragoons and a few HH units, are (H)-weight: H is heavier than M. Heavy Horse (HH) has weight advantage over all, and applies only to a few special horse brigades. There are no light cavalry for this era. Dragoons: Dragoons are either mounted or dismounted for the entire battle. Their status at the beginning of the battle (mounted or dismounted) defines their status throughout. Dismounted dragoons are considered fusiliers (note: they are not skirmishers). They are mounted on the same sized bases as other infantry. Dismounted dragoons can be multi SP units (just as other infantry). Dismounted dragoons, however, have a maximum morale of 3. Dismounted dragoons receive a +1 morale modifier when attacking units in works or buildings. Mounted dragoons are not mounted on mass brigade stands like other cavalry, but are mounted on linear infantry-sized stands (3" X 1.5") as per the single regiment rules in VnB. However, they are not cavalry skirmishers, but they are 1SP cavalry units. Mounted dragoons can have a maximum morale of 4. They are considered (M) medium-weight cavalry. They get no shock or breakthrough, but otherwise function as any other cavalry unit. Artillery: There are four classes of artillery: Heavy, Field, Light, and Very Light. My guns are represented by different models and stands when limbered and unlimbered. Stands represent groupings of 10 guns, roughly (2SPs). My Light and Very Light limbers are .75" X 2.5". My Field and Heavy limbers are slightly more bulky, 1.25" X 2.5". Unlimbered Heavy and Field guns are mounted on 1.5" X 1.5" bases. Unlimbered Light and Very Light guns are mounted on 1.5" wide by 1" deep bases.  Command Stands: Sizes are as defined in the original rules except I use round stands (not a critical point variant, but a matter of my preference). For this era, substitute the term "wing" for "corps" commander. FIGURE SCALE I happen to use 6mm figures, but my variant is not a "reduced scale" variant in terms of stand size and movement. As per the original VnB concept, the number, scale, and type of figures on each stand are a matter of preference and don't influence game play. SEQUENCE OF PLAY As per original rules: COMMAND DETERMINATION Is as per original rules except for modified effects for being out of command. Use the following rule in place of the original (note that it is more permissive than the original): Units not in command: Units not in command have their movement reduced by 1/2, cannot recover from disorder, cannot go stationary (although don't lose it if they are already stationary so long as they don't move), and artillery may not unlimber. MOVEMENT In this variant, the time scale is approximately halved (roughly 30 minutes per turn as opposed to 60), and there are fewer "free" movements, rendering a more incremented and deliberate movement scheme: it's not a "fluid" battle. All armies are professional, but fall under the "poorly drilled" rule. Similarly, the artillery falls under the restrictions suggested for early (pre Seven Year's War) guns. In short, there are no free facing changes at the beginning of the turn. Infantry and cavalry may freely move 45 degrees obliquely, as per the original rules, but any second oblique (changing direction) costs 1/2 move. Limbered artillery, however, and prolonging guns do not pay to change facing. All guns are Pre-professional artillery. This means that once unlimbered, they cannot be limbered again. The only movement allowed for unlimbered guns is for light and very light guns to prolong 1" and 3", respectively. Heavy guns should, except for unusual circumstances, begin the game unlimbered (in other words, other than facing changes, heavy guns should be static). All other movement rules are in effect as per the original game. Note that since there are no free facing changes, that stationary units lose their status by facing in place (a major departure from the original rules). Movement Into Contact: As per original rules. Additionally, the prohibition against moving into contact with a unit that the moving unit could not see at the beginning of the turn is modified (as per subsequent suggestions) to read that a unit is only prohibited from moving into contact with a stationary unit that it could not see at the beginning of the turn. Road and Cross Country Column: Modified a bit, including suggestions for adding the non road column. Units can assume column formation to enhance movement at the expense of security. Columns are formed by placing an infantry or cavalry stand long-wise in the direction of movement and adding stands to extend the length of the unit. Cavalry and infantry can assume column for either road or field movement. Artillery can only form road column (limbered artillery only), and then only for road movement. Field columns may enter woods, but may not be formed in woods. Units may not move through woods in field column if such terrain would be prohibited to them or would disorganize them. Field columns have double movement allowance, and pay for terrain encountered (like hill contours and to cross obstacles: see terrain effects for cases). Units that begin the turn in column on roads have triple movement allowance for the duration of their road movement. Units on roads pay no terrain penalties and suffer no disorganizing effects of the terrain the road traverses. Unless otherwise marked, all towns are assumed to have a road entering and exiting from their cardinal points. Columns can change direction freely without penalty. Units that spend any part of a turn in column cannot engage in offensive combat (fire or melee) that turn. Limbered artillery and artillery in road column that is contacted by enemy is eliminated automatically. Columns have no fire dice, and all incoming fire and contact is treated as if it were flanking for morale purposes. Columns in contact with enemy fight with 1 combat dice per stand in contact.  