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ANCIENT WARGAMES RULES - Mark 2

By Steve Burt. (shubniggurath@fluffycat.co.uk)

Scales

Although not important for play of the game, the following scales are use:

1 figure = 20 men

1 move = 15 minutes

1" = 10 paces

Base sizes, troop categories, and points values are the standard WRG ones; in general, any issues not covered here are addressed by the WRG rules (6th edition).

Action Points

These represent command and control in a slightly abstract way. Each side has a limited number determined by how good their commanders and units are. They are necessary to do most things. By allocating many action points to a unit it can perform several actions in a turn. The initial allocation of action points is determined as follows:

Per commander:

0 Incompetent

1 Below average

2 Average

3 Above average

4 Excellent

5 Genius

Per unit:

A,B	2
C,D	1
E	0

Commanders may allocate a maximum number of action points per turn according to their grade:

Incompetent	2
Below average	4
Average	6
Above average	8
Excellent	10
Genius	12

Units may accumulate a maximum number of action points according to their grade:

A	6
B	5
C	4
D	3
E	2

Turn Sequence

Each turn is divided into a number of phases, in which both players participate, as follows:

Command phase - Move commanders, top up action points

Order phase - Allocate action points to units

Compulsory moves - routs, pursuits, impetuous moves

Action phase - movement and firing

Reaction phase - resolve charges and evades

Combat phase - resolve hand to hand combat

Rally phase - check morale for all units

Command Phase

Dole out action points from the pool of used points, up to each commander's maximum limit.

Commanders move 24" per move.

Orders Phase

Commanders give out their action points, which allow units to do things. A commander cannot give out more action points than he has. Units out of sight of commanders cannot be given points. Units more than 24" from a commander can be given a maximum of 1 point. Units 6-24" away may be given a maximum of 2

points. Units under 6" away may be given up to 4 points. Units with a commander may be given any number - a commander may only be with ONE unit at a time. If he is with a unit, his ability to give out points to other units is halved.

Action points may also be needed in the rally phase, so players may want to keep some back.

Action points may not be given to units subject to compulsory moves, and such units automatically lose all their points. Players can 'throw away' unused counters during the action phase.

Compulsory moves

First, all routing units on both side are moved at charge speed directly away from any enemy units. There are special rules for routing elephants. Next, all pursuers chase routers, also at charge speed. Lastly, any impetuous units move at full

speed toward the nearest enemy. If they are within charge reach, they must declare a charge - the enemy is then committed, and the charge is resolved in the normal way in the reaction phase.

Action Phase

Players dice for initiative. Winner decides who will go first. Each player in turn takes an action with a unit, for which he must pay with action points. A unit without action points may only react to enemy moves.

Actions, and their cost, are as follows. Units may carry on taking actions until they run out of action points:

	Regulars	Irregulars
Move attempt	1	1
Reform attempt	1	1
Fire	1	1
Charge	2	1
Change formation	1	2
Break off from melee	2	3

Any action which is repeated costs one more point each time. So even an A class unit cannot fire more than three times.

A unit which charges may take no further actions that move until the charge is resolved.

A charged unit may take action in the Reaction phase, when the charge will be resolved.

Either player has the option to pass instead of taking an action (for instance, a supporting unit may not want to declare a charge unless the unit it is supporting is charged).

This phase ends when both players pass (or there are no action points left).

Before moving, breaking off from melee, or trying to reform (but not before firing, changing formation, or declaring a charge), a player must make a control roll to see if the unit obeys orders. Units which fail the roll do not do the action, and unless trying to reform, drop a point of order.

To make a control roll, use the following scale, depending on unit class. The designated roll must be equalled or exceeded for the unit to move:

A class - 2 B class - 3 C class - 4 D class - 5 E class - 6

The following modifiers apply:

Unit trying to move	+1
No enemy in sight	+2
C in C with unit	+2
Subordinate with unit	+1
No commander in sight	-1

If an irregular unit rolls a 6 and is within sight of the enemy, roll again - if it makes the second roll, it becomes impetuous.

Impetuous units must move toward the closest enemy. They cease to be impetuous after the first round of melee; they are not subject to morale checks until this point.

Order classes are as follows:

Formed Unformed Disordered Shaken

A unit's current order class should be designated by markers behind the unit (no marker for formed, one for unformed, two for disordered, and three for shaken).

A unit may gain one level of order by reforming. It must make a control roll in the normal way; no order is lost if the roll is failed (though the action counter(s) are wasted). It follows that troops may only start reorganising after a rout once they have stopped running away by passing a rally check.

