3.

Game Equipment
As in the original, plus:

Rules 3.2 Chits. Each corps or other major formation

possesses a chit that determines when it will move.
Release 0.1.0 (relative to NLC 1.2.0) Also, each side has a Coordinated Action chit.
© 2007 by Markus Stumptner 3.3 HQ counters. One per Overall Commander. The
normal movement rating of a HQ is 5.
1. Introduction
3.4 Additional markers. “Disrupted” markers, “Check
This ruleset serves both as a set of variant rules for Blue Confidence” markers. Hidden Force markers (some
and Gray and other related games, and as the base rules games only).
for a projected series of games on the major battles of 3.5 Order system. This version of the rules use the
the mid-19th Century. The variant was born primarily standard written orders. If you prefer not to have
from the observation that orders systems significantly written orders, please download the version of the
improve the historical accuracy of tactical games, the rules that uses order markers. In that case you will
more so the longer the time covered by the game. Yet need additional aide, order type, and target markers.
most games that have detailed order systems are so slow
that you only get to play the long scenarios once. This 4. Sequence of Play
ruleset is different.
A turn of AOR consists of the following phases, always
Note: If rounding occurs, always round normally (i.e,
executed in the same sequence:
0.5 and more rounds up) unless specified otherwise.
1. Command and Reorganization Phase. Both players
2. General Course of Play can decide to assign new orders (14.0). Orders which
are handed to their recipient leader are tested for
Movement within one turn is determined by chitpull. compliance. Units can attempt to reorganize (21.0)
Combat is by both sides firing at the enemy. Cavalry
ignores ZOCs, and can charge and countercharge. 2. Chit Preparation Phase. Both sides’ commanders roll
Leaders need orders to attack or move, take time to enact dice to determine if a side gets to put a Coordinated
them, and may even misunderstand them. Alternately, Action chit into the cup (see 5.1), and if one side gets to
they can act under their own initiative, but that is risky as choose an Initial Action Chit. Except for the Initial
they don’t know the overall situation. Action Chit, both players put all of their formations’
2.1 Terminology. Formations are usually corps or chits into the cup that do not have Reserve orders.
divisions whose leaders (commanders) are rated for their
ability. A formation has a chit that, when pulled from a 3. Initial Action Stage. If one side received an Initial
cup, determines that the formation is activated. Action, that formation executes a Formation Action
according to 4.4.
2.2 Morale. The morale (or quality, initiative, élan…)
value is 4 for all infantry and cavalry units and 5 for 4. Formation Selection Phase. Until the cup is empty, do
artillery, with certain exceptions that will be listed in the the following:
individual game descriptions. A unit that has lost a step 4a. Chitpull Stage: Pull a chit from the cup.
has its morale reduced by 1. A demoralized formation
has morale reduced by 1 for all units. In assault, units 4b. Formation Action Stage. All units
fired at by artillery have their morale reduced by 1, and a governed by the selected chit are activated and
flank attack reduces morale by 2. (All modifiers are perform activities according to the Formation
cumulative but morale can never drop below 1 or Action Subsequence (see 4.4).
increase above 5.)
The base morale is the unmodified full strength morale 5. Turn End Phase and Reserve Action Stage. Both sides
value of a unit. The base morale is used for determining activate all their Reserve units. Both players roll a die,
combat modifiers (7.6 and 7.10). the high roller moves his first. All disrupted units check
morale and become undisrupted if they pass the check.
2.3 Morale check. The morale of a group of units is the Advance the turn marker.
highest morale in the group (of infantry if any is present;
if not, of cavalry if any is present; otherwise artillery). 4.1 Coordinated Action Chits. A Coordinated Action
To check morale, roll a single six-sided die. The check chit means that two formations will be able to activate
succeeds if the roll is less or equal to the morale value. together when the chit is drawn. They move and fight in
parallel as if they were the same formation. To indicate hexside, and may not contain units under March or Fall
this, the two formations’ normal Activation chits are Back orders. If it is a village/town hex, it must be
placed on the game map. empty. Leaders, command range trace and order
To determine whether a player receives a Coordinated transmission pay ½ on roads, trails, and railroads,
Action Chit in a turn, the player rolls a die. If the dieroll regardless of stacking, and pay infantry costs elsewhere.
is at least 2 lower than the overall commander’s leader 5.3 Stacking. Up to 12 strength points per hex, checked
rating, the player receives the chit. at the end of each Formation Movement Phase. A stack
Note: A side can have several overall commanders can only be examined by the other player if it is within
(OCs). In that case, one of them must be chosen for the LOS of a friendly leader or unit. If it is within the LOS
roll, and both formations chosen for coordinated action of friendly leader or unit, any artillery unit in the stack
must be subordinate to that commander. must be stacked on top.

4.2 Initial Action. Both players roll a die and add the Moving into a hex containing friendly units using non-
overall Commander’s value. If one player’s result road movement costs +1MP per unit.
exceeds the other’s by at least 3, he may choose any of 5.4 ZOCs. Combat units have a ZOC, which extends
his side’s formations for the Initial Action. Its chit is not into the six hexes surrounding the unit. Exception:
placed in the cup, instead it automatically executes its ZOCs do not extend across impassable hexsides and into
Formation Action stage as the first one this turn, before Forts. Units that start in EZOCs can only leave by
any chit is pulled from the cup. advance and retreat after combat. Exception: Units that
4.3 Leader Activation. The OC can move once per enter a ZOC during their move, and units under Fall
turn, in any friendly Action Stage. A formation leader Back and Reserve orders (see 20) can leave a ZOC hex
move when his formation is activated. by paying +1 MP. Cavalry and leaders ignore ZOC
restrictions on movement for all purposes except
4.4 Formation Action Stage Subsequence. assaulting (see 7.3). If a unit moves between two hexes
I. Bombardment Segment. Activated artillery can in the ZOC of the same enemy non-cavalry unit, the
bombard. enemy unit can fire at the moving unit at half strength
(see 7.12). Artillery cannot enter a ZOC hex unless a
Cavalry Charge Segment does not apply in ACW non-artillery unit occupies the hex or accompanies the
scenarios. artillery.
II. Cavalry Charge Segment. Activated Cavalry units 5.5 Night and Rain. Units may not enter ZOCs during
can charge a target hex. Cavalry Charges (or simply such turns. Note: They may leave them.
Charges) can be followed by Cavalry Pursuit and
Retreat. Charging cavalry can be Countercharged 5.6 Exiting the map. Units exiting the map are not
considered eliminated for VP purposes unless they
II. Formation Movement Segment. The units belonging exited as part of a retreat.
to the activated formation and its leader may be moved
according to the formation’s orders. 6. Unit Status and Step Losses

III. Formation Assault Segment. All units adjacent to 6.1 Step Losses. Most units are backprinted; this means
enemy units can engage in assault depending on the they have two steps. A hit on a two-step unit means that
Formation’s orders. it is flipped to its reverse side and has one step
remaining. A hit on a one-step unit (reversed or not
backprinted) means the unit is eliminated.
5. Movement
6.2 Huge units. All units with a front strength of 8 or
Units pay movement points normally. Units are moved more have 3 steps. When they receive their second hit,
as a stack, dropping and taking up units is allowed. do not remove them. Instead place an inverted
Unless moving into or across prohibited terrain, a disruption marker underneath. They have half the
minimum move of one hex is always allowed. strength printed on their reverse side (round normally).
5.2 Terrain. Road hexes cost ½ MP, trail and railroad They can be reorganized normally to their reverse side
whether on map or eliminated.
hexes always cost 1 MP, bridge hexsides have no extra
cost under road movement and cost +2 otherwise, stream 6.3 Disruption. Disrupted units have their combat
hexsides cost +2 MP to cross. strength halved as described in 7.6 and 7.10. To recover
from disruption, a unit checks morale in the Turn End
To use the road/trail/bridge movement rate, units move
Phase. If it passes, the unit recovers. There are two
one by one and must be under March or Fall Back
modifiers that apply to this check (only) in addition to
orders. A hex must be entered through a road or trail

2
the standard ones: -1 if the unit is adjacent to an enemy another enemy stack is adjacent that will not be assaulted
and +1 if it is in terrain that reduces the attacker. this segment. If multiple unassaulted stacks are adjacent,
a stack containing infantry must assault Forts over
7. Combat infantry over cavalry over artillery over HQs.