The First stand of a column is the unit stand turned on edge, except in the case of artillery, where it is the normal horse and limber stand (if you don't have separate limbered stands, an infantry stand will do). The second and subsequent stands are empty "spacer" stands (equivalent to the size of the leading stands). Units pay 1/2 move to enter and to exit column. MORALE Most of the morale rules from the original remain in force. The monarch rule is extended to include all Army Commanders (whether or not monarchs). And the other major differences are in the modifiers. Use the following modifiers for this variant: COMBAT All combat mechanics are as per the original rules, except as noted below: Modified final casualty rule: A one strength point (1SP) unit cannot be eliminated by a single fire combat hit alone. A melee combat hit, however, does count (and will eliminate it). A 1SP unit converts non-melee hits to disorder results as per addendum, and can be eliminated by routing (so a fire hit on a previously disordered 1SP unit will, in effect, eliminate it, as would two fire hits in a single combat round). COMBAT TABLES:  MELEE TIE BREAKERS Retreating units contacting friendly units: Stands which retreat or rout back through a formed friendly unit disorder the stand only if some part of the retiring unit's base passes through two opposite sides of the other unit's base and if the first point of contact between the stands is within the first half of the retreating unit's movement. A routing or disordered stand passing through a non-disordered stand will pass completely through and leave it disordered. A disordered unit passing through an already disordered unit will carry the other unit back to the rear with it but will not rout it. A routing unit passing back through an already disordered unit will rout it. Retreating infantry does not affect cavalry. Saving Throws: As per original rules with the exception that cavalry withdrawal is limited to one 6" withdrawal attempt (to remove one hit, even if more were sustained). DIVISION EXHAUSTION As per original rules. TERRAIN As per original except for the addition of a new terrain class (hamlet) and the incorporation of clarifications on towns and villages: Hamlet: Too small to be occupied in the sense of villages and towns, but provides a piece of blocking terrain against cavalry and negates negative flank effects from both fire and melee from that quarter for an infantry unit that has its flank in flush contact with the hamlet (counts as occupying the hamlet). Only one side can benefit from the same hamlet (whoever is first). By themselves, they do not block line of sight or the movement of artillery or formed troops. Cavalry, artillery, and infantry may move through unoccupied hamlets without being disordered (in fact they open ranks slightly and move around them) and may end their move with part of the base on the village. The hamlet is considered to be an extension of the unit for purposes of close combat (to contact the hamlet is to contact the unit). For fire purposes, however, the infantry stand itself must be targeted. For fire purposes, hamlets do not block line of fire. Hamlet terrain pieces should be small, no larger than 2" X 2", to prevent anomalies from cropping up Town and Village: Units are disordered upon entering if not in column. (already disordered units not further disordered). Cavalry and Artillery in town have no combat dice (automatically lose if meleed). Counts as "blocking terrain" for securing flanks of infantry vs cavalry. Only infantry may occupy. Infantry defending town receives saving throw against all but heavy artillery and a morale benefit (+1). May fire one dice out of each side, up to maximum fire dice. Town capacity is two infantry units. Village capacity is one infantry unit. When multiple stands occupy the same town block, each stand checks morale separately but are all considered to be a single unit for melee. That is, all units in the town may fire at any units attacking any unit in the town and all losses on both sides are compared to determine the winner. If the attacker wins, all surviving defending stands are ejected from the town. If the defender wins all attacking stands are driven back in disorder. Towns and villages negate numerical advantage. Works: As per original rules. Additionally, works negate numerical advantage. General Notes on Gaming the Nine Years War 1688-1697 Back to MWAN # 129 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2004 Hal Thinglum This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. 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