GBoH Cataphract Rules

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RULEBOOK

THE GREAT BATTLES OF HISTORY SERIES Volume VIII

CATAPHRACTBattles of Belisarius and the Byzantines

in the Era of the Emperor Justinian

DARA CALLINICUM TRICAMERON TAGINAE CASILINUM

a MARK HERMAN/RICHARD BERG game design

Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction . . . . . 2

2.0 Components and Terms . . 2

2.1 The Maps . . . . . 2

2.2 The Playing Pieces . . 2

2.3 Charts, Tables and

the Die . . . . . . 3

2.4 Terminology . . 3

2.5 Game Scale . . . . . 4

2.6 Game Length . . 5

3.0 The Sequence of Play . . 54.0 Leaders . . . . . . . . 5

4.1 Leader Counters . . 5

4.2 Leader Capabilities . . 6

4.3 Command System . . 6

4.4 Leaders and Combat . . 7

5.0 Leader Activation and Orders . 8

5.1 How to Activate Leaders . 8

5.2 The Orders Phase . . . 8

5.3 Momentum . . . . . . 9

5.4 The Trump Option . . 9

5.5 Elite Commanders . . . 10

6.0 Movement . . . . . . . . . . 11

6.1 Movement Allowances . 11

6.2 Movement Restrictions . 116.3 Natural Terrain . . . 11

6.4 Column Movement . . . 11

6.5 Orderly Withdrawal . . . 12

6.6 Stacking . . . . . . . 13

7.0 Facing and ZOCs . . . . . . . 13

7.1 Facing . . . . . . . 13

7.2 Zones of Control (ZOC)

and Shock Requirements . 13

8.0 Combat . . . . . . . . . . 14

8.1 M issile Volley . . . 14

8.2 Reaction Fire . . . 15

8.3 Shock Combat . . . 16

8.4 Advance After Combat . 18

8.5 The Combat Tables . . . 18

9.0 Special Rules . . . . . . . 18

9.1 Dismounted Cavalry . . 18

9.2 Army Discipline . . . 18

9.3 Uncontrolled Advance . 19

9.4 Rate of Fire . . . . . . . 199.5 Bow-Armed Cavalry . . 19

9.6 The Champion Challenge 19

10.0 The Effects of Combat . . 19

10.1 Cohesion . . . . . . 19

10.2 Rout and Retreat . . . 20

10.3 Rally . . . . . . . 21

10.4 Army Withdrawal

and Victory . . . 21

Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21GMTGAMES


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1.0 Introduction

CATAPHRACTportrays the developmentof the art of war wrought by earlyByzantine empire (also known as theEastern Roman Empire) during the reignof the Emperor Justinian under its great

generals Belisarius and Narses. Duringthis period the Byzantine Empire for abrief period of time re-captured a largeportion of what was former ly the WesternRoman Empire. Although successful in itsattempts to re-capture Italy and North

Africa, the Byzantine empires resourceswere insufficient to hold onto its gains.

CATAPHRACT is the eighth volume inthe Great Battles of History Series ,following THE GREAT BATTLES OF

AL EXANDE R which portrayed theMacedonian art of war, SPQR whichportrayed the legion of the RomanRepublic, and CONQUEST OF GAUL

which por trayed the leg ion during theGallic Wars of Julius Caesar.

CATAPHRACT uses the same basicsystem as CONQUEST OF GAUL, withrule changes and additions that portraythe advances in tactical concepts and

weaponr y. We have also included a largenumber of historical notes, so that you can

see what questions of military historyarose from the individual battles. Weprovide the usual section on terminology,so that you can understand more fully

where we are goingand from where itall came. Finally, in the playbook you willfind indications of how long and how

we ll-b ala nce d (in te rm s of ha vi ng achance to win) the battle scenarios areall based on playtest experience and input.

Your experiences, to be sure, may vary.

A Note on Play

CATAPHRACT, while not an overlydifficult game to learn, understand or play,uses a tactical system which rewards mostthose who know what their men can doand how to exploit the capabilities of eventhe worst of them. As warfare evolvedfrom the previous Roman era and becamemore complex, the rules of this systemreflect, albeit only slightly, that increasedcomplexity. To calmly blunder into battle

with a let s see what happens here theory

is to be exiled quickly to some forlorn rockin the Mediterranean.

Never Played a Historical Simulation?We wouldnt normal ly recommend thisgame for novices, but youve alreadyplunked down your drachmas so youmight as well give it a shot. Your main

problem will be that wargaming, like mostintrospective systems in life, has its ownlanguage. That language is the mainbarrier to enjoyment, much like the firsttime you tried to use a computer (or setthe clock on your VCR). The rules use asectional approach. While thissometimes makes reading them asomewhat disjointed process to theuninitiated, it does help you find thingsmore quickly when you need them. Aboveall, this is supposed to be FUN, so donttake anything we say too seriously, andsort of slide through the rules to see whatthose mysterious words mean. (Thesection on terminology is most helpful inthis case.) This will get you going, moreor less. We then suggest you start withthe Tricameron scenario (see Playbook).Set i t up (that means put al l thedesignated counters in their assignedstarting hexes ( ...oops, thats wargamelingo for those hexagonal-shaped patternson the map), turn to the rules sectioncalled 3.0 Sequence of Play and simply

start doing what that sequence tells youto do, referring to the rules when you dontunderstand what to do next. After about20-30 minutes youll be just as good atthis sort of thing as we are. Any problems?

The re s a ph on e numb er lis te d he resomewhere; give us a call. Well be gladto give you a few hints. Trust us; after all,

weve got your money.

Havent Played this System?Even if youare quite familiar with simulation gaming,

we suggest that you set up the Tricameron

scenario (see Playbook) and push thecounters around for a turn or two beforeactually starting a game. This will revealthe various tactical strategies available,how the different types of weapons systemmay best be used and how best to (try to)protect against them. The one thing toremember is that the more you knowabout your units and how they act/interact, the better commander you willbe.

Familiar with this System?CATAPHRACTretains all the core rulesfrom the previous titles in the series. Thecommand system in CATAPHRACT ismuch simpler than in the earlier titlesreflecting the realities of the period. Anumber of familiar rules have beendropped due to a lack of specialist type

units (Skirmishers, Elephants) or changesin doctrine (Depletion, Cavalry Pursuit)

You will note the increased effectivenessof missile units due to the use of thecomposite bow, so a thorough review othe charts and tables i s heart i lyrecommended. Extended missile range[8.18], contingent commanders [4.33]ZOC-encumbered leader activation[5.27] have changed, as have some aspectof Line Commands. New special rules arein 9.0.

And remember: Watch Your Flanks.

2.0 Components and Terms

2.1 The Maps

Each battle uses a portion of a 22 x 33map. A hexgrid covers each map to

regulate movement and combat, and theeffects of the different types of terrain onthe map are covered in the rules andcharts.

2.2 The Playing Pieces

There are three types of playing piecesor counters: combat units, representingthe various types of fighting troopsleaders, the individuals who command thetroops; and information markers used to

note certain types of informationnecessary for play.

2.21 Combat units.All combat units arerated numerically for their Size, TroopQuality (TQ) and Movement capabilityUnits that are capable of firing missilesalso have a Missile indicator, indicatingthe type of missile used (e.g.,B = SimpleBow, C= Composite Bow, and J= Javelinetc.). The Missile Table gives the Ranges


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Copyright GMT Games, 1999

The Great Battles of History, Volume VIII

Page 3

Types of combat unitsThe type a unit is denotes the weaponsit used as well as whether any armor/protection was worn. Type is importantin determining Superiority [see 8.37].

Heavy Infantry

Medium Infantry (Militia)

Light Infantry/Bowmen

Heavy Cavalry

Light Cavalry

Lancer Cavalry

available for these missiles. Each combatunit has two sides. When a unit is flipped,this indicates it has been moved once and

will suffer Cohesion penalties if/when itmoves again that turn [see 6.1].

Series Note: The designation for Archerin previous GBOH releases (A) is

equivalent for all purposes to the B-ratedunits (Simple Bow) in CATAPHRACT.There will eventually be separatedesignations for Long Bow and Crossbowin future releases.

2.22 Each unit is of a certain Type(usually indicated on the third line on thecounter; e.g.,HI, LC, etc.). The type isused to determine certain combat resultsand effectiveness vis-a-visother types.Some types are subdivided by Class (e.g.,HC typeHeavy Cavalrywith the classCataphract.

2.23 Examples of Units

One-Hex Combat Unit (Front)

Unit Type (Medium Infantry)Name/counter ID

Unit SizeTroop Quality Basic

Movement Allowance

One-Hex Combat Unit (Moved)

Missile TypeCounter ID (Archer)

Unit Type (Light Infantry)MOVED indicator

Cavalry Unit

Name/counter IDMissile Class (Composite)

Cavalry Type (Heavy)

Leadershave a variety of ratings, used torate their Initiative and Command, as welas their fighting, capabilitiesboth asleaders and individually [see 4.1].

Front (Activated) Side

Name

Strategy (OveralCommanders only

Personal CombaCommand CharismaRange Line Commands

Initiative(Elite indicator; see 5.5

Rear (Finished) Side

Name

Personal Comba

Charisma

Restricted Leader (ContingentCommander)

NameMay command only

these units

2.24 Informational markers, such asShock-Check TQ, numbered counter(representing Cohesion points lost)Routed, Missile Low, etc., are used torecord certain game functions, usually thechanging status of a unit.

2.3 Charts, Tables and the Die

The use of each chart and table iexplained in the rules. The game uses aten-sided die; the 0 is treated as a 0 (not a10), and is less than 1.

2.4 Terminology

Knowledge of the following game termwill be useful for play.