7.1 Basic procedure. All forms of combat (assault, Cavalry involved in assault is halved in strength (sum,
charge, bombardment) are conducted by each side then halve and round normally).
adding the strength of its firing units to find a row on the 7.4 Retreats. After a round of assault, each side that
Fire Table, rolling 2d6 and finding the number of hits. suffered at least one hit makes a morale check to see
The units initiating the combat (activated units in assault whether its units involved in that particular combat will
and bombardment, charging cavalry in cavalry charge retreat by one hex.
resolution) are called “attacking”, the opposing ones are
called “defending”. The order in which hits are applied If only one side had no artillery, that side checks first. If
depends on the type of combat. If there are multiple both or none had artillery, the attacker checks first. The
target units, the owner chooses which ones take the hits second side does not check if the first side retreats.
except the first hit must always come from an infantry Note: elimination does not count as retreat!
unit if possible. Also, hits must be allocated to damaged Retreating units are disrupted. Foot Artillery cannot
units if any are present. In certain cases modifiers may retreat and is destroyed instead. If an enemy unit
apply to the dieroll and fire strengths may be reduced by advances into the hex as a result of the combat, the
a certain percentage. Always add reduced strengths, artillery is permanently eliminated.
then round. If the firing strength is greater than 24, look
up twice, for 24 and for the remainder, with the same Design note: Unlike the Napoleonic rules, there is no option
dieroll. here for voluntary retreat. I think that increased infantry
firepower and range simply prevented most maneuvers once in
Note: Elimination in this game never means death to the range. Likewise, artillery in an adjacent hex will become an
last man, but always a temporary loss of cohesion. A immediate target if you try to manhandle it away. Therefore
unit that has already been bloodied will not return to a the Napoleonic era restriction against retreat of defending
fresh state. artillery now applies to the attacker as well.
7.2 Losses. A unit that suffers a hit is flipped to its If a stack retreats into a hex where it violates stacking,
reverse side. If already on that side, it is eliminated. all units in that hex are disrupted. A stack that retreats
7.3 Assault. After activated units have moved, they can into an enemy ZOC suffers passing fire.
engage in one round of combat with adjacent enemy 7.5 Advancing. If the target hex of an assault is vacated
units. Assault cannot occur across unbridged major river and the attackers did not retreat, one attacking unit can
hexsides. advance into the hex. ZOCs are ignored. If a leader is
Design note: Given the scale of the game, assault combat is in an attacking hex with a stack, the whole stack and the
assumed to cover both small arms fire and melee. leader can advance. Stacked units of the same division
can advance without a leader. Artillery cannot advance
Losses are applied simultaneously, unless an attacking unless a non-artillery unit advances with it.
stack moved adjacent out of a nonadjacent hex that was
in LOS of the defending stack. Then, the defender can 7.6 Modifiers for Assault.
choose to fire at this stack first, which means that losses • Armament: Units armed with rifled muskets (the
are applied sequentially: attacker losses are applied, then default) use their normal combat value. Units armed
attacker strength is determined and the attacker fires. with repeating weapons (underlined combat value)
Note: If the defender chooses to instead fire at a stack increase their combat value by 50% when firing at a
that includes units that were already adjacent, apply stack that contains units with rifled muskets or
losses simultaneously. artillery, and when firing in a situation where enemy
All infantry or cavalry units with Attack/Probe orders losses are applied first (see 7.3).
that are in the ZOC of enemy units must assault; assault • Disruption: if a unit starts the assault segment with a
is voluntary for all other units. disrupted marker, its fire strength is halved.
Multiple stacks can assault one defending stack. In this • Flanking: Attacker strength is increased by 50% and
case the defending units are assumed to fire at all Defender morale is reduced by 2 if there are two
attacking stacks at once, and morale is determined over attacking units that are attacking through hexsides
all attacking stacks. that have at least one hexside between them.
One stack can only assault one defending stack. A stack Defenders in towns and forts cannot be flanked.
cannot assault a stack that is already being assaulted if

3
• Terrain: See terrain effects table. Add all strengths moving unit. If multiple units reaction charge the same
with the same percentage reduction, then round unit in the same hex, all of them attack together.
normally (e.g., 4.5 is 5, 4.25 is 4).
7.10 Modifiers for cavalry charges. Use all that apply.
• Morale dieroll modifier: Compare the base morale
• Armament: target infantry with repeating weapons
(see 2.2) of both sides. Subtract defender base
(underlined combat value) is not halved against a
morale from attacker base morale. The attacker
charge.
adds the result to his dieroll, the defender subtracts
it. There is no morale DRM to a fire dieroll where • Form square: if there is infantry in the target hex and
one side has only artillery. all of it is undisrupted, the defenders check morale.
If it succeeds, the charging strength is halved.
Design note: The armament modifiers above are specific
to the American Civil War. The European nations • Flank charge: double charge strength if defender is
experimented with a variety of tactical (lower level) already adjacent to units friendly to the charging
doctrines in the 1848-71 period that lead to different units and is charged from a different hex. Defenders
modifiers being used depending on who is fighting in towns cannot be flanked.
whom in what period.
• Backhand blow: double charge strength if the
Note: Rules 7.7 to 7.10 do not apply in ACW defender against a reaction charge is pursuing or
scenarios. retreating cavalry.
7.7 Cavalry Charges. Activated cavalry within two • Dieroll: Subtract the defender base morale from the
hexes of enemy units may charge those units. If they are attacker base morale. The attacker adds the result to
two hexes away the intervening hex must be empty. his dieroll, the defender subtracts it. There is no
Only clear and crest terrain can be crossed by charges. morale DRM in a combat that involves artillery
defending alone or bombarding.
Charging cavalry moves into the defending hex.
Artillery defends at half strength, cavalry and infantry at 7.11 Cavalry retreat. Cavalry or horse artillery being
full strength. Both sides have one round of fire. assaulted may retreat one hex if it did not start the turn in
Attacker losses are applied before the attackers fire. The an enemy ZOC and there is no cavalry among the
side that loses more steps (defender wins ties) loses the attackers. If one side in an assault only consists of
charge combat and retreats (to its starting hex in case of cavalry and takes hits, that player may also decide to
a charging unit). If the cavalry wins, it can stay, retreat retreat voluntarily before checking morale, in which the
to its starting hex, or pursue. Win or lose, a retreat after losses of both sides are halved (1 reduced to 0).
a charge never reduces losses. If the target units cannot
retreat (charging units do not exert a ZOC for this 7.12 Passing fire. If a unit or stack moves from the
purpose), they lose an extra step and the cavalry can ZOC of an enemy stack into another ZOC hex of the
pursue in-hex. same stack, all units in the stack can fire at it at half
strength. If a hit is scored, the moving unit or stack has
All (non-reaction) cavalry charges in the same Charge to check for retreat as in 7.4.
Segment occur in parallel - all move, then all attack.
7.13 Screening. Passing fire does not occur if the first
A cavalry unit can only charge once per turn and cannot ZOC hex contains a friendly unit that remains there
move or attack if it has charged this turn. throughout the movement segment and the moving unit
7.8. Cavalry pursuit. Victorious charging cavalry can only passes through.
pursue, i.e., attack the units that just retreated (which In other words, if your side has reserves to bring on in a later
may not fire back) or any other adjacent enemy unit (in turn, you will be able to infiltrate units into gaps in the enemy
which case normal charge resolution happens). If the line.
player does not choose to pursue, he still has to do a test
against the pursuit rating for each unit – if he rolls more, 7.13 Large units. All units with a front strength of 8 or
the unit pursues anyway. After one round of pursuit a more have 3 steps. When they receive their second hit,
unit stops or retreats to its original starting hex. do not remove them. Instead place an inverted
disruption marker underneath. They have half the
7.9 Reaction charges. Cavalry within two hexes of a strength printed on their reverse side (round normally).
hex that enemy units move or charge (including reaction They can be reorganized normally to their reverse side
charge) or retreat into or through can reaction charge by whether on-map or eliminated.
standing a morale test (+1 to morale if stacked with a
leader). If the enemy units win they can continue to Speed of Play note. Except in combats that involve the
cavalry retreat option (7.11), it is possible to roll all the dice
move after the charge. Each cavalry unit checks for a in combat at once: Two dice to determine the hits scored by
reaction charge individually and can only check once per each side, and a differently colored die in case a morale check

