"Rules Clarifications" Topic

These are from the old Rules Directory. Questions from TMP, answers from the designer.

Q: During movement, it says that players go "in a move/countermove fashion," and that they can "move all, any, or no units." Does this mean that if a player wins the initiative and chooses to move first, he should move all of his units? Or do players take turns, moving one unit at a time?

A: The player that wins the initiative has the option of moving either first or last. The players may move up to all of his/her units during their movement phase. Players do not move one unit at a time.

Some players do use simultaneous movement and this allows both sides to move their units together at the same time. As stated, the rules have been designed with an open-ended design concept for ease of adaptability, so if you wish to move one unit at a time that is fine, so long as all players involved agree.

Q: Does a unit need to declare a charge in order to use the charge movement rate?

A: If a unit is allowed to alternate between the charge movement rate and the normal movement rate, then the unit does not need to declare a charge for basic movement in and around the battlefield. However, if a unit is attempting to charge into an enemy unit for the purposes of making an attack, then yes, the unit in question must declare a charge.

Q: Since it takes 2 turns for large units to change formation, what formation are they considered to be in during the first turn of the change? The old formation or the new one?

A: They are considered to be in the old formation. A unit in transformation will not be allowed the benefit of the battleline formation until the formation change is complete. Likewise a unit that is changing from battleline to column will be considered in a battleline formation.

Q: The example at the bottom of pg. 12 implies that a battleline must consist of 2 or 3 rows. Is this correct?

A: It should be at least 2 or 3 ranks deep for the battleline formation to be of any practical use to the unit as a whole. A unit may go into a battleline formation that is only 1 rank deep, but it would not be able to stand up in melee for very long.

Q: Is a march-column always "1 stand" wide? If using individually mounted figures and movement trays, would there be a limit on the number of columns in a march-column?

A: The maximum number of files or columns that a unit may have to be in march column is up to 4 figures wide for regular infantry units and 2 figures wide for regular cavalry units. The maximum files a unit of irregular infantry can be is 3-4 figures wide if the unit has 36 or fewer figures, and to 3-6 figures wide if the unit is larger than 36 figures. Irregular cavalry may be up to 3 files wide.

It does not matter how the figures are mounted – this is simply the maximum number of files that these units can have to be in march column. Less files or columns are allowed, of course, but this would stretch out the length of the unit and may make it vulnerable to attack by enemy units before it could change into a battleline formation.

Q: On pg. 13, when it talks about "Changing a Unit's Facing," I assume it is talking about changing the facing of the individual figures within a unit? That is, the figures turn in place, but the unit does not rotate?

A: Yes, that is correct.

Q: Can a unit in march-column perform a charge?

A: Well, yes, it can, as there is no rule forbidding it, but it is not necessary for a unit to declare a charge if the unit is of a troop class that may alternate between normal and charge movement. Charge declarations only need to be made by units that are attempting to make contact with an enemy unit for the purposes of conducting melee and therefore take advantage of the charge bonus.

It should be noted that a unit that is in march column and charges into a unit for the purposes of conducting melee will not last very long. Since march column is not a proper battle formation, units that melee in march column may only melee with the front rank of troops and are not entitled to a ranking bonus of any kind. A unit that is forced to melee in a march column formation will most likely end up being decimated.

Q: Do ranged-weapon units begin play loaded, or must they take a re-load before their first attack?

A: It is assumed that they start play with weapons loaded. The re-loading process does not begin until after the unit fires for the first time.

Q: In what order are missile attacks performed? Is there anything similar to the rules which apply to melee combat (top of pg. 33)?

A: No, all ranged weapon units that are eligible to fire may do so during the missile fire phase of the game turn. The only requirements that affect missile units is whether or not there are any priority targets within the missile unit's range and arc-of-fire.

Melee is the only type of combat where definite melee precedence is followed, such as all flank or rear melees are resolved prior to frontal melees.

Q: Are all missile attacks in the same phase considered simultaneous? Or are casualties marked immediately after each combat?

A: All kills are counted at the end of each missile combat. Casualty rings or such should be used to keep track of a unit's kills, as this is used to determine when morale checks are to be made.

Q: It seems that the term "regular" is used for two purposes. First, it distinguishes between regular and irregular troops. Second, it is an experience rating – raw, regular, veteran, elite. Is it therefore possible to have regular-rated irregulars?

A: Yes, it is.

Q: In "Requirements for Checking Morale" (pg. 48), it says that a unit must check morale if attacked from the flank or rear. Do missile attacks count, or only melee attacks?

A: This is for both missile and melee attacks.

Q: If a unit receives a melee penalty due to a failed morale roll (see pg. 50), how long does the penalty last?

A: Until the unit passes a morale check. Morale checks can be made at the start of every turn.

Q: In the failed morale table on pg. 50, it refers to "enemy may pursue." Is this the same as Bonus Breakthrough Movement (pg. 51)?

A: No, this is movement the enemy unit is allowed due to placing a unit in the position of a retreat. The pursuing unit may use charge movement if the unit is eligible to do so. Bonus breakthrough movement is for conducting a successful melee only, and is limited to half of the unit's normal movement rate.