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Activated Le ade r = The leader who isgiving Orders or Line Commands to histroops at any given instant. Only oneleader may be active at any one time.

Class = Subcategory within type, used todifferentiate between various weaponssystems within a type. Example:

Cataphract.

Cohesion = A unit s ability to remain inan organized, fighting formation. In thegame, this is measured in the form ofCohesion Hits.

Finished Leader = A leader who haspreviously been activated that turn and isFinished, and may not be activatedagain. Leaders may be Finished for otherreasons, such as being Wounded, failureto Trump, etc.

Inactive Leader = A leader who has yetto be activated and is still eligible to beactivated.

Leader = Interchangeable with the wordcommander. Leaders were the generals

who comma nd ed an d in fl ue nce d thetroops.

MA = Acronym for a unit s basicMovement Allowance. It also represents

a units maneuverability vis-a-vis theother units in the game.

Missile Volley = Friendly units throwingjavelins or shooting arrows at enemy units.

Momentum =The mechanic by which aleader can undertake more than oneOrders Phase in a turn.

Orders Phase =The period during a turnwhen a Leader gives Individual Orders orLine Commands to his troops to move

and fight.

Order/Line Command = The twomethods leaders have of getting theirtroops to move. Orders apply toindividual units; Line Commands toentire groupsof units. In terms of whethera leader can/may issue an Order or a LineCommand they are treated separately.

Shock Combat = Hand-to-hand, (and,often literally, eyeball-to-eyeball), hackand thrust, slash and crash, melee.

Size = Representing the number of menin that unit.

Superiority =The relative capabilities and

killing effectiveness of the opposingwe apons /a rmor sy st em s. Sup er io rit y,when achieved, will substantially increasean opponents cohesion losses.

TQ = Acronym for the all-importantTroop Quality rating. The TQ rating is,by far, the most important number of acombat unit. It will be consultedconstantly throughout playat almostany time a unit does something that willendanger its cohesion. The Cohesion Hitand TQ Check Chart summarizes whena player uses the TQ rating.

Trump = The mechani c by which anenemy leader can stop a friendly leaderfrom undergoing an Orders Phase andtransfer that phase to that enemy leader.It can also be used by a friendly leader togo before another, but lower-rated,friendly leader.

Type =General, categorical description ofcombat unit, usually used to determine

combat effect iveness and results .Examples: HI (Heavy Infantry), HC(Heavy Cavalry), etc.

Zone of Control (ZOC) = The hexesusually directly to the front of a unitinto which that unit exerts, by itspresence, enough influence so as toinhibit freedom of movement.

Knowledge of the following types ofcombat units/terms will be useful for play.

Heavy Infantry = In CATAPHRACT, thistype represents dismounted HeavyCavalry. These are troops protected byarmor (usually helmet, breastplate and legarmor). They are armed with lances andshields along with a variety of one-handedslash/bash weapons. The ByzantineCataphracts are also armed with thehighly effective composite bow.

Medium Infantry =A term that appliesto units (e.g.,Militia infantry) that, whilenot as well-equipped as their heaviecounterparts, had weaponry and somebody protection that was superior ineffectiveness to that worn (or not worn)by Light Infantry.

Light Infantry =A generic term appliedto foot units with little or no body armora light shield, and usually a spear and/orsword. Most of the Light Infantry inCATAPHRACTare armed with bows.

Light Cavalry and Lancer Cavalry = Fothe most part, these are mounted archersnoted for their mobility. That speed andmobility could be a major plus, asdemonstrated by the effectiveness oSimmias and Phasis and the magnificenHun and Herulian Light/Lancer Cavalryunits.

Heavy Cavalry = This was the arm ofdecision for the Byzantine, Persian andGothic armies. The Byzantine Cataphract

was the ultimate combat system of thisera. Heavy cavalry was trained in the useof the composite bow and lance. Theseunits were the backbone of the Byzantinearmies of this period. Their mobilitycoupled with local militia infantry wereable to fend off larger more mobile Arab

forces. Similar to Dragoons of theNapoleonic era, these units could bedismounted to supply a heavy infantrybackbone to the infantry archer forcesakin to the later English long bow system

2.5 Game Scale

Each point of Size denotes from 100-150infantry (depending on their formationrank depth and usage) or 100 cavalry

Thus, a typic al Medium Infantry unit

represents 700 men and a CataphractHeavy Cavalry unit about 500 men. Acombat unit has afrontage of about 50+

yards, or on e hex. Each hex iapproximately 70+ paces (yards) from sideto side. Each game turn covers about 20minutes of real time, although gamersshould not take that too literally.


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2.6 Game Length

There is no Turn Record Track, al thoughthere are game turns. A battle is foughtuntil one side withdrawsso there is(usually) no need to keep track of howmany turns have passed.

Historical Digression: Veterans of CAESARwill find that the Byzantinebattles/scenarios are shorter to completethan those of just 500 or so years earlier.The size of the armies was routinelyaround 10,000-15,000 men per side.

3.0 The Sequence of Play

Players activate each of their leaders inthe order determined by their Initiativerating [5.1]. When a leader is activatedhe gives orders which allow units withinhis range to move and conduct combat.

After al l leaders are finished, each army/player checks for Army Withdrawal after

which that game turn is conc luded.

The Sequence of P lay

A. Leader Activation P hase:The playerwith the lowest-Initiative-rated leader (orUncontrolled Line [9.3]), who has not yetbeen activated, activates that leader. If thatleader wishes to issue a Line Command,he rolls for the ability at this point [4.23].

That player may attempt to by-pass thatleaders turn by Trumping his own leader[5.41].

B. Orders Phase

1. Movement and Missi le Fire

Segment.

a. For each Individual Orderissued by an activated leader, theplayer may perform any onefunction listed [5.22] with onecombat unit or leader. OR,

b. For each Line Commandissued, a number of units within

range of the leader may moveand/or Fire Missiles [5.23].

c . Uni ts capable o f Order ly Withdrawal [6.5], and/orReaction Fire [8.2] may do sothroughout this segment.

2. Shock Combat Segment.After aleader has finished issuing orders,eligible units engage in Shockcombat, using the followingsequence [8.3]:

a. Shock Designation: all non-moving, eligible units thatchoose to Shock are givenSHOCK-No Check markers.

b. The Charge (Pre-Shock TQ Check).

c. Resolution of Possible LeaderCasualties.

d . The Clash o f Spears andSwords (determine Superiorityand Shock column).

e. Resolve the melee.

f. Check for possible Collapse(Rout).

C. Momentum P hase OR Return to A.The player having the leader who wasactivated in the immediately precedingOrders Phase may attempt a Momentumdie roll to give that leader another OrdersPhase (Phase B), or else play returns toPhase A for any leaders that remainunactivated.

D. Rout and Reload Phase

1. Remove Rallied markers.

2. Rout Movement: Routed unitsmust undergo Rout Movement[10.22].

3. Reload Segment: Eligible missileunits may get more missiles [8.15].

4. Army Withdrawal Check: Eachplayer checks to see if his army hasreached its Withdrawal level.

5. F lip al l Moved units andFinished leaders back to theirfront sides.

At the conclusion of the Rout and ReloadPhase that game turn has ended andanother game turn begins. There are noset number of turns. The battle continue

until one side withdraws.

4.0 Leaders

Combat units may not move or firemissi les unless they get ei ther anIndividual Order or a Line Commandfrom a leader (exception: see 9.3Uncontrolled Advance). Those combatunits that have received such order

during a turn, or that are within commandrange of that same leader, or that areexecuting an uncontrolled advance, mayconduct Shock Combat. Each leadercounter has two sides: Active andFinished. A leader that has concludedits activation is flipped to his Finishedside. Leaders return to their active side athe end of the turn for use again in thenext turn.

4.1 Leader Counters

Each leader possesses several ratings:

Initiative: This denotes his basic abilityto control forces and make rapid decisionsInitiative is used to determine thesequence of leader activation and thechances of that leader being able to useMomentum. It also defines the numberof Individual Orders that leader may issueper Orders Phase. The higher the ratingthe better the leader.

Elite Commander Initiative:This referto leaders with a triangle next to theirInitiative [5.5].

Line Command:The number to the righof the slash indicates that, if eligible, thaleaderinstead of issuing a series oOrders to a given number of unitsmayissue a move and/or fire Order to all unitin that number of Lines [4.23]


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Contingent commanders (leaders markedwith a C where the Line Commandrating would be) may not issue LineCommands.

Command Range: Denotes his overallpresence on the battlefield as well as thepresence of his aides and the effectiveness

of his abilitiesthe base range in hexesover which that leader may exert hisInitiative.

Strategy: Only Overall Commandershave this rating. It is used to determine ifa Subordinate Commander can use LineCommands in his Order Phase.

Charisma: Denotes his ability to spur histroops on to greater efforts in combat. Therating is used to adjust the die roll on theShock Combat Results Table in his favorfor combat units with which he is stacked.It is also used to Rally units.

Design Note: This rating varies widelyin CATAPHRACT. For the most part,Roman Commanders of this era hadabandoned the up-front and personalstyle of hands-on leadership in favor of amore efficient, behind-the-linescommand methodology. This enabledthem to seeand, thus, controlmore.Some of their opponents, such as the Goths

stil l emphasized the traditionalAlexandr ian up front style of leadership.

Personal Combat: This rating is used todetermine whether a leader is killed or

wounded in combat or from missile fire.

Movement Allowance (MA): Themovement allowance of a leader is notprinted on the counter. Rather, thenumber of Movement Points a Leadermay expend in a single Orders Phase isninefor all leaders.

4.2 Leader Capabilities

There are th re e types of leaders inCATAPHRACT: Overall Commanders,Subordinate Commanders, andContingent Commanders. Section 4.3describes the Command System used inCATAPHRACT, while this sectiondescribes the general capabilties of all all

leaders. When activated, a leader mayissue either Individual Orders or LineCommands. He may not do both.

