Friday 6 July 2007

Rules - Charging

After all firing is resolved any of the moving players infantry or cavalry units which are unshaken may declare charges on any enemy units that are in charge reach. Charge reach is 3" for infantry and 6" for cavalry, but the target must be directly to the front of the charging unit.

Once all the charges have been declared test the morale of the charged units in the order decided by the moving player. As each charged unit is tested counter-charge, evade, or rout it as appropriate. After all charged units have been tested move any charging units that are not already in contact into contact with its target if it is still within charge reach, or its original position if it has routed or evaded out of charge reach. Then calculate the results of the melees.

Testing charged units
Roll 1d6 per unit, add any of the following factors if they apply
Non Cavalry charged by Cavalry................................................................................ +2
Open Order Infantry or artillery charged by Close Order......................................... +2
Charged in the rear........................................................................................................ +2
Charged in the flank....................................................................................................... +1
Shaken.............................................................................................................................. +1
Behind an obstacle or in a building............................................................................. - 2
Cavalry only charged by Non Cavalry........................................................................ - 2
Close Order only charged by Open Order Infantry or artillery................................. - 2
In a fortification.............................................................................................................. - 3

If the modified score equals or exceeds the charged units basic morale it will rout immediately and lose 1 strength point. If the score is less than zero the charged unit may counter charge any enemy unit to its front which is charging it. This is ignored by units behind obstacles, in buildings or fortifications. The counter charging unit is moved into contact with the charging unit halfway between their positions. Already routing units may surrender, but otherwise they automatically rout and lose 1 strength point.

Rout

Routing units move directly away from the cause at rout speed towards the nearest friendly cover. This cover may be behind another friendly unit, into woods, buildings or off the friendly edge of the table. The routing unit may not move such that it reduces the distance to any visible enemy unit. (i.e. The routing unit must be further away from any enemy unit at the end of the move than at the beginning)

Surrender

Units may surrender in the following situations :-
(a) Units charged in the rear which rout either from the charged test or melee.
(b) Already routing units which are successfully charged.
(c) Already routing units which are within 6" of any enemy unit and cannot move.
Roll 1d6 for any units in this situation, if the score is 4 or higher then the unit surrenders if foot, 5 or higher if mounted. Units which surrender are removed from the table.

2 comments:

Steve-the-Wargamer said...

Will - for reasons historical (and therefore difficult to remember why!) we've always played it that rout movement is not affected by terrain effects (other than impassable/impossible) - I can't see this documented in the rules - how do you play it???

Guess same question would apply to the evade/charge phase...

Fire at Will said...

Steve, that's the way I play it as well, on the basis that routing units are not trying to keep formation, etc.

Can't recall the issue occurring with charges, at least not where applying the penalty would prevent a charge. Strictly I would apply the penalty in these cases and I wouldn't want charges crossing a wall/fence and then carrying on towards the enemy.

Evades you could argue either way as they are trying to maintain some sort of formation/cohesion will attempting to maximise their distance from the enemy.

I'll bear this in mine for the new terrain table I'm developing, the current draft is included in my 1683 rules.