Ace Death of Leader: A high-ranking (non-player) subcommander dies at an inopportune moment. All units under his command may take no action for one or more turns. Alternatively, a subcommander is drunk, insubordinate, or has a sudden attack of Cowardice or inpompetence with similar results. Two Counter-March: Crossed signals make a unit reverse facing and retrace its movement of the previous turn. Alternatively, it leaves or never appears on the battlefield. Three Messenger Killed/Bad Communications: During a battle, a unit does not receive new orders and continues with, its, current action, which may mean it does nothing. Four Wall of Dead: Heaps of corpses cause advancing units to make an immediate morale check, and they attack at a disadvantage (slipping on blood, entrails, etc.). Defending enemy units gain cover from the mounds of dead. Five Poltroonery: This affects the worst unit in your army. They will not enter within missile range of any enemy unit, and will automatically rout if attacked. Six Frontal Assault: Bone- headed subordinates interpret their orders in the worst possible way. For example, a futile attack is made on the strongest enemy position by a totally inferior force. ("Half a league, half a league, half a league onward...") Seven Compression / Traffic Jam: The actions of enemy forces (usually encircling or multiple flanking attacks) or the loss of cohesion in a close- order formation force the PCs' unit into a tightly packed position where they are unable to defend themselves properly. Only troops in the front rank can fight, and even then at a disadvantage. Enemy forces inflict extra casualties. Alternatively, moving units accidently cross paths and the formation becomes entangled in a confused mass, requiring one or more turns to sort out. Eight Ammunition shortage / Equipment Failure. Missile troops or artillery run low on ammo. Reduce attack effectiveness by 50%. Melee troops are at minuses due to faulty weapons. Nine Poor Marksmanship: Reduce the affected unit's missile fire effectiveness by 20-50%. Alternatively, friendly units fire on other friendly forces. Ten Mud: A sudden downpour, deliberate flooding, or destruction of local drainage by bombardment turn the battlefield into a mire. Infantry, cavalry, and tracked vehicles moves half, wheeled vehicles cannot move at all. No charges are permitted and attackers have their effectiveness, reduced 25%. Jack Brittle Morale: Green or previously defeated units have no stomach for an extended fight. Their first morale check is made normally, but thereafter increase negative results such that fallbacks become retreats and retreats become routs. In addition, the sight of another unit running away will cause an immediate morale check or automatic retreat, depending on whether the other unit is of the same or higher quality as the one with brittle morale. Queen Loot: Any forces which break through the enemy line of battle will immediately head for the enemy camp or baggage train, and thus are taken out of the battle. King Bad News: Just before the battle, news comes in that affects the morale of your entire army. It could be reports of defeat on another front, a revolution at home, an impending peace settlement, etc. More Armies on the March Introduction Diamonds: Tactics Clubs: Equipment and Miscellaneous Hearts: Blunders Spades: Personnel Back to Shadis #21 Table of Contents Back to Shadis List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master List of Magazines © Copyright 1995 by Alderac Entertainment Group This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com