In 1990, Arty Conliffe challenged the established norms in ancient wargaming. TACTICA escaped the tactical minutia of weapons and armour in favor of a holistic view of unit capabilities and an army commander's perspective. The TACTICA SUPPLEMENT and MEDIEVAL TACTICA soon followed each illustrating an evolution of ideas that addressed both mechanical developments and period specific subtleties.

This evolution resulted in a brand new system, ARMATI, which incorporated the best principles of TACTICA with more elegant and sophisticated, yet easily played mechanics. Understandably the progression of idcas did not stop and Arty pushed the ARMATI envelop open further with the release of ADVANCED ARMATI, henceforth referred to as *AA* (the addictive qualities of ARMATI makes this a rather appropriate acronym).

It is crucial to immediately point out that AA does not alter the wonderfully playable and historically viable game mechanics of the original ARMATI system. AA is evolutionary not revolutionary. Indeed, the original rule book is required to use the contents that are packed within the pages of AA.

Having stated this however, it should be noted that the advanced designation is appropriate since new tactical possibilities have been added to this already elegant system to enhance the challenge of play. There are three major sections to AA: army lists, advanced rules and clarifications. and the campaign system. Each of these sections will be explored in order.

The concept of an *army* list has long been a fixture of wargaming norms. Seemingly necessary to account for the breadth of the ancient period, WRG, Newbury, and others produced countless books of army shopping lists (I'm sure that figure manufacturers had something to do with it?)

Historical Character?

Ironically, the result was to undermine the historical character of the armies being represented. This seemed to be partially encouraged by competitive tournament play where minimums were purchased and the army lleshed out with every conceivable auxiliary. In part, TACTICA was a response to this gamesmanship and forced players to fight with typical army compositions as opposed to custom built forces. Although refreshing to those who liked the orthodoxy of typical OBs - a Roman army really looked like a Roman army - the restrictions drew criticism from many gamers.

As an aside, I think that those gamers have been unduly orthodox in regards to straying from mandated arrny lists; Arty would not have jumped out of the pages of TACTICA or ARMATI and slapped you around if you had created your own army lists Nevertheless, already with the TACTICA MEDIEVAI, system and then, in ARMATI, Arty allowed some choice in army composition in certain late medieval armies. This approach was a first step which led to a completely new and expanded series of lists in AA.

The army lists in AA are divided into nine periods ranging from Biblical to the Thirty Years War. There are over 160 lists which Is a significant expansion from the original ARMATI lists. Each list is divided into two sections; the mandatory Core Force and the list of optional units. In addition to the data on fighting characteristics, the lists also indicate both the maximum number of bonus units of a particular type available and the cost per unit.

The Core Force ensures that the character of army is represented while the Bonus Unit lists offer some choice for the balance of the army. The Bonus Units available are usually quite diverse depending on the army, but the lists are restricted enough so as not to entirely alter the historical nature of the army being simulated.

Consequently, a Spartan Army has 13 points of available light troops and cavalry but 56 points of hoplites. If the players agree to a typical 30 or 40 point game, the Spartan Army will not be flooded with light troops and the hoplites will remain the backbone of the force. In contrast, the Nikephorian Byzantine list has a tremendous variety of Bonus units available representing the diversity of peoples and f'ighting styles that existed in that rich empire.

As per ARMATI, the heavy and light Control Ratings are predetermined and are usually unaffected by the number of bonus points added to the Core Force if not in excess of 50. The army Breakpoint does, however, change as key units are purchased. Every two key units adds one point to the Breakpoint of the army. This further encourages the addition of units deemed central to the historic army as opposed to choosing lots of auxiliaries.

For example, the aforementioned Spartans add to their Breakpoint only with the addition of hoplites or the one Spartan cavalry unit available. The seven units of light auxiliaries have no effect on the staying power of the army; once the requisite number of hoplites units are defeated, the army is broken.

Terrain Generation System

Another aspect that has now been incorporated into the army lists is the terrain generation system. Instead of rolling on a terrain chart, the new lists include the amount and type of terrain available to a particular army that is then purchased at the discretion of the player. While armies that favored open level terrain typically have three or four hills and a rough ground section available for purchase, the Thracians, for example, can pack their side of the table with up to nine hills and two rough ground sections to suit their fighting style. Again the character of the army is reflected in the lists and the available terrain.