Q: On pg. 62, it says "A rating will exist for both rowers and marines." Does this mean one rating applies to both rowers and marines on the same ship? Or does it mean they should be rated individually?

A: Yes, there is a rating for the vessel's crew and a rating for the marines onboard the vessel. The crew's rating will determine how well the crew operates the vessel, and the marines' rating will determine how well they may conduct combat. They each have their own rating.

Q: Also on pg. 62, it says "The captain (trierarch) cannot be rated lower than his crew." This implies that the captain has a separate rating from his crew. However, the naval datasheet gives only one box for both officer and crew rating. Should the officer have an independent rating, or share the crew's rating?

A: The same box for the crew's rating is used, there will just be 2 ratings in the box – 1 for the captain (trierarch), and 1 for the crew.

Q: The ship datasheet has different boxes for "Rating for crew/officer" and "Morale Rating of crew/officer." What is the difference, and which rating type comes from the table on pg. 62?

A: The rating for the crew/officer will determine how well the crew will operate the vessel.

The morale rating is based on the standard game, and is taken from the crew's rating. For example: A crew that is rated as veteran will have a morale rating of 9.

The chart on page 62 is only used if random results are desired. If a pre-written scenario is used, then these ratings may be determined ahead of time.

Q: Do the movement rules on pg. 9 regarding move/countermove also apply to the naval game?

A: Yes, they do. However, simultaneous movement may be used if so desired. The rules have been written with an open-ended design, for the purposes of ease of adapting them to your own personal gaming preferences.

Q: With regard to pg. 61, must all turns be precisely 45 degrees? Or may a ship turn less than 45 degrees if it desires?

A: A vessel may turn less than 45 degrees, but may not turn greater than 45 degrees.

Q: On pg. 61, it says that "Ships may not enter combat under sail." Does this include missile fire by troops or machines on those ships?

A: No. Marines may perform missile fire with the sails in use. But no maneuver movement under oars is allowed while the sails are in use, unless the ship class allows both sail and oar movement at the same time.

Q: If ships collide in any manner other than a ramming attack (i.e., if a turning ship strikes sideways into another ship), is any damage incurred?

A: No.

Q: Can ships other than those listed in the table at the top of pg. 62 carry marines? If so, how many?

A: Yes. Freighters or barges that have been converted to use as troop transports may carry marines. These vessels may only be medium- or heavy-rated vessels. A medium vessel may transport up to 36 marines, and a heavy vessel may transport up to 72 marines.

You may decide to allow marines on other classes of vessels, if you so desire. All patrol/pursuit vessels are classed as quad/quinqueremes for the purposes of the numbers of marines that are allowed on the vessel.

Q: Can ships other than those listed in the table at the top of pg. 64 make a ramming attack? If so, which row do they use to determine the results?

A: No. Freighters and patrol vessels were not equipped with rams.

Q: Can ships other than those listed in the table at the top of pg. 64 be the object of a ramming attack? For instance, can a freighter be rammed, and if so, how is the attack resolved?

A: Yes. Historically, freighters evaded all warships, as they were very vulnerable to attack and boarding by pirates. If a wargalley makes contact with a freighter, it is successfully rammed automatically – however, this would defeat the purpose, as these vessels were usually captured and the cargoes removed.

Q: During the troop portion of the movement phase, may troops move between ships? Or does this occur only during the Action phase, as pg. 68 implies (see "Boarding")?

A: Movement between vessels may occur during the action phase, when the boarding plank is lowered onto an enemy vessel. After the boarding plank has been successfully placed, then movement between vessels may occur during the movement phase of the game turn.

Q: May troops enter an area of a ship in which enemy troops are present? In other words, can both friendly and enemy troops occupy the fore area of a ship?

A: Yes, they can, but melee will occur in an attempt to repel the enemy troops from the vessel.

Q: Are the artillery limits (pg. 66) cumulative? That is, can an "7" war galley carry both two Light and one Heavy catapult, or must it choose between having two Light or one Heavy catapult?

A: It must choose.

Q: In the naval game, how is melee resolved? Melee combat does not seem to be mentioned in the naval rules section.

A: It is resolved in the same manner as it is resolved in the standard game.

Q: Are only Marines allowed to fight, or can officers and crew fight?

A: Only marines may fight and the officer. The crew is primarily concerned with the operation of the vessel. If the marines have been defeated on a given vessel, or the vessel surrenders, then the vessel may be used by the enemy that has captured it. The crew will comply with the enemy that has captured the vessel.

Q: How are the stats for Marines determined?

A: The same as for the crew, unless the players involved wish to decide before game play commences. The referee may also determine this ahead of time for the players involved, if a specific scenario is being used.

Q: In the naval game, the Morale rules seem to apply to individual ships rather than to units of crew or marines. Is this the case?

A: The morale is for individual ships, but is based on the morale rating of the marines on board. When a vessel checks morale, it is either for being rammed/receiving heavy missile fire or for taking a beating whilst engaged in melee on board the vessel.

Q: On pg. 69, it says that "Morale ratings can constantly raise and lower…" Is this referring to modified Morale ratings, or is it possible to raise a ship's base Morale?

A: It simply refers to modified morale ratings.