Historic Online Learning
Foundation
Rolling of the Drums
Rule Book
Last modified January 6,
2012
This document provides the rules of Rolling of the Drums (ROTD), the land combat module of an as-yet-unnamed Civil War game. A player who has read and understood these rules should be able to command units in ROTD. New players should start with the rules summary before going through this document. More details of the rules aree available for those seeking more information about the mechanics of ROTD by clicking on the "More Details" links in this page.
The basic rules are divided into twelve sections:
1. Strategic Map
| 1.1. ROTD takes place on a
strategic map of the eastern United States, 140
columns wide by 120 rows high. Each square on the
strategic map is approximately 10 miles square.
Each column is referred to by a letter and number;
the westmost column is A0, the next is A1, and the
eastmost is N9. Each row is also referred to by
letter and number; the northmost row is O0, the
next is O1, and the southmost is Z9. A given
square is referred to by its column and row,
separated by a dash. Thus, E8-Q6 is Chicago,
Illinois. 1.2. Each strategic square has a particular terrain. There are nine possible types of terrain; open, water, hill, forest, forested hills, mountain, high mountain, marsh, and swamp. Some strategic squares also contain cities. Squares with water, high mountain, and swamp are impassible. 1.3. Each strategic square is located in a state. Each state is either a Union state, a border state, or a Confederate state. Each city is controlled by either the Union or the Confederacy. Clicking on the city icon will display its name, the state that controls it, and the amount of supplies available there. |
Sample strategic map: northeastern Italy |
2. Tactical Maps
| 2.1. Each strategic square on
the ROTD strategic map has an associated tactical
map, 15 columns wide by 15 columns high. Each square
on each tactical map is approximately two-thirds of
a mile on a side. Each column and row is referred to
by a number. Column 0 is the westmost column and
column 14 is the eastmost column; row 0 is the
northmost row and row 14 is the southmost row. Each
square on a tactical map is referred to by column
and row, separated by a dash. For example, 14-1 is
the tactical square directly below the upper
right-hand corner of a tactical map. 2.2. Each tactical square has a particular terrain. There are ten possible types of terrain; open, hills, high hills, river, ford, mountain, pass, water, forest, and town. Tactical squares with river, mountain, and water terrain are impassible. 2.3 Rivers and mountain ranges join continously across the edges of adjacent tactical maps. For example, if tactical square 0-5 is a river square in a given strategic square, then tactical square 14-5 will also be a river square in the strategic square west of the given one. 2.4. Each tactical square has a defensive terrain rating from 0 to 4 indicating the general suitability of that square for defense. A rating of 0 indicates poor defensive terrain; a rating of 4 indicates excellent defensive terrain. 2.5. Tactical squares which contain one or more units are marked with flags in the same way as strategic squares are. Clicking on a flag on a tactical map will reveal the identity of the units present in the tactical square. A tactical square cannot contain more than 16 brigades, and cannot contain more than 8 units allied to one another. 2.6. City tactical squares may have forts. Forts are rated for strength (1 to 5, 5 being strongest) and capacity (measured the same way as transport capacity: 1 per man for infantry and HQs, 3 per man for cavalry, 2 per man for artillery, brigades with attached batteries count 100 men as artillerists). Clicking on a city will show the strength and size of its fort, and units in forts have an F appended to their unit IDs. 2.7. A city can be besieged (with or without a fort). If the city is besieged, there will be a note at the bottom of the tactical map noting that it is, and the movement of units and supplies into and out of the city tac square will be limited. |
Sample tactical map showing river with |
3. Units
3.1. The basic unit of ROTD is the brigade. Brigades come in six types; infantry, cavalry, horse artillery, light artillery, siege artillery, and militia. Each brigade has a nationality and a number within that nationality, and its unit ID is composed of its nationality, number, and type. Thus, US3IN is the Union's 3rd Infantry Brigade. There are also two types of headquarters units, army headquarters and corps headquarters. Each brigade is composed a number of men, a number of associated regiments, and a number of attached artillery batteries (possibly zero).| 3.2. Each brigade is rated for
quality, experience, morale, fatigue,and initiative.
Quality represents the innate abilities of the
officers and men of the brigade. Experience
represents their exposure to combat over the course
of previous campaigns. Morale represents their elan
and willingness to fight. Initiative represents
their ability to respond quickly to tactical orders
[More Details].
Fatigue represents their endurance and ability to
execute orders. Most actions a brigade can take
increase its fatigue [More
Details]. At the end of each turn, cavalry,
horse artillery, and headquarters units regain 4
points of fatigue; other units regain 3. 3.3. Each brigade is located in a particular strategic square and a particular tactical square within that strategic square. 3.4. Each brigade carries a particular type of weapon. Infantry and militia can carry rifles or muskets; artillery can be rifled or smoothbore; cavalry can carry carbines or breechloaders. 3.4. Each brigade has an commander and a deputy commander, both of whom receive reports from the unit and |
FR1IN
Sample unit status report |
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3.5. A state can merge of its units into another if they are of the same type (IN, LA, etc). If the combined unit exceeds the maximum size allowed for that type (3000 for infantry, 1500 for cavalry, 400 for artillery, 2000 for militia, no more than 1 battery or 4 batteries for artillery) then the excess manpower returns to the manpower pool at the end of the following season. HQs and militia units may not be combined. The units must be in the same strategic square, and if there is an enemy unit present in the strategic square, then they must be in the same tactical square. If CS1IN is merged into CS2IN, then the combined unit will be CS2IN, its commander and location will be those of CS2IN, its strength and batteries will be the sum of the strength and batteries of the two merging units, its quality, experience, morale, fatigue, and ammunition will be the average of the two merging units weighted by their strengths, and the new unit will be carrying a supply only if both units were before the merger. Merger will happen during the supply phase (before movement and combat).