Following the lists, AA provides new rules and clarifications. It is important to note that with very few exceptions, the rules in AA are not changes but rather additions. Previously learned rules remain almost completely intact. Instead of changes, the AA rules offer particularly exciting manoeuvre options which will please those who found ARMATI too restrictive. As always, however, there is a risk in making these new manoeuvres.

The most dramatic movement possibilities are the extended wheel and the about-face. Whereas divisions had previously been restricted to a two inch wheel to alter their frontal facing, AA now allows divisions to wheel up to six inches or even about-face. These manoeuvres carry the same restrictions as for the normal two inch wheel but also result in all the units of the division becoming undressed. Not only is this embarrassing, it incurs a -1 (or -2 if pike) penalty if the unit is not redressed which requires a stationary unengaged turn. The tactical implications of these two manoeuvres are self-evident but, as is indicated in the rules, the need to employ them usually indicates a plan gone wrong.

Another added manoeuvre option is the break-off move. Available to all cavalry, warbands and light troops, the break-off rule permits a unit to attempt a withdrawal if they fail to inflict kills in melee against infantry. This withdrawal is particularly useful for units who carry the advantage of impetus with which they can attempt to break their opponent with a new charge and Impact. of course, nothing is certain in war and to break-off requires a D6 roll, the results including successful withdrawal, continued fighting, or a panic which brcaks the unit. As usual, the breakoff rule is easily learned, fun to attempt, but does not allow an unrealistic or risk free control of units.

New Rules

New rule additions have been made to give flavour to the ECW and 30YW periods now part of the Armati system. Of particular interest is the cavalry pursuit rule which provides the possibility of losing control of a mounted unit that broke an opponent. Although dedicated to the later period, I could imagine the use of this rule for ill-disciplined cavalry of earlier armies and might suit scenario play. Perhaps the overwhelming numerical superiority of Persian cavalry at Gaugamela could be offset by the use of the pursuit rule?

In addition to the new manocuvre rules certain troop types have been added or subtly redefined. For example, staff stingers and mounted cross bowmen have been added. Artillery has been given some limited manoeuvre possibilities and Swiss pike units can now wheel and move but are also subject to obligatory charges. These changes and additions *fine tune' the original rules but at a very minimal cost in regards to relearning.

Campaign System

The final major section of AA is the campaign system. The AA campaign is at the grand strategic level with each player ruling a country and directing their single field army. Other than defending the home territory, the field army can invade neighboring countries or those across a sea if a navy is available. Waterborne invasions are subject to a weather risk die roll but their is no provision for naval combat except an optional rule that modifies the, success of naval invasions if the target country has a superior navy.

Movement is simply from country to country requiring no regional micro-movement. Once an invasion is initiated, an invader attempts to subjugate a region abstractly represented by a number of tokens equal to the overall size of the country. A victory in battle either played on the table-top or by die throws - automatically subjugated an enemy territory. Otherwise, an invader must attempt a subjugation die throw which simulates seiges and small scale actions. Subjugating the last territory of a country is more dii'ficult since this represents the assault on the capital fortress.

Victory and defeat in battle have a bearing on the condition of the ax my. Battle casualties are not automatically returned nor are they necessarily lost. Die rolls modified by the battle's outcome determine which units are returned and which are considered dispersed and/or dead. Reserves can be purchased during a player's turn to bring the army back to the original strength agreed to by the players at the outset of the campaign.

The campaign system provides players with a context for their miniature battles or can be played as a separate game without figures. Either way, the AA campaign is not Intended to provide particular grand tactical or operational problems such as orders of march and logistics headaches. The AA rules take you from the highest level of decision making to the battle field with little in the middle. For some this might be dissatisfying, but it seems to me that most gaming groups have little success in completing detailed campaigns and so the AA system will achieve the desired effect of creating meaning and tension in regards to the miniature battles while avoiding the paperwork of detailed campaigns.

ADVANCED ARMATI Is a great step forward for the original ARMATI system. With two books one can play with armies from an enormous period of time and yet capture the flavour of each era. Clearly written and easily played ARMATI and ADVANCED ARMATI have made ancient, medieval, and renaissance wargaming a diverse pleasure.

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