Clearing Away the Cobwebs. (amended 26 Jul 2017)

As I prepared to dust off my Medieval/Fantasy forces, I started picturing an Old School game with traditional multi-stand units but then......well, then I looked at the shelf and was reminded that in 2015 I had rebased the figures as small single stand units that could be grouped temporarily.

OK that works too and I already have some table ready forces so I looked at the rules from 2015 and updated them.

2015 Ambush game.

Back of a Post(card) Rules.
(Note: Before the game set up I decided I'd rather use my brightly painted 6cm increment sticks than have to peer at inches on a tape and didn't really want to roll dice for movement after all. During the game I decided that melee needed to be clarified and made less deadly. This result is this summary of how the game was actually played.)

Groups. A Group is 1 stand or multiple stands which are touching and aligned.

Measuring. All measuring is in terms of lengths which are anything that works for you.  I usually use 3" with my 25's on 60mm bases.

Initiative. Draw a card each turn to see who goes first. Include chance cards if desired.

Sequence. Active side moves and/or shoots all units then resolves melee group by group.

Command. If group is not within 6 lengths of Commander must roll:
5,6 obey orders, 3,4 1/2 move no charge unless shock troops, 1,2 No Move.  -1 if Levy +1 If Elite/Veteran

Movement.

• 2 lengths  for Infantry, Artillery or Wagons, 3 lengths for Light Infantry, Great Beasts or Heavy Cavalry, 4 lengths for Cavalry, 5 lengths for Light Cavalry.  
• Charge to front only. A stand may not shoot and charge.
• Single stands may move any direction and change facing. Groups may only wheel unless drilled.
• Group within 1 length of front of enemy may only move towards it or retreat away from it. 
• To form or reform a group, a designated guide stand must stand still. Pikes can form square if they don't move.
• Woods etc lose 1 length if Infantry, 2 if any mounted. 
• Skirmishers may move through others, cavalry may move through freindly skirmishers. 

Missile Fire.

• Target must be to front except horse archers may fire to rear. 45 degree arc either side of ahead.
• Shoot once per turn
• Archers shoot 2 dice at 4  lengths if they do not move that turn, 
• Horse Archers and Skirmishers may shoot 1 die at 2 lengths then move,
• Artillery shoot 1 die at 8 lengths if they do not move that turn and are deployed. Takes a whole move to deploy or pack up mobile artillery.  
• 5,6 hits Owner of group chooses where to put hit.
  +1 if artillery
  -1 vs cover or heavy. 

Melee.

• Stands in contact roll vs enemy in contact with front. Hits go on opposing stand in contact. 
• Roll 2 dice per stand 
• add 1 die for each overlapping friend not itself in contact
• add 1 die if shock troops charging or if any pursuing
• lose 1 die if any but light infantry and skirmishers are in or charged through woods or over an  obstacle.
• Each 5,6 hits
• -1 per die vs enemy who is heavy or in cover or is spearmen being attacked from the front
• +1 per die vs skirmishers or light 
• Commander in contact rolls extra die but 1=wounded. Roll again 1=dead o/w out of action 1 turn.

After Melee.

• Remove destroyed stands.
• A stand still in contact that took more hits than it inflicted will recoil 1 length unless blocked. The opposing stand may follow up if they charged this player turn and must do so if Impetuous. 

Morale.

• Strength. Hits are a mix of casualties, fatigue, fear etc. When a stand has taken as many hits as its strength it is removed. Light infantry and all Cavalry take 3 hits, other Infantry take 4 hits. 

       +1 hit if Heavy
       +1 hit if Elite/Veteran
       -1 hit if levy.

• Rally. A Stand with 2 or more hits which is not within bow shot of enemy may Rally instead of moving. Roll 1 die 5,6 recovers 1 hit.
• Commander Morale. Army losing 1/2 stands concedes unless scenario overrules. Scenario Objectives may be used to boost morale.