A shaken unit which fails a control test routs.

Formation changes, turns.

Any formation to any other formation, turn of 90^o or 180^o. Units may wheel if in one base-wide column as part of a move.

Other wheels count as formation changes and may be up to 1/2 normal move forward, 1/4 backward.

Reaction Phase

In this phase, charges are resolved. First, each charging unit must take a morale check (see below). If it passes, the charged unit must also take a check. If it passes, it may react. If the charging unit fails its test, it stays in place and loses one level of order. In this case, the charged unit may react without taking a test. If the charged unit fails its test, it will rout.

Possible reactions, with initiative cost, are:

Stand	0
Fire	1
Countercharge	2(Reg), 1(Irreg)
Evade	0
Change formation	1(Reg), 2(Irreg)

Firing is at the halfway point of the charge, or maximum range, whichever is shorter.

Evade is only available to light troops; unit is turned to face away from chargers, loses one level of order, and is then moved a normal move +/- the throw of 2d6 (one plus, one minus)). Evaders not getting far enough are caught with their backs to the enemy.

More than one action may be taken, at increasing cost as usual if an action is repeated.

Combat phase

All combats are fought out. A unit which receives more casualties than it inflicts is pushed back. A unit which receives twice as many casualties as it inflicts breaks (if a

unit inflicts no casualties, treat it as 1 for the purpose of seeing whether it breaks). Combats which don't result in one side or the other breaking continue into the next turn - both units are committed, and may do nothing except expand by up to 1

base per flank, or fire with rear ranks into their opponents (not both). If a unit breaks, its opponents MUST pursue unless they are defending an obstacle, in which case they may make an order roll to try and avoid pursuit. After the first turn of

pursuit, the pursuers may try and halt by making an order roll.

In any turn in which they are in contact, they get free blows at the enemy, who count shieldless, but they themselves count as shaken.

Rally phase

Units must take a test in the following circumstances:

Charging, or being charged (test taken in reaction phase)

Trying to stop a rout

Friendly unit routs within 15"

10% casualties received from shooting

Commander wounded when with unit

Commander killed within 6"

Roll one dice, and try to score greater than or equal to numbers as for the control roll.

Modifiers:

+1	Subordinate General with unit
	Supported (friends within 1 normal move to rear)
+2	No enemy in sight
	Charging light or routing troops
	Charging flank or rear
	C in C with unit
-1	Under three quarter strength
	Casualties this turn
	Retiring
	Disordered
	No friends within 1 normal move
	No general in sight
-2	Under half strength
	Shaken
	Charged in flank or rear
-3	Under one third strength
	Routing

The results of failing a test vary according to why it is being taken:

Charging, taking casualties, friends routing - lose one order level

Charged - rout

Routing - rout continues; a successful roll means the unit halts (and is shaken').

Pursuing - pursuit continues until the pursuers make an order roll. Pursuers are always considered shaken after pursuit stops (but not during it).

Shooting

Roll one dice per 4 figures (3 count as a dice, 2 or 1 do not). The basic roll to hit is a 5 or 6, modified as follows:

-1	Target moved at least 6" across line of fire
	Long range, or target in any cover
	Shaken
	Firing at elephants
+1	Firing at stationary cavalry, except extra or super heavy cavalry
	Engines firing (count as 1 dice each)

For each hit, roll a saving roll. Again, a 5 or 6 saves, with the following modifiers:

-1	Shieldless (not extra/super heavy troops)
+1	Heavy infantry, extra/super heavy cavalry, shot at by bows
	Light infantry shot at by slings
	Behind hard cover
	Chariots
+2	Elephants

Melee

Again, a basic 5 or 6 to hit, and 5 or 6 to save for each group of 4 figures. For this purpose, count elephants and chariots as 1 dice per model.

-1	Elephants against light troops
	Attacking obstacle or higher ground
	Shaken
+1	Pila at first contact against elephants or cavalry
	Two handed weapons against elephants
	Javelins at first contact
	Fighting light troops (other than with two handed or pila)
	Charging or following up, impetuous, uphill of opponents.
	Cavalry against disordered infantry.
+2	Pila at first contact against infantry
	Two handed weapons against other than elephants
	Pikes or Long spears against cavalry.
	Lances at first contact.
	Cavalry against shaken or routing infantry.
+3	Scythed chariot at first contact

Saves:

-1	Shieldless (not extra/super heavy troops)
	Facing 2-handed weapons, pikes, elephants, scythed chariot
	Disordered, shaken, or routing
	Per 10% casualties from shooting this period
+1	Elephants, chariots

When trying to roll over 6 for any purpose, a '7' is a 6 followed by a 4,5,6, an '8' is a 6 followed by a 5,6, and a '9' is a 6 followed by a 6. rolls of 10 or above are impossible.