3.6. Units gain experience by fighting in battles, 1 to 5 points in each tactical phase of combat depending on the odds of the battle, receiving more points in battles with even odds. They also gain experience by marching, 1 point per turn, until they reach 8 experience, at which point further marching does not increase their experience. At the end of each campaign, units lose a fraction of their experience, reflecting turnover of men within the unit and the effects of inactivity if they have not been gaining experience by fighting and marching.
3.7. Units gain morale by being in winning battles or by being close to them. They lose morale by being in losing battles or by being close to them. Larger battles produce greater increases and decreases in morale. Units that capture cities, or are near them, gain morale, and units near cities that are captured lose morale. Morale starts at 50 for each unit and moves up or down. Each turn morale tends to return towards 50 if the unit has not gained or lost morale from battle or city capture. [More Details]
4. Detection
4.1. During a campaign, on the strategic map, active units can detect friendly units up to 3 squares away, except army headquarters units which can detect friendly units up to 5 squares away. Units can detect all other units up to 1 square away, except cavalry brigades which can detect other units up to 2 squares away, or if in communications, 3 squares away. Enemy units can be detected only if the detecting unit has a line of contact to the detecting unit (see rule 11.2 below). Inactive units do not detect other units at all. During peace or truce turns, active units detect friendly units up to 5 squares away except for army headquarters units which detect friendly units up to 10 squares away, and detect other units up to 3 squares away. Position reports will display all squares within 5 squares of an active unit. Number of enemy and allied units will be reported only approximately. Units reported as "brigades" normally have 2-3 units, "division" have 3-5, "divisions" have 6-8, and "corps" has more than 8. If more than one corps is reported, the number of units is approximately 12 times the number of corps reported. Reports will also have the letters I,C,A,H to indicated infantry, cavalry, artillery, and headquarters units, and these letters are also only approximately correct. Militia will be reported as infantry in this instance.4.2. On the tactical map, units can detect all same-side units, all actively allied units, and the nearest enemy unit (or units if two or more are equally close) in each of the eight directions (north, northeast, east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest). Headquarters units (army and corps) do not sight units nor block sight by enemy units (this prevents them from taking advantage of their immunity from combat to do screening or reconnaissance - see rule 9.2 below).
4.3. Units in the strategic square of port cities (whether in the city tactical square or not) will receive reports of the ships in the port (both harbor and coastal waters). Ships located in the port will automatically report the identities of ROTD units in that port's tactical square, and have a chance to report the identities of ROTD units in the port's strategic square but not in its tactical square.Garrisons of off-ROTD-map ports will report the presence of ships and frigates in those ports to the Secretary of the Navy with a one-turn delay.
4.4. During a campaign, when units move tactically, their movement is reported to all friendly units in the same strategic square. If the start and end points of their movement are visible to any other unit in the strategic square, the movement is reported to all other units in the square as well. If only the end point is visible, then only the end point is reported; if only the start point is visible, then only the start point is reported. If neither the start point nor the end point of the movement is visible to a non-actively allied unit, then the movement is not reported to non-actively allied units. A movement through a waypoint is treated as two separate movements for the purposes of this rule.
4.5. During a campaign, if a unit moves strategically, its departure is reported to all friendly units in the square it is departing from, and if the unit is visible to any non-actively allied unit, then the departure is reported to all non-actively allied units in the square. Its arrival is reported to all actively allied units in the square it is arriving in, and if its arrival point is visible to any non-actively allied unit, then its arrival is reported to all non-actively allied units.
4.6. On the strategic map, each player can see only what is visible to the units assigned to his personal command. On the tactical map, each player can see what is visible to any same-side or actively allied unit on the same tactical map.
4.7. Each side's War Minister will receive two types of additional information about enemy dispositions. First, he will receive occasional reports of the location of headquarters units; second, he will receive reports of the location of non-actively allied troops on his nation's territory and not within sight of that nation's troops. The locations of these reports will be one turn out of date and may contain errors, sometimes large ones.
5. Turn Sequence
5.1. ROTD is played in turns. One campaign consists of 15 campaign turns, unless all hostilities end earlier. Peace and truce seasons consist of a single turn.5.2. Campaign turns are divided into a supply phase, tactical phases, and strategic phases. Combat occurs during tactical phases, after tactical movement is completed. Tactical movement happens first and strategic movement happens subsequently, with three exceptions. First, at the start of the turn, units in squares where battles were fought the previous turn can make a strategic move to withdraw from the battle. Second, in the middle of tactical movement, there is one phase of strategic movement, to permit brigades to join a battle in progress if they are in an adjacent strategic square. Third, after strategic movement there is a final phase of tactical movement, to permit arriving units to deploy on the tactical map. Each turn has five tactical and six strategic phases. Thus, a ROTD turn begins with a supply phase, followed by strategic withdrawal, followed by two phases of tactical movement, then one phase of strategic movement, then two more phases of tactical movement, then five more phases of strategic movement, ending with a final tactical phase in which combat does not occur. The following diagram shows the exact sequence of a campaign turn.
In peace and truce turns, there is no supply phase, and
there is no division into tactical and strategic phases;
instead all movement happens simultaneously.
5.3.
At the end of each turn, every player will receive two
reports. The first one contains a list of all events that
happened during the turn that were observed by the
player's units. The second one contains maps and unit
status reports showing the positions of the player's units
at the start of the following turn.
Click here for more information on turn reports
Click here for more information on position reports
6. Orders
6.1. Units send orders for each brigade, for each turn, at the ROTD Order Desk. Orders may be sent by the commander of the unit or the deputy commander of the unit. No other player may send orders for the unit unless it is reassigned. If multiple orders are sent for a unit, the last one sent by the commander is accepted; if the commander did not send orders, then the last order sent by the deputy commander is accepted. The orders sent govern the actions of the brigade during the turn. During campaign turns, players submit orders using the campaign order submission form, which is divided into six sections.6.2. In the first section, players type the ID of the unit which they wish to send orders, and their password to identify themselves as commander or deputy commander.
