BLOODYBACKS 3

THE RULES

Updated Dec 2002

SEQUENCE OF PLAY

INITIATIVE

Each side rolls an appropriate die. The high roller chooses whether to move first or second in the turn

Unless otherwise specified by a scenario the following dice will be used:

PANIC TESTS

Any unit that begins its turn with fleeing friendly units within 4" must take a morale test. If it fails then it routs if it is of lower or equal quality to the fleeing unit, otherwise it is pinned for the turn and cannot charge or move (but may fire)

DECLARE CHARGES

Units wishing to contact the enemy must declare their intention in this phase.

Infantry may charge up to 8 inches, modified by any intervening terrain (see "Movement").

Cavalry may be affected by unknown terrain features: small gullies and ravines, soft ground, rabbit holes etc. To simulate this, their charge move is randomised. A Cavalry unit wishing to charge will be moved four times the roll on a single d6 (4-24 inches). The unit must move the full amount indicated unless it contacts an enemy unit.

Artillery cannot charge.

Charging units may not manoeuvre except to make an initial wheel of up to 45 degrees

Response to charges

Units which are being charged have a number of options to exercise in response.

Stand (and shoot) – work out casualties immediately

Evade – skirmish infantry may fall back in good order by 4d3 inches

Flee – The unit runs away in disorder, roll 2d6 for infantry and 3d6 for cavalry

Fire and Flee – The unit fires – work out casualties immediately, then runs away 2d3 for infantry

About Face and Fire – The unit may turn around 180 degrees and fire at half effect – work out shooting immediately

Chargers who don’t suffer 25% casualties, or who pass any morale test, are then moved into contact

MOVEMENT

Units which have not charged, may now attempt to move. To acomplish this an order has to be given by a commander.

Roll 1d10. A score equal to or less than the commanders rating is a pass and the unit may move, adding the d10 score

A roll greater than the command rating results in no move taking place

The following modifiers are applied to the command ratings:

Indians do not receive orders like other units. Instead roll a d10 and add the number of stands lost by the indian unit so far in the game. A total of 9 or more results in the unit being removed. A total of 8 or less allows the unit to move as the player wishes

Officers may only move in the tactical phase if they are attached to a unit (which they will move with). Officers move at the end of the turn, up to 12"

Change formation or facing = ½ move

Fall Back facing the enemy = ½ speed

Oblique up to 45 degrees = full speed

Rivers may only be crossed at Fords and Bridges. Bridges must be crossed in column, fords in line or column, dpending on their width.

Movement distance may be doubled if the unit begins its move more than 12" from the enemy and doesn’t come within 12" at any time during the movement phase

FIRING

Firing is pretty straightforward. Check range then roll for effect. Depending on the number of hits inflicted the target may need to take a morale test. Stands in melee (including overlaps) cannot be shot at

Ranges:

Firing Points:

To these points add the roll of a d3 and apply the following modifiers:

Kill one figure for every point scored

Roll for each firing unit separately

Crews count as skirmisher targets

Any unit - immediately checks morale if it loses 25% or more of its strength in any firing phase

MELEE

Two or more units in contact are in Melee and will fight each other in this phase.

As far as possible line-up units so 1 stand fights 1 enemy stand.

Roll the number of d6 indicated for the unit, counting figures in the unit that are on stands in contact or overlapping an enemy stand. To overlap, the stand must be in contact with a friendly stand in front-edge contact with an enemy unit.

Roll 1d6 for each multiple of the following figures

For each d6, determine the outcome from the table below:

Then roll for officer casualties if any such figures are attached to the unit.

Each side counts up the number of casualties it has inflicted in the melee and applies the following modifiers to determine who wins:

If the result is a draw, each side rolls a d6, the lower roller is the loser. (re-roll ties)

The loser than takes an immediate morale test for each involved unit – modified by the difference in melee scores, failing the test results in the unit breaking and running (2d6 for infantry and 3d6 for cavalry).

Broken units move directly away from the attack, diverting only to avoid othe units. If a choice of direction is presented roll a dice to determine the path of retreat.

Any militia units within 12"of a friendly unit that fails its melee break test (and of the same type: horse or foot) must then take an immediate break test of their own.

Victorious cavalry units must pursue 3d6". If they catch the enemy unit (by rolling the same score or more) it is destroyed. Pursuers are moved the full distance indicated, but after catching the enemy they may wheel up to 45 degrees. If they contact an enemy unit they fight a melee in the next available melee phase and count as charging.

MORALE TESTS

When a unit needs to test morale or attempt to rally, it rolls 2d6 and applies any necessary modifiers. A score less than or equal to its morale value is a pass, anything more than this is a fail. The effect of a fail depends on the situation, but us typically a break and run result.

Morale Values:

*Indians roll 2d6 in woods, but 3d6 in other terrain

Morale test modifiers

Troops which attempt to rally, but fail continue to rout 2d6 (3d6 for cavalry). This move is carried out immediately.

Troops which do rally will stop where thay are in any formation/facing they wish, They can perform no other action this turn (no move or fire)

REFORM

At the end of a player’s turn, each unit (on both sides) that has taken casualties must remove stands equivalent to the number of casualties taken in the turn. For "odd" casualties roll a d6, if any of the dice score 6 then remove a stand.

(Units reduced to 1 stand are removed unless skirmishers or converged flank companies)

Each affected unit then takes a morale test, modified by the number of stands lost. A fail results in the unit breaking and running. Militia in the open must test if they took any casualties, even if they lost no stands

For the purposes of stand removal, 2 part-skirmisher stands (2 half-stands, each of 3 figures) count as a 6 figure stand, 4 figure light infantry stands count as a stand and 3 figure cavalry stands count as a stand

For example:

HOWITZERS

Most artillery must fire with a clear Line of Sight (LOS). Howitzers fire explosive shells with a higher trajectory so can engage targets even if other units block line of sight.

As communication was poor in the AWI, howitzers cannot fire over intervening terrain except for low walls and hedges.

To fire a howitzer, nominate a target at least 8"away and no more than 36" distant. Place a 2" shell burst marker on the target and roll the scatter and direction dice (from Warhammer). If a hit is scored the marker is not moved, otherwise move the marker the number of inches indicated in the direction shown on the die.

Any unit under the template then takes 2d3 firepoints (see "firing"). If more than one unit is covered, dice for which is affected.

OFFICER CASUALTIES

From Firing

Roll a d10, on a "10" an attached officer is killed instead of one of the regular casualties. Rifle armed units kill on a 9 or 10. An officer loss causes an immediate morale test rolling 3d6. Failure results in the unit falling back 2d6 in good order.

American skirmishing units may elect to roll 1d10 for one or more of their fire points to attempt to pick off officers. So a 12 figure skirmish unit may fire 2d10 and still have 2 firepoints left to shoot at a unit.

From Melee

Roll a d10, on a "10" the officer is killed. There are no modifiers to this. The effect is included in the melee results table.