Most troops fight one rank, with the following exceptions:

Close order infantry fight 1 ¹/₂ ranks

Long spears fight two ranks

Pikes fight four ranks

Movement

	Move	Charge
Heavy and medium infantry	6"	8"
L-heavy, l-medium, light infantry	8"	10"
Elephants	8"	12"
Heavy chariots	8"	16"
Heavy and medium cavalry, camels	12"	16"
Light cavalry	16"	20"
Man-handled engines	4"
Pack animals	8"
Wagons	4"

Shooting ranges

	Short	Long
Javelins	4"	6"
Darts	4"	6"
Slings	8"	12"
Mounted bows	8"	18"
Foot bows	8"	24"
Staff slings	12"	24"
Longbows, crossbows	8"	30"
Engines	18"	48"

Rout and pursuit

Routers must move directly away from the nearest enemy unit. If this takes them into contact with another enemy, they surrender (remove figures). All rout moves are at charge speed. Routers leaving the table may not return. The first time that a

given set of routers are seen by a friendly unit within 15", it must take a test (only one test per move). If routers run into a friendly unit, it automatically loses a level of order (BEFORE taking its test).

Routing elephants dice for direction for EACH model:

1	90 degrees left
2	45 degrees left
3,4	Straight on
5	45 degrees right
6	90 degrees right

All angles are taken with respect to the current facing of the model.

ANY units, enemy or friendly, hit by routing elephants are burst through and left SHAKEN. They must then take a test.

Routers may be rallied in the rally phase by a commander joining the unit (if not already with it). To move a commander in this phase costs 1 action point, plus one for each further move, and each rally attempt on the same unit costs successively 1, 2, 3 points. A very good commander might be able to rally several units if he had some spare points.

Pursuers must continue to chase their victims each move until they make an order roll, leave the table, or contact fresh enemy. If they are in contact with the pursued troops, they may fight as normal. After pursuit ceases, the troops are considered Shaken.

Interpenetration

Light infantry may pass through and be passed through without penalty. Other troops lose an order level (from both bodies) when interpenetrated.

Horses not used to elephants or camels lose an order level when coming within 6" of them for the first time.

Visibility

Normal range is 24". Units in light cover (scrub) are visible at 12", in heavy cover (woods, buildings) at 6".

Terrain effects on movement

Steep hills and woods, and scrub halve movement. Anyone except loose formation infantry loses an order class when moving in such terrain.

Boggy terrain halves movement and causes a loss of an order class. It is impassable to cavalry or wheeled vehicles (but not to camels or elephants).

Fordable rivers take half a move to cross, and the unit loses one order class.

Larger rivers may be swum by elephants, cavalry, or light or light-medium infantry. They lose an order class and count shieldless while crossing.

Only infantry can enter buildings

Loss of order due to terrain may not be regained until the unit is out of the terrain in question (thus, close formation infantry can never be formed in rough terrain).

Shooting overhead

Bows can shoot two ranks if irregular, 4 if regular. Other foot weapons and mounted bows can shoot one and a half ranks.

Other mounted weapons can shoot only one rank.

Risks to commanders

Any commander with a unit which starts a compulsory move MUST stay with the unit during that move. Thereafter, he may move off.

If a unit a commander is with suffers casualties, roll a dice to see if the commander is hurt. A roll of 6 indicates possible risk. If the second roll is equal to or less than the

number of casualties suffered by the unit, then the commander has been injured.

A wounded commander moves at half speed, and may only influence ONE unit per turn. A second wound kills the commander.

A unit with a commander when he is wounded loses a point of order or TWO points if the CinC. A unit with a commander who is killed loses two points of order, or THREE if the CinC. (It will therefore rout unless it was formed to start with).

If a commander is killed, any units within 6" will also lose a point of order.

Commanders on their own may be shot at or meleed - they count as super-heavy cavalry (1 figure). They are not subject to morale. Each 'hit' wounds the commander - two hits to kill.

Markers

The following system is recommended to show the current state of a unit:

Small white markers - one per point of order lost

Small black markers - action points

Large white markers - units involved in a charge

Large yellow markers - routing units

Large red markers - impetuous units

Large blue markers - units which must take a test

Large green markers - pursuing units