6.3. In the second section, players send orders for strategic movement. Players can specify a path for movement, and can also indicate that the unit should pursue enemy units moving strategically, or should move to the nearest adjacent battle square. They may also specify an entry square, and indicate whether they wish the unit to halt its movement if it encounters an enemy unit during strategic movement, in the case that it moves into an enemy-held square (halt on detection) or an enemy moves into its square (halt on enemy entry).
6.4. In the third section, players specify tactical movement. They can specify a destination square and an intermediate waypoint (they do not need to specify the entire movement path), and the tactical phase for movement to take place. They can specify that a unit should not enter a fort if it enters a city with a fort (units will enter the fort unless ordered not to). They can also indicate that the unit should engage an enemy combat unit in its strategic square, and the tactical phases in which it should do so. They also specify the line in the battle formation in which the unit should attempt to place itself (first line, second line, or rear) if it finds itself in combat.
6.5. In the fourth section, players specify the unit's reaction to the movement of other enemy units. Units can give support to battles in nearby squares if combat takes place, or can move to intercept enemy units moving nearby. In both cases, units can specify the area in which they wish to react, by specifying its center tactical square and its radius, and the tactical phases in which they wish to react.
6.6. In the fifth section, players indicate the offensive and defensive postures they wish their units to take, in a range between seeking combat and avoiding it.
6.7. In the sixth section, players indicate the amount of supplies they wish their units to carry, and the source from which they wish to draw supply, if they desire. A unit need not specify a supply source; if it does not, the closest available source will be used. It is only necessary to specify a source if there are two or more available sources and it matters to the commander which source is used. If a unit does not wish to draw supply at all, it can enter "None" and it will not draw supply.
6.8. In general, players may submit orders in all sections in any combinations they desire.
6.9. If a unit fails to send orders, default orders will be carried out for the unit. The unit will not move, will use skirmish formations on attack and defense, will seek the front line in combat, will support a same-side or actively allied brigade in combat within 2 tactical squares of its start-of-turn position, and will draw one unit of supply.
6.10. During peace or truce turns, players send orders using the peace/truce order submission form, which has only one section, in which players specify the unit ID, their password, and the strategic and tactical locations to which they wish to move the unit.
6.11. On all turns, if a unit is reassigned during a turn, or its commander or deputy changes passwords during a turn, then orders for the unit submitted before the reassignment or password change was submitted are evaluated using the old assignment and passwords, and orders for the unit submitted afer the reassignment or password change was submitted are evaluated using the new assignment and passwords. [More Details]
Click here for more information on the order submission form
7. Strategic Movement
Rules 7.1 through 7.15 apply to campaign turns: rule 7.16 applies to peace and truce turns.7.1. Units can move one square on the strategic map in each phase of strategic movement. Infantry units, light artillery units, and corps headquarters have a normal movement allowance of three squares per turn; horse artillery units, cavalry units, and army headquarters units have a normal allowance of four squares per turn. Siege artillery have a normal movement allowance of two squares per turn. Militia have a normal movement allowance of two squares per turn; they may not move to a strategic square outside their home state. Units pay one point of fatigue for every strategic square moved, or two if moving into a mountain terrain. Units with fatigue in excess of 18 may not move strategically.
7.2. A unit's normal movement allowance is decreased by one square if it is carrying supplies, as it is compelled to remain with its wagon train, and is decreased by one square if it is not in communications (see section 11, Communications and Supply, below).
7.3. A unit can move one strategic square beyond its normal allowance as a forced march, but pays three fatigue points (four points, if cavalry or horse artillery), rather than one, for the additional square of movement. Militia may not force march.
7.4. Units specify the path they wish to take in strategic movement in the strategic movement section of the orders page, one square per box. Diagonal movement is permitted, but diagonal movement between two water squares or two impassible mountain squares is blocked. (Movement between a water square and an impassible mountain square is permitted.) If a unit is ordered to move to a strategic square not adjacent to the one it is in, it will halt its movement at that point. Example: a unit ordered to move G4-V6 G5-V6 G7-V8 will halt in G5-V6 because G7-V8 is not adjacent to G5-V6.
7.5. A unit in a strategic square where a battle was fought on the previous turn may make a strategic withdrawal during the strategic withdrawal phase. Units making strategic withdrawal cannot move to a strategic square containing active hostile combat units at the start of the turn. A unit that makes a strategic withdrawal does not move in strategic phase 1, having made its first move in the strategic withdrawal phase, but continues moving normally in strategic phase 2 and later. It pays two fatigue points rather than one for making a strategic withdrawal move, and will lose some stragglers; 10% to 20% if an enemy unit is in an adjacent tactical square, 0% to 5% if not. Units can skip a phase of strategic movement by leaving a blank box in the strategic movement sequence; it can still movent its full movement allowance as long as it fills in at least three (four for CV/HA) of the boxes.This permits units can choose in which of the six phases of strategic movement they wish to make their three or four moves, as long as they make only one in any given phase.
7.6. In each strategic phase, cavalry and horse artillery units move first and other units second. Within groups, the order of movement is random, and different in each phase.
| 7.7. A unit cannot make a strategic
movement unless it has a path to the edge of its
current tactical map which is free of enemy units
(see illustration). Neutral units block movement in
this way only when in their home nation. [More Details] Units cannot
march strategically if to do so, they must pass
diagonally between two non-actively allied units
adjacent to them on their present tactical map.
Units in besieged cities may not move strategically.