4
is required. Thus, when conducting passing fire, three dice 10. Forts and Entrenchments
would be rolled, and in an assault, six dice would be rolled.
10.1 Forts. Forts are permanent structures such as
8. Artillery major redoubts, fortified farmsteads, or small castles.

8.1 Bombardment Attacks. During the bombardment Single infantry units in Forts are not affected by enemy
phase, artillery can fire at a target hex as far away as its ZOCs and cannot be bombarded, charged, or flanked.
range. It needs a line of sight to the target to bombard. They are never required to attack, but have normal ZOCs
The target does not fire back. Foot artillery that and must be attacked. They do not retreat. Attacker
bombards cannot move in the Formation Movement strengths against units in Forts are halved, and the
Segment. The default range of artillery is three hexes. defender always fires first. If a unit could attack a Fort
Other values may be printed on counters or specified by or another stack, it must attack the Fort unless that is
scenario instructions. already being attacked by another unit. If an infantry
unit in a Fort takes step losses, any adjacent friendly
The first hit caused by bombardment is always a infantry unit can take them instead.
disruption (the target stack is disrupted). Further hits
apply normally. It is not possible to retreat to reduce There are no retreats into occupied forts. If a player puts
bombardment hits. Multiple disruptions are ignored. two units into a Fort, that negates its effects and turns it
into clear terrain until one of them is removed.
8.2 Adjacent combat. Artillery can assault adjacent
units if it did not bombard that turn. It can fire on the 10.2 Fortified hexsides. Fortified hexsides (such as city
defense (including passing fire) regardless of whether it walls) work like forts except they are not subject to the
bombards during the turn. There is no morale to a fire same stacking restrictions. They have an effect
dieroll that involves artillery defending alone or regardless of the number of units behind them. Units
bombarding. Artillery participating in assault decreases can retreat across fortified hexsides.
the opposing side’s morale by 1. Defending artillery 10.2. Entrenchments. Entrenchments are temporarily
increases the owning side’s morale by 1. dug fortifications that are constructed on the fly. They
8.3 Line of Sight. Only blocked by Forest, Fort and have the same effect as fortified hexsides.
Town hexes, units, and Crest hexsides (even when it is a Entrenchments cannot be constructed in all games; refer
hexside of the hex the unit is in and including its to the special rules.
endbpoints). Blocked if running along a Crest with To construct an entrenchment, place an entrenchment
blocking terrain to the right and left of Crest. Blocked if construction marker on an infantry or cavalry unit under
running between a Crest and other blocking terrain. Defend orders that does not fight or move. At the end of
LOS typically has a maximum range that varies with the the unit’s activation phase two turns after the placement
map scale, by default it is five hexes. of the counter, place an entrenchment counter on the
8.4 Facing. Artillery that is adjacent to an enemy at the unit. Entrenchment counters have facing; the
start of the current Stage cannot fire in defense against entrenchment effects apply only against units that attack
an enemy unit that moves into a different adjacent hex through the counter’s top edge and the two adjacent
and attacks. edges. There can only be one entrenchment counter per
hex; to shift the facing of an entrenchment, the process is
repeated and on the third turn the existing entrenchment
9. Reinforcements
counter is replaced by a new one. A unit attack while
Enter at entry hexes, potentially stacked (but only to entrenching has its fire strength halved and the
legal maximum). Each following stack pays the entrance construction marker removed.
cost of the previous stack plus the entry cost of the hex.
If entry hex is blocked or in ZOC, enter in closest non- 11. Leaders and HQs
ZOC neigboring hexes. By default, arriving
reinforcements have March orders for their HQ. By 11.1 Leaders. Leaders are not combat units, project no
default, HQs, or units whose HQ is not yet on the map, ZOC, count as cavalry for movement costs, do not count
stop at the first town on the road of entry. When for stacking, may never enter a ZOC not occupied by a
entering the map on a road/trail hex, reinforcements can friendly unit, and are placed on the nearest friendly unit
start using road/trail movement (5.2). if an enemy unit moves into their hex while they are
alone there. A leader’s movement value is halved on a
It is possible to try and change a leader’s order by turn when he gives orders. A formation leader moves
Initiative (12.11) on the turn of arrival. when his formation is activated.
11.2 Leader Loss. If a leader is displaced as per 11.1 or
stacked with units that suffer a hit in combat, roll two

5
dice. On a dieroll of 2-3, he is removed and replaced by specify a target location (which can be a town, road,
a leader with an ability of 1 at the start of the next turn. intersection, crest, stream, or shortest traversable path
Use the reverse side of the leader counter to indicate between two target points) within 10MP or reachable via
leader loss (rather than disruption). roads starting within 10MP. Except for Attack, Probe,
and Reserve, “must move” means “at least at the speed
11.3. Leader retreat. A leader can always retreat with
of the slowest unit in the formation.” Note: Reaction
units he is stacked with.
cavalry charges and artillery bombardment can ignore
11.4 HQs. HQs ignore all friendly units for stacking “units may not attack” restrictions.
purposes and cannot retreat. If a HQ is in a hex entered
Attack: Units must move at least one hex closer to attack
by enemy troops, it is destroyed and that army’s
target until they are in artillery range, then some must
demoralization value is reduced by 5. The overall
attack. Artillery bombardment is enough to define
commander keeps functioning as if he had his HQ with
“attacking” for at most 2 turns, but once units are in
him at all times but his command rating is reduced by 1
enemy ZOC, some units must enter ZOC every turn until
for the rest of the day. The HQ is placed back with any
the target is occupied or the order is canceled. Units in
friendly unit the first turn after nightfall.
ZOC cannot exit except by retreat. Cavalry charges
11.5 HQ movement. A HQ only moves (in the Reserve satisfy the attack requirement for cavalry formations.
Phase) by being given a March or Fall Back order. Such
Note: Artillery can remain outside ZOC but if only
an order is automatically accepted, even at night.
artillery remains in the formation, the order fails.