4.21Individual Orders.A leader may giveIndividual Orders to any friendly combatunits within his Command Range (subjectto certain command restrictions), which

is measured using an unobstructed pathof hexes equal to or less than the range,traced between leader and unit. Count theunits hex, but not the leaders. A path isobstructed by hexes occupied by an enemyunits, an unoccupied hex in an enemyZone of Control (ZOC), or terrain aleader could not cross or enter. Friendlyunits negate enemy ZOCs for purposesof tracing Order paths. All other paths areconsidered unobstructed. CommandRanges are calculated at the instant theOrder is given.

4.22 An Individual Order allows onefriendly unit to conduct movement and/or missile volley, rally a unit, etc. [5.22].In a given Orders Phase a leader may issuea number of Orders equal to his Initiativerating. Once a leader can give no moreOrders and cannot be activated again, fliphim to his Finished side.

4.23 Line Commands.

Series Note: Line Commands arehandled somewhat differently inCATAPHRACTthan in prior games inthe series. Experienced players shouldread this section and the Line Command

Eligibility charts carefully and refrainfrom adding exceptions and conditionsfrom pr ior games that are not there.

A leader, instead of issuing IndividualOrders, may issue a Line Command, ifhe is eligible to do so. Units issued a LineCommand may Move and/or Fire [5.23].

A Line consists of units of the same typeand organization as denoted on the LineCommand Eligibility Chart for thespecific scenario. All units that willcomprise a given Line must be withintwicethe Command Range of the leaderinvolved. The leader must be able to tracea path as if he was giving an Order [4.21]to at least one unit in the Line. The unitsthemselves must meet the Line CommandEligibility requirements [4.27] to be part

of the Line. For cavalry lines where anintervening hex is allowed, this hex cannobe occupied by an enemy unit or a friendlyunit not eligible for that line. Units in aLine do not have to stay together whenthey move, and all eligible units in rangedo not have to take part.

Belisarius is the only leader who can issuetwo Line Commands. All eligibilityrequirements are determined at theinstant the Line Command is issuedFurthermore, Belisarius can move witheach line, but his total movement cannoexceed his movement allowance of nine(see also 5.24 #3).

4.24 In order for a leader to move, thatleader must issue an Individual Order tohimself, receive an Individual Order fromthe Overall Commander, or move at thesame time as a Line to which he issued aLine Command (see, also, 6.14).

4.25 A leader, other than the OveralCommander [4.31], who is in an enemyZone of Control may notissue Orders orLine Commandseither to combat unitsor to himself, and thus may not move ouof that enemy ZOCunless and until heis moved out of that ZOC by an Orderfrom the Overall Commander.

4.26 A leader who is Finished [5.15]may not issue Individual Orders or LineCommands. However, he may move, butonly if ordered by an Overall Commandeto do so.

4.27 Line Command Eligibility ChartsThese charts (see playing aid card) deta iby scenario which unit types mayparticipate in a given line.

4.3 Command System

Design Note: Players will soon realizthat Line Commands are a very efficienway to move large numbers of unitsHowever, Line Commands do restricwhat a leader may do. For example, aleader issuing a Line Command to moveunits may not rally units in that OrderPhase. Moreover, as a battle progressesand the combat units become intermixedin their melees, it will become


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increasingly difficult to issue LineCommands to more than a few units.

4.31 Overall Commanders. OverallCommanders (OC) function like otherleaders except that, when activated, OCscan:1. Leave enemy ZOCs by issuing an

Individual Order to themselves (thiscosts two Orders).

2. May issue Individual Orders to other,friendly leaders (one per leader perOrders Phase) to move them. If theleader to be moved starts in an enemyZOC it costs the OC two Orders tomove that leader. Note that an OC inan enemy ZOC may not issue anOrder to move another leader; he mustfirst leave that ZOC.

3. Automatically issue Line Commands.4. Use i ts St rategy rat ing to a l low

subordinates to issue Line Commands.

An OC in an ene my ZO C can onlyperform item #1 aboveleave an enemyZOC. Immediately upon leaving anenemy ZOC, an OC can again issueIndividual Orders and, if applicable, usei ts Strategy rat ing to al low othersubordinates to issue Line Commands.

The OC cannot issue Line Commandsimmediately after leaving an enemy ZOC,but could issue Line Commands during

subsequent activations if it meets theconditions to do so.

4.32 Subordinate Commanders.Subordinate Commanders (SC) functionl ike other leaders with respect toIndividual Orders, but to be eligible toissue a Line Command he must start his

Activation Phase, either:1. Within his OCs command range. The

player then rolls a die and comparesthat die roll to the OCs Strategyrating. If the die roll is the same as or

lower than the rating, the SC is eligible(though not required) to issue a LineCommand that turn. If it is higher, hemay issue only Individual Orders. Thatability to issue a Line Command stays

with that leader for that turn, into anyimmediately succeeding Momentumactivation; the player does not have toroll against the OCs Strategy ratingagain.

2. Outside his OCs command range.The player may stil l attempt a LineCommand for that leader by rollingthe die. If the die roll is a 0, that leadermay issue a Line Command; if it is a1-9 the leader is Finished.

In either case, the SC must meet therequirements listed in 4.23.

In certain scenarios, SubordinateCommanders may be further restricted onthe nationalty/types of units that they maycommand.

Example: At Callinicum, Cabades canonly give Orders and Line Commands toPersian units.

4.33 Contingent Commanders.Contingent Commanders(CC) function like otherleaders with respect toIndividual Orders, with theexception that these Ordersmay be issued only to those

units in their command as noted by thecommand restriction keyword on theircounter. Furthermore, ContingentCommanders may not i ssue LineCommands and may not Trump or useMomentum.

Series Note: In CATAPHRACT,

Contingent Commanders are the leadersof barbarian mercenary bands employedby the Byzantines. Their use and functiondiffers from the Contingent Commanders

presented inALEXANDER.

4.4 Leaders and Combat

This section covers general rules relatingto leaders and enemy combat units. Forspecific rules for casualties during Shocksee 8.34.

4.41 Leaders may enter enemy ZOCsonly if stacked with a friendly combat unitor that ZOC already contains a friendlycombat unit. Like combat units, leaders,too, must cease movement for that Orderupon entering an enemy ZOC. A leadermay leave an enemy ZOC, only if hereceives orders from the Overal lCommander [4.31].

4.42 The instant any combat unit movesadjacent to a leader, that leader canundertake an Orderly Withdrawal [6.5]If the leader is alone in the hex, and doenot withdrawor cannot (because oenemy units or terrain)then one of thefollowing happens:1. If adjacent to enemy foot units, simply

place that leader with the nearestfriendly unit.

2. If adjacent to a mounted enemy unitroll the die. If the die roll is a 3-9, thaleader is eliminated (captured orkilled). If the die roll is 0-2, place theleader with nearest friendly unit.

3. If the leader cannot reach the nearesfriendly unit, because it is surroundedby enemy units or ZOCs through

which it would have to move, it iseliminated.

4.43 Replacement Leaders.All leaders, other than theOverall Commander, may bereplaced when killed. This isdone by having the OC issue an Order toreplace a fallen subordinate with aReplacement leader. EliminatedContingent Commanders are simplyplaced back on the map. The OC does nohave to be within range of any particularunit; simply place the Replacement leader(or returning Contingent Commander

in any hex containing a unit he is capableof commanding. The Replacement leaderis considered Finished for that turn; hemay not give ordersor initiate shockcombat for units within rangeuntil thenext turn. The number of Replacemenleaders provided is a design-intent playlimitation. If there are no Replacemenleaders available, a dead leader may notbe replaced. (This, again, does not applyto a Contingent Commander.)

Design Note: A single, named

Contingent Commander counter actuallyrepresents more than one man. The sammay also be said of other named leadersin terms of their presence on the field. Threplacement leaders for SubordinatCommanders have ratings similar toContingent Commanders.

4.44 If an Overal l Commander ieliminated, he is not replaced; the armycontinues with no OC.


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5.0 Leader Activation and Orders

An Import ant Not e: For the sake ofbrevity, the word order will also mean aLine Command, unless the rulespecifically uses the term Individual Order(IO) to distinguish it from a LineCommand.

Leaders issue Individual Orders or LineCommands in the Orders Phase. Leadersmay not issue any orders until they are

Ac tivated. P layers may use theMomentum rule to give an activatedleader up to twoadditional Orders Phases.

They may also use the Trump Option to

activate a leader sooner than usual.

Exception: A leader first activated by theElite rule [5.5], then activated againlater in the turnmay use Momentum forone additional Order Phase.

5.1 How to Activate Leaders

5.11 All leaders start the turn inactive,and each has the opportunity to becomeactivated and issue orders. After they

complete issuing orders, they are thenFinished.

5.12 Each game turn starts with oneplayer activating one of his leaders.Leaders are activated in the sequence oftheir Initiative ratings, starting with theleader having the lowest and proceedingto the highest (see exceptions in 5.4 The

Trump Option). In case of ties, rol l a die;high roll goes first, with players thenalternating amongst the remaining,similarly-rated leaders. If two leaders onthe same side have the same Initiativerating, the owning player decides whichone goes first.

5.13 Only inactive leaders that have notpreviously been activated in that turn areeligible for activation, with the exceptionof Momentum [5.3] and EliteCommanders [5.5].

Example of sequence of leader activation:At Cal linicum, the Byzantine leadersArethas and Longinus (Ini tiative 3)would activate first and second(Byzantine players choice). As both

players have leaders with Initiative 5, ahigh die roll decides who goes next. If thePersians win the roll, one of their two

leaders with Initiative 5 would go,followed by one of the Byzantines havingInit iative 5, then the se cond Per sianhaving Initiative 5, etc.