If a unit's move is blocked in one strategic phase,
it will attempt to make the move again in the next
strategic phase, and will continue the rest of its
movement orders, each one phase later than ordered
(including any phases skipped). 7.8. If a unit is in the presence of enemy combat units (that is, non-HQ units) at its turn to move, then it cannot make a strategic movement that requires it to cross a river or mountain range. It must first cross to the proper side of the river/range in tactical movement. Neutral combat units block movement in this way only when in their home nation. [More Details] 7.9. If a unit selects the "halt on detection" option in strategic movement, it will halt strategic movement when it moves into an enemy-occupied square. If it does not select that option, then it will attempt to continue its strategic movement (the enemy unit may block its further strategic movement under rule 7.7). 7.10. If a unit selects the "halt on enemy entry" option in strategic movement, it will halt strategic movement upon detecting an enemy unit entering its strategic square. If it does not select that option, then it will attempt to continue its strategic movement (again, the enemy unit may block its further strategic movement under rule 7.7). 7.11. A unit can select the "pursuit" option in strategic movement. If it does so, then if an enemy unit leaves its strategic square, it will attempt to follow that enemy unit. It may fail due to rule 7.7. If a unit has both a strategic movement path and the pursuit option selected, it will follow the strategic path and attempt pursuit until it makes a successful pursuit, at which time its strategic path will be cancelled and it will exclusively pursue for the rest of the turn. A unit in pursuit mode will make a forced march to pursue if it can do so. 7.12. A unit can select the "march to battle" option in strategic movement. If it does so, and does not have a specified strategic move to make, then it will find the largest battle (strategic square with at least one same-side or actively allied unit and at least one hostile unit present) in or adjacent to its own strategic square. If the largest battle is in its own square, it will not move. Otherwise it will move to the square with the largest battle, force marching to do so if necessary. If there are no battles in the same or adjacent square the unit will not move. A unit with a specified strategic path will not march to battle until it completes its specified path. |
appropriate colored squares (red for north, gray for northwest, etc.) must be clear of enemy units to the edge of the tactical map |
7.14. If a unit attempts to move diagonally, so that it passes between two squares adjacent to its current square, then its movement may be blocked by an active (not inactive or shattered) enemy unit in one of the adjacent squares the moving unit is passing between. The unit will be charged one step of strategic movement and be assessed fatigue points. However, in the next strategic phase it will attempt to continue its movement to its original destination square, and in subsequent strategic movement phases will attempt to remain on its planned movement path. [More Details] Neutral units block movement in this way only when in their home nation.
7.15. Movement into the squares of Canada is forbidden.
7.16. During peace and truce turns, non-militia units, whether they are active or inactive, may move to any strategic square in their home state. Non-militia units that are not in their home state or an allied state may remain where they are. They are not limited by distance or by movement paths; they need only specify the strategic square in which they wish to be placed, and the tactical square. (Note: a distance limit may be added.) If the tactical square is left blank, the current tactical square will be kept if it is passable terrain in the new strategic square. If the strategic square is left blank, the unit will move to a new tactical square in its current strategic square. Movement into Canada remains forbidden. Militia units can only move to their home cities in peace or truce turns. Militia not in their home city will be moved to their home city automatically during peace or truce turns.
7.17. Units (except militia) may board transports and move with the transports according to the (naval-module-to-be-named) rules for moving ships, then land at another part of the map or at off-map ports. [More Details]
8. Rail Movement
8.1. Units which begin their turns in strategic squares with friendly-controlled railroads, and do not make strategic movements by foot, may make rail movements. If no enemy unit is present, the moving unit can be anywhere in the strategic square; if an enemy unit is present, the moving unit must be in a railroad tactical square. The distance that units may move on one turn is 40 squares along the railroad. Paths cannot include diagonal moves, but must be north, south, east, or west. There will eventually be a limit on the total amount of rail movement each side can do in one turn as well., but for now there isn't. A unit which makes a strategic move under rules section 7 cannot also move by river or rail. Rail movement takes place immediately after the last phase of strategic movement.8.2. A rail square is friendly-controlled if the last unit to occupy that strategic square was friendly. If a square contains both friendly and enemy units, then if a friendly unit is in a railroad tactical square and no enemy unit is, the railroad is friendly-controlled. If no unit is on the railroad, or both sides have units on the railroad, the railroad is not controlled by either side and cannot be used for rail movement. [A river square is friendly-controlled if it contains no enemy river batteries and the last warship to sail in that square was friendly. This probably belongs in the naval rules now.]
8.3. To move by rail, units enter the destination to which they want to move and an entry square. They may optionally submit a waypoint to move through as well. Units will move via the shortest valid path between the unit's location and its destination (and through the waypoint if one is submitted). If the unit cannot reach the destination square, either because enemy units block the move or because it exceeds its movement limit, it will move as far as it can towards the destination, unless the shortest path to the destination is more than 80 squares, in which case the unit will not move at all.
8.4. Units moving by rail will be placed on the tactical map in the same way that units moving on foot are placed, except that they must enter in a railroad tactical square. The entry square can be used to control whether entry is in the usual row/column 3/11, or closer to the edge of the tactical map.
9. Tactical Movement
Rules 9.1 through 9.11 apply to campaign turns; rule 9.12 applies to peace and truce turns.9.1. Units can move on the tactical map in each phase of tactical movement. Cavalry and horse artillery and army headquarters units can move up to six tactical squares in each tactical phase. Other units, including corps headquarters units, can move up to four tactical squares in each phase. If there are hostile units in their strategic square, units pay one fatigue point for each phase in which they move tactically; otherwise tactical movement does not incur fatigue. Units with fatigue in excess of 8 may not move tactically if enemy units are present in their strategic square.
9.2. Units moving tactically specify the tactical square to which they wish to move and, optionally, an intermediate waypoint to move through en route. If no waypoint is specified, then units move in a straight line to the destination square; if a waypoint is specified, units move in a straight line to the waypoint, then in a straight line to the destination from the waypoint. They can also specify the tactical phase in which they wish the movement to begin. Movement will commence in the specified phase (in the first phase if no starting phase is specified). If the unit can reach its destination in one phase, it will complete the move; if not the unit will move as far as it can along the straight-line path to the destination, and will continue moving in later tactical phases until the movement is completed or the turn ends. Units can also specify not to enter a fort if they move into a fortified city tac square. Units currently in forts wishing to exit, or currently in tactical squares with forts wishing to enter the fort, can do so by sending an order to move to their current tactical square (the fort's tactical square) and checking or not checking the "Do not enter fort" order, as appropriate. Units moving in and out of forts, but not moving to a different tactical square, will move before any unit which is moving to a different tactical square.