12 Command Probe: This represents probes, demonstrations, or

diversions. Like Attack except the number of units in
Command is exercised in two stages. Orders are given ZOC is limited to at most two, does not have to increase,
by the overall commanders (e.g., Moltke, Benedek, Lee, and the formation can return to bombardment if desired.
Grant) to their subordinate formation (wing or corps) Note: The order of choice for cavalry corps.
commanders. This determines the way in which the
units of a given force operate. Second, the units of one Defend: May not enter ZOC unless hex entered was
formation have to be within range of the formation’s controlled by friendly units when Defend order was
leader to function normally. given. May attack such hexes only. When complying
with order, the leader must move towards the target hex
Note: The orders system can be used either with written until within 2 hexes of target. Once the leader is within
orders or order markers. Personally I prefer the written this radius or prevented from going closer by enemy
orders for the added fog of war and highly recommend units, can only move out of the radius (from target or
using the Hidden Movement rule (21.5). For non-written closest hex) by retreat in which case the order fails.
orders, please use the other rulebook provided for this
purpose. Delay: Units and leader may not move further away
from target; may not enter ZOC, may not attack. Once
12.1 Command range. To be at full effectiveness, leader is within 2 hexes of target, can only move out of
combat units have to be within command range of their this radius by retreat and then order fails.
leader, wing leader, or Overall Commander. Command
range is 3 MP at the cheapest rate for any terrain (note ½ March: One of only two orders that can use the road or
MP/hex rate on roads/trails in 5.2) and can be traced trail movement rate. Units and leader must move
through ZOCs only if friendly units are in that hex. towards target. Must specify a route to follow (usually in
Range is checked at the beginning of a units’ movement terms of waypoints passed through, within 10MP of each
and immediately before a unit charges or assaults. Units other) from the end of the second turn onwards. Order is
cannot leave command range by normal movement (but canceled and units stop before entering ZOC. If current
through charges, retreats, and advances). Units outside order was part of an order sequence, switches to the next
range defend normally but may not attack or move into order at this moment, otherwise to Defend.
ZOCs. If they move they must move so as to get back Fall back: Units must try to move away from enemy
into range as quickly as possible. Exception: Divisional (can also use road and trail movement). May leave ZOC
Goals (12.13). Note that it is possible for moving during movement (+1 MP) and enter one if needed to
leaders to leave units outside command range. escape. May not attack. Must retreat voluntarily if
12.2 Command Phase sequence. Players first check for attacked. Considered flanked if charged or attacked by
Initiative if desired (12.11). Then check for Confidence cavalry while on a road or trail hex. Order can be
(12.10). Then they set down new orders (12.4). Finally, switched to Reserve in any command phase where no
check for Order Compliance (12.7). unit is within 2 hexes of the enemy.

12.3 Orders. At any time, each formation is in a General retreat: This order is sent to all subordinates
particular order state. All orders except Reserve must and the HQ, is checked immediately, even at night, and

6
has a 1R compliance shift. Works like Fall Back but An ‘I’ result on the Compliance Table means the order is
cannot be changed to Reserve before the first night turn ignored, nothing happens. A ‘C’ means the order is
after it is sent. Can only be given if army has reached complied with and followed from that turn on. A ‘Rn’
80% of its demoralization limit. means the player rolls a die every Command Phase
afterwards until the order is complied with on a roll of n
Reserve (no orders): This status is needed for
or more.
reorganization. Units may leave (+1 MP) but not enter
ZOCs and may not attack. They defend normally but Compliance with an order sequence (12.5) is checked on
morale is reduced by 1. The leader may not move but the leftmost column among all orders in the sequence.
applies a 1R shift to new order acceptance. If he is
12.8 Order Achievement. A March order or attack
displaced per 19.1, or the units in his hex retreat, that
order has been fulfilled if the specified position is
counts as an order failure.
reached (Controlled for Attack), no unit of the formation
12.4 Giving orders. To give an order, the player writes is in an enemy ZOC, and no unit has been attacked in the
on a sheet the formation involved, the order type, the last turn. If no other order applies or was specified as
time issued, the time when it will be received (see 12.6), following in sequence, the new status is Defend. If
the # of shifts applying to compliance, and the locations “Await further orders” was specified at end, the new
on the map that are supposed to be reached, attacked or status is Reserve instead.
defended. It is not permissible to give the same order to
12.9 Order Cancellation and Failure. Existing orders
the same leader again before it has been Ignored,
are canceled when the leader complies with a new order.
Canceled, Achieved, or Failed. Either the type or target
An order can fail due to order-specific conditions (see
must be different (i.e., the target at least 10 hexes away
12.3) or by failing a Confidence Check (see 12.10). If
from the current order or the order currently waiting to
an order fails, the formation immediately retreats 3 hexes
be complied with). Attack and Probe count as the same
and switches to Fall Back orders. Units can stop during
type of order (as do Defend and Delay).
this retreat instead of entering an enemy ZOC. Unlike
12.5 Order sequences. A sequence of March and Attack normal retreat after combat (7.4), foot artillery can
orders can be given and executed in sequence. The last participate in this 3-hex retreat.
order in the sequence can be of any type. Every time a
12.10. Confidence Check. A formation starts checking
March order is achieved or canceled due to proximity of
Confidence the first turn after it takes a step loss with its
enemy units, or when an Attack order is fulfilled (12.8),
current orders and checks every turn from then on until
the next order in the sequence is automatically complied
its orders are achieved, canceled, or fail. Exception: an
with. The switch from March to Attack is instantaneous
(i.e., at the time an enemy ZOC is entered) for Leaders undemoralized formation with Defend/Delay orders
with a Command rating of at least 3. Other leaders have never checks. Follow the Confidence Check Table. A
failed check means instant Order Failure.
their units stop before entering a ZOC and must wait
until the next turn to enter the attack. Units that have not 12.11 Initiative. A leader can attempt to give himself
entered a ZOC yet can continue using March movement orders by rolling for Initiative. (Note restrictions in
(i.e., using the road and trail rates up to the point before 12.4.) The target hex must be within Extended LOS
they enter a ZOC). It is possible to specify that an (12.14) of the leader. He rolls on the Initiative Table
Attack/Probe should start the next day to avoid its being instead of on the Compliance Table. If the result is “no
aborted at night. effect” he retains his current status, if “Acts on
Initiative” he complies with the new order, if the result is
12.6 Order Transmission. An order is received at once “Bad Move”, the other player can assign an order to him.
if the recipient leader is stacked with the OC (this is Compliance with a Bad Move is automatic. If the Bad
called a face-to-face order) or is within 3 MP of the OC. Move is an Attack/Probe order, it switches to Reserve
Otherwise divide the distance in cavalry MP by 6 (round after one turn. It is still the owning player who makes
fractions up). The order is received in the Command the moves to comply with the order.
Phase that many turns after the current one. Even after it
is received, the receiving formation still is has its If the leader rolling for Initiative has Reserve (no)
orders, he acts on Initiative for one less, e.g., a 3-rated
previous orders until it complies by the new orders.
leader acts on a roll of 7 instead of 8+.
Important: Leader-OC distances are halved for this rule
if the OC has Extended LOS to the Leader’s hex. 12.12 Order capacity. The overall commander can
give as many orders per turn as his capability.
12.7 Order Compliance. On the turn a leader receives
an order, he rolls for compliance. Add the leader’s While the OC is away from his HQ or while the HQ is
ability to a dieroll and check the Order Compliance moving, he can only give one order per turn, and all
Table for the result. orders except the first (i.e., all orders on later turns until
he is again stacked with a nonmoving HQ) have to be