5.14 A leader may be activated amaximum of three times in succession ina single game-turn (using Momentum forthe last two times). Exception: see thesuccession requirement with respect toElite Initiative [5.5].

5.15 A Leader is Finishedwhen one ofthe following occurs:1. The Leader has completed an Orders

Phase and does not (or cannot) makea Momentum attempt.

2. The Leader is Trumped by an enemyleader.

3. The leader failswith his own a Trumpor Momentum attempt.

4. A player declines to use that leaderwhen it is his turn; i.e.,he passes.

Exception: See 5.5 Elite Commanders.

5.16 When a leader is Finished, flip hiscounter over to so indicate. A Finishedleader cannot undertake any furtherOrders Phases that turn.

5.2 The Orders Phase

5.21 Once activated, a leader can give anumber of Individual Orders (IO) equalto his Initiative rating to units or, he canissue a Line Command(s) [4.23].

Ex am pl e: Th us , when Be li sa ri us isactivated he can either issue up to six

Indivi dual Ord er s OR two LineCommands for that activation. He maychoose to issue less (or none); he may notissue more in that Orders Phase.

5.22 Each Individual Orderallows theplayer to do one of the following:

1. Moveany one unit. Missile units mayfire a missile volley at any time duringtheir movement [8.1].

2. Conduct Missile Firewith one missileunit (without Movement).

3. Removetwo Cohesion Hits [10.14].

4. Att empt to Rally a Routed uni[10.33].

5. Replacean eliminated leader [4.43].

5.23 Each Line Command allows alunits that are within twice the leaderscommand range and meet the LineEligibility requirements [4.23 and 4.27]to move/missile fire as if they were justgiven an Individual Order. A LineCommand given to a non-bow armedinfantry or cavalry unit may cause anUncontrolled Advance to occur [9.3].

5.24 Leaders may move under thefollowing conditions:

1. An activated leader may issue anIndividual Order to himselfand movealone.

2. An activated leader may issue anIndividual Order to a unit with which

he is stacked and move along with itThe le ad er must re ma in wi th themoving combat unit and end up in thesame hex.

3. An activated leader may issue a LineCommand and move along with thatLine as long as he starts in the samehex as a moving unit from that LineHowever, he does not have to remain

with that unit/line, as long as he endmovement in normal CommandRange of one unit in that Line.

4. The Overal Commander (OC) mayissue an Individual Order to moveanother leader(which is helpful if thatleader is in an enemy ZOC, whichrequires two such Orders). He may usea Line Command to move anotherleader only if that leader is stacked

with a combat unit in that Line.


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5. A leader m ay move with a unitundergoing Orderly Withdrawal[6.5]if he is stacked with that unit.

5.25 Although a given combat unit maybe ordered to move more than once pergame turn, it may not move (and/ormissile fire) more than once per Order

Phase [6.0].

Example: At Dara, if a Cataphract unitis ordered to move by John, it may not beordered by John to move again in thatOrder Phase. It may, however, be soordered in a subsequent phase (in the sameturn) by, say, Belisarius, or even by Johnif he gets a second (Momentum)activation.

5.26 Orders/Line Commands are notused to directly precipitate shock combat,

which occurs in a subsequent segment.[8.3]. However, Individual Orders can beused for Missile Fire [8.1]. Reaction Firedoes not require orders; it occurs inresponse to enemy actions.

5.27 Any activated leader (other than theOC) starting an Orders Phase in anenemy ZOC may notissue orders [4.25].However, his Command Range may stillbe used to designate units to engage inShock Combat in that segment of the

Orders Phase [7.25], so he is not entirelyuseless. In addition, he may still use hisCharisma. At the end of the orders phase,regardless of whether or not the leaderallowed and/or participated in ShockCombat, if the activated leader remainsin an enemy ZOC, he is Finished. Hemay notuse Momentum [5.3]. (See 4.24and 4.31 for moving leaders in an enemyZOC.)

Example: At Tricameron, Martinus, oneof Belisarius subordinate commanders,

starts the turn in an enemy ZOC. Whenit becomes Martinus turn, he cannot i ssue

Individual Orders or Line Commands .Martinus might as we ll us e hi sCommand Range to have someByzantine units make Shock attacks(because he is about to be Finishedanyway). When Belisarius gets an OrdersPhase, he decides to move Martinus outof that enemy ZOC, but the Finished

Ma rti nu s is no t el ig ib le to ac ti va teduring the remainder of the turn.

Design Note: The ability of leaders inan enemy ZOC to allow units in theirrange that are already in contact with theenemy to Shockeven if that leadercannot do anything elseis more a

function of the uni ts proximity to theenemy than the leaders ability, range,awareness, etc.

Series Note: In our never-ceasing effortto improve the rules, a ZOC-encumberedleader no longer has the option of

postponing his normal position in theleader activation sequence. In the

previous example, a gambling Belisarius(wanting more out of Martinus thisturn) could have tried to Trump thenormal sequence in order to move

Mar tinus out of the ZO C prior toMar tinus normal position in theactivation sequence.

5.28 After a leader has issued all of theorders he wishes (or can), friendly unitsengage in Shock in the ensuing ShockSegment, as del ineated by theintroduction to 8.3.

5.29 After Shock combat has beencompleted, that Orders Phase is finished.

One of two things may now happen:1. The player may attempt to gain aMomentum Orders Phase [5.3] for theleader who just finished the OrdersPhase; or

2. The next, eligible leader with thelowest Initiative rating is activated(subject to Trumping), returning toPhase A.

When all leaders are Finished the playersproceed to the Rout and Reload Phase.

5.3 Momentum

Play Note: Momentum (and Trumping,below) are highly useful and powerful

gambits , especially for the Player withsuperior leadership. However, there isusually a 20-40% chance of it backfiring;when that occurs, Momentum can often

provide the opponent with majorposs ibilities.

5.31 At the conclus ion of the OrdersPhase, if the leader who had issued orderfor that phase ... is not in an enemy Zone of Control

and was not previously Trump ed or

Bypassed [5.45], thenthe player may attempt to undertake anadditional Orders Phase with that sameleader. In order to do so, that leader muspass a Momentum die roll.

Exception: Contingent Commandermay not use Momentum.

5.32 The player rol ls the die andcompares the result to the leadersInitiative rating. If it is the same or lessthan the rating, that leader starts anotheOrders Phase (Phase B); if more than the

rating, that leader is Finished for the turn

Example: Thus, Belisarius would need adie roll of 0-6 to gain Momentum; a 7-9would Finish him.

5.33 Die Roll of Doom. If theMomentum die roll is a 9, then the die iimmediately rolled again: If the second die roll is a 9 then no

further leader activation may occur thisturn (by either player), and play goesdirectly to the Rout and Reload Phase

If the second die roll is a 0 or 1paralysis occurs. That player may notactivate any further leaders for theturn, but his opponent is still e ligibleto activate his remaining eligibleleaders.

If the second die roll is a 2-8, the leaderattempting Momentum is FinishedGo back to Phase A.

5.34 Momentum die rolls apply only to aleader who has just finished an OrdersPhase. You may not apply Momentum to

a leader who Finished several phases ago

5.4 The Trump Option

Design Note: This is a game mechanithat is intended to simulate the effect ofsuperiority in the area of command. Assuch, it is l ikely to be used almostexclusively by the player with palpably


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better leaders (such as Belisarius). Theinferior player will often find that, forhim, its best application is when itbackfires on his supposedly betteropponent. To that extent, players shouldbe aware that, simply because this optionis available doesnt mean it should be usedindiscriminately.

Prior to each leader activation bothplayers are given one option to trump thatleaders activation.

5.41 Active Player Trump Option.Theplayer whose turn it normally would beto activate his lowest-rated leader, instead,may attempt to activate any other, inactiveleader with a higher Initiative rating. Todo this, the player must roll the lattersInitiative rating or less on the die. Ifsuccessful that leader is now activated(after which play returns to the normalprocess of momentum and activatingleaders, including the still-unfinished,previously-trumped leader). Ifunsuccessful, the originally designatedleader is activated and the one whoattempted the trump is Finished.

Exception: Contingent Commandersmay not make Trump attempts.

Example: At Dara, the Persian playe r,

instead of activating Pitames, couldattempt to activate Perozes by Trumping.If he rolled a 0-5 he would be successful;but on a 6-9 the Trump attempt fails,Pitames is activated and Perozes isFinished.

5.42 Inactive Player Trump Options.Th e op po sin g pl aye r ha s tw o tr um poptions, each usable under differentcircumstances.

1. Trumping the Trump: Ifand only

ifthe active player is successful withhis trump [5.41], the opposing playerthen has the option of attempting totrump that first trump activation withhis own leader. This requires that theinactive players leader have an equalor higher Initiative rating (and theusual trump die roll less than or equalto Initiative). If successful this leaderis immediately activated; if unsuccessful the ini t ial t rump-

activated leader goes and the leaderattempting the trumping the trumpis Finished.

Example: Using the example in 5.41, ifthe Persian player is successful inactivating Perozes instead of Pitames,then the Byzantine player can now

attempt to trump the trump by rolling forBelisarius. However, he rolls a 8, soPerozes remains activated and Belisariusis Finished for the turn.

2. Momentum Trump: If the activeplayer is successful with a Momentumdie roll, the opposing player mayattempt to trump in the same fashionas #1, above.

Example: At Tricameron, Gelimar hasbeen successful with a Momentumattempt. Belisarius will have none of thatand attempts to trump. He rolls a 3 and,instead of Gelimar going, it s nowBelisarius Orders Phase and Gelimar isFinished.