9.3. If a unit encounters an enemy unit during its move, either at the destination or prior to the destination, then its movement is halted, as is the movement of the enemy unit or units it encountered, and a combat begins. [More Details] When units of more than one state are in the destination square, each state fights on one side in the battle according to whether it is allied to, or hostile to, the unit which initiated the battle. [More Details] A unit which is in evade offensive mode and cannot attack an enemy unit this way, or a unit which cannot enter combat for other reasons, will instead halt one square short of the enemy unit. If a unit's movement calls for it to encounter a neutral unit, then it will not move at all.
9.4. Units inside a besieged city may not move out of the city tac square unless they move only 1 tactical square and they move to attack a besieging unit. Units outside a besieged city that are not hostile to the side controlling the city may not enter the city tac square. Units that are hostile to the controlling side may enter the tac square of the city and a combat will result.
9.5. If a unit is in the same strategic square as an enemy unit, then if its path to its destination or waypoint square in tactical movement crosses through impassible terrain, or crosses a cliff (a border between a high hill tactical square and a non-hill tactical square) then the unit's path is blocked and it does not move at all. This rule applies when the moving unit is in the same strategic square as a neutral only if the neutral unit is in its home nation or a nation with which it is actively allied. This limitation is not applied if there is no enemy or neutral unit present in the square. [More Details] If a unit moves in more than one tactical phase, and an enemy or neutral unit enters the square between tactical phases (either between tac phases 2 and 3, or between phases tac 4 and 5) then the limitation will apply in the tac phases after the enemy or neutral unit enters.
9.6. In each tactical phase, units move in order of initiative, 1 first, 5 last. Within initiative groups, units move in a random order, and the order is different in each tactical phase of the turn.
9.7. Units may not cross from one side of a river or mountain range to another in tactical movement unless they use an appropriate ford or pass square as the waypoint for the movement; units ordered to cross without using a ford/pass waypoint will not move.
9.8. Units may also be ordered to engage the nearest enemy combat unit. Units may be ordered to engage in specified starting and ending phases. If a unit has two or more enemy units that are equally near, it will attack the one requiring the fewest diagonal moves. If a unit has both an engage order and a destination or waypoint order, it will move to the waypoint and destination, and begin to engage the nearest enemy unit in the tactical phase after the one in which it reaches its destination. Units will not engage an enemy headquarters unit unless there is no enemy combat unit available to engage. If a unit fails a morale check, it will cease attempting to engage enemy units.
9.9. Units can specify the line in which they wish to fight if they enter combat during tactical movement. A unit cannot occupy the second line or rear unless another unit occupies the line or lines in front of them; if not, the unit will automatically move forward as required. They can also specify the attitude they wish to take if they find themselves attacking or defending in combat. Assault and last-ditch defense mode represent extreme effort in combat resulting in increased combat strength, but heavier losses. Skirmish mode represents a lighter form of combat, and evade mode represents leaving a screen in front of the position while keeping the majority of the unit disengaged.
9.10. Units can indicate the desire to support same-side or units in combat. If a unit has an order to support, then after all other tactical movement is finished, the unit will move to join a battle in progress. Units must specify a location at which to support and a radius around that location. For example, if a unit specifies support location 10-5 and a radius of 2, then the unit will move to support any combat in the box between columns 8 and 12 and between rows 3 and 7. If there are two or more combats in side the support radius, then the supporting unit will move to the closest one; if two are equally close, it will move to the one in which the odds against its side are the worst. Support moves cannot be longer than two tactical squares, or three tactical squares for CV/HA units.
9.11. Units can also move to intercept the movement of other units. If a unit has an order to intercept, then it specifies an interception location and a radius around that location in the same manner that it specifies a box for a support order. If an enemy unit moves through the specified box, or if a neutral unit does so when the given unit is in a strategic square controlled by its own state, then the unit with the intercept order will move to engage the enemy/neutral unit if it can do so. Interception of enemy units will result in a combat. Interception of neutral units will not, but will halt the neutral unit's tactical move at the intercept point. The interception will take place when the moving unit reaches the edge of the intercepting unit's intercept box if possible; if not, it will be made at the first possible point of contact, which may or may not be inside the intercept box. If the enemy/neutral unit is moving only one square, then interception is not possible. If two units attempt to intercept the same enemy/neutral unit, then the first one to move in interception determines the point of interception, and all subsequent interceptions must take place at that point. A unit may move to intercept an enemy/neutral unit whose point of interception is farther away than the unit's movement allowance (4 or 6 squares depending on branch) but if the interception requires the unit to move more than its tac movement allowance, it will move only to its allowed limit, and will not intercept the enemy/neutral unit. A unit which has selected evade as its attack mode may not intercept the movement of enemy/neutral units.
9.12. During peace and truce turns, tactical movement is automatic and unlimited. See rule 7.16 for more details.
10. Combat
10.1. During a campaign turn, if at the end of a tactical movement phase, two or more units hostile to one another are in the same tactical square, combat begins. Combat cannot occur on peace or truce turns. Combat occurs in two segments, a firing segment and a melee segment. Not all battles have a melee segment; a battle has a melee segment only if at least one attacking unit is in Assault or Attack modes, at least one defending unit is in Defend or Last-Ditch mode, and at least one attacking unit is able to move to close quarters. [More Details]10.2. Army and corps headquarters units do not engage in combat. If an enemy unit enters their tactical square, there is a small chance that they will shatter (see section 12 below). If they do not shatter, they will fall back before the attacking unit and take no further part in the battle. If they cannot fall back from the attack they will shatter. If a corps HQ is carrying supplies when it is shattered or forced to fall back, the supplies will be destroyed.