7
face-to-face orders referring to target locations in them, by stacking with it. This continues as long as the
Extended LOS of the OC at that moment (12.14) or player wishes even if they move outside the OC’s range.
purely along roads or trails that start within Extended
12.16 Timed Orders. Players may explicitly specify a
LOS (e.g., “Attack along that road to Richmond over
particular start time for a formation to act on an order.
there”).
Orders received at night automatically have the first
The HQ was where aides with reports from other parts daylight turn as start time. If, upon arrival, the start time
of the battle arrived. While elsewhere, the OC would be is not at least one turn after the receipt of the order, it is
largely limited to what he could see for himself. set to that time. Compliance with a timed order is rolled
for one turn before the start time. A ‘C’ result is
12.13 Divisional Orders. Orders can be given to
implemented as ‘1T’ (i.e., compliance occurs on the turn
individual divisions. If there is no leader counter or
scheduled). All other results are interpreted normally.
leader value printed on the counters, the leader value is
1. The division is freed from normal command range 12.17 Support Orders. A formation can be ordered to
requirements, but all counters of the division have to be March, Attack, Probe, Delay, or Fall Back in
moved to be within 2 hexes of each other all of the time. conjunction with one other formation. Simply list
Divisional orders can be given through a corps “Support” and the name of the other formation as part of
commander’s initiative. Divisional orders hold until the order description. Compliance is treated as for a
superseded or canceled by a new order. They can be timed order set to start on the turn where a unit of the
given through the corps commander’s Initiative, in supported formation is in line of sight of an in-command
which case the distance for tracing the time of unit of the receiving formation.
compliance checking is traced from the corps
commander’s hex. In this case they can also be canceled 13. Army Demoralization
by player’s choice at any time when the division is
within command radius of its corps commander; it then An army is demoralized when the strength of its
is simply reincorporated into the corps. destroyed units reaches the demoralization level (non
phasing player first if it happens in the same instant).
Divisional orders can also be given to assign a particular Note that this only influences victory; it does not have
division to a different corps. In this case, the division is the same effects as Corps Demoralization (12).
activated together with the rest of that corps (i.e., when a
chit activating that corps is pulled). Every division after
the first that has units attached to a corps in this manner
14. Corps Demoralization
reduces the leader’s rating by 1. 14.1 Demoralisation Level. A corps is demoralized if
A reattached division or unit suffers the demoralization the full strength of its currently eliminated units is at
effects of its current parent formation, but for least equal to its demoralization limit. Its units have
simplicity’s sake, its losses are still counted for its their morale and movement rating reduced by 1. If
original parent formation. reorganization drops current losses beneath the limit,
demoralization is lifted.
12.14 Extended LOS Rule. All map elevations count
for LOS, not just crests. Higher elevation will block 14.2 Demoralisation and Compliance. Demoralised
LOS between lower elevations and between a hex on the formations are more sluggish in operation. On the
same elevation and lower elevation (in both directions). Compliance Table, a demoralized formation interprets
Maximum visibility along unblocked LOS is 8 hexes (4 ‘C’ to mean ‘R4’. A ‘R4’ means ‘R5’. A ‘R5’ means
hexes on rain turns, 1 hex on night turns). ‘R6’ (roll 6 to execute order). A leader of a demoralized
formation rolling for Initiative reads any “Acts on
12.15 Wing Commanders. Wing commanders (WCs) Initiative” result as ‘R4’.
work as an intermediate commander when not in LOS of
an OC. They receive normal orders as part of these 14.3 Proximity of Demoralized units. A demoralized
assignments and check for compliance. They can only formation reduces by 2 the demoralization limit of any
issue new orders that are consistent with their own friendly formation whose leader is within 5 hexes of the
orders to their subordinates. WCs can assign orders demoralized formation’s, except if the other formation is
different from the one they were given by the OC to a cavalry formation. (A formation can suffer from this
themselves through initiative, and can roll for Initial and effect multiple times if its leader is in range of multiple
Coordinated Actions instead of the OC. If they get demoralized leaders.)
either, it can be applied only to their subordinates. The
OC can still send orders to subformations directly. 15. Reorganization
When in range of the OC, WCs are unused and can start Eliminated units can be reorganized starting with the
acting as leader for any formation nominally assigned to first night turn after their elimination. The formation
must have Reserve orders, and the formation leader must

8
not be in extended LOS from any enemy unit. Units still its units can move only 1 hex until the formation has
trace command range to the leader but he does not rested.
provide any other leader benefits that turn. Reorganized
Players are free to track fatigue separately for divisions
units are placed in the leader’s hex up to the stacking
on divisional orders, but if a fatigued division rejoins a
limit with their reduced step strength (meaning at most
corps, the whole corps counts as fatigued.
two per turn can be reorganized per leader). Units
already in the hex are displaced if needed. Units of a Design note: This rule deals with the effects of exhaustion
demoralized corps or army are reorganized only on a roll caused by units forced to operate over an extended span of
of 1-4 per unit, otherwise they are permanently time. Keep in mind that the fatigue effects caused by combat
destroyed. They still count against the per-turn limit. are already incorporated in the overall loss of strength
produced by step losses and routed (eliminated) units. The
Eliminated units that started the scenario with one step rate of fatigue accumulation and removal is a reasonable
can only be reorganized by taking two such units with approximation of the rate in the Gamers’ CWB Seven Days
exactly identical ratings, reorganizing one and removing fatigue rules.
the other permanently from play. If part of a Timed orders (12.16) that specify a night turn as the start
demoralized corps, both have to roll 1-4. turn for the order cause fatigue effects as soon as they
Units that cannot trace supply (see 17.) at the moment of are achieved, canceled, or fail.
elimination (whether eliminated through combat or the Digging entrenchments (10.3) contributes to fatigue.
0900 supply trace check) are eliminated permanently and
not eligible for reorganization. These units are assumed Reinforcements entering at night can move for one turn
to have surrendered. Note that enemy ZOCs do block and then stop. (If they enter on the last night turn that
supply, unlike the Napoleonic version. means they can march without stopping while still not
suffering fatigue.)
16. Night
17. Supply
16.1 Night effects. On night turns no units (not even
cavalry) may enter ZOCs (but may still leave them if Supply can be traced offroad for five hexes, then on
orders allow it). Artillery cannot bombard. All roads or trails. Enemy units or their ZOCs block supply.
Attack/Probe orders that do not occupy a part of the Each unit that cannot trace such a line at the end of the
target fail. New orders may be sent out. All non-timed 9:00 turn of each day loses a step.
Orders received at night except General Retreat are Note: This is a generic background rule. For players
considered to be Timed orders (12.16) with the first with experience in the system, the advanced supply rules
daylight Command Phase as start time. (19.4 to 19.6) are highly recommended. Some refits will
Personal note: As there is no combat on most night make them mandatory.
turns, we generally drop the chitpulls on those turns and
both players simply move their units in parallel. 18. Victory Conditions
16.2 Night march and fatigue. Troops with March Victory points per scenario instructions. “Occupation”
orders automatically stop at night to bivouac, which means having a unit in the hex or being the last to move
means the head of the column stops, and all other units a unit into or through. “Controlled by” means
move up to the point where they are adjacent to that hex “Occupation”, or “being last to have the hex in friendly
(or as close as possible if stacking does not permit this). but not enemy ZOC”.
Units stack to the maximum possible. On the first
daylight turn, the march is resumed. A player can give a In any situation that determines victory by accumulating
Forced March order in which case movement simply victory points and then comparing, a difference in
continues throughout the night. victory points of less than 10 percent is considered a
strategic draw.
However, from the first following daylight turn on, the
whole formation suffers all effects of demoralization 19 Optional Rules
until it has rested. Rest means it spends a night without
marching, or it spends at least three hours in Reserve in The first few of these (Variable Reinforcements, artillery
the day. A formation cannot rest while any of its units is support, and in particular Advanced Supply) are really
involved in combat as attacker or defender. ‘advanced’ rules; they increase realism and are
recommended (19.4 to 19.6 should be used together)
The fatigue effect is not cumulative with Corps
once you’re familiar with the rest. Hidden Movement
Demoralisation due to losses. If a formation that is
(19.7) is particularly recommended for multi-day
already fatigued does not rest the night, it becomes
scenarios. The others are just that, options.
exhausted the next morning. An exhausted formation
has morale reduced by 2, units only recover on 5-6, and

