Engage!
Being a set of Grand Tactical Wargames Rules for the Musket and Bayonet Era.
By Lt. D.R. Grounds, Esq.
Required to play:
· At least two players
· A scenario, armies, models, terrain, etc
· A Number of 6 sided dice and a measuring device
Basing
This game is based on 15mm models, each base representing a unit. I base infantry in Volley and Bayonet style, 3” wide by 1.5” deep. Any size basing is acceptable, as long as both sides use the same standard.
Set Up
Set up the Game, using a sketch map if available. Otherwise, roll dice to determine locations, etc.
Set up one Division at a Time.
Playing the Game
The Game is played using 10 simultaneous Phases – each Player completes phase 1, before they move onto Phase 2, etc.
Round Down
During the game, any fraction is to be rounded down to the nearest whole number.
Key terms:
Unit – a single base of Infantry, Artillery, or Cavalry. All units must remain within 6” of their General at all times.
General – the leader of a collection of units, referred to as a Division.
Commander – the leader of the Army or Corps who gives orders to Generals.
Engaged – When two opposing Generals come within 12” of each other, they are considered engaged, ie, directly fighting each other. Individual units may be within 12” of the enemy, but unless the Generals are engaged, there is no combat (there may the occasional pot-shot or light skirmishing, but neither side is trying to dislodge the other).
Orders – Generals receive orders from Commanders, which instruct the General how to act on the battlefield. Generals must act in accordance with their Orders.
Disorder – Units that take a hit from Combat are Disordered. Disordered Units that take a hit from Combat are removed from play. A unit that is Disordered is marked in some way (cotton wool, penny, pipe cleaner, etc).
Good Order – Units typically begin the game in Good Order. A Disordered Unit may return to Good Order by recovering as a Division is on Hold Orders.
Phases
1st Place Orders
Players may give an order to Generals within 12” of a Corps or Army Commander. Take the appropriate card and place it face down next to the General. Possible orders are: Disengage, Hold, Advance, Assault, Manoeuvre.
2nd Bombardment
All Artillery units on both sides fire simultaneously. Range is 18”, must have line of sight to target.
Roll 1d6 per Artillery Unit. A roll of 5 or more is required to inflict a hit on a Unit – distributed as per Combat Phase.
3rd Reveal Orders
Players reveal the orders given to each Division/General. Simply turn over the order card. The order determines what the Division does, and when. Generals that did not receive a new order simply continue with their previous turn’s order.
4th Disengage
Generals Ordered to Disengage move at least 12” and up to 24” away from nearest enemy, or towards their Army or Corps Commander. The General May not end movement Engaged.
Units may be Disordered from Disengaging. Roll 1d6 per unit – on a 6+ the unit takes a hit and is disordered (if already disordered, the unit is removed).
Units must remain within 6” of the General.
Units receive ½d6 in any subsequent combat that round (ie, for 2 units, receive 1d6).
5th Hold
Generals Ordered to Hold may:
· Not Move the General – he holds where he stands
· Move Units within 6”
· Remove Disorder markers on a roll of 5+ (4+ Elite, 6+ Militia) if not engaged
· Receive 1½d6 per unit in any subsequent combat (ie, for 2 units, receive 3d6)
· Receive Terrain Advantages for Combat Dice
High Ground +2d6, Stone Wall +1d6, Woods +3d6, Defending a Stream +3d6, Town / Defences +4d6, Fortress +6d6
For Example:
A Division of 6 units is Ordered to Hold. If engaged, the Division will receive 9d6 for Combat, plus any bonuses for Terrain. For Example, If the Division is Holding on a Hill, they will receive an additional 2d6 for Higher Ground.
If the opposing Division is attacking across a stream or wood, the Holding Division would receive an additional 3d6 for Combat.
If the opposing Division is attacking a fortress on the other side of a stream through a wood, the Defender would receive an additional 12d6 for Combat.
6th Advance
Generals Ordered to Advance must move up to maximum distance OR until Engaged. Generals already Engaged MAY NOT move to engage another enemy Division, or to Disengage from an Enemy Division. The Order Card has an arrow, indicating the direction of the Advance. The General must follow this path.
Maximum distance is:
· In the Open, 12” for Infantry or Artillery, 18” for all Cavalry
· In Difficult Terrain such as Woods or Crossing a Stream, 4” for Infantry, 6” for Cavalry
Generals may:
· Move units within 6”
· Receive 1d6 for Combat per unit
7th Assault
Generals that begin the turn Engaged may be Ordered to Assault.
Generals may Move units within 6”.
Only Units that are not Disordered may Assault.
For each Assaulting Unit, roll 2d6 for Combat.
8th Combat Resolution
Each player rolls 1d6. Highest roll determines order in which combat is resolved.
For each General/Division Engaged there will be a combat.
Determine Combat Dice and roll (each unit in the Division, multiplied by modifiers, + Terrain Bonuses).
A Roll of 5 or more is a hit.
Generals distribute hits on their own commands. Units closest to the enemy take hits first. A unit that takes a hit is Disordered, and is marked as such. A second hit and the unit is destroyed, and removed.
If the General figure is ever closer to the Enemy than any unit under their command, the Division takes DOUBLE the remaining hits (For example, Smith’s Division is engaged. There are three units between Smith and the enemy units, and three units on the other side of Smith (further from the enemy units than Smith). If four hits are inflicted on the Division, the three closest units take the first three hits, and the Division takes an additional two hits (making six total). The rest of the hits are distributed on the remaining units.
If a General is engaged by more than one enemy Division, split the Combat dice based on which units are closest to which enemy Division.
If a Division that Assaults inflicts more hits on the enemy than it receives, the enemy Division must immediately Disengage (and roll for additional disorder).
If a Division that Assaults inflicts fewer hits on the enemy than it receives, the Assaulting Division must immediately Disengage (and roll for additional disorder).
9th Manoeuvre
Each Player rolls 1d6. The Highest roller determines which side Manoeuvres first. Each side manoeuvres a Division or Commander alternately.
Any Division Ordered to Manoeuvre may now move up to double distance (24” for Infantry, 36” for Cavalry). At no point during movement may the Division come within 12” of an enemy General.
Generals may move units within 6”. Any movement into Difficult Terrain (Woods, Towns, Streams, etc) immediately halts the Manoeuvre. If a General Ordered to Manoeuvre is Engaged, all units receive ½d6 for Combat, and the Division may not Manoeuvre at all. There can be no movement of units.
Army& Corps Commanders may move up to 36”, but may never come within (or remain within) 12” of any enemy General.
10th Reorganise
After Combat and Manoeuvre, any two friendly Divisions may reorganise if:
· Both have been Ordered to Hold
· The Generals are within 12” of each other
· Neither was Engaged in the Turn
To reorganise, simply move units between Divisions to suit the player. (For Example, all the Elite units in good order can be transferred to one Division, while the Disordered Militia can be transferred to the other).
The Game Continues through the phases until one side or another is victorious, generally by eliminating a number of enemy units.
Optional Rules
Scenarios may wish to differentiate eras by giving advantages to certain units in the various periods.
The ranges of artillery bombardment may change to reflect technological advances.
Cavalry units in North America might be rarer, and of less use in Assault, etc.
The Specifics are left to the discretion of the Scenario and the Players.