10.3. At the beginning of combat, units place themselves into lines according to their orders. There must be at least one unit in the front line, and there cannot be a unit in the rear unless there is at least one in the second line. If no unit wishes to be in the first line, or the second line when a unit is needed there, a unit is selected randomly and placed in that line.
10.4. The number of units that can fit in the front line depends on the size of each unit and the length of the battle line. If the attacking side entered the tactical square where the combat occurred from one direction, then the front line can contain up to 3000 infantry, or 1000 cavalry, or 375 artillerists, or combination thereof where 1 infantryman takes up 1 space, 1 cavalryman takes up 3 spaces, 1 artilleryman takes up 8 spaces, and 3000 spaces total are available. If an infantry or cavalry brigade has a battery attached, then 100 of its men count as artillerists. For example, an infantry unit with 2000 men and no battery takes up 2000 spaces, but one with 2000 men and 1 battery takes up 2700 spaces (1900 infantry plus 100 artillerists at 8 spaces each). If more units wish to be in the front line that there is space available for them, then each unit contributes enough strength in proportion to fill the front line, and the remaining strength fights from the rear line (even if no unit is in the second line). If a side's front line is reduced by casualties in the firing phase, then the strength in the rear line will return to the front line to fill the space. If the attackers entered from more than one direction, then the front line extends by another 3000 men for each direction the attackers came from, or 1500 if an additional direction is adjacent to another, or 0 if an additional direction is adjacent to two others. Example: If attackers came from the north and east, the front can contain 6000 men, but if they came from the north and northeast, only 4500, and if they came from north, northeast, and east, again 6000. The second and third line have the same size limit as the first. Units that do not fit into the third line cannot engage (but will take casualties).
10.5. Cavalry fights dismounted and infantry do not form squares.
10.6. The effective strength of a unit depends on the number of men and batteries in the unit, the weapons it has, the quality, experience, morale, and fatigue of the troops, the weapons it is using, the terrain in which the battle takes place, attack or defense mode (units in assault and last-ditch defense mode have higher effective strength; units in skirmish and evade modes ave lower effective strength), and whether the unit moved to enter the battle square or not (units that did not move have a higher effective strength). Militia fight at reduced strength if moving, and if not in a town tactical square. Units in forts have higher effective strengths. [More Details]
10.7. In the firing segment, all infantry in the front line and all artillery in the first or second line (including batteries attached to infantry or cavalry brigades) may fire. Casualties are proportional to the effective strength of the firing units, and are distributed among the enemy units in the first and second lines in the combat in proportion to their strength, increased if the unit is in assault or last-ditch defense mode, and reduced if the unit is in skirmish or evade mode. Units in the rear line will not receive casualties in the firing segment. Each unit that engages in the firing segment receives 1 fatigue point, including an infantry or cavalry unit with an attached battery for which only the battery fires. Units in forts receive reduced casualties.
10.8. Units that suffer 2% or greater losses in the firing segment must take a morale check. The chance of passing the morale check depends on the unit's quality, experience, number of men lost, and whether the unit's flanks are anchored or exposed. [More Details] A unit has one flank anchored if there is an adjacent square containing same-side or actively allied troops or impassible terrain. A unit has both flanks anchored if there are two adjacent squares, not in adjacent directions (example, not north and northeast), with same-side or actively allied troops or impassible terrain and the front line is at least 75% full (ie, 2250 infantry, 750 cavalry, 281 artillerists, or a proportional number of mixed troops if the line is 3000 men long.) Flanks cannot be turned in battles in forts. If a unit not in a fort fails its morale check it may retreat up to 4 tactical squares, or may rout to an adjacent strategic square; units in forts that fail morale checks will not move. Units that retreat incur 2 fatigue points; units that rout incur 5 fatigue points. If a unit fails a morale check and is unable to retreat or rout, it surrenders. Units that rout will pick a direction randomly, and may pick a direction that is blocked even if open directions were available. Units that retreat will pick an open direction if one is available. If a retreating or routing unit has its movement blocked, it will surrender. River batteries do not retreat or rout; if required to rout, they are destroyed. Units that rout or retreat will cancel any engage orders they may have. [ More Details ]
10.9. In the melee segment, if it occurs, all units in the front and second line engage at full strength and all units in the rear line engage at half strength. Units that engage incur 1 fatigue point. If between 1/3 and 2/3 of a side's effective strength is cavalry, and the battle is not in a fort, then the side receives a bonus for engaging with mixed arms. Units with exposed flanks suffer a penalty. Casualties are proportional to the effective strength of the units and are distributed among the enemy units in the combat in proportion to their strength. Units in forts will received reduced casualties. The side that loses the melee suffers increased casualties.
10.10 After the melee if it occurs, or after the firing phase if not, the side that loses the battle falls back to an adjacent tactical square. Units in forts that lose battles will not fall back, but will surrender. River batteries do not fall back, but are destroyed. Units falling back will move to a tactical square containing same-side or actively allied units when possible. Units falling back receive 1 point of fatigue. They cannot fall back to an impassible square or to one containing enemy units. If no legal fallback direction is available, they will surrender. [ More Details ]
10.11. Units in attack or defense mode will switch to skirmish mode (to reduce casualties) if the odds in the melee phase are at least 2:1 against them. Units in assault or last-ditch defense mode will not do so.
10.12. Units that suffer losses in the melee segment must take morale checks under the same rules as units that take losses in the firing segment, and rout or retreat similarly.
10.13. At the end of each phase, if a sufficiently large number of units in a strategic square have routed or retreated, all other units of the same side must take morale checks. If they fail, they join the retreat or rout, or surrender if their retreats or routs are blocked by enemy units or impassible terrain. (Note: Not yet implemented and probably never will be.)