9
19.1 Variable Reinforcement schedule. Do not treat 19.4.5 Train setup. Set up every train within 2 hexes of
the reinforcement schedule as fixed. Instead, two turns a unit of the formation hit belongs to. The army train
before a group of reinforcements is due to arrive, roll a should be set up within 2 hexes of the army HQ.
die. (A player is not required to inform the other side 19.4.6 Unit Supply. A Combat Unit is in supply if it can
about the outcome of the roll.) trace a Supply Line of at most 10 hexes, through any
1 units arrive immediately (2 turns in advance) type of terrain passable for infantry units, to a road or
2 units arrive next turn (1 turn in advance) trail and from there either directly to a friendly Supply
3-4 units arrive according to schedule hex, or to its own army Train which must itself be in
5 units arrive 1 turn late supply.
6 units arrive 2 turns late 19.4.7 Train supply. To be in supply, the army Train
Roll separately for each group at a particular entry hex. must be on a road or trail hex, and must itself be able to
For each side, keep track of the number of formations trace a supply line of any length to a friendly supply
that were delayed or advanced (regardless of the length source through any number of connected road or trail
of delay or advancement). If there are more delayed hexes. Enemy combat units (but not their ZOCs) block
than advanced formations, subtract 1 from the dieroll, if supply lines.
there are more advanced than delayed ones, add 1. 19.4.8 Out of Supply. The effects of being out of supply
Offmap road congestion: The dieroll cannot advance a are identical to Corps Demoralisation (22) and are not
group of units so it arrives before another group of units cumulative. (I.e., a unit that is fatigued, demoralized,
that was due to enter before it at the same hex. and out of supply does not suffer multiple morale and
MP reductions.) Also, a unit that is out of supply at the
19.2 More artillery detail. Artillery bombarding start of every 9am turn loses a step.
multiple non-artillery units stacked in the same hex has
its fire strength increased by 50%. Artillery defending 19.4.9 Guarding the army train. It is possible to attach a
against assault has its fire strength increased by 50%. division (or cavalry brigade or division) to guard the
army train. From the moment of compliance, the
19.3 Remote support. Artillery units can fire support Division’s units trace divisional command to the train’s
for friendly units that are being attacked. Their strength hex. When the train is not moving, the division behaves
is added to the defender’s fire strength. They do not as if it had Defend orders. When the train is moving, the
suffer hits or retreat as a result of that combat. A division automatically has the same March order (and
supporting artillery unit cannot have bombarded this automatically complies with it) but does not need to
turn, be itself attacked in this stage, or be adjacent to move faster than the train. The division’s units still
enemy units not activated by the current chit. It must be cannot stack with the train.
activated by the same chit as an attacked unit and have
LOS to the attacker (one cannot fire remote support 19.5 Advanced ammunition Supply. Use of this rule
across a crest). Remote support does not affect morale and the following (19.6) requires the use of 19.4
or the order of retreat. (Advanced Supply) since you need Train units.
19.4 Advanced Supply. When using this rule, do not 19.5.1 Artillery ammunition. Every artillery unit that
apply the 9:00 step loss effect from 17.0. fires must trace a supply line to the army train. The
supply line can be traced through any hex passable for
19.4.1 Trains. All wagon train units have a Movement
artillery but the third hex reached must be a road or trail
Allowance of 3 MPs. Trains pay artillery costs for
hex and from there the line must follow roads or trails to
movement. They cannot cross streams except at bridges
the train.
(not the pontoon bridge). They cannot enter enemy
ZOCs and have no ZOC of their own. 19.5.2 Army ammunition supply. For every strength
19.4.2 Train Stacking. No unit can ever stack with a point of artillery that fires in assault or bombardment,
train (that means you can’t move through it either). deduct one from the army artillery ammunition track.
When the track reaches 0, or if the firing unit cannot
19.4.3 Trains and Combat. Trains do not have a Combat trace a supply line as described above, halve the total
Strength and cannot defend or attack. They never retreat. artillery firing strength (round down) before applying
If an enemy unit enters a train hex or a friendly unit other modifiers.
retreats into it, the train is permanently destroyed.
19.6 Small Arms Ammo. Whenever a side rolls an 11
19.4.4 Trains and Command. The army train moves or 12 in assault combat, all infantry or cavalry units
during the Reserve Phase. It must be given a March involved are marked with Low Ammo markers. Units
order by the OC. This order is automatically complied with repeating weapons are also marked when rolling a
with upon receipt. 10. A low ammo unit has its firepower halved and
morale reduced by 1. Each corps has a supply train that

10
carries five reloads. At the end of the Formation Action 19.7.3 Changing Hidden Movement Orders. Initiative
Stage, each Low Ammo activated brigade within two can be used to circumvent a blocked hex (change the
hexes of the wagon can remove the marker at the cost of route, but not the goal or type of order). If a Bad Move
one reload. This reduces the load by 1. To refill the is rolled, the movement is immediately revealed and then
corps train, it has to end its move adjacent to the army the Bad Move is treated normally.
supply train. The corps train is not subject to any
Hidden Movement orders can be superseded by new
command restrictions and does not affect artillery
orders. In this case simply compute the arrival time by
ammunition supply or the 9am supply check.
adding the path to the ”apparent” position of the units on
19.7 Hidden Movement. The goal of this rule is to the map to the number of movement points spent by a
provide a stronger element of uncertainty akin to the one cavalry unit at the time the new order is issued. Even if
the historical commanders experienced. Before you’ve the new orders are complied with, keep rolling on the 3+
sent someone beyond the next hill to look, you don’t column of the Hidden Movement table.
know what’s there – and are those troops on the enemy
19.7.4 Collisions. In the rare case that both sides have
left flank that were there a couple of hours ago still
hidden units moving along the same route or crossing
there? In fact, no player should be reliably aware of the
paths, resolve the issue by tracing their movement in
movements of enemy troops that his own troops don’t
parallel in 4MP bounds, and stop when they catch sight
have in their field of vision. Note: This rule is highly
of each other. This will become visible the moment one
recommended. It does not add much playing time, but a
of the players executes his hidden movement by moving
large amount of realism, cunning and skill. You are not
the leader on the map after Discovery (12.14.2). The
at the mercy of the dice, rather your ability to deceive
other player must point such a situation out if it occurs.
and trap your opponent are paramount.
19.8 Special Leader characteristics. Leaders can be assigned
19.7.1 Procedure. Units that are to be moved hidden particular characteristics in addition to their leader rating. The
have their route plotted exactly. That means the route two basic “special characteristics” are Aggressive or Panicky.
the leader (or the lead counter if it is a division without a
leader) follows is specified exactly in terms of the roads 19.8.1 Special Characteristics and orders. When a leader rolls
for compliance and obtains snake eyes (DR 2), he ignores the
he follows and the towns he passes through.
order given and instead complies with an order corresponding
Order compliance follows the normal procedure. Once to his characteristic: an Aggressive Leader takes on and
the order is complied with, the units in the formation do complies with Attack orders towards the nearest enemy units, a
not move on the map. Each turn they collect 4MPs (6 if Panicky Leader takes on and complies with Fall Back orders.
In addition, such a leader has to check for his special
all units in the formation are cavalry). characteristic whenever an order is achieved.
The units involved do not have to be outside enemy 19.8.2 Initiative. When rolling for Initiative, an Aggressive
LOS, it is sufficient if one turn’s move would remove leader gains a 1R shift for Attack or Probe orders and a 1L
them from it. They can also be bombarded (the player shift otherwise. A Panicky leader gains a 1R shift for Fall
should simulate damage and disruption). They are Back orders and a 1L shift otherwise.
removed from the hex at the moment a charge or assault
19.8.3 A head of his own. A Panicky leader on Attack type
occurs. orders (Attack or Probe) rolls the dice each daylight turn
19.7.2 Discovery. The march is discovered at the where his formation is in contact with the enemy; on a roll of 2
he switches to Fall Back orders as in 25.2.1. An Aggressive
moment that an enemy unit gains extended LOS to a hex
leader on anything but Attack or Probe orders rolls the dice on
that the leader would already have passed into or each daylight turn where he has enemy units in line of sight;
through (apart from the hexes moved through in the first on a roll of 2 he switches to Attack orders as described in
move of the march). Also, in each command phase after 25.2.1.
giving orders but before Initiative rolls, the owning
player rolls on the Hidden Movement table. Subtract 1 19.9 Advanced Road March. Any unit with a combat
strength of more than 2 that is using road march movement, is
from the dieroll if the closest enemy HQ is Austrian or assumed to occupy both the hex it moved into and the hex it
Russian. On a result of ‘R’ the march is revealed. A moved into previously. Place the unit on the boundary of both
player can reveal a march voluntarily at any moment. hexes to mark that status. No unit using road march can enter
either of the hexes.
At the instant a march is revealed, the owning player
moves the leader along the plotted path until the MPs are If either of the hexes is attacked the unit is assumed to be
spent or before a blocking hex would be entered. From flanked per the normal road march rule. It defends at half
this hex the formation’s units can expend 2MPs or the strength from whichever hex is attacked first. After the combat
remainder of the collected MPs, whichever is less. the unit has ceased to be in march column.

