SETTING UP THE SCENARIO
When preparing for a battle the following rules will determine the tactical situation confronting the opposing sides on the tabletop. One side will be designated the attacker while the other the defender, this simply reflects the strategic situation leading up to the engagement. The defender has a slight advantage in terms of possible fortification of their position and in regard to victory conditions while the attacker receives a slight advantage in terms of determining the initiative.
It is suggested that point totals for each side fighting a battle on a six-foot by four-foot table should be 1,000 points.
In addition to any fortifications that either side chooses to purchase from their available points, the defender may purchase fortifications up to the equivalent of the sum of a roll of two dice.
NB. This system is designed to be used with my alternative scale and therefore all distances should be doubled when playing the original Fire and Fury scales. It is suggested that a nine foot by six foot table should be used if playing with the original rules and that an 800 points limit be used for both armies.
1. Determine Attacker/Defender
In each scenario one side is called the attacker and the other the defender, even in meeting engagements. To determine which side is the attacker simply rolls one die for each side; the higher roll determines the attacker. If there is a draw, then re-roll.
Prior to setting up the terrain for the battle, each side organizes their armies by purchasing troops and fortifications. Players must agree on the total points available to each side prior to organizing their forces.
2. Purchasing Fortifications
Each side may expend available points on field fortifications regardless of whether the scenario is a meeting engagement or a defensive action or whether the side is the attacker or the defender. For each 100p of fortifications the following points must be expended:
Light 2
Medium 4
Heavy 6
3. Purchasing Troops
Each side purchases their forces utilizing the point costs for troop types listed below.
Crack Infantry 5
Veteran Infantry 4
Green Infantry 3
Crack Cavalry 7
Veteran Cavalry 6
Green Cavalry 5
If armed with repeating rifles/carbines +2
Foot Artillery 20
Horse Artillery 25
Exceptional Brigade Leader 10
Divisional or Corps Leader 10
Exceptional Leader 20
NB. A player may not spend more than 25% of their total points on artillery.
Only Union troops may be equipped with repeating rifles or repeating carbines.
Brigades must be at least six stands strong and no larger than 12 stands.
4. Determine Season
Roll one die and cross-reference the result on the table below:
1 Winter
2 - 4 Spring
5 - 7 Summer
8 -10 Autumn
5. Determine Time of Day
Roll two dice and add the results together. The sum of the dice roll equals the number of hours that have elapsed since midnight and determines the starting time of the battle. If the starting time for the battle occurs during the hours on darkness at night, the battle commences at the following dawn.
Thirty minutes pass each time both players complete a turn during daylight. One hour passes each time both players complete a turn during the hours of dusk or dawn. The hours of darkness at night are represented by a single turn for each player under these rules. The hours of darkness from sunrise to sunset are:
· 0500 to 1900 if summer
· 0700 to 1700 if winter
· 0600 to 1800 in other seasons
Dusk occurs for one hour before sunset and dawn occurs for one hour after sunrise. During dusk and dawn all brigades and batteries move normally although visibility is restricted to no more than 6”.
If night falls during the battle and neither side concedes, the following procedures are followed;
1. The side with the initiative must move all units from within visibility of opposing units. All units withdrawn remain facing their opponents and only move sufficiently to end their move out of sight of any opposing unit. Artillery may end their turn unlimbered if desired.
2. Both sides, starting with the side with the initiative, may move any steady (not disordered/silenced) units up to their full movement allowance without rolling on the maneuver table providing the units do not move within visibility of an opposing unit.
3. All disordered and silenced battery markers are removed from units belonging to both sides. Units rallying from disorder may change facing if facing away from opposing units as a result of retreating.
4. Both sides may attempt to regroup brigades that have suffered losses during the previous day of battle. Artillery lost during previous fighting may not be recovered but infantry and cavalry brigades may recover some lost stands overnight as stragglers regroup on their units and units recover fatigue from their previous exertions.
5. Fallen leaders are replaced anywhere on the table within their side’s battlelines.
Regroup Table
During the night turn, infantry and cavalry brigades that have lost stands during the previous fighting may attempt to recover some of their losses. Losses represent more than simply casualties; they also represent lost effectiveness due to fatigue, stragglers, and loss of unit cohesion and morale. Effectiveness can therefore be recovered during the lull in the fighting during the night.
NB. Dispersed units may never be regrouped and units that have left the table may not return.
Die Roll / 1-2 / 3-4 / 5-6 / 7-8 / 9+1 Stand lost / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1
2 Stands lost / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 1
3 Stands lost / 0 / 0 / 1 / 1 / 2
4 Stands lost / 0 / 1 / 1 / 2 / 2
5 Stands lost / 1 / 1 / 2 / 2 / 3
6 Stands lost / 1 / 2 / 2 / 3 / 3
7 Stands lost / 2 / 2 / 3 / 3 / 4
8 Stands lost / 2 / 3 / 3 / 4 / 4
9 Stands lost / 3 / 3 / 4 / 4 / 5
# Number of stands recovered.
Modifiers:
+2 If brigade is Veteran
-2 If brigade is Green
6. Setting Up The Table
The defender rolls one die and cross references the die roll with the table below to determine how many terrain pieces are to be placed on the battlefield.
DIE ROLL TERRAIN PIECES
1 4
2 5
3 - 4 6
5 - 6 7
7 - 8 8
9 9
10 10
In addition, the defender may also roll for a water feature on the following table:
DIE ROLL WATER FEATURE
1 - 7 None
8 Short Stream
9 Long Stream
10 River
The defender divides the table width by 3 and the depth by 2 to make six equal square sectors. To be valid, it must have at least one terrain feature partly or entirely in each sector and either a water feature or some rough terrain in at least half of them. Features must be easily recognized.
The defender selects and places the number of terrain features equal to those determined by the die roll on the above table. A terrain feature, other than roads or streams cannot be more than 18” across in any direction, nor less than 3”. If it nowhere exceeds 6” across it counts as .5 of a feature equivalent, if it anywhere exceeds 12” as 1.5. A built up area may nowhere exceed 12” across and may not be less than 6” across at any point.
Unless otherwise specified in the scenario notes, the tabletop between terrain features is good terrain and represents pastures or fields.
Rough terrain includes moderately boggy, rocky or bushy gentle slopes or lower ground, orchards or a sunken gully.
Difficult terrain includes steep or wooded hills, woods, small fields enclosed by walls, hedges or irrigation channels, vineyards, marsh, and built up areas.
Hedges, orchards and vineyards count as light cover for fire purposes and provide no defensive value for units in charge combats. Woods, built up areas and walls provide a modifier of –1 for fire purposes and provide a +1 modifier to units on foot defending them in charge combat. Substantial built up areas provide a –2 modifier for fire purposes while providing a +2 modifier for units on foot defending them in charge combat.
Long streams run from one short table edge to the opposite table edge and although it may twist and turn across the table, it cannot be any longer in length than 8’ including any bends. Short streams run from one long table edge to the opposite table edge and although it may twist and turn across the table, it cannot be any longer in length than 6’ including any bends. Rivers run along an entire short table edge extending up to 3” into the table. Rivers cannot be forded unless the scenario specifies otherwise.
Once the defender has set up the terrain, the attacker may place a road running from one short side to the other which must run through any built up area on the table. The attacker than selects the long table edge that they wish to use as their baseline.
7. Determine Scouting
For the purposes of determining out scouting, both sides roll a die and modify the results for the number of scouting points included in each army. Each side receives the following points for each stand of cavalry:
Crack 6
Veteran 4
Green 2
The scouting point totals for each side are compared and the side with the lower total suffers a modifier to their die roll of -1 if they have a ratio of 2:3 compared to their opponent, -2 if they have a ratio of 1:2, -3 if they have a ratio of 1:3 etc. up to maximum of -5. If one side has no cavalry while the other has at least one brigade, then that side automatically receives the maximum -5 modifier when determining scouting outcomes.
If the difference between the modified die rolls is equal to or greater than seven (7), the side with the higher roll has outscouted their opponent and this provides an advantage in regard to the process for deploying troops on the tabletop.
8. Determining Weather
The attacker rolls one die to determine the weather for each day and cross-references the result with the outcomes below:
1-4 Clear and dry.
5-8 Overcast.
Risk of rain unless it is summer.
Fog if winter.
Mist if spring or autumn.
9-10 Overcast.
Risk of rain if summer.
High risk of rain if spring or autumn.
Very high risk of rain if winter.
Risk of rain: Rain starts if a 9 or a 10 is rolled at the commencement of a pair of turns. It ceases if a 1, 2 or 3 is rolled at the commencement of a subsequent pair of turns.
High risk of rain: Rain starts if an 8, 9 or 10 is rolled at the commencement of a pair of turns. It ceases if a 1 or a 2 is rolled at the commencement of a subsequent pair of turns.
Very high risk of rain: Rain starts if a 7, 8, 9 or a 10 is rolled at the commencement of a pair of turns. It ceases if a 1 is rolled at the commencement of a subsequent pair of turns.
Fog or mist Starts one hour before sunrise and continues until a 1, 2 or 3 is rolled. Subtract one from the die roll for each completed hour of daylight including dawn. If the battle commences after dawn, fog or mist is assumed to have already dissipated. Fog or mist reduces visibility.
Rain All fire is halved while it continues to rain. After six consecutive turns of rain all terrain counts as mud and streams are flooded. Rain also affects visibility.
Mud All maximum movement rates are reduced by 2”. Roads provide no movement bonuses.
Visibility Rain reduces visibility to 8”. Dawn and dusk reduce visibility to 6”. Moonlight or daylight mist reduces visibility to 4”. An overcast or misty night or fog reduces visibility to 2”.
Prior Rain If it is raining during the first turn, a die is rolled and the result determines how many turns it has been raining for prior to the commencement of the battle. This is used for determining whether there is mud and flooded streams.
9. Deploying Troops
Unless surprise has been achieved, both sides record the relative positions of their divisions, and any independent brigades or batteries, on their own map of the battlefield. The attacker has already selected their baseline so both sides may position their troops within 18” of their baseline. Troops may not be positioned within 6” of the short or side table edges at the commencement of the battle. Maps must record any units that are being allocated to reserves/reinforcements or flank marches, and maps must record which short table edge is the destination of the flank march. Details and locations of concealed reserves must also be marked on the map.
Once the maps have been completed the defender may place their first division, independent brigades being placed last. Artillery may be placed at anytime nearby troops are been placed on the table or alternatively artillery batteries not attached to a division are all placed once all other brigades on their side have been placed. Both sides take it in turn to place their divisions in the approximate positions marked on their map. Divisions, and independent brigades or batteries, must be placed relative to other formations consistent with the way they are recorded on the map.
Fortifications must be accurately recorded on the map.
If one side has been out scouted, that side must place their troops on the table without either side recording relative positions of divisions on the deployment map. Once the side that has been outscouted has placed all their troops the other side may freely place their troops on the table within the normal deployment limitations indicated above. Deployment maps are still required to record concealed reserves, reserves/reinforcements or flank marches.