10.14. Casualties suffered in combat are dividing into four types; killed, wounded, prisoners, and stragglers. A fraction of a unit's stragglers will rejoin the unit on each successive turn (unless the unit is in a besieged fort), and will rejoin faster if the unit has no strategic movement order. Wounded rejoin the unit at the end of the campaign and are available for subsequent campaigns. Prisoners are a subject to be dealt with later.
10.15. Artillery units, and infantry and cavalry units with attached artillery batteries, that are not engaged in combat and did not move in a given tac phase may bombard enemy units in adjacent squares in that same tac phase. Rifled artillery may bombard into a tac square two squares away, and may bombard over the heads of friendly units. Bombarding artillery units may move in earlier or later tac phases. Bombardment takes place after movement and before other combat. Units that bombard may not fire into tactical squares containing same-side or actively allied units. Units bombarding receive a +50% modifier to their strength. Bombardment produces casualties for the bombarded units in exactly the same way as other combat does. Bombardment can also reduce the level of a fort. The chance of this is 1% for every 350 modified strength bombarding. Heavy artillery cannot damage forts above level 3; medium artillery (including artillery of infantry brigades) cannot damage forts above level 2; light artillery (including artillery of cavalry brigades) cannot damage forts above level 1.
11. Communications and Supply
11.1. During campaign turns, units in ROTD are either in communications or not in communications. Army headquarters units are a source of communications and are in communications at all times. Corps headquarters units are in communications if they are have a line of contact to an army headquarters unit not longer than 5 strategic squares, or if in the same strategic square as a same-side-controlled or active-ally-controlled city. Other brigades are in communications if they are have a line of contact to a corps headquarters unit not longer than 2 strategic squares that is in communications, or if they are in the same strategic square as a same-side-controlled or active-ally-controlled city.11.2. Two units have a line of contact if there is a path between them along the strategic map that does not enter impassible terrain, does not enter a square containing an enemy unit, does not a square adjacent to an enemy light cavalry or medium cavalry unit unless a same-side or actively allied combat unit is also in the square or in the square of the enemy cavalry unit, and does not pass diagonally between enemy units, and both units have a clear path to the edge of their tactical maps in the direction of that path. Lines of contact for detection purposes may be traced through squares adjacent to enemy cavalry. [More Details] Units are in contact with cities if they would be in contact with an unit in the city, unless the city is under siege (see next rule). Two cities have a line of contact to one another if they are controlled by the same side or allied sides, and units of the controlling side in each of their tactical squares would have a line of contact between them.
11.3. Cities may be besieged. A city is besieged if the unmodified strength of hostile units in tactical squares adjacent to the city is more than 110% of the unmodified strength of same-side or actively allied units in the city tactical square or adjacent tactical squares, and if there is a fort in the city, hostile unmodified strength is at least half the capacity of the fort. Supplies may not be moved in or out of besieged cities. Units in besieged cities may draw supply and communications only from the city or from a Q unit in the city; units outside a besieged city may not draw supplies or communications from the city or from a Q unit inside the city. A siege can only begin at the end of a movement phase. Thus, if a city is not besieged at the start of a movement phase, it will not become besieged until the end of that phase, and units in the city which are attacked will be able to retreat out of the city if they lose the battle. At the end of a turn, in the siege surrender phase, units in besieged cities which have no supplies may surrender. The chance that the units will surrender is 1/3. One roll is made for the whole garrison, so either all units in the city will surrender or none will.
11.4. Units not in communications lose one square from their strategic movement allowance.
11.5. During campaign turns, active units in ROTD, except river batteries, consume supplies. Inactive units do not use supplies, and during peace and truce turns all units do not use supplies. Supplies are stored in supply depots and distributed via corps headquarters to units. A corps headquarters can draw supplies from a same-side or actively allied supply depot if it has a line of contact to the depot not longer than 4 strategic squares (as defined in rule 11.2). It can also draw supplies from a same-side or actively allied city if it is located in the city strat square (if the city is besieged, it must be in the city tac square). A unit, including an army headquarters, can draw supplies from a same-side or actively allied corps headquarters if it has a line of contact to the depot not longer than 2 strategic squares. Units can also draw directly from cities or supply depots if they are in the same strategic square as the city or depot (note; this won't work for depots yet). One corps HQ can supply a maximum of 18 units, including itself. A city or depot can supply as many units as which to draw supply from them. A unit can also requisition supplies if it is in a strategic square with open or river terrain, there are no enemy brigades in the same strategic square, and there are no more than 3 total brigades in the square. A unit can enter "None" for its supply source if it does not wish to draw supplies; it will still requisition supplies if it can. If a CQ does not wish to draw supplies, it will not draw them from a city but will still give the supplies it carries to units that request supplies from it.
11.6 Any commander of an army headquarters unit, or the War Minister, can order supplies moved from one city or supply depot to another if the cities/depots have a line of contact to the depot not longer than 4 strategic squares Supplies can also be moved by river and rail if the cities or depots have a valid rail or river path between them and are within 40 squares for a rail move or 30 squares for a river move. Supplies may also be moved from one city to another, or a depot in a city, if both cities are port cities, are connected to the same sea area or adjacent sea areas, and there are no hostile ships in either port or in the connected sea area(s). Supplies may be moved only from the city or depot in which they began the turn (ie, supplies cannot make two consecutive moves on one turn) and no city or depot may originate movement of more than 60 units of supply per turn. During peace and truce turns, the distance limits and the quantity limit do not apply. On peace and truce turns any number of supplies that started the turn in the city can be moved any distance.
11.7. Supply depots are placed on the map by the War Ministers of each side, or the President or Vice-President of that side. Supply depots must be placed in strategic squares containing friendly-controlled railroad, friendly-controlled navigable river, or a friendly-controlled city. If in a railroad they must be in a railroad tactical square; if in a river they must be in a tactical square adjacent to the river; if in a city they must be in the city tac square; if the city contains more than one of those things, then the tac square appropriate to any of them may be chosen. TEMPORARY RULE: Each side is given a number of supply depots at game start, which may be placed immediately or reserved. Placing a reserved depot requires two turns; if the placement is requested (by email to the GA) before turn N, then the depot is placed after turn N+1. A placed depot can be removed, and similarly requires two turns. A depot can be removed and replaced; this takes four turns. (Later, the economics module will govern the purchase of depots.)