Blocking hexes are hexes that contain an enemy unit or 19.10 Roll six to hit. Instead of using the Fire Table, simply
roll a number of dice equal to the firing strength of the units.
ZOC or are within LOS of an enemy unit or leader. Each six rolled is a hit.

11
Converting combat modifiers: Each combat modifier that
applies is equivalent to a +1 modifer to all dierolls. Terrain
modifies the strength as specified. If using 25.3, artillery
support effects now apply if 2 hits are scored.
19.11 PBEM play. The recommended way to play PBEM is
to drop the chitpulls, and go to a Igo-Yougo sequence. Count
the number of combats won by each side last turn. Add the
OC rating and a dieroll. Higher roll wins initiative and can
choose whether to have his player turn first or second. Retain
the basic sequence for each player turn: bombardment-charge-
movement-assault. Note that reaction charges occur in
parallel, so each “layer” of reaction charges only adds one
exchange to the turn. In general, the number of reaction
charges is low, so this should not hold things up too much. In
normal combat, only allow units to attack together if they
would be activated by the same chit. (This means that players
still roll for Coordinated Action at the start of the turn.)
Acknowledgements
Research and discussion: John Nebauer, Karl Laskas, Matthew Hayes,
Ellis Simpson.
Playtesting:
Blue & Gray Chickamauga: Matthew Hayes.
Antietam Campaign: Richard TreviZo.
Lee’s Greatest Gamble: John Nebauer.
Seven Days Battles: Chris Harding.
Savage Station: so far solo only.
Atlanta Campaign: -
Chitpulls inspired by Eric Lee Smith (Across 5 Aprils). Orders system
inspired by The Gamers, Rob Markham, and SSG’s Decisive Battles
of the ACW. Hidden Movement concept due to Dave Powell,
Operations Magazine #2. Idea of a serial refit: Peter McCord.

12
Design Notes The preeminent tactical differences between the Napoleonic
era and the middle of the 19th century are largely encapsulated
The goal of these rules. The goal of this system is to provide in the different armament of the infantry soldier that extended
the viewpoint of battles from the army level, what is also the practical engagement range out to several hundred yards
called the grand tactical view. (There are groups in the (at least until the smoke blocked the view). [To answer the
boardgame hobby that use “grand tactical” as a synonym for question some may ask at this point, no I am not a strong
“big game” – that is not how the military and military believer in Paddy Griffith.] This leads to several effects of
historians use it. Grand tactical means grand scale – what happens in an infantry ZOC. Since most of a hex can be
abstracting from lower level tactical detail.) The key to victory swept by enemy fire, there is less opportunity to engage in
should be the plan of attack, the strategic vision and the correct complex maneuvers in that area, so gone is (except for the
employment of forces and reserves. As such, the attempt has most mobile troops) the ability to decide on a voluntary retreat.
been made to restrict unit status information to a minimum, at That, rather than the CRT, makes combat more bloody.
least as far as intentional formation changes are concerned, and (Conversely, the command and morale system still works the
there is no distinction between firefights and actual close same and will keep casualties from reaching unrealistic levels
combat in the rules – “assault” is assumed cover both. Units – then as ever, if too many people fell quickly, the army would
can take losses and as a result lose cohesion (“rout”) – they fall apart long before the majority was a casualty.) I did not
then are no longer on the map as they play no role in the battle want to use strong ZOCs but the passing fire rule has a similar
until rallied (reorganized). They can also lose, for a short effect – you can try to brace that sweeping fire but you may
time, the ability to react quickly to battlefield changes, mostly pay. If you approach an enemy over open ground, he can keep
as the result of prolonged combat or minor setbacks shooting at you while your ability to respond is limited – your
(disruption). That’s it. riflemen cannot reload while walking. (One thing that I
Importantly, the goal is not a beer and pretzels game. It is always wondered about was the apparent desirability of a
fast, it doesn’t take much space, but it is not simplistic. It is a reverse slope defense in the Gamers CWB, otherwise my
fast game for the grognard. Sure, the goal was to still produce favourite ACW system. If generals of the time did not use that
games that enable one to play the largest battles of the era with mode of defense, what was missing from the tactical equation
moderate space requirements and to play a fully day of battle in the game? The answer is, if you are on the other side of the
or two in an evening. But the goal was also to produce, with hill, you can’t shoot them up in the ten minutes while they
the minimum of complexity possible, a reasonably sound have to brace your most lethal fire to get into bayonet range, as
grand tactical rendition of the large-scale battle management Pickett’s men, and the Prussian Guards at St Privat, found to
that won (or lost) the battles of the era. their distress.) Conversely, artillery close up is much more
vulnerable as gunners can be picked off at several hundred
Sequence of Play. There are four reasons to use a chitpull yards. (In the mid- to late 1860s that balance shifts again as
sequence of play. It represents the effects (but not the detail) artillery also switches to breechloaders and more frequent use
of lower level command issues that mean the coordination of explosive shells at longer ranges.)
between separate formations never works perfectly. It permits
the seesaw battles that often occurred at key spots in Orders. (This part is unaltered from the Napoleonic version
Napoleonic battles, by permitting multiple attacks towards an of the rules.) To minimize delay, note that orders are
objective from different directions, with control of the immediately received if the receiving leader is within the view
objective switching back and forth. Third, it is fun, because it of the overall commander. This is not just because it’s easier
keeps both players on their toes all the time. Regardless how to direct an aide to a place you can see, it is also because if the
large the battle, you are not waiting for the other player to OC can see what is happening in that leader’s vicinity, he is
move all his units. And since the pieces you move coincide more likely to react in time to changes in the battle. Do not
with the formations used by the command system, the two place a too strict emphasis on what delayed orders mean. It
subsystems reinforce each other’s natural feel. Last but not could be everything from an aide who got lost on the way, the
least, it facilitates solo play since you only focus on one time needed to decipher the superior’s illegible scrawl, time
formation at a time. needed to form march columns, or in some cases recalcitrance
or caution on the part of the leader. Bad leaders tended to
Combat. As in the Napoleonic rules, combat is fire-based, march more slowly – view the resulting accumulated delay as
which means it is attritional. No bloodless pushing until the inserted at the start of the move. Finally note that unlike other
time runs out. If you send your cardboard men into combat, it systems with orders, the limits on what your units can do
is likely that some of them will die. Step losses show your under a given order are strict.
battalions being thrown into battle and chewed up. (That they
can come back is due to the fact that they would still not
normally fight to the last man.) It also means factor counting
is useless – the stacking limit determines how many men you
can crowd into a hex and the command rules limit what size of
attack your army can coordinate, but apart from that the more
power you put into an attack the more likely it is to do damage.
The other rule that deserves mentioning is the “no ganging up”
rule for attacking units. It defeats the historically absurd
wargame practice of placing defending units in alternating
stacks. Here, the strength of a defensive line depends less on
how you group the units than on its length and how you
anchor it in terrain.