After the successfully-trumping leader hasf inished his set of Orders/LineCommands, play reverts back to thestandard, lowest-available-leader-goesprocedure.

5.43 Each side is allowed only one trumpattempt per activation.

5.44 A leader who fails a trump attemptor has been trumped when trying forMomentum is Finished.

5.45 Bypassed. An inactive leader whohas not yet been activated andis passed over by a successfultrump is sti l l eligible foractivation (and will probablybe next in line as the lowest-

rated leader). However, all bypassedleaders may notuse Momentum that turn.Use the Trumped / No Momentummarkers to indicate this.

Player Note: Bypass applies to bothplayer s units. Thus at Callinicum, ifBelisarius trumps his man A. John, notonly is A. John Bypassed, but also Bouzesand the Persians Alamoundaras andCabades as well.

5.46 A leader may be activated only onceper game-turn, although that activationmay be extended by Momentum [5.3]. FoException, see 5.5 Elite CommandersFinished leaders may not be activatedagain that turn.

5.47 A leader that successfully trumpcannot pass. He must issue an order to aunit to move or fire, or he must use hisRange to have units Shock attack. A uniis considered to have moved for thepurpose of this rule if it ends the phase ina hex different from the one in which itstarted (a change of facing is not enough)

5.5 Elite Commanders

This rule simulates the marked superiorityof certain commanderssuch asBelisariusespecially in their ability toget going before their opposition.

A player with an Elite O veralCommander (indicated by the trianglenext to his Initiative rating) has the optionto start each turn with a single EliteInitiative (EI) Orders Phase. This EIOrders Phase may be undertaken by theOC or by any one subordinate leader whois in his Command Range, regardless o

Initiative rating, as designated by theplayer. That leader may not useMomentum to continue this EI Phase

After that Phase is completed, the chosenleader or OC reverts to inactive (but notFinished) status. He has undergone onlyone Orders Phase for purposes of 5.14 andmay be activated again, using normaactivation rules.

If both players have an elite OC (thiscannot happen in CATAPHRACTbut thisis here as part of the standard rule set), at

the start of each turn, each player rolls adie, to which he adds his EliteCommanders Initiative rating. High rolgets to use the EI Order Phase. If theadjusted die roll is a tie, neither player canuse the EI Order Phase.


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6.0 Movement

6.1 Movement Allowances

Design Note: Movement Allowancessimulate not only the time it takes a unitto move from point A to point B, but also

its maneuverability relative to other,different-type units as well as the tacticaldoctrines applied to deploying those units.

6.11 A combat units printed MovementAllowance (MA) is the basic allowance fora single Order. A combat unit receivingan Order may move up to its printed MA.Units may move less than the printedMA, unless part of an Uncontrolled

Advance [9.31].

6.12 There is no limit to the number oftimes a combat unit may move in a singleturn; however; it may move only once perOrders Phase.

6.13 After the first time a unit moves ina turn, flip it to its Moved side. Movedunits later may use their full MA again.However, each time a Moved unit ismoved again, it earns a Cohesion Hit[10.1]. This hit penalty does notapply toadvances after combat or units usingOrderly Withdrawal [6.52]. (Compare

this to the terrain-mandated hits in[8.41]). Firing without movement is notmovement for the purposes of this section.

6.14 Activated Leaders may move anynumber of times in a turn or OrdersPhase, but they may not exceed theirallotted nine MA per phase. Leadersmove using cavalry costs. Leaders have nofacing and do not pay any cost to changefacing. See 6.64 for impact of stacking.

6.2 Movement Restrictions

6.21 As a unit moves, it traces a path ofcontiguous hexes through the hex grid,paying the cost of each hex entered (see6.3 Natural Terrain). One unit smovement must be completed beforeanother can begin.

6.22 A unit may be moved in anydirection or combination of directions.

However, a unit may only enter a hexwhich is to its front [7.11]. In order for aunit to change direction it must firstchange facing [7.12] by pivoting in thehex it occupies.

6.3 Natural Terrain

Design Note: As with previous eras,because of the problems in movingtightly-packed formations, virtually allbattles were fought on as flat and clear a

piece of ground as could be found. Somecare was also taken in using naturalbarriers, such as rivers, to secure flanks.

There is al wa ys a co st in Move mentPoints (MP) to enter/cross each type ofterrain. In addition, there may be a

possible Cohesion Hit penalty to do so,depending on the unit and/or terrain type.

Play Note: Players should neverunderestimate the damage that rough andhilly terrain can do to a formation.

6.31 A unit expends Movement Pointsfor each hex it enters and for somehexsides crossed. Most units also pay extraMovement Points to move into a hex ofhigher elevation.

Example: A Heavy Cavalry (HC) unitat Taginae in hex 3823 would expend 2

MP to mo ve in to 39 23 (o ne fo r th ebroken hex and one for the higherelevation level).

6.32 It didnt take much to disorder aformation that had to enter terrain that

wasnt level and smooth. A unit usuallyreceives a Cohesion Hit whenever itchanges elevation or enters Roughterrain (determined by unit type, see6.37). Rough terrain, in CATAPHRACT,

is woods, marsh or broken. Leaders neversuffer cohesion penalties. All CohesionHits due to movement (including alladvances after combat) and facing changesare applied the instant they occur.

Example: Using the example in 6.31,that HC unit would earn one CohesionHit for moving into the broken hex.

6.33 A hex containing two types oterrain uses the majority terrain.

Ex am pl e: He x 15 03 at Ca ll in ic umwhile it does contain some river, is aClear hex in game terms.

6.34 Certain hexes are impassable; no

unit may enter such a hex.

Example: City Walls at Dara.

6.35 A moving unit must have enoughMP to pay the terrain cost of entering ahex; if it doesnt, it cannot enter that hexUnits also pay movement point costs tochange facing [7.12].

6.36 Elevation, rivers and woods may alsoaffect shock combat results by adjustingthe column under which the players rolto determine losses, as per the ShockCombat Results Table.

6.37 The Movement Cost Chart.Thichart gives the MP costs and CohesionHits for each type of unit moving into/across (or changing facing in) a specifictype of terrain.

6.4 Column Movement

Design Note: On the battlefield, formedinfantry moved in a battle formationthat would, in later centuries, be calledLine. They were capable, however, ofusing much looser, more mobile formation(in modern terms, Column) for morerapid movement. In addition, because thunits were not in an extended line thaconstantly needed dressing to be effectivethe effects of movement upon a unitscohesion were not as drastic.

6.41 On being given a move order, any

infantry unit of a Disciplined army [9.2]that is not in an enemy ZOC or Routedmay change to (or from) Column as theconclusion of its Movement.It costs oneMP to change formation, either in or outof Column, so the unit must have at leastone MP remaining to do so. In order foa unit to use Column Movement, a unimuststartthe Orders Phase in ColumnUse the In Column markers to indicatethis status.


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6.42 Units In Column increase their MAby one. In addition, the only Cohesioncosts a unit In Column pays are the onesmarked with COL on the Terrain Chart.

Example: Unit s In Column pay theCohesion cost for moving through woods,but they do not pay such for crossing a

Stream.

6.43 Units in Column must face thehexside(not the vertex) and only the hexdirectly in front of them is frontal. Thechange in facing is effected when thechange to (or from) Column status isannounced. When changing formationfrom column to normal, the unit is alwaysfaced to the vertex on either side of thehexside (and vice versa). There is noadditional cost to do so.

6.44 Column units move into either theirfrontal hex or the flank hexes adjacent tothe frontal hex. There is no MP cost tochange facing to move into a frontal-flankhex; there is a cost to move into any otherhex.

6.45 Units In Column have their TQ ratings temporarily reduced by two. Unitsin column may notattack or fire. The onlything they do is move. If attacked by an

enemy unit, the attacking unit isautomaticallyAttack Superior, regardlessof Position or Weapon system.

6.46 If an In Column unit is shockattacked, at the conclusion of that OrdersPhase. the unit automaticallygoes backto its combat formation at the cost of oneadditional Cohesion Hit, even if that hit

were to cause it to Rout!

6.47 In Column units may no t us eOrderly Withdrawal, normay they movethroughother units.

6.5 Orderly Withdrawal

Orderly Withdrawal is a form of retreatcarried out during the movementsegment, in the face of an approachingenemy, in which lighter, but faster andmore maneuverable, units can avoidgetting crushed.

Play Note: OW is an extremely valuablemaneuver. Therefore, we have gone to

great lengths to explain this rule. OrderlyWithdrawal is a retreat in the face ofan approaching enemy, long before thatenemy can close. This is why thewithdrawing unit can return to the

original facing (with minimum cohesioncost) it had before the enemy approached.In pl ay te rms , you si mp ly mo ve th ecounter backwards.

6.51 During an enemy MovementSegment, any unrouted friendly combatunit that is not in an enemy ZOC [7.2]may avoid contact with an enemy unit theinstantit moves within two hexes of thefriendly, defending unit, as long as thedefending unit has a higher movementallowance than the attacking combat unit.

This case also applies if the moving unitstarts its move at a range of two hexes.

To do this, the friendly, defending unitwithdraws from the advancing unit up toa number of Movement Points (not hexes)equal to the difference between themovement allowances of the unitsinvovled. Withdrawal must occur theinstant the enemy unit moves into two-hex range (stop moving the friendly unittemporarily), or else the option is lost.Cavalry units that qualify as a Line may

withdraw as a clump if any part of thatLine conducts Orderly Withdrawal. ForLeaders, see 4.42.

Example: A Saracen Light Cavalr y unit(MA of 9) may not Withdraw uphill inthe face of an advancing ByzantineCataphract (MA of 8) because it wouldcost the Saracen LC 2 MPs to move soand it is only allowed 1 MP withdrawalmove.

Play Note: Yes, it says within two hexesso any (eligible) friendly unit canWithdraw if an enemy moves within twohexes, even if that unit doesnt actuallymove in his direction. Thus, the friendly

play er mus t make his decision towithdraw before the moving enemy

makes his full intentions clear!

6.52 The withdrawing unit maintains itoriginal facing throughout withdrawal atno facing change cost in Cohesion Hitsor Movement Points. It does, howeverpay any of the usual Cohesion penaltiesfor terrain entered/crossed during the

withdrawal. At the completion owithdrawal, if it wishes to change facingit pays any Cohesion penalties inherenin such a change. There are two possibleadditional penalty situations:1. Al l w i thdrawing infant ry uni t

(includes dismounted cavalryautomatically receive 1 Cohesion Hitafter moving.

2. If the Withdrawing unit was beingapproached from a rear or flank hex(i.e., the hex into which the enemymoving unit intended to move) itsuffers a 1-point Cohesion penaltybefore withdrawing. (This iscumulative with #1, and applies to alunits.)

6.53 If a Withdrawing unit reaches itTQ ra ting in Cohesion Hits it Rout[10.2].

6.54 A unit may withdraw an unlimitednumber of times during a game turn, butthe 6.52 penalt ies apply to eachindividual withdrawal. No movementpoints are expended and no orders areneeded for combat units.

6.55 A unit may not withdraw into an

enemy ZOC, woods, marsh, river or anyhex into which movement would beprohibited. Cavalry units with B or Cmissile capability may fire as part of theOrderly Withdrawal. The range is alwaystreated as two hexes for B missile typesComposite bow (C missile type) cavalrymay select the most advantageous rangeprovided that the moving unit was at tharange with a clear LOS at some poinduring its move. No other missile type

Front

Rear

Flank Flank

Flank Flank


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unit may fire as part of an OrderlyWithdrawal. Stacking restrictions (6.6)apply during withdrawal.

Clarification: As noted in 6.51, theapproaching unit does not actually enterthe Withdrawing units ZOC; the latterhas moved before that can occur. This

means that, if the approaching unit iscapable of Missile Fire while moving,such fire must take place at range 2 or

greater.

6.56 Orderly Withdrawal takes placeduring the opposing players Movementa unit may not withdraw in the Shockcombat segment. The attacking/movingunit may continue to complete itsmovement in the face of such withdrawal.

6.6 Stacking

Stacking refers to having more than oneunit in a hex at any one time, whetherduring movement or at the completion ofmovement. There are two principlesinvolved when considering stacking rules:Voluntary movement, which usuallymeans combat units moving under ordersor Orderly Withdrawal; and Mandatorymovement, virtually all of which is routmovement.

6.61 The Basic Stacking Rule.A hex maycontain, without penalty, one combat unit.Leaders and informational markers do notcount for stacking purposes. A hex maycontain any number of leaders/markers.

Design Note: The stacking rules are verysimpleno voluntary stacking.

6.62 A unit may never move into orthrough a hex containing an enemycombat unit.

6.63 The restrictions, allowances andCohesion Hit penalties for movingthrough friendlyunits are all given on theStacking Chart [6.66]. The chart does notapply to leaders, which have no stackingrestrictions.

6.64 Combat units may enter a hexcontaining only a leader at no movement

or cohesion cost. However, leaders pay amovement penalty of +1 MP to enter ahex occupied by a combat unit.

6.65 A combat unit stacked with a leadermay Orderly Withdraw together [6.5]. Ifthey withdraw together, they must staytogether. Remember that the leader may

also withdraw using 4.42.

6.66 T he Stacking Chart.The chart listswhat type of unit is moving. However, theeffects apply to both moving andstat ionary units , unless otherwisespecified.

7.0 Facing and ZOC

7.1 Facing

7.11 All units must be faced in a hex sothat the top of the unit (the side with itsname) faces into the vertex of the hex(between two hexsides, as shown below).

All units in a hex must be faced the sameway. The two hexes to the front are calledthe frontal hexes, those to the side are theflanks, and those behind are the rear. Aunit may only move into a hex to its front.

7.12 In order for a unit to change itsfacing it must pivot within its hex. Allcombat units (not leaders) pay a cost ofone movement point for each vertexshifted.

7.13 A unit may not change facing whileentering, or while in, an enemy ZOC.

Exception: Units advancing after combat[8.42] may change facing one vertex.

7.14 Units that change facing within aRough terrain hex suffer a one-pointCohesion penalty for each vertex for

which they do so. Rough terrain includesWoods, Broken, and Marsh.

7.15 Reaction Facing Change.Any unimay change facing one vertex (per phase

when an enemy unit moves adjacent to itIt may not do so if it is already in anenemy ZOC. After changing facing, theplayer rolls one die if the reacting unit isinfantry. If the die roll is higher than theunits TQ rating, apply the difference (rolminus units TQ) as Cohesion Hits to theunit. There is no die roll for cavalry units

7.2 Zones of Control (ZOC) and Shock Requirements

7.21 Combat units exert a Zone oControl into their front hexes (only)even those that are out of missiles. Routedunits and leaders do notexert ZOCs.

7.22 ZOCs do not extend into a hex intowhich movement is prohibited.

7.23 A unit must cease movement theinstant it enters an enemy ZOC. A unitthat begins movement in an enemy ZOCcan move outof the enemy ZOC only if1. It is the Overall Commander issuing

two Orders to himself.2. It is a leader issued two Orders by hi

OC.3. It is a combat unit that can receive an

order to move, has at least oneunoccupied frontal hex, and its printedMA is greater than the MA of anyenemy unit exerting a ZOC on it.

A un it leav in g an enem y ZO C ma yimmediately enter another enemy ZOCbut would then cease movement for theremainder of that Orders Phase. Unitsleaving a missile units ZOC are subjectto Retire Reaction Fire [8.21].

7.24 If unit ZOCs of opposing sidesextend into the same hex, then they areboth considered to control that hex.

Front Front

Rear Rear

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7.25 Some units must Shock Attack,while others may choose to:A. In the Shock Combat Phase, heavy

combat unitsthose units noted witha plus [+] on the Superiority Chartthat moved during the current OrdersPhase mustundertake a Shock Attackagainst all enemy units in their ZOC.

B. All other lighter units that so movedmay chooseto undertake Shock.

C. Any unit issued Fire (only) orders, orthose simply within the activatedleaders command range may choose toattack all enemy combat units in their(friendly) ZOCs. [7.26, 8.31].

7.26 The moving playerplaces a SHOCK-Check

TQ marker on top of eachmoving heavy unit[7.25(A)] at the instant thatmoving unit moves adjacent to an enemyunit. The moving unit must Shock attackin the ensuing Shock segment. Units thatare eligible tobut do not have toattack [7.25(B)], also receive a SHOCK-Check TQ marker the instant they finishmovement if, at that instant, the playerchooses to shock attack with that unit.Non-moving units [7.25 (C)] are givenSHOCK-No Check markers at thebeginning of the Shock Combat Segment.

These Shock markers delineate which

units must undergo a pre-Shock TQ check[8.33]. Only units with Shockmarkers may Shock attack.

Example: A Byzantine Heavy CavalryCataphract unit has a SHOCK-CheckTQ marker placed on top of it because ithas to attack. A Persian Light Cavalryunit moving adjacent to an infantry unitdoes not have to shock attack; however,the moving player must state his decisionon whether or not to do so as it finishesmovement. If he wishes it to attack, he

must place a SHOCK-Check TQmarker on top.

8.0 Combat

There are two kinds of Combat: Missileand Shock. Missile combat occurs as partofor instead ofmovement at any

point during the Movement segment ofan Orders Phase. Shock combat comes inits own segmentat the conclusion of theMovement Segment, after all orders havebeen issued and movement is completed.

A missile unit can participa te in bothtypes of combat during the same OrderPhase. In Shock Combat, the Type and

Size, plus the Troop Quality of a unit aretaken into account, and the effects ofcombat are Cohesion Hits which mayresult in a unit being Routed.

8.1 Missile Volley

Historical Note: The ubiquitous use of the composite bow during this periodmade missile fire a major force on thebattlefield, a significant change from the

days of Caeser.

8.11There are four types of missile units:Simple Bow (B), Composite Bow (C),

Javelins ( J) and the Throwing Axe (F).W hen given an Individual Order,individual missile units can move, fire, orfire during movement. A Line of missileunits given a Line Command may fireduringor instead oftheir movement.

The units in the Line do not have toconduct the same action (some may move,others may fire without moving, while still

others may both move and fire). A unitmay fire during movement only if itmoved forward (towards the target)immediately preceding actually firing.Firing during movement does not cost anymovement points, but it can affectaccuracy [8.17 #4].

Example: The Hun Light Cavalry unitmay move four hexes for ward, fire at anenemy four hexes away, and then use itsremaining points to ride away.

8.12 Missile Fire may occur:1. As an Order or Line Command.2. As Reaction Fire.3. During Orderly Withdrawal (missile-

armed cavalry only [6.55]).

8.13 A Missile unit may fire at any singletarget unit which is within its MissileRangewhich extends from its frontaland/or flank hexesto which it can tracea Line of S ight [8.16]. Missile units must

each fire individually; they may notcombine fire.

Exception: Infantry units armed withcomposite bows (Missile type C) thathavent moved may fire twice wheneverthey are allowed to fire [9.4].

8.14 Missile Supply.A missile unit mayvolley if it has at least one missile volleyremaining.

1. Bow-armed missile units(types B andC) have an unlimited number ofmissile volleys until they roll anunadjusted 9 when resolving any

missile combat. At the instantone of these units rolls anunadjusted 9 place a MissileLow marker on it, indicatingit has one volley remaining.

2. Javelin-armed units (type J) have anunlimited number of missile volleysuntil they roll an unadjusted 6-9 whenresolving any missile combat, at whichpoint place a Missile Low marker onit, indicating it has one volleyremaining.

3. Throwing Axe units(type F) are oneshot weapons. Place a Missile Nomarker after their first use.

4. If anyMissile Low unit fires, flip themarker over to its Missile No side toindicate there are no missiles left tofire. A unit with a Missile No markemay not fire at any time.

8.15 Reload.Any friendly Missile Lowor Missile No unit may Reload byremoving any Missile Low/No markersonly if:1. Not in an enemy ZOC, and2. Not within Missile Fire Range and

Line of Sight of an enemy unit (thais not Missile No),

A missil e unit may Reload during theReload Segment of the Rout and ReloadPhase, bringing it up to full missilecapability.

8.16 Line of Sight.A missile unit canshoot a missile volley only at an enemytarget unit to which it has an unobstructed


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Line Of Sight (LOS). An LOS iscalculated by tracing a path of hexesbetween the center of the hex the missileunit is in and the same for the target unit,through the firing units frontal or flankhexsides. LOS is blocked by woods, unlessthey are in hexes at a lower elevation thanboth the firer and the target. LOS is also

blocked if any part of a hex of higherelevation is between the two units. LOSis usually blocked by combat units, unlessthe blocking combat units are closer tothe firer than the target and the firing unithas a missile type of B or C. If the LOSis blocked, missiles may not be fired.

Exception: Missile units may always fireinto adjacent hexes.

Play Note: While not a major problemin most of these battles, because of the flatterrain, LOS is often a cause of playertension. We suggest that missile LOSrules be interpreted strictly, while LOS

for Line Commands (4.23) be interpretedliberally. The former are t rying to shootat a target; the latter are simply tryingto see if everyone is in place.

8.17 Volley Effects.The Missile Rangeand Results Chart [8.51] is used todetermine the effect of Missile volleys.For each volley, a die is rolled. If the die

roll is equal to or less than the ratingindicated on this chart for that range,then the target unit takes one CohesionHit. If the firing unit is armed with acomposite bow (C), then on an adjusted0 or 1 the target takes twoCohesion Hitsinstead. If the die roll was greater thanthe missile units volley strength rating,then it misses. Remember, infantry missileunits may not f i re during Orderly

Wi thdrawal . Al l combat ef fects frommissile combat are immediate and occurbefore any other unit is moved/fires. The

following (cumulative) die rolladjustments are made:

1. If the target is in a Woods hex, addone to the die roll.

2. If the target is Heavy Infantry add oneto the die roll. (This represents theheavier armor protection of suchunits.). This modifier is not used if #3below is used.

3. If the target is Heavy Infantry, and anarcher (C or B armed) is firing at arange of one hex (adjacent) throughthe frontal hexsides of the infantry, addthree to the die roll. This does notapply to Javelins (J) or the Throwing

Axe (F), or Reaction Fire by compositebow units. This modifier is used

instead of #2. (This represents the factthat the lighter shafts of archers were mosteffective against the formidable shieldsand body armor of the heavy infantrywhen firing from above [arcedtrajectory] into the body of troops; at

point-blank, low-trajectory range, theycould not do that.)

4. If a bow-armed infantry unit or anymounted missile unit, moved/willmove, add one to the die roll. This doesnot apply to infantry armed with

javelins or throwing axes. Design Note:There is no such penalty for movinginfantry using javelins or throwing axesbecause they use movement to gainmomentum for their missiles.

5. If firing from a Dara Wall hex, subtractone from the die roll.

Example: At Taginae, an ArmenianCataphract f ires at a Goth HeavyCavalry unit at a range of 4 hexes. At a

range of 4, the composite bow missilestrength is 7. The Byzantine player rollsa 1. The Goth HC take two CohesionHits. If the Cataphract had moved to getinto range, the moving-fire modifier (+1)would have changed the result to a 2,causing one Cohesion Hit instead.

8.18 Extended Range.When a missileunit fires at a target unit on a lowerelevation, its range is increased by onehex (two hexes if firing from a Dara

Wall hex). When firing at extended

range, the unit needs an adjusted dieroll of 0 to inflict a Cohesion Hit.Composite bows inflict only one hit atextended range.

8.19 If there is a leader in the hex firedat and the missile volley die roll is a 0,there is a possibility that the leader hasbeen hit. Roll the die again: if that dieroll is a 0, the leader has been Wounded.

The player then rolls a third time: if that

die roll is greater than the leadersPersonal Combat rating, the leader habeen killed. Players may, if they wish, fireat a hex (in range) in which there is onlya leader counter. (See also 8.34 for othercauses of leader casualties.)

8.2 Reaction Fire

Missile units may fire in reaction tocertain enemy movements into (EntryReaction) and out of (Retire Reaction)their ZOCs.

8.21 Retire Reaction. Whenever anUnrouted unit leaves the ZOC of anenemy missile unit, or a unit uses Orderly

Withdrawal to avoid the enemy missileunit entering its ZOC [6.55], that missile

unit, if it has a fire capability of two ormore hexes, may fire a free volley at themoving unit. Any results are appliedbeforethe unit moves.

8.22 All Retire Reaction Fire at unitmoving away from the firing unit is at arange of two hexes.

Play Note: The two-hex range does applyto composite bow-armed units.

8.23 Entry Reaction. Whenever a

friendly unit enters the ZOC of an enemymissile unit (and this includes entry as aresult of Advance after Combat), thatenemy missile unit may fire a volley at theentering unit before any furthermovement or friendly fire occurs. Aleffects from this missile combat occurimmediately. When friendly units aremoving as a Line, all movement iscompletedbefore any Entry Reaction Firetakes place. Units may select the rangecolumn that offers them the best chanceto hit provided that the moving unit wa

at that range at some point during itsmove and the firing unit had a clear LOSto that hex.

Design Note: This change accounts fothe fact that certain missile weapons armore effective at longer ranges andaccounts for the fact that the advancingunit must pass through this kill zone toreach its target.


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8.24 Reaction Fire does not require anOrder; it does require that the missileunits have sufficient missiles available tofire.

8.3 Shock Combat

Design Note: This section is the heart ofthe game; thus, we have gone to greatlengths to explain how things work. It islonger and more detailed than othersections and may, at first glance, appearsomewhat daunting. Take heart. In

prac ti ce /pl ay , mo st of th e me ch an ic sbecome self-evident and, after a few trialruns, the resolution of shock will becomesecond nature.

The Shock system rel ies on the

interaction of the units weapons, armorprotection, size, angle of attack andquality (TQ) to produce a single result.

While no factor is unimportant, the ratingto which pay closest attention is TQforthat rating determines the ability of a unitto withstand the rigors of toe-to-toeancient warfare.

Procedure:

At the comple tion of the MovementSegment of an Orders Phase, shock

combat occurs. Shock is part of a leadersOrders Phase, and all shock engenderedby that leader is resolved before the nextleader may be activated (or momentumattempted).

All units with either type of Shock marker(placed per 7.25 and 7.26) must shockattack.

Important: Each shock combat i sconducted as a series of steps performedin order for all units participating in shock

combatbefore the next step of shockcombat is conducted. Thus, Step 8.33 iscompleted, followed by Step 8.34 for allinvolved units. After which Step 8.35 isundertaken for all units, etc, etc.

We suggest undertaking each separatestep from left to right, across the map.Players may use any system they wish tonote what has happened up-and-down thelines of attack.

Design Note: It would be easier to resolveeach separate combat as one piece.However, to do so creates a blitzkriegtype of effect, wherein the attacker getsto choose which attacks he wants to do

first so that he can achi evebreakthroughs. Despite its simplicity,

this would be so far from reality as torender the systemand the gameinaccurate. However, isolated shocks cancertainly be resolved as a piece, if doingso would not affect other attacks. Themethod you choose should keep this intentin mind.

8.31 Shock Designation Segment.Thisis used to place SHOCK-NoCheck markers on non-moving units that Choose toShock [7.25(C)].

8.32 The Basic Pre-Shock Procedure.Units that attack by Shock must attackall units in their ZOCs, unless thatdefending unit is being attacked byanother, friendly unit in that ShockSegment. The attacker determines whichunits will be involved in each, individualcombat resolution, within the restrictionsthat follow: A fr iendly unit may attack more than

one unit, as long as the targeted

defenders are all in the attacking unit sZOC. An attacking unit may not split its

attack capabilities, although two (ormore) units may combine to attack onedefender.

If more than one unit is defendingand/or attacking, total the Sizes.

Each unit may attack only once perShock Combat Segment.

A de fend ing un it may be shockedattacked only once per Orders Phase.

Other than the above restrictions, theattacking player may divide his attacksamongst his units as he sees fit.

Exampl e: At Casi linum, the Heru liLancer unit moves adjacent to a FrankBeserker. Unfortunately, the poorBeserker is already in the ZOC of one ofthe Heruli foot units. The Byzantine

player may either combine the cavalr yand infantry units in the attack, or have

the cavalry attack (as it must) and theHeruli MI sit and watch.

Shock Resolution Overview

Sections 8.33 through 8.37 aredescript ions of the sequence and

procedure used to resolve Shock CombatWhile extensive in narrative terms, playerswill soon realize that these steps are:

1. Charge (Shock Must Check TQmarked units and their defendersCheck TQ to see if troops will attackin an ordered manner [8.33].

2. Check for any leader casualties [8.34]

3. Use Clash of Spears and Swords Charto determine which column on theShock CRT will be used [ 8.35].

4. Determine whether terrain, leaderand/or relat ive st rengths andcapabilities will have any effect [8.36]

5. Determine results using Shock ResultTable [8.36].

6. Check for Rout [8.37].

8.33 The Charge. All units with a

SHOCK Must Check TQ marker[7.26], an d their intended targetsundergo a Troop Quality check by rollingthe die for each unit. All such checkbeing simultaneous.

Exception: If all defending units areRouted, the attacking units need not makea check. The intended targets still do, andremember, Routed units have a TQ of 1

At tacking units with SHOCK-NoCheck markersand their defenders

do not undergo this TQ check. If a unitis to be attacked by both types of units(Shock-Check and Shock-No Check)the defender then checks TQ.

1. If the die roll is higher than a unitTQ, it takes a number of CohesionHits equal to the difference betweenthe die roll result and its TQ.


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2. If the defender has taken sufficientCohesion penalties to be equal to orgreater than its TQ rating it immediatelyRouts [10.2] and the attacking unit, if itis not in the ZOC of another enemy unit,advances into the vacated hex (where itmay change its facing one vertex, ifdesired). A Routed unit that fails this

check is eliminated.

3. If the attacker has Routed from its TQcheck, the defender stays put (ifunrouted).

4. If both units would Rout from theirTQ chec ks , de fe nder re trea ts (s ee10.2), but attacker stays in place(although he is still routed).

After the TQ check, if the attacker andthe defender did not rout, go to the nextstep.

8.34 Possible Leader Casualties.Casualties to leaders are determined priorto resolving the actual shock. If either orboth sides has a leader stacked with oneof the units involved in combat the playerrolls the die for each such leader. If thedie roll is a 0, the leader has been

Wounded. The player then rolls a secondtime; if that die roll is greater than theleaders Personal Combat rating, the

leader has been Killed instead. Killedleaders are immediately removed fromplay (see 4.43 Replacements). If a leaderis Wounded, he remains in play but allhis ratings are reduced by oneto aminimum of 0. A leader who previouslyhas been wounded and is wounded againis, instead, killed.

8.35 The Clash of Spears and Swords.The Clash of Spears and Swords Chart isnow consulted to determine under whichShock CRT column the battle will occur

(prior to any adjustments). If there is morethan one type of defending unit, defenderchooses which type will be used fordetermination. However, if the attackeris attacking with more than one unit, andsuch attack is coming from more than oneangle, the attacker chooses the angle ofattack most advantageous to him. If a unitis being attacked through the vertexbetween different facings, that defender

gets the benefit of the most advantageousfacing.

8.36 The Hand-to-hand Struggle.Players now determine the effect of anyadvantages either side has and thenresolve the shock combat.

1. Determine S uperiority.There are twotypes of Superiority, only one of

which may apply to each Shockcombat: Position Superioritywhich

results when one sides angle/position of attack is from the flankor rear.

Weap on Syst em Sup er io rit ywh en th e we apons syst em andarmor/protection of one side is sosuperior to the other that it willresult in a marked increase inlosses to the inferior side [8.36(4)].

Either one side or the other may(butnot must) gain superiority, either as:Attack Superiority (AS) or DefenseSuperiority (DS). Players determineSuperiority, using the ShockSuperiority Chart. In many instancesthere is no Superiority. Superiority isdetermined as follows:

A. If a friendly unit is attacking anenemy through its Flank or Rear,it is considered Attack Superior tothe defender. However, whicheverunit the attacker uses to determinePosition Superiority must also beused to determine Shock Columnon the Clash of Spears and SwordsChart [8.53].

B. If no posit ion superiori ty i sattained, the opposing units checktheir weapon class relationship [see

the Shock Superiority Chart, 8.52]to determine if either weaponsystem is superior (either AttackSuperior or Defense Superior) tothe other. If more than one unittype is involved on any one side theplayers use the units they chose todetermine Shock column on theClash of Spears and Swords Chart.

Play Note: Many different types ofpe rmu ta tio ns an d co mb in at ion s arpo ss ib le , in te rms of un it typ es an dmultiple attack angles. The two preceptsabove, should cover virtually all of thes

possibili ties. If they dont, try attain aresult that best fits in with the genera

principles.

2. Determine Size Difference RatioCompare the total Sizepoints of theattacking unit(s) to those of thedefender(s). For each level of SizeRatio Difference (SRD) greater than1-to-1 a unit has it gets a ShockResults Table Column Adjustment oone in its favor. The attacker adjuststo the right, the defender to the leftPlayers should reduce all size ratios toa round integer value of #-1, roundingoff as follows: If any attacker moved to effect the

shock, round off in favor of theattacker! Thus a 5-size unitattacking a 4-size unit is 2-1; a 4on 5 is 1-1 and a 2 on 5 is a 1-2.

If no attacker moved, round off infavor of the defender. Thus a 5-sizeunit attacking a 4-size unit wouldbe 1-1; but 4 on 5 is 1-2.

Design Note: The rounding off rulereflect the advantage of momentum.

3. Ad ju st Co lu mn s an d Re so lve . Toresolve shock melee, the Attackerconsults the Shock Combat Results

Table, determines the base columnand adjusts that column for any SizeRatio Difference and/or Terraineffects. He then rolls the diemodifying the die roll for by theCharisma rating of any Leader stacked

with the units of either side.

4. Apply Results.Results on the Shock

CRT are Cohesion hits for bothattacker and defender. The number inparentheses is for the defender. If theattacker was superior (AS) then doublethe defenders result. If the defender

was superior (DS), then triple theattackers result. If more than one uni(of the same player) was involved inthat combat, Cohesion Hits aredistributed per 10.12.


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8.37 The Collapse.All units that haveCohesion Hits equal to or greater thantheir TQ automatically Rout [10.2].

Then, units that arewithin one CohesionHitof automatic rout and arein an enemyZOC must roll one die. If this die roll isequal to or greater than their TQ, theyrout. If lower, they pass that TQ check

and then reducetheir Cohesion Hits byone.

8.4 Advance After Combat

8.41 Attacking units mustadvance intoany hex vacated by enemy units as a resultof Shock (only), including Pre-Shock TQcheck rout. This does not require anOrder, but the advancing unit pays allCohesion penalties engendered by such a

move. If the advance would rout themoving unit, it still advances and does notRout, but instead it retains a number ofCohesion Hits equal to TQ minus 1.

Exception: Units which cause an enemyto vacate a hex because of rout during thepre-shock troop quality check (not theactual shock combat) and which are inanother enemy ZOC at the time may notadvance.

8.42 Advancing units may change their

facing one vertex upon finishing theadvance, even if they are in an enemyZOC. This is an exception to 7.13.

8.43 If there was more than one attackingunit, the unit that had Superiority (if any)must advance. If no such unit is involved,the one with the highest TQ mustadvance. In case of tie, the attacking playerchooses.

8.44 There is no advance after MissileFire alone, regardless of what the target

unit does.

8.5 The Combat Tables

8.51 The Missile Range and ResultsChart.This table is used to determine thestrength of a missile unit firing at a givenrange.

8.52 The Shock Superiority Chart.Thischart is used to compare the superiority(if any) of one type of unit compared toanother, depending on which side isattacking or defending. Always read downthe columnfrom the Attackers point of

view. (Reading across , by row, gives afalse result.) Superiority is used to

augment Cohesion Hits.

8.53 Clash of Spears and Swords Chart.This chart is used to determine whichColumn will be used on the ShockCombat Results Table (subject toadjustments).

8.54 Shock Combat Results Table.Thistable is used to resolve shock combat interms of Cohesion Hiits to both attackerand defender [10.11 and 10.12].

8.55 The Cohesion Hit and TQ CheckChart.This summarizes when CohesionHits are applied and when TQ checks takeplace.

9.0 Special Rules

9.1 Dismounted Cavalry

Cataphract type units maydismount and become heavyinfantry (HI) units . ACataphract unit maydismount, if it is not withinrange and LOS of an enemymissile unit that is notMissile No, and not withinfour hexes of any enemy unit.During the movement phasethe unit expends all of its movemental lowance and is replaced with i t scorresponding heavy infantry unit

counter. The unit may assume any facingit desires. Under the same circumstancesa dismounted cavalry unit may re-mountusing the same procedure. Dismount/mount may be conducted as part of a LineCommand.

Design Note: The horses are keptsomewhere safe and cannot be attacked,captured, eliminated, etc.

9.2 Army Discipline

An army may be designated as ei therDisciplined or Undisciplined. Disciplinedarmies conform to the normal rules, buan Undiscipl ined army has someadditional advantages and restrictions

The Byzantine and the Persian armies inCATAPHRACTare Disciplined. All otherarmies in CATAPHRACT areUndisciplined.

Series Note: Up to this point most of tharmies have been Disciplined. To retrofithis back consider any army that uses thword tribe anywhere in the rules as anundisciplined army. Obvious exampleare German tribes in DICTATORDanubian tribes in ALEXANDER, etcDisciplined armies are the Macedonian

or any Successor army, the Romans, andany of the smaller kingdom armies suchas Pontus, Pergamon, etc.

Barbarian tribes, fought stand-up battlesin a fairly rudimentary manner. For themost part, Barbarian tactics were a bigrush designed to swiftly break the backof their opponent. Against another forceof similar capability the outcome wouldbe determined by courage and individuafighting prowess or ferocity.

Each Undiscipl ined army uniindividually assesses its own ferocity. Athe beginning of the scenario, all unitshave a TQ which is two greater than itprinted value. This advantage continuesuntil the Overall Commander fails anUndisciplined Army Check. The OveralCommander makes this check each timeone of his army s units rout. At the instanthat a unit in an Undisciplined army routsthe player rolls the die. If the die roll isequal to or less than the OveralCommanders Initiative iating, then the

Undisciplined army maintains its ferocityIf the die roll is greater than the OCsInitiative, that Undisciplined

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GBoH Cataphract Rules