11.8. If an enemy unit enters the tactical square of an undefended depot, or if enemy units win a battle in the tactical square of a depot, the depot is destroyed. All units of the destroying side will automatically load ammunition and supplies from the depot, up to the limit of the number of supplies in the depot when destroyed. Corps headquarters have first priority to load supplies, other units second; within groups the order of loading supplies is random.
11.9. At the start of each turn, units consume 1 unit of supplies, then draw more supplies if they desire. Corps headquarters units can carry up to 12 units of supplies; other units can carry 0 or 1 unit of supplies. Commanders indicate the desired level of supply they wish to carry in the supply level box on the orders page, and the unit will draw enough supplies to bring itself up to that level. A unit that indicates a supply level of 0 will still draw supplies for immediate consumption if it can do so. If a corps HQ unit has more supplies than the amount it requested to carry in orders, it will unload the rest back to the city from which it is drawing supplies if no enemy unit is present. If an enemy unit is present, or it is out of supply, it cannot unload.
11.10. During campaign turns, units that do not have supplies to consume suffer losses from desertion each turn that they lack supplies, unless in a besieged fort. Units that requisition supplies suffer reduced losses from desertion during requisitioning. The number of men lost depend on the quality and morale of the unit. [More Details] Supply losses are divided between prisoners and stragglers, and will rejoin their units under rule 10.13. Units in besieged cities do not lose deserters, but there is a 33% chance that they may surrender if there are no supplies in the city. If one unit in the fort surrenders, then all will do so.
11.11. Infantry and artillery units in ROTD also consume ammunition in combat. Units can carry five units of ammunition, and expend one unit of ammunition in any tactical phase that they fire or engage in melee. Units automatically replenish ammunition whenever they draw supplies.
11.12. Infantry units that are out of ammunition cannot fire, and fight in melee at half strength. Artillery units that are out of ammunition cannot fire or engage in melee.
11.13. At the end of each turn, units locate the nearest available source of supply; corps HQs locate the nearest city, other units locate the nearest corps HQ. This supply location is listed on the unit's status report. [More Details] Unit commanders may specify a different supply source on the campaign orders submission form if they wish to do so; if not, or if the ordered supply source is not valid, the unit will use the one listed on its status report. If a city changes hands or a CQ is disbanded, then the unit may select a different supply source at the start of the following turn.
12. Inactive Units
Rules 12.1 through 12.6 apply to campaign turns; rule 12.7 applies to peace and truce turns.12.1. During campaign turns, units in ROTD can be inactive in three situations. 1) Units aboard transports become inactive until they unload into a ROTD map square. 2) Units located in garrisons of (naval modle to be named) ports which are not on the ROTD map (there will be a few, probably) are inactive. 3) Units on the ROTD map can be inactivated by the commander or by the Secretary of War.
12.2. A single square on the ROTD strategic map cannot contain more than three inactive units (including militia) if it contains a city, and not more than two inactive units if it does not contain a city. Inactive militia units in the cities in which they were raised do not count against these limits. Attempts to inactivate units when the maximum number of inactive units are already present will fail. Units may not inactivate when neutral or enemy units are in their strategic square.
12.3. Inactive units do not require communications or supply and do not take supply losses. They do not move or detect enemy units. They will, however, automatically activate if enemy or neutral units enter their strategic square. Inactive units appear on report maps with a tent icon instead of a flag icon. They do not provide intelligence information. They are listed at the end of the position report.
12.4. Inactive units on transports or on the ROTD map do not engage in combat. Inactive units in port garrisons will fight if enemy units land at the port. The normal combat rules do not apply to fights in garrisons, because those battles do not take place on the ROTD map. Rules for these combats are found in the PATE rules, rule 10.2. as are other relevant rules for units on transports and in garrisons.
12.5. Players may send orders for inactive units. These orders will not cause the unit to activate. However, if the unit is activated during the turn for some reason (for example, if an enemy unit enters its strategic square) then the unit will begin carrying out the orders it has received at that time. Note that if an inactive unit is ordered to move in strat phase 1, but is not activated until strat phase 2, then it will not attempt to carry out its strat phase 1 order, as that phase has passed.
12.6. During peace and truce turns, there is no difference between active and inactive units; they function identically. The only distinction is that active units will remain active at the start of the next campaign, and inactive ones will remain inactive.
13. Shattered Units
13.1.If a unit is required to retreat or rout, but its attempt to do so is blocked by an enemy or neutral unit, or if it takes a morale check when its fatigue is 16 or greater, then the unit will shatter. Units that shatter lose 20% to 40% of their strength, half as stragglers and half as prisoners.13.2. Upon shattering, a unit will immediately move to a strategic square with no enemy units and commence reforming. If the unit has a valid line of contact to a city within 15 squares, it will move 3 or 4 squares along that line. If that square contains an enemy unit, the shattered unit will instead locate in an adjacent square, selected randomly, until it finds one with no enemy unit present. If the unit has no line of contact to any same-side or actively allied city, then it is destroyed.
13.3. Shattered units take 2 or 3 turns to reform, including the one on which they are shattered, and reform at the end of the turn on which they complete reforming. While shattered, they do not report intelligence in any way.
13.4. If an enemy unit enters the square where the shattered unit is reforming, then the shattered unit will again move 3 to 4 squares along the line of contact to a same-side or actively allied city (or be destroyed it if has none) and will require an additional turn to reform.
13.5. When the unit is ready to reform, it reappears as an active unit on the map if it is within 5 squares of a friendly CQ or 3 squares of a friendly city. If not, then it attempts to reform on the following turn. If it cannot reform for three turns, it is destroyed.