13
Initiative Table Sequence of Play
Leader Rating 0 1 2 3 4+ 1. Command and Reorganization Phase. Check for
Bad Move 2-7 2-6 2-5 2-3 2 Initiative, then Confidence, then send new orders, then
No Effect 8-11 7-10 6-9 4-7 3-5 check for Compliance. Units can try to reorganize.
Acts on Initiative 12 11-12 10-12 8-12 6-12
2. Chit Preparation Phase. Roll for Coordinated (4.1)
Order Compliance Shifts and Initial Action Chit (4.2). Put chits in the cup.
Situation Shift
3. Initial Action Stage. If one side chose an Initial
Formation has Reserve (no) orders R
Action Chit, the formation(s) governed by that Chit
Attack/Probe order 2L
execute a Formation Action according to 4.4.
Order given face to face R
Divisional order/Cavalry corps R
4. Formation Selection Phase. Until the cup is empty:
Order Compliance Table 4a. Chitpull Stage: Pull a chit from the cup.
4b. Formation Action Stage. All units
-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8+ governed by the selected chit are activated and
R6 if less rolled than shown below • • perform activities according to the Formation
R5 5 5 4 4 4 3 2 2 2 2 Action Subsequence (see 4.4).
R4 9 8 8 8 7 6 5 5 5 5
C • • 12 11 11 10 10 9 8 7 5. Turn End Phase and Reserve Action Stage. Both sides
Add sender’s and recipient’s command rating and apply shifts. activate all their Reserve units (French first). Disrupted
Roll 2d6. Find the row with the smallest number ≥ the dieroll units of both sides may attempt to recover.
to get the result. See 12.7 and 12.3 for explanation of results.
Combat modifiers
Order Confidence Check Normal combat: Disruption/flanking/terrain
Condition Modifier Cavalry charges: Flanking/backhand blow/not ready
Undemoralized Formation on Attack/Probe 3 Bombardment (opt.): +25% for stacked non-arty targets
Demoralized formation on Attack/Probe 0 Fire Table
Objective is held on Attack (not for Probe) 1
Demoralized formation on Defense/Delay 2 Combat Strength Dieroll (2d6)
Add modifier(s) and leader rating. If the dieroll (1d6) exceeds
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
this value, the formation fails the check. Note: no check for 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
Defense/Delay when undemoralized. 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 2
3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 2
Terrain Effects 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 2 2
5 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 2 3
Terrain Assault Bomb. Charge Non-road Move
6 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 2 2 3
Wood Town NE NE -50% 1
7 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 2 3 4
Town -25% -75% -50% 1
8 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 2 3 3 4
Fort -50% N/AN/A 2
9 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 4
Woods NE -50% -75% 2/4
10 0 0 0 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 5
Stream -25% NE -25% +2
11 0 0 0 1 1 2 2 3 4 4 5
Crest -25% N/A NE NE
12 0 0 1 1 1 2 2 3 4 4 5
Bridge* -50%* NE N/A +1
13 0 0 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 6
Reductions apply to attacking into that type of terrain. 14 0 0 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 5 6
* … Overrides modifier for terrain in hex 15 0 0 1 1 2 2 3 4 4 5 6
16 0 1 1 1 2 3 3 4 5 5 6
17 0 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 5 5 7
18 0 1 1 2 2 3 4 4 5 6 7
19 0 1 1 2 3 3 4 4 5 6 7
20 0 1 1 2 3 3 4 5 5 6 8
21 0 1 2 2 3 4 4 5 5 6 8
22 0 1 2 2 3 4 4 5 6 7 8
23 0 1 2 3 3 4 4 5 6 7 9
24 1 1 2 3 3 4 5 5 6 7 9

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 Summary of Order Types Morale Modifiers
Attack: Units must move closer towards attack target Step loss -1
(i.e., may not move away from target and must move at Demoralized formation -1
least one hex closer) until within artillery range, then Fired at by artillery in assault -1
some must attack. Artillery bombardment is enough to Flank attack -2
define “attacking” for at most 2 turns, but once units are Stacked with artillery or its leader, WC, or OC +1
in enemy ZOC, some units must enter ZOC every turn Unit low on ammunition -1
until the target is occupied or the order is canceled. ● In terrain that reduces attackers +1
Units in ZOC cannot exit except by retreat. Cavalry ● Adjacent to undisrupted enemy unit -1
charges satisfy the attack requirement for cavalry
formations. ● … Only for disruption recovery.
Probe: Like Attack except the number of units in ZOC is Formation Action Subsequence
limited to at most two, does not have to increase, and the
formation can return to bombardment if desired. I. Bombardment Segment. Activated artillery can
bombard.
Defend: May not enter ZOC unless hex entered was
controlled by friendly units when Defend order was II. Cavalry Charge Segment. Activated Cavalry units
given. May attack such hexes only. When complying can charge a target hex. Cavalry Charges (or simply
with order, the leader must move to the target hex (and Charges) can be followed by Cavalry Pursuit and
come closer to it every turn by at least the movement Retreat. Charging cavalry can be Countercharged
rating of his slowest unit). Once leader is within 2 hexes
of target, can only move out of this radius by retreat and III. Formation Movement Segment. All units belonging
then order fails. to the activated formation may be moved according to
Delay: Units and leader may not move further away the formation’s orders, except that foot artillery that
from target; may not enter ZOC, may not attack. Once bombarded can do nothing.
leader is within 2 hexes of target, can only move out of
this radius by retreat and then order fails. IV. Formation Combat Segment. All units adjacent to
enemy units engage in combat as determined by the
March: One of only two orders that can use the road or
Formation’s orders.
trail movement rate. Must specify a road to follow
(usually in terms of towns/intersections passed through) Range overview
from the end of the second turn onwards. Order is
canceled and units stop before entering ZOC. If current Command Range/Instant order range 3 MP
order was part of an order sequence, switches to the next Order movement rate 6 MP/t
order at this moment, otherwise to Defend. Order range 10 MP
Target separation for subsequent orders 10 hexes
Fall back: Units try to move full MPs away from enemy Radius to stay for Attack/Defend/Delay 2 hexes
(can also use road and trail movement). May leave ZOC Divisional Command range 3 hexes
during movement and enter if needed to escape. May
not attack. Must retreat voluntarily if attacked. Hidden Movement (25.5)
Considered flanked if charged or attacked by cavalry
while on a road or trail hex. Order can be switched to turn of ‘hiding’ Dieroll 1 2 3 4 5 6
Reserve in any command phase where no unit is within 2 1 H H H H H H
hexes of the enemy. 2 H H H H R R
3 or more H H H R R R
General retreat: This order is sent to all subordinates
and the HQ, is checked immediately, even at night, and H...Hidden, R…Revealed.
has a 1R compliance shift. Works like Fall Back but
cannot be changed to Reserve before the first night turn
after it is sent. Can only be given if army has reached
80% of its demoralization limit.
Reserve (no orders): This status is needed for
reorganization. Units may leave but not enter ZOCs or
attack. They defend normally but morale is reduced by
1. The leader may not move but applies a 1R shift to
new order acceptance. If he is displaced per 11.1 or the
units in his hex retreat, that counts as